Why teams are beaten mentally before kickoff at Gillette Stadium....

[cmgww]

I thought this deserves its own thread in light of the "controversy" last night, and the things that have gone on (whether legal or not) at Gillette Stadium over the years.

This isn't about what the Pats may or may not be doing to other teams. It's the PERCETPION of it all. From the ESPN report, to SpyGate, to Manning saying they used to think the locker rooms were bugged, to headset issues....with few exceptions, teams are already beaten or at least mentally off focus before even setting foot on the field at Gillette.

Look at last night. Scobee misses two kicks, and he's a pretty reliable kicker over his career. Vinatieri missed a few last season, and he's usually money. The Pats use a LEGAL D line shift and draw off the Steelers for an false start. The refs aren't going to give the visiting teams many calls (note: this happens for away teams across the league, not just Gillette). The Colts go in last season and, a week after playing great defense and beating Denver, got virtually shut out in the AFCC.

My point is this: all of this nonsense about cheating/spying is playing right into the Patriots hands. Teams just need to go in there and not give a rats butt about any of that stuff. The Ravens have done it a few times, the Jets once....but there is a good reason the Gillette has the highest home team winning percentage since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970.

Again, this is not another post whining about "cheating." It's about a home field advantage that clearly rattles most teams that play there. Sure, a lot of it is the superior coaching of Belichick and company. The fact they started 3 rookies on their OL and only allowed 2 sacks, and gave Brady his usual 10 seconds to throw, should attest to that. Or a defense missing 6 starters from a year ago shut down one of the better offenses in the league in the red zone....but again, I personally think the Pats are in most teams' heads before the game even starts.

Thoughts?

[csmopar]

I thought this deserves its own thread in light of the "controversy" last night, and the things that have gone on (whether legal or not) at Gillette Stadium over the years.

This isn't about what the Pats may or may not be doing to other teams. It's the PERCETPION of it all. From the ESPN report, to SpyGate, to Manning saying they used to think the locker rooms were bugged, to headset issues....with few exceptions, teams are already beaten or at least mentally off focus before even setting foot on the field at Gillette.

Look at last night. Scobee misses two kicks, and he's a pretty reliable kicker over his career. Vinatieri missed a few last season, and he's usually money. The Pats use a LEGAL D line shift and draw off the Steelers for an false start. The refs aren't going to give the visiting teams many calls (note: this happens for away teams across the league, not just Gillette). The Colts go in last season and, a week after playing great defense and beating Denver, got virtually shut out in the AFCC.

My point is this: all of this nonsense about cheating/spying is playing right into the Patriots hands. Teams just need to go in there and not give a rats butt about any of that stuff. The Ravens have done it a few times, the Jets once....but there is a good reason the Gillette has the highest home team winning percentage since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970.

Again, this is not another post whining about "cheating." It's about a home field advantage that clearly rattles most teams that play there. Sure, a lot of it is the superior coaching of Belichick and company. The fact they started 3 rookies on their OL and only allowed 2 sacks, and gave Brady his usual 10 seconds to throw, should attest to that. Or a defense missing 6 starters from a year ago shut down one of the better offenses in the league in the red zone....but again, I personally think the Pats are in most teams' heads before the game even starts.

Thoughts?

 

 

very true on all points....course it could be that somehow they know what play is gonna be called and when.......................now how that is, your guess as good as mine.

[chad72]

Just like the Hoosiers movie, the field is going to be the same size no matter what, you just have to show up and play to the best of your abilities. 

 

The Ravens most of the time flat out don't care who is lining up against them, they just want to beat you up. That is the same mentality we need to adopt, and with that mindset, we can win anywhere, IMO.

[dynasty13]

very true on all points....course it could be that somehow they know what play is gonna be called and when.......................now how that is, your guess as good as mine.

 

Yup. Like when it was fourth down, they knew the Steelers would try and kick a field goal. They were ready for it and sure enough, he missed it...twice. 

 

I don't even have to speculate about what happened...I know what happened: Cheaters

[amfootball]

They were just discussing this very thing on the radio today. That all of these "controversies" play into the Patriots wheelhouse as it has their opponents always thinking and wondering. Much of this unfortunately is based on speculative news articles like the OTL report as these days the media can just write the word "source" and have their stories rubber stamped.

 

I think we all know perception is reality so on top of the Patriots being as good as they are, you now have the thinking of what are they up to. I think Belichick loves this as it does give a psychological advantage. I mean there really is not a lot the Pats can do anyways. They have denied and denied and denied yet the conspiracies continue.

