Is there a "favorite" in the AFC? - New England Patriots Forums

SoonerPatriot · 12-11-2006, 07:23 PM

The past several weeks, it's become fashionable by some in the media i.e. Peter King to break the AFC race down to two teams -- Baltimore and SD.

Shannon Sharpe seemed to say this last night, though he's a bit of a Ravens homer. Plus, he could have been talking about how to make a chocolate cake for all I know. I generally need close captioning when he talks.

IMO this is the most wide open the AFC has been in several years. The Pats will have a say in the outcome. So will Jax and maybe Cincy. I don't think Denver gets in and Indy is in a free fall but still dangerous in their RCA dome cocoon.

SD is very impressive but beatable. And until Marty hoists a Lombardi I'm not buying it, although this SD team is probably as close as it gets to being "Marty proof". Rivers is untested in the playoffs and I wonder about their ability to stretch the field with their WRs, not that they need to very often. I think we could run on their D.

Not sold on Baltimore either. Defense is excellent. But their offense is pop gun. McNair threw 4 ints Sunday. At some point, I think it gets them in trouble.

I guess that's why the Dolphins game doesn't bother me that much. The two media annointed contenders are flawed and there is still 3 weeks of football left to play. We were in the thick of it Sunday and we're still in the thick of it. Nothing has changed.

edgecy · 12-11-2006, 07:27 PM

Not sure if you can find much flaws with SD. And please don't tell me that Marty is like 2-12 etc etc. Those are history, things change. Just because somebody did poorly back then doesn't mean it will happen again. Brady was 6-0 against Manning and guess what happened.

SD has LT, Rivers and Merriman. They're the favorite to win it all imo

carolinatony · 12-11-2006, 07:28 PM

I think Indy may be done with the free ride every year in their division. The Titans are looking good for next year and Jacksonville always seems to beat them once at home. Image them as a widcard and having to play away from the Dome.
We stil have a chance in the playoff's but we need to get the passing game going or we may not win 1 game. We need a deep threat somehow.

SoonerPatriot · 12-11-2006, 07:34 PM

NEM, I really don' think McDaniels cares if fans on a message board are critcizing him. And if he did care to the point it bothered him, he shouldn't be coaching on this level.

carolinatony · 12-11-2006, 07:35 PM

Everything I see tells me S.D. is the team to beat except for one little thing.
Didn't most experts pick Indy last year. There was no way they could lose playing at home and yet...they lost
I do agree with most that our offense needs to be much better.

SoonerPatriot · 12-11-2006, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEM

I dont think he cares either, and I dont expect anything major to come of it either. However just the fact that someone started that web page, and there are more and more threads about McDaniels, it says something of what his cbility to hold down that position might be.

Do I expect anything to happen NOW? No, I dont. but lets see what happens, offensively, in the next three games...because if it goes bad.... then I have a feeling that something like this web site, and others, could have a bearing on his future.

Fact is, there is an awful lot of talk about his ability to be an OC...I may have been the first, many, many games ago, but now there is a lot, and I mean a lot, of people who see what I saw...and its not pretty.

Just took them a little longer to see it. And, possibly more to come if this Sunday is more of the same. Personally, I hope not...because winning games right now is far more important than the ill feelings I have for the little boy coordinator.

Well, in that case my advice to you would be to dig for the long haul ibecause he's not going anywhere. He'll be the OC next year and thereafter as long as BB is coaching the team.

carolinatony · 12-11-2006, 07:42 PM

What was McDaniels experience before this? He must have shown some ability if BB picked him.

carolinatony · 12-11-2006, 07:57 PM

thanks for the info

carolinatony · 12-11-2006, 08:13 PM

Just that he is Young...same age as my daughter.
I relize people have to start a job to get experience but to me I like a more experienced coach for one of only 32 jobs in the world.
If anything I would have expected a more WOW factor from a young coach..a innovator; rather than a conservative type coach.
Something like a Spurrier when he was @ Florida
But; BB must see something in him

AzPatsFan · 12-11-2006, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoonerPatriot

The past several weeks, it's become fashionable by some in the media i.e. Peter King to break the AFC race down to two teams -- Baltimore and SD.

Shannon Sharpe seemed to say this last night, though he's a bit of a Ravens homer. Plus, he could have been talking about how to make a chocolate cake for all I know. I generally need close captioning when he talks.

IMO this is the most wide open the AFC has been in several years. The Pats will have a say in the outcome. So will Jax and maybe Cincy. I don't think Denver gets in and Indy is in a free fall but still dangerous in their RCA dome cocoon.

SD is very impressive but beatable. And until Marty hoists a Lombardi I'm not buying it, although this SD team is probably as close as it gets to being "Marty proof". Rivers is untested in the playoffs and I wonder about their ability to stretch the field with their WRs, not that they need to very often. I think we could run on their D.

Not sold on Baltimore either. Defense is excellent. But their offense is pop gun. McNair threw 4 ints Sunday. At some point, I think it gets them in trouble.

I guess that's why the Dolphins game doesn't bother me that much. The two media annointed contenders are flawed and there is still 3 weeks of football left to play. We were in the thick of it Sunday and we're still in the thick of it. Nothing has changed.

I agree nothing has changed. The two powers with both an Offense and a Defense in the top ten, are the Bolts and Pats. All the others are pretenders as much as they are contenders. peter king does his urtmost to reward the top club du jour and thsi week he farcically has two NFC clubs among his top teams. What a joke !