We have #1 seed right now

[QB12]

According to: PLAYOFFRACE, we are the #1 seed over Texans, based on strength of victory percentage.

 

[Rob0729]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens because if they lose one and the Steelers win out, the best the Pats can do is the #2 seed.

 

[brady199]

According to: PLAYOFFRACE, we are the #1 seed over Texans, based on strength of victory percentage.

Now we just got to keep it and take advantage of it.

 

[Jangles]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens

d%#*!@t

that's going to be tough

 

[Betterthanmost]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens because if they lose one and the Steelers win out, the best the Pats can do is the #2 seed.

Silly logic, root for both to lose? How about that?

 

[QB12]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens because if they lose one and the Steelers win out, the best the Pats can do is the #2 seed.

I'll be cheering for the Niners Thursday night I promise.

 

[patsinthesnow]

I'll be cheering for the Niners Thursday night I promise.

The Niners are our friends. They got to beat the Ravens and the Steelers.

 

[brady199]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens because if they lose one and the Steelers win out, the best the Pats can do is the #2 seed.

And Pitt only has 2 tough games left (kinda)

Bengals at home & SF on the Road assuming SF still has something to play for in week 15

But I think maybe the Pats would be better served to play Pitt in Pitt for the AFFCG assuming everything goes according.

 

[Rob0729]

Silly logic, root for both to lose? How about that?

That's true. Hey, give me a break. It is midnight. Besides, it is conceivable that the Pats, Ravens, and Steelers all end with the same record at 13-3.

 

[Yehoodi]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens because if they lose one and the Steelers win out, the best the Pats can do is the #2 seed.

not necessarily, if there is a three way tie, like we have now, the head to head does not matter unless one team has beaten the other two head to head . . .

 

[NEPatriot]

We've got a long way to go. I think we caught a break tonight. This was all a 2nd half game. We can't do that against good teams.

 

[brady199]

We've got a long way to go. I think we caught a break tonight. This was all a 2nd half game. We can't do that against good teams.

Example of that...NYG

 

[mgteich]

Quite true.

Our first half effort may not even work against poor teams like Philly and Miami.

We've got a long way to go. I think we caught a break tonight. This was all a 2nd half game. We can't do that against good teams.

 

[Rob0729]

not necessarily, if there is a three way tie, like we have now, the head to head does not matter unless one team has beaten the other two head to head . . .

Except either Baltimore or Pittsburgh win the AFC North (assuming Cincy doesn't) and that team would be the only team the Pats would go up against in the seeding for the #1 seed. If all three are 13-3, the Steelers are a Wild Card team and the 4th seed while the Pats would beat out the Ravens for the higher seed.

 

[supafly]

I don't know if I believe that we are currently the #1 seed, as most sites (including the game analysis) have us at #3, behind BAL and HOU.

I'll take your word for it though, no sarcasm intended at all.

It really doesn't matter anyway, as those percentages and conference records will change throughout the next 6 games. All we have to worry about is winning 5 out of last 6, at least in my opinion. That, and BAL winning the division I suppose.

That'd likely put us at 12-4, with a #2 seed, as the best PIT could do would be a #5 even at 12-4 since they wouldn't win the division.

No matter how you slice it, it's too early still to be worrying about what other teams do. As long as we win 5 of last 6, (not as easy as it sounds), we should at least get a #2.

 

[supafly]

Except either Baltimore or Pittsburgh win the AFC North (assuming Cincy doesn't) and that team would be the only team the Pats would go up against in the seeding for the #1 seed. If all three are 13-3, the Steelers are a Wild Card team and the 4th seed while the Pats would beat out the Ravens for the higher seed.

How would the Steelers be a #4th seed if they don't win the division?

 

[Metaphors]

That means we gotta root for the Ravens because if they lose one and the Steelers win out, the best the Pats can do is the #2 seed.

