Potential opponents in the playoffs

PatsFan2 said:

I am going to on record and say Peyton and the Broncos beat the Ravens...atleast we know we can depend on Peyton unlike others.

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In Baltimore? Us Patriots fans should know very well that the refs will do anything to let the Ravens keep their home win streak alive.

Rob0729 said:

IDK, nothing is sealed yet. Every team in contention for each division in the AFC still have some potential losses by good to very good teams.

The Texans still have the Colts twice, the Pats, and the Vikes. Both the Colts and Vikes are still in contention for Wild Cards and could be tough outs for a team currently struggling to beat bad teams. If the Texans continue to play like they have the last month, I can see two or three more losses before the end of the season.

The Ravens' final schedule is very tough. They have the Broncos, Steelers (won't be all that tough if Roethlisberger isn't back), Redskins, Giants, and Bengals. All those teams are either definitely playoff bound or in contention.

The Broncos still have the Ravens and Bucs who are both still in playoff contention.

The Pats still have Miami twice, Houston, and the 49ers. All are in playoff contention and Houston and the 49ers have two of the best records in the NFL.

The Pats basically have to win out or only lose one more game to even dream of a bye, but all the top teams in the AFC have potential losses on their horizon. I wouldn't be surprised if the Pats and Broncos have the first round bye when everything is said and done.

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The Colts should be one of the AFC WC Teams Schedule is not that daunting and they are playing well. We might need em to knock off the Texans.

patfanken said:

4th and FREAKIN' 29 The way the Ravens and Texans are squeaking and squirming out astounding victories, its become clear that the Pats are going to have to win this superbowl the old-fashioned way......by winning 4 games. The Pats are likely to end up with a 12-4 or 13-3 record and not get a bye. The Ravens and Texans have been handed so many wins this season it just seems destined.

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You know the old saying anything you want done "do it yourself". The Texans on paper could drop two more...one must be to us.

I really think NE wins both HOU and SF games. We're at home and we're HOT right now. :rocker:

CheeseMonkeys said:

I really think NE wins both HOU and SF games. We're at home and we're HOT right now. :rocker:

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Seriously. And I'm not saying that as a homer. I'm saying that as someone who imagines what we would be saying if the Pats needed an entire defense to take the wrong angle and get a bad spot by the refs to tie a game against the Chargers, for Christ's sake.

Or if we had to go into OT against Jax and Detroit to win.

We'd be pissing and moaning and afraid of our chances.

Belichick always gets this team playing stronger in November and December and we're gonna keep on going right over Houston - who isn't as impressive as they've been made out to be, and SF who made the wrong choice going with a rookie now.

MossWelkowski said:

NFC will be TTTTOOOOOUUUUGGHHHH to get through... Good luck to them

SAINTS
GB
GIANTS
CHI

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Not sure if joking. 49ers ran through all of those teams except the GMEN, and did so fairly easily.

A Steelers fan posted this scenario on the Ravens board:

"Now, obviously ANYTHING can happen from here to February, but what do you guys think will happen in the playoffs.

According to my predicted seeding...

Steelers @ Patriots: We can't beat them in New England. No one can, really :'( Patriots win 24-21.

Colts @ Ravens: No way Luck can hang with the Ravens. Ravens win 27-14.

Redskins @ Giants: Redskins can play anyone tough, especially their rivals, but I think the Giants still can hold them off. Giants 34-26.

Bears @ Packers: This one will be a hard nosed, brutal game. I think the Packers win it though, 17-13.



Patriots @ Texans: Texans are legit, but the Pats are the team to beat still. Patriots 27-20.

Ravens @ Broncos: Broncos are a legit team, and I think they can go deep. Broncos 24-21. *Dodges bullets*

Packers @ Niners: Packs got their number. Packers 34-20.

Giants @ Falcons: Falcons won't make it to far, mark my words. Giants 27-23.


Broncos @ Patriots: Brady vs Manning... going with the three rings man. Patriots 37-28.

Packers @ Giants: REVENGE!!!! Pack come back and win, 28-27.


