If this team is a Super Bowl contender...

[borg]

Where does stupidity like this breed?

In 2007, the Giants didn't beat a winning team and lost to the Cowboys twice very badly. In week 14 they were hammered by Washington in the Meadowlands, then beat Buffalo, then lost to us.

In 2006, the lots of mediots picked KC to run all over the Colts. 2006 was the only time the mediots buried the Colts. Last year, they entered the playoffs as the hottest team going up against an 8-8 Division champion.

In December 2005, the Steelers were 7-5, had lost 3 games in a row and the media and fans were in a stage of revolt. The Monday after the Dec 2005 Cincy loss, the center labelled the Steelers the worst team in football.

Here are the keys:

Offense and Brady continue their progression.

Defense continues to mature.

Injuries and where we are by the expected additions vs unknown subtractions.

21 Teams have 4 wins or better. With 7 games to go, 21 teams are Super Bowl contenders. That includes the Patriots. Do you feel better now. It would be nice though to win a road game in this country. With three losses already to AFC teams, the Pats are hurting in the tie breaker categories , so this team may be on the road for 1-2 playoff games.

 

[Sicilian]

Again, I should clarify my margin of victory comment. I meant it more as an indicator that the team came out and continued to play with passion and confidence. And my thoughts were not to say that beating the Jets makes us a SB contender, but that if we are so affected by the meltdown that we are flat in a revenge game at home against a division rival, then I can almost guarantee you we're not going to the SB.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Let's win this week first OK

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I don't understand the correlation here. We've whitewashed teams like the Bucs and Titans. Winning by 800 points won't prove much to me right now. What we need is a tough, physical, grind-it-out game against a really good opponent, preferably on the road, where we come up with some huge plays at the end to win. Someone on defense needs to step up when it matters. As much as I like Meriweather and Mayo, the time is now. These two are on the verge of breaking out into big playmakers that force turnovers and don't allow their defense to fold down the stretch. We need some big-play heroics against good teams ala James Harrison/ Troy Polamalu. We need some "JAG" guys to surprise us.

 

[borg]

I don't understand the correlation here. We've whitewashed teams like the Bucs and Titans. Winning by 800 points won't prove much to me right now. What we need is a tough, physical, grind-it-out game against a really good opponent, preferably on the road, where we come up with some huge plays at the end to win. Someone on defense needs to step up when it matters. As much as I like Meriweather and Mayo, the time is now. These two are on the verge of breaking out into big playmakers that force turnovers and don't allow their defense to fold down the stretch. We need some big-play heroics against good teams ala James Harrison/ Troy Polamalu. We need some "JAG" guys to surprise us.

Don't let a couple or three road losses to quality teams confuse you...Pats good, world bad!

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

21 Teams have 4 wins or better. With 7 games to go, 21 teams are Super Bowl contenders. That includes the Patriots. Do you feel better now. It would be nice though to win a road game in this country. With three losses already to AFC teams, the Pats are hurting in the tie breaker categories , so this team may be on the road for 1-2 playoff games.

Have you ever watched football?

been a fan since, well, July 2009?

BB Pat teams have consistently had the trait of getting better as the year progressed. The only exception to the rule is 2002 and 2007.

This team has tons of young talent only getting better.

Where is Brady now vs week 2 or 5?

Who stands to gain more by getting players back? Think Green, TBC, and Warren might have helped a little on Sunday? How about Morris/Taylor?

"Can't" and "didn't" are different. If the Pats got blown out 40-3, it's fair to say "can't" win in Indy is reasonable. Blowing them out for 55 minutes and then losing on prevent defense and conservative offensive play calling means they "didn't" win.

 

[condon84]

I'll be surprised if we win this in blowout fashion. This will be a tight game as all division games tend to be.

I expect us to come out flat and for the Jets to be fired up. Call it hangover, but I truly believe practice this week will not be the most inspired of practices for the Pats and that will reflect on the field Sunday. Meanwhile, the Jets always seem to be fired up in the beginning of games.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

depends on what you mean by "contender."

the pats are going to win their division and be competitive in the playoffs. anytime the pats are playing in January, they have to be taken seriously. so, in that sense, they are a contender.

to get to the SB, the pats are probably going to have to win two playoff games on the road against hot teams. right now, we're 0--3 on the road (i don't know what that game in London was supposed to be), so it's a tough proposition. it's not impossible and we'll be competitive for sure in those games, but it is a tough proposition when we haven't won a single (real) road game yet.

 

[mgteich]

Beating the jets by 14 doesn't in any way indicate that we will beat Indy, Cin or Pitt and NO in the playoffs.

