HFA or maximum health?

Both are doable.

The fewer games the Pats have to play the better.

Even the NFL* would have a difficult time hanging a loss on the Pats during a bye week.

PatriotsPimp136 said:

No. We would get hosed by the refs on the road.

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A healthy Pats team would have been so far ahead that the refs wouldn't be able to pull their shenanigans.

Health. We can beat any team anywhere.

If the Broncos could just lose to Cincinnati and one of Pittsburgh, Oakland, or San Diego, that would put us in good shape I think.

Go for Home Field Advantage but don't force players to play through ankle/knee strains, etc.

What's coleman's injury? Are we gonna see him back on the field this year?

Ross12 said:

Question for everyone that's been on my mind. Should the Pats do all they can to hold onto the 1 seed, bringing guys back from injury as soon as possible, which will give them a bye week and home field advantage but will potentially expose guys to re-injury, or should they try to rest their hurt guys as much as possible and just worry about clinching the division which should be very easy, but will likely leave them as the 3 seed, no bye week and probably only 1 home game. But, they would have a higher likelihood of having all their guys. Your thoughts?

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Wrong question. Question should be health or a Bye. A Bye itself is far more important than HFA.

The two are synonymous though. A Bye equals better health due to one less game of possible injury plus one extra week of healing.
What we want is the Bye and health. I suspect even two more losses will get us both of those. So while HFA is gravy on top, I believe we will have our cake and eat it too. We will get HFA and have health come AFC division round based on schedule and based on being the Patriots.

I'm all for maximum health.

A bye week is important. If Pats slip to 3rd and miss bye week . That means no week off from Week 5 to SB Bye Week. 16 straight weeks with no rest(only a 3 day extra with a Thrusday game.) That's a tough task to ask.

FrodoBagginz said:

HFA means nothing in the Super Bowl. If forced to choose, I would go with Health. A healthy Pats team is the best team in the NFL. We can go anywhere and beat anyone, as slash83 said.

I would prefer not to choose, though, and have both HFA and health.

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The other side of the coin is that statistically speaking, you're greatly increasing your odds by getting to play one less game, and having both at home in Gillette.

That at least gets you there. Even without a healthy Gronk in 2011, we still almost won. With Belichick and two weeks to prepare, getting there is a big deal, and I think we can compete with anyone in that situation.

Ross12 said:

If the Broncos could just lose to Cincinnati and one of Pittsburgh, Oakland, or San Diego, that would put us in good shape I think.

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Where do you see Cincinnati losing? I'm concerned about them-maybe more than Denver as far as the bye is concerned.

A silver lining in all this is that while guys like Amendola, Gronk, Edelman, Collins, and Hightower are out, other guys are getting valuable game experience that will only increase their quality of depth down the road. Guys like Freeney, Harper (yes that is valuable experience for him), Fleming, Martin, etc., will only improve with more time. That will make the team that much better.

Belichick will never coach with injuries in mind because they can't be predicted or controlled. He's said that exact thing.

So you're point is mute, persay, for all intensive purposes.

PatsFan2 said:

I think Denver is the only current Team that has Brady's number also N.E. Patriots Teams do not do historically well in Denver I have come to accept that.

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Brady post 300+ yards, 3TD, no Int, drove down the field when they lost Gronk to set up the game tying FG. All with no receivers and no running game... Against one of the best defenses in the NFL...

They don't have Brady's number, he simply couldn't overcome incredible injuries and the refs.

PatsFan2 said:

I think Denver is the only current Team that has Brady's number also N.E. Patriots Teams do not do historically well in Denver I have come to accept that.

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how do you watch last nights game and not be even more confident vs that team? Brady put 24 on them with the practice squad come playoffs he'll have Amandola and Edelman and the defense won't be missing its 2 best defenders.

carmelo15 said:

how do you watch last nights game and not be even more confident vs that team? Brady put 24 on them with the practice squad come playoffs he'll have Amandola and Edelman and the defense won't be missing its 2 best defenders.

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I can see both sides of the argument. I think Brady is 2-6 in Denver with 1 of the wins vs a Tebow led team.

Denver is the toughest place for Brady to play in his career. What he did last night was amazing with the lack of weapons. I was very impressed he almost carried the team to getting a win. With that being said, I don't want Denver to get homefield. I think it is possible the pats can win there if Amendola, Edelman and Gronk are healthy, but Denver would have a better chance of winning. It's too bad Dion Lewis got hurt because I think he would have been a match up nightmare for Denver. Hopefully the pats can get home field and we don't have to worry about going back.

Mark. said:

Where do you see Cincinnati losing? I'm concerned about them-maybe more than Denver as far as the bye is concerned.

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I was saying that if Denver lost to Cinci and one other game, the Pats could be pretty well assured of a first round bye, and I also feel like it's more likely Denver will lose to Cinci and lose another one than it is Cinci will lose to Denver and another one.

Plus, while I feel Cincinnati is the better team, Denver has the better home field advantage with their high altitude. Would rather travel to Ohio.

PatsFan2 said:

Denver = Brady kryptonite lets stop kidding overselves under no circumstance would I want us to play them there in a do or die game.

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You serious? I just watched the Patriots go into Mile High and out play Denver for the vast majority of the game. They lost, barely, with the refs absolutely killing us on huge BS penalties. Give me Gronk, Edelman, Collins and Hightower back and I am still quite confident beating that team in Denver.

If we have a healthy Gronk, Edleman, Amendola, Hightower, Collins and LaFell, I like our chances no matter where we play. Give me those healthy bodies over home field advantage any day of the week

No offense, but it's a dumb question because they go hand in hand. So both. HFA is like having one of your best players out there. They are harder to beat at home. Put the best team you can for each and every game and hope it solves itself.