NFL Strength of Schedule Ranking

Skree · Feb 11, 2015

The Giants are in the Fans heads. The Pats will demolish them.

Jackson 2 · Feb 11, 2015

Skree said:
The Giants are in the Fans heads. The Pats will demolish them.

It's as if every year they field the greatest team in NFL history. I understand the 2 SBs being bad memories for us all. But, the continued fear of a team that, for the most part, perennially blows is irrational. They stink, and their QB stinks.

PATS16N0 · Feb 11, 2015

I see Dallas and Buffalo being our toughest games next year.

Anyway, 16-0

Archeryaddict12 · Feb 11, 2015

nabwong said:
That's for the team to worry. Haha.

Home - Buffalo, Miami, NY Jets, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh
Away - Buffalo, Miami, NY Jets, Houston, Indianapolis, Dallas, NY Giants, Denver

I feel we'll sweep the div. 2 coaching changes and if we don't get miami too early (weather factor), we should be good there. Session opener likely steelers. They start slow. Only worrying home game, philly. But foles is coming back from injury. Our secondary (if all return) matches up well.

Don't fear Dallas, Giants, Colts or Denver. Houston might be tricky though. Bob knows us well. And if we don't upgrade the interior line, might be a long day against watt and clowney.

I say we have a shot at 16-0 and whatever happens in the playoffs, happens.

We have a shot but it's incredibly taxing to go 16-0 and then 19-0. Also the losses seem to make the team more humble, even though if we kept this team mostly together next year, they'll be humble.

1960Pats · Feb 12, 2015

Rob0729 said:
SOS rankings especially at this time of the year are useless. Every year there are teams that are supposed to be playoffs contenders before the season starts and end up being sub .500 and teams supposed to be 3-4 win teams that go to the playoffs.

Go back and look at all the "experts'" preseason picks. There were quite a few people picking the Saints to go to and even win the Super Bowl. They ended up with a losing record and couldn't even win the NFC South where teams were fighting not to go to the playoffs.

There were ten teams that the "experts" were wrong about this year, by a considerable margin.

These teams were better than predicted;
Buffalo was picked 26 and ended up 16 (+10)
Pitt 20-7 (+13, though I think that 7 is too high)
Detroit 22-6 (+16)
Dallas 24-4 (+20)

These teams were worse;
St Louis 12-21 (-9)
NYJ 19-29 (-10)
Wash 14-27 (-13)
NO 11-25 (-14)
SF 3-18 (-15)
Chicago 7-26 (-19)

1960Pats · Feb 12, 2015

Archeryaddict12 said:
We have a shot but it's incredibly taxing to go 16-0 and then 19-0. Also the losses seem to make the team more humble, even though if we kept this team mostly together next year, they'll be humble.

That was a hot topic back in 2007. Some fans wanted a loss thinking it would make the playoff run easier. I didn't agree and I would enjoy another attempt, if it ever comes to that again.

JMC00 · Feb 12, 2015

Observer said:
How are the pats going to stay hungry?

Is this a joke?

bresna · Feb 12, 2015

Won't that Dallas game be on Thanksgiving? Dallas & Detroit are the two usual Thanksgiving day teams and you know they're going to want to the Super Bowl champions on a big viewing day.

Gronkandez · Feb 12, 2015

bresna said:
Won't that Dallas game be on Thanksgiving? Dallas & Detroit are the two usual Thanksgiving day teams and you know they're going to want to the Super Bowl champions on a big viewing day.

Most likely a SNF game IMO. FWIW I would love to go that game in the house that Jerry built.

Could the Giants be good next year? Eli will get to throw to V Cruz and ODB. That's pretty nasty.

patsfaninpa · Feb 12, 2015

Crimson_Patriot said:
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the toughest schedule since they're ranked No.1. The Atlanta Falcons have the easiest since they're dead last at No.32. However, the New England Patriots are ranked at No.22. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25066031

Here's the list of Home & Away games for the 2015-16 season if some if you didn't know:
http://www.fbschedules.com/nfl-15/2015-new-england-patriots-football-schedule.php

Our home games should be no problem but, as always, the road games are going to be tough. Not only do we have to face our division rivals but we have Dallas (meh), Denver (ugh), and the New York Giants (*gulps*)

We should be able to beat Dallas but the last time they faced us was in Gillette and we almost lost but, thanks to Tom Brady's TD pass with, like, 15 or 16 seconds left, we won. Denver had the better of us at Mile High the past couple times (they won in 2009 and the 2013 AFC Championship game) but hopefully, with the way things are going over there, we may be able to beat them. And there's New York. In my opinion, they're a far more bigger thorn in our side than any other team (although Baltimore isn't far off). Last time we beat them in the regular season was when the Patriots won 38-35 to go 16-0. The only time we've beaten them since then was in the 2013-14 preseason (when we had Tebow). It would be great if we could just blow them out by scoring 50+ points.

