Can anyone keep the Pats out of SB51?

[RecoveringCowboy]

It doesn't look like anyone in the AFC can. The AFC East rivals continue to be unable to threaten the Pats > Roster Reset: Can any team catch the Patriots?

The link above does not cover the rest of the conference. Denver has a QB meltdown, don't see much to fear in the AFC South. Can Pittsburgh or Cincinnati get hot? Probably not. As long as Brady can play, I expect the AFC Conference is the Pats to lose.

 

[The Gr8est]

Roger Goodell, Jerry Blandino, Mike Kensil, referees, etc.

 

[ViperGTS]

It doesn't look like anyone in the AFC can. The AFC East rivals continue unable to threaten the Pats > Roster Reset: Can any team catch the Patriots?

The link above does not cover the rest of the conference. Denver has a QB meltdown, don't see much to fear in the AFC South. Can Pittsburgh or Cincinnati get hot? Probably not. As long as Brady can play, I expect the AFC Conference is the Pats to lose.

Sure they can. Even a healthy Solder and a Cannon would have gotten eaten alive by that Denver front. The middle of the line was soft so that wouldn't change.

Now, which teams have that? Not many. Maybe Cooper helps and Scar works his magic.

Do NOT sleep of Oakland. That front with Mack alone will be nasty. Add in a Bruce Irvin and they could give the Pats fits.

 

[PatsFan2]

Yes that unforgiving circumstance is Injuries.

 

[drewskie]

Zebras and injuries.

 

[captain insano]

injuries injuries injuries

 

[Rob0729]

Sure they can. Even a healthy Solder and a Cannon would have gotten eaten alive by that Denver front. The middle of the line was soft so that wouldn't change.

Now, which teams have that? Not many. Maybe Cooper helps and Scar works his magic.

Do NOT sleep of Oakland. That front with Mack alone will be nasty. Add in a Bruce Irvin and they could give the Pats fits.

First, I disagree with your premise. The middle of the line would have been vastly improved with two solid, healthy tackles. Offensive lines work as a group. If one piece goes down or isn't doing his job, it can throw the entire line off. A healthy Solder would have allowed them to leave him more alone on an island and let the guard work more up the middle.

Second, Denver lost two of their front seven starters. It will affect their entire defense.

Third, last year was the first year in about four years that DeMarcus Ware didn't disappear in the second half of the season. He is going to be 34 by the start of the season. No guarantee that he is going to be the same player this upcoming season.

Fourth, what will happen to Von Miller after he gets a big deal? He has notoriously disappeared in the playoffs prior to this past season. Has he finally figured out how to keep his motor running in the playoffs or was he chasing a record breaking contract and uncharacteristically went all out in the playoffs. Many players take the foot off the gas in their second contract.

Lastly, Wade Phillips' defenses are notorious for being lights out their first season and progressively get worse year after year. Happened in San Diego. Happened in Houston. Happened virtually everywhere he has been.

 

[Rob0729]

Right now the Pats should be the favorite to win the AFC. But you never know who is going to be good in any given year and make that jump.

Say that Houston actually gets Brock Osweiller to be an above average QB. They have the defense and receivers to be good enough to challenge for the AFC.

Pittsburgh, if healthy, could make a run at it. There are a few other teams with the right pieces in place might be contenders.

 

[Nehalem]

Tom Brady.

If he has a Manningesque drop off that could derail the Super Bowl 51 chances. See also Favre's 2009->2010 drop off.

Relying on a 39 year old QB to continue playing at or near MVP levels is certainly a risk.

 

[Kontradiction]

1. Injuries

2. Pittsburgh

3. KC

4. Ravens if they can get their act together

But this is all before the draft. Houston may be a team to watch although Assweiler is a pretty crap quarterback. In the end, just like in 2015, injuries will be the primary road block for this team. Hopefully they have less of those since they fired the S&C coach out on his ass. We'll see.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Tom Brady.

If he has a Manningesque drop off that could derail the Super Bowl 51 chances. See also Favre's 2009->2010 drop off.

Relying on a 39 year old QB to continue playing at or near MVP levels is certainly a risk.

I just threw a cyber rotten tomato at you.

 

[WinstonSmith]

Roger Goodell, Jerry Blandino, Mike Kensil, referees, etc.

Lawyers, hired guns, and money...

 

[fair catch fryar]

The same ones that kept them out of SB50. The refs.

 

[Kontradiction]

Tom Brady.

If he has a Manningesque drop off that could derail the Super Bowl 51 chances. See also Favre's 2009->2010 drop off.

Relying on a 39 year old QB to continue playing at or near MVP levels is certainly a risk.

Unfortunately, this is true too. I'm taking the mindset that I'm just going to try to appreciate and savor every single game this season and going forward, more than any other year. We don't have too many years left with #12 at the helm of this franchise and I want to appreciate what's left. I don't think we're going to see a sharp drop off from Brady this year, given the way he takes care of his body. But it's coming sooner rather than later now.

 

[Kontradiction]

The same ones that kept them out of SB50. The refs.

The Broncos would have generated that kind of pressure on Brady regardless of where they played. They were reading Stork like a book and an already ****ty offensive line had an even tougher task at hand.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The Broncos would have generated that kind of pressure on Brady regardless of where they played. They were reading Stork like a book and an already ****ty offensive line had an even tougher task at hand.

they wouldn't have gone to the silent count in foxboro. home field made all the difference.

 

[ViperGTS]

First, I disagree with your premise. The middle of the line would have been vastly improved with two solid, healthy tackles. Offensive lines work as a group. If one piece goes down or isn't doing his job, it can throw the entire line off. A healthy Solder would have allowed them to leave him more alone on an island and let the guard work more up the middle.

Second, Denver lost two of their front seven starters. It will affect their entire defense.

Third, last year was the first year in about four years that DeMarcus Ware didn't disappear in the second half of the season. He is going to be 34 by the start of the season. No guarantee that he is going to be the same player this upcoming season.

Fourth, what will happen to Von Miller after he gets a big deal? He has notoriously disappeared in the playoffs prior to this past season. Has he finally figured out how to keep his motor running in the playoffs or was he chasing a record breaking contract and uncharacteristically went all out in the playoffs. Many players take the foot off the gas in their second contract.

Lastly, Wade Phillips' defenses are notorious for being lights out their first season and progressively get worse year after year. Happened in San Diego. Happened in Houston. Happened virtually everywhere he has been.

I didn't say the Broncos this year. The Broncos line from last year. Also, Solder isn't that great of a tackle. Volmer is 32 with injury problems. They are good but can be exposed and have been. Brady got murdered in the SB against Seattle and he had Solder and Volmer. People seem to forget him getting drilled on almost every play even the quick ones.

The o-line and lack of an effective run game is a massive problem. Had they been able to run at the Denver ends then maybe the rush slows down. Same as Seattle. Nothing has changed. Solder isn't the answer and I am having doubts about Vollmer physically.

When you have a 39 year old QB line problems or questions are not where you want to be.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

i could see oakland as being a team that could upset one of the top AFC teams in the playoffs. their d-line will be nasty.

 

[Kontradiction]

they wouldn't have gone to the silent count in foxboro. home field made all the difference.

This was the worst offensive line in the NFL last season down the stretch against one of the better defensive fronts in the entire league. Of course they would have gotten pressure on Brady regardless of whether or not both teams were at home.

 

[1960Pats]

You could say that the Pats were kept out of last year's SB because of teams like the Eagles and Dolphins. If they win either of those games they probably make it to the SB, and considering Cam Newton's meltdown, they probably would have won it.