This game is critical

[jmt57]

just hope no one gets carted off on a stretcher...this will be physical

What's the over/under on shots to the head by Harrison and Clark?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

If we win 1 of the next 2 games and the Jets game, I really like our chances at a 1st round bye.

Not expecting a win Sunday unfortunately. It does help that we're coming off a loss and knowing our history in that situation, but Pittsburgh is a very very good team and a tough matchup unless Branch and Welker are full strength. Pittsburgh can be exploited on short routes because their corners are not very strong and it nullifies their pressure, but seeing how that's about the ONLY thing our offense can do right now it might be easy for them to counter that based on predictability.

Defensively, Mendenhall and Big Ben will give this defense nightmares unless we exploit the banged up OL. Not sure if we're good enough up front to do that. Not the most confident right now, I'd be more than happy if we manage to somehow pull 1 of the next 2.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Every time I've thought over the years of the BB/TB Era that the Pats were going to get rolled going in to a game they come out and play like gangbusters.

I think they're gonna get rolled in this game.

 

[D-Money]

Its critical if we are thinking about the big picture and trying to get a bye.I still think it will take a giant effort to win on sunday night.This team will really need to play well on both sides of the football.This offense cant start slow again.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Pittsburgh looks like the biggest challenger for a #1 seed and homefield throughout that we will have. If we win this game, we not only have a 1 game lead over them, but also the tiebreaker.
We would also have the tiebreaker over Baltimore, and next week can earn it over Indy.
If the Jets lose, we are playing for the sole best record in the conference. And even if the Jets win, we are tied with them with a win, and still have the advantage of a game left at home vs them.
Homefield in the playoffs may be as important to this Pats team as to any other because of the youth on the squad.
Winning this one, then coming home to beat the Colts will set the rest of the season up very well. In terms of long term prospects for the season this is one of the biggest games the Pats have had in a long time.

Great thread, as always, Andy.

I guess it comes down to expectations. I had the team at 10--6 before the season and I'm not quite in a place where I'm thinking homefield and top two seeds, as much as I'd love to be. I'm still thinking this is a young D and an offense without some of its key weapons, including most recently our reliable K who not only regularly split the uprights but who also frequently kicked off through the endzone.

So that means I think we'll win some big games by playing tough, as we did against SD and Baltimore, and we'll lose some games because our inexperience is showing, whether our opponent is elite or in the dogpound.

If we lose this Sunday, it's pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and try to avoid losing three in a row. If we win this Sunday, it's celebrate for a day and then try to make it two in a row.

Whatever happens, I expect the Pats to be in the Playoff hunt until the waning days of December and those are my expectations.

 

[Kid~Brady]

A win would be great but please explain to me how this D will stop a better running game than they faced the past 2 weeks?! They gave up 184 yards to a cast off last week?

I don't think this young D is ready to beat the Steelers on their home field.

Let's hope for the best but calling this game a must win is putting the team in a difficult spot.

True but that was one game. Hillis even rolled over Baltimore's defense, Hillis is just built that way. Hillis and Mendenhall are 2 completely different backs. Mendenhall is more of a traditional back with quick cuts, speed and some size. If we could stop Peterson and Rice, i believe we could stop Mendenhall. Hillis reminds me of the old Mike Alstott from the Buccaneer days.he's more of a fullback to me.

 

[spacecrime]

Would be a great game to win, no doubt, but I wouldn't call it critical. The key to playoff success isn't getting the number one seed, it's getting either the one or two seeds.

If they lose this game, they will be one game behind the Steelers with the Steelers holding the wild card. If they lose this game they will lose the tiebreaker to the Jets even if they beat the Jets (Jets have a better conference record, losing to Green Bay while we lost to Steelers), so I'd call this game critical.

If the Pats want a buy, they must beat the Steelers and the Jets in upcoming games, or hope one of the two tanks it badly. The Jets have a better chance of tanking than the Steelers, so my guess is the Pats better win Sunday if they are to get a bye.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

If the Browns do to the Jets what they did to us,....

I would be thrilled if that happened but suspect that the Browns are going to revert to mean after the two excellent performances.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Would be a great game to win, no doubt, but I wouldn't call it critical. The key to playoff success isn't getting the number one seed, it's getting either the one or two seeds. You gotta get that bye....two weeks to prepare for a home game and BAM you're in the AFC championship game. If the Pats get that, I can live with them travelling to Pittsburgh again or wherever and taking their best shot.

So it's important, but not as important as the Jets or the Colts.

