John Clayton predicts Pats to go 10-6 and Steelers to win SB

[jmt57]

Given some of his past predictions and speculation, I would be far more concerned if Clayton predicted the Pats to win it all.



On a side note, has anybody looked at Pittsburgh's schedule? Zero trips to the west coast; at Denver in a year when the Broncos are in transition; toughest opponents (Titans, Chargers) are home games; face neither the Colts nor the Pats; play two of the NFL's weakest divisions, the AFC West and NFC North; only one MNF game despite being the defending SB champ - resulting in just one shorter week to prepare (and they get to play the Bengals for that next game); and perhaps the least amount of travel mileage for any team since the NFL went to a 16 game schedule.

9/10 -- Tennessee, 8:30
9/20 -- at Chicago, 4:15
9/27 -- at Cincinnati, 4:15
10/4 -- San Diego, 8:20
10/11 - at Detroit, 1:00
10/18 - Cleveland, 1:00
10/25 - Minnesota, 1:00
11/02 - BYE
11/09 - at Denver, 8:30
11/15 - Cincinnati, 1:00
11/22 - at Kansas City, 1:00
11/29 - at Baltimore, 8:20
12/06 - Oakland, 1:00
12/10 - at Cleveland, 8:20
12/20 - Green Bay, 1:00
12/27 - Baltimore, 1:00
1/03 -- at Miami, 1:00

Their toughest games are all followed by either time off or an easy game: after the Titans at home they have 10 days to prepare for the Bears; after the Chargers at home they play the Lions; after the Vikings at home they have a bye; and after the Ravens they play the Raiders. Their toughest stretch is the final three games of the season when they get home games against the Packers and Ravens, followed by a game in Miami.

This may be the best opportunity for any NFL team to duplicate 16-0 for a very long time. At the very least Pittsburgh has as good a chance as anybody for best regular season record and home field in the playoffs.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Well, I do agree that the Giants will win the NFC.

 

[Rob0729]

Clayton said last year when Brady went down that the Pats would be lucky if they could score 17 PPG. He always picks against the Pats.

Who cares. I said it before and I will say it again, preseason predictions are like buttholes. Everyone has one and most stink.

 

[102 Pat]

I think it's time for me to stop reading writers predictions and patiently wait for sunday.

I gotta work thursday night so I will be missing the kickoff game.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I think it's time for me to stop reading writers predictions and patiently wait for sunday.

:yeahthat: I agree, except I think you mean Monday.

 

[102 Pat]

Sunday first I guess. I'm off sunday so I shall be on the couch watching some football, doing a little Pro-Line gambling. Then monday night...

 

[Deus Irae]

Brady coming off of injury
No Harrison
No Bruschi
No Vrabel
No Seymour
No Hobbs

A secondary that, at best, is in flux
A linebacking corps that is the envy of pretty much nobody
A d-line with its best player going to Oakland about a week before game 1

Yes, it's stunning that anyone would think this team would be less than 16-0 and would dare to rate last year's Super Bowl champions above it.

 

[alvinnf]

Brady coming off of injury
No Harrison
No Bruschi
No Vrabel
No Seymour
No Hobbs

A secondary that, at best, is in flux
A linebacking corps that is the envy of pretty much nobody
A d-line with its best player going to Oakland about a week before game 1

Yes, it's stunning that anyone would think this team would be less than 16-0 and would dare to rate last year's Super Bowl champions above it.

I finally figured out who you really are..... Ron Borges!

 

[Rob0729]

Brady coming off of injury
No Harrison
No Bruschi
No Vrabel
No Seymour
No Hobbs

A secondary that, at best, is in flux
A linebacking corps that is the envy of pretty much nobody
A d-line with its best player going to Oakland about a week before game 1

Yes, it's stunning that anyone would think this team would be less than 16-0 and would dare to rate last year's Super Bowl champions above it.

People forget Harrison missed 10 games last year due to injury. He wasn't on the Pats past October.

 

[farn]

I usually give media more credit than most around here, but Clayton has always been someone I felt was way off.

I predict 13-3. Looking at that Pitt sched does make me wonder if they are capable of even better than 13 wins... but I'd still think not. Who knows which teams will be strong. Miami looked like a cake walk before the 3rd week last year (considering their putrid 07). No one knows.

I like NYG in the NFC (I'm a Clayton supporter ?)... I also like GBay.

 

[Deus Irae]

People forget Harrison missed 10 games last year due to injury. He wasn't on the Pats past October.

I'm not forgetting. If Sanders or Meriweather go down, there's nothing exactly 'ready' behind them. That's different from last season.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Given some of his past predictions and speculation, I would be far more concerned if Clayton predicted the Pats to win it all.



