The Patriots' Schedule and What It Presents

Elijah said:

The law of averages doesn't exist in any field of science.

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Yeah, I didn't mean it scientifically. More a figure of speech.

They are not losing to the dolts.That game will be an emotional one for the team.

Chiuba E. Obele said:

The Bills scored 19 unanswered points against us in the 4th quarter last week, just blew out the Dolphins, and are currently the third highest-scoring offense in the League. I expect them to be a challenge come November, when we face them a second time. And I'd go as far as to call them a potential playoff team.

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I definitely see Buffalo fighting for the playoffs and likely making it. 2 teams normally come from the AFC North but the Ravens are 0-3 and the Steelers just lost Big Ben for an extended stretch if games. Both teams could easily miss the playoffs. The AFC south features 4 teams under .500 right now. I don't see a wild card coming from them. That leaves the West and the East. I think one of the Jets or Buffalo can get to 10-6 and get in. Miami looks atrocious and it wouldn't surprise me if they went 0-6 in the division.

Buffalo could be a tough game in NE be but it wouldn't surprise me if we whooped them either. The longer Tyrod Taylor plays the more game film there will be on him and the more his weaknesses will be exposed. On the flip side gaining experience could make him better. Considering he wasn't a high pick and he's been in the league 4 years already I'll bet on the former but it wouldn't be a shock if it's the latter.

I know paragraph 2 somewhat contradicts paragraph 1 but I just view the Pats as a powerhouse and a borderline playoff team isn't something that worries me especially in Gillette.

50-yard-line said:

You always have to recognize that you're likely to lose games you should win, of course, but honestly, I think this Pats team is better than last year's team, or will be as the season goes along.

The front 7 will make up for the weaker secondary, which isn't terrible (just doesn't have Revis), and that secondary will get better with group experience, of course.

The offense is deeper - Brady has more targets, the OL is a great work in progress (with Wendell and Stork not even playing yet!), and Lewis has shown that they can get past the loss of Vereen.

And the schedule is nowhere near as tough as last year. It just isn't...Packers in Lambeau, KC in KC, Ravens, etc.

I thought they're toughest games would be Pittsburgh, in Buffalo, in Denver and Dallas. Two down and the other two aren't what I feared, though either injury or decline. If they lose more than 4 games, I'll be shocked, but one week at a time. Jacksonville is a trap game with a big win behind them and a bye after it.

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Better team than last year despite losing a hall of fame corner in the offseason? We were definitely a better team with Revis

YOUGOTMOSSED said:

Back to back road games are usually a problem and going to Denver on 6 days rest is going to be a challenge.

Based on this logic: the games @Colts, @Denver, and @Miami (last game and probably irrelevant) may very well be losses. The Colts look too soft to pose a real challenge so I'm cautiously optimistic about that one. Denver has a real defense so playing them on the road on short rest should be the most challenging game this year.

I'm sticking with my 14-2 prediction. Last game in Miami will be irrelevant and we lose 1 game before that (either @Denver or some WTF type "off day" situation).

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I'm just glad we get Denver in late November almost December! Peyton throwing in that weather could be very fun! Belichick & Brady owns Gary Kubiak & Wade Phillips! That still is our toughest game left on the schedule! I'm still not sold on Buffalo! Miami can make any team look like world beaters!

NG Pats Fan said:

Better team than last year despite losing a hall of fame corner in the offseason? We were definitely a better team with Revis

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I love Revis, but I disagree. Yep, he's HOF, 1st ballot, and should be in the conversation with Sanders and very few others as the GOAT, but he's also past-30 now, and he wasn't the best in the league last year, though still great, and that's only one position.

I love Browner for what he is, but he wasn't that great.

Wilfork wasn't very good last year. With only two DEs, their pass rush was meh. They were weak at LB3, and the Harmon and Ryan played a ton.

The offense is better this year, as well. Brady's clearly on the same page with lots of receivers - a chemistry that had to be built through last year. Amendola looks much more in the play this year, adn Gronk and Edelman are, well, Gronk and Edelman. Add in Chandler, Dobson, Lewis, Lafell coming back, and a deeper OL than last year, and I'll take this year's team over last year's.

50-yard-line said:

I love Revis, but I disagree. Yep, he's HOF, 1st ballot, and should be in the conversation with Sanders and very few others as the GOAT, but he's also past-30 now, and he wasn't the best in the league last year, though still great, and that's only one position.

I love Browner for what he is, but he wasn't that great.

Wilfork wasn't very good last year. With only two DEs, their pass rush was meh. They were weak at LB3, and the Harmon and Ryan played a ton.

