Last 3 in 2014...

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Our record in December in recent past has been great.

We have three division games left to close out the season and since the bandwagon is crowded again, like it always is this time of year, I was wondering who we all think our biggest test is out of the remaining 3.

Some analysts are locking us into HFA for the playoffs, but these division games are tough on us like they are for all divisional teams.

I think the toughest test for us is gonna be against the jets in NYC, as absurd as that sounds. Lets be frank, this is their Superbowl for this year and they are gonna be jacked to play spoiler. We got Miami at home and they are having trouble in the red-zone this year, with our red-zone defense we should be able to get by them. Buffalo at home should be another W. Those Jets though, they are 7th in total defense.

My point: one week at a time but that week 16 game is going to be tougher than everyone thinks...

 

[Kontradiction]

Miami. They're the most talented team and they just lost a tough one at home. The defense will probably feature a lot of soft zone looks since that's the (terrified) way in which we play mobile quarterbacks. This should be a tough, but still winnable game. After that, Buffalo then the Jets.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't get why people think the Jets are a team that can beat the Pats. They have lost 11 games this year and one of their two wins was against another team with 11 losses. Other than the "This is the Jets' Super Bowl" and "The Jets play the Pats' tough", I have not seen a legitimate argument on how the Jets will even make this game competitive. Personally, I think the Jets have packed it in.

And we may be seeing a lot of Jimmy Garoppolo in the Buffalo game if the Pats win their next two and the Broncos lose at least one of the next two. The Buffalo game would be irrelevant at that point since the Pats would have locked up HFA in that scenario.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Aside from winning and keeping the main guys healthy, my biggest hope for these games is to see Gray more involved in the run game. I really think he has been our best runner this season, even compared to a healthy Ridley in the first half, and his snaps/carries should reflect that. I like Blount but sometimes it's very difficult for him to get going and actually pose a threat like Gray can. Having him in there would open up alot in terms of play action as well. He seems to be saying all the right things in media so hopefully there is not something bigger going on behind the scenes, otherwise it's been detrimental to the offense IMO not having him in there.

 

[Sicilian]

Miami. They're the most talented team and they just lost a tough one at home. The defense will probably feature a lot of soft zone looks since that's the (terrified) way in which we play mobile quarterbacks. This should be a tough, but still winnable game. After that, Buffalo then the Jets.

You say terrified, I say smart. Also, we're so timid against Miami that last year we sacked Tannehill 10 times in two games. The opener in the Miami heat was an aberration. I expect us to win comfortably.

 

[Ring 6]

Our record in December in recent past has been great.

We have three division games left to close out the season and since the bandwagon is crowded again, like it always is this time of year, I was wondering who we all think our biggest test is out of the remaining 3.

Some analysts are locking us into HFA for the playoffs, but these division games are tough on us like they are for all divisional teams.

I think the toughest test for us is gonna be against the jets in NYC, as absurd as that sounds. Lets be frank, this is their Superbowl for this year and they are gonna be jacked to play spoiler. We got Miami at home and they are having trouble in the red-zone this year, with our red-zone defense we should be able to get by them. Buffalo at home should be another W. Those Jets though, they are 7th in total defense.

My point: one week at a time but that week 16 game is going to be tougher than everyone thinks...

The Jets stink.

 

[PatCat]

All three play us tough but I say at this point we win each going away. To much at stake

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't get why people think the Jets are a team that can beat the Pats.

Well, I think emotions always run high Jets vs Pats, their 1st meeting was too close for comfort.

They have lost 11 games this year and one of their two wins was against another team with 11 losses. Other than the "This is the Jets' Super Bowl" and "The Jets play the Pats' tough", I have not seen a legitimate argument on how the Jets will even make this game competitive. Personally, I think the Jets have packed it in.

Even though they were blown out vs BUF, the beat the Steelers, lost a tough one to MIA and MIN last week. They are still playing for Rex. Defensively they are good vs the run and their pass is average. Offensively I do not expect them to run or pass as well as they did in Foxboro.

And we may be seeing a lot of Jimmy Garoppolo in the Buffalo game if the Pats win their next two and the Broncos lose at least one of the next two. The Buffalo game would be irrelevant at that point since the Pats would have locked up HFA in that scenario.

DEN has it's hands full vs @SD and @Cinci. They could lose those two games.

