The playoffs are a new season; all that matters is that we get in…

[fnordcircle]

Any other recent SB winners have an OL that looked like a giant sieve in the regular season that got it together for the playoffs? That's the biggest issue right now.

I don't know why people think that the OL is a bigger issue than our defense which continues to underperform relative to talent. It's been an issue for a decade now.

I imagine it is people's fixation with the offense in general but defense still wins championships.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't know why people think that the OL is a bigger issue than our defense which continues to underperform relative to talent. It's been an issue for a decade now.

I imagine it is people's fixation with the offense in general but defense still wins championships.

Some of the defensive problems is misuse of the talent. That is relatively easily fixed. Let Revis be Revis. Stop using Jones in the 5 technique. Move more in a four man front. Let Collins be on the strong side and cover the TE. Get Dennard and Browner on the field.

 

[FourierSeries]

If you look at the Super Bowl winners since the Pats won the Super Bowl, only the Saints and Seahawks didn't play on Wild Card weekend. That is why I always thought, the whole "the Pats need the bye" talk over the last few years was funny because the bye seems to be a disadvantage. But this shows the best team in the regular season rarely wins the Super Bowl anymore.

The Pats have a long way to go to even talk Super Bowl, but in recent years there have been several teams left for dead during the regular season that have won the Super Bowl. In 2011, the Giants lost five out of six games (with four losses in a row) onto a 9-7 season. They were supposed to be one and done in the playoffs and won it. In 2012, the Ravens lost four of five games in December, fired their offensive coordinator during the season, and their defense was in disarray towards the end of the season. They pulled it together and won the Super Bowl.

Not saying the Pats will or even can pull something like this off, but this shows that it is possible and not all that unlikely for a team to do.

The problem is that both teams had the tools to succeed in the playoffs. They had tough, nasty defenses, that were well equipped to stop the pass even against top notch passing offenses. NYG had a fantastic defensive line. The Ravens had numerous playmakers on defense who were able to bring the heat on every play. Need I remind you of this?

The Ravens also fired their OC during the season and replaced him with a competent one, and they also had a big, tough, receiver who was incredibly clutch for them. They had another big, outside receiver who made some big plays for them as well.

The Pats have none of that. Anyone can easily tell that this is not one of those teams that will suck in the regular season but excel in the playoffs. This is one of those teams that will suck in the regular season and get absolutely obliterated in the playoffs should they be unlucky (yes, unlucky; there is absolutely nothing lucky about getting in the playoffs and being embarrassed) enough to get to that point. They are one of the softest teams in the league, they are terrible in the trenches (where teams need to excel in the playoffs), and they don't really have much talent.

 

[ensoul]

The pats have has issues (like any team)in the regular but were able to mask them and still have a solid 12-4 season. However they always get eliminated in the playoff because they play a good/great team and are not able to mask their issues for 60 minutes. This team is not even playing well in the regular season so far so it tough to believe if they make the playoffs the will suddenly get better.

The pats play the Jets twice, Bills twice and the Dolphins one more time. However the rest of the teams they play are good to excellent teams: Bengals, Bears, Broncos, Colts, packers Lions, and chargers. One can draw their own conclusions but this team is 2-2 right now and have not played a good team. I don’t see this team getting 10 wins. To me this looks like a 7-9 or 8-8 team.

Truth is it may not be the worst thing in the world if the pats miss the playoffs this year. It may make BB realize (I honestly don’t know if he knows this) that Brady cannot carry a team anymore which may force him to upgrade the line and receivers for next season.

 

[FourierSeries]

The pats have has issues (like any team)in the regular but were able to mask them and still have a solid 12-4 season. However they always get eliminated in the playoff because they play a good/great team and are not able to mask their issues for 60 minutes. This team is not even playing well in the regular season so far so it tough to believe if they make the playoffs the will suddenly get better.

The pats play the Jets twice, Bills twice and the Dolphins one more time. However the rest of the teams they play are good to excellent teams: Bengals, Bears, Broncos, Colts, packers Lions, and chargers. One can draw their own conclusions but this team is 2-2 right now and have not played a good team. I don’t see this team getting 10 wins. To me this looks like a 7-9 or 8-8 team.

Truth is it may not be the worst thing in the world if the pats miss the playoffs this year. It may make BB realize (I honestly don’t know if he knows this) that Brady cannot carry a team anymore which may force him to upgrade the line and receivers for next season.

Why are you dismissing the Jets and Bills? The Jets have one of the best run defenses in the league. Their secondary is garbage, but who needs a secondary against this passing offense?

The Bills have a very good Dline, and they should be able to feast on this Oline.

As for Miami, we know what they've already done to us this season.

 

[Rob0729]

The problem is that both teams had the tools to succeed in the playoffs. They had tough, nasty defenses, that were well equipped to stop the pass even against top notch passing offenses. NYG had a fantastic defensive line. The Ravens had numerous playmakers on defense who were able to bring the heat on every play. Need I remind you of this?

The Ravens also fired their OC during the season and replaced him with a competent one, and they also had a big, tough, receiver who was incredibly clutch for them. They had another big, outside receiver who made some big plays for them as well.

