Pats 2014 Schedule

[patfanken]

In the last 11 years, the Patriots have won
16 once
14 3 times
13 once
12 3 times
11 once
10 twice

How can you consider 11 excellent and 10 OK?
The worst year since 2002 would be OK? The second worst excellent?

I'm funny that way AJ. I'm generally very optimistic about players, thinking more about why they'll succeed than why they'll fail. However when it comes to the actual games, I revert back to my coaching days, when all you could think about was, "what could go wrong".

One of the best things about this game is generally how close teams are in actual talent on the field. Like I've said many times, EVERYONE who makes an NFL roster, from 1-53, is an extremely competitive, well trained, dedicated, superior athlete. The athletic gradations at that level between players, IMO, are much thinner than most think, and even thinner if you exclude the QB position.

There was an old adage that if you break down a game after the fact, you can generally pick 5 plays that would have changed the results if they had come out differently. Football is a strange game. the wrong bounce, or bad call, and everything changes. Every time we play Buffalo, I can see all the scenarios where they can win, even though they beaten us only 2 or 3 times in the last 13 years (IIRC). Think about the many times they have come so close. That's why even the worst teams win a couple of game, and play close in several more.

Its a funny game AJ, teams with playoff talent can go 2-14 like the Texans, and Teams who are perceived to have "bad talent" like the 2001 Pats or the 2013 Jets can win a superbowl or go 8-8 respectively. And football coaches are even funnier. There is no player that they think they can't make better. Yet they are wired to expect the worst in every game, and then spend a week preparing for it.

In the end, if the last decade has taught us anything, getting to the playoffs is all that matters. Once there, anything can happen if you get a few breaks. The Ravens and Giants have taught us you don't even have to be hot in December to win it all. Both those teams where limping badly going into the playoffs. So while I'd much rather be the #1 seed, with a bye and home field all through the playoffs; if 10-6 gets us into the playoffs relatively healthy, I'm good with it.

 

[JMC00]

It seems many fans expect this to be about the worst Patriot team in a decade, and declining from the last 4 years.

Ya I've noticed this.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm funny that way AJ. I'm generally very optimistic about players, thinking more about why they'll succeed than why they'll fail. However when it comes to the actual games, I revert back to my coaching days, when all you could think about was, "what could go wrong".

One of the best things about this game is generally how close teams are in actual talent on the field. Like I've said many times, EVERYONE who makes an NFL roster, from 1-53, is an extremely competitive, well trained, dedicated, superior athlete. The athletic gradations at that level between players, IMO, are much thinner than most think, and even thinner if you exclude the QB position.

There was an old adage that if you break down a game after the fact, you can generally pick 5 plays that would have changed the results if they had come out differently. Football is a strange game. the wrong bounce, or bad call, and everything changes. Every time we play Buffalo, I can see all the scenarios where they can win, even though they beaten us only 2 or 3 times in the last 13 years (IIRC). Think about the many times they have come so close. That's why even the worst teams win a couple of game, and play close in several more.

Its a funny game AJ, teams with playoff talent can go 2-14 like the Texans, and Teams who are perceived to have "bad talent" like the 2001 Pats or the 2013 Jets can win a superbowl or go 8-8 respectively. And football coaches are even funnier. There is no player that they think they can't make better. Yet they are wired to expect the worst in every game, and then spend a week preparing for it.

In the end, if the last decade has taught us anything, getting to the playoffs is all that matters. Once there, anything can happen if you get a few breaks. The Ravens and Giants have taught us you don't even have to be hot in December to win it all. Both those teams where limping badly going into the playoffs. So while I'd much rather be the #1 seed, with a bye and home field all through the playoffs; if 10-6 gets us into the playoffs relatively healthy, I'm good with it.

I can understand being cautious.
I don't understand how you can be happy with a season that would be one of the worst the BB Pats have ever had.

Going 10-6 may have us out of the playoffs, or as a wild card going on the road. I can't imagine being happy with that, and the 'relatively healthy' is something you added later and is no guarantee. Health is more likely to be a problem if we tank to 10-6 than if the team plays to its ability.

If you said winning a SB regardless of the regular season record would make you happy, I would agree but to be happy for the team to take a major step back when we are expecting a step forward that could lead to a SB win, just makes no sense to me.

Its like saying after all of these years of great play from Brady you would be happy with him being a little better than average because football is a funny game and playing QB is hard.