The offense is better this year, as well. Brady's clearly on the same page with lots of receivers - a chemistry that had to be built through last year. Amendola looks much more in the play this year, adn Gronk and Edelman are, well, Gronk and Edelman. Add in Chandler, Dobson, Lewis, Lafell coming back, and a deeper OL than last year, and I'll take this year's team over last year's.

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Just curious, who do you contend was the best in the league last year, if not Revis? I thought Revis had a definite better year than Sherman.

The Patriots schedule presents a 16-0 regular season opportunity and a 3-0 playoff inevitability.
Carson Palmer in the SB? Is this the best the NFC has to offer?
The BB/Brady checklist has one box that needs filling......SUPER BOWL BLOWOUT....soon to be checked and mated. This is the year NE obtains that signature SB win ...like the '85 Bears.
An unforgettable display of dominance.
It's time

I expect them to beat whoever they play.

ender24601 said:

Just curious, who do you contend was the best in the league last year, if not Revis? I thought Revis had a definite better year than Sherman.

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Haden. And I'd probably still go with Sherman, too. Because of the way the Pats played and who else was out there, Revis wasn't thrown at much. I'm not trying to undervalue the guy at all - wish, wish, wish he was still here, and if so, the D would be stellar.

I just didn't think the overall D was much better last year than it will be this year, and I think the O is deeper and stronger.

Ill expect them to win every game they play but chance are they will a few

I crave another 16-0 so much... 19-0 is almost too much to hope for!

But I can't help but think we'll lose in Denver at least... they legit have the best defense in football right now

RIpats88 said:

All i have to say is. The 2 best qbs we have on our schedule to face are

Andrew luck...who we will decimate that team

Peyton manning in late November. Considering how his arm looks now i can only imagine how it will look in 2 months.

I think we will drop maybe miami in miami and maybe one of the jets games is possible

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We're not losing to Miami. I'm convinced now that Miami is the singularly worst team in the league. Record be damned.

Banjo said:

I crave another 16-0 so much... 19-0 is almost too much to hope for!

But I can't help but think we'll lose in Denver at least... they legit have the best defense in football right now

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They've "legit" played nobody. The best QB they've gone up against was Alex Smith. Pump the brakes on that one - they started out "awesome" last year too.

Until, of course, they were exposed by the Patriots, and everyone tried to copy the blueprint.

it's week four...the entire league landscape could be totally upside down by week nine.
Denver's D is getting a ton of pub due to the play of Talib and Von Miller...not exactly known for lasting entire seasons. The Steelers could withstand the Rothlisberger injury and make a late season run. The Raiders have a QB now. Buffalo is 2-1 and coming on.Cincy has tremendous skill position talent. The teams that gell and play mistake free ball the last part of the season always seem to make the dance.

December injuries are the killer. It's a roll of the dice....and if I can come up with a few more hackneyed, overused aphorisms maybe I'll land a job working for ESPN-Duluth

PatsWickedPissah said:

every season he has at least one WTF game

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There will be a game where there's consistent pressure. As seen even last year, Brady can get into that hurried, throw it up for grabs mind set sometimes when that occurs as well.

Doesn't mean it will happen, just that it can.

Joker said:

ESPN-Duluth

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I interned there. Their benefits package is &^%$ and I think Oblermann's latest gig is there too...or is that at 'the Ocho'?

PatriotsPimp136 said:

They are not losing to the dolts.That game will be an emotional one for the team.

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The patriots would have to turn it over 5 times and they would probably still win by 10.

borg said:

The Patriots schedule presents a 16-0 regular season opportunity and a 3-0 playoff inevitability.
Carson Palmer in the SB? Is this the best the NFC has to offer?
The BB/Brady checklist has one box that needs filling......SUPER BOWL BLOWOUT....soon to be checked and mated. This is the year NE obtains that signature SB win ...like the '85 Bears.
An unforgettable display of dominance.
It's time

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There is not an opponent on the schedule that I feel is better or even on par with the patriots. Add in the injuries some teams are facing *cowboys* and I agree. That being said its obviously not realistic. Teams lose to inferior teams all the time and the pats are no exception. Divisional games are always tough *not really but more times than not you will drop games in the division* and usually the pats drop a game or two we don't envision them dropping. That being said going by the schedule I just can't see the pats finishing worse than 13-3. Unless they just start coasting and not playing to their potential. 14-2 is looking realistic as well.

It just occurred to me that the last game on the schedule is against the Dolphins. Now wouldn't it be amusing if the Pats achieved a second undefeated season, by beating Don Shula's team? lol