TX_Patriot

Just curious what y'all think the NFL would be pushing for.

Satchboogie3

History. They don't want the Pats to ever lose again. We'll keep up our end of the deal.

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This is the year. We put our failures in the past, it's a new year, a new defense. It's time to prove to the league that the Patriots are back and aren't going anywhere and they will be the last ones standing in Feb.
Update: Well that didn't work out as I had planned. Next year baby, next year 19-0 we go. Next year.

Watson's IQ

Well, I don't think the NFL will be pushing for either side, but I see what you're asking. David slays Goliath relatively routinely in sports, and it's a story for a few days or weeks, and then it's forgotten (take Federer losing in the Australian Open Semis last week). Because the Pats have a chance to go 19-0, if the Giants win the David-Goliath angle would have more of a shelf-life, but not nearly as significant as should the Pats win.

David slays Goliath all the time, but only one team has ever gone undefeated, and people are still talking about it 35 years later. I think it's pretty clear which outcome is more in the NFL's best interest (especially financially).

Ootball

People remember the huge upsets. Everyone knows Jets/Colts, Villanova/Georgetown, Pats/Rams.

The NFL may want 19-0, but I think they are starting to kind of look at the Pats like Jonathan E, if you know the movie Rollerball.

Watson's IQ

I disagree. Sure, as a sports fan if you ask me to recall some of the biggest upsets in history, I can do it. But that's not the first thing I think of when I think of those teams which accomplished them. Going 19-0 would forever be attached to the Patriots franchise, and I think in a more significant way than an upset would be for the Giants.

PatsSox363804

I said in September that after "spygate" the best thing for the NFL would be the Patriots to wipe the floor with everyone on their way to a Superbowl, thus removing any doubt from the legitimacy of the past titles (for lazy idiots who don't want to look up the rules, and haters alike.) Mission accomplished there, at this point either a huge upset or 19-0 would be a great story so I don't think it matters anymore.

richpats

To have ratings. Plain and simple. This will require a competitive game going into the 4th quarter. They do not want to see the Pats go up 24-0 in the 1st half. Whoever wins is irrelevant. They just want people to be watching the whole way. That being said, I expect some one-sided officiating Sunday for the Giants.

As for Goodell's interest, he better hope the Giants win. Or else, he will have to congratulate the Pats and say all kinds of nice things about them...the same season he tried to ruin their reputation. What an awkward trophy ceremony that would be!

Ootball

I disagree with that. I don't think Goodell has it in for the Patriots, and I don't think he'd hate to see them win. His reaction to spygate was consistent with how he is treating other infractions in the NFL, but there is no reason to think he holds some kind of grudge.

The Pats broke the rules, and he fined them & took away a draft pick. If I had to guess, I'd say he considers that the end of it.

patsfanofNC12

They want the Pats to win

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FrontSeven

Win-win for the NFL. They cannot lose. They've already won.