What AFC team poses the greatest challenge to the Patriots?

[Dutchmaster617]

Pats own the steelers. And seem to always find a way to beat the ravens in the end except that one game

They own the Jets too, at the end of the day Steelers = best D, Jets = nothing really, just a mediocre team that got lucky two straight years, its beyond me how people want to act like they are suddenly powerhouses now.

If Steelers don't apply then its only Baltimore, maybe SD and Indy, but not NYJ. By this logic would we rather see GB, Phi, Dal, NO etc. over NYG in the bowl over one game?

 

[TruthSeeker]

I'm just thinking about week 1..anyone want to talk about the dolphins? Week one? Want to talk about Miami?

Nah, give me 3 weeks before we focus on week 1. Now's the time to view the upcoming season as a whole.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Jets.

No defensive coach has given Brady more trouble than Rex Ryan. Aside from the 45-3 game, Ryan has often gotten the better of Brady. He has been the toughest defensive schemer for Brady to decipher.

Despite the cap hell concerns many thought the Jets would endure, they were able to keep their important guys (Holmes, Cromartie, Harris) and added Plaxico to replace Edwards. Sanchez is only getting better. They still have a solid and talented foundation.

We are 2-3 vs the Jets since Rex took over in NY. By far our toughest challenge.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Every team is a huge challenge until or unless the Pats beat them.

 

[VinnyPatrollie]

Jets.

No defensive coach has given Brady more trouble than Rex Ryan. Aside from the 45-3 game, Ryan has often gotten the better of Brady. He has been the toughest defensive schemer for Brady to decipher.

Despite the cap hell concerns many thought the Jets would endure, they were able to keep their important guys (Holmes, Cromartie, Harris) and added Plaxico to replace Edwards. Sanchez is only getting better. They still have a solid and talented foundation.

We are 2-3 vs the Jets since Rex took over in NY. By far our toughest challenge.

Rex gave Brady fits the last playoff game, but for all of Jet fans boasting on how they "destroyed" us, the Pats lost by 7 points. Hardly a blowout. When we mention the 45-3 drubbing, they, and you apparently, dismiss it as an anomaly. If not for a golden ticket from the Colts, they miss the playoffs in 2009. Even last year they snuck in by winning several games by a whisker. Lastly, they have been remarkable lucky on the injury front and that luck is bound to level off.

I would not be surprised to see the Yets go 9-7 this year and miss the playoffs entirely. IMO they are relying on too many rookies at key positions, a convicted felon 3 years removed from football as a key contributor, and a marginal QB to dramatically step up his game. Simply put, the Jets just aren't that good to qualify as the Pat's toughest challenge.

 

[BradyToAmendola]

Got to go with the team that kicked our butts last year - the Jets

 

[Bostonian1962]

According to Jest fans, Ellis wasn't anything more than a JAG last season.

Great point! The fact that the Jets' boards showed them all on suicide watch because of the move.............pay no attention to that.

 

[Sivy]

Please PLEASE let us play the jets in the playoffs..they are nothing but a chump team that got lucky.

 

[VinnyPatrollie]

Please PLEASE let us play the jets in the playoffs..they are nothing but a chump team that got lucky.

I'd rather be 2-0 during the season and wave to them in the postseason as they sit on the couch with their 8-8, 9-7 record.

 

[Sivy]

I'd rather be 2-0 during the season and wave to them in the postseason as they sit on the couch with their 8-8, 9-7 record.

Truth

but if they get lucky for a third year, with dropped INTS and last second wins, and teams letting them back into the playoffs, then I wont mind the pats playing them. They suck. They are not a good team. They are a lucky team.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Putting aside the fact that any team with a healthy Peyton Manning at QB is going to be competitive every time it steps on the field, I definitely think the Ravens are the team that the Pats are going to have to be able to beat this year. Talking to their fans and reading what their players have to say, I get the impression that Baltimore is a team on a mission; and they have the weapons on both sides of the ball to back it up, IMO.