Hear what you are saying but I think health is the greater concern. Would much rather have the Pats lock up a bye before week #17 and sit a bunch of players against the Bills. Give them 2 full weeks off even if that costs the #1 seed. Couple of other points:

- Having the #1 seed may more of a liability this year. Assuming PIT/BAL are #5 seed, they could be the lowest remaining seed after wildcard weekend. Would be much better to play wounded Texans or inconsistent Raiders (warm weather teams with a longer trip) and let PIT/BAL beat each other up in the divisionals.

- The Pats last 2 games are at home. Even with a #2 seed, the Pats wouldn't see an airport for over a month after the Denver game.

Get this team relatively healthy/rested and they will be a bear in the playoffs. What about the defense? They are currently playing without 3 starters in the back 7...so of course the results are going to be sketchy. Get McCourty, Chung and Spikes back to 100% health (side benefit of resting up for multiple weeks) and the defense will look much different. Giving Wilfork a play or 2 off sometime might be advisable as well.

Quick aside...do people (and by "people" I mean Dilfer) realize that the top 5 DBs on the Pats depth chart week #1 were McCourty, Dowling, Chung, Barrett and Bodden? Take any other team and remove their top 5 DBs and let me know if their secondary gets picked on. Winning games with Patch Adams, a QB-turned-WR-turned-CB and a random Ventrone covering receivers is pretty amazing if you ask me.

 

[supafly]

Quite true.

Our first half effort may not even work against poor teams like Philly and Miami.

Personally, I don't see either one of those teams as "poor teams," and I think those are clearly the hardest 2 games on our schedule. In the NFL, you can throw records out the window in many cases, and these (at the very least Philly) are 2 clear cut examples.

MIA hasn't allowed a TD in what? A month? They have been playing as one of the hotter teams in the NFL in the past 4 games, starting with taking the NYG to the brink. After that, they have been very good with 3 wins in a row. Even their losses earlier were due to inconsistancy and some bad breaks. I see the Miami game as a damn tough game right now, especially since they're a divisional opponent.

And PHI is going to be the toughest game left, in Lincoln field next week. They have had the lead in the 4th quarter in 9 of 10 games. Yes, they have a hard time closing out, and have made some costly mistakes, but they don't see themselves out of the playoff race, with tie-breakers over BOTH Dallas and the NYG.

Not to mention the fact that they have a very potent offense, and will be very pumped up. If we played Philly tonight, we'd have easily lost in my opinion.

 

[Rob0729]

How would the Steelers be a #4th seed if they don't win the division?

I meant 5th seed. Sorry.

 

[E1Downey]

Hear what you are saying but I think health is the greater concern. Would much rather have the Pats lock up a bye before week #17 and sit a bunch of players against the Bills. Give them 2 full weeks off even if that costs the #1 seed. Couple of other points:

- Having the #1 seed may more of a liability this year. Assuming PIT/BAL are #5 seed, they could be the lowest remaining seed after wildcard weekend. Would be much better to play wounded Texans or inconsistent Raiders (warm weather teams with a longer trip) and let PIT/BAL beat each other up in the divisionals.

- The Pats last 2 games are at home. Even with a #2 seed, the Pats wouldn't see an airport for over a month after the Denver game.

Get this team relatively healthy/rested and they will be a bear in the playoffs. What about the defense? They are currently playing without 3 starters in the back 7...so of course the results are going to be sketchy. Get McCourty, Chung and Spikes back to 100% health (side benefit of resting up for multiple weeks) and the defense will look much different. Giving Wilfork a play or 2 off sometime might be advisable as well.

Quick aside...do people (and by "people" I mean Dilfer) realize that the top 5 DBs on the Pats depth chart week #1 were McCourty, Dowling, Chung, Barrett and Bodden? Take any other team and remove their top 5 DBs and let me know if their secondary gets picked on. Winning games with Patch Adams, a QB-turned-WR-turned-CB and a random Ventrone covering receivers is pretty amazing if you ask me.

Don't you love when obnoxious fans say things like " the game has passed BB by"? So absurd lol. How many coaches could get this group to play the way they are? (I'm sure someone will bring up the passing yards but please spare me the lecture, we care about points) it's been unbelievable.