Screwy Second Half Predictions

[Rob0729]

Ok, never been a fan of Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, but his prediction for the rest of the way for the AFC is downright bizzare:

1.

Miami Dolphins
Final regular-season record: 10-6, No. 3 seed in the AFC
Skinny: Miami climbs out of the basement with wins over Seattle and Oakland, then completes a stunning season sweep of New England at home. The four road games in the final five are daunting, but Miami manages three wins in the final five, and then Chad Pennington leads the Dolphins to a division title by beating Brett Favre and the Jets in the season finale.


2.

New York Jets
Final regular-season record: 10-6, No. 6 seed in the AFC
Skinny: Back-to-back road losses against Tennessee and New England push the Jets into a scrum with Miami down the stretch. The season finale against the Dolphins should determine the division winner.


3.

New England Patriots
Final regular-season record: 9-7, no postseason
Skinny: A tough second-half schedule unmasks a team that had only one semi-impressive, first-half win (over the Jets). Even the back-to-back road games against Oakland and Seattle prove harder than expected when the Seahawks pull off a home upset. The Patriots fall apart at the end, losing at home to Arizona in the cold and falling to Buffalo in the season finale.


4.

Buffalo Bills
Final regular-season record: 8-8, no postseason
Skinny: Defensive injuries foretell a slippery slide backward for the Bills. Offensive sputtering gets worse in the cold of road games in New England, Kansas City, Denver and against the Jets. The season-ending home win against the Patriots comes too late to make a difference.

Crystal ball breakdown of the second half - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

What makes it really bizzare for me is that he has the Pats winning the next two games (in their "expert" picks section he has the Pats winning against the Bills this weekend and says in this that the Pats will beat the Jets next week in the Jets description) which would put the Pats at 7-3 for the season. Then he expects the Pats to go 2-3 the rest of the way with losses to Seattle, Arizona, and Buffalo and either a win against Miami or Pittsburgh (which by his rankings are the two toughest games on the schedule). Nevermind that he has the Jets and Dolphins fighting it out for the division with the Pats and Bills out of it.

I know Robinson has long been a Patriots hater (he predicted the Pats wouldn't even make the playoffs before last season). But his logic is just way out there. Why does he think the Jets have looked anymore impressive than the Pats when they struggled against KC, Oakland (a loss), and Cincy?
Predictions are BS anyway. So I don't get too upset, but I just thought this one was noteworthy because it is pretty out there in my mind.

 

[patsgo]

Ok, never been a fan of Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, but his prediction for the rest of the way for the AFC is downright bizzare:




Crystal ball breakdown of the second half - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

What makes it really bizzare for me is that he has the Pats winning the next two games (in their "expert" picks section he has the Pats winning against the Bills this weekend and says in this that the Pats will beat the Jets next week in the Jets description) which would put the Pats at 7-3 for the season. Then he expects the Pats to go 2-3 the rest of the way with losses to Seattle, Arizona, and Buffalo and either a win against Miami or Pittsburgh (which by his rankings are the two toughest games on the schedule). Nevermind that he has the Jets and Dolphins fighting it out for the division with the Pats and Bills out of it.

I know Robinson has long been a Patriots hater (he predicted the Pats wouldn't even make the playoffs before last season). But his logic is just way out there. Why does he think the Jets have looked anymore impressive than the Pats when they struggled against KC, Oakland (a loss), and Cincy?
Predictions are BS anyway. So I don't get too upset, but I just thought this one was noteworthy because it is pretty out there in my mind.

could happen miamis schedule is a big creme puff,jets are playing well, bills are sliding, the pats arent going to win a lot of games with that pass defense, lack of rush, no running game and no vertical passing game

 

[patsfanindoltsland]

actually to get to 9-7, we'd need to go 2-4 down the stretch after being at 7-3.

but they have the jets, who are 5-3 right now, losing twice on the road and going 5-1 in their other games? lol this scenario is not likely at all, imo.

 

[Rob0729]

could happen miamis schedule is a big creme puff,jets are playing well, bills are sliding, the pats arent going to win a lot of games with that pass defense, lack of rush, no running game and no vertical passing game

Jets have been playing like crap until the Buffalo game. Two weeks ago, the Chiefs had a 24-21 lead with a little over a minute left in the game. The Cheif!!!! That's spectacular football when you almost lose to the Chiefs after a week you LOSE to that powerhouse called the Oakland Raiders.

I know you are one of the Mr. Negatives to the point of stupidity, but you can't really believe that.

Funny, with no running game, the Pats got 140 yards rushing against the Colts who had improved their run defense immensly after their first three games. The Pats are improving every week and they won 5 of 8. So exactly how have the Pats not won many games so far?

