The fight for the #1 Seed in the AFC....what will it take for us to win it?

[Soul_Survivor88]

The Broncos appear to be the most screwed team in the AFC playoff hunt - @Titans, Patriots, @Chiefs, Raiders. Good luck with that. I hope they lose out.

Here's an interesting scenario...if by Week 17, the 1# seed is still in contention, but the Dolphins are in a battle with Denver to secure the Wild Card, would you want us to lose that game, to knock out the Broncos from the playoffs? hehehe

 

[Ring 6]

Here's an interesting scenario...if by Week 17, the 1# seed is still in contention, but the Dolphins are in a battle with Denver to secure the Wild Card, would you want us to lose that game, to knock out the Broncos from the playoffs? hehehe

You are joking right?
You want to suggest that the patriots tank a game to give away hfa to decide who gets the 6 seed add a 1st round loss?
Wow.

 

[Ring 6]

Ideal scenario....then what...roll over the last three weeks and walk into the play offs 100% healthy....or roll the dice and play for the 1 seed.. personally, walking into the play offs 100% healthy with every one else showing major battle scars seems like a huge advantage....

We would lose in round 1 if we take a month off.

 

[Ring 6]

Not to be a debbie downer but we really can't afford any more injuries on the offensive side. If we lose Edelman or Mitchell in these last 4 regular season games.. we are pretty much screwed. Right now if we entered the playoffs we would be in pretty good shape all things considering but not only do we have to win 3 out of 4 to lock up HFA but we gotta stay healthy.

I just don't want Mathew Slater running go routes as our featured playoff offense. If Matt is even healthy. If we win the next 3 games I have no issues at all with playing Jimmy G in the last game.

Playing well and peaking is more important than rest and health. If you aren't sharp it doesn't matter who is healthy. If you are in a roll you can overcome missing some guys.

 

[1960Pats]

Miami will take themselves out of the playoff picture this weekend against Arizona. But would have been a nice situation to be in.. first slam Denver at home and then keep them out of the playoffs by playing with reserves..

If Miami loses to Arizona and then beats Buffalo and the Jets, and the Pats rest everyone in the last game and lose, Miami would probably still have the tie-breaker over the Broncos for the last playoff spot based on conference record.

I can't believe how many times and in how many different threads this discussion is being played out.

 

[1960Pats]

That was purposeful to make my point that hashtags have no meaning in the spoken word. That's what I tell anyone I hear that actually says "hashtag"

It's actually a pound sign

poundsignWeHearYouPatriotsReign

 

[goheels22002]

Here's an interesting scenario...if by Week 17, the 1# seed is still in contention, but the Dolphins are in a battle with Denver to secure the Wild Card, would you want us to lose that game, to knock out the Broncos from the playoffs? hehehe

That would require that the Dolphins and the Broncos go 3-0 over the next three weeks. That would mean the Broncos beat the Titans, Patriots and Chiefs with only the Raiders left.

I'd definitely be rooting for the Patriots to beat the Dolphins, and for the Broncos to beat the Raiders to secure the top seed. Home field is critically important for the Divisional round and the AFCC.

It's quite plausible that the Dolpins beat the Cardinals, Bills and Jets before the Patriots play them in Miami. The Broncos will be long gone by then with their schedule.

If Adam Gase gets the Dolphins into the playoffs in his first year, he'll get some votes for Coach of the Year.

 

[brdmaverick]

My reaction - wow DEN has a turrible last 3 games. Wonder if they could miss the playoffs entirely?

That would work for me

 

[VrabelJr]

Or we adults think its ignorant....Could be.

#uRnever2old2havefun

 

[deroc5050]

Playing well and peaking is more important than rest and health. If you aren't sharp it doesn't matter who is healthy. If you are in a roll you can overcome missing some guys.

in 2014 they rested players and lost their last game of the season if I remember correctly.. was it Buffalo?

 

[Ring 6]

in 2014 they rested players and lost their last game of the season if I remember correctly.. was it Buffalo?

Then fell behind by 14 points twice in their first playoff game.

 

[luuked]

Then fell behind by 14 points twice in their first playoff game.

Come on.. seriously ? You wanna correlate those two things ?

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Come on.. seriously ? You wanna correlate those two things ?

Well, given that large segments of this board believe NE lost to PHI last season because of the 15yd difference between where a typical kickoff ends up and where the "mortar kick" ended up, why are you so surprised?

 

[luuked]

Well, given that large segments of this board believe NE lost to PHI last season because of the 15yd difference between where a typical kickoff ends up and where the "mortar kick" ended up, why are you so surprised?

Still gets me frustrated every time I hear that crap..

 

[Ring 6]

Come on.. seriously ? You wanna correlate those two things ?

Given that the topic of the discussion is that testing players can cause a team to go flat of course that correlates.

 

[deroc5050]

Then fell behind by 14 points twice in their first playoff game.

Yeah who won the game? All I care about is wins in the playoffs, I dont care how they made it as long as they win.

 

[Ring 6]

Yeah who won the game? All I care about is wins in the playoffs, I dont care how they made it as long as they win.

That is being obtuse.
You are arguing that resting led to success and I am saying they started horribly and almost lost to an inferior team.

 

[deroc5050]

That is being obtuse.
You are arguing that resting led to success and I am saying they started horribly and almost lost to an inferior team.

No I am just saying they won the game, and an amazing game it was. And then they just decimated the Colts it looked like men vs boys.. and then of course beat an incredible Seattle team in the Super Bowl. I am not gonna get upset about resting players for injury concerns in week 17 if they have HFA all locked up.

 

[Ring 6]

No I am just saying they won the game, and an amazing game it was. And then they just decimated the Colts it looked like men vs boys.. and then of course beat an incredible Seattle team in the Super Bowl. I am not gonna get upset about resting players for injury concerns in week 17 if they have HFA all locked up.

You used it as proof that testing players had no negative impact. That's just not true.

 

[deroc5050]

You used it as proof that testing players had no negative impact. That's just not true.

I am talking strictly week 17 if we have HFA locked up, I would not play key players. Maybe for a half and definitely rest guys like Bennet that are banged up.

I think its definitely good to get tested like these next 2 games for Patriots are good tests to see where the team stands. I am just talking about week 17 with nothing to play for. I believe we lost Welker 1 year against the Texans the last game of the season.. I can't remember if it was meaningless.

Edit that was 2009-2010 and the Pats could have played for the 3 seed instead of the 4 seed. Not much of a difference.