Who to root for week 16 edition

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

So many threads here end with this kind of utter nonesense. I also like these weekly threads, but my feeling is the OP probably wouldn't bother if they didn't start a little debate here and there. I would ask what the point of having a messageboard where people come along to express opinions one way or the other is, if when that opinion differs from your own you feel the need to throw out childish comments.

Right, I'm off back to lurking

I would still start them... but I like the debate. In no way is my opinion the final word on the matter. It just starts the discussion. And I have often included why one might take the opposite choice.

I do look forward to the responses that are who others are rooting for and why. And wish more people would do that. Folks who add little more than "rooting for draft picks is dumb" each week, don't bring much to the discussion, however.

In general I would like this board to be more about what Pats fans think and less about commenting on/complaining about what the Herald, SI, ESPN and the Globe thinks.

 

[BradyBranch39]

I'd rather KC eliminate OAK all by themselves.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

odd fact: since that day that the Colts played the Jets last year and decided that not every game is worth winning, they are 10-9, playoffs included

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Not sure i call it rooting -- but i would like to see Oakland to have a signature win at home against the Colts and knock them out of the playoffs.

Too much is being made of Oakland's exact slot in the first round. There are many teams such as the Cards or the Redskins, certainly the 49ers, the Panthers, not to mention Buffalo and perhaps the Bengals who while picking ahead of Oakland, will all be eying their Quaterback of the Future with their first pick. That is potentially six teams who might go for a QB. So, NE stands pretty with the Oakland pick.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Patriots (12-2) at Bills (4-10), With a win or a tie, NE clinches the #1 seed.

Jets (10-4) at Bears (10-4), With a Bears win or tie, NE clinches the #1 seed.

Colts (8-6) at Raiders (7-7) - Raiders loss helps our first round pick. Colts in the playoffs don't scare me. Likely to be the pick that generates the most controversy.

Panthers (2-12) at Steelers (10-4), Our second round pick. Steelers can't beat us out for any playoff situation.

Vikings (5-9) at Eagles (10-4) - Our third round pick.

Saints (10-4) at Falcons (12-2) - Saints haven't clinched a playoff spot and we have their 6th round pick.

Cowboys (5-9) at Cardinals (4-10), Cowboys have a better shot of getting ahead of our picks than the Cards.

49ers (5-9) at Rams (6-8), Rams have the better chance of picking before the Raiders/Vikings.

Chargers (8-6) at Bengals (3-11) - end oakland's season

Giants (9-5) at Packers (8-6), To keep the Saints out.

Lions (4-10) at Dolphins (7-7), stay ahead of Raiders

Ravens (10-4) at Browns (5-9) Can catch Oakland. But if Mangini loses another I won't be upset.

Redskins (5-9) at Jaguars (8-6), Also can catch Oakland

Seahawks (6-8) at Buccaneers (8-6), Catch Oakland.

Texans (5-9) at Broncos (3-11), Catch Oakland.

Titans (6-8) at Chiefs (9-5), Clinch the West, end Oakland's season.

Very good thread. Hardly a day goes by that I don't think about where Oakland and Carolina will finish. Draft position is critical, even if there is the occasional miss, though the Minny 3rd rounder doesn't matter too much if it slides one way or the other.

I would rather see Oakland lose and cement that pick in the 13-15 range. If the Raiders get into the playoffs, that pick could end up in the mid 20's. Plus a Raiders win doesn't eliminate the Colts - Jags could blow either of their last 2 games. Also, if we meet the Colts at our place with a 2 week rest, we'll beat them. And finally, I highly doubt they survive the wildcard weekend anyway.

And as another poster points out, having #33 is more important now that it's the first pick of day 2, with all night in between to get the best offer. BB will turn that into a 2012 1st rounder and we'll enjoy rooting against some other mediocre team next year.

 

[Raymond]

No matter what, I want the Jets and Colts out of the playoffs if possible.

Now, I really belive the Pats would more than likely beat them both, but ya know.....any given Sunday. Losing to the Colts would make the Manning b-washing tough to take for weeks.

But, losing to the Jets, I would throw up a little in my mouth every time I thought of it.

 

[Airkuhl]

I don't care that much about the picks, at this point no matter how things pan out they'll be close enough.