 

[Gunnails]

To call this scenario bizarre is kinda of bizarre itself.

Sure going into the season no one would of predicted this happening, but at this point of the season it certainly would not be bizarre.

 

[Rob0729]

actually to get to 9-7, we'd need to go 2-4 down the stretch after being at 7-3.

but they have the jets, who are 5-3 right now, losing twice on the road and going 5-1 in their other games? lol this scenario is not likely at all, imo.

Sorry about my math.

I agree with you about the Jets. They are the same team that struggled against three of the worst teams in the league in a three week stretch going 2-1 which was almost 1-2 baring a last minute TD.

 

[patsgo]

Jets have been playing like crap until the Buffalo game. Two weeks ago, the Chiefs had a 24-21 lead with a little over a minute left in the game. The Cheif!!!! That's spectacular football when you almost lose to the Chiefs after a week you LOSE to that powerhouse called the Oakland Raiders.

I know you are one of the Mr. Negatives to the point of stupidity, but you can't really believe that.

Funny, with no running game, the Pats got 140 yards rushing against the Colts who had improved their run defense immensly after their first three games.

mark my words cassell will come down to earth, other teams will take away the 3 to 5 yard passes, when that happens hell be forced to go down field, he hasnt proven he can do that other than a couple of hail marys to moss

 

[Gunnails]

Sorry about my math.

I agree with you about the Jets. They are the same team that struggled against three of the worst teams in the league in a three week stretch going 2-1 which was almost 1-2 baring a last minute TD.

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What, the Pats never won ugly, The KC game was ugly, but good teams find a way to win and the final drive for the winning score by the Jets was encouraging from a get it done when you need to type of team.

Edit: the loss in Oakland, I am still not over.

 

[DaBruinz]

actually to get to 9-7, we'd need to go 2-4 down the stretch after being at 7-3.

but they have the jets, who are 5-3 right now, losing twice on the road and going 5-1 in their other games? lol this scenario is not likely at all, imo.

You are correct. The Pats would have to finish 2-4 and that would include a loss to the Raiders, which I really don't see happening.

 

[Rob0729]

mark my words cassell will come down to earth, other teams will take away the 3 to 5 yard passes, when that happens hell be forced to go down field, he hasnt proven he can do that other than a couple of hail marys to moss

Seriously, what team do you root for? You clearly are not a Pats fan.

The Pats proved in 2001 that they can dink and dunk all the way to the Super Bowl. Cassel isn't Brady, but Brady wasn't Brady of the last five years in 2001. Also, the Pats will get back Jordan and Morris which will take pressure off the passing game and allow Cassel to throw deeper.

I'm sure when you are proven wrong in a few weeks, you will biatch about something else. You complainers always do.

 

[Rob0729]

=====================================================

What, the Pats never won ugly, The KC game was ugly, but good teams find a way to win and the final drive for the winning score by the Jets was encouraging from a get it done when you need to type of team.

Edit: the loss in Oakland, I am still not over.

The Pats have won ugly, but they haven't almost lost to a team as bad as the Chiefs who were lead by Tyler Thigpen who the Jets allowed to complete 69.4% of his passes for 280 yards and 2 TDs and no INTs. That guy sucks. Also, the Pats haven't had a three game stretch where they struggled against three of the worst teams in the league in a long, long time.

I was just countering that the Jets are playing well. The Jets have as many or more flaws than the Patriots. They struggle against the pass as much as the Pats, they can't run the ball effectively and consistently, Favre turns over the ball far too much, etc. That is not playing well at least when you compare them to the Pats.

 

[mcgraw_wv]

That Denver win wasn't impressive???

 

[Deus Irae]

Seriously, what team do you root for? You clearly are not a Pats fan.

The Pats proved in 2001 that they can dink and dunk all the way to the Super Bowl. Cassel isn't Brady, but Brady wasn't Brady of the last five years in 2001. Also, the Pats will get back Jordan and Morris which will take pressure off the passing game and allow Cassel to throw deeper.

I'm sure when you are proven wrong in a few weeks, you will biatch about something else. You complainers always do.

There's a pretty consistent group of people making the complaints week after week. It doesn't change much when the team is winning, either, because they find individual issues to complain about. Even when they are proven wrong, they just lie in the weeds and bring up the same disproved arguments time and again.

 

[Rob0729]

You are correct. The Pats would have to finish 2-4 and that would include a loss to the Raiders, which I really don't see happening.

Yeah, if Robinson's prediction is that in a week from now that the Pats are 7-3, I cannot see the Pats going worse than 3-3 down the stretch. They don't have the easiest schedule, but it definitely isn't the hardest.

