AFC playoff bye for PATs?

[Rob0729]

I think NE finishes with an 11-5 record...I think they lose at least one more home game to SF or Houston and one division game,perhaps to Miami.

11-5 to me will be the 2nd best record in the conference,Houston wins the conference and HFA in a laughing runaway at 14-2 or 13-3

I still think despite most of you thinking the Ravens are in shambles will be sadly mistaken,they still have a good coach and solid nucleus of players including Ed Reed and Suggs on defense and they are better overall than the aging Steelers.

Because of the controversial FG when NE played Baltimore,that FG might very well make the difference in NE playing on Wild Card weekend then getting a bye week.....I think Baltimore also finishes at 11-5 as North champ and wins the tiebreaker for the 2nd seed and bye week over NE.

I think New England will face at home either Cincinnati,Oakland,Miami or Pittsburgh on WC weekend

Baltimore won't lose the rest of their games or anything, but they are in trouble when it comes to trying to get a first round bye or even possibly winning the division. Their defense was average before Webb and Lewis went out and now they may be below average. Look at their last three games and you will see a team on a decline even though they went 2-1 in those games. They barely beat a God awful Chiefs and couldn't score more than 9 points. They beat the Cowboys off a missed last second field goal by the Cowboys. They got crushed by the Texans. And let's not forget that they didn't really impress against Cleveland at home four games ago.

Looking at the Ravens' schedule, they should lose at least one of the Steelers games, to Denver, and to the Giants. Other games they could lose include the other Steelers' game, Washington, Cinci, and the Chargers.

I think the Ravens and Steelers may be in a dog fight for the division and 10-6 and even 9-7 could win that division. I could see the Ravens losing 5 games if they don't fix that defense.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

"Bye?! Bye?! You want to talk about a Bye?"

Let's just be sure we beat the Bills, then whomever is next, then lock up the Division against a confident but probably overconfident Miami team, then worry about the seeding.

 

[everlong]

I think New England will face at home either Cincinnati,Oakland,Miami or Pittsburgh on WC weekend

What is your reasoning on Oak? I can mke one for the others but the Raiders.......

 

[bostonia3333]

1. Houston
2. Denver
3. Pit
4. New England

Too much damage already done with those gms we dropped to college squads

 

[Froob]

An average team playing a bunch of average of less teams doesnt win 9 straight.

With Peyton I really wouldn't count that out....of course he'll cap it off with a one and done

 

[deters]

As it sits right now the projected playoff teams are

1. Houston
2. Baltimore
3. New England
4. Denver
5. Indianapolis
6. Pittsburgh

Pats play Houston, Indianapolis and hold a tie breaker over Denver. Pitt still has to play Baltimore 2x as well as the Chargers.

Baltimore plays Pitt, Chargers, Pitt, Redskins, Denver, Giants in a 6 week stretch. That's possibly 4 AFC losses.

If the Pats beat Houston and don't drop a game they should win, we should be able to achieve a first round bye.

 

[patsfan-1982]

the ravens may not even win there own division the steelers are playing better then them right now and have less injurys to star players

 

[QB12]

Texans lose at Bears Sunday, we beat Texans, and run the table. We get #1 seed.

 

[goheels22002]

The Texans at Patriots game is shaping up to be possibly critical to the bye and home field.

For the best team in the AFC, the Texans were unimpressive at home against the Bills yesterday. Their defense looked decent but not dominant, and their offense was plodding against the Bills. The Texans committed a lot of stupid penalties and didn't covert on 7 of 11 third downs. Foster put up 111 yards against the Bills, but I see the Pats front seven as a tough match-up for the Texans, particularly inside. The Texans look vulnerable and not explosive offensively.

If the Patriots are revved up at home and put a couple of early scores on the board, it could be a very long day for the Texans. It will be a big test for Schaub outdoors in the cold to prove he can keep up with the Patriots if their running game is stalled or irrelevant in a catchup game.

 

[Gumby]

As it sits right now the projected playoff teams are

1. Houston
2. Baltimore
3. New England
4. Denver
5. Indianapolis
6. Pittsburgh

Pats play Houston, Indianapolis and hold a tie breaker over Denver. Pitt still has to play Baltimore 2x as well as the Chargers.

Baltimore plays Pitt, Chargers, Pitt, Redskins, Denver, Giants in a 6 week stretch. That's possibly 4 AFC losses.

If the Pats beat Houston and don't drop a game they should win, we should be able to achieve a first round bye.

good to remember as you mentioned obliquely that AFC record is what counts after overall. Pats only have 1 AFC loss as do the Ravens. Pats absolutely HAVE to beat Houston to have a reasonable shot at #1 or even #2 as Houston doesnt have an AFC loss yet.

