Three Home Games Then the Bye.

[PATS16N0]

We just started the season with a string of away games and came out of it uncontested in the AFC East.
Now we're at home for three full weeks before our bye. Beautiful.

Without travel for the four and a half weeks, I expect this team to make major internal strides. This is what's going to lead into what is nationally referred to as `post-thanksgiving Patriot football.` The beginning was ugly, but on week #6 we've already played half our away games, and one of the remaining four is in Metlife, which is nothing. All the Patriots have left is a trip to Indy's dome, then later back to back weeks in Green Bay and San Diego. Other than that, we're in the Razor for the rest of the season.

4-2 with the two most impressive 2 game stretch in the AFC, a four week stretch camped up at Gillette, and most of our season travels behind us. That's a pretty nice place to be.

Denver's schedule is actually the opposite. Today in Metlife was only their second road game of the year, and spend six of their last eight games on the road. Brutal wear and tear and exhaustion. The Patriots stock is about to rise, and Denver's will drop. If we beat them, which I'm expecting, it'll probably at least ice the #2 seed for us, and for #1 it'll come down to how well the Chargers can stay ahead of us.

I really like our situation right now. It would of been nice to pull out that Miami win, but 4-2 with all those away games behind us, plus our two most important divisional away games behind us, which we came out of a respectable 1-1, I think we're poised and our offensive issues seem to be largely behind us. Now, thanks to injury, I guess we'll have new ones.

Very unfortunate about Mayo and Ridley! Because with this 3 game home stretch, I was and still am expecting a New England run of solid dominance going into the bye. We have no effective hammer now in the running game. Hopefully it's not as bad as the speculation.

The 49'ers and Chargers will beat Denver up nice for us before they fly out here, too.

Three home games and a bye!

 

[FourierSeries]

No reason why we can't win all 3. Denver game will be interesting, but it should be a win.

 

[PATS16N0]

Denver has never beaten New England with Gronk on the field.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Hopefully we get back Easley, Hightower, and Browner.

We will need them. Especially Hightower with Mayo being out now.

 

[FourierSeries]

Denver has never beaten New England with Gronk on the field.

Denver has also never beaten the Pats in New England with Peyton on the field.

 

[brdmaverick]

Look I'm cautiously optimistic about a potential three game sweep but to talk about it as almost a certainty is quite brave. Chicago and Denver are certainly no laughing matters. Sure, we were 8-0 last year at home but think about how close we were to losing some of those games (New Orleans, Cleveland, Denver). That's three games that could have EASILY been losses. So to think that we are invincible at home may not be the reality.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I, for one, will not take any of these games for granted, especially since we're the walking wounded right now. Anything can happen on a short week with many injuries and a divisional opponent that always gets up to play the Pats and beat them last season (no matter what you feel about the call). Denver has perhaps the most talented O in the league and Sanders, especially, will be a headache. The Bears are a team with which we are not extremely familiar and they have two big-time WRs. All three games are winnable, but I rather tread with caution.

 

[mayoclinic]

The next 3 weeks will be interesting. Compare our schedule and Denver's:

Week 7: NE vs. Jets (Thursday night); Denver vs. SF (Sunday night)
Week 8: NE vs. Chicago; Denver vs. San Diego (Thursday night)
Week 9: Denver @ NE

Denver comes to NE off a 10 day mini-bye, but they have to play 2 very tough teams first. Also, they are likely to be without MLB Danny Trevathan for all 3 games:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...vathan-has-crack-in-bone-just-above-the-knee/

 

[PatsBoy12]

The next 3 weeks will be interesting. Compare our schedule and Denver's:

Week 7: NE vs. Jets (Thursday night); Denver vs. SF (Sunday night)
Week 8: NE vs. Chicago; Denver vs. San Diego (Thursday night)
Week 9: Denver @ NE

Denver comes to NE off a 10 day mini-bye, but they have to play 2 very tough teams first. Also, they are likely to be without MLB Danny Trevathan for all 3 games:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...vathan-has-crack-in-bone-just-above-the-knee/

Trevathan is a big loss for them.

I just thought of Talib and Gronk going at is possibly in that Week 9 game. Man o man . . .

 

[PATS16N0]

Trevathan is a big loss for them.

I just thought of Talib and Gronk going at is possibly in that Week 9 game. Man o man . . .

Gronk will annihilate Talib lol. Not even close.

 

[Froob]

Seems like Peyton always gets longer time off before he plays for the Pats...got Pats off a bye in like 06 while they were off a short week and last year got Pats on a short week. It is what it is I guess.

 

[Froob]

Gronk will annihilate Talib lol. Not even close.

Gronk will roast Talib first play of the game then he'll sit out rest of the game with a bruised ego.

 

[PATS16N0]

I'm mostly worried about injuries. Denver is one of the dirtiest football teams in the NFL. Pick plays, chop blocks, that's like their thing now.

 

[mayoclinic]

The AFC playoff picture has settled out somewhat, as far as the top 6 teams goes:

5-1 San Diego
4-1 Denver
4-2 New England
4-2 Indianapolis
4-2 Baltimore
3-1-1 Cincinnati

3-2 Cleveland, 3-3 Houston and 3-3 Buffalo are the only other teams with 3 wins. With Denver playing San Diego week 8 and NE week 9, there should be more clarity at the top.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Broncos are 4-1, and they've already played their toughest out of division road game, not counting the NE game.

 

[Froob]

I'm mostly worried about injuries. Denver is one of the dirtiest football teams in the NFL. Pick plays, chop blocks, that's like their thing now.

Why BB isn't on the rules committee is beyond me. Or at least Johnathan Kraft. He should have complained to make those pick plays "a point of emphasis." Give Peyton a taste of his own medicine. It'd be one thing if other teams were allowed those same pick plays but, it seems like Denver is the only one who is allowed to do them.

 

[PATS16N0]

The Broncos are 4-1, and they've already played their toughest out of division road game, not counting the NE game.

They'll start to fade. Over rated as usual

 

[mayoclinic]

The Broncos are 4-1, and they've already played their toughest out of division road game, not counting the NE game.

All true. But they have 5 very tough opponents left (SF, SD, @NE, @SD, @Cincinnati) and 6 remaining road games in their last 9 games (@NE, @Oakland, @St. Louis, @KC, @SD, @Cincinnati). So I'd say that 8 of their remaining 11 games are potentially difficult, since all road games are a challenge.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Gronk will annihilate Talib lol. Not even close.

I suppose a healthy Gronk would annihilate anyone in a one-on-one situation. This ain't Jimmy Graham, Talib.

The AFC playoff picture has settled out somewhat, as far as the top 6 teams goes:

5-1 San Diego
4-1 Denver
4-2 New England
4-2 Indianapolis
4-2 Baltimore
3-1-1 Cincinnati

3-2 Cleveland, 3-3 Houston and 3-3 Buffalo are the only other teams with 3 wins. With Denver playing San Diego week 8 and NE week 9, there should be more clarity at the top.

Funny how some people were putting Indy ahead of NE just a few weeks ago. I guess one could argue they had a reason to believe so, but you can't doubt NE. San Diego is a bit surprising, though. They have gotten off to an electrifying start, but can Gates hold up at this pace? Are their receivers really any good? Where's their running game? The home stretch will be interesting, but I'm hoping NE can wrestle the #2 seed from whoever is holding that spot later this season. The loss of both Mayo and Ridley probably prove enough to get the #1 seed. That's a lot to overcome for an otherwise perfect team. NE is anything but and still a work in progress even after the past two weeks.

 

[Deus Irae]

They'll start to fade. Over rated as usual

They were "overrated" all the way to the Super Bowl last year.