Steelers? I hate to invite a jinx, but we seem to have their number in big games, not to mention that they have the whole SB-loser bad karma thing going on as well.

Jets? After two seasons of getting lucky and/or playing over their heads, I think that this is the year that they finally play down to their potential. They have lost too many pieces from their offense. LT is going to be a third and short back at best and they just don't have a QB who can make up for deficits on that side of the ball. Burress didn't even get through a pre-practice game of catch without pulling up lame. Their D will keep them in a lot of games, but I'd be surprised if they do any better than 9--7 or maybe 10--6.

The rest?

Philip Rivers is a very talented guy but he has yet to prove that he can win anything when all the money is on the table and the big boys are playing all-in to win.

Chiefs? I just don't think so, at least not for another year or two.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

The team that poses the biggest threat to the Patriots will be the Patriots.
The best QB of all time in his prime, with a healthy Wes Welker, new house hold name jack of all trades weapon in Danny Woodhead, slew of weapons at disposal with our WR's and the best TE Tandem in the league behind a good solid run game and a great OL Line. Not to mention the right pieces on Defense now, with the addition of Fat Albert alongside big Vince, great veterans to back them up, a young sharpe LB corp and a premiere star cornerback (safety needs to be addressed) there is no reason this team can't do what was done in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

 

[Anteros]

The team that poses the biggest threat to the Patriots will be the Patriots.
The best QB of all time in his prime, with a healthy Wes Welker, new house hold name jack of all trades weapon in Danny Woodhead, slew of weapons at disposal with our WR's and the best TE Tandem in the league behind a good solid run game and a great OL Line. Not to mention the right pieces on Defense now, with the addition of Fat Albert alongside big Vince, great veterans to back them up, a young sharpe LB corp and a premiere star cornerback (safety needs to be addressed) there is no reason this team can't do what was done in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel. I'm sick of people saying the Jets will be our biggest opponent. Fact is they cannot compete against us. Playoff loss notwithstanding. If we play to our strengths all year long no one will stop us in the AFC. Not even the Colts.

 

[averywhitehall]

Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel. I'm sick of people saying the Jets will be our biggest opponent. Fact is they cannot compete against us. Playoff loss notwithstanding. If we play to our strengths all year long no one will stop us in the AFC. Not even the Colts.

But doesn't the other team playing well prevent you from playing to your strengths. I mean isn't that the purpose? The strength of the Patriots was the short quick passing attack after the trade of Randy Moss. That was the strength of the team last year. But the Jets devised a game plan to neutralize that strength...and did a pretty good job of it in the playoffs.

"Playoff loss notwithstanding" is such crap...since the game plan devised to stop that quick passing attack could be used again. Meaning there is no way the playoff loss can be 'notwithstanding.' Thus, the arrival of Ochocinco to stretch the field.

Am I wrong? If so, explain.

 

[livinginthe past]

I'm about as unashamed a homer as there is, but denigrating the threat that the NY Jets present is foolish.

It was a horrible, painful loss last year - but to pretend that it didn't happen because the 'Jets suck' is just delusional.

Like alot of good Patriots teams in the past they excelled at pulling out tight games - alot of people call that luck - they certainly did when the Patriots were doing it.

I'd love nothing more than to put up 45 points every time we play them - but, as much as I detest their loudmouth braggart nature, they came into Foxboro with a plan in the playoffs and executed it.

For me, the Jets remain the largst single threat on the horizon - simply because they are our closest divisional rival.

 

[Disco Volante]

I don't attribute the Jets win against us last year to "luck". We made our fair share of mistakes obviously, but I don't feel like we "gave" them the game.

Ryan's defensive game-plan was brilliant, it was surreal seeing Brady with 5 seconds to throw yet no one to throw to.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I'm about as unashamed a homer as there is, but denigrating the threat that the NY Jets present is foolish.

