Thank you Ravens

I've never liked the Ravens (probably because they are the Redskins closest geographic rivals) but the Ravens were the team that actually provided the defensive blueprint for how to beat the Patriots, even though their offense couldn't finish the job.

Many credit this design to the New York Giants, but the Ravens got to the Pats first.

The Brady to Moss combination was rendered useless for the whole game, and if it were not for Welker's broken tackles and big plays for first downs, they would have shut them down completely.

Their plan was relatively simple. Overload and Overwhelm the Patriots blocking scheme. And it worked. The Pats offense was out of sync for most of the game, and if Brian Billick doesn't call that ill-fated TO, they win the game on that 4th down stuff of Tom Brady's QB sneak.

The Giants offense actually has a decent QB and some solid receivers, so they were able to do more damage to the Pats aging defense, but my hat goes off to the Baltimore Ravens, for showing us how to slow down the Patriots juggernaut offense.

Actually no. But apparently if you post on anything else on this board, nobody replies.

Go back to the rookie room with the rest of your ignorant patriot-supporting brethren (not all Pats fans, just the ignorant ones), i heard it's time for the pop-up stories and coloring books.

oh yes Turtle... can't forget to thank Mother Nature.

And Brady couldn't throw through that wind because he doesn't really have an NFL arm (shhh, don't tell Pats fans). That's why he was a scrub in college and couldn't get drafted. Teams have no found out that you don't really need a rocket for an arm if you can get a good enough pocket to step into your throws (as Brady has). His protection allows him to get enough mustard on those throws, but pressure can eliminate that.

Even off his back foot, Peyton can rifle balls where they need to go. Brett too.

Brady is like Montana... not as physically gifted but intelligent, well-coached, with great offensive lines.

The difference is.... if you put Brady on a team without a great offensive line, he'd suck.

Peyton would be able to do just as well without a great offensive line (as we saw when half his O-line was injured last season) but they'd just have to change their offensive strategy to allow for a quicker release and more 3-step drops. But even with pressure in his face, that ball is coming out on a line.

Review tape of every long throw or bomb that Brady has thrown. He has to almost stride into it. for Favre or Manning, all it takes is just a quick step to plant on the right foot. For guys like Vick, Culpepper or JaMarcus Russell, it just takes a flick of the wrist. Unfortunately Vick and Culpepper had so much natural talent that they never developped the head for the game like Brady or Manning. That's what separates good or decent QB's from great ones. Hopefully for the Raiders, Russell will figure that out.

That said, I'm ready for the 0's, insults and ignorant responses from Patriot nation on this, even though it's completely true.

The Eagles D wasn't nearly as impressive as the Ravens... They just kept it close while the Eagles offense scored and stayed with them.

The Ravens ran all over them, but couldn't score with enough regularity to put the game away. But that D was tremendous.

Props to the Eagles too, for being the first team to be truly aggressive with its corners though.

I was at that Ravens-pats game, second row on the 50 (they kind of fell into my lap, long story).  What a heartbreaker.  At that point it was clear the ravens weren't going to the playoffs (and had been for months) so that game was sort of like our super bowl.  The ravens clearly outplayed the Patriots for about 56:00, and Kyle Boller looked like an NFL quarterback.  But in a series of blunders, mistakes and a few bad calls, they sh%@ the bed, and the pats got the win.

At the time, I was rediculously bummed and pissed.  Now I can see it as one of my favorite games I've been to.  We stood toe to toe with the patriots and didn't blink.  You can't ever be proud of a loss, but am proud of the way we played them.

The worst part of it though was the let down of playing the pats so well, then getting utterly destroyed through and through by the Colts the next week.

Oh well.

wow, making a joke about the tragic death of a Pro-Bowl player who gets shot and killed in his home.

Pats fans, how can you even tolerate having someone like this in your fan base?

Guys like this are why the rest of us call the Patriots the most classless organization in Sports.

Well Bermy there was Pats fan that came to the Colts board who swears up and down that the NFL and the Patriots were in agreement to throw the 2006 AFC Championship game. Somehow he linked those events as to the reason why Spygate occurred.