So do Patriots play starters vs. Houston?

[upstater1]

That is ONLY the case if the Pats WIN and hold the 3rd seed. If the Pats LOSE and hold the 4th seed, then they would play the Jets based on your scenario... Since the Jets would have the benefit of the record over common opponents...

Nope. If Cincy loses, it doesn't matter if the Pats win or lose. If Cincy loses, the Patriots are the #3 seed.

 

[BradyFTW!]

That is ONLY the case if the Pats WIN and hold the 3rd seed. If the Pats LOSE and hold the 4th seed, then they would play the Jets based on your scenario... Since the Jets would have the benefit of the record over common opponents...

if the jets win, the pats are #3 no matter what, since they have the tiebreaker over cincy. The Pats can only be #4 if they lose and the bengals win, and if the bengals beat the jets then the jets are out. So a pats/jets 4/5 matchup is impossible. Dunno if a 3/6 matchup is possible yet, haven't really looked at who has tiebreakers over who. Assuming that someone has a tiebreaker over the jets, so I'd think that 3/6 would be a possibility

 

[DaBruinz]

Nope. If Cincy loses, it doesn't matter if the Pats win or lose. If Cincy loses, the Patriots are the #3 seed.

Umm.. Just going over the math here.

If Both the PATS and Cincy Lose, the tie breaker goes to common opponents, since it is supposed to follow the tie-breaking rules for Wild card and not the division... :

By my math, here is the following teams that were common opponents:

NY Jets, Houston, Denver, Baltimore

By my counts, the Pats would be 2-3 and Cincy would be 3-2. So the Pats would be the 4th seed. Not the 3rd.

So, help me out here.. How would the Pats be the #3 seed if they lost??? Are you saying they use the DIVISION Tie Breaker to determine who gets the 3rd and 4th seeds?

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

They absolutely should play the starters for most of the game, until lead is safe.
Momentum and confidence are huge factors at this time of the year.
If the Patriots were to get beaten convincingly next week, even with the starters resting it would bring back some of those nagging doubts this team has faced most of the season

but if they go down there and win convincingly...they can build on that heading into the playoffs.

This team more than in most years needs to build confidence and get all the kinks worked out

Agreed....... This D is too fragle and young still. Unless a player is dinged up, he should play. Perhaps rest Vince another week.

I'd say the same for the offence, we only a few games out of some real timing and offensive issues. We need some solid reps against a quality team in Houston.

I'm not a fan of the "rest em" mentalilty outside of a few players that need to heal up. If the game is out-of-hand either way, then pull em, but not going in.

Hoyer has looked like crap this year ... that's all I am saying.

Brady needs to play at least half a game ... and BJGE deserves some carries.

Nope, TAYLOR, needs to kick some rust out of those legs, so long as he's healthy enough. Just saying.

 

[upstater1]

Umm.. Just going over the math here.

If Both the PATS and Cincy Lose, the tie breaker goes to common opponents, since it is supposed to follow the tie-breaking rules for Wild card and not the division... :

By my math, here is the following teams that were common opponents:

NY Jets, Houston, Denver, Baltimore

By my counts, the Pats would be 2-3 and Cincy would be 3-2. So the Pats would be the 4th seed. Not the 3rd.

So, help me out here.. How would the Pats be the #3 seed if they lost??? Are you saying they use the DIVISION Tie Breaker to determine who gets the 3rd and 4th seeds?

I'm showing both at 2-3.

Cincy: L Jets, L Houston, L Den, W W Balt
Patriots: L W Jets, L Houston, L Den, W Balt

Strength of victory gets the higher seed for the Patriots.

 

[Patspsycho]

Starters not going to take the game off. We have plenty more work to do.

We scored one TD in the 2nd half (which I had to miss). While that is in itself an improvement, I can scarcely construe that as a satisfactory answer to our persistent 2nd half woes.

Also while it was a good sign to see more than just Moss/Welker involved (e.g., Baker/Watson/Morris) I think we should try to build on this, capitalize on this. I think that from reading the post-game stuff, that this is precisely the consensus.. to try and build on this.

 

[The Dynasty]

Starters not going to take the game off. We have plenty more work to do.

We scored one TD in the 2nd half (which I had to miss). While that is in itself an improvement, I can scarcely construe that as a satisfactory answer to our persistent 2nd half woes.

Also while it was a good sign to see more than just Moss/Welker involved (e.g., Baker/Watson/Morris) I think we should try to build on this, capitalize on this. I think that from reading the post-game stuff, that this is precisely the consensus.. to try and build on this.

