* Maximize Health or Maximize Seeding ~ What's Your Top Priority? *

LightSkinSmurf said:

I want HFA. Whoever can play, play them. Whoever still isn't ready sit them. I don't wanna go to Denver if we can prevent it.... And we can.

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This is how I feel. Denver will be too hard to get through. Even though we'll have a bye either way, some guys are still going to be banged up in two weeks and I'd rather be trying to win tough games at home rather than on the road.

PatsDeb said:

This is how I feel. Denver will be too hard to get through. Even though we'll have a bye either way, some guys are still going to be banged up in two weeks and I'd rather be trying to win tough games at home rather than on the road.

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100% agree. Because Belichick is so open about the health status of his players , we really don't know just "how healthy" anyone from Amendola to Chung to Edelman to McCourty to Vollmer to anybody else you can think of will be in two or three weeks. I'd rather be facing a hot, healthy team on our turf than their's.

robertweathers said:

Right. Just eat at a Chipolte.

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Health first

But I think we can have both against the imploded dolphins

They can't win it Brady or Gronk gets injured, but they CAN win it on the road. So that would tend to suggest that "full" health at this point is more important.

And yet, I want HFA. Because if you go all out for HFA, there's a very real chance that they get through that game with no injuries added to the list.

Go all out, and hope that if any injuries do happen, they (a) don't happen to Brady or Gronk, and (b) are of the variety that they can return healthy in two weeks.

Hopefully they'll crush the Dolphins so the key guys only need to play a half or 3/4 of the game or so.

Why are people afraid of Denver in the least? Either way, they're going to have one of the worst quarterbacks in the playoffs and the Pats should be able to score near 30 on them with a full compliment of receiving options for Brady.

In general, all hands on deck. It takes time to shake off the rust and get back to playing speed. See Hightower in the Jets game. My opinion is grounded more on the fact this team needs to improve its play on the field to reach the ultimate goal than a loss may mean playing in Denver (although that is a consideration).

If players get hurt then they get hurt. Watt was hurt in a practive before the Pats game. Does anyone think this team is playing well enough that they do not need to practice hard?

My only caveat, obvioulsy the team needs to listen to and take the advice of medical professionals. If the medical professionals say the player should not go than the player should not play. Otherwise football players play football.

KontradictioN said:

Why are people afraid of Denver in the least? Either way, they're going to have one of the worst quarterbacks in the playoffs and the Pats should be able to score near 30 on them with a full compliment of receiving options for Brady.

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Exactly my feelings. The Patriots lost at Denver with no receivers, horrible ST mistakes, and the officiating in the bag. And it still took OT for Denver to win. Play with a full squad, or don't give points away on STs, and the officiating doesn't even matter. I don't understand the angst about Denver.

And we are assuming they would even win their first game anyways.

Get healthy. Don't sacrifice someone getting on the field too soon for a bunch of what-if scenarios. I'd take a healthy Patriots team on the road against anyone. I'd be more worried about a banged up Patriots team playing at home.

It's a false choice and it's missing a component. Unless you think the Pats can just "flip the lightswitch" and be back to that unstoppable force from mid-season, you've got to use this game to start getting Edelman (unless his foot isn't ready), Amendola, Hightower and the rest back in sync with game speed.

A rusty Pats team, even healthy, against the Jets in the DR? No thanks.
Any team up in the Denver air, with the Denver crowd and the home-field advantage that place gives them? No thanks.

stealthdog said:

Exactly my feelings. The Patriots lost at Denver with no receivers, horrible ST mistakes, and the officiating in the bag. And it still took OT for Denver to win. Play with a full squad, or don't give points away on STs, and the officiating doesn't even matter. I don't understand the angst about Denver.

And we are assuming they would even win their first game anyways.

Get healthy. Don't sacrifice someone getting on the field too soon for a bunch of what-if scenarios. I'd take a healthy Patriots team on the road against anyone. I'd be more worried about a banged up Patriots team playing at home.

