I am not a pom-pom waver, but it's going to sound like it when you read this post. I think the Pats are about to rip off a really nice run here and take control of their season. Here's what they have coming up:
vs NYJ
at StL
bye
vs Buf
vs Ind
at NYJ
at Mia
I think the Patriots will win all six of these games, most of them by fairly wide margins. They know next week's game is HUGE. Playing at home, I think they'll manhandle the Jets. I think StL could be tricky, but that will end up being a two-score victory. Then the bye to get some banged up players some much-needed rest. Then they crush Buffalo again at home, and take out Indy as well. The next two divisional games could offer a pretty stiff challenge, but I think NE walks out of NY and Miami with wins as well.
That would put them at 9-3, with a divisional record of 5-0. The last four are vs Houston, vs San Francisco, at Jacksonville, and then at home against Miami. They'll probably lose one of those games somewhere along the line, but I foresee them finishing at 11-5 or even 12-4. I think they'll have the #3 seed when all is said and done, though they might have the edge over Houston if they beat Houston and the Texans lose a couple more games during the course of the season.
This defense is VERY young. They're learning. They're fast, athletic, and strong. They are inexperienced and they make a LOT of mistakes. I think as the season progresses we'll see improvement. The 2012 New England Patriots are going to enter the playoffs as a team that nobody really wants to play.
vs NYJ
at StL
bye
vs Buf
vs Ind
at NYJ
at Mia
I think the Patriots will win all six of these games, most of them by fairly wide margins. They know next week's game is HUGE. Playing at home, I think they'll manhandle the Jets. I think StL could be tricky, but that will end up being a two-score victory. Then the bye to get some banged up players some much-needed rest. Then they crush Buffalo again at home, and take out Indy as well. The next two divisional games could offer a pretty stiff challenge, but I think NE walks out of NY and Miami with wins as well.
That would put them at 9-3, with a divisional record of 5-0. The last four are vs Houston, vs San Francisco, at Jacksonville, and then at home against Miami. They'll probably lose one of those games somewhere along the line, but I foresee them finishing at 11-5 or even 12-4. I think they'll have the #3 seed when all is said and done, though they might have the edge over Houston if they beat Houston and the Texans lose a couple more games during the course of the season.
This defense is VERY young. They're learning. They're fast, athletic, and strong. They are inexperienced and they make a LOT of mistakes. I think as the season progresses we'll see improvement. The 2012 New England Patriots are going to enter the playoffs as a team that nobody really wants to play.