So do Patriots play starters vs. Houston?

[tombonneau]

The way the playoff picture is unfolding -- specifically with the Jets/Bengals flexed to Sunday night -- I think that Pats will play their starters to win in Houston, thus locking up the #3 seed, which gives the Bengals nothing to play for, and hopefully helps the Jets to win and "earn" (very loosely using that word) the #6 seed and thus sets up a Sanchez @ NE round one game. I think this is in the best interest of the Patriots.

I think worst case scenario is anything involving Pitt coming to NE.

In fact, the only thing that makes me think the Pats perhaps lay down vs. Houston is that a Houston win pretty much shuts Pitt out of the playoffs, correct?

 

[slash83]

The healthy ones for a quarter or two at the most. Nicked up players like Brady, Warren and Wilfork no imo. I think being healthy as possible is more important rather than who the Pats face, healthy they can beat any team.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'll just copy and paste my response from another thread...

I'd play the starters until the lead is safe. I know you don't want injuries going into the playoffs and that some people would rather get Indy in the divisional than San Diego, but I'm thinking about the Wild Card round. I see the Jets as being easier for us to beat than the Ravens (should the current seeding stay intact). Hopefully, we don't sustain any injuries and roll into the playoffs with momentum. On top of that, San Diego does not really scare me. I don't worry about their running game and I know we can score on their defense should our starting O-Line be healthy enough to keep the dogs off Brady and open some holes up for the running game. The only question would be matching up with Rivers and those big wide receivers, which I think we can. People seem to forget that we've beaten San Diego with greater regularity (with the exception of 2008, minus Brady) than they've beaten Indy.

 

[ramon]

They absolutely should play the starters for most of the game, until lead is safe.
Momentum and confidence are huge factors at this time of the year.
If the Patriots were to get beaten convincingly next week, even with the starters resting it would bring back some of those nagging doubts this team has faced most of the season

but if they go down there and win convincingly...they can build on that heading into the playoffs.

This team more than in most years needs to build confidence and get all the kinks worked out

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Treat it like a bye week, a bye week's never hurt us in the past. Don't wanna be too banged up going into face a fresh Chargers/Colts team if we do get past the 1st round.

 

[jmt57]

If the worst case scenario is indeed playing Pittsburgh, then the best way to make that happen is for the Texans to win, rather than hope the Jets find a way to beat the Bengals. If Houston wins, then the Steelers will need a lot of help to make the playoffs.

 

[Bill B.]

We need to have this team firing on all cylinders. Play the starters into the fourth quarter.

 

[upstater1]

The way the playoff picture is unfolding -- specifically with the Jets/Bengals flexed to Sunday night -- I think that Pats will play their starters to win in Houston, thus locking up the #3 seed, which gives the Bengals nothing to play for, and hopefully helps the Jets to win and "earn" (very loosely using that word) the #6 seed and thus sets up a Sanchez @ NE round one game. I think this is in the best interest of the Patriots.

I think worst case scenario is anything involving Pitt coming to NE.

In fact, the only thing that makes me think the Pats perhaps lay down vs. Houston is that a Houston win pretty much shuts Pitt out of the playoffs, correct?

With a Baltimore win, the Patriots play Baltimore either way.

The Jets get the #5 seed with a win.

The Patriots game is almost totally irrelevant for the Patriots except in determining seeding for the Indy/SD games.

 

[upstater1]

I'll just copy and paste my response from another thread...

I'd play the starters until the lead is safe. I know you don't want injuries going into the playoffs and that some people would rather get Indy in the divisional than San Diego, but I'm thinking about the Wild Card round. I see the Jets as being easier for us to beat than the Ravens (should the current seeding stay intact). Hopefully, we don't sustain any injuries and roll into the playoffs with momentum. On top of that, San Diego does not really scare me. I don't worry about their running game and I know we can score on their defense should our starting O-Line be healthy enough to keep the dogs off Brady and open some holes up for the running game. The only question would be matching up with Rivers and those big wide receivers, which I think we can. People seem to forget that we've beaten San Diego with greater regularity (with the exception of 2008, minus Brady) than they've beaten Indy.

We are not going to be playing the Jets. It's impossible.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I'd like to see the defesnive starters play the 1st half. I want to see how the defense stands up vs Schaub and that Houston passing attack. Pretty good group down there in Texas.