 

[stumeister]

I expect a fart or two somewhere during the season. My prediction is 14-2 in the regular season with loss's to the Denver Donkey's as we maybe beat up just before the bye and a heart breaking loss to the Green Bay Fudge Packers.

We will get revenge against the donkey's in the playoff's

 

[pctronics0072]

Losses against Bengals, jets/fins, and Chargers. (assuming Gronk playing against Donks and packers)

While we do have a secondary that is greatly improved this year, I see Packers coming down to a shootout and we need Gronk to be able to compete with ARod's weapons.

I see us having IND's number based on the last 3 games.

 

[Joker]

 

[Patjew]

The Pittsburgh debacle notwithstanding, no team is better prepared for weather—whatever it might be—than New England.

What was the Pittsburgh debacle?

 

[Patjew]

Damn. Looks like I'm only going to Miami. I was hoping San Diego would come in September or early October since I'll be going to California for five days around then. That said, the bye between Denver and Indy is nice. Those are going to be two tough weeks. On top of that, we should be able to at least go 3-1, if not 4-0, until Browner gets back. I'm looking forward to the Packers game the most as there should be some playoff ramifications on both sides for that bad boy.

I'm probably going to the Miami game too. See you there, I hope.

 

[Patjew]

When is the election? Unless you are running against BB, Brady, Warren Buffet or Patjew you have my vote.

Thank you for your support!

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm probably going to the Miami game too. See you there, I hope.

Absolutely man. I'll definitely get into contact with you before the game. I might have Kontra Sr. going with me as well as some cousins (who are Dolphins fans, unfortunately for them).

 

[ripatsfan91]

With a way early prediction, I am gonna say 14-2 best case and 10-6 worst case. We ll probably go 13-3 again or 12-4.

 

[italian pat patriot]

i am thinking if i could come to Foxboro for two games...CHI + DEN...
my wife looks not so happy about my thinking...

 

[tasmlab]

Why is Murray Rothbard on the schedule video preview on Patriots.com?

Besides about 2-3 games, this looks like an easy schedule for just about any squad the Patriots have fielded in the last 13 years. And even those 2-3 don't look bad.

 

[goheels22002]

Patriots 2014 Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 7 at Miami, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 14 at Minnesota, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. Oakland, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Monday, Sept. 29 at Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday, Oct. 5 vs. Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Oct. 12 at Buffalo, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Thursday, Oct. 16 vs. New York Jets, 8:25 p.m. (CBS, NFL Network)
Sunday, Oct. 26 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 2 vs. Denver, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 9 bye week
Sunday, Nov. 16 at Indianapolis, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Nov. 23 vs. Detroit, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 30 at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 7 at San Diego, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Dec. 14 vs. Miami, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 21 at New York Jets, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 28 vs. Buffalo, 1 p.m. (CBS)

As a fan, I like this schedule a lot. Opening up with three very winnable games is great, all on Sunday at 1 p.m. At KC on Monday night should be fun and a measuring stick at the quarter pole. (KC got screwed right there with Denver-Miami-New England-49ers in consecutive weeks.)

Cincinnati at home on Sunday night is payback time for that debacle last year in the friggin' hurricane. The Pats should be 6-2 or 7-1 by the time the Forehead and Welker show up for the late game on November 2, 2014. The bye before Indy is a gift, as is the finish with the AFC East hosers.

Some sort of meltdown will be underway in Miami and with the Jets by those December games. I wonder if Rex will still be the coach. Buffalo at home on the last day of the season is the annual "Try Not to Get Hurt Bowl" as the Bills count down the seconds so they can get to their cars and drive south to play golf.

Looks like 12-4 or 13-3 with the hiccups being Green Bay and San Diego on the road, Chicago at home, and one inexplicable loss along the way. (Boy, I wish Norv was still coaching not to lose in San Diego.)

 

[Deus Irae]

Miami and the Jets each beat the Patriots last season, and the Bills had the lead against the Patriots in week one, until the last 9 seconds of the 4th quarter.

Some of you might want to hold off on counting all those chickens on the schedule.

 

[jah]

Ballsy prediction that after losing 13 division games in 11 years and just 4 in the last 4 years, you expect 3 division losses this year.
It seems many fans expect this to be about the worst Patriot team in a decade, and declining from the last 4 years.
I thought they had improved.

Putting words in other people's mouths is fun. Maybe I think the other 3 AFC East teams could improve or already have?

 

[JMC00]

Miami and the Jets each beat the Patriots last season, and the Bills had the lead against the Patriots in week one, until the last 9 seconds of the 4th quarter.