There are only a couple of AFC teams right now that can beat the Pats straight up, even if the Pats are having a pretty good game. Colts vs. Pats can always go either way. Peyton Manning could come in with a Pop Warner team and have a chance to beat the Pats, and I feel the same way about Brady vs. the Colts. Chargers either suck or are unbeatable, you never know which version you are going to get. I'd rather the Pats not play either. Any other teams, I think the Pats control the outcome and would have to beat themselves to lose.

 

[NHPATSFAN11]

Am I just being a boneheaded homer or do others feel like rooting for the Colts or Jets to beat any opponent when our team already controls its own destiny is "unpatriotic" ???? I don't see this obsession with a couple of draft pick slots, id rather just have the teams in the playoffs that I either dont hate and wouldnt mind seeing doing well or teams that scare me the least if they had to play the Pats. I'll worry about draft picks in March, my head is only in this year's playoffs right now.

 

[Raymond]

I'll worry about draft picks in March, my head is only in this year's playoffs right now.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Tucker]

I dont want any part of the Colts or Chargers in the playoffs regardless of draft position. Those are the only teams in the playoff hunt that we did not beat convicingly already this season that I'm afraid of them biting us in the ass later if/when we cross paths again.

Ravens - playing poorly
Chiefs - beatable
Jags - beatable
Jets - smashed them at home will do so again if it comes to it
Steelers - Smashed them at their home; will do it at home
Colts - Can beat the pats any given sunday
Chargers - Ugly win earlier in the season seemingly no Pats offense what so ever in that game. Plus VJax back scares me a little

Just my two cents

As for if we make it to the superbowl the only team that stands out as a possible threat seems to be the Eagles. They're so damned explosive...but that's a ways off so we'll get to that later

 

[scout]

After the Colts and Chargers lose, whatever teams lose/win which helps our draft, great. Those two teams need to be eliminated before the playoffs even begin. Anyone who thinks otherwise is completely NUTS.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

After the Colts and Chargers lose, whatever teams lose/win which helps our draft, great. Those two teams need to be eliminated before the playoffs even begin. Anyone who thinks otherwise is completely NUTS.

I get it now. Unlike 2001, 2003, and 2004 we are now to become like Steelers fans, you know the team that can only win Super Bowls if someone else eliminates the Patriots so that they don't have to face them and so that can get to the final without facing and defeating the best. Got it.

 

[Kontradiction]

Patriots (12-2) at Bills (4-10), With a win or a tie, NE clinches the #1 seed.

Jets (10-4) at Bears (10-4), With a Bears win or tie, NE clinches the #1 seed. Plus, it's the Jets.

Colts (8-6) at Raiders (7-7) - Colts don't scare me in the playoffs especially at home. However, it would be funny if their season ended on a loss to the Ravens and the lost the division to the Jaguars.

Panthers (2-12) at Steelers (10-4) - **** the Steelers.

Vikings (5-9) at Eagles (10-4) - Would rather see the Dog Killer and the Eagles get flattened than worry about the placement of our third round pick.

Saints (10-4) at Falcons (12-2) - Dimitroff's boys. Go Falcons.

Cowboys (5-9) at Cardinals (4-10) - Couldn't possibly care less.

49ers (5-9) at Rams (6-8) - I've become a Bradford fan.

Chargers (8-6) at Bengals (3-11) - Go Chiefs Go.

Giants (9-5) at Packers (8-6) - Not really sure except I'd rather root for the Packers than the Giants.

Lions (4-10) at Dolphins (7-7) - Out of conference vs. division rival? No contest here.

Ravens (10-4) at Browns (5-9) - **** the Ravens.

Redskins (5-9) at Jaguars (8-6) - I think I've mentioned why maybe a million times before. Let them win the division.

Seahawks (6-8) at Buccaneers (8-6) - See above.

Texans (5-9) at Broncos (3-11) - Go Timmy T.

Titans (6-8) at Chiefs (9-5) - Let the Chiefs win the West.

 

[Kulko]

Patriots (12-2) at Bills (4-10) - Agreed!

Jets (10-4) at Bears (10-4) - Agreed!

