Ask Vic - Patriots or Bengals?

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://www.jaguars.com/News/AskVic.asp

12/26/05

Luke from Dallas, TX: Are the Patriots locked into the fourth seed in the AFC or is there a scenario in which the Bengals would be the Jaguars' first-round playoff opponent? Which of those two teams do you think the Jags match up best against?
Vic: The Patriots will become the third seed and the Bengals will move down to number four if the Patriots win their final two games and the Bengals lose in Kansas City on Sunday. Frankly, that's what I see happening and I don't think the Bengals will lament their decline one bit. In my opinion, the Bengals want no part of Pittsburgh. The Bengals want the Jaguars. I guarantee it. Should the Jaguars want the Bengals? I'm not sure. I'd like to watch New England play tonight and against Miami before I decide. I have said all along I'd rather see the Jaguars play the Patriots because the Patriots don't present the one-two punch the Bengals do. The Patriots are 25th in rushing and second in passing. The Bengals are 10th in rushing and fifth in passing; they can kill you with the Johnson and Johnson combination. I'm starting to change my mind, however, because the Bengals may be a team in decline as we head toward the playoffs, whereas the Patriots would seem to be playing their best football. If you're one of these respect addicts, then you should wanna play the Patriots. It would offer a more meaningful game and a win in New England would result in much greater esteem for the Jaguars. The Bengals, however, may offer the better chance of advancing.

12/27/05

Greg from Princeton, NJ: What do you think about the playoff system where the division winners automatically get a home game? I think division winners should automatically get a berth but records should decide playoff seeding.
Vic: Earlier in the season, when the AFC East and NFC North appeared to be weak, there was a lot of discussion about the system not working. Since then, Chicago has risen to the top of the league and New England is now on its usual late-season roll. Name one division that won't produce a worthy champion. You can't. There's not a division champion that won't be worthy of homefield advantage. The system is working this year.

Drew from Jacksonville: You said the Bengals would rather play the Jaguars than the Steelers and all they have to do is lose their last game and let the Patriots win. What about the Patriots? Do you think they have any preference who they play? If they don't want to play the Steelers, all they would have to do is lose their last game, right?
Vic: That's correct. Right now, Cincinnati is number three and New England is number four. For that order to change, Cincinnati would have to lose in Kansas City and New England would have to beat Miami. This is intriguing stuff. Jack Del Rio said last week the NFL is all about match-ups and I completely agree with him. So, if you're Marvin Lewis or Bill Belichick, I would think you'd have to consider all of the options. Finishing third will guarantee that you wouldn't have to play in Indianapolis until the AFC title game. If you don't like the way you match-up against the Colts, then finishing third would probably be your goal. I don't, however, think the Bengals wanna play the Steelers for a third time or Kansas City in consecutive games, which the Bengals would have to do if they're third and the Steelers or Chiefs are sixth. The Steelers won in Cincinnati earlier in the season and I don't think the Bengals want to risk losing to the Steelers for a second time at home. That would make it awfully difficult for the Bengals to celebrate their division title. When you think about it, what's the difference between the third seed and the fourth seed? They each get homefield in the wild-card round and would have to go on the road the following week. When the Bengals lost to the Bills, my first thought was the Bengals would treat this week as a bye, rest their players and steer away from the Steelers. Then, when I thought of it from the Patriots' perspective, I decided they might try to do the same thing. The Patriots are on six days' rest this week. Remember how Belichick rested all of his starters for a preseason game against the Jaguars? I'm thinking he might do the same thing this week, take the four seed and opt to play a Jaguars team that has a situation at quarterback.

12/28/05

Malosi from Valencia, CA: As a Jags fan, my preference for which team we play is based on Tedy Bruschi's health. I am a strong believer in team chemistry and if he's healthy I would rather play the Bengals. I know you're a Brady fan but I think the Patriots are lost without Bruschi.
Vic: He is to the defense what Brady is to the offense, it would seem.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Good sense from Vic Ketchman -- as ever.

 

[flutie2phelan]

Good sense from Vic Ketchman -- as ever.

He do get it, don't he?