BB's take on thinking of 16-0 season

[QuiGon]

How about we revisit this discussion, oh, say in December if it is still relevant, OK...? We don't have to be instant gratification mediots in here.

[PatsFanDan]

Here's my take on 16-0. I don't think it's necessarily a goal of BB or this team but......

While some teams might take their foot off the gas once they have clinched a playoff spot, I think a lot more rides on home field advantage. The last few seasons, teams have shown they can win upwards of 14 games which means 12 or 13 wins won't get you home field.

I believe BB has built the Pats this offseason with two things in mind.

Gaining home field thru the playoffs and being able to match Indy's offense.

Is there any doubt that Indy is going to win 13-14 games this season? Their schedule is somewhat cupcake if you will.

To force them to come to Foxboro in January, it's probably going to take 14+ wins and I do believe home field for the playoffs is on the mind of coach Belichick. We all know a lot can happen between now and then so we will just have to see how it plays out.

[JoePats]

Games at Indy, Cincy, Baltimore, Dallas are all tough games. To win all 4 is a lot to ask of any team. Yes the Pats will be favored in all of them except Indy but it's still an upset if you get through all of them. Then after Baltimore it's Pitt at home on a short week.

It's fun to think about but unlikely, but as I said, get through 13, they're win the rest .

[Satchboogie3]

Originally Posted by JoePats

Yes the Pats will be favored in all of them except Indy but it's still an upset if you get through all of them.

Indy favored over the pats? Last time I checked we have looked like the best team (best D, second best offense), we dominated a top 3 team that was supposed to win the SB last year, and Vegas has like 2:1 odds of us winning the SB. We will be the favorites the whole way if we keep up our play.

16-0 is dependent on luck. Yes the team has the talent, coach staff, and motivation, but luck is huge. No key players can get seriously injured, nor can there be a big injury bug. Also, we could very well lose one of the tough games. On top of that, we could just have an unlucky game. It happens. This team can go 16-0 if everything falls in place. Lets hope it does.

[JoePats]

Originally Posted by Satchboogie3

Indy favored over the pats?

Unless there are injuries or they have 3 or 4 losses by then, I can't see us being favored in their building. Just an opinion.

[Satchboogie3]

Brady is 10-1 in Domes, not including playoffs, which pushes that number even higher. 'Nuff said.

[AFPatsFan12]

Originally Posted by Satchboogie3

Brady is 10-1 in Domes, not including playoffs, which pushes that number even higher. 'Nuff said.

Minor picky point, but I can't remember which game Brady lost in a dome in the regular season... (obv the 2006 AFCC, but we're talking reg. season)...

Off the top of my head:

2001 Losses (Credited to Brady): @Miami, @Denver, St Louis (home)
2002 Losses: @SD, @Mia, GB, Den, @Oak, @Ten, NYJ (man, that 2002 team was wretched)
2003 Losses: @Buf, @Was
2004 Losses: @Pit, @Mia
2005 Losses: @Car, SD, @Den, Ind (home), @KC, Mia
2006 Losses: Den, Ind (home), NYJ, @Mia

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

The Dallas game at TX Stadium will be interesting.

For some reason, Dallas tends to play very well against AFC opponents in TX Stadium-last year, we smacked Indy a good one, and if it weren't for a FG miss against Denver on T-Giving, everyone would have said how our front 7 contained Denver's O.

Of course-NE is head and shoulders above those teams though.

[ligermark]

Originally Posted by Oswlek

I see your point, but there is no comparison here. That team had no DL, injured WRs for most of the year, poor running game, awful safety play and a not nearly as good Tom Brady.

The 2007 NE Patriots would destroy the 2002 team 45-3.

By halftime.

The problem with your logic is that none of those flaws were apparent the first two weeks of 2002. The chinks in the Pats armor didn't show until that awful 4 game losing streak. Problems with the Pats could emerge this year, though I highly doubt it. Still, the 2002 season is a cautionary tale not to go overboard. The real quality of any team in the league doesn't become clear until November anyway.

Also there is no way in hell Belichick will rest starters before the playoffs under any circumstance. He's not that stupid. Remember what happened to Indy in 2005, and remember how Belichick treated the San Francisco season finale in 2004.

[ChoWZa]

Originally Posted by upstater1

Yes, you will. I'm sure Belichick would not let up when we are 13-0 or 14-0. He will push it. Not in order to finish undefeated, but to keep the team on edge.

Remember, this team had a winning streak over 20 games long. There is no, Lose Now, Win the Super Bowl mentality here.

Disagree.

The 21 game streak was due to the fact it was at the tail end of one season and the head of another..and included the playoffs. There was never a point the Patriots were not playing for something.

If your hoping for the undefeated season, then you should hope the Colts or the Chargers are one game behind the Patriots(with their only loss being to the Pats) Then only the 16th game won't matter(If the Pats finish 15-1 they'll have the tiebreaker on colts/bolts). This would mean the Pats could start their second string the last game, but this is an almost impossible scenario.

Anyway.. if you think about how BB operates I really don't see him doing anything to jeopardize the superbowl run...including not resting his starters. You might see them a half-game in week 16 and not at all week 17. Then theres the bye round. etc...