And the grind of the schedule now begins..

This tough schedule is the best thing to happen to us. It will help prepare us for the playoffs

At this point in the season, I am really not too concerned about the offense. I think the team has enough variety of types of weapons for Brady that they can scheme up a good offensive game plan for each of these teams.

My concern at this point really is defensively; I don't think the defense is BAD, but I do think they have a couple weaknesses so far: offenses with mobile QBs and good running games will really give them problems. Miami had mobility in Tannehill and Moreno was running great, and they lost; KC had mobility with Smith and obviously Charles killed them and they lost; Oakland didn't have a running game but Carr has pretty good escapability and it forced a close game. So I think that's where you'd wanna look first and foremost, then consider how weak the other team's D is.

Chicago- Cutler is somewhat mobile but not that much, their running game is OK; their D is average I would say. I think this is a W.
Denver- Immobile QB if there ever was one, not a very imposing running game at all. Their D is above average, I would say. I wanna say a W here too thanks to it being at home.
Indy- Luck can do it all pretty much, but is prone to some mistakes, and their run game doesn't scare me. Their D is average. This is a W.
Detroit- Mostly immobile QB, run game is pretty good I would say. D looks beastly so far. This game concerns me; I think it could be close. I would still say it's a W, though, since I think the D can scheme to kill the run and force Stafford to chuck it, which the secondary is strong enough to make the plays to win.
Green Bay- Rodgers is obviously very good and is also very mobile, and I think their run game is pretty good too, so offensively they are terrifying. But defensively they are not at all. I think if Detroit was able to hold him down, New England can do a reasonable job of it too, and the NE offense can easily put points up on the GB defense. Also a W.
San Diego- Rivers isn't too mobile but is somewhat, their run game is good, and the offense has just been playing well overall all year. Plus their defense has been really good too. I would probably expect this to be a loss considering it's in SD.

So I'm expecting 5-1 based on that, but realistically I think some fluky stuff will probably occur somewhere and they'll drop another one just because that's the NFL nowadays. So I would say 4-2 through this stretch, and 12-4 for the year.

Good thing is, most are pocket passing imobile QB's so patriots will play an agressive man coverage game rather than the "zone coverage" to limit the running QB's

Gentlemen and Ladies,

We're on to Chicago. At home. With 10 days to prepare.

The Jets game is no indication of anything other than a gritty performance against a highly motivated rival for whom the Patriots in Foxborough was their Super Bowl. The Patriots did not have a padded practice between the Bills game and the Jets game. They had two walk-throughs. That was a survive and move on affair.

Preparation for the Bears will be entirely different, and it is quite likely that both Stork and Connolly will be back in the lineup. Another ten days with the Patriots will do Browner a world of good, and the running back situation will be better sorted out.

A week later it's the Broncos at home and then a bye week before Colts in Indianapolis. Time to prepare to compete with those teams. Lions at home.

The Packers? Meh. The big one is SD in SD, but that's almost two months away. So much will be different.

would you put Revis on marshall or jeffrey??

RIpats88 said:

would you put Revis on marshall or jeffrey??

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Jeffery. Marshall lines up in the slot frequently which limits what Revis can do on him.

Bonzo said:

That 3 out of 4 of those games after the bye are on the road is incredibly grueling. I think 3-3 would have us in pretty good shape, to be honest. After that, three AFCE games to close out the season will give us a chance to put away the division (though Buffalo and Miami may have already fallen off by that point).

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Honest analysis is just not allowed. You must predict at least 4-2 and at least 11-5. Otherwise you will be attacked as not supporting the team.

You see, many, many folks here equate supporting the team to predicting that they will every game, or almost every game.
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And, for the record, 3-3 would indeed put us in great shape, needing only 2-1 in the final three division games to be 10-6 in a division where we could probably win at 9-7.

I would be very happy with 4-2 in this stretch and no injuries. Even better if the 2 losses were to NFC teams....

The funny thing is that we are, at least, as good as any team on this list.But we need to play better. If we kept close to the Bengals game, we would have a good chance of beating all 6 of them.

Those 10 day are a blessing, hopefully the staff will make the best of it. They too need to do a better job

the thing with Cutler and Luck to me is they seem to be more "gunslingers" they have big stats, but tend to make at least 1 mental lapse error a game or so. so, there is definitely the posibility of a turnover/interception turning the tide in our favor.