I have no issue seeing Grapes in a game.

 

[goheels22002]

I don't see Miami as a huge test at Gillette. Miami is the AFC East clincher. The Patriots want to achieve their first objective of repeating as division champs, and there is a huge motivating factor of revenge for Week 1. I expect the Patriots to stomp the Dolphins. Tannehill is 6th in the NFL in being sacked with 34 - more than 2.5 times per game including 6 sacks last week against Baltimore. The way the Patriots are getting to the opposing quarterback right now, they 'll get to Tannehill plenty.

The Dolphins just put S Louis Delmas on IR joining three other DBs on IR. Their two starting CBs are injured as well, even though they are still on the active roster- Cortland Finnegan and Jamar Taylor. http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...-Reserve/c44761f4-ca35-43eb-8c99-32fc82af6e4a They're a mess.

The Jets in NY? If they lose to the Titans, they are the leaders in the clubhouse for the QB from Oregon - Mariota. We may see the third stringers starting so that the Jets stay in the top three in draft position. Those guys are all looking over their shoulder , they don't have a quarterback, and they suck. Biggest issue in NY is keeping everybody healthy. Rex is a dead man walking: http://nypost.com/2014/12/08/jets-rewind-rexs-scouting-report-of-woody-johnson-says-it-all/

The Bills in week 17? They'll have their bags packed and counting down the minutes to catch the next plane to someplace warm with a golf course. That game may not matter and might look like a pre-season game. Garoppollo may get his first NFL start.

 

[Kontradiction]

You say terrified, I say smart. Also, we're so timid against Miami that last year we sacked Tannehill 10 times in two games. The opener in the Miami heat was an aberration. I expect us to win comfortably.

It's a scared game plan that has us dropping our last two to Miami and nearly cost us the game against the Jets... with Geno Smith at quarterback. I would much rather see man to man on the outside with a spy dedicated to Tannehill. The Dolphins don't have enough weapons to beat that. But instead, we'll stay in a soft zone, let Tannehill and his receivers get into a rhythm, and probably have to hang on at the end. Because, you know, he might make a couple of plays here and there with his feet.

 

[Sicilian]

It's a scared game plan that has us dropping our last two to Miami and nearly cost us the game against the Jets... with Geno Smith at quarterback. I would much rather see man to man on the outside with a spy dedicated to Tannehill. The Dolphins don't have enough weapons to beat that. But instead, we'll stay in a soft zone, let Tannehill and his receivers get into a rhythm, and probably have to hang on at the end. Because, you know, he might make a couple of plays here and there with his feet.

And that "scared" gameplan held a Packers offense that was scoring 40+ points at home to 26. Again, you say scared, I say smart.

 

[Kontradiction]

And that "scared" gameplan held a Packers offense that was scoring 40+ points at home to 26. Again, you say scared, I say smart.

I wasn't going to use that example given how recent it is, but that gameplan only guaranteed that the Pats died by 1,000 papercuts. Any defensive game plan that forces one punt for the entirety of the game and doesn't hold until the opponent is in the red zone (thereby chewing up T.O.P. and taking opportunities away from an offense that desperately needed them) is a **** one. The difference here is that Green Bay has enough weapons to make you pay for dedicating a spy to Rodgers. The Dolphins and the Jets do not. Why we continue to play the latter two like that is absolutely beyond me.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The Bills in week 17? They'll have their bags packed and counting down the minutes to catch the next plane to someplace warm with a golf course. That game may not matter and might look like a pre-season game. Garoppollo may get his first NFL start.

If Brady is healthy, Garoppolo has a better chance of wooing away Gisele than he does of starting.

 

[Sicilian]

I wasn't going to use that example given how recent it is, but that gameplan only guaranteed that the Pats died by 1,000 papercuts. Any defensive game plan that forces one punt for the entirety of the game and doesn't hold until the opponent is in the red zone (thereby chewing up T.O.P. and taking opportunities away from an offense that desperately needed them) is a **** one. The difference here is that Green Bay has enough weapons to make you pay for dedicating a spy to Rodgers. The Dolphins and the Jets do not. Why we continue to play the latter two like that is absolutely beyond me.

And if Gronk catches the TD or there isn't a completely blown coverage on one play in the first half, the Pats don't die at all. I guess we'll just agree to disagree. In today's NFL, against an offense that is rolling like Green Bay's, there isn't a gameplan on Earth that's going to shut them down. What the Pats did was the next best thing, they just missed on a couple plays.

