Its Official: Miami-Jets game flexed to 4:00

[Sivy]

lets just beat the bills first. We can go picket if you want, just let me know and I'll be there with ya, but the fact is, we just gotta beat the bills first. Thats the only thing the patriots can controll.

 

[upstater1]

I just don't see that happening. If it was me playing and we got the word that, no matter what we did, we weren't going to the playoffs, I'd be mad as hell and play to at least go out with a win. Take it out on the players across from me in the other laundry. Play for pride, if nothing else.

At least that's how I'd see it.

Respects,

The natural reaction would be to deflate. Your whole season is down the drain.

Yes, they may get mad or whatever, but that team opposite them? That team will be scratching, clawing, giving it their all. Why? Because they are playing for the playoffs. Meanwhile, your team is guaranteed to be golfing. If this were ONLY about the Jets missing the playoffs, I might agree with you.

But you're forgetting that the opposition is HIGHLY motivated. You can't be MORE motivated for this game than the Dolphins will be. Win, and they are in. You have to take that factor into account.

 

[Connecticut]

I usually hate conspiracy theories and all that crap, but it seems the NFL wants either Miami or the Jets to go into the playoffs. The Patriots are the elephant boy of the season, they want to hide us in the basement. We aren't making the big bucks we did for the league last year, because Brady is out and we are just your run-of-the-mill above average team.

Whereas the Jets and Phins are both Cinderella stories, good for the money.

I just can't believe they did this. I love football, but Goodell does his best to make me stop.

I agree with you, but you don't think the Pats this season are a Cinderella story? Come on now..

 

[upstater1]

Possible, I guess. I see it the other way around. I have to assume you've played competitive sports at some level. If you have, you know that you really have only one opportunity to take out your frustration - and that's on the opponent that you're playing *right now*. If they see at halftime that they're probably not going to the playoffs, do you think they want the Dolphins celebrating a playoff birth on their own turf? No way. And don't forget...the Jets and Dolphins are nasty rivals. Maybe not quite so much as the Pats/Jets, but still...it's not like they're buddy-buddy with Miami.

No, I believe that the players will play hard and will try their best to make someone else (in this case, Miami) experience some pain as well. Might not be enough for them to win, but I think they'll play hard.

I'd agree with you...

...if they weren't playing a team that will be much more motivated than they are. We KNOW the Phins will be more motivated.

At that point, the only question is, will a more MOTIVATED Phins team defeat a LESS MOTIVATED jets team.

The only reason I post here is in amazement that the NFL is even allowing such questions to be asked.

 

[ivanvamp]

Yeah. I mean, I guess we have to accept that what happens, happens. Such is life when you do not control your own destiny.

However, it will gall me FOREVER that we would have had to go 12-4 (12-4!!!) to get into the playoffs without help. Without our franchise HOF QB and too many other starters to count. 12-4 is a record which could easily get you homefield throughout in any other year. If that's the system at work, well, the system sucks. End of story.

Well, you and I have agreed on the frustration of all this, but that's the way it goes, really. As long as they have divisions set up like this, there will be the chance that teams with better records miss the playoffs while teams with worse records get in. In baseball, the 2006 Cardinals were just a couple of games above .500, but won their division, and went on to win the World Series. It's the nature of the beast. It just sucks that it's our team that will likely get the shaft here.

 

[ivanvamp]

I'd agree with you...

...if they weren't playing a team that will be much more motivated than they are. We KNOW the Phins will be more motivated.

At that point, the only question is, will a more MOTIVATED Phins team defeat a LESS MOTIVATED jets team.

The only reason I post here is in amazement that the NFL is even allowing such questions to be asked.

Fair enough. I think, ultimately, it won't come down to motivation - both teams will want to win and will play hard. I think it will come down to who is better and who gets the breaks. Unfortunately for the Pats, we haven't been getting many breaks lately. And I think Miami is the better team. And *that* will make the difference in the end.

11-5, no playoffs......here we come. Ugh. It's going to be painful to watch teams that we are clearly better than playing in the playoffs. The Pats could end up tied for the 4th best record in the league and not make the playoffs. How ridiculous would that be!?

 

[shmessy]

.......The Jets will come to play. But will it be enough?

I think folks are giving the Dolphins waaaaaay to much credit here.

Their 4 game win streak, since being dominated by the Patriots:

W 16-12 against St Louis (2-13)

W 16-3 against Buffalo (7-8)

W 14-9 against SF (6-9)

W 38-31 against KC (2-13)

Outside of their anomaly win over the Pats way back in week 3, they have beaten only ONE team with a winning record (the 8-7 Broncos).

The Pats haven't had a hard schedule either, but they have beaten the Jets (9-6), Denver (8-7), Miami (10-5), Arizona (8-7) without their starting QB, starting RB and the highest IR numbers since 1993.

 

[363839]

It's "different" but the same in that a playoff spot was decided by someone laying down.

That's just how the NFL seasonal sack record was established....somebody layed down and that someone was Brett Favre. He better not do it again or the *FKG will make him pay dearly.

*FKG-Football Karma Gods.

 

[CMcCartney]

Count me among those who think the league is doing this on purpose to screw NE. As has already been mentioned here, the league hates the Pats, and don't care that they're doing this without TB and 7 other starters.. they're still the dreaded Pats and they're still coached by the evil Bill Belichick. The NFL doesn't care about what a great story Cassel is (how is Farve in the Pro Bowl ahead of Cassel? Look at their numbers.. it's not close).. It'll still be fun to hear the Jets fans boo the great Favre into retirement when he lays another stinkbomb on Sunday.