We were up 28-0 at the half, it wasnt like we needed to score more points and what was different about this 2nd half was that we were getting first downs and not having 3 and outs every possession

 

[Patspsycho]

We were up 28-0 at the half, it wasnt like we needed to score more points and what was different about this 2nd half was that we were getting first downs and not having 3 and outs every possession

That is good to know.

 

[Patspsycho]

Nope. If Cincy loses, it doesn't matter if the Pats win or lose. If Cincy loses, the Patriots are the #3 seed.

I think in all likelihood we get the #3 and my guess is we host the Steelers before traveling to San Diego.

 

[upstater1]

I think in all likelihood we get the #3 and my guess is we host the Steelers before traveling to San Diego.

Not likely that we'd play the Steelers.

Baltimore would need to lose to Oakland for that to happen.
Also, Jets would need to lose to Cincy.

 

[supafly]

Not likely that we'd play the Steelers.

Baltimore would need to lose to Oakland for that to happen.
Also, Jets would need to lose to Cincy.

Along with your other games listed above, does NE need to beat HOU as well? (for PIT to get in)

Just wondering

 

[Patspsycho]

Along with your other games listed above, does NE need to beat HOU as well? (for PIT to get in)

Just wondering

If Houston wins, Pitts is eliminated. Someone said if you visited the Pitts board they are worried we will throw the game next week.

 

[supafly]

If Houston wins, Pitts is eliminated. Someone said if you visited the Pitts board they are worried we will throw the game next week.

That's what I figured, I'm the kind of guy who needs it all layed out right in front of me.

So, besides winning at MIA, they need 3 other things to happen then.

As far as them being worried, good, let them worry themselves all week wondering. It'll build some character for them.

(seriously though, that's what happens when you lose 5 in a row, you have to hope and worry in wk.17)

 

[DocE]

I'd sit all the starters with injuries. I'd do this for three reasons: 1. I don't see a difference between the 3 and 4 seeds, the Patriots will likely have to beat both Indianapolis and San Diego on the road ether way. 2. Houston could still be a first round opponent, if the Pats show their gameplan for Houston and lose, I wouldn't want to play them again. 3. (Most Important) I really believe a number of key Patriots could use a week to rest their bodies, Brady, Moss, Wilfork, and Warren come to mind immediately.

I think the goal should be to be as healthy as possible for the home game in Wildcard weekend.

That said, I see plenty of merit to the other side of this discussion which believes that the Patriots should try to keep the momentum going from their impressive performance today.

 

[Delicate Genius]

The Broncos are not going to lose to KC so they are the 5th seed.

Matt Cassel magic!

 

[goheels22002]

The injury situation will determine who plays and how much, I think. If a player is healthy he plays until the game is out of reach. If questionable on the injury list, he sits, I think. But there is no value in losing one now with this team on a roll and the fans jacked. Momentum is important to these guys as we've seen earlier when the Pats had a slump and short losing streak. The Miami game was instructive. The wins over Tennessee, the Jets and Carolina don't look so bad anymore do they?

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

It's a road game, Pats need to play strong and develop some momentum going into the playoffs and potentially 2 more road games.

 

[stcjones]

"starters play like any other game".......Yep...starters will PLAY like in any other game.....just not the whole game.....expect Brady to start the game.....otherwise unsure.....Things have gotten so f'ed up in regards to playoffs....that I can't tell if we have anything left to PLAY FOR or not? If not, Brady, Moss, Welk and any other CRITICAL starters will be out pretty early

 

[marian]

We should rest our players because for 90% we will receive Baltimore anyway and also it gives us a chance to eliminate PIT team and go to rested out of sync Indy team in the divisional round (as the 4th seed). If we win and BAL loses to Oakland we will receive PIT team and that is not good scenario for us. Also when we lose, we give chance to McDaniels Denver team

Cincy controls what they get, they play last so they will most probably give their game to the Jets to:

1. Receive them in the WC weekend together with their playbook without showing theirs
2. Knock out of playoffs PIT team
3. Stay as 4th seed without having to go for a long trip in the div. round to tough San Diego team

Cincy should plan losing to the Jest already now because when NE wins and CIN wins, they will get tough BAL team and will give hated PIT team playoff spot.

You can simulate all the scenarios on Yahoo generator and find that we will play Baltimore team almost for sure. BB should send his scouts to Oakland, prepare game plan, enjoy bye week while getting healthy and use final week as a preparation game:

NFL - Playoff Scenario Generator- Yahoo! Sports

 

[102 Pat]

I would see the starters being in till halftime, maybe earlier then slowly bring in the back ups. It makes me wonder how close Wilfork was ready to being able to play yesterday, but the thought was to keep him out with the playoffs in mind? Maybe there was lots of confidence in the game plan for the Jags?