Now I know it's too early to predict Win/Loss records but it looks like we "could" be able to go undefeated again in the regular season judging by how things are looking. But, if not, then maybe 14-2 or 13-3 can do.

We won on our last regular season trip to Denver in 2011. Tebow was at qb. Worst part of that game was Andre Carter getting hurt. He had been playing well up to that point.

Deus Irae · Feb 12, 2015

1960Pats said:
There were ten teams that the "experts" were wrong about this year, by a considerable margin.

These teams were better than predicted;
Buffalo was picked 26 and ended up 16 (+10)
Pitt 20-7 (+13, though I think that 7 is too high)
Detroit 22-6 (+16)
Dallas 24-4 (+20)

These teams were worse;
St Louis 12-21 (-9)
NYJ 19-29 (-10)
Wash 14-27 (-13)
NO 11-25 (-14)
SF 3-18 (-15)
Chicago 7-26 (-19)

ehh.... If you look at that list, the only real surprises were the Saints and 49ers. You could argue about the Bears because of just how bad they looked, but a lot of people were expecting that team to fall with the return of Cutler.

JMC00 · Feb 12, 2015

bresna said:
Won't that Dallas game be on Thanksgiving? Dallas & Detroit are the two usual Thanksgiving day teams and you know they're going to want to the Super Bowl champions on a big viewing day.

Judging by the last 2 years (Both Balt and Sea were the night game) Pats will be the night game on Thanksgiving which means it's doubtful it will be Dallas.

PatsFanSince74 · Feb 12, 2015

Crimson_Patriot said:
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the toughest schedule since they're ranked No.1. The Atlanta Falcons have the easiest since they're dead last at No.32. However, the New England Patriots are ranked at No.22. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25066031

Here's the list of Home & Away games for the 2015-16 season if some if you didn't know:
http://www.fbschedules.com/nfl-15/2015-new-england-patriots-football-schedule.php

Our home games should be no problem but, as always, the road games are going to be tough. Not only do we have to face our division rivals but we have Dallas (meh), Denver (ugh), and the New York Giants (*gulps*)

We should be able to beat Dallas but the last time they faced us was in Gillette and we almost lost but, thanks to Tom Brady's TD pass with, like, 15 or 16 seconds left, we won. Denver had the better of us at Mile High the past couple times (they won in 2009 and the 2013 AFC Championship game) but hopefully, with the way things are going over there, we may be able to beat them. And there's New York. In my opinion, they're a far more bigger thorn in our side than any other team (although Baltimore isn't far off). Last time we beat them in the regular season was when the Patriots won 38-35 to go 16-0. The only time we've beaten them since then was in the 2013-14 preseason (when we had Tebow). It would be great if we could just blow them out by scoring 50+ points.

Now I know it's too early to predict Win/Loss records but it looks like we "could" be able to go undefeated again in the regular season judging by how things are looking. But, if not, then maybe 14-2 or 13-3 can do.

Pre-season SOS is meaningless, IMO. Teams change both from year to year and within a season. So, you never really know which "team" you are playing in any given week, even when you know its name in April.

However, one thing we do know is that, with all the story lines in several of the Patriots games, the NFL is going to be hard pressed to choose the Prime Time games the Pats get, after the Season Opener (presumably against the Steelers or Eagles). The interesting games are all "Away" and the Pats will be going through the entire season with a target on their back and playing them will represent their "Super Bowl" for a lot of teams. Reminds me of 2004...

@Indy? The "Revenge for Deflategate" story line will make this must see TV.
@Denver? "Brady v. Manning, Take 17." 'nuff said.
@giants? Come on. The NFL knows that haters from coast to coast will all tune in to see the jinx continue, but we know the Pats will blow them out.
@Dallas? The NFL can't resist the "Possible SB Matchup" storyline.
Buffalo. You know they'd want to prime time a Buffalo game with the Rex Story line.

