The Patriots' Schedule and What It Presents

The only thing the patriots schedule presents is 13 more games,

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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Brady is playing at his October pace of last year, Gronk is playing healthy from the start, Edelman is basically uncoverable in the short passing game, Lewis is an upgrade over Vereen as a runner and receiver through 3 games, Blount looked very good against what appears to be a solid run D in Jax, and the OL hasn't had many issues to start like they did last season. The DL should be vastly improved, Mayo is back as the 3rd LB, etc, etc.

Yes, losing Revis hurts, but to think that losing him negates every other improvement over last years team a net loss? That's just ignorant.

This team is weaker at CB (admittedly, FARRRR weaker) and FB than the team that ran onto the field for SB49.

It appears better than or equal at:
QB=/+
RB+ (and I'm a huge Ridley fan, this running game will be far better with Blount/Lewis vs Ridley/Blount/Vereen, we simply CHOOSE to not run at times)
TE+
WR= (once LaFell returns + )
OL+ (through first 3 games at least)
DE+
DT= (for starters, depth is +++, potentially starters win out by season end)
LB+
S=/+

It's hard to not say that this team is better overall and they are clicking much earlier than last years team. Missteps happen to everyone, but we have a team that deserves to be feared right now and while I'm not going to predict 16-0 and a SB win, there isn't a single team in the NFL that we should not beat (as of today), with AZ, GB, and SEA appearing to be the biggest competitors, none of which we face on the way to the SB should we make it there again.

I really hope we break that tendency we seem to have of losing to a bad team that has no business beating us once a year, the "any given Sunday" rule is great for laughs, but it's really irritating when it catches us.

A better team with Revis? I dont see it. A better CB group with Revis sure. Better D possibly, sure..... How can you say "better team" when they have been lights out so far and last year this time it was right before the Chiefs game.

You dont know what we wouldn't have if we kept Revis. So there not anywhere near enough info to make a statement like that. Unless you come from the "more flashy big name big salaried players you have on the team, the better you are" school of thought.

Bruins29 said:

A better team with Revis? I dont see it. A better CB group with Revis sure. Better D possibly, sure..... How can you say "better team" when they have been lights out so far and last year this time it was right before the Chiefs game.

You dont know what we wouldn't have if we kept Revis. So there not anywhere near enough info to make a statement like that. Unless you come from the "more flashy big name big salaried players you have on the team, the better you are" school of thought.

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You really think this team wouldn't be better without Revis? Yes, we do have enough "info" to make a statement like that. Are you saying you don't have enough info to know if Revis would be an upgrade over fletcher?

Interception said:

You really think this team wouldn't be better without Revis? Yes, we do have enough "info" to make a statement like that. Are you saying you don't have enough info to know if Revis would be an upgrade over fletcher?

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In the NFL you can't take something like "we're better with X player than without him" into a vacuum. Revis is averaging just over 14m/year. Which is just $7,000 less than $4m over our highest AAV.

Revis is a top 2 corner in the NFL, our CB position would be better with him, but our team? We'd potentially lose Sheard, McCourty and Chandler to take on Revis' contract long term.

strngplyr said:

Brady is playing at his October pace of last year, Gronk is playing healthy from the start, Edelman is basically uncoverable in the short passing game, Lewis is an upgrade over Vereen as a runner and receiver through 3 games, Blount looked very good against what appears to be a solid run D in Jax, and the OL hasn't had many issues to start like they did last season. The DL should be vastly improved, Mayo is back as the 3rd LB, etc, etc.

Yes, losing Revis hurts, but to think that losing him negates every other improvement over last years team a net loss? That's just ignorant.

This team is weaker at CB (admittedly, FARRRR weaker) and FB than the team that ran onto the field for SB49.

It appears better than or equal at:
QB=/+
RB+ (and I'm a huge Ridley fan, this running game will be far better with Blount/Lewis vs Ridley/Blount/Vereen, we simply CHOOSE to not run at times)
TE+
WR= (once LaFell returns + )
OL+ (through first 3 games at least)
DE+
DT= (for starters, depth is +++, potentially starters win out by season end)
LB+
S=/+

It's hard to not say that this team is better overall and they are clicking much earlier than last years team. Missteps happen to everyone, but we have a team that deserves to be feared right now and while I'm not going to predict 16-0 and a SB win, there isn't a single team in the NFL that we should not beat (as of today), with AZ, GB, and SEA appearing to be the biggest competitors, none of which we face on the way to the SB should we make it there again.

I really hope we break that tendency we seem to have of losing to a bad team that has no business beating us once a year, the "any given Sunday" rule is great for laughs, but it's really irritating when it catches us.