 

[mayoclinic]

Texans lose at Bears Sunday, we beat Texans, and run the table. We get #1 seed.

The Ravens host Oakland next week. Then they have:

@ Pittsburgh
@ San Diego
Pittsburgh
@Washington
Denver
NY Giants
@ Cincinnati

That's 7 very tough games in a row. Hard to see the beat up Ravens not losing at least 2-3 of those games, and quite possibly more.

If I had to guess, they go 1-1 vs. the Steelers, 1-1 vs. Denver/San Diego, and lose to the Giants to end up 11-5 at best.

 

[Sivy]

The funny thing is about the NFL. None of this "best team in the afc/ncf" crap matters. Houston did not look all that great against the crap bills, and DEN could have also lost yesterday.

Expect a crappy team or two to beat the mighty TEXANS as most people have already crowned them.

 

[PatsSox363804]

Remaining schedules:

Houston - Bears, Jags, Lions, Titans, Pats, Colts, Vikings, Colts

Ravens - Raiders, Steelers, Chargers, Steelers, Redskins, Broncos, Giants, Bengals

Broncos - Panthers, Chargers, Chiefs, Bucs, Raiders, Ravens, Browns, Chiefs

Steelers - Chiefs, Ravens, Browns, Ravens, Chargers, Cowboys, Bengals, Browns

Of all of them the Ravens, at least on paper, have the hardest schedule. We obviously need to hope they split with Pittsburgh and lose to the Broncos and Giants, at least. That would put them at 11-5 and give us a buffer to lose a game.

If Pit splits with Baltimore and wins the rest that puts them at 12-4 in this scenario. I see 3 possible losses there, but not likely in SD, Dallas, and Cincy. Hopefully one of them pulls it off to also put the Steelers at 11-5

Denvers schedule is a cupcake, I can't see them losing more than a game, hopefully it isn't to Baltimore. they finish either 13-3 or 12-4 and probably get one of the byes.

Houston, this is the most intriguing to me. If you look at their losses teams that can spread them out beat them, as GB and NO showed the past 2 seasons. If we play our game we beat them, period. They have a tough game this weekend as well with Chicago and Detroit is another team that might be able to score on them. Indy is a wild card here in that they can score on them but form what I've seen their offensive line is flat out awful, I don't know if they can protect Luck long enough to beat Houston. Best case scenario here is they lose to Chicago, split with Indy, and lose to us so they finish 12-4.

We likely need to win out for a bye. It's unfortunate that we dug that hole losing games we had won but that's what we did. The good news is that I think we're capable of winning out.

 

[QB12]

As I said in another thread, if we run the table, we're the #1 seed, no matter what any other team does.

 

[Foxypats]

Ater yesterdays game anything can happen. Even though the dolphins lost, they are playing well enough to give the Pats some problems down the road. My hope is that we finish with a same or better record than the broncos. Somehow I prefer a number 3 seed to a number 4 seed. Ofcourse the number 2 seed is even better. I don't somehow think we will catch the Texans, they are looking really good!

 

[JR4]

As I said in another thread, if we run the table, we're the #1 seed, no matter what any other team does.

I don't think that is correct.
Texans and Ravens can still get the 1st two seeds even if PATs win out.
No?
( it seems they could both end up 14-2 and the best PATs can do is 13-3)

 

[QB12]

I don't think that is correct.
Texans and Ravens can still get the 1st two seeds even if PATs win out.
No?
( it seems they could both end up 14-2 and the best PATs can do is 13-3)

You're correct, and I misspoke. I believe the Texans will lose to the Bears Sunday, and if we win out we'll be no worse than tied with them but own the tiebreaker, each at 13-3.

As for the Ravens, while they do own the tiebreaker against us, that'll be moot because their record will be worse than ours. Just look at their schedule and you'll see.

 

[QB12]

. . . I don't somehow think we will catch the Texans, they are looking really good!

Well, I saw the Bills-Texans game yesterday, and I respectfully disagree. As someone else said, their offense lacks explosion, and the defense, while good, is not dominant. The Packers exposed them.

 

[Foxypats]

Well, I saw the Bills-Texans game yesterday, and I respectfully disagree. As someone else said, their offense lacks explosion, and the defense, while good, is not dominant. The Packers exposed them.

Maybe I didnt make myself clear. I certainly think the Patriots can beat the Texans. But since we already have two more losses then them, I dont think we can overtake them in the standings unless we win out. And while their offense isnt explosive, they make enough plays and their D helps them preserve wins. The only bad game they had was against the Packers. I guess I just don't quite have enough confidence in our secondary to make that crucial stop against good teams. Hopefully Talib changes that..

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

i don't see us winning out...i can see pitt however leap frog us. Really wish they lost last night