 

[Kontradiction]

And if Gronk catches the TD or there isn't a completely blown coverage on one play in the first half, the Pats don't die at all. I guess we'll just agree to disagree. In today's NFL, against an offense that is rolling like Green Bay's, there isn't a gameplan on Earth that's going to shut them down. What the Pats did was the next best thing, they just missed on a couple plays.

Truth be told, and I said as much last week, I really didn't despise that game plan for the Packers the way I normally do. Normally, I see red when we roll that out but Green Bay is a different animal. There's just way too many weapons on the offensive side of the ball to give them an advantage in the numbers game by dedicating a spy to Rodgers. You either have to live with plays off the edge, which are lethal with them, or do what the Pats did and hope you can keep Rodgers in the pocket (which they did) while also being able to knock him off his spot enough to stall a few drives (which they did not). So my primary complaint about that style should not be directed at the Packers game. But for the Dolphins and the Jets? Two teams without the firepower to make you pay dearly for leaving a spy on the quarterback and playing man to man on the outside? I can't stand that. If we lose one of them because we deploy this **** game plan and lose the #1 seed in the process, I may punch and infant square in the face.

 

[Oswlek]

Miami. They're the most talented team and they just lost a tough one at home. The defense will probably feature a lot of soft zone looks since that's the (terrified) way in which we play mobile quarterbacks. This should be a tough, but still winnable game. After that, Buffalo then the Jets.

Did they do soft zone against Rodgers?

The Jet game was on a short week, with zero DL depth and having just lost Mayo. I wouldn't consider it predictive at all. Obviously Bill has a precedent that goes beyond just the Jet game, but those are generally the first time they play and/or early in the season.

 

[Kontradiction]

Did they do soft zone against Rodgers?

The Jet game was on a short week, with zero DL depth and having just lost Mayo. I wouldn't consider it predictive at all. Obviously Bill has a precedent that goes beyond just the Jet game, but those are generally the first time they play and/or early in the season.

They employed zone more than they should have, at least IMO, but it wasn't nearly as much as they had against Miami in Week 1 or against the Jets. At least not as much as I could tell. Another reason I really can't bring myself to despise that game plan and didn't bring it up in my earlier critiques in this thread.

 

[Rob0729]

Well, I think emotions always run high Jets vs Pats, their 1st meeting was too close for comfort.

We see this every year with the Jets. The first game is always a slugfest and the second game is always a blowout with the Pats usually on the winning end. And the first game was about 6 losses ago for the Jets.

Even though they were blown out vs BUF, the beat the Steelers, lost a tough one to MIA and MIN last week. They are still playing for Rex. Defensively they are good vs the run and their pass is average. Offensively I do not expect them to run or pass as well as they did in Foxboro.

But they have no heart and lose in the end. And they don't have talent especially if they lost Harvin.

DEN has it's hands full vs @SD and @Cinci. They could lose those two games.

I agree and I will go as far to say they lose at least one.

I have no issue seeing Grapes in a game.

As long as the Pats have the game locked up or HFA locked up, I agree.

 

[Oswlek]

They employed zone more than they should have, at least IMO, but it wasn't nearly as much as they had against Miami in Week 1 or against the Jets. At least not as much as I could tell. Another reason I really can't bring myself to despise that game plan and didn't bring it up in my earlier critiques in this thread.

That was my impression as well, which supports my (anecdotal) impression that Bill's vanilla game plans tend to be earlier in the year. I fully expect to see lots more M2M against both Miami and NY this time around.

 

[1960Pats]

I don't get why people think the Jets are a team that can beat the Pats. They have lost 11 games this year and one of their two wins was against another team with 11 losses. Other than the "This is the Jets' Super Bowl" and "The Jets play the Pats' tough", I have not seen a legitimate argument on how the Jets will even make this game competitive. Personally, I think the Jets have packed it in.

And we may be seeing a lot of Jimmy Garoppolo in the Buffalo game if the Pats win their next two and the Broncos lose at least one of the next two. The Buffalo game would be irrelevant at that point since the Pats would have locked up HFA in that scenario.

I remember a home game about a month and half ago where we barely got by the Jets 27-25. How did they make that one competitive?