Detroit playing on the road is very winnable.

Man, after the Bills and Bengals games people were having trouble finding a game for us to lose, now after winning a game on 4 days rest, where we're not expected to look our best, against a divisional rival that (almost) always plays us tough, some have us struggling to win even 2 of the next 6.

I love it.

I'd say they win 4 of 6. But even 3-3 will get them to the playoffs. I would like to see the Pats get to the Super Bowl without getting a bye... means 60 minutes more football.

FourierSeries said:

3-3 at best.

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I agree with this. Our D can't stop the run or TEs, and most of these teams have good running games and TEs, not to mention QBs.

mgteich said:

Honest analysis is just not allowed. You must predict at least 4-2 and at least 11-5. Otherwise you will be attacked as not supporting the team.

You see, many, many folks here equate supporting the team to predicting that they will every game, or almost every game.
=================
And, for the record, 3-3 would indeed put us in great shape, needing only 2-1 in the final three division games to be 10-6 in a division where we could probably win at 9-7.

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You can predict anything you want as far as I'm concerned, it means nothing. I stopped predicting after picking the Pats over Miami 100-3. Don't want to be a jinx again. so get that turban out and polish up the crystal ball!

That's a brutal stretch but I'm quite excited. Would be satisfied with taking four of them, puts us in decent shot at twelve and four, if one of those wins comes against DEN we have a solid shot at the one seed.

3-3 would be acceptable/realistic and hope wins come against ind, sd, and den to pump that conference record. That'd be 8-5 after 13 with a realiste shot at winning out with an 11-5 record and 10-2 in the conference plus head to head over ind, den, cin, and sd...that would be phenomenal and should be no less than a #3 seed and possibly, believe it or not, a bye since one of sd & den & cin/bal will be a wildcard....

Ross12 said:

Chicago- Cutler is somewhat mobile but not that much, their running game is OK; their D is average I would say. I think this is a W.
Denver- Immobile QB if there ever was one, not a very imposing running game at all. Their D is above average, I would say. I wanna say a W here too thanks to it being at home.
Indy- Luck can do it all pretty much, but is prone to some mistakes, and their run game doesn't scare me. Their D is average. This is a W.
Detroit- Mostly immobile QB, run game is pretty good I would say. D looks beastly so far. This game concerns me; I think it could be close. I would still say it's a W, though, since I think the D can scheme to kill the run and force Stafford to chuck it, which the secondary is strong enough to make the plays to win.
Green Bay- Rodgers is obviously very good and is also very mobile, and I think their run game is pretty good too, so offensively they are terrifying. But defensively they are not at all. I think if Detroit was able to hold him down, New England can do a reasonable job of it too, and the NE offense can easily put points up on the GB defense. Also a W.

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Love the optimism, but I'd stay away from the bookie if I were you, seeing as how you're predicting 5 straight wins vs 5 of the best teams in football

I'll be happy at 3-2, and absolutely ecstatic at 4-1.

FCB02062 said:

3-3 would be acceptable/realistic and hope wins come against ind, sd, and den to pump that conference record. That'd be 8-5 after 13 with a realiste shot at winning out with an 11-5 record and 10-2 in the conference plus head to head over ind, den, cin, and sd...that would be phenomenal and should be no less than a #3 seed and possibly, believe it or not, a bye since one of sd & den & cin/bal will be a wildcard....

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Yeah, I'm seeing it the same as you. 3-3 over the next six with a chance at going 3-0 to close it out. That would equate to an 11-5 record.

As you said, the very important games are going to be the ones that involve the AFC competition.

strngplyr said:

Man, after the Bills and Bengals games people were having trouble finding a game for us to lose, now after winning a game on 4 days rest, where we're not expected to look our best, against a divisional rival that (almost) always plays us tough, some have us struggling to win even 2 of the next 6.

I love it.

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I know Jets are garbage and i'll get accused of being a homer but let's remember jests have been in one score games with GB, Detroit, Chicago, and Denver.

Might have even knocked off the Packers if it wasn't for the jests being the jests with that timeout thing.

Ya Denver the result looks larger but Denver got an INT return TD with 15 seconds to go. Denver had the ball 33 minutes and came up with 24 points. Pats had it 19 and got 27 points.

Against Chicago they had two shots from the 9 yard line to score to try to tie it up.