I could be wrong but I think he's only lost 1 game or so on turf in his career... Belichick put in the turf because he felt it contributed to his loss to Mangini and the jets...The guy doesn't do things on a whim...
Yea, I get that. Belichick and his team got beat and home and he got angry at the grass and, lo, He smote it as He did Sodam and Gammorah. My question to you, Sean, is that if Tom Brady is so effective on turf - and I'll take your word for it that he is - why did the Patriots wait until Week 10 of the 7th year of Brady's career to change surfaces? I mean, I'm sure you have a good explanation for why the organization put their star quarterback at a statistical disadvantage every time he went out on the field. Otherwise, it would just sound like the organization and its fans were looking for an excuse for getting beat at home by the Jets.
Belichik put in the turf because he panicked. He's won how many home playoff games in Foxboro on the old turf and ONE loss to the Jets makes him change the field? Amazing. Put another way: he lost a game because his players were not prepared to play on that field. So instead of figuring out why his players were so put off by the field that day he changed the field. I just gotta say that's not the way I'd have expected a coach of his accomplishments to act.
He absolutely put it in because of the loss to the jets...I'm not dsagreeing with that..Past Patriots teams were better off with the muddy crap field becuase it served them well against fast speed oriented offenses like Indianapolis. They had grinders like Antwan Smith and Corey Dillon. Now, with guys like Maroney and other grinders (like the Jets) that advantagw was no longer there. Panick move?....Perhaps so... We'll see if it pays off on Sunday...
I've said this before, but I actually think the new field favors the Jets more than the Pats. We played the Pats in the slippery mud and beat them, now we get to play on the surface that we're most used to (like Giants Stadium). Look for Justin Miller, Leon Washington and defensive speedsters like Rhodes to have a good day. Our entire ST's will shine on this surface too, including much better foot-planting for our outstanding kickers, Nugent and Graham. Add this all up and I figure the new turf is probably worth a 3-point advantage for the Jets.
I sense a lot of Jets fans hedging their enthusiasm with statments like.."we have nothing to lose, it's been a great season regarless of what happens on Sunday." or "NE and Belichicken have everything to lose" or "NE is going to play not to lose"..... Let's hear your predictions with some conviction.... Here's mine.... 24-13. There, I said it. If the Jets win, I'll be right back on this board on Monday declaring the torch has been passed in the division....
Really? You couldn't have looked that up on your own? Anything else your curious about? The weather? The stock market?
I probably wouldn't have thrown a hissy fit if you'd asked me a football-related question on a football message board, but I suppose we all have different posting styles. Where I am, it's partly cloudy and the Dow is up.
That wa hardly a hissy fit.. You obviously thought Miami had field turf and would then cleverly point out that Brady just lost there... But then when you realized you're not clever, you tried to claim ou were just curious....
I'm not one to have hedged any predictions. I think our Def answers the call, big time. Our season is truly a tale of two seasons.. before and after the Bye. I also think our ST's and kicking makes even more of a difference than it did at our last meeting. Nugent is now on a confidence roll and connecting with consistency, even long. Graham will be steady as a rock. The dry surface with better footing enhances their confidence as it does KR Miller's and scat-back Washington's, who will run against your outside. Our receivers and TE Chris Baker will all do well. This is a surface they love to play on and have been playing on all season. The new surface and dry weather on Sunday will be perfect for our overall game. Jets 23 Pats 17
Finally, some real conviction. By the way, I agree that the surface will be favorable to Leon and Justin Miller....
I have to like the Jets chances in this game, I really do. Of course it will be a classic battle and could go either way. I wouldn't be surprised if we won 24-17, or 23-20. Might be a little lower scoring game though with good conditions and both defenses healthier and playing well. The Jets nearly pulled the upset of the Pats in the first meeting at home in NY, then did go to Mass and beat them in their own backyard later. Those two encounters are going to embolden the team with confidence. It could be the difference in this years playoff game where they are concerned. They are believing in themselves a lot and it will only make them tougher.
I'm not worried. Everyone bet on San Diego to crush us in the playoffs 2 years ago even after we beat them at home earlier in the season. Aside from what the pundits are saying, I believe we can win as long as we stop the Pats running game. If we can do that, we're home free.
1st off the game we played in New England was so sloppy we were Lucky to get the key run's we needed out of Barlow(Mud). The field conditions should be better and we will get a large dose of Houston and Leon. The offense took their chances last time and will double that effort in this game, like IV said previously the offense wont look stuck in the mud again. My worst fear is we start getting after Brady and the ref's start with their Tender QB calls. The pat's have a good defense but a depleted 2ndary we should be able to get those open shots 15-25 yards down field.(Get baker involved) We have got to stay in front of these guy's the whole way and don’t look back! That part of the New England mystique if you have to play catch up they continue to respond and put you at a disadvantage. This team has progressed so far from what we saw early in the season and I expect to see that growth translate into a dominating team this coming Sunday. Watch and be amazed! Peace
I think we can both agree that this game will be played close to the vest by both strategists. "Chess match" hardly describes the jockeying for position that will be exhibited by both mentor and "student". In a close game of this nature, played in ideal, NJ-like weather conditions and on a field surface with which we're totally comfortable, our kicking game will be a factor no one has even taken into full consideration. Drafted for just this set of circumstances, I expect Mangini to really lean on Nugent and I think he'll respond with a 3-field goal day, one of which is 50+ yards. Jets 23 Pats 17