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Good write up.
As much as I am a Wilfork fan, if the FNG DT plays a bit better than he did with the Saints (I am putting that likelihood at better than 50/50) and Easley's play so far can be expected as the norm, no need to qualify DT. It is an unqualified +.
Also, while it is too early to be certain about Lewis, if what he is doing is a preview of what he will do there is also no need to qualify RB. The two roster spots of Blount + Lewis are a + of the two roster spots of Blount + Vereen or Ridley or Gray
I definitely agree that once Lafell returns we have a better 2015 WR group. One big addition is Amendola's uncertainty is gone.

This team in almost all places is better and/or deeper than the 2014 team. Too bad about the CB spot being such a precipitous drop from 2014. If Butler and CB??? elevate their play this season and the injury bug doesn't hit too hard, we should feel quite good about our chances.

I know that it's pretty early, and 3 games isn't a lot to go on, but the 7 undefeated teams that are left have played vastly different schedules. I suppose that comes with the idiotic 4 team division setup and the scrambled schedules everyone plays, but 3 games should be enough to start to take a look at the actual strength of the teams based off of the teams they've defeated.

Let me start with the over-rated 3-0 teams. I believe there are two of them.

Arizona (total rank of opponents 89) - This team has played such an easy schedule that it has to be discussed. Using the rankings of teams at this point in time, the Cards have played 31 NO and 26 SF at home and 32 Chicago on the road. The only way that could be easier is if they played Cleveland or Washington instead of SF.

Carolina (total 80) - This is the only team that's in the same ballpark as Arizona when it comes to pancake schedules so far. They barely got by the 27 ranked Jags on the road and 22 Houston and 31 NO at home. If not for their defense there would be no way that Cam Newton could reach the iconic status that he strives for.

I'll go over the rest later, but I'd like to know what everyone else thinks about those two teams.

I agree about arizona. They haven't played anybody. I still have concerned about this secondary if we don't put pressure

Interception said:

You really think this team wouldn't be better without Revis? Yes, we do have enough "info" to make a statement like that. Are you saying you don't have enough info to know if Revis would be an upgrade over fletcher?

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He's fighting a hamstring injury now. If I remember correctly he had hamstring problems all last season.

If the injury progresses, we dodged a bullet and doomed the Jets.

12 more wins needed for Bill Belichick to tie Curly Lambeau for 4th all-time among NFL coaches. Amazing. We are so incredibly fortunate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Football_League_head_coaches_with_50_wins

I haven't heard a word on lafell. Is he coming back for that colts game?

goheels22002 said:

12 more wins needed for Bill Belichick to tie Curly Lambeau for 4th all-time among NFL coaches. Amazing. We are so incredibly fortunate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Football_League_head_coaches_with_50_wins

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And Brady needs only 26 more touchdown passes to set the NFL record for most with one team.

YOUGOTMOSSED said:

He's fighting a hamstring injury now. If I remember correctly he had hamstring problems all last season.

If the injury progresses, we dodged a bullet and doomed the Jets.

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And a groin injury too.

Revis is susceptible to physical issues as he ages, just like anyone.

YOUGOTMOSSED said:

He's fighting a hamstring injury now. If I remember correctly he had hamstring problems all last season.

If the injury progresses, we dodged a bullet and doomed the Jets.

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He had hammy issues in 2010 too IIRC. Didn't seem to hold him out longer than a week, even though Moss burned him the week after for a TD.

PatriotsPimp136 said:

I haven't heard a word on lafell. Is he coming back for that colts game?

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P U P

Interception said:

He had hammy issues in 2010 too IIRC. Didn't seem to hold him out longer than a week, even though Moss burned him the week after for a TD.

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A CB with a history of leg (knee, hammy, groin) problems on the wrong side of 30 isn't someone you pay top dollar to. Unless of course, you're the Jets.

Here's a good article I believe belongs in this thread:

Who can beat the Patriots? And who almost definitely won't?

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20151003/SPORTS/151009715

Interesting piece of information

Out of the top teams, the Patriots have faced the hardest competition. Their the only team with opponents with a combined win percentage greater than .500.

It's going to be extremely tough for anyone to beat the Pats this year, I really do see them going all the way! With that said, I posted this thought in another thread, thought I'd share here... If we go undefeated this season, that's 19 consecutive wins in a row dating back to the Divisional round against Baltimore. Win the divisional round this year - 20, AFC Championship - 21... our old record. So where would we beat that record and set a new one of 22 consecutive wins? Super Bowl 50.

I figured this would be a relevant article

Guregian: Now what for Patriots? Few real tests remain