The Patriots 2010 Schedule.....Sadistically Unfair?

[FloridaPatsFan]

I realize with the Patriots at 9-2 and tied for first in the NFL...we shouldn't have much to complain about....But this group of Patriots might be the toughest team...Physically and mentally I have ever seen.


I keep going over and over the schedule and tried to make sense of what appears to be the most lopsided and unfair schedule I have seen an NFL team get in years, maybe ever.

Consider these facts..

The Patriots do not have consecutive home games, and a reprieve from the wear and tear of travel for THE ENTIRE SEASON.

EVERY team in the NFL has consecutive home games at least 1, many times 2 and sometimes 3 times EXCEPT the Patriots.

MANY teams in the NFL have a stretch of 3 games in a row at home....EXCEPT the Patriots.

This may not seem like a big deal....but knowing that you'll never spend more than 10 days at home for the next 5 months will undoubtedly take its toll on you physically....and mentally.

In all my years of following the NFL....I've never heard of anything like it.

They made the Patriots play 3 games in a span of 12 days....knowing full well that the average NFL player can barely recover from 1 game for a week without filling his body with painkillers. Oh, and those 3 games? Pittsburgh and Indy back to back.....Wow.

Now we get the Jets at home Monday, Chicago bears on short rest Sunday and turn around and play the Packers a week later.

2007 may have been the "F YOU" to the NFL....But 2010 is the NFL "F YOU" to the Patriots....

 

[shmessy]

Great points there, FPF. Amazing how this team is 9-2.

Mentally, it must have been a big negative having so many youngsters, but physically it might have been a boon.

 

[jmt57]

If you have back to back home games then you are also going to have back to back road games. To me that's a wash; if anything I might prefer to avoid back to back road games.

As for two games in five days / three games in twelve days, the same is going to hold true for most if not all teams that play on a Thursday. There's what, about nine NFL Thursday games over the course of a season? So about half the league has to deal with the same thing - and then also gets the benefit of extra time to rest and prepare for the next game.

I don't really see what the big deal is, or how the schedule is unfair specifically to the Patriots.

 

[strngplyr]

If you have back to back home games then you are also going to have back to back road games. To me that's a wash; if anything I might prefer to avoid back to back road games.

As for two games in five days / three games in twelve days, the same is going to hold true for most if not all teams that play on a Thursday. There's what, about nine NFL Thursday games over the course of a season? So about half the league has to deal with the same thing - and then also gets the benefit of extra time to rest and prepare for the next game.

I don't really see what the big deal is, or how the schedule is unfair specifically to the Patriots.

NE had back to back roadgames without ever seeing back to back home games.

CLE -> PIT

 

[Bill 4 Prez]

I realize with the Patriots at 9-2 and tied for first in the NFL...we shouldn't have much to complain about....But this group of Patriots might be the toughest team...Physically and mentally I have ever seen.


I keep going over and over the schedule and tried to make sense of what appears to be the most lopsided and unfair schedule I have seen an NFL team get in years, maybe ever.

Consider these facts..

The Patriots do not have consecutive home games, and a reprieve from the wear and tear of travel for THE ENTIRE SEASON.

EVERY team in the NFL has consecutive home games at least 1, many times 2 and sometimes 3 times EXCEPT the Patriots.

MANY teams in the NFL have a stretch of 3 games in a row at home....EXCEPT the Patriots.

This may not seem like a big deal....but knowing that you'll never spend more than 10 days at home for the next 5 months will undoubtedly take its toll on you physically....and mentally.

In all my years of following the NFL....I've never heard of anything like it.

They made the Patriots play 3 games in a span of 12 days....knowing full well that the average NFL player can barely recover from 1 game for a week without filling his body with painkillers. Oh, and those 3 games? Pittsburgh and Indy back to back.....Wow.

Now we get the Jets at home Monday, Chicago bears on short rest Sunday and turn around and play the Packers a week later.

2007 may have been the "F YOU" to the NFL....But 2010 is the NFL "F YOU" to the Patriots....

you'd be surprised how many teams play 3 games in 12 or 13 days with these new thurs night games

 

[borg]

I really don't get your "lopsided" view of this schedule.
Two consecutive away games balanced by two weeks at home when you include the bye-week. What's left is 13 weeks of home -away. Seems pretty routine. And every team that plays on Thanksgiving plays 3 games in 12 days.

