Remaining Schedule

[BelichickFan]

It's shaping up nicely.

Washington
@Indy
BYE
@Buffalo
Philly (Sunday Night)
@Bal (MNF)
Pitt
Jest
Miami
@NYG (Saturday Night)

The only thing I don't like is playing Pittsburgh on a short week after @ Baltimore.

We have only one more back to back road game and that's not a real one as the bye is in between.

After those two away games, of our last 6 games only 2 are on the road. Heading into the playoffs we'll be coming off 3 out of 4 home games with the road game being a short trip to NY. Assuming we get a bye we will be very well rested.

Remember last year we had two straight road games to end the season, no bye and two road playoff games. This year looks a LOT better. If we have to play @ Indy in the AFCCG we should be coming off a one road game in the last three of the regular season, a bye and a home divisional game.

Yes that's looking WAY too far ahead but the schedule looks a lot more favorable this year.

 

[Satchboogie3]

If we beat Indy, we will go undefeated.

 

[Seymour93]

I predicted that we would lose to NYG before the season, due to us already having home field and them fighting for a playoff spot in all likelihood. However if we're 15-0 going into the Giants game, BB being the student of history that he is, I'm thinking that we give our all in this game which would equal a win for us.

People give us grief for our schedule, but Pittsburgh have had an easier one by far. Their only road win was Week 1 against Charlie Frye-led Browns. They beat the terrible 49ers and Bills at home, and also defeated the Seahawks who've never been good on the road.

 

[BelichickFan]

I predicted that we would lose to NYG before the season, due to us already having home field and them fighting for a playoff spot in all likelihood. However if we're 15-0 going into the Giants game, BB being the student of history that he is, I'm thinking that we give our all in this game which would equal a win for us.

Agreed for two reasons :

1) The reason you gave - if we're lucky enough to be in that position, Belichick wouldn't pass up on it.

2) We'd be getting a bye and Belichick wouldn't want his starters sitting for two weeks.

bonus 3) Belichick putting up the middle finger to all the haters.

I'm just happy, though, that we're set up for at worst, IMO, 2 losses and that we should be in good shape heading into the playoffs.

 

[richpats]

I remember the media universally claiming the Pats' schedule was one of, if not THE toughest in the league before the season.

 

[PatSunday]

I remember the media universally claiming the Pats' schedule was one of, if not THE toughest in the league before the season.

It always is. But near the end of the season, everybody realizes that NYJ, BUF, PIT, MIA, and IND play us twice a year, while we never play ourselves. Therefore, with us getting +1 W and giving a +1 L to these and other opponents nearly every time, we make their schedules more difficult while making ours easier.

Another aspect is that there are always 12 teams who play us at least once, which is about a third of the league. This third of the league have been 5 to 17 point underdogs in every game against us for 4 or 5 years now. This helps increase the W-L record of the opponents of a third of the NFL, making their schedules look more difficult. We never face such a dominant team!

Finally, a third of the matchups every week are between two NFC teams, and that's self explanatory.

 

[patsgo]

It's shaping up nicely.

Washington
@Indy
BYE
@Buffalo
Philly (Sunday Night)
@Bal (MNF)
Pitt
Jest
Miami
@NYG (Saturday Night)

The only thing I don't like is playing Pittsburgh on a short week after @ Baltimore.

We have only one more back to back road game and that's not a real one as the bye is in between.

After those two away games, of our last 6 games only 2 are on the road. Heading into the playoffs we'll be coming off 3 out of 4 home games with the road game being a short trip to NY. Assuming we get a bye we will be very well rested.

Remember last year we had two straight road games to end the season, no bye and two road playoff games. This year looks a LOT better. If we have to play @ Indy in the AFCCG we should be coming off a one road game in the last three of the regular season, a bye and a home divisional game.

Yes that's looking WAY too far ahead but the schedule looks a lot more favorable this year.

baltimore is no fear, if buffalo beat them, we walk, the only loss i see is the final, when the scrubs are playing the giants

 

[Satchboogie3]

The Bills... Your kiding (I hope).

 

[Ring 6]

No I wasn't joking...just wait.

This matchup's been moved to primetime for a reason.

Yes it has, but unfortunately for you its because America wants to see the Patriots score 50.
It would have been moved to prime time NO MATTER WHO THE PATRIOTS WERE PLAYING.
In other words, the Patriots were moved to primetime, and the Bills came along for the ride.

