How important is a first-round bye for the Patriots?

[PatsFanSince74]

The seeding and matchups don't bother me. The playing on the road doesn't either. The only bad part to me is that we're pretty beat up. Really could use the week off to get some guy's healthier; Vollmer, Mankins, AHern, Gronk, Welker, Spikes, Dennard and Talib. That's quite a few key players nicked up.

If Houston wins at 1p. I'd rest everybody. KC isn't going to win at Denver. Play Brady a quarter or so. Let him get his td pass to extend his streak. Then, get him out of there so we can take a look at Mallett. If Houston loses at 1p, play this like a must-win.

The seedings and matchups do bother me. I don't want to play in Denver in January. But that's not why I'm replying to your post.

According to how the record is kept, if Brady misses a game for any reason, it does not stop the streak; the record is for TD's thrown in "consecutive games started." Unitas missed several games and Brees missed at least one during their streaks. In fact, if Belichick decides that the game is meaningless, he might be better off not starting Brady at all rather than have to keep him in until garbage time if he hasn't thrown a TD yet.

 

[BananaRepublican]

KC isn't going to win at Denver.

I agree with the sentiment but on a that given Sunday I would not bet my farm on it. Human motivation is a funny animal.

 

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How important is a first-round bye for the Patriots?
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[fxkane]

The bye is gold for any team. And get them while you can because the NFL wants to do away with them under a new playoff format.

Another thing... if we give up this game then Denver can do the same, so we leave the most scary team in the East with essentially two weeks off. Let them play and let KC make them pay for playing.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The bye is gold for any team. And get them while you can because the NFL wants to do away with them under a new playoff format.

Another thing... if we give up this game then Denver can do the same, so we leave the most scary team in the East with essentially two weeks off. Let them play and let KC make them pay for playing.

Good point of discussion. If the Patriots ease up and the game gets away from them too quickly and Denver can jump out to a comfortable lead by halftime, Denver gets an additional week to give a bit of extra rest to key players. It's not the biggest deal in the world but it isn't nothing either. Fortunately it's an unlikely scenario for Denver to be in a position by half time that their game is in hand and the Patriots game is in hand for them too. Of note is KC's game with Denver about a month ago. Denver did not blow them out at all (it was 7-6 at half time). I hope, if they can't beat Denver, they give them a game like they did.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I agree with the sentiment but on a that given Sunday I would not bet my farm on it. Human motivation is a funny animal.

Completely agree. I wouldn't bet a nickle on KC winning, however, any Sunday any team winning is far from impossible. With human motivation as you mention, KC could play the game of their lives. To further the point, KC had the ball in Denver territory with 7 minutes left down 5 points in their first meeting about a month ago (the point being Denver was far from blowing them out).
Again, I don't expect KC to win but it is far from impossible (I'd rather have Cassell playing though).

 

[bigballas]

only problem is KC gets 1st pick 2013 if they lose the game...jacksonville needs a QB too just like KC so they both would want to finish 1st if they are thinking long term.

 

[aztecafut]

I don't usually watch espn but the tv was on at work earlier and I started paying attention when they started talking about the Patriots. I think they were discussing this very question and no one on the show gave the Patriots a chance in the playoffs without the bye. Jerry Rice, Antonio Pierce and the two others agreed that without the bye, the Patriots would have to travel to Denver and they just couldn't see the Pats beating Broncos. Not just espn, but the media as a whole seem share this same opinion. It used to tick me off at first but then again, I kinda like it better this way.

 

[supafly]

I don't usually watch espn but the tv was on at work earlier and I started paying attention when they started talking about the Patriots. I think they were discussing this very question and no one on the show gave the Patriots a chance in the playoffs without the bye. Jerry Rice, Antonio Pierce and the two others agreed that without the bye, the Patriots would have to travel to Denver and they just couldn't see the Pats beating Broncos. Not just espn, but the media as a whole seem share this same opinion. It used to tick me off at first but then again, I kinda like it better this way.

I always enjoy the underdog role much more than being the favorite, but in this case I worry that the perception of the general public and mediots may indeed be correct.

My biggest concern is definitely the fact that this team is horribly beat up, and would have to go on the road at Mile High stadium to try and beat Manning 2x out of 2 meetings this year. I'm not into giving him a rematch, especially on his turf in the thin air of Mile High stadium.

Many here laughed when the heavy majority wrote the Pats off in last year's SB, but they did end up somehow being correct. My concern is that the same thing will happen this year, and that they are onto something.

Not meaning to sound negative, but that's certainly my concern. The bye is extremely important in my opinion, and just as everything was falling into place and coming into focus we had to play the 2 toughest teams in each conference in a 6 day span, and ultimately failed.

 

[supafly]

I think they were discussing this very question and no one on the show gave the Patriots a chance in the playoffs without the bye. Jerry Rice, Antonio Pierce and the two others agreed that without the bye, the Patriots would have to travel to Denver and they just couldn't see the Pats beating Broncos. Not just espn, but the media as a whole seem share this same opinion.

They also wouldn't have all had this strong of an opinion a few weeks ago, especially on Dec.10th when the Pats blasted Houston out of the water to move up to the clear cut favorite in the AFC.

The problem is that they have since looked lousy falling down 31-3 to SF and barely beating the laughable 2-13 Jacksonville Jags, so the only other choice is Denver--especially now that they have the bye pretty much secured and probably won't have to travel anywhere.

 

[Brady2Moss]

Agree with supafly completely, the talking heads need stories they are tired of the Patriots will dominate story line that they've been stuck with for 10+ years. They live for every Patriots loss or non-dominating win to rip on us.

I think the plan for this game should be to not have dennard, talib, or spikes play unless either is as healthy as he's going to be regardless of rest. I also want Vollmer to just get the week off hoping it gives him enough of a boost to go on a 4 week run, he is the most banged up of the line and the guy allowing the most pressure lately.

If Denver and Houston win this will at least our most wounded get a psuedo-bye and resting these guys shouldn't prevent us from eeking out a win against the Fins to get a bye if its within reach.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

I think the pats only need to be healthy, if we are healthy we can win. all I say is we have played without 1 of our TE, secondary is banged up, if we can get the D running and get a healthy gronk, welker and a Lloyd that can do damage we should win every game from here to the big game. We only lost by hurting ourselves not even SF could stop Tom, we just beat our selves up.


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[Skeeter712]

Disregarding superstition, there is nothing but positive that can come out of the beat-up Patriots getting a BYE.

 

[Gumby]

only problem is KC gets 1st pick 2013 if they lose the game...jacksonville needs a QB too just like KC so they both would want to finish 1st if they are thinking long term.

I dunno, is there a verifiable consensus #1 this year??? Not hearing a 'suck for luck' type chorus going on about any one guy.

And I dont think the difference in quality/value between 1 draft position (1 vs 2/33-34 ...) is that great in most years. although it is nice to know you can have the pick of the litter; that only works for one of your 7 picks.

and then you dont have to deal as much with the head case egomaniac #1 and his grasping for every last dollar agent (if you are a cap challenged team). how is KC cap wise?