 

[mgcolby]

Pittsburgh had to play three straight road games, before returning home and playing the Pats. I would prefer the every other game with a short two game road trip mixed in over 3 games on the road.

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

If you have back to back home games then you are also going to have back to back road games. To me that's a wash; if anything I might prefer to avoid back to back road games.

Granted....but let me ask you this...have you ever lived out of a suitcase? I did for a year...and it was awful. Some hotels are fine..others, terrible. Bad, food, bad sleep....and the worst part: waking up and not knowing where or what city your in. It took a toll on me...and I wasn't playing a violent sport every 6 or 7 days.As for two games in five days / three games in twelve days, the same is going to hold true for most if not all teams that play on a Thursday. There's what, about nine NFL Thursday games over the course of a season? So about half the league has to deal with the same thing - and then also gets the benefit of extra time to rest and prepare for the next game.

Your right...but what is the winning percentage for teams that have 2 road games in 12 days? I don't really see what the big deal is, or how the schedule is unfair specifically to the Patriots.

Maybe you can't see what the big deal is....but why then, are the Patriots the ONLY team in the NFL with a schedule like this?

 

[karguy85]

It would be one thing if this affected the Patriots negatively but I actually see it as a positive for these Patriots. They are winning with an incredibly tough schedule against very stiff competition. I think its good for building character for this very young team (especially on defense). It was great to see the Patriots come out and manhandle the Steelers in Pitt after being crushed in Cleveland.

What doesn't hurt you only makes you stronger...

 

[patsfaninpa]

The teams in the AFC North have a tougher schedule than us. The divisions are very similiar. We're playing each other. But, they play the NFC East instead of the NFC North. IMO NFC East is better than North.

 

[mgcolby]

If you have back to back home games then you are also going to have back to back road games. To me that's a wash; if anything I might prefer to avoid back to back road games.

As for two games in five days / three games in twelve days, the same is going to hold true for most if not all teams that play on a Thursday. There's what, about nine NFL Thursday games over the course of a season? So about half the league has to deal with the same thing - and then also gets the benefit of extra time to rest and prepare for the next game.

I don't really see what the big deal is, or how the schedule is unfair specifically to the Patriots.

I was thinking the same thing and it took me a minute to wrap my brain around how we don't have back to back home games. The reason is because we start and end our season at home.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

The teams in the AFC North have a tougher schedule than us. The divisions are very similiar. We're playing each other. But, they play the NFC East instead of the NFC North. IMO NFC East is better than North.

The AFC North is playing the NFC South.

The AFC South is playing the NFC East. Also, I don't see how the AFC East is materially tougher than the NFC North.

Atleast this year we only played one team coming off a bye. However, Playing a sunday night and Sunday 4:15 game before a Thursday is a little crazy.

One area that we had in 2005- 2 road/ 1 home/ 2 road was bad. i don't think we have had that since.

 

[FCB02062]

I'm glad i'm not the only one who recognized the no back to back home game anomaly - just doesn't seem right that a team plays two in a row on the road and gets no "homestand". This isn't the first the time NFL schedule makers have f#cked the Pats....in 2002 I believe they were the only team in the league to have three road games in a row...@ BUF, @ CHI, and @ OAK....and if anyone remembers that last Sunday night game against Oakland in 02, the Pats were just completely out of gas in the game, especially offensively, and it took a Kevin Faulk KR for a td to make the score somewhat respectable...

 

[Gunnails]

I realize with the Patriots at 9-2 and tied for first in the NFL...we shouldn't have much to complain about....But this group of Patriots might be the toughest team...Physically and mentally I have ever seen.


I keep going over and over the schedule and tried to make sense of what appears to be the most lopsided and unfair schedule I have seen an NFL team get in years, maybe ever.

Consider these facts..

The Patriots do not have consecutive home games, and a reprieve from the wear and tear of travel for THE ENTIRE SEASON.

EVERY team in the NFL has consecutive home games at least 1, many times 2 and sometimes 3 times EXCEPT the Patriots.

MANY teams in the NFL have a stretch of 3 games in a row at home....EXCEPT the Patriots.

This may not seem like a big deal....but knowing that you'll never spend more than 10 days at home for the next 5 months will undoubtedly take its toll on you physically....and mentally.

In all my years of following the NFL....I've never heard of anything like it.

They made the Patriots play 3 games in a span of 12 days....knowing full well that the average NFL player can barely recover from 1 game for a week without filling his body with painkillers. Oh, and those 3 games? Pittsburgh and Indy back to back.....Wow.

