The One Lucky Break the Pats Have Gotten This Week........

.........is that they play the Saturday playoff game and Denver-Pittsburgh plays the 4;40pm Sunday game.

IF the Patriots can win today, they have that extra 24 hours advantage over their next opponent to rest, recoup and watch the other game.

Somehow, I always thought the #1 seed got to choose between the Sat and Sun divisional hosting.

Every little bit helps. But the way the injuries have been going, I'm not sure 24 hours or a week will make much difference for the many players who appear to be chronically hobbled, especially on offense. Losing Lewis and Blount was survivable for a team built around Brady and the passing game, but Edelman broke his foot and Amendola and Chandler have been ineffective with knee injuries for weeks, and now Gronk as well. Gonna lean on a returning Edelman, LaFell, Martin, White and Jackson? Not many defensive coordinators are going to lose sleep there. Still, I think it can be enough to get past today and hope for better health next week.

I love saturday games, the NFL should get rid of the tnf and move to saturday night.

varjao said:

I love saturday games, the NFL should get rid of the tnf and move to saturday night.

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That would literally require a change in federal law. In order to get the anti-trust exemption the NFL had to give up the right to broadcast games on Friday and Saturday night during the college football season.

shmessy said:

.........is that they play the Saturday playoff game and Denver-Pittsburgh plays the 4;40pm Sunday game.

IF the Patriots can win today, they have that extra 24 hours advantage over their next opponent to rest, recoup and watch the other game.

Somehow, I always thought the #1 seed got to choose between the Sat and Sun divisional hosting.

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It's only an advantage if the Broncos lose tomorrow because the "extra day" would be taken up by travel to Denver.

varjao said:

I love saturday games, the NFL should get rid of the tnf and move to saturday night.

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This never will happen because it would put the NFL in direct competition with college football.

I'm just worried about today right now. We have to win first.

Tunescribe said:

It's only an advantage if the Broncos lose tomorrow because the "extra day" would be taken up by travel to Denver.

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If Denver wins, Pats have to take that travel day anyway.

Would you rather they travel to Denver if they played Sunday and Denver had the extra day by playing on Saturday? Would you prefer Denver, with all the advantages they already possess, have an extra day to rest up and prep for the Pats? That would have been even worse.

Playing the Saturday game is a break for the Pats either way (unless resting Gronk 24 more hours for this game would make a difference).

Tunescribe said:

It's only an advantage if the Broncos lose tomorrow because the "extra day" would be taken up by travel to Denver.

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If the Pats and Pitts win, it is a double advantage. Pats would be home preparing on Sat night when Pitts wouldn't get back to Pittsburgh until the early hours of Monday and then have to fly to Foxboro on Sat. Pats would get an extra day on both ends versus your scenario where it nets out to gain one and lose one day.

Mack Herron said:

Every little bit helps. But the way the injuries have been going, I'm not sure 24 hours or a week will make much difference for the many players who appear to be chronically hobbled, especially on offense. Losing Lewis and Blount was survivable for a team built around Brady and the passing game, but Edelman broke his foot and Amendola and Chandler have been ineffective with knee injuries for weeks, and now Gronk as well. Gonna lean on a returning Edelman, LaFell, Martin, White and Jackson? Not many defensive coordinators are going to lose sleep there. Still, I think it can be enough to get past today and hope for better health next week.

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Injuries, not so much. But for the coaches/prep time/rest for the healthy guys,etc. that extra day helps.

Frankly, if I'm Denver and the #1 seed, I'm pissed about this (unless it was their own stupid decision).

shmessy said:

If Denver wins, Pats have to take that travel day anyway.

Would you rather they travel to Denver if they played Sunday and Denver had the extra day by playing on Saturday? That would have been even worse.

Playing the Saturday game is a break for the Pats either way (unless resting Gronk 24 more hours for this game would make a difference).

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You're missing my point. If the Pats have to travel to Denver it's a "lost" day, not an advantage. Consequently, both Denver and the Pats would have equal prep time before the AFCCG of six days. A day of travel does not equate to a day of rest. It appears to me the divisional game scheduling is geared to reflect seedings for both conferences, as Arizona (second seed) also plays today and then theoretically travel to Carolina next week if both win.

varjao said:

I love saturday games, the NFL should get rid of the tnf and move to saturday night.

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They probably think most people go out saturday nights thus not much viewers

Tunescribe said:

You're missing my point. If the Pats have to travel to Denver it's a "lost" day, not an advantage. Consequently, both Denver and the Pats would have equal prep time before the AFCCG of six days. It appears to me the divisional game scheduling is geared to reflect seedings for both conferences, as Arizona (second seed) also plays today and then theoretically travel to Carolina next week if both win.

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Tune, THAT question was already sealed by the Patriots being the #2 seed instead of the #1.

That one was already decided. It's in the past. And OF COURSE that is not an advantage for the Pats.

You're fighting WWI with that.

The NEXT thing that occurred was the NFL scheduled Denver's game on Sunday instead of on a Saturday, which IIRC is what the Pats have had in the past whenever they were #1.

THAT is a lucky break. Does it tip the balance? Of course not, but it makes it a little easier for whomever wins tonight.

Once again, the travel day is ALREADY a given. Would you prefer the Pats have to travel after 5 days or 6? And the Broncos to have 7 days or 6 to prep for the Pats?

The travel thing is already spilt milk. This is a different thing.

shmessy said:

Tune, THAT question was already sealed by the Patriots being the #2 seed instead of the #1.

That one was already decided. It's in the past.

You're fighting WWI with that.

The NEXT thing that occurred was the NFL scheduled Denver's game on Sunday instead of on a Saturday, which IIRC is what the Pats have had whenever they were #1.

THAT is a lucky break.

Once again, the travel day is ALREADY a given. Would you prefer the Pats have to travel after 5 days or 6? And the Broncos to have 7 days or 6 to prep for the Pats?

The travel thing is already spilt milk. This is a different thing.

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I don't recall for sure the Pats playing divisional on Saturday as No. 1 seed; of course, that would be an advantage on paper. I'm wondering, though, if the NFL deliberately scheduled both conference No. 2 seeds this year on Saturday to balance things out. If so, it was the right thing to do.

Tunescribe said:

You're missing my point. If the Pats have to travel to Denver it's a "lost" day, not an advantage. Consequently, both Denver and the Pats would have equal prep time before the AFCCG of six days. A day of travel does not equate to a day of rest. It appears to me the divisional game scheduling is geared to reflect seedings for both conferences, as Arizona (second seed) also plays today and then theoretically travel to Carolina next week if both win.

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It might not be a day of "rest," but it's still a day they can recuperate.

The last 3 winners of the early Saturday divisional round game have gone on to win the super bowl. If the Patriots win today start planing the parade

The winner of the last 3 SBs have won the Divisional/early Saturday game (I believe)
2014 - Baltimore @ New England
2013 - New Orleans @ Seattle
2012 - Baltimore @ Denver

Let's keep the streak going .

EDIT: Winston beat me to it, but to be fair, I was checking the data

1 game at a time guys, let's not get ahead... we are still on to Kansas City-

Petersen23 said:

1 game at a time guys, let's not get ahead... we are still on to Kansas City-

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OK, play well and don't get hurt today.

Also pretty fortunate that a meteorite didn't hit and wipe out humanity....

Please, please, please let the game start now, I can't wait any longer.