Health vs. No. 1

[pazrul72]

I voted health but the best answer is a balance of the two....play anyone healthy enough to play but once the game is in hand get the players who are knicked up out. If a player is only 60% and would play if it was a playoff game rest them because this is not do or die yet. As far as game plan etc go full tilt full time because at this point any loss hurts, $&(! The broncos, #%^* the ravens, and most definitely #%^* {}#%*^% #%^* the %#^*+*> Jets. Losing to any of them sucks cuz all three are whiny ***** franchises that need to be put down.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Health is very important as each season of the nfl has become a survivor series, but it is sooooooo very important to be playing well entering the playoffs.

My goal is we scrape, scratch and claw our way to a four and 0 fourth quarter finish.

 

[Froob]

I think we learned that lesson last season...

 

[PittPatriot]

I say we actually go out and beat somebody.
We have not beaten a playoff caliber team all season.

 

[Schmo]

If there are guys who are injured but can play, I get your point, let them heal if we clinched a bye. There's a big difference between healing and resting. Resting, to me, implies avoiding injury to our best healthy players.

For instance, right now hypothetically, let Slater have an extra week. But no way we let Jimmy start for Tom.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

This is one of those years where I say put everything on the line and go for #1.. Because I think that could very well decide who goes to the SB. We aren't good enough to act like home field doesn't matter.

 

[Kdo5]

No. 1 seed, full throttle till it is secured. If we get some good leads in one of the final games, excellent sit a few guys. Otherwise we need HFA. It is so big to have (hopefully) the AFCCG in Foxboro.

 

[borg]

From Wikipedia:

On February 2013, the Oakland Raiders announced that they would cover 11,000 seats in the Mount Davis section with a tarp to avoid blackouts. This reduces capacity to 53,250, by far the smallest in the NFL (league rules require a minimum capacity of 50,000, and no other stadium seats fewer than 61,000). Under NFL rules, the tarps have to stay in place throughout the season, even if the Raiders make the playoffs.[50] However, if the Raiders ever host the AFC Championship Game, the Coliseum can easily be expanded to full capacity.



On the other end of the spectrum, attendance at Dallas' last home game vs. Washington ...
93,099

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If the Donkeys can't win the division, #2 is fine.

 

[FourierSeries]

I think we learned that lesson last season...

How so? The team was neither healthy nor had the #1 seed. I think the lack of health was the much bigger factor in that loss.

 

[Froob]

How so? The team was neither healthy nor had the #1 seed. I think the lack of health was the much bigger factor in that loss.

Yeah it's kinda what Fnordcircle said, kinda went between the two. But, if we had taken the #1 seed we would have made it even with the injuries. Denver is sooooo much faster at home.

 

[FourierSeries]

Yeah it's kinda what Fnordcircle said, kinda went between the two. But, if we had taken the #1 seed we would have made it even with the injuries. Denver is sooooo much faster at home.

And if we were healthy, we would have won even without the #1 seed.

At the end of the day, we lost due to a missed XP despite all of the other issues - injures, giving away the snap count, playing on the road, etc.

I'm very confident that this team can win anywhere, as long as they don't lose any more key players.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Yeah it's kinda what Fnordcircle said, kinda went between the two. But, if we had taken the #1 seed we would have made it even with the injuries. Denver is sooooo much faster at home.

I agree, it really depends on thd opponent we're facing and where we're having to play.

I think during last season, the wheels came off and it was clear that health was a major concern heading into the postseason. Had we played the AFC title game in Foxborough, it would've at least negated some of those injuries, and improved our execution on offense (where we struggled under crowd noise, high altitudes, and the fastness of Denver's D)

This year, Denver is bound for the Wild Card spot, and Oakland, for all it's fanfare, doesnt seem to have the same defensive prowess that haunted us at Mile High. Provided we can contain Khalil Mack (and that's a big if) I think we can put up a good amount of points.

In that sense, the priority is to minimize as many injuries on offense. We need an O-line that can keep Brady upright, recievers who can gain seperation, and a running game that can keep our offense versatile. And yes, Martellus Bennett absolutely needs to regain his health.

I like the direction where our defense is heading....they seem to be geling and gaining their identity. It's the offense that seems to have the most question marks.....namely, can they stay simply healthy?

 

[supafly]

No. 1 seed, full throttle till it is secured. If we get some good leads in one of the final games, excellent sit a few guys. Otherwise we need HFA. It is so big to have (hopefully) the AFCCG in Foxboro.

Yes, as usual the division is the first goal, then a bye, then HFA.

Considering the fact that we haven't reached any of these goals yet, I don't see the need to worry about it until the situation dictates such. Even then, Belichick will take all variables and specifics into account and go from there.

To answer the OP's question: It goes without saying that Belichick will be going full throttle for HFA unless we're so completely decimated by injury that it makes it impossible.

 

[doesntmatter1]

At the moment Edelman's health is vital to our success. Even moreso than Brady because Jimmy is pretty good, but our offense sort of dies if Edelman goes down.

 

[Two Eight]

Just win, last year showed the impact of not having HFA.

The Raiders (and KC & DEN) will have the advantage of knowing the PATS final record before their 4:30 games in week 17. So just win out and keep the pressure on for #1.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

Yes, as usual the division is the first goal, then a bye, then HFA.

Considering the fact that we haven't reached any of these goals yet, I don't see the need to worry about it until the situation dictates such. Even then, Belichick will take all variables and specifics into account and go from there.

To answer the OP's question: It goes without saying that Belichick will be going full throttle for HFA unless we're so completely decimated by injury that it makes it impossible.

I think he will be going full throttle this year. I asked primarily because last year it felt like he reliquished the quest for number one ever so slightly in those final weeks. Last year, that cost us dearly. However, we were also dinged up.

I guess sometimes winning a championship involves a fair amount of luck. It isn't one of those "better lucky than good" scenarios, but more like "better lucky and good." You have to have both luck, quality production, and quality coaching to win a championship. I've never seen a team win without those three factors.

 

[supafly]

I think he will be going full throttle this year. I asked primarily because last year it felt like he reliquished the quest for number one ever so slightly in those final weeks. Last year, that cost us dearly. However, we were also dinged up.

I guess sometimes winning a championship involves a fair amount of luck. It isn't one of those "better lucky than good" scenarios, but more like "better lucky and good." You have to have both luck, quality production, and quality coaching to win a championship. I've never seen a team win without those three factors.

Yes, sir. I don't remember too many seasons where luck didn't help/hurt us in some capacity.

In regards to last year, I think that Belichick still went after HFA. I just think that he had his hands tied a bit due to the injury situation.

 

[supafly]

At the moment Edelman's health is vital to our success. Even moreso than Brady because Jimmy is pretty good, but our offense sort of dies if Edelman goes down.

Edelman is certainly a key piece, but the fact that we probably won't have Amendola for awhile makes his health even more important.

Under normal circumstances, the loss of Edelman would be helped by Amendola taking over his role, and the addition of Hogan would help to offset that loss as well.

 

[supafly]

If the Donkeys can't win the division, #2 is fine.

Going out to Arrowhead for a potential AFCCG matchup would be very difficult. That's about it for my concerns, aside from what you mention.