SB 47 Packers VS Patriots

Gut tells me Patriots"

Lavictoire said:

A Steelers fan posted this scenario on the Ravens board:

"Now, obviously ANYTHING can happen from here to February, but what do you guys think will happen in the playoffs.

According to my predicted seeding...

Steelers @ Patriots: We can't beat them in New England. No one can, really :'( Patriots win 24-21.

Colts @ Ravens: No way Luck can hang with the Ravens. Ravens win 27-14.

Redskins @ Giants: Redskins can play anyone tough, especially their rivals, but I think the Giants still can hold them off. Giants 34-26.

Bears @ Packers: This one will be a hard nosed, brutal game. I think the Packers win it though, 17-13.



Patriots @ Texans: Texans are legit, but the Pats are the team to beat still. Patriots 27-20.

Ravens @ Broncos: Broncos are a legit team, and I think they can go deep. Broncos 24-21. *Dodges bullets*

Packers @ Niners: Packs got their number. Packers 34-20.

Giants @ Falcons: Falcons won't make it to far, mark my words. Giants 27-23.


Broncos @ Patriots: Brady vs Manning... going with the three rings man. Patriots 37-28.

Packers @ Giants: REVENGE!!!! Pack come back and win, 28-27.


SB 47 Packers VS Patriots

Gut tells me Patriots"

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Should be an interesting playoffs--seems like you could make good arguments for any of about 8 different teams at this point. But I really think it comes down to QBs in the playoffs, and with so little separating the top of the AFC I've gotta believe that we'll see another Manning v. Brady matchup in the AFCCG, if the seeds work out.

FWIW if you get the #3 seed, I think you may be seeing Cincy, not Pitt, unless Pitt gets healthy in a hurry. (If they *do* get healthy, they will be an unusually tough #6 seed, as I do think they would be right in the mix without some of their injuries).

I feel a little less hopeful for the elite NFC QBs (Rodgers, Manning), so I give teams like the Falcons and 49ers a bit better chance than I do the Ravens or Texans in the AFC. I wouldn't count them out, but from watching both the Pack and the Giants this year, it just seams like the "supporting casts" on those teams have some flaws that will give the Falcons and niners a better chance of sneaking in, than the Texans or Ravens in the AFC.

Obviously it would be huge for NE to overtake one of the bye spots. Some of the AFC teams (Ravens in particular) are completely different animals at home. Not that NE can't win on the road in the playoffs, but it will obviously be a lot tougher if they have to win two road games in places like Denver and Baltimore.

fnordcircle said:

Both Baltimore and Houston are struggling to win games they should win outright.

Meanwhile we're starting to really come together.

I have no doubt we'll be 13-3 and that 13-3 will net us a bye.

Our real competition to get to the SB won't be Houston or Baltimore, it will be Denver in the AFCCG because like us, they are getting stronger as the season goes on.

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I dont know if you watched Denver vs KC last Sunday, but Mannings arm looks tired. This is not the same Peyton Manning pre surgery.

Wobbly passes when he has to put mustard on the ball and he is not really under pressure. Not just 1 or 2 balls, several passes were like that. He doesnt have the same zip on every ball. Also, losing Magahee is going to hurt the Broncos down the stretch. Beanie Wells had a decent game vs KC, but Im not sold on him.

I wouldnt count Pittsburgh in the post season so fast.

Browns beat sloppy Steelers 20-14 - Yahoo! Sports

Pittsburgh is 23-5 against Cleveland since 1999, but in each of the seasons they lost one game to the Browns, the Steelers missed the playoffs.

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I'm not afraid of any of the AFC teams. None of them have the defense that has typically given the Patriots issues. Houston looked to have that type of defense but they haven't been the same since Cushing went down. For Houston or Denver to beat the Pats it's going to take an epic game from those offenses. Pitt on Halloween weekend every 7 years they have an epic weekend against the Pats and then revert. The Ravens defense just isn't what it once was.