Some of you might want to hold off on counting all those chickens on the schedule.

Ya that was last year, season is over.

I go into every new season expecting the Pats to sweep the division because I despise the 3 other teams. If they beat the Pats good for them but up until the game is lost I expect the Pats to beat the other 3 teams in the division.

 

[patfanken]

I can understand being cautious.
I don't understand how you can be happy with a season that would be one of the worst the BB Pats have ever had.

Going 10-6 may have us out of the playoffs, or as a wild card going on the road. I can't imagine being happy with that, and the 'relatively healthy' is something you added later and is no guarantee. Health is more likely to be a problem if we tank to 10-6 than if the team plays to its ability.

If you said winning a SB regardless of the regular season record would make you happy, I would agree but to be happy for the team to take a major step back when we are expecting a step forward that could lead to a SB win, just makes no sense to me.

Its like saying after all of these years of great play from Brady you would be happy with him being a little better than average because football is a funny game and playing QB is hard.

Still don't get it, do you.

First there is a big difference between being "happy" with just getting into the playoffs with a 10-6 record and being OK with it. The only thing that matters in the regular season is being good enough to get into the playoffs. I'm OK with being 10-6 and in the tourney, even though I'd be happier to be 13-3 and have a first round bye (you see I too have a "keen sense of the obvious" )

Second, no one here has been more optimistic about what the Pats have been doing this off season. They are very much improved over the team that finished the season. Just by getting back the injured improves us greatly. Having so many rookies who played significant snaps as rookies (9) should improve us further as they enter their 2nd year. Now add the FA's and the pot starts to boil over. AND if they have a great draft, they will have made a big leap over even that lofty estimation.

However even if they are vastly improved "on paper", there is still the matter of playing the games, and they are all too uncertain to be cavalier about assuming 12-14 wins. Besides, every team is going to improve this off season. Every team has reason for hope at this time of the year. 28 teams will all be picking ahead of us, and over 96% of this VERY talented draft are going wind up playing against us.

Never forget how slim the margin is between victory and defeat in the NFL. So even if we do improve as much we hope, the VAST majority of our games this season are still likely to be decided by around a TD, and subject to all kinds of possible bounces, calls, and assorted bad luck.

3. Finally we have to face the reality, that it truly is Superbowl or bust with this franchise. What the that 2013 accomplished despite all the adversity was truly remarkable. BB was very proud of them, and so was I. Yet we all know that the end of the season ended with a bitter, bitter taste in our mouths.

Think about it. A better spot in the 2006 AFCCG, and we likely win a superbowl. Any one of about a dozen plays change or even if Steven Neal doesn't go down the first series in 2007, we win a superbowl. The same in 2011. If Gronk was healthy. If we fall on just ONE of the 4 Giant fumbles. If Welker makes the catch. Just one of them, and we win in 2011.

That's another 4 titles and none of us would be feeling the frustration we feel now. Literally 4 plays, and there would be 4 more titles. But the fact is that when we won the first 3, we somehow "got" those plays/calls/bounces.

Only about once in a generation does a team like the 85 Bears blow through the league and win dominantly. Now more than every, you need some luck to win it all. But it DOES take skill, perseverance, good planning and expertise to get to the playoffs.

Bottom like whether its 10-6 or 13-3 or somewhere in between. Just get me to the dance. Get me there with a bye and I'll be even happier

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I go into every new season expecting the Pats to sweep the division because I despise the 3 other teams. If they beat the Pats good for them but up until the game is lost I expect the Pats to beat the other 3 teams in the division.

I always say they will lose 1 in the division just based on ****ty luck. Plus i don't play the games so...16-0

 

[CelticPatriot]

Week 1: at Dolphins - W
Week 2: at Vikings - W
Week 3: vs. Raiders - W
Week 4: at Chiefs - W
Week 5: vs. Bengals - W
Week 6: at Bills - W
Week 7: vs. Jets - W
Week 8: vs. Bears - W
Week 9: vs. Broncos - W
Week 10: Bye week -
Week 11: at Colts - W
Week 12: vs. Lions - W
Week 13: at Packers - L
Week 14: at Chargers - L
Week 15: vs. Dolphins - W
Week 16: at Jets - W
Week 17: vs. Bills - W

We can will all the games, if they were one offs, I'd say we beat Chargers and Pack, but I had to pick some games to lose, and we don't lose at home. The Dolphins/Vikes/Chiefs/Bills all suck and we seem to have Luck's number.