 

[aluminum seats]

Much ado about nothing. The Pats are a draw for TV, so the league would want them in, if anything.

As for the Jets, the fact that Baltimore plays at the same time is all that matters. If they knew going in they were out of it, they'd be down. As it is, they'll be playing hard for the playoffs, and if (when) Baltimore begins to win, they won't just shut down--there won't be time to have that emotional shift.

The players will go in to the game thinking they have a chance--they can't process too much information. Keep in mind some of them don't know games can end in ties.

 

[Theplayer]

I think the whole idea of moving games to begin with is ridiculous. Set the schedule before the season, then play it out. This way, no monkey business can take place.

 

[Theplayer]

"they won't just shut down--there won't be time to have that emotional shift."

what? that emotional shift can happen in an instant...that would be looking up and seeing the Ravens up 21-3 at half time...or before.

 

[neuronet]

I agree with you, but you don't think the Pats this season are a Cinderella story? Come on now..

Good point. The AFC east is fully of great stories. The poor Bills.

I agree with the guy that mentioned the one thing we can control: how we prepare against the Bills. Go Pats!!!!

I will be astounded if an 11-5 team doesn't make the playoffs, so just win Pats OK?

 

[SaCaCh]

Let's go Jacksonville...*hits head against wall*

 

[spacecrime]

Guys stop the nonsense if the Pats had won one more winnable Game we wouldn't be talking about this. The reason why the Patriot Game is not flexed is becuase they DONT CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY! When last i checked the Dolphins and Ravens with a win gets in on Sunday. Flexing the Jets/Dolphins and Ravens/Jauguars is no NFL conspiracy against the N.E. Patriots as some would believe.

Yes, but Patsfans are the new Raider fans. If the Pats don't make the playoffs, the whiners will be moaning for years about how we were screwed by the schedule. They will get together with Raider fans for a Tuck & Flex party and all have a good cry and blame the NFL for their teams loss.

Makes me want to puke.

 

[dhamz]

I hope that Kraft b!tches about this because it was my understanding that games were to be "flexed" only to the 8 PM Sunday game.

I'm not sure where you got your understanding but it is wrong. NBC got first pick for the night game. Then FOX and CBS get to adjust their schedule for their doubleheaders.

The NFL gets billions from TV, the networks get to pick their games for week 17.

All games were placed on the schedule at 1 PM local time including the Jets and Giants who can never play at the same time. One of those 2 games was going to be moved. CBS defintiely had to move games to 4 because the only AFC game being played out West this week is SD/Denver.

I don't understand what has everyone upset. It isn't like they just moved the Jets to 4 and there is a chance it will be a meaningless game for them.
The Jets will kick off Sunday playing for the playoffs - same as they would have if they all kicked off at 1.

 

[spacecrime]

The natural reaction would be to deflate. Your whole season is down the drain.

Yes, they may get mad or whatever, but that team opposite them? That team will be scratching, clawing, giving it their all. Why? Because they are playing for the playoffs. Meanwhile, your team is guaranteed to be golfing. If this were ONLY about the Jets missing the playoffs, I might agree with you.

But you're forgetting that the opposition is HIGHLY motivated. You can't be MORE motivated for this game than the Dolphins will be. Win, and they are in. You have to take that factor into account.

Sniff, sniff. Boo hoo. Waaaaah.

The problem is this weeks flex schedule. It was the Pats D for most of the season.

 

[upstater1]

Much ado about nothing. The Pats are a draw for TV, so the league would want them in, if anything.

As for the Jets, the fact that Baltimore plays at the same time is all that matters. If they knew going in they were out of it, they'd be down. As it is, they'll be playing hard for the playoffs, and if (when) Baltimore begins to win, they won't just shut down--there won't be time to have that emotional shift.

The players will go in to the game thinking they have a chance--they can't process too much information. Keep in mind some of them don't know games can end in ties.

That emotional shift will happen at halftime with the Ravens up 17-0.

I hope the Jets are up by 10 points by halftime.

Otherwise, the second half is all Miami's.

 

[Theplayer]

I'm not sure where you got your understanding but it is wrong. NBC got first pick for the night game. Then FOX and CBS get to adjust their schedule for their doubleheaders.

The NFL gets billions from TV, the networks get to pick their games for week 17.

All games were placed on the schedule at 1 PM local time including the Jets and Giants who can never play at the same time. One of those 2 games was going to be moved. CBS defintiely had to move games to 4 because the only AFC game being played out West this week is SD/Denver.

I don't understand what has everyone upset. It isn't like they just moved the Jets to 4 and there is a chance it will be a meaningless game for them.
The Jets will kick off Sunday playing for the playoffs - same as they would have if they all kicked off at 1.

It's a huge difference..and someone has to be blind not to see it.

 

[Theplayer]

Sniff, sniff. Boo hoo. Waaaaah.

The problem is this weeks flex schedule. It was the Pats D for most of the season.

I hate posts like this..its nothing to do about what the Pats could have done throughout the year...it's about switching times around and who will benefit. Of course if the Pats had won 1 more game, then this wouldn't matter..but they didn't and it does.