 

I mentioned on the other thread that the Pats have become the boogie man now with how big deflategate arose the past 8 months on top of spygate resurging again. So at this point you just roll with it. As Bill said today, the patriots organization is based on hard work and competition not excuses. So you take that to the bank every Sunday and do your job and let the results speak for themselves. Control what you can and let your opponents worry about stopping you.

[cmgww]

They were just discussing this very thing on the radio today. That all of these "controversies" play into the Patriots wheelhouse as it has their opponents always thinking and wondering. Much of this unfortunately is based on speculative news articles like the OTL report as these days the media can just write the word "source" and have their stories rubber stamped.

 

I think we all know perception is reality so on top of the Patriots being as good as they are, you now have the thinking of what are they up to. I think Belichick loves this as it does give a psychological advantage. I mean there really is not a lot the Pats can do anyways. They have denied and denied and denied yet the conspiracies continue.

 

I mentioned on the other thread that the Pats have become the boogie man now with how big deflategate arose the past 8 months on top of spygate resurging again. So at this point you just roll with it. As Bill said today, the patriots organization is based on hard work and competition not excuses. So you take that to the bank every Sunday and do your job and let the results speak for themselves. Control what you can and let your opponents worry about stopping you.

That's the point i was trying to make....it's the perception that Gillette is "cursed" or whatever that rattles teams. Throw in a very well coached team and you have a nearly impossible to win situation

[amfootball]

That's the point i was trying to make....it's the perception that Gillette is "cursed" or whatever that rattles teams. Throw in a very well coached team and you have a nearly impossible to win situation

I think the Steelers and Raiders of the 70s also had the same perception maybe even more so but you did not have the media news cycle we do now or social media so it is times 100. I like the topic. Thanks for posting as I am always interested in discussing the perception game and how the media truly is the fourth dimension.

[dynasty13]

They were just discussing this very thing on the radio today. That all of these "controversies" play into the Patriots wheelhouse as it has their opponents always thinking and wondering. Much of this unfortunately is based on speculative news articles like the OTL report as these days the media can just write the word "source" and have their stories rubber stamped.

 

I think we all know perception is reality so on top of the Patriots being as good as they are, you now have the thinking of what are they up to. I think Belichick loves this as it does give a psychological advantage. I mean there really is not a lot the Pats can do anyways. They have denied and denied and denied yet the conspiracies continue.

 

I mentioned on the other thread that the Pats have become the boogie man now with how big deflategate arose the past 8 months on top of spygate resurging again. So at this point you just roll with it. As Bill said today, the patriots organization is based on hard work and competition not excuses. So you take that to the bank every Sunday and do your job and let the results speak for themselves. Control what you can and let your opponents worry about stopping you.

 

Yup...that is all something that was very telling in both the Outside the Lines and Sports Illustrated stories this week...here is a part of the SI article:

 

The Seahawks didn’t discover any covert operations. Most of the time New England’s opponents don’t. But they almost always look.

You could say the rest of the NFL is paranoid, and you might be right. What’s not debatable is that New England, because of that lack of trust, is inside opponents’ heads, forcing other teams to devote time, brainpower and resources to protecting themselves. 

 

What a monumental waste of time for those teams...

[amfootball]

Yup...that is all something that was very telling in both the Outside the Lines and Sports Illustrated stories this week...here is a part of the SI article:

 

The Seahawks didn’t discover any covert operations. Most of the time New England’s opponents don’t. But they almost always look.

You could say the rest of the NFL is paranoid, and you might be right. What’s not debatable is that New England, because of that lack of trust, is inside opponents’ heads, forcing other teams to devote time, brainpower and resources to protecting themselves. 

 

What a monumental waste of time for those teams...

When Roethlisberger snapped at the goal line last night when the Pats shifted, it really struck me. He is usually a calm guy but I thought he was going to deck the ref.  He was still talking about today while his Olineman gave credit to the Pats defense for making them jump off-sides. It is small things like that at huge moments that have an effect.

[-JJ-]

I don't buy it. I think you're putting too much into the voodoo thing. It's HFA for sure but that's it. Pro teams come to play. or they aren't very pro if they don't but I doubt that.

[chad72]

The last one to win there, I think, was Colin Kaepernick in 2013??? Eli won at Gillette too, he probably gives Pats fans nightmares.

[buffalo34]

The last one to win there, I think, was Colin Kaepernick in 2013??? Eli won at Gillette too, he probably gives Pats fans nightmares.

 

Bills won there last year, albeit they took their starters out after halftime....