But, there's no way they can give the Pats six prime time games. So, it will be interesting to see which they pick and which they put in the late afternoon slot as the "Sunday Game of the Week."

PatsFanSince74 · Feb 12, 2015

Deus Irae said:
ehh.... If you look at that list, the only real surprises were the Saints and 49ers. You could argue about the Bears because of just how bad they looked, but a lot of people were expecting that team to fall with the return of Cutler.

Yeah. I think the progress and development of a team within a season is far more significant than the possible change from season to season (though I don't dismiss the latter). As I posted above, you don't really know which "team" you will be playing on a given date even if you know its name in April.

Deus Irae · Feb 12, 2015

PatsFanSince74 said:
Yeah. I think the progress and development of a team within a season is far more significant than the possible change from season to season (though I don't dismiss the latter). As I posted above, you don't really know which "team" you will be playing on a given date even if you know its name in April.

True when looking at specific games and specific times, but not so true in general. We "know", with pretty damned good certainty, about the majority of teams by the time the season starts. There's usually a couple of teams which are radically different than expected, and it's usually for the worse (N.O., ATL), but most teams stay within expected range. Just looking at the AFCE and AFCN (first two divisions in the standings) from last year:

We knew the Patriots were the class of the AFCE

We knew the Bills and Dolphins were the middle teams, and that at least one of them would be a borderline playoff team

We knew the Jets were crap

We knew the Bengals were a playoff level team

We expected the Ravens and Steelers to be in the playoff mix

Seriously, look at the entire AFC from last year. 16 teams, 0 real surprises. When we "knew", we really did know.

Oswlek · Feb 12, 2015

JMC00 said:
Judging by the last 2 years (Both Balt and Sea were the night game) Pats will be the night game on Thanksgiving which means it's doubtful it will be Dallas.

Neither Baltimore or Seattle played in Dallas, so that may or may not be meaningful. Baltimore played in Detroit, so eschewing that over a night game with Pitt could mean they want the champ on at night or it could just be a schedule quirk.

I'm not sure we have enough information either way at this point, though it'll be one of the first things I look at when the schedule comes

PatsFanSince74 · Feb 12, 2015

Deus Irae said:
True when looking at specific games and specific times, but not so true in general. We "know", with pretty damned good certainty, about the majority of teams by the time the season starts. There's usually a couple of teams which are radically different than expected, and it's usually for the worse (N.O., ATL), but most teams stay within expected range. Just looking at the AFCE and AFCN (first two divisions in the standings) from last year:

We knew the Patriots were the class of the AFCE

We knew the Bills and Dolphins were the middle teams, and that at least one of them would be a borderline playoff team

We knew the Jets were crap

We knew the Bengals were a playoff level team

We expected the Ravens and Steelers to be in the playoff mix

Seriously, look at the entire AFC from last year. 16 teams, 0 real surprises. When we "knew", we really did know.

No argument there in principle and the "law of big numbers" over a 256 game NFL season supports your point; in the end things generally sort out as expected, with, of course, the exceptions that make every rule from time to time, but we don't need to go off on that tangent, since it would be a tangent.

I'm really just tweaking the point and observing that a 16 game season is played on 16 separate days by each team. So, week by week, even if we are confident that a team will end up with 11--13 wins after week 17, it can make a difference when you play them. We knew the Pats were the class of the AFCE, but opponents would rather have gotten them in September than December.

DaBronxPats14 · Feb 12, 2015

I'm definitely goin to our Home Opener, Jets & Giants games in NJ and hopefully another game at Gillette. I was at Gillette vs Steelers last year, Sweet, 55-31 Pats Win.

Patriots1364life · Feb 12, 2015

I am hoping we start the season with the steelers.

You worry about complacency after
a superbowl championship. Lets hope they want more.

Deus Irae · Feb 12, 2015

PatsFanSince74 said:
...We knew the Pats were the class of the AFCE, but opponents would rather have gotten them in September than December.

Yeah, that's the part that people ignore when they evaluate teams during the seasons and during the playoffs. The Chiefs fans saying things like "But we blew out the Patriots and beat the Seahawks!", while ignoring how those teams weren't playing well at the time, is a good example.

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