Running the table? I wouldn't bet on it. Lower your expectations.

[MoneyFX]

The Texans and 49ers games are going to be measuring sticks for this football team. I have no idea who will win those games but I do believe the Patriots have a shot and can prove themselves. I just can't see the Patriots dropping 2 straight at Gillette Stadium.

All of the other games (Jets, Dolphins x2, Jaguars), the Patriots should win, even though anything can happen on any given Sunday.

I still have high hopes for this team, they are 7-3 with 4 straight wins, the best offense, the 2nd most defensive takeaways in the NFL (tied with NYG behind Chicago) and only 4 points combined in 3 losses. Most importantly, one of the best QBs in the NFL, if not the best QB, Tom Brady.

Go Patriots.

 

[PatriotSeven]

This is ridiculous.

1. First, I don't care much if we're 9-7 and the #6 seed or 13-3 and the #1 seed as long as we (1) get into the playoffs, (2) are healthy for the playoffs, and (3) hit our stride for the playoffs. Those are my 3 goals. Not winning out.

2. Given that, I don't see any reason to discount the possibility of the Pats winning out. They may or may not do it, but there's no reason why they can't. The ran the table in 2010 against a much tougher schedule, including playoff bound Pittsburgh, Chicago and the Jets and the future SB champ Packers. They ran the table last year despite having to band-aid the secondary with Edelman and Slater.

BB talks about the challenge of "climbing the mountain" every year. No matter how successful you were the year before, the salary cap and free agency leads to at least a 33% roster turnover. Add in injuries and attrition, and there is a huge change from year to year. Each year is an entirely new challenge. And no one relishes the challenge of climbing the mountain over and over again like BB. No one treats adversity like a friend - a tool to build a championship-caliber team - like BB. The Pats may or may not win out, but I think BB will use the next 6 games, including some of the losses to injury, to start whipping this team into shape for the playoffs. The "regular season" is only the warmup for the "real season" that begins in January.

Some of the things that I can see developing over the next 6 weeks include:

- The "Oregonization" of the offense. With Rob Gronkowski out there will be even more opportunity to "move it" with more of an up tempo motion offense. Hernandez, Welker, Edelman, Vereen, Woodhead and Salas all fit nicely into this approach.

- Continuing to develop the power running game.

- The continued development of the secondary, and hopefully opening up the defense as we saw last Sunday against the Colts.

- Continued focus on "complementary" football. BB preaches this, and we saw it played beautifully on Sunday. Special teams TD. 2 pick 6's. A fumble recovery followed by an immediate quick strike TD. Great ST coverage and good field position throughout the game.

There's plenty to work on over the remainder of the "preseason". If we go undefeated during that time, great. If not, I don't really care, as long as we hit the playoffs healthy and in peak form. If this team plays the way it did last week, I like our chances against any team in the NFL. And that wasn't the best we can play, not by a long shot.

I swear I think some of you are looking to start a debate when there isn't one. Nothing what you wrote there disagrees with what I wrote nor do I disagree with what you wrote, other than the fact you stated I'm discounting running the table. Which I did not. I just don't feel its a lock.

 

[PP2]

Realistically speaking, 11-5 seems just as likely, if not more so, than 13-3.

I don't think we'll run the table, either. One of the Houston/San Fran games is going to be a loss.

I think that the niners game is the one that could likely be a loss.

Am I missing something here? None of you have actually listed a sound reason for why we aren't going to run the table, strategy-wise or personnel-wise, or even psychologically.

 

[PP2]

I swear I think some of you are looking to start a debate when there isn't one. Nothing what you wrote there disagrees with what I wrote nor do I disagree with what you wrote, other than the fact you stated I'm discounting running the table. Which I did not. I just don't feel its a lock.

You're right, there isn't a debate. You can't debate a "feeling."

 

[mayoclinic]

I swear I think some of you are looking to start a debate when there isn't one. Nothing what you wrote there disagrees with what I wrote nor do I disagree with what you wrote, other than the fact you stated I'm discounting running the table. Which I did not. I just don't feel its a lock.

Of course it's not. Nothing's a lock, and no one should take it for granted. So in that case, I misunderstood your OP, which seems much more reasonable, but also quite obvious.

 

[Reckedtrek]

I swear I think some of you are looking to start a debate when there isn't one. Nothing what you wrote there disagrees with what I wrote nor do I disagree with what you wrote, other than the fact you stated I'm discounting running the table. Which I did not. I just don't feel its a lock.

