7-2 at the bye: how many more regular season losses for the Pats?

If the pats only lose to SD and the Broncos lose 2 more (4 total) that would put the Pats going to Buffalo with 3 loses. Since they own the tiebreaker over the Broncos they could rest players and lose the Buffalo game and still get HFA.

Bruins29 said:

No man, I like it. I thought you took my original post out of context. I like the win out prediction but health is important. And losing in SD is ok if SD is fighting for their lives. Losing to Buffalo is ok if its a meaningless game which it may very well be.

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All good man. I went with 14-2 at start of season. My losses were in SD and a Div loss (NYJ, shows how much I know). 17-2 just felt right. If we add another stand to the Patriot HOF room with a gleaming football then it's all good for everybody, no matter the record.

Just want 1 more SB win and then its all gravy after that because the GOAT will be cemented.

My other wish is for nobody named Manning to ever win another SB. Imagine if Payton won another? You think he is on TV a lot now? Imagine Eli with 3 rings?

Bruins29 said:

Just want 1 more SB win and then its all gravy after that because the GOAT will be cemented.

My other wish is for nobody named Manning to ever win another SB. Imagine if Payton won another? You think he is on TV a lot now? Imagine Eli with 3 rings?

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Egad. Eli with 3. The thought just made me throw up in my mouth. . Go Colts!

Buffalo comes HERE, 29. We already beat their behinds up there.

Joker said:

Buffalo comes HERE, 29. We already beat their behinds up there.

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Yes, I know. My original point is that it could not be a trap game.

Then I figured it might just be a meaningless game with playoff seeds set. So they could throw it.

Then again, it could be the game that decides something big like a bye or hopefully HFA. So in that case Buffalo should get crushed at Foxboro.

But if its scenario 2 it could be a loss - meaningless loss.

Bruins29 said:

Yes, I know. My original point is that it could not be a trap game.

Then I figured it might just be a meaningless game with playoff seeds set. So they could throw it.

Then again, it could be the game that decides something big like a bye or hopefully HFA. So in that case Buffalo should get crushed at Foxboro.

But if its scenario 2 it could be a loss - meaningless loss.

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Hate to say it but you wonder if Buffalo will be fighting for the 6th seed.. ehh who am I kidding it's Buffalo.

People are overlooking the fact that the Pats are the hottest team inn football right now AND they aren't even playing their best. Imagine when Jones gets back, along with Siliga. Living in IL, I get several GB games, and the only way they win is if Rodgers goes off and wins it by himself. I still think Rebis and Browner can lock up Nelson and Cobb for the most part.

If the Pats can average 3.5 ypc and Gronk is healthy, they'll be tough to beat

tmajr3 said:

People are overlooking the fact that the Pats are the hottest team inn football right now AND they aren't even playing their best. Imagine when Jones gets back, along with Siliga. Living in IL, I get several GB games, and the only way they win is if Rodgers goes off and wins it by himself. I still think Rebis and Browner can lock up Nelson and Cobb for the most part.

If the Pats can average 3.5 ypc and Gronk is healthy, they'll be tough to beat

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Live near the same area as you and yeah I agree that we match up well with them for most of their success runs through Cobb and Nelson, which we can stick Browner and Revis on each.

Nelson can be tricky though he'll make a few insane catches so it'll be iinteresting.

Buffalo and Miami are both wins. The suspense factor will be in how bad we beat them. Yeah, I get it, one game at a time.

Miami is not going to beat us in December in Gillette stadium, and they're definitely not sweeping us.
Buffalo is going to get throttled. So are the Phins. So are the Jets.

If anything is a trap game, it's Detroit.

San Diego is our only possible loss, IMO. I believe they'll be healthier then, but I still doubt they win.

14-2 if the Patriots play to standard. 13-3 if they don't.

I don't see how we could possibly lose HFA without getting too imaginative.

The Bengals, Bears and now Broncos have all been absolutely annihilated. Let's stop pretending this team is just `in the mix`

SD or GB will be a loss IMO. MIA and Buff are wins..but MIA might be closer then some will think...but a win IMO.

DET we gotta have. Good WRs and good DL

Indys D sucks. But their O can be very well and the only player that scares me is bradshaw. Covering him out of the backfield is tough. Hilton and their WRs with our Cbs can be shut down..and luck can throw some bad picks...but they play tough at home.

The SD game will be like another home game for pats..almost always more pats fans then chargers fans at those games out there in SD..pats fans from all over SOCAL will be headed there and there are a lot of pats fans in cal


What is bradys record after a bye? anyone have that stat?

Brady_to_Moss said:

What is bradys record after a bye? anyone have that stat?

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Regular season
9-3
Loss in 2002 at home to Denver
Loss in 2011 @ Pittsburgh
And last year's screw job in Carolina

Overall including 1st round byes and the week off before the SB
18-6

JMC00 said:

Regular season

9-3

Loss in 2002 at home to Denver
Loss in 2011 @ Pittsburgh
And last year's screw job in Carolina

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That;s right..Carolina which we could/should have won. Either way pretty good.

I just don't want them to lose vs the Colts...would mean they can really only lose 1 more after if they want homefield and i think they will need it if they want a very good shot at the SB. They can beat Den in DEn...but manning has demons here..that game needs to be here.

If in the next 5 games they go 4-1..we are getting #1 seed..just don't give me that loss off a bye PLEASEEEEE

PatsFanSince74 said:

Hmmm...

Four games against teams from outside the Division with a combined record of 21--12, three on the Road.

Three Division Games, two at home against teams that are 10--6 and a third on the road against a team that will be playing its Super Bowl, Game Seven and World Cup Final all rolled into one day in the Meadowlands.

