The Patriots finished off their regular season at 14-2, and now there is nothing to do for the next two weeks except sit around and decide which AFC opponent the Patriots should fear the most. Most in the media feel it is Baltimore, putting stock in two things – the Baltimore beatdown of a much different Patriots team in last year’s wildcard playoff game, and the Ravens tough-talking style, specifically Terrell Suggs and his season-long tirade against Tom Brady.

At 14-2, all of these preseason worries seem pretty silly…we’re now at the point where Dan Shaughnessy is lecturing us that anything less than a Super Bowl is now a disappointment. (Look what he wrote prior to the season in the Globe predictions.) Also worth checking out is Eric Wilbur’s 2010 NFL preview roundup.

Get all the coverage from yesterday at PatriotsLinks.com.

A few quick links this morning as things are still pretty busy in these parts…

Ten Things We Learned Sunday: As playoffs loom, 2010 Patriots carving out their own identity – Christopher Price weighs in with the things to take away from yesterday.

Patriots engage in forward thinking – Mike Reiss already has the Patriots focused on their next target.

Firmly in driver’s seat – Karen Guregian has the Patriots hot as the postseason arrives.

Few holes in fill-in’s effort – Greg A Bedard has the Patriots reserves making the most of their opportunities.

Moore’s been nothing less than stellar for Pats – Danny Picard has the look at the contributions of former UFL player Eric Moore.

Four-thought on Pats and Bruins – Michael Felger thinks the Patriots caught a break with the Colts getting the three seed.

Woodhead leaves early with a concussion – The Globe notebook has the Patriots running back leaving the game early. The Herald notebook from Ian R. Rapoport has Brian Hoyer getting a surprise first-half call.

Check coverage of the Celtics win over Toronto, and Rajon Rondo’s return at CelticsLinks.com.

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

18 thoughts on “Patriots Stomp Dolphins, Finish 14-2”

  1. The Patriots should fear the Ravens if only because of their criminal intent. We know their entire game plan is going to be built around maim Brady.

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  2. The Patriots may have edged out the Porps for the division crown, but let's not overlook that these feisty fish had an identical road record to the prematurely annointed Superbowl champs in Foxboro. That an a likely new HC in South Florida and the double-threat Tyler Thigpen taking the snaps – not to mention the 2008 Wildcat shellacking of Pats at the Razor still fresh in everyone's mind – portend a powerful Porps performance next season. Go Planes! – Bert Breer

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  3. Hindsight's 20/20, Bruce. Care to share your pre season predictions?
    I think the Pats have done better than most of us would have predicted.
    Baltimore is the team I'd fear the most…not because of Terrell Suggs' talking…but because they'be beaten the Pats or have played them close virtually every time the Pats have played them in recent years.

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    1. Well, I did write that preseason worries column that is linked prominently right there, and I acknowledged that some of those worries had merit. As things turned out, many did not have merit.

      I've said this a million times, and people still don't get it. I don't knock people for making inaccurate predictions. That happens all the time in sports. I have the issue with those who are making their predictions with dead certainty and who take all the shots with glee along with their predictions of doom. They're not making simple predictions – they're dismissing any possibility of success, and rubbing it in just to get people riled up. It's a no-lost proposition for those clowns, because if they're right, they can brag, and if they're wrong, people are happy that the team has done well (as you are) so they don't call them on their predictions of doom.

      Of course the Patriots have done better than most thought. In my most optimistic prediction I'm might've had them at 12-4. More likely 11-5. I also wasn't predicting the downfall of the franchise, and touting a pair of division rivals as "wagons."

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      1. I think I had them at 11-5. well done preseason column, by the way. I Just think some of the questions various media members wrote about at the beginning the season (no pass rush / weak secondary / brady's declined performance possibly being due to his attentions maybe being elsewhere (2 sons on opposite coasts, supermodel wife, etc) were fair questions, especially after the home blowout loss to the Ravens in the playoffs. In my mind I was considering those questions… not necessarily dismissing the Pats from contention. It just annoys me when people get all upset at media folks or fans for being too negative for simply asking objective questions based on their playoff disaster last year, and the team's weaknesses. It doesn't mean I'm a negative fan who doesn't appreciate their prior success… I'm just asking the questions.