 

[Pats_AZ]

Yes, the "who have they played" argument is lame. Our strength of schedule was 3rd toughest before an snaps, it's not the Patriots fault that some of these teams are not as good as advertised.

On the Bills game moving to Sunday night, that's because the Pats are on an undefeated run Buffulo fans, sorry, we could be playing CFL team and it would have still been moved to sunday night.

 

[Ring 6]

I highly doubt a Pats vs Miami game would have been flexed to primetime. But I'm not going to change your guys egos....I mean minds.

OK. So the 9-0 Patriots, on pace to break every scoring record ever, are playing the moribund 4-4 Bills. The game is switched to Sunday Night.
Im guessing the pointspread will be something like 20 points.
Your conclusion is believing the Patriots are the reason that the game was moved for a larger audience is egotistical, but believing the game was moved because it will draw a great amount of fans expecting an upset is reasonable?

 

[Pats_AZ]

I highly doubt a Pats vs Miami game would have been flexed to primetime. But I'm not going to change your guys egos....I mean minds.

We were going to get smacked down to the "best" NFC team on MNF but we screwed ourselves again and managed to loose that one. That game had the highest ratings of the year and that HAS influenced the decision to flex this game to SNF. And I know....the highest rating of the year was surpassed by the Pats last game vs the Colts. That game was hyped to no end...what the hell was with the countdown popping up on all 1:00 games? That was really annoying.

Ummm...ok man, whatever. Have you seen these Patriots? You definately won't change our minds, but this Patriots team will change yours.

 

[Patriots Nation NY]

^^ Like so many visiting trolls.. They always "Have a Feeling" .. That feeling is destroyed on the Pats first possession... :rocker:

 

[Frezo]

At least our record will not have an *, and our players conscience will be clear...cough...cough...Wilfork.

I have a feeling Donte Whitner will get JP a little payback with a solid legal hit on Moss.

First the Dallas DBs were going to trash Moss. Nope... Then the Washington DBs were going to remove his head. The only heads missing were their own. So now DW is going to nail him for revenge? You want revenge, then instruct the team to keep their heads in the game and beat the Pats. Division games can be tough. Once again Buffalo gets the Pats after their buy. They'll be rested, healthy and ready. Belichick will have had two weeks to prepare. I'm sure you've heard that quip.

 

[bradmahn]

At least our record will not have an *, and our players conscience will be clear...cough...cough...Wilfork.

I have a feeling Donte Whitner will get JP a little payback with a solid legal hit on Moss.

Guy, everyone has said that their team was going to hit Moss. Have you seen that happen yet? No. Do you know why? Usually he's outrunning mo-fo's, but even when he goes over the middle he doesn't get hit. He probably knows where your DBs are gonna be before the coaches do, and knows when to get down and when to keep going. (Of course that is hyperbole.) Moss doesn't take many hits.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Pitt

Is it just me, or does Pitt NOT scare anyone anymore?

Yes-they've been playing well all year, but you saw the Denver and AZ games-their D looks a bit slow at times(?age maybe?), and without Bettis, they don't have a power running game, which could put the ball into Big Ben's hands one too many times.

Honestly-I don't think they have the personnel anymore to beat even Indy.

 

[Frezo]

DW won't be hitting him for revenge, hes more professional than that. I on the other hand am not, I'm a fan who wants the payback. No he'll do it because thats his job...which he takes very serious and does quite well.

We'll see. I'll remember what you said.

 

[qbert]

Is it just me, or does Pitt NOT scare anyone anymore?

Yes-they've been playing well all year, but you saw the Denver and AZ games-their D looks a bit slow at times(?age maybe?), and without Bettis, they don't have a power running game, which could put the ball into Big Ben's hands one too many times.

Honestly-I don't think they have the personnel anymore to beat even Indy.

Let's see where both teams are in a month's time. Both of the Steelers' losses, albeit to inferior competition, were road losses, and after travelling cross-country.

Pats have never had a problem stuffing Bettis and his supposed 'power running' game in the past. Parker presents a far more difficult matchup for the Pats if he goes in the flat or runs wide against the even slower and older Pats LB corps. And you have to admit that the Steelers passing attack is far more formidable this year than the Pats have seen in the past.

The key matchup is between the Pats' def front and the Steelers o-line, the o-line is not nearly as good as in years past. I think the game is determined right there.