I could see them winning any one of those seven games or losing any one of them.

If the team that beat Denver last night shows up every week and if a few calls and breaks go their way and there are no more injuries (Mayo and Ridley were big injuries!), they win out.

If they have an off-week or two or run up against a team "on fire," get a couple of bad calls or breaks and another big injury, then I could see them losing two or three of those games.

As far as I can see, there is only one way to think about this (without going crazy), in the immortal words of BB: "We're moving on to Indianapolis."

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If they win out with that scheudle..it will be an amazing...AMAZING feat to accomplish. They have a very tough scheudle this year...toughest coming up. Not every game will be like bears/den game. Some of these games will come down to 4th or last drive ect. Gotta win those close ones.

(1) Does TB keep playing the way he is? Most likely. (2) Does BB keep coaching like he is and has been? Most likely (3) Does the OL keep playing like it is? probable based on history. (4) is the run D against Denver and Chicago the run D we can expect? More likely than not.
So I say this: IF we can largely keep the health level we currently have, the Patriots are going to be damn tough to beat, period. I;m not saying 2007 unbeatable but still very tough to beat. And while that may be some homer-ism speaking - I think it's also an easily defensible opinion. Consider the Patriots as of right now: not easy to run against, not easy to pass against, very good STs, an OL that is gives time/a pocket, TB being in that pocket, Gronk back to his old self, his presence opening it up more for the other solid receiving targets, and it's a BB coached/prepared team (a team that, historically speaking, is coming into the part of the schedule that will see them playing its best/winning the most).
The Patriots played the team many considered the second best in the AFC, Cincy, and walloped them. They played the team that just about everyone considered the best in the NFL and easily bested them. In between those two they walloped/scored 50+ against a Chicago team that had given up 30 offensive points or more only once. They scored 37 on a Buffalo team (in Buffalo) that hadn't given up more than 23 to anyone. ((several of these games played when the Patriots clearly hadn't found their footing yet).

As AndyJohnson aptly reminded me of, it's one game at a time with BB/the Patriots. However, again, if the last games (minus the Jets) define the 2014 Patriots to be expected, we are going to be very tough to beat each Sunday.

I don't think it's a cop-out to say the schedule is tough. It really is. Three of the next four on the road, two of them on SNF. (And scheduling does matter - our guys were clearly gassed in the Jets game.) First two against division leaders; one the highest scoring team in the league, in their ridiculous dome; the other the league's top scoring defense. And then, if we beat Det, GB might be in 1st when we play them. Plus, who knows, Rodgers -- who btw is the current leader in passer rating -- may go off at Lambeau.

Dolphins playing well of late. And, in any event, they and the Jets play us tough more often than not. I'd say no chance to breath until Buffalo, except that they currently sport a winning record and a top-10 defense.

I'd be pretty happy with 5-2 down the stretch TBH. And I'd still likely feel we're the best team in the league.

Bonzo said:

I don't think it's a cop-out to say the schedule is tough. It really is. Three of the next four on the road, two of them on SNF.

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Past couple of years they have struggled on the road...have twice this year so far..but that was with major OL issues and Brady not playing well.

We play like last night, our next loss will be on the road late 2015.

Bonzo said:

I don't think it's a cop-out to say the schedule is tough. It really is. Three of the next four on the road, two of them on SNF. (And scheduling does matter - our guys were clearly gassed in the Jets game.) First two against division leaders; one the highest scoring team in the league, in their ridiculous dome; the other the league's top scoring defense. And then, if we beat Det, GB might be in 1st when we play them. Plus, who knows, Rodgers -- who btw is the current leader in passer rating -- may go off at Lambeau.

Dolphins playing well of late. And, in any event, they and the Jets play us tough more often than not. I'd say no chance to breath until Buffalo, except that they currently sport a winning record and a top-10 defense.

I'd be pretty happy with 5-2 down the stretch TBH. And I'd still likely feel we're the best team in the league.

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Completely agree about the Phins playing well, Buff playing pretty good, and division games always having that added dynamic/element of difficulty (even the Jets). If we had to play in Miami and Buffalo, I'd be significantly more concerned. But with both of them coming to Foxboro, would you bet against the Patriots even if they were giving you 7 points -- keeping in mind the Patriots over the last 30 days are averaging around 38 points per game (against Den, Cincy, Buff, Chi, NYJ)?
Considering the Jets will likely be at 10 losses (or more) by gametime with the Patriots, it's hard to see the Jets playing a full 60 minute type game needed to beat the Patriots.

Outside the division:
Chargers are collapsing. Look at their graph, it's almost a perfect downward trend. So if we believe the Patriots are now difficult to run against, difficult to pass against, very good STs, and TB is on point/OL protecting him well, is SD going to be playing the kind of game that is likely to win it?

Detroit is outside of the dome/in Foxboro for the Patriot game. Consider that Detroit's matchup with the Patriots will be only their fourth game they have played outdoors. Their outdoor games this year: Arizona in November as well as September visits to Carolina and NY. So not only is the Patriots' game only their 4th game outdoors, it will be their very first cold game (they won't have played in anything approaching cold prior to it).

These 5 games noted above currently contain a favorable circumstance to go along with the Patriots arguably playing among the best if not the best in the NFL. Sure, anything can happen, over a stretch of 7 games the odds say you'll lose. Yet the combination of playing well coupled with a favorable slant to the circumstances makes me optimistic in every one of those 5 games.
As far as going to Indy and GB? These are, IMHO, the best tests to answer if the Patriots are as good as I believe they are.

If Gronk stays healthy, we have an offense that can regularly put up 40 points every week.

If not, well, this team struggles to move the ball and score.