Colts (8-6) at Raiders (7-7) - Can't get myself to pull for the Colts.

Panthers (2-12) at Steelers (10-4) - Agreed

Vikings (5-9) at Eagles (10-4) - Our third round pick.

Saints (10-4) at Falcons (12-2) - Agreed, although in reality its more because I root for the Pack.

Cowboys (5-9) at Cardinals (4-10), - Agreed, although in reality I dont care

49ers (5-9) at Rams (6-8) - I want that 6-9-1 Division champion

Chargers (8-6) at Bengals (3-11) - better save then sorry

Giants (9-5) at Packers (8-6) - Agreed

Lions (4-10) at Dolphins (7-7) - Agreed

Ravens (10-4) at Browns (5-9) - Agreed

Redskins (5-9) at Jaguars (8-6), If Oak finishes 7-9 all is well anyway. Rather keepn the Jags in contention.

Seahawks (6-8) at Buccaneers (8-6) - Did I say that I want that 6-9-1 Division champion

Texans (5-9) at Broncos (3-11) - Fine with me

Titans (6-8) at Chiefs (9-5) - Go Cassel Go!

 

[Kulko]

I get it now. Unlike 2001, 2003, and 2004 we are now to become like Steelers fans, you know the team that can only win Super Bowls if someone else eliminates the Patriots so that they don't have to face them and so that can get to the final without facing and defeating the best. Got it.

Well spin it like you want, but eliminating SD and IND before the playoffs raises our chances of winnign the SB by 5% (Source NFL Predictions). I very much doubt, that drafting at 12 as compared to 15 will have this much effect for all future years combined. And on top of that, I derive the emotional pleasure of another Manningface, a turner-Faceplant, A Playoff apperance for the NE outpost and the possibility for the Jets and Steelers to embarass themselves against the Chiefs.

Sorry, but if there is one thing to learn from the last ten years of playoffs (01/05/06/07) then its the fact that in february its much more fun to have won instead of knowing you played the hardest schedule.

 

[scout]

I get it now. Unlike 2001, 2003, and 2004 we are now to become like Steelers fans, you know the team that can only win Super Bowls if someone else eliminates the Patriots so that they don't have to face them and so that can get to the final without facing and defeating the best. Got it.

Actually, I'm not comfortable playing the Colts who we played here and were seconds away from a last minute loss. It's not about who's better Brady/Manning argument. It's that guy can beat you under any circumstances, thus, I'd rather not see them in the play-offs at all.
San Diego, are one of the best teams in the AFC, they just don't play like it. When we played them, thier all-world tight-end was not healthy. I would prefer that San Diego was not in the playoffs.
So given a choice, I'd rather not play these two teams, and if they were not in the playoffs, then, there is no argument that we didn't beat the best teams.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Actually, I'm not comfortable playing the Colts who we played here and were seconds away from a last minute loss. It's not about who's better Brady/Manning argument. It's that guy can beat you under any circumstances, thus, I'd rather not see them in the play-offs at all.
San Diego, are one of the best teams in the AFC, they just don't play like it. When we played them, thier all-world tight-end was not healthy. I would prefer that San Diego was not in the playoffs.
So given a choice, I'd rather not play these two teams, and if they were not in the playoffs, then, there is no argument that we didn't beat the best teams.

Let me clarify, I certainly agree that the two teams you cite are very dangerous for our success for the reasons you state. Of course I'd prefer the Pats making it to the SB over losing to one of them or anyone else.

No matter your personal preferences, draft picks or playoff opponents, this time of the NFL season is really interesting and entertaining given the myriad possibilities as the converge to actuality. Gotta luv the NFL.

 

[Kontradiction]

It's even more fun to win in the playoffs having played the hardest schedule to get there, though. It's also good training for a grueling Super Bowl game.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Jets (10-4) at Bears (10-4), With a Bears win or tie, NE clinches the #1 seed.

Slight modification..

Jets (10-4) at Bears (10-4), With a Jets defeet or tie, NE clinches the #1 seed.

 

[Kontradiction]

Slight modification..

Jets (10-4) at Bears (10-4), With a Jets defeet or tie, NE clinches the #1 seed.

Most people won't catch that, but I did. Well played, good sir.