On a side note, has anybody looked at Pittsburgh's schedule? Zero trips to the west coast; at Denver in a year when the Broncos are in transition; toughest opponents (Titans, Chargers) are home games; face neither the Colts nor the Pats; play two of the NFL's weakest divisions, the AFC West and NFC North; only one MNF game despite being the defending SB champ - resulting in just one shorter week to prepare (and they get to play the Bengals for that next game); and perhaps the least amount of travel mileage for any team since the NFL went to a 16 game schedule.

9/10 -- Tennessee, 8:30
9/20 -- at Chicago, 4:15
9/27 -- at Cincinnati, 4:15
10/4 -- San Diego, 8:20
10/11 - at Detroit, 1:00
10/18 - Cleveland, 1:00
10/25 - Minnesota, 1:00
11/02 - BYE
11/09 - at Denver, 8:30
11/15 - Cincinnati, 1:00
11/22 - at Kansas City, 1:00
11/29 - at Baltimore, 8:20
12/06 - Oakland, 1:00
12/10 - at Cleveland, 8:20
12/20 - Green Bay, 1:00
12/27 - Baltimore, 1:00
1/03 -- at Miami, 1:00

Their toughest games are all followed by either time off or an easy game: after the Titans at home they have 10 days to prepare for the Bears; after the Chargers at home they play the Lions; after the Vikings at home they have a bye; and after the Ravens they play the Raiders. Their toughest stretch is the final three games of the season when they get home games against the Packers and Ravens, followed by a game in Miami.

This may be the best opportunity for any NFL team to duplicate 16-0 for a very long time. At the very least Pittsburgh has as good a chance as anybody for best regular season record and home field in the playoffs.

Nice, so we can go beat them in their house in the AFCCG.

 

[patsox23]

Brady coming off of injury
No Harrison
No Bruschi
No Vrabel
No Seymour
No Hobbs

A secondary that, at best, is in flux
A linebacking corps that is the envy of pretty much nobody
A d-line with its best player going to Oakland about a week before game 1

Yes, it's stunning that anyone would think this team would be less than 16-0 and would dare to rate last year's Super Bowl champions above it.

No one said that, Deus. I find this to be a wildly, offensively dishonest, slimey post. Just STOP for once.

 

[shmessy]

I'm not forgetting. If Sanders or Meriweather go down, there's nothing exactly 'ready' behind them. That's different from last season.

Umm, who was behind them last year when they went 11-5 without Brady?

 

[BSR]

Prior to this weekend I would have said 10-6 was crazy. After this weekend, I think it might be a reasonable guess. Not becuase I think trading Seymour makes this team worse, which it does, but because I had an overinflated view of this team to begin with. I might be wrong but this trade tells me that Belichick doesn't think this team is one probowl DL away from a championship like I thought it was.

 

[patsox23]

I might be wrong but this trade tells me that Belichick doesn't think this team is one probowl DL away from a championship like I thought it was.

So now trading Seymour is a white flag from Belichick? Good GOD. People need to unbunch the panties.

 

[Deus Irae]

No one said that, Deus. I find this to be a wildly, offensively dishonest, slimey post. Just STOP for once.

I don't care how you find it. Given that I didn't post anything along the lines of:

Clayton can kiss my ass.

That pencil necked , nose pickin' moron has been down on the Patriots for years.

John Clayton= tool!

The guy is an absolute joke

perhaps you should review what's generally meant by 'offensive'. Have a great day!

 

[PatsWSB47]

Brady coming off of injury
No Harrison
No Bruschi
No Vrabel
No Seymour
No Hobbs

A secondary that, at best, is in flux
A linebacking corps that is the envy of pretty much nobody
A d-line with its best player going to Oakland about a week before game 1

Yes, it's stunning that anyone would think this team would be less than 16-0 and would dare to rate last year's Super Bowl champions above it.

No Hobbs!!!!:singing: We're doomed!!!

You obviously believe you are one step ahead of the rest of us here, so what's your best guess on the Pats record this year?

 

[Deus Irae]

Umm, who was behind them last year when they went 11-5 without Brady?

How was the schedule last year when they went 11-5 without Brady?


Neither player got injured last year when they went 11-5 without Brady. The cushion player was Meriweather, since Rodney and Sanders were the starters. There's not a Meriweather ready to fill in if someone goes down right now.

 

[Deus Irae]

No Hobbs!!!!:singing: We're doomed!!!

You obviously believe you are one step ahead of the rest of us here, so what's your best guess on the Pats record this year?

My unwillingness to berate and insult Clayton for daring to put the Patriots at 10-6 and behind the Steelers under the circumstances does not mean either that I agree with him or that I think I'm one step ahead of the rest of you here. It's a preseason prediction, for crying out loud.