The Patriots lost to the Jets last night and most of New England is still in mourning, yours truly included. In fact, we are straight up pissed off, angry and fuming. It's not because we lost; it's because we lost to the [enter angry expletive here] New York Jets. The sons of Belichick got out played, plain and simple. The Pats couldn't get any rhythm on offense. The couldn't run the ball effectively. They also made too many mistakes, including an interception and a botched (and gutsy) fake punt call that Patrick Chung botched.
After all the trash talking, all the innuendo's, press conferences, etc., it's over. The season is over and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
The other kick in the nuts is the fact that the Bears, PIttsburgh and Green Bay are still alive in the tournament. I dislike the Bears and Steelers just as much as I do the Jets (well, not as much, but close). I don't care for the Packers either, but considering that they are the biggest underdogs in the tournament, I'll root for them (depending on whether or not the Steelers can knock off the Jets).
Now that the season is over, here's the top three things the Pats need to do to strengthen the team next year:
- Shore up the defensive line: Too often the Pats gave up 5-7 yards on first down via the run. Vince Wilfork can't stop every play. There were too many bodies coming in and out of the line-up.
- Consider using a traditional full-back: I like the way the Pats use the tight ends to block for the run inside the tackles, but sometimes a running back just isn't a fullback. You need a hard nosed grunt that can block up front and work WITH your tightends to create an effective running game.
- Better coverage on the corners: Devin McCourty was a big plus this year. The rookie played well and earned his pro-bowl spot. However, the other corners on the team were weak.
Where do you think the Pats need to improve?