...we will beat the Jets by at least two touchdowns.

Now, let me make a few disclaimers before I elaborate. I am not saying:

1) That beating the Jets by two touchdowns means we WILL win the Super Bowl.

2) That one game means more than one game usually means.

or 3) That the Jets are a contender in their own right who is a good litmus test for our team's strength.

What I'm saying is, we know the Patriots have talent on both sides of the ball. The offense is proven, the defense is not but has shown flashes and hopefully will gel even more before the playoffs (knock on wood). We know we have a great coach, a franchise QB, and great depth at most positions.

What we DON'T know, is the mental make-up of this team. Some players have proven themselves before (Brady, Faulk, etc) in big games, but for the most part this team is untested and unproven. What we need to see is that, following a devastating loss where their coach is questioned and there's some whisperings that the defense was disrespected, this team will respond positively.

If this team is a Super Bowl contender, they should take that 4th and 2 moment as a challenge, not as a sign of disrespect. The team shouldn't dwell on what was lost (possible home-field, first round bye, etc), and focus on what is to gain by beating the Jets.

The Jets are in disarray, and we're a LOT better than we were in week 2. Now we're playing at home, with the REAL Tom Brady, Wes Welker active, a defense that has gelled a bit more and (one would hope) a chip on our shoulder. If we come out flat, this team simply doesn't have the heart to win it all. If we come out and do what we're supposed to do, and play with fire, we at least know we have the moxie to shake off the tough moments.

Division games are always important, but I feel like this one carries with it a little extra weight. We should get a much better idea who this team is after Sunday.

 

[patsfan-1982]

all 12 team's that make the playoff's are super bowl cantender's

but only the 4 elite team's will get a first round by

and right now the pats are not a elite team

the pats have no runing game and im not talking about 30 att and 150 yerd's a game when you have tom brady at QB you dont need that

but you have to be able to run the football when you need to when you are up by 2 or 3 TD in the 4th when you need that 1 or 2 yerd's and the pats dont have that

the D will get better and right now is playing better then i thought they would

they are good a nuff to keep the pats in the game but not good a nuff to win a game

in the playoff's on the road you have to have a D that can get some 3 and out all game long to keep the fans out of the game

yes crowed noise is a factor when you throw the ball 70% of the time out of shotgun we seen it in the jets game the pats had 2 delay of game's called on them in a row that just dont happen to brady



can they win the super bowl this year YES if they can get to the super bowl

right now the pats are a #4 seed that would give them one home game vs the #5 seed and that number 5 seed would be the steelers or denver

even there first home game in the playoff's will be a hard game to win so i guess we will see how thing's work out

 

[Patspsycho]

I'll be surprised if we win this in blowout fashion. This will be a tight game as all division games tend to be.

I expect us to come out flat and for the Jets to be fired up. Call it hangover, but I truly believe practice this week will not be the most inspired of practices for the Pats and that will reflect on the field Sunday. Meanwhile, the Jets always seem to be fired up in the beginning of games.

what makes you think we'll come out flat?

What is your rationale?

 

[condon84]

what makes you think we'll come out flat?

What is your rationale?

I don't think they'll have great practices this week due to the letdown this past weekend. It's only human for a hangover effect to happen. And I truly believe that what we see on Sundays is a reflection on what happens on practices during the week. I still think we win, but it's gonna be a struggle. It's not going to be a blowout.

 

[The Dynasty]

I don't think they'll have great practices this week due to the letdown this past weekend. It's only human for a hangover effect to happen. And I truly believe that what we see on Sundays is a reflection on what happens on practices during the week. I still think we win, but it's gonna be a struggle. It's not going to be a blowout.

I dont understand at all. This is going to be a very similar game to the home opener vs the Chargers after spygate. I expect the players to rally around BB and play one of the most inspired games of the season. What happened last week is certainly in the players minds and they are never going to want it to happen again. I expect the opposite and think it would be one of the better practice weeks of the year. I dont think we will blow out the Jets, but I think we will have one of our best games of the season and move one step closer to clinching the AFC East.

 

[condon84]

I dont understand at all. This is going to be a very similar game to the home opener vs the Chargers after spygate. I expect the players to rally around BB and play one of the most inspired games of the season. What happened last week is certainly in the players minds and they are never going to want it to happen again. I expect the opposite and think it would be one of the better practice weeks of the year. I dont think we will blow out the Jets, but I think we will have one of our best games of the season and move one step closer to clinching the AFC East.

I hope you are correct and I am wrong.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I hope you are correct and I am wrong.

condon84, this team should be madder than hornets.