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I think we can assume the Pats generally have an easy schedule nearly every year with the help of an incredibly weak AFC East for the past decade. The Bills haven’t been to the playoffs since the ’90s.

I’m not saying Tom Brady isn’t a great QB. I just think his coach and team have helped him a lot more than people admit. Ok, he hasn’t necessarily had great WR or RB talent around him, but his O lines have always been rather good. You won’t find official stats on how well a team’s O line performs, but Football Outsiders is about the most scientific approach I’ve seen. Averaging run blocking and pass blocking, the Pats O lines were in the Top 5 in 5 of the past 10 seasons, and Top 10 in 7 of the past 10 seasons.

On defense, NE’s D give up a lot of yards, but in fewest points allowed, [again] their D has been in the Top 5 in 5 of the past 10 seasons, and Top 10 in 7 of the past 10 seasons. He’s getting more help on the other side of the ball than people give Belichick’s defense credit.

Yes, the Pats had a 5 game drop off, but you’re comparing that to a record 16-0 season.

Matt Cassel was 4-12 with the Chiefs in 2009. That’s a 7 game drop off from the 2008 Pats. Ok, new team/system, but we’ve seen what Cassel is made of since then. All I’m saying is that Cassel is probably not an 11 game winner on (just about) any other team. And I’d submit that Brady is probably not a 16 game winner on (just about) any other team.

-Sincerely
CAM WAKE

I respect Brady sticking up for his guys, but the Pats O line has generally been very solid up until recently. He usually has all day to throw the ball. How else do you explain the Pats having the 5th best offense and an 11-5 record with Matt Cassel under center in 2008?

The easiest schedule in the history of easy schedules!
West/West when both were crap that year.
the Pats finished third so the rest of the AFC were also beating up on those cup cakes out west.
They couldn’t beat any good teams but they didn’t beat themselves against bad teams so the end result was 11-5 and missing the playoffs.

The line was good though, nobody throws 50TDs
in a year if their line isn’t good and I don’t remember any turnover from the 2007 team where Brady did that

Of all roles the O line needs to be the most on board with one another and it’s not there yet. We have Dante Scarnecchia on patrol so it will come to a solid group.

Waters will be back…

The screens and a solid runner in Ridley will also help out.

I will do my best to explain the 11-5 record under Cassel. First, it was one very easy schedule. I don’t believe they defeated one team with a better than .500 record. This was also a 5-game drop off from the previous year. It was a wasted opportunity since Miami played a very similar schedule and also went 11-5 and had a tie breaker over the Pats. Not all 11-5s are created equally. Matt Cassel was a nice surprise. But the revisionist history about this being a great 11-5 season and that proves that Tom Brady is not so great is a bunch of spin from those who don’t like Tom Brady. In Tom Brady’s ten healthy seasons as starter, he has taken his team to Super Bowls in 50% of those years and won 30% of all Super Bowls. He has had very defenses, mediocre defenses, and bad defenses through the years. When all is said and done, he is the only LOCK (other than the coach) from all of those teams to get in the Hall of Fame (not counting Seau, whose years in SD will get him there or Moss). I suppose you could argue that Vinatieri and Law have very good shots to get in.

Other than the Steelers post-game interview, when has he ever done this?

Right, that’s what I thought – make stuff up and pass it off as facts. Seems to be the modus operandi for you idiots

When has Manning ever thrown his OL under the bus other than an ill-advised comment he made immediately after the play-off loss to the Steelers

Mods – why do you keep deleting my post? What am I posting that is offensive or inappropriate? Is it because you are biased towards Peyton Manning and thus it’s ok to keep negative posts about him but remove posts that defend him? At least be honest mods.

Mark Sanchez should be made to watch tape of Tom Brady’s interviews.

It would be the most ridiculous thing if Brady started blaming his O-Line. He’s had the BEST O-Line throughout his career, and that’s part of the reason he has 3 Super Bowl rings.

If he was constantly under pressure year in and year out and had zero SB’s, I would understand his frustration.

The good news is that the Pats can run a 2 or 3 TE set that gives Brady extra blocking that should keep him safe.

That’s not ideal as one prefers to have Gronk and Hernandez catching balls and not blocking but keeping Brady healthy is priority #1

The best thing that could happen this week for the Patriots is Waters showing up at Foxboro and letting them know he is playing the season. A healthy Mankins, combined with Vollmer, Waters, Solder, and Connolly will make many of these problems go away pretty quickly.

2. Not have 3 of your 5 starting offensive linemen for virtually the entire preseason

3. Start 2 second year starting OT’s

4. Continually shuffle in and out G’s and C’s on almost every series – No continuity.

Have all this happen to YOUR OL and maybe you’d have some problems as well.

Don’t forget that as bad as its been, the OL has only given up 4 sacks in 3 games. The Jets gave up 3 last night…..and declared it a VICTORY!

“You know these guys look bad, I know these guys look bad, but hey, it’s the beginning of the year, we have some new players, and some in a different spot then they are use to. I have to say that they are going a good job, working hard and that it is on me not them. Because if I say it is on them, boy oh boy will I be in for a world of hurt.”

Tom knows that he needs the protection, and the only way he is going to get it is if he give them a pat on the back instead of a kick in the butt (which is what they really need).

In the very same interview, he also said that Chad Johnson was a great teammate. Let’s face it. Tom Brady is not about showing up current or former teammates in the media. However, he is not above yelling at teammates on the sidelines and no doubt, in the locker room as well.

Nice double meaning. Well played.

Ordinarily it would, but NYG is holding out a boatload of starters with minor dings. And the Dallas game is the following Wednesday. Neither team will be going full bore.