I actually think the Pats win against the Cards if nothing else that it is an East Coast game at 1 PM in December. The Cards are not a great road team and have shown they struggle quite a bit with the time zone difference of the East Coast.

I think the Seahawks will have packed it in by the time the Pats meet them with a lame duck HC. The thing the Hawks have going for them is that it is in their stadium (but will the crowd be a factor with how bad they are).

I also think they beat at least Oakland. So if Robinson is right about 7-3, that is 10-6 right there. I still think this team can go 11-5 or 12-4.

 

[Rob0729]

There's a pretty consistent group of people making the complaints week after week. It doesn't change much when the team is winning, either, because they find individual issues to complain about. Even when they are proven wrong, they just lie in the weeds and bring up the same disproved arguments time and again.

Some people are never happy unless the Pats are undefeated and winning by three TDs. Even then there are still the lunatic fringe who complain.

I see improvements on both sides of the ball week after week on this team. Not that there aren't things that need to be improved, but the Pats seem to getting stronger as the season goes along. While other teams are peaking or have already peaked. That means the Pats have a really good shot at playing their best football in December and hopefully January. I am still cautiously optimistic.

 

[bostonia3333]

10-6 is the best possible scenario for the Pats. I think 9-7 is more realistic. Home to Pitt, @ Buffalo, @ MIA, home to ARIZ, and home to NYJ are all extremely tough matchups given the health status of our team


This is what I envision happening over the next 3 weeks.

Pats win over Buffalo comfortably by 7 pts. No need for beta blockers or defibrillators this weekend. Nice afternoon game to just chill.

Pats win a cardiac game against Broadway Brett

Pats are outclassed in Miami 27-10

The Miami loss won't matter, I expect the Fins to win this division. The key is to win this tiebreaker advantage with the Jets because if the Pats finish 9-7 and so do NYJ, Pats are in and Jets are out. Of course thanks to Jabar, we have Indy lurking so we need to keep an eye on them in the second half.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

There's a pretty consistent group of people making the complaints week after week. It doesn't change much when the team is winning, either, because they find individual issues to complain about. Even when they are proven wrong, they just lie in the weeds and bring up the same disproved arguments time and again.

Several of the dirty dozen are currently lying in the weeds posting less. Just wait until Cassel actually has his bad game of the season throwing 3 picks and we lose. Expect LOTS of sudden posts. I blame the fantasy Football mentality.

I'm optimistic about Sunday and the season, though concerned about our lack of health at RB and DB.

 

[BPF]

the pats arent going to win a lot of games with that pass defense, lack of rush, no running game and no vertical passing game

Where are you getting your info??:

Pats are #16 vs pass, ahead of Jets and Dolphins and slightly behind the Bills in the middle of the pack:
NFL Stats: by Team Category

and also the Pats are the 7th best rushing team in the league, which is pretty damn good especially considering all the injuries sustained at RB:
NFL Stats: by Team Category

The Jets had a lack of rush until recently as well, then they started blitzing more. I believe the Pats will do the same in the 2nd half of the season and with Seymour coming on strong and getting back to BigSey of old the defense will improve coming down the stretch.

 

[Rob0729]

Where are you getting your info??:

Pats are #16 vs pass, ahead of Jets and Dolphins and slightly behind the Bills in the middle of the pack:
NFL Stats: by Team Category

and also the Pats are the 7th best rushing team in the league, which is pretty damn good especially considering all the injuries sustained at RB:
NFL Stats: by Team Category

The Jets had a lack of rush until recently as well, then they started blitzing more. I believe the Pats will do the same in the 2nd half of the season and with Seymour coming on strong and getting back to BigSey of old the defense will improve coming down the stretch.

Sssssssshhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Facts are not allowed in an argument with Faux Pats Fans. Otherwise, their overly negative rants that aren't supported by anything other than their extreme dislike for the Pats look really silly. We don't want that to happen.

BTW, the crappy Pats' rushing offense has the most yards out of any team in the AFC East.

 

[BPF]

mark my words cassell will come down to earth, other teams will take away the 3 to 5 yard passes, when that happens hell be forced to go down field, he hasnt proven he can do that other than a couple of hail marys to moss

What's stopped them from taking away Cassel's short passes to this point?? Fact is with Randy Moss teams have to play at least one safety over the top at all times to take him away. Also you might want to check the numbers on Cassel he's right there in terms of avg pass with Favre, Roethlisberger, Eli and Peyton Manning and the star everyone wanted to bring in to replace him Garcia: NFL Stats: by Player Category

Your have no facts to back your weak arguments, if you want to be and stay negative become a Raiders or Lions fan.