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I think what the rest of us who are worried about HFA are saying is more like how do we KNOW we will have a healthy, on fire squad for a road game in a couple few weeks?

I have high hopes for a lot of the players we are sorely missing ok? But theres really no telling what they will look like in game action, and realistically, you know they aint gonna look like they did early in the season simply because of accumulated game wear and tear, even if they do make it back from frank injury.

I still think we can pull it off, no doubt, but playing on the road in Denver is simply a worse option than at home, regardless of how you let them rest and recuperate this upcoming weekend. I'm of the belief that at this point, week to week health is more and more marginal as far as ultimate form. Hopefully we can get some good looking game action (AND A WIN) out of some banged up players this weekend.

And those citing "barely/BS" wins by the broncos and jets... whats to say that exact scenario happens again against whoever we are playing in a few weeks... why would goodell stop effing with us now that its a one game season?

The path needs to be as easy as possible so hopefully, in a months time we will be truly healthy and really on fire. At that point, we can play with anyone.

Off The Grid said:

Same Question as before, but Final Exam Time, Brothers and Sisters!!

It's an Hell of a Question, isn't it?

If you're running the Ship, is your Top Priority to give the likes of Kong, Amendola, and EdelPerson, an extra week of rest and spare them the extra Risk of aggravating Injuries instead of healing...

Or do you go All Hands On Deck, mindful of the historic Difficulty of winning in Denver?

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Need HFA. Do not want to play in Denver.

If you are cleared to play you play. I trust BB to do what is best for everyone involved.
And no, I'm not worried about playing in Denver. 5280', they have oxygen on the side
lines, true?

Adam Seward said:

Give me the healthy team. Can't win the show with street free agents.

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I think this team will not win in Denver in an AFCCG unfortunately. Throw the kitchen sink at the Dolphins. Try to destroy them early, rip their will out, do everything you can to win. Outside of a catastrophic injury our health "is what it is" now. Someone could blow their ACL in any of the playoff games too or even a practice. I have watched enough this year to say this team needs HFA.

HFA...... I don't even think it's debatable

What if we play for HFA and lose to Miami- could that be worse for the teams confidence going forward? We haven't played a complete game in weeks. ST has been a mess.

Nonlegit said:

And those citing "barely/BS" wins by the broncos and jets... whats to say that exact scenario happens again against whoever we are playing in a few weeks... why would goodell stop effing with us now that its a one game season?

The path needs to be as easy as possible so hopefully, in a months time we will be truly healthy and really on fire. At that point, we can play with anyone.

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Sincere question. Do people really believe that "Goodell is effing" with the Pats? I mean the idea that the NFL is not on the up and up is so often discussed, but no way it is really true. Every team fans on every board say the same thing about Refs and Goodell cheating their teams in games. That is not real. It just is not. Yes, he went after Brady, no doubt. But the games are not fixed or even purposely messed with in any way. If you really thought this, why would you even watch something fake? it would be like watching Star Wars and rooting for a certain ending.

Kjmass1 said:

What if we play for HFA and lose to Miami- could that be worse for the teams confidence going forward? We haven't played a complete game in weeks. ST has been a mess.

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I'm sorry but this is a bit silly, no offense sincerely just think about it. We want to not "try" because we are worried that if we lose "while trying" our confidence will be shot? So we should not risk losing "while trying"?

Have to go with seeding because playing in Denver almost never goes well for the pats.

Seeding because it is delusion to think this team will be 100% even if the bodies return. Edelman has a foot injury,same as Dez. Dez recently missed a game and just hasn't looked the same since he came back. Remember LaFell has had a foot injury since OTAs in may... still doesn't look like the same guy.

McCourty high ankle, people with those injuries rarely are the same that season. Everyone might be back but probably operating around 70-80%. Need to be at home to avoid getting screwed by the refs since we won't have the talent to overcome it given the injuries.