 

[Kontradiction]

We are not going to be playing the Jets. It's impossible.

If the playoff seeding stays as it is right now, we will be playing the Jets in the Wild Card. Schefter even said so earlier tonight on NFL Live. He and I may be wrong though as, to be honest, I haven't gone out and taken a good look at the AFC playoff seeding as of yet.

 

[upstater1]

If the playoff seeding stays as it is right now, we will be playing the Jets in the Wild Card. Schefter even said so earlier tonight on NFL Live. He and I may be wrong though as, to be honest, I haven't gone out and taken a good look at the AFC playoff seeding as of yet.

It's impossible because, if the Jets win, they are the #5 seed and we're the #3 seed.

If they lose, they're not in the playoffs.

 

[Dr Pain]

The Broncos are not going to lose to KC so they are the 5th seed. They have really fallen the end of the season and have lost 7 of their last 9.

My guess is the Bengals rest and go for the 4th seed regardless of what the Patriots do so the Jets are in.

I would like to see the Patriots in #3 and beat the Jets at home, go to Indy which is reeling now and knows had the correct call been made by the Refs they would have lost to the Patriots.

Q I don’t know the answer to is if the Patriots and Bengals both win, does the fact that the Jets have a better record than the Texans now mean that the strength of wins goes in the Bengals favor and they get the 3rd seed?

 

[IcyPatriot]

Hoyer has looked like crap this year ... that's all I am saying.

Brady needs to play at least half a game ... and BJGE deserves some carries.

 

[Dr Pain]

It's impossible because, if the Jets win, they are the #5 seed and we're the #3 seed.

If they lose, they're not in the playoffs.

If true the Bengals will see them 2 weeks in a row. This is an incentive to not show them everything.

 

[upstater1]

If the Jets get into the playoffs as an 8-8 team, they could get the #6 seed. Then Cincy would be the #3 seed, so again we wouldn't play the Jets

UNLESS

All the other 8-7 and 7-8 teams lose, including Jax. That would mean the Jets are 8-8 and then they'd play the Patriots.

So it's not impossible, just highly unlikely.

 

[Kontradiction]

It's impossible because, if the Jets win, they are the #5 seed and we're the #3 seed.

If they lose, they're not in the playoffs.

ESPN must have screwed up then. They had the Jets listed as the last seed.

And it also appears that CBSSports does as well...

NFL 2009 Playoff Race - CBSSports.com

EDIT: More info on the tiebreakers...

AFC Playoff tiebreakers -

1. New England earns the No. 3 seed over Cincinnati based on strength of victory (.433 to Bengals' .403).
2. Denver earns the No. 5 seed over N.Y. Jets and Baltimore based on strength of victory (.513 to Jets' .492 and Ravens' .387) and conference record over Houston (6-5 to Texans' 5-6).
3. N.Y. Jets earn the No. 6 seed over Baltimore based on strength of victory (.492 to Ravens' .387) and conference record over Houston (6-5 to Texans' 5-6).
4. Baltimore finishes ahead of Houston based on conference record (6-5 over Texans' 5-6).
5. Houston finishes ahead of Pittsburgh based on common games (3-1 over Steelers' 1-3).

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

and BJGE deserves some carries.

BJGE deserves all the carries
Hoyer deserves all the snaps
Stanbach deserves all the receptions
Connolly deserves all the pancakes
etc
etc

 

[upstater1]

The Broncos are not going to lose to KC so they are the 5th seed. They have really fallen the end of the season and have lost 7 of their last 9.

My guess is the Bengals rest and go for the 4th seed regardless of what the Patriots do so the Jets are in.

I would like to see the Patriots in #3 and beat the Jets at home, go to Indy which is reeling now and knows had the correct call been made by the Refs they would have lost to the Patriots.

Q I don’t know the answer to is if the Patriots and Bengals both win, does the fact that the Jets have a better record than the Texans now mean that the strength of wins goes in the Bengals favor and they get the 3rd seed?

Broncos don't control their own destiny. Jets and Ravens do. Broncos need Ravens to lose and Houston to win. If the Ravens and Houston lose, then the Steelers get in over the Broncos.

 

[DaBruinz]

We are not going to be playing the Jets. It's impossible.

NFL.COM says otherwise...

Playoff Picture 2009