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        1. We get angry with the media when we know they have well documented biases against the team (i.e.- Felger and Moss, Borges and BB) and try to come off like they're objective.

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        2. JohnnyApps,

          I'm sorry, but your post is invalidated because you actually regurgitated the lame "Brady doesn't like football anymore because of his wife" argument. Just complete idiocy.

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  4. Has the media ever been AS WRONG about 1 team then they have about the Patriots?….I mean, going back to the day Belichick was hired and they all went hysterical (Mannix for one calling him "pond scum")……sure, people had questions about this years team. , I have no problem with that. It's in the way the Felger types state their opinions as if it's FACT that I have a problem. Mike Reiss has been critcal of the pats at times. DIFFERENCE IS he states his opinon in a RATIONAL manner……something people like Felger, Shank, Borges etc.etc. etc, never do

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    1. I wasn't too jazzed about BB when they hired him. Look at his record with the Browns and Jets. There was a reason for concern.

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      1. jeeze….must I SPELL EVERYTHING OUT??….YES,YES,YES, of course AT THE TIME we didn't know how Belichick would work out. Is that a reason to call the guy "pond scum" ??…was that a reason for Ted Sarandis to throw a "nutty" on the air about it?…..these were my thoughts at the time, "can't we give the guy a chance first before we crucify him?"…….good Lord, I GIVE UP. Some of you people are dumber than a bag of door knobs. Sorry, I'm usually not insulting, BUT I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

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  5. Just read Mike Reiss' look back at his predictions and saw this gem about his wins prediction:
    "Imagine if the prediction was 14. Some might have gone as far as to call me Robert Kraft's fifth son."

    This is what Felger called him right? Nice

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  7. Tuned into Felger and assaroti this afternoon – it was unlistenable. Does Mazz annoy other people as much as he does me? He should stick to baseball…

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  8. I know he can be very controversial but this article by Jason Whitlock at Fox Sports.com is terrific with regards to the issues going on with the Patriots West, (otherwise known as the Kansas City Chiefs). Whitlock does not seem to like Scott Pioli as a person but has a great deal of respect for him as a personnel director. The article goes into detail on the Charlie Weis and Todd Haley dynamic. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/kansas-city-ch…

    The reason why I posted this article is that on sports radio yesterday, especially on D&H, most of the callers inexplicably believe that the Chiefs are the most dangerous team the Patriots will face. For those of you who think this please read this and your mind will probably be changed. The Chiefs have very little chance of beating Baltimore let alone the Patriots.

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    1. Good pickup on that column. Definitely worth reading.

      I agree — the Chefs on paper have no chance of beating the Ravens, who have markedly superior talent. BUT….. don't forget that the Patriots had no chance on paper of beating the superior talent of the Raiders and the superior talent of the Steelers in 2001….

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      1. I agree Dave. As the saying goes, "That's why they play the game." But there seems like a mini implosion going on with regards to the Chiefs. Remember also with regards to the 2001 Pats they were peaking at the time they played the Raiders and the Steelers. Although when Drew Bledsoe came in early in the first quarter for an injured Brady against the Steelers my heart sank a little bit.

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  9. Why do people keep bringing up the supermodel wife as a reason to believe Brady might no be committed to wining? How would a housewife or a teacher or a doctor be a better option? How about a news anchor wife? Is there a list the Mediots can come up with, so that these athletes and sports franchises can refer to when they decide they want to get married? If you ever want to win a SB or just appear to be focused and committed to your job then these are the jobs your wife should work. Avoid women of these professions at all cost. Maybe Bob Kraft should have put a Wife profession clause in Tom's contract.

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    1. The two trains of thought that bothered me the most after Brady was injured a few years back was the gossip column idea that this was Karma because Brady was mean to Bridget Moynihan and Howie Carrs moronic article gloating over the injury (the Herald's stupidity is endless). Of the two, Howie has moved on the whining about black people, but the silly "he's married to super model" non-sense just never seems to end.

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