The Pats have none of that. Anyone can easily tell that this is not one of those teams that will suck in the regular season but excel in the playoffs. This is one of those teams that will suck in the regular season and get absolutely obliterated in the playoffs should they be unlucky (yes, unlucky; there is absolutely nothing lucky about getting in the playoffs and being embarrassed) enough to get to that point. They are one of the softest teams in the league, they are terrible in the trenches (where teams need to excel in the playoffs), and they don't really have much talent.

First, the Giants' d-line was not as good as you make it out to be in 2011. In 2007, they had a great one. It wasn't nearly as good in 2011. JPP was a stud and Tuck had a good year, but it wasn't like 2007.

Second, the Ravens defense wasn't nearly as good as you make them out to be. Suggs was a shell of himself coming off an achilles tear. Ray Lewis was injured and on his last legs. This is a defense that gave up 35 points to Denver in the Division round and 31 points to the 49ers in the Super Bowl. They didn't win on defense in the playoffs. It was because Flacco turned into an elite QB for a stretch in the playoffs.

Third, Jim Caldwell is a horrible OC and far worse than McDaniels. He is predictable and conservative in his gameplans. His idea of a trick play is a play action pass,

 

[brdmaverick]

You beat me to the punch. I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[RobAllan]

You beat me to the punch. I was thinking the exact same thing.

I suspect many of us are thinking this. That photo certainly wins the internet for today, though.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Ideally we would have HOME FIELD advantage, considering we haven't played too well in Mile High

 

[Gronkowski123]

playoffs? lol 8-8 at best.

 

[ensoul]

Why are you dismissing the Jets and Bills? The Jets have one of the best run defenses in the league. Their secondary is garbage, but who needs a secondary against this passing offense?

The Bills have a very good Dline, and they should be able to feast on this Oline.

As for Miami, we know what they've already done to us this season.

They are the weaker teams out of all the teams they play. I don't see how they wil beat the Bengals, bears, chargers, Packers, Lions broncos or Colts.

However Patriots will beat a team or two they are not supposed to and lose to a team or two they are not supposed to. I still say this team is going to finish 7-9 or 8-8.

 

[mgteich]

Momentum goes a long way going to the playoffs. But yeah we really just gotta win the division

We SHOULD have momentum. Our last three games are against the weakest teams we have left.

 

[mgteich]

I'd rather be the 2007 Giants than the 2007 Patriots.

But that would require having a strong defense which despite however many draft picks we chuck at theat side of the ball it seems like a given we won't have, at this point.

That would require being lucky instead of good.

 

[mgteich]

This team is not winning a wildcard spot. The primary reason is that the rest of division sux.

I would not be surprised if none of the other teams in the division has a winning record. If we win the rest of our division game (finishing 5-1 in division), I think that we will win the division, with a 10-6, or even a 9-7 record. I would not be shocked to see us win with an 8-8 record, although I think that we'll finish better than that.

We need to win our division games. If we do, we need only 1-3 among the rest to get to the playoffs. Obviously losing another division game, put much more pressure on the team.

I'm not as convinced 10-6 gets them in. Maybe if 10-6 wins the division.

 

[Brady6]

Some of the defensive problems is misuse of the talent. That is relatively easily fixed. Let Revis be Revis. Stop using Jones in the 5 technique. Move more in a four man front. Let Collins be on the strong side and cover the TE. Get Dennard and Browner on the field.

I think they need to stop using the zone on underneath coverages on RBs and TEs.

 

[Brady6]

Ideally we would have HOME FIELD advantage, considering we haven't played too well in Mile High

I think in order to be in the position to win home field we would have to go 11-1 or 10-2 the rest of the way, that seems unlikely given we have an extremely difficult schedule the rest of the way.

 

[Brady6]

Love the positivity. Why can't we be one of these 9-7 10-6 teams that catches fire at the right time?

I think that is the best outcome for this team. Work out the issues in the first 10-12 weeks of the season and then roll through the playoffs. Playing in this weak division gives us an advantage to be able to be a work in progress during the regular season.

 

[obgod3]

This team is not winning a wildcard spot. The primary reason is that the rest of division sux.

I would not be surprised if none of the other teams in the division has a winning record. If we win the rest of our division game (finishing 5-1 in division), I think that we will win the division, with a 10-6, or even a 9-7 record. I would not be shocked to see us win with an 8-8 record, although I think that we'll finish better than that.

We need to win our division games. If we do, we need only 1-3 among the rest to get to the playoffs. Obviously losing another division game, put much more pressure on the team.

Well I certainly suck at telling the future otherwise my lottery tickets would be worth something and I prefer to see how they fare this weekend against Cincy. But figure they split with the jets and buffalo, I think that's pretty reasonable the way they look right now, so they end up 3-3 in the division, I still think buffalo goes 8-8 or 9-7 and Miami maybe better. When I look at the teams currently I think buffalo and Miami have better chance at 10-6 or better than NE does. That could change with one game..namely this weekend.

Regardless the only team going to the playoffs from the AFC east is the winner of the division.