Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Chargers

[upstater1]

Here's a million to one shot deal (at the beginning of the year) whose chances are now at about 5%.

Patriots could go 13-3, lose the division tiebreaker to the Jets, and then have to travel the first weekend to the AFC West winner as the 5th seed.

I might be wrong about this, but they could win that game and then have to travel to play the second seed (say, Pittsburgh) who might also have a worse record than the Patriots.

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

Kon should have made this thread....... His Wika powers enabled us to beat Miami at their home.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

Here's a million to one shot deal (at the beginning of the year) whose chances are now at about 5%.

Patriots could go 13-3, lose the division tiebreaker to the Jets, and then have to travel the first weekend to the AFC West winner as the 5th seed.

I might be wrong about this, but they could win that game and then have to travel to play the second seed (say, Pittsburgh) who might also have a worse record than the Patriots.

I was looking at our schedule and the Jets. There could be upsets of course. But, Jets might go 13-3. Losses to Pats and at Pittsburgh. If we can get to 13-3 we might win a tie-breaker if we beat them. Head to head even. Division even. Conference even. We might win on that record vs same oppenents since we beat Baltimore. If we lost at Pitt, can probably afford a loss vs Indy. Because the Jets don't play them. But, we'll have to sweep NFC North. Which I didn't think we'd do at the start of the year. But, with GB's rash in injuries and Favre struggling. Looking possible.

 

[stinkypete]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

Here's a million to one shot deal (at the beginning of the year) whose chances are now at about 5%.

Patriots could go 13-3, lose the division tiebreaker to the Jets, and then have to travel the first weekend to the AFC West winner as the 5th seed.

I might be wrong about this, but they could win that game and then have to travel to play the second seed (say, Pittsburgh) who might also have a worse record than the Patriots.

I'd totally agree, except the Patriots will be traveling to Kansas City to play the 9-7 Chiefs.

 

[BradyManny]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

Hypothetical: if we get a W in NE v the NYJ, and have the same overall, conference and division records, what's the next tie-breaker in that situation?

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

First, I think the Chiefs will win the AFC West at this point. I also doubt 7-9 will win that divsion. If the Chiefs go .500 the rest of the way, they will be 8-8. The toughest game remaining on their schedule out of division is the Titans. The Chiefs will go 9-7 at least.

Second, if the Pats go 13-3, I doubt they lose the division. I don't see the Jets sweeping the Pats if the Pats are good enough to go 13-3. Both teams will face the Steelers which both teams could lose. If the Jets lose to the Pats and Steelers and the Pats lose to the Steelers and another team, the Pats probably win the tiebreaker. One team the Pats might lose to to go to 13-3 is the Colts and since the Jets don't play them, the Pats win the common opponent tiebreaker. If the Pats lose to an NFC team, they win the Conference tiebreaker. The odds of the Pats going 13-3 and the Jets going 14-2 or 15-1 are fairly slim especially since the Jets have their toughest stretch of games starting in November with Houston (4-2), Cincy (2-3), @ NE (4-1), Miami (3-2), @Pittsburgh (4-1), and @ Chicago(4-2). Playing the odds, if both the Pats and Jets are 13-3, the Pats win the tiebreaker.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

I agree. I thought 13-3 was the absolute highest we could get at the beginning of the year, with an 11-5 most likely with 9-7 as our low end. Now, with how other teams are playing, and with how we are coming together, I think 13-3 is now the median with 11-5 as the low end and 15-1 as the high end.
Our two toughest games left in my opinion are @Steelers and @Lions.

 

[moosekill]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

The lions? I would say the Steelers and Jets.

 

[moosekill]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

That is always the funny thing when looking at the schedule at the beginning of the year, there are always teams you think will be great that end up sucking, and vice versa.

 

[Nikolai]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

The lions? I would say the Steelers and Jets.

I agree with TBOY in a way. The Steelers will be very tough, but the Jets in Foxboro generally aren't a huge problem (after the field was replaced anyway). The Lions will be a tough out on Thanksgiving, but I think they can do it.

I think the Packers will be very tough. It's in Foxboro, but that team will be healthy and desperate.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

Re: Crystal Ball: Jan. 8, 2011, Patriots 13-3 (tie best record in NFL) AT 7-9 Charger

The lions? I would say the Steelers and Jets.

We play the Colts, then have a short week to go on the road against the Lions. Sure, they've been a joke team forever, but they are looking a lot better this year and I think maybe our young defense, so confident in themselves, overestimate their ability and get caught making mistakes which cost us.