Now we get the Jets at home Monday, Chicago bears on short rest Sunday and turn around and play the Packers a week later.

2007 may have been the "F YOU" to the NFL....But 2010 is the NFL "F YOU" to the Patriots....

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

 

[FCB02062]

I was thinking the same thing and it took me a minute to wrap my brain around how we don't have back to back home games. The reason is because we start and end our season at home.

Yes, but the Patriots are not the only team in the league to start and end at home The NYJ open and close at home and have two in a row at home and on the road at one point...same for Houston, KC, Philadelphia, Washington, New Orleans, and Seattle...all of the above referenced teams open and close at home AND play two games in a row at home - The New England Patriots have gotten screwed by this schedulers, and I believe the NFL League-wide schedule is done by an outside contractor, not by the NFL...still, it seems fishy that the pats even have the schedule working against them....

 

[SVN]

someone mention this to reiss and others.Maybe they have some interesting points on this.

 

[Lansdowne]

The schedule is tough but is mostly coincidence. The opponents were known since last year.

2010 opponents finalized - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

This year the AFC East teams had to play the AFC North and NFC North. The Jets/Dolphins/Bills all have the Ravens/Steelers/Browns/Bengals/Bears/Packers/Vikings/Lions on their schedules, just like the Pats do.

Teams face their divisional counterparts based on standing. The Pats were 1st in their division last year so they face last year's 1st place division winners: the Bengals (already part of the AFC North slate), the Colts, and the Chargers.

Looking at next year...

Sneak peek at Pats' 2011 opponents - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

... the AFC East faces the AFC West and NFC East.

 

[SVN]

The schedule is tough but is mostly coincidence. The opponents were known since last year.

2010 opponents finalized - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

This year the AFC East teams had to play the AFC North and NFC North. The Jets/Dolphins/Bills all have the Ravens/Steelers/Browns/Bengals/Bears/Packers/Vikings/Lions on their schedules, just like the Pats do.

Teams face their divisional counterparts based on standing. The Pats were 1st in their division last year so they face last year's 1st place division winners: the Bengals (already part of the AFC North slate), the Colts, and the Chargers.

Looking at next year...

Sneak peek at Pats' 2011 opponents - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

... the AFC East faces the AFC West and NFC East.

dont think the OP is talking about the actual teams but the scheduling of home/road games

 

[Lansdowne]

dont think the OP is talking about the actual teams but the scheduling of home/road games

I see. This thing could go a number of ways. In 2007, the Patriots only had to travel west of the Mississippi River once (to face Dallas). In 2008, the Patriots had to play four games on the west coast.

 

[aluminum seats]

I realize with the Patriots at 9-2 and tied for first in the NFL...we shouldn't have much to complain about....But this group of Patriots might be the toughest team...Physically and mentally I have ever seen.


I keep going over and over the schedule and tried to make sense of what appears to be the most lopsided and unfair schedule I have seen an NFL team get in years, maybe ever.

Consider these facts..

The Patriots do not have consecutive home games, and a reprieve from the wear and tear of travel for THE ENTIRE SEASON.

EVERY team in the NFL has consecutive home games at least 1, many times 2 and sometimes 3 times EXCEPT the Patriots.

MANY teams in the NFL have a stretch of 3 games in a row at home....EXCEPT the Patriots.

This may not seem like a big deal....but knowing that you'll never spend more than 10 days at home for the next 5 months will undoubtedly take its toll on you physically....and mentally.

In all my years of following the NFL....I've never heard of anything like it.

They made the Patriots play 3 games in a span of 12 days....knowing full well that the average NFL player can barely recover from 1 game for a week without filling his body with painkillers. Oh, and those 3 games? Pittsburgh and Indy back to back.....Wow.

Now we get the Jets at home Monday, Chicago bears on short rest Sunday and turn around and play the Packers a week later.

2007 may have been the "F YOU" to the NFL....But 2010 is the NFL "F YOU" to the Patriots....

I think you've taken one point--no consecutive home games--and essentially repackaged it a dozen times. The "3 games in 12 days" thing is a bit of a cheat, in that teams are always playing "2 games in 8 days." Throw in the not-infrequent Thursday games and there you go. Similarly, the "Bears on short rest" thing can be said by any team playing Monday night. "Turning around and playing the Packers a week later" is what all teams do every week. It's football season.