 

Also, before the 49ers, I think the Kevin Kolb led Cardinals beat them there too.

[bababooey]

Scobee played for the Jags for 11 years, probably his first primetime game.

[-JJ-]

Bills won there last year, albeit they took their starters out after halftime....

 

Also, before the 49ers, I think the Kevin Kolb led Cardinals beat them there too.

Whatta know- NE vs Buffalo isn't the last game of the year.  2nd game is 11/23.  Should be warm

[BOTT]

Bunch of talking head nonsense. It's hard to play at Gillette because the pats are good.......and BB's old school trickery lol

[BloodyChamp]

Idk about other teams but the reason other teams are beaten mentally is poor coaching and the Steelers are a perfect example. They are not a well coached football team..at all...and haven't been outside of Lebeau for years. They just happened to have a quarterback who could carry them to 8 wins. They might not have that anymore.

[aaron11]

winning in NE is tough for sure, but i wouldnt say its any tougher than Seattle or Geen bay.  that bit about controversy is kind of stupid in my opinion.  pro athletes and coaches need to block that out and play the game

 

its hardly unique to New England for a road team to have trouble with pre snap penalties

[SteelCityColt]

When Roethlisberger snapped at the goal line last night when the Pats shifted, it really struck me. He is usually a calm guy but I thought he was going to deck the ref.  He was still talking about today while his Olineman gave credit to the Pats defense for making them jump off-sides. It is small things like that at huge moments that have an effect.

I believe he was arguing someone on D was shouting out false snap counts .

[-JJ-]

winning in NE is tough for sure, but i wouldnt say its any tougher than Seattle or Geen bay.  that bit about controversy is kind of stupid in my opinion.  pro athletes and coaches need to block that out and play the game

 

its hardly unique to New England for a road team to have trouble with pre snap penalties

I'd rank Seattle,NE, and then GB. But then they are all good teams too. I suppose a great team in most any home stadium would be tough.

[Synthetic]

This is going way too far. I know you guys hate the Patriots and are paranoid of literally ANYTHING and EVERYTHING about them, but this is just plain silly.

 

 

Pittsburgh lost that game cause #1. they had no defense, and #2. the inconsistency of their offense despite doing great with gaining yardage. 

 

 

The only people the Steelers have to blame are themselves. The missed field goals, interception and their defense's complete break down for most of the game, is what created the Loss for them. 

[RockThatBlue]

The last one to win there, I think, was Colin Kaepernick in 2013??? Eli won at Gillette too, he probably gives Pats fans nightmares.

Eli Manning should have been litigating against the patriots.

[amfootball]

Idk about other teams but the reason other teams are beaten mentally is poor coaching and the Steelers are a perfect example. They are not a well coached football team..at all...and haven't been outside of Lebeau for years. They just happened to have a quarterback who could carry them to 8 wins. They might not have that anymore.

I do wonder if this may be Tomlin's last season there ... would probably only happen if they finish out of the playoffs.

[ColtRider]

This is going way too far. I know you guys hate the Patriots and are paranoid of literally ANYTHING and EVERYTHING about them, but this is just plain silly.

 

 

Pittsburgh lost that game cause #1. they had no defense, and #2. the inconsistency of their offense despite doing great with gaining yardage. 

 

 

The only people the Steelers have to blame are themselves. The missed field goals, interception and their defense's complete break down for most of the game, is what created the Loss for them.

Yep! The Steelers are to blame only themselves. Especially letting Gronk muscle his way to recover that fumble in the end zone for a TD. Steelers recover that, and it's probably a different football game. Yeah, Yeah, ... I know ... what ifs ...

[buffalo34]

Whatta know- NE vs Buffalo isn't the last game of the year.  2nd game is 11/23.  Should be warm

 

It's still on a Monday Night, so I don't think the weather will be that dramatically different than what'd it be during a December afternoon.

[GwinnettColt]

Just like the Hoosiers movie, the field is going to be the same size no matter what, you just have to show up and play to the best of your abilities. 

 

The Ravens most of the time flat out don't care who is lining up against them, they just want to beat you up. That is the same mentality we need to adopt, and with that mindset, we can win anywhere, IMO.

 

I love the Ravens attitude on D

[BloodyChamp]

I do wonder if this may be Tomlin's last season there ... would probably only happen if they finish out of the playoffs.

It HAS to be Haley's if nothing else. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when NBC put up those stats of Ben's that had improved 2 and 3% since Haley...as if improving by 3% statistically cancels out winning more games, not to mention games that were Superbowls, before.