Next 3 games are huge now

[PATS16N0]

Yeah, and it's not just the stadium. It's the travel that's a big part of it too.

What would you rather do? Get out of your own bed and jump in your car and drive 45 minutes to your own stadium to play the AFCCG, or would you rather get on a plane, fly across the country, check into a hotel, etc, and play some where else?

Home field is huge for us.

 

[patchick]

I just have to say, this is all a little unreal to me. We're seriously talking about a potential #1 seed? For this team? A team that has lost all of its best players not named Brady? A team that has seen the middle of its defense gutted, losing all 3 of its top DTs and the star MLB who directs the action? A team that's plugging in street FAs and day-3 rookies at receiver? Seriously?

Bill Belichick isn't just a coach, he's a necromancer.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Bill Belichick isn't just a coach, he's a necromancer.

I agree, it makes no sense. He can't draft talent and is too cheap to pay good free agents. Oh yeah, and they hate their coach.

or

Maybe people (not us here, but them out there) may start to realize how scary and brilliant this man really is. People keep waiting for the shoe to drop and the Patriots to take a visit to the cellar, but they really will have to wait for BB to retire to even have a hope we play bad ball.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

pats get #1...road to SB is much MUCH easier...#2...tough becasue they would probably have to go to denver and beat the refs

3 or 4 seed? forget about the SB

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

as the pats would say..1 at a time...if they don't beat MIA..then this talk of #1 goes out the door. If cincy wins next week and we lose to MIA...then we may not even get a bye which would be the end of this team


Just take care of your own business please.

 

[supafly]

Aside from whoever limps into the 6th seed, the Chiefs will be the easiest opponent.
Playing the AFCCG away is a huge disadvantage even if 'you know' we can win there.

I agree with you entirely, Andy.

I see KC as an overrated opponent myself. I'm not sure why so many are calling them "the most complete team in the AFC?" They had a great first half of the season, but their defensive scoring and special teams scoring was also contributing at a rate of almost a full TD per game. That means that those "23-24 offensive scoring average" numbers that so many were throwing around was actually much closer to a reality of 18-19 (assuming about 5 pts per game from ST/D scoring).

Once the ST/D scoring dried up a bit, they quickly came down to earth again.

I would think that the plan would be to stop the run with Charles, keep a safety over the top for Bowe, and go from there. As far as their defense, we've been facing tough defenses for quite awhile now on a pretty consistent level. They Chiefs are tough, but a much different team away from Arrowhead.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

as the pats would say..1 at a time...if they don't beat MIA..then this talk of #1 goes out the door. If cincy wins next week and we lose to MIA...then we may not even get a bye which would be the end of this team


Just take care of your own business please.

Yep, they will need to be focused more than ever these next 21 days.

 

[PATRlOT]

Honestly, winning these next 3 games is going to be HARD. (Bills not so much but the Phins and Ravens)

Not only that, but to win the next 3 AFTER THAT.

Man...

I know.... 1 at a time..

 

[FourierSeries]

pats get #1...road to SB is much MUCH easier...#2...tough becasue they would probably have to go to denver and beat the refs

3 or 4 seed? forget about the SB

I prefer having the #1 seed, but if we had to play the Broncos in Denver there is no doubt in my mind we could beat them. Other teams like Cincy ...I'd be more worried about.

 

[Dingleberry]

Regarding #1 seed vs #2 seed:

Forcing Peyton to come to Foxboro is a no-brainer over trying to win in Denver. It's not even a question.

If being a #1 seed results in losing to the Chiefs or the Ravens, then it wasn't going to happen anyway.

Quite frankly, I think the #1 seed will end up getting the #6 seed (Baltimore, Miami, SD will beat Cincy as #3 seed). If not, the winner of KC/Indy doesn't worry me to the point of wanting the #2 seed.

 

[Bonzo]

Definitely prefer to take our shot with the #1, especially considering the way this team has played on the road. Don't really care which teams we draw -- Pats don't have the horses to clobber anybody, and likewise don't think any of the other teams in the AFC are good enough to throttle the Pats.

That said, to knock off both MIA and BAL on the road back-to-back will prove a serious challenge.

 

[obgod3]

I think you have to hope for the #1 seed, why not, it is always best to play at home.

But I don't think it is going to happen, I think they end up #2. I think the bengals drop at least one. Probably to the steelers and then depending on if the ravens are still fighting for a spot the bengals could drop two. But I do think the bengals will be tough in the playoffs.

I want the pats to run the table but don't know if it will happen. I don't like the game this week or next week. The ravens are going to be fighting for a position in their own house and the ravens are kryptonite to the pats. Miami can't really can't afford to lose any game. But then again I think Brady and team does listen to the media and they are being told they have no shot. sounds like 2001 to me. No matter what BB says in public they know they have to win out and know the importance of the number one seed. That's a tough pats team to beat when they have a chip on their shoulder.

