"Easy" opponents next year?

[shatch62]

The Pats play eight games next year against first-year coaches. Out of the eight games at least 6 will be against first time head coaches. It’s possible that none of the teams with new coaches will post a winning record. I’m not saying these will easy wins but it is interesting and hopefully gives the Pats a leg up. Here is the opponents for next year:

Home:
Buffalo - New Coach
Miami
N.Y. Jets - First time Head Coach - Eric Mangini
Houston - First time Head Coach (if it Kubiak as expected)
Indianapolis
Chicago
Detroit - First time Head Coach - Rod Marinelli
Denver

Away:
Buffalo - New Coach
Miami
N.Y. Jets - First time Head Coach - Eric Mangini
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Green Bay - First time Head Coach - Rod Marinelli
Minnesota - First time Head Coach - Brad Childress
Cincinnati

 

[TruthSeeker]

I find the ratings on difficulty of oppenents, which is based on 2005's winning percentage, interesting, and somewhat flawed. For instance, Chicago was 5-11 last year, making them look like an easy game for everybody who played them, making their opponents schedule look easier (lowering the winning % of their overall schedule toughness), but look at what happened. Chicago goes 11-5. Same thing happened in 2004, Pittsburgh went 15-1, but the prior year they were 6-10, thus making teams strength of opponents look easier. Any of those easy games can turn out to be extremely difficult struggles. Also, the Jets were a professional kicker away from the AFCCG 2 years ago (2004 season), don't take them so lightly, they suffered almost as many injuries as us, and in some key areas (Their #1 & #2 QB's for pete's sake). It wouldn't shock me if the Jets go 8-8 and beat us once. Green Bay, Houston & Detroit look like easy wins, but ya never know. My prediction for the Pats though 12 or 13 wins. The schedule SEEMS way easier than this years.

 

[Chevy]

The Pats play eight games next year against first-year coaches. Out of the eight games at least 6 will be against first time head coaches. It’s possible that none of the teams with new coaches will post a winning record. I’m not saying these will easy wins but it is interesting and hopefully gives the Pats a leg up. Here is the opponents for next year:

Home:
Buffalo - New Coach
Miami
N.Y. Jets - First time Head Coach - Eric Mangini
Houston - First time Head Coach (if it Kubiak as expected)
Indianapolis
Chicago
Detroit - First time Head Coach - Rod Marinelli
Denver

Away:
Buffalo - New Coach
Miami
N.Y. Jets - First time Head Coach - Eric Mangini
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Green Bay - First time Head Coach - Rod Marinelli
Minnesota - First time Head Coach - Brad Childress
Cincinnati

Marinelli is coaching Detroit and Green Bay?? Poor guy is gonna be swamped ... might be the only HC to lose 20 games in a season ... :grin:

McCarthy is the new guy in Green Bay ....

 

[shatch62]

Marinelli is coaching Detroit and Green Bay?? Poor guy is gonna be swamped ... might be the only HC to lose 20 games in a season ... :grin:

McCarthy is the new guy in Green Bay ....

Oops - Thanks for the catch

 

[Bostonian1962]

The Pats play eight games next year against first-year coaches. Out of the eight games at least 6 will be against first time head coaches. It’s possible that none of the teams with new coaches will post a winning record. I’m not saying these will easy wins but it is interesting and hopefully gives the Pats a leg up. Here is the opponents for next year:

Home:
Buffalo - New Coach
Miami
N.Y. Jets - First time Head Coach - Eric Mangini
Houston - First time Head Coach (if it Kubiak as expected)
Indianapolis
Chicago
Detroit - First time Head Coach - Rod Marinelli
Denver

Away:
Buffalo - New Coach
Miami
N.Y. Jets - First time Head Coach - Eric Mangini
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Green Bay - First time Head Coach - Rod Marinelli
Minnesota - First time Head Coach - Brad Childress
Cincinnati

Good observation! Miami, Jacksonville, Tenn., GB, and Minn., might be nice places to travel to as well.

 

[len_mullen]

Shock the World

The Pats play eight games next year against first-year coaches. Out of the eight games at least 6 will be against first time head coaches. It’s possible that none of the teams with new coaches will post a winning record. I’m not saying these will easy wins but it is interesting and hopefully gives the Pats a leg up.

Plus they'll be carrying a big chip on their collective shoulders. Plus some (Willie, Troy, Poole -- again) will be finishing their careers. Look out 1972 Miami Dolphins

 

[BelichickFan]

It's difficult to get to worried about any of those games.

Some of the tougher ones :

Denver - got them at home this time.
Indy - at home plus they have lots of upcoming FA, it'll be interesting what they return as.
Cincy - could be a tough one on the road, hopefully this is early with Palmer rusty from rehabbing.