Running the table? I wouldn't bet on it. Lower your expectations.

Your thread title is a statement. "Lower your expectations" doesn't exactly leave much room for interpretation and is a big step away from " I just don't feel its a lock." After the Pats started 1-2 you probably had them at 4-6 or 5-5 at best by this point of the season.

It's far from a lock that they do run the table, but it's also far from a lock that they don't.

 

[ausbacker]

Your thread title is a statement. "Lower your expectations" doesn't exactly leave much room for interpretation and is a big step away from " I just don't feel its a lock." After the Pats started 1-2 you probably had them at 4-6 or 5-5 at best by this point of the season.

It's far from a lock that they do run the table, but it's also far from a lock that they don't.

If the Patriots play to their potential they'll run the table, if not they won't. That's all it comes down to.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Your thread title is a statement. "Lower your expectations" doesn't exactly leave much room for interpretation and is a big step away from " I just don't feel its a lock." After the Pats started 1-2 you probably had them at 4-6 or 5-5 at best by this point of the season.

It's far from a lock that they do run the table, but it's also far from a lock that they don't.

I actually had them at 8-2.

Just pointing out, we still only beat 1 good team and we are just now entering our toughest stretch down 2 or our best offensive weapons.

I'm just being realistic.

Am I missing something here? None of you have actually listed a sound reason for why we aren't going to run the table, strategy-wise or personnel-wise, or even psychologically.

Yes you are.

- We have yet to face the 2 toughest teams we had on our schedule this year, 49ers and Texans.
- We lost to teams worse than those 2.
- We've had bad teams take us to the wire, Bills and Jets.
- We are out 2 of our best offensive weapons.
- We only beat 1 strong team.

You may not think those are sound reasons, but I do.

 

[QB12]

Looking at the remaining games, we have somewhat of an uphill battle with back to back games against the 49ers and Texans, two playoff bound teams with power house defenses, following 2 divisional games. We still have to face Miami twice who gave us a pretty good challenge late last year, and are looking just as prepared this year to do the same. You never know with these short week games so I can easily see the Beans stretching us again to the wire thursday. With Henne now in the line up for Jacksonvile, we can no longer overlook them either considering how they took the Texans into OT scoring 37 points. They can score now and are officially a trap game. A trap the Texans almost fell in.

With us missing Gronk and Hernandez still shaky, it doesn't make it any easier. Honestly, I'm not very confident about any talks of running the table. We looked great only over the past 4 games, it was still against weak teams, and I'm not ready just yet to conclude we have overcome the issues we had earlier this season of handing over a game late by 3 points or less now that we are getting ready to enter this stretch of very tough teams.

After our 59 point shellacking over the Colts it's easy to get caught up in it and start thinking we're there, but I think it's time to lower our expectations and come back to earth a little bit. So far we still have only beat 1 strong team. Denver. And that's a fact. And that was early in the season with Peyton still finding his groove.

Realistically speaking, 11-5 seems just as likely, if not more so, than 13-3.

Having said that, I am not concerned about our regular season schedule or seeding. I am actually quite happy with our remaining schedule, and the reason for that is that for once it appears as if this year we truly are being tested before we find ourselves in the playoffs or Superbowl running into a brick wall. We are getting ready to find out exactly what kind of team we are, and I'd rather know now than later.

I don't know about you, but personally I feel a lot more confident even if we enter the playoffs with an 11-5 record and a lower seed but having faced the Broncos, Ravens, Texans, 49ers, Seattle's and Arizona's defense than going in with a prettier record like last year, a higher seed and racked up against a bunch of weak teams.

I prefer being battle tested, scars and all, than having a nice shiny armor. It would be nice to run the table and get that high seed, especially having to go through the 49ers and Texans to get it, but I would not be demoralized with an 11-5 record, and going in somewhat under the radar.

Another sip of KoolAid bro because that's a lot of turkey there.

 

[PP2]

I actually had them at 8-2.

Just pointing out, we still only beat 1 good team and we are just now entering our toughest stretch down 2 or our best offensive weapons.

I'm just being realistic.



Yes you are.

- We have yet to face the 2 toughest teams we had on our schedule this year, 49ers and Texans.
- We lost to teams worse than those 2.
- We've had bad teams take us to the wire, Bills and Jets.
- We are out 2 of our best offensive weapons.
- We only beat 1 strong team.

You may not think those are sound reasons, but I do.