So if they lose a game or two or win all of them I won't be surprised,

I still don't know if the SB is a good idea. I don't see anyone beating Seattle if they get that far.

 

[Brady6]

With denver losing..all we gotta do is win out and we have #1 seed.

We are getting 110% of effort from MIA and Balt as they are fighting for the playoffs. And they are on the road...going to be a wild finish i think

Thanks for the chance denver

I would love the #1 seed but honestly my only concern over the next 3 weeks is not to have any more catastrophic injuries, if that means we enter the playoffs as the 6th seed I don’t care.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm not saying that the Patriots are sure bets to win out, because they're clearly not. However, reading this thread makes me wonder:

Are people here not aware of how successful this team has been in December, over the years? They're 21-2 since the undefeated season.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I'm not saying that the Patriots are sure bets to win out, because they're clearly not. However, reading this thread makes me wonder:

Are people here not aware of how successful this team has been in December, over the years? They're 21-2 since the undefeated season.

DI, during our well known December performance, is there a season/example where we performed so poorly in our December wins?? 2013, two December games, two lower tier teams, two by the skin of our teeth-looking highly vulnerable wins.
If there are other season's examples of this kind of lackluster play I'm not aware of it. But, ultimately, if there are then I'll buy into this December will, likely, be like other Decembers. However, if this December is unique in the level of play, I think great concern about our ability to win three games in a row is well founded. I'm not saying we can't, I'm saying it's more tenuous than Decembers past..

 

[Archeryaddict12]

DI, during our well known December performance, is there a season/example where we performed so poorly in our December wins?? 2013, two December games, two lower tier teams, two by the skin of our teeth-looking highly vulnerable wins.
If there are other season's examples of this kind of lackluster play I'm not aware of it. But, ultimately, if there are then I'll buy into this December will, likely, be like other Decembers. However, if this December is unique in the level of play, I think great concern about our ability to win three games in a row is well founded. I'm not saying we can't, I'm saying it's more tenuous than Decembers past..

Jags last year we barely beat, the phins played us tough in MIA also (23-16). In 2011, dolphins played us till the end, same with the redskins.

 

[Deus Irae]

DI, during our well known December performance, is there a season/example where we performed so poorly in our December wins?? 2013, two December games, two lower tier teams, two by the skin of our teeth-looking highly vulnerable wins.
If there are other season's examples of this kind of lackluster play I'm not aware of it. But, ultimately, if there are then I'll buy into it this December will, likely, be like other Decembers. However, if this December is unique in the level of play, I think great concern about our ability to win three games in a row is well founded. I'm not saying we can't, I'm saying it's real tenuous.

Just look at the last two seasons.

2012: 23-16 against Jacksonville (2-14), in a game the Jags led after 1 quarter and was tied at the half

2011: 27-24 against Miami (6-10), in a game the Patriots trailed 17-0 at the half, to go along with a 34-27 win against a 5-11 Redskins team (tied at the half) and a 49-21 win against the Bills (6-10) that began with the Bills sporting a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter

 

[supafly]

I'm not saying that the Patriots are sure bets to win out, because they're clearly not. However, reading this thread makes me wonder:

Are people here not aware of how successful this team has been in December, over the years? They're 21-2 since the undefeated season.

The consistent success that they have had from Thanksgiving on is just brilliant. Some of these streaks, records, and accomplishments are actually difficult to even imagine when you stand back and attempt to admire them. It's simply amazing.

The combination of a defense that has given up an average of 27+ pts in its last 8 games (after the wonderful first 5 games of course), and the loss of our best offensive weapon outside of Brady is likely the concern for this particular year; or at least it is for me anyway.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Just look at the last two seasons.

2012: 23-16 against Jacksonville (2-14), in a game the Jags led after 1 quarter and was tied at the half

2011: 27-24 against Miami (6-10), in a game the Patriots trailed 17-0 at the half, to go along with a 34-27 win against a 5-11 Redskins team (tied at the half) and a 49-21 win against the Bills (6-10) that began with the Bills sporting a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter

Fair enough. You and ArcheryA gave good, applicable examples. While I still suspect, a bit, this year's weakness is more critical than these past years, the examples definitely buoy my outlook on the next three games.
Thanks gentlemen.....

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Fair enough. You and ArcheryA gave good, applicable examples. While I still suspect, a bit, this year's weakness is more critical than these past years, the examples definitely buoy my outlook on the next three games.
Thanks gentlemen.....

One thing I would add, in 2012 we didn't have gronk involved until the last game. So we know how to win without him. Just think the offense has to go more wr based because we won't have gronk coming back.