New England Patriots Bad for Football?

[Selassie I]

I wouldn't mind watching the cheaters play against another team... I just can't stand watching them AND THE REFS play against other teams. That takes all the enjoyment out of watching.

No way in hell that was PI just before halftime yesterday. Fake Football.

 

[den-the-coach]

No way in hell that was PI just before halftime yesterday. Fake Football.

And you're correct, but it always seems the Patriots get the calls going back to the tuck rule, that was clearly a fumble...Just once I would like the official to keep the flag in his pocket, just once. It is very frustrating, but what was more frustrating is that nobody was hiring their coordinators as Head Coaches. I realize that McDaniels is a pissant and wanted to make sure the stars were aligned before his next gig, boy I hope Luck is done, that would serve shorty pants just fine, however, they will now lose McDaniels, Patricia and possibly Linebacker Coach Brian Flores to the Cardinals, so let's see how they respond to that.

 

[Classic Rams]

The NFL can't afford a Jacksonville SB, they need higher ratings to make up for the low season numbers. Obvious with yesterday's penalty differential.

 

[thirteen28]

I'd rather read a book or watch international curling competitions.

Same here, if this guy is calling the competitions (NSFW):


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQRxy-ZqiHs

 

[LesBaker]

Almost every sport has dynasties/powerhouses, it happens and it's hard to prevent.

100% this.

Sports have humans, sometimes there is a time and place where some exceptional talents converge. It cannot be prevented.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Nope. I quite enjoy watching great football when I can just sit down and enjoy a game without a rooting interest. I don't enjoy watching the Patriots, and that's why I won't be watching the Super Bowl for the first time in a very long time.

I'll be watching, if for no other reason than to see if Chris Long can get after Brady!

 

[Rod De Kruyf]

I too hate the Patriots since they stole that game from us. And yet I admire them for staying on top for so long. They have the Brady Belichick magic. Without it you just watch their coaches fail as head coaches. I think their organization is strong top to bottom. Without that organization plus Brady & Belichick the guys leaving there will find its a different story.

 

[OldSchool]

I might dislike the Patriots, but I look forward to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots at least give me someone to root against!

Every story needs a villiain and they play the role to perfection.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Well its tough to say but a lot of ratings experts say that dynasties increase interest level.
I hate the patriots.. but their success if good for the NFL sadly.

eah, unfortunately the Cheatriots are a ratings draw.

You're hate-watching, which is good for the NFL

The fact that there is a thread about this indicates they are great for “football”.

The Patriots at least give me someone to root against!

Well, I guess we'll find out after the game whether fans tune out NE... I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, it won't have any impact.

There will be fans of NE watching... fans of PHI watching... fans of other teams rooting against NE... fans of other teams rooting against PHI and people who just watch the spectacle.

To all the other teams in the NFL... don't like the dynasty? Figure out how to create your own, then beat NE. JAX could have yesterday... should have. Shame on them. NE is rarely gonna hand you one... and never in the playoffs.

I'm sure all the coaches that play NE aren't thinking about the cheating... they're trying to figure out how to beat them... and they've failed, for the most part.

That's not NE's fault... it's theirs. Figure it out and beat them... and, until you do, shut up.

 

[DCH]

Well, I guess we'll find out after the game whether fans tune out NE... I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, it won't have any impact.

There will be fans of NE watching... fans of PHI watching... fans of other teams rooting against NE... fans of other teams rooting against PHI and people who just watch the spectacle.

To all the other teams in the NFL... don't like the dynasty? Figure out how to create your own, then beat NE. JAX could have yesterday... should have. Shame on them. NE is rarely gonna hand you one... and never in the playoffs.

I'm sure all the coaches that play NE aren't thinking about the cheating... they're trying to figure out how to beat them... and they've failed, for the most part.

That's not NE's fault... it's theirs. Figure it out and beat them... and, until you do, shut up.

Frankly the Pats tried their damnedest to hand it to them... the Lewis fumble on that trick play, the bad drop by Cooks on what should have been at least a trip to the red zone... in the end the Jags came really close, and if not for a simply Superman-esque play by Stephon Gilmore to break up a fantastic Bortles throw on 4th down the Jags may have pulled it out.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Frankly the Pats tried their damnedest to hand it to them... the Lewis fumble on that trick play, the bad drop by Cooks on what should have been at least a trip to the red zone... in the end the Jags came really close, and if not for a simply Superman-esque play by Stephon Gilmore to break up a fantastic Bortles throw on 4th down the Jags may have pulled it out.

Pure conjecture... but, it shouldn't have been that close IMO.