The NFC on the other hand I really don't want to see the Giants or 49ers make it through. They both have the physical defenses, running games to control the clock and enough of a passing threat to be dangerous. I don't see Atlanta or GB making it through but if they did Brady would light up their defenses. Ryan cannot match Brady and GB is one dimensional with their passing game and no running. The Bears have a great defense but they play mostly zone which Brady will carve up. Jay Cutler.......enough said.

The Sunday night SF game is going to very telling. I hope Vollmer, Mankins, Jones and Gronk are all back for that because they are going to need their physicality.

No matter who makes it through in the AFC, the Gmen will be waiting unfortunately.

Shockt327 said:

Well, Baltimore does have a challenging schedule for the remainder of the regular season. So, I hope the Pats can grab the #2 seed.

PIT @ BAL
BAL @ WAS
DEN @ BAL
NYG @ BAL
BAL @ CIN

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Yes, but this already started off with tough games of.....

BAL@PIT
BAL@SD ......and they won both of those.

Sure, that does not negate the point that they still have a tough schedule. If they do get the first round bye they certainly will have earned it.

everlong said:

The NFC on the other hand I really don't want to see the Giants or 49ers make it through. They both have the physical defenses, running games to control the clock and enough of a passing threat to be dangerous. I don't see Atlanta or GB making it through but if they did Brady would light up their defenses. Ryan cannot match Brady and GB is one dimensional with their passing game and no running. The Bears have a great defense but they play mostly zone which Brady will carve up. Jay Cutler.......enough said.

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I agree with you 100% but it's just interesting that when looking at the NFC playoff field from last year, either the Niners or the Giants were the two teams we wanted to play. After all, New Orleans was throwing on everyone, Green Bay looked nearly unstoppable, the Falcons looked solid, and even the Lions were hitting on all cylinders.

Just funny how THIS year the Niners and Giants are the teams we DON'T want to face.

brdmaverick said:

I agree with you 100% but it's just interesting that when looking at the NFC playoff field from last year, either the Niners or the Giants were the two teams we wanted to play. After all, New Orleans was throwing on everyone, Green Bay looked nearly unstoppable, the Falcons looked solid, and even the Lions were hitting on all cylinders.

Just funny how THIS year the Niners and Giants are the teams we DON'T want to face.

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Imagine poor Randy if we won the Super Bowl against him

DocHoliday said:

No matter who makes it through in the AFC, the Gmen will be waiting unfortunately.

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The 49ers.

They will have 1st round bye again and I dont see the Giants beating them at SF after last year.

Giants have 4 losses with: Redskins, Saints, Falcons, Ravens and Eagles left to play. Theres at least a couple more losses in there leaving NY 10 - 6 again and back on the road.

Triumph said:

The 49ers.

They will have 1st round bye again and I dont see the Giants beating them at SF after last year.

Giants have 4 losses with: Redskins, Saints, Falcons, Ravens and Eagles left to play. Theres at least a couple more losses in there leaving NY 10 - 6 again and back on the road.

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The giants anally ravaged the 49ers at Candlestick this season. I don't see why another go around would be any different

I think it may well be the Pats-Giants again in the Super Bowl. We gotta take care of those guys. Hopefully we learned something by now after two SB losses. We may have the right mix this time to put us over the top. We need a bit better defense and more time for Brady. I think the running game helps Brady and our defense will be better than last year.

only team that scares me is the broncos...i would bet on us in houston, especially balt..but if we somehow had to go to denver..i wouldn't be too thrilled even though we are overall the better team

If we played denver at home i would be confident..but again..manning always scares me. but their D with jack del rio blows

Brady_to_Moss said:

only team that scares me is the broncos...i would bet on us in houston, especially balt..but if we somehow had to go to denver..i wouldn't be too thrilled even though we are overall the better team

If we played denver at home i would be confident..but again..manning always scares me. but their D with jack del rio blows

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I still don't know if the Broncos scare me. Three meetings in two years and they still haven't figured out how to stop Brady and the offense. If they can slow down Manning and the Broncos offense, I think the Pats can blow them out again.