It was a horrible, painful loss last year - but to pretend that it didn't happen because the 'Jets suck' is just delusional.

Like alot of good Patriots teams in the past they excelled at pulling out tight games - alot of people call that luck - they certainly did when the Patriots were doing it.

I'd love nothing more than to put up 45 points every time we play them - but, as much as I detest their loudmouth braggart nature, they came into Foxboro with a plan in the playoffs and executed it.

For me, the Jets remain the largst single threat on the horizon - simply because they are our closest divisional rival.

I haven't heard a lot of (smart) people here denigrating the Jets team that came in with a superior game plan and put a whupping on the Pats last year in the Playoffs.

But there are people, myself included, who think that the Jets have lost too many weapons on the Offensive side of the ball to be the same force they were last year. I live in NYC and it was pretty clear among the fans and in the various Media down here that the organization rolled the dice to win it all last year (Postseason 2009/10 was a bonus that smart Jets fans admit had a lot to do with luck).

Now they are trying to reassemble pieces on Offense around a QB who is game, no doubt, but who just hasn't shown he is able to lead a team to a championship. So, I arrive at my view that their D will keep them in a lot of games but that they are a 10--6 team at best, with the Ravens posing far more of a threat to the Pats. I stick by that, without stooping to the view that the Jets are less of a threat simply because they "suck."

Could we go 0--2 against them this year if we don't bring everything to each game? Sure! But I don't see Belichick repeating the mistakes of last January and I don't see the Jets as the same team that won that day in Foxboro.

 

[Don Kipines]

IMO the San Diego Chargers are by far the most dangerous team to challenge for the title.

They have a great QB,a WR arsenal and defense that will be back from an injury plagued team that would have gone farther had those key injuries not occurred.

This years Chargers look to be very deep in talent and depth and their only true weak link is coach Turner who must have his best coaching year to get them to the SB.

You can't leave out the Jets,not only because they made it to the AFCCG 2 years in a row but they are the biggest hurdle to NE getting that Home Field if in fact NE has to go the Wild Card route.

Totally agree. Surprised so many people are sleeping on the Chargers. Great QB, great skill players, lots of talent on D. Aside from Manning, which other QB scares you more in the AFC? And SD's team aside from Rivers is much better than Manning's supporting cast.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Totally agree. Surprised so many people are sleeping on the Chargers. Great QB, great skill players, lots of talent on D. Aside from Manning, which other QB scares you more in the AFC? And SD's team aside from Rivers is much better than Manning's supporting cast.

I think the reason that a lot of us, myself included, don't think that the Chargers pose the "greatest challenge" (and that was the question) to a team that thinks it can/will win the Conference is that San Diego has a QB who is indeed very talented (no one who understands the game will question that Rivers is an outstanding player), but who has also failed to show that he can "bring it" when all the money is on the table and the big boys are playing for keeps. He has been to the post-season four times and is 3--4 in those games, only getting beyond the Divisional Round once.

Until Philip Rivers shows that he can do more than put up high Regular Season Pass Ratings (and, it is definitely to his credit that he is the only starting QB to have a Pass Rating above 100 in each of the last three seasons), I have to consider the Ravens, Steelers and, yes, even the hated Jets, greater threats.


As for "who scares [me] more" among AFC QB's, Roethlisberger and Flacco are both rated within six points of Rivers in the new ESPN rating system. Big Ben has "just won baby" enough big games (except when playing the Pats) to "scare me" more than Rivers; and Flacco et al put us in our place in Foxboro in a Playoff game two years ago and would have beaten us in that same regular season were it not for a dropped pass that he put on his receiver's numbers late in the game.

 

[ivanvamp]

I feel ashamed of this board because the jets are leading this poll.

Why? The Jets have given the Pats fits the last 2 seasons. Split during the last two regular seasons and then throw in last year's playoff loss and it's easy to see why the Jets pose a significant threat to the Pats. Probably not for the division title, but in terms of getting to the Super Bowl...yeah.