JAX should have pressured Brady more when they had the lead.

They sat back and played zone and Brady - as usual under those conditions - ate them up.

Really bad coaching, if you ask me.

It's one thing I like about the Rams offense... they pretty much stay aggressive all the time.

 

[DCH]

Pure conjecture... but, it shouldn't have been that close IMO.

JAX should have pressured Brady more when they had the lead.

They sat back and played zone and Brady - as usual under those conditions - ate them up.

Really bad coaching, if you ask me.

It's one thing I like about the Rams offense... they pretty much stay aggressive all the time.

Very, very accurate. They went soft on their playcalling. Also, like in the Super Bowl last year, their pass-rushers got really tired as the game wound on, and the Patriots upped the tempo on offense to press on exhausted D-linemen.

You didn't see the Jags players moving at the hyper-blur speed they moved at in the first half, where they looked like the Flash and Superman had a baby and raised it on naught but swagger.

 

[Pancake]

It's not a real dynasty though. This is not like the showtime lakers or something where a team is just plain better and grinds out win after win. The Patriots got to this level by cheating along the way. Us fans only know a small amount of what they have done. I doubt everything has been found out.

 

[Rmfnlt]

It's not a real dynasty though. This is not like the showtime lakers or something where a team is just plain better and grinds out win after win. The Patriots got to this level by cheating along the way. Us fans only know a small amount of what they have done. I doubt everything has been found out.

I ask this every now and again...

Be totally honest:
If the Rams behaved that way and won all these super bowls, would you be upset?

My son rationalizes all of it away with the ultimate results being the reason.

Me? Man, I dunno... I'm a pretty black-and-while guy... it'd be hard, for sure.

I think I'd lean on all that winning and super bowls.

 

[Pancake]

I ask this every now and again...

Be totally honest:
If the Rams behaved that way and won all these super bowls, would you be upset?

My son rationalizes all of it away with the ultimate results being the reason.

Me? Man, I dunno... I'm a pretty black-and-while guy... it'd be hard, for sure.

I think I'd lean on all that winning and super bowls.

I would be bummed to find out the Rams had cheated. I want my teams to earn it on the up and up. I just don't feel any sense of accomplishment otherwise.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I would be bummed to find out the Rams had cheated. I want my teams to earn it on the up and up. I just don't feel any sense of accomplishment otherwise.

Really? You wouldn't "find a way" to rationalize all the winning and super bowls? Would you actually cease to be a fan of the Rams?

Really tough decision...

 

[nighttrain]

Really? You wouldn't "find a way" to rationalize all the winning and super bowls? Would you actually cease to be a fan of the Rams?

Really tough decision...

tough is an understatement, I'm sure most Ram fans would try to look the other way. I'm thinking it would come down to how obvious, and how it was perceived by others in the final analysis
train

 

[Rmfnlt]

tough is an understatement, I'm sure most Ram fans would try to look the other way. I'm thinking it would come down to how obvious, and how it was perceived by others in the final analysis
train

Started a poll... interesting thought/dilemma, IMO...

 

[London59]

Yet another Super Bowl appearance for the hated Cheatriots. People tell me they're good, which I will never admit because I am genetically unable to do so. But the fact is they are there almost every year in recent years. They supposedly made it impossible for dynasties like this to form, via free agency. I am sure all of the bandwagon Patriot fans and home grown ones will watch this game. Iggles fans will too, of course....

But seriously, I have no desire to ever watch another Super Bowl if the Patriots are in it (unless the Rams are in it, of course). I know from the other thread that many here won't watch it. There are other reasons that I won't go into here that have all been discussed for decreased NFL viewership. I bet that fewer will watch it this year as compared to last year. Thirteen teams in the NFL have never won a Super Bowl, of which the Eagles are one. This will be the 52nd Super Bowl, and about 41% of NFL teams/cities have never won it.

You can tell me that the losers just have to manage better, draft better, and be coached better. After 52 years, those answers get old and are unsatisfying. I have no answers or even suggestions as how to fix it. But as other sports become more popular with kids whose parents won't let them play tackle football due to CTE issues, the NFL can't afford to leave +40% of the NFL team's fan bases, constantly frustrated, year after year.

Well, I never used to miss the Super Bowl and for the 2nd year will gladly be attending my daughter’s cheer competition instead of watching. Normally I would sneak off to a bar to watch but won’t even bother leaving the competition to watch the Patriots.

 

[Pancake]

Really? You wouldn't "find a way" to rationalize all the winning and super bowls? Would you actually cease to be a fan of the Rams?

Really tough decision...

I would stop being a fan of the Rams for sure.