1) Houston nearly got beat by Jacksonville, and SF lost to St. Louis. They are good, but not invincible. SF has only played one quality opponent on the road, the Cards. The margin of victory Houston has on the road has averaged 6-7 points for the last 3 games, and none of those three opponents have offenses anywhere near versatile and potent as ours is.

2) Bills and Jets took us to the wire because we were playing badly, nowhere near our potential.

3) We are out ONE, as of right now. Hernandez will play on Thursday.

4) Our schedule isn't as rosy as you make it out to be, on top of which we have gotten better and better. We just walloped a team that's won 4 straight.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Who knows, by the time we play Houston/SF we will need to be hitting our peak and should be beating teams of that caliber anyways, especially at home. Gronk or no Gronk, if the defense gets the ball back to Brady enough, we have a shot to win both. The other 4 games, I'd be shocked if we lose any of them.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Let's just beat the Jets on Thursday night.

 

[fnordcircle]

Nope - we're hitting our stride. Our defense is going to improve every week and we're definitely gonna run the table.

 

[PatriotSeven]

1) Houston nearly got beat by Jacksonville, and SF lost to St. Louis. They are good, but not invincible. SF has only played one quality opponent on the road, the Cards. The margin of victory Houston has on the road has averaged 6-7 points for the last 3 games, and none of those three opponents have offenses anywhere near versatile and potent as ours is.

2) Bills and Jets took us to the wire because we were playing badly, nowhere near our potential.

3) We are out ONE, as of right now. Hernandez will play on Thursday.

4) Our schedule isn't as rosy as you make it out to be, on top of which we have gotten better and better. We just walloped a team that's won 4 straight.

Houston got taken to OT by Jaguars with a new QB, which can impact a team in a major way. Clearly. The fact Houston got taken to OT by the Jaguars to me isn't a sign of the Texans slipping, but a reminder that at times we looked equally vulnerable against poor teams.

And if you're going to be objective, how can you make that argument and not acknowledge the SAME thing can be said about us against the Jets, Bills, Arizona and Seattle? The reality is, the Texans only lost 1 game and it was to Green Bay, a powerhouse. They beat Baltimore, the Bears and Denver. That's 3 strong teams. Again, I re-iterate. We only beat 1 strong team this year. We're just now about to be tested.

We walloped a team with a rookie QB, the same team who went 1-15 last year. That's exactly my point. Too many fans are putting weight on this. Our major scoring margin came mainly from wins against the Titans, Rams, Colts and Bills. Do you realize the Jets also destroyed the Rams, Colts and Bills?

That means little to me. Wins over strong teams carry a lot more weight than huge scoring margins against weak teams.

PS: Let me put it to you in a simpler way. We have played 3 of the top 10 best scoring defenses and we lost all 3 games. Does that make you feel confident? We have 3 more top 10 defenses left, including the #1 SF and #4 Huston, and at least one of those have a more potent offense than any of the other 3 we faced.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Jets are next on Thursday Nite and attention should be focused squarely on them right now. Next week will be next week etc etc etc, one game at a time. One thing that can be predicted is that NFL is unpredictable from week to week things/players change ( see Gronk).

 

[QB12]

Don't forget that beginning in 2010 to the present, the Patriots have been undefeated in the second half of the season. Those like the OP who are arguing against running the table are actually on the wrong side of recent history

 

[FosterTheSkins]

Let's just beat the Jets on Thursday night.

This. The Pats barely beat the Jets last time. It wouldn't be wise to look past them.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

...and all of those years were not 2012. Different players. Different set of circumstances.

Can they win out? Sure. Is is likely? I dunna know. Their schedule isn't easy and its a helluva lot more important to be healthy and peaking at the right time of year.

I disagree, my friend. My reason for showing their consistency in the second half was to point out just opposite of your assertion: different players, different circumstances, different schedules, all that and still there is something that isn't different: Brady and Belichick win and win at their highest percentage in the second half. Regardless of players, circumstances, etc....

 

[Nehalem]

Even if you assume a 90% chance of winning each of the next 6 games there is barely better than a 50-50 chance of running the table.

And I would not assume a 90% chance of winning each game.

EDIT: At 80% it drops to about a 1/4 chance

 

[Ring 6]

Let me get this straight. We are arguing about whether its a lock that a team will extend its 4 game winning streak to 10 straight? Really?
I epxect to see 2 close games that could go either way at the end. That could add up to 11-5, 12-4 or 13-3 and you would have pretty much the same caliber of team going into the playoffs in any of those cases.