PATRIOTSFANINPA

While trying to avoid the spygate crap here is a more realistic question regarding the Patriots future in the 2009 season....

The Pats have 4 opponents from the west coast this year and play at the opponents home field but which do you think is the toughest?

Before you jump on the obvious and say San Diego look at the Patriots records of the past out there and against each individual team and you might want to think a bit differently.

While San Diego looks to be a far better team than its other 3 west coast teams as far as the Patriots are concerned if you go by the last decade,it may be the easiest of all 4

A look at the past shows...

New England at Seattle - 3-2 record at Seattle / Last 10 games 4-6
New England at Oakland - 4-9 record at Oakland / Last 10 games 4-6
New England at San Fran - 0-3 record at SF / Last 10 games 3-7
New England at San Diego - 8-5-1 record at SD / Last 10 games 8-2

It shows interesting things like

In the Patriots existence as a team they have never won in San Francisco
San Diego has been beaten by NE at least twice the amount of the others


So if the past history of this team playing out west is any type of indication of what this team will do out there this year,on paper SD looks like the easiest.

If you are into the Patirots records and stats of the past it is interesting,If not perhaps its irrelevant to you.



I still will go with Oakland as the easiest game of the 4,especially since a rookie will be the QB.

KontradictioN

Uh, it's still the Chargers. Fact of the matter is that we have played this team A LOT in the last couple of years and they are getting very familiar with our style of play. They are a very good team and look to only get better this year. They will be our hardest task out West followed by Seattle.

And a rookie will not be Oakland's QB next year. He's in year two now.

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blackglass3

Have to agree. We can pick on SD all we want for LdT and all the "classless" crap, but they are a tough game every time.

Of course, Norv might just coach them into an 8-8 record. I swear, that man can screw up a wet dream.

NEPatriot

49 SF is the easiest game because they suck horibly.

SD is going to be tough.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Perhaps he is not a rookie but might as well be one

Seymour93

San Fran will be the easiest. They don't have Joe Montana and Jerry Young anymore, they have Alex Smith and Ashley Lelie. Oakland will be improved on offense at least with McFadden and there is still a rivalry between the two franchises so no doubt they will up their game against us. The other two games against SD and Seattle will be our toughest non-Colts games of the season.

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MRBLAZE

San Diego. Is it really close..?

If Oakland and San Fran are ready to be contenders this year, that's great but it's certainly not with the Pats. They're not ready yet.

Seattle is next after SD.

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PatsWickedPissah

But it isn't.
What mechanism makes the record of pre-BB, pre-Brady Patriots relevant to 2008? None.

I went to the Pats-SD game in San Diego in 2002. Pats were SB Champs and hadn't lost to SD in 30 years. Brady played poorly and they lost. So much for history.

Sometimes even within a single season the W/L performance means nothing when the teams play a 2nd time. See NY Giants. SuperBowl.

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PatsDeb

Have to agree with the majority who say SD is still the toughest out. Lots of those other games have to have been played prior to TB/BB because I don't remember too many games out there the last few years, except against the Chargers. They are a good, tough team that we've barely squeaked by in the playoffs in the last two years.

SF and Oakland are a mess, QB and offense-wise (although they'll be gunning for Moss in Oakland, so that should be interesting) and Seattle seems stuck in neutral or on the way down. Maybe Deion Branch will have the game of his life against his old team (if he's not on IR, that is!). Who knows how the travel will affect us, though, in any of these games.

I just wish the year would start so we could get away (maybe) from all this other crap.

KontradictioN

I don't know about that. Oakland COULD be tough if Russell gels and McFadden sets the league on fire like Adrian Peterson did last year. We'll still beat them but they will no longer be a joke.

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