Agreed. They need to be competitive (unlike last week) win or lose. And honestly, if the Pats lose you can bet the OP will be on the board downplaying it as not so critical.

 

[aluminum seats]

If they lose this game, they will be one game behind the Steelers with the Steelers holding the wild card. If they lose this game they will lose the tiebreaker to the Jets even if they beat the Jets (Jets have a better conference record, losing to Green Bay while we lost to Steelers), so I'd call this game critical.

If the Pats want a buy, they must beat the Steelers and the Jets in upcoming games, or hope one of the two tanks it badly. The Jets have a better chance of tanking than the Steelers, so my guess is the Pats better win Sunday if they are to get a bye.

Way to early to tie ourselves into knots w/tiebreaker stuff, but going to common opponents (which is ahead of conference record) the Pats are in good shape, since the Jets have lost to Baltimore & GB already. Making GB a big game....meaning, really, every game is important.

 

[PATSNUTme]

As I mentioned on another thread, what is critical about this game is that the Patriots are sharp, win or lose.

I certainly hope that we win it,but I don't think a win is "critical" at this point. If I had to chose, I 'd rather beat the Colts next week at home. I think any time we can avoid going to the Lube in the playoffs is critical.

We can handle the Steelers in their place if we have to play them there during the playoffs.

 

[Kontradiction]

I wouldn't say its a critical game. We can lose this game and still make the playoffs. It would be nice to have the tie breaker but the real critical game will be the Jets where a loss could mean giving up on winning the division and solely battling for a wildcard. Getting a game back on them and giving them a loss in the division would give us a decent chance of winning the East.

Yeah... this is a pretty critical game. We want the playoffs to go through Foxboro. Taking out the Steelers along the way will help ensure that.

 

[Kontradiction]

If they win it, it will be a big morale booster that will probably dictate how the rest of the season turns out. The Saints started believing in themselves after they blew us out last year.

Unlike the Saints in 2009, I don't think we have the firepower to blow the Steelers out.

 

[Kid~Brady]

Unlike the Saints in 2009, I don't think we have the firepower to blow the Steelers out.

Strongly agree with this. We dont have the firepower like earlier this season. We were able to move the ball basically at will. We just need a healthy receiving corp. We dont have a deep threat anymore so we need the short pass to work but they need to be ready.

Shoot, i'm so up and down about this game. everytime i start believing, someone says or posts something that destroys my hopes Lol

 

[Patspsycho]

As I mentioned on another thread, what is critical about this game is that the Patriots are sharp, win or lose.

I certainly hope that we win it,but I don't think a win is "critical" at this point. If I had to chose, I 'd rather beat the Colts next week at home. I think any time we can avoid going to the Lube in the playoffs is critical.

We can handle the Steelers in their place if we have to play them there during the playoffs.

You never want to think "this win is not critical" because you never know what will happen (injury, trade, FA loss, etc). You build for tomorrow, but always play for today because you never know when your next chance is going to come. It has been 6 years since we last won a superbowl. Who knows when the next chance is going to come along?

 

[Patspsycho]

Unlike the Saints in 2009, I don't think we have the firepower to blow the Steelers out.

Not suggesting that we will do to the Steelers what the Saints did to us. Only pointing out how that win was the cincher for the Saints when it came to believing they could really go all the way. This again from Payton's mouth, not some "conjecture" on my part.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Yeah... this is a pretty critical game. We want the playoffs to go through Foxboro. Taking out the Steelers along the way will help ensure that.

From your lips to God's ears, Kontra, but I think we're getting ahead of ourselves talking about Homefield advantage at this point. The Offense is missing key pieces, including Gostkowski now, Brady's banged up and the Defense is going to have a few more fits and starts before it becomes what we all think it will one day be.

Let's just see if they can stop the losing streak at one game and go from there.

 

[billdog3484]

i dont necessarily know its critical, in that if we do not win its not the end of the world. i think the next 3 games, PIT, IND and Det, we need to get 2 wins if we are going to win the division. if we split the next 2 and win in detroit we are in good shape. we cannot afford to lose the next 2 though.

 

[Triumph]

True but that was one game. Hillis even rolled over Baltimore's defense, Hillis is just built that way. Hillis and Mendenhall are 2 completely different backs. Mendenhall is more of a traditional back with quick cuts, speed and some size. If we could stop Peterson and Rice, i believe we could stop Mendenhall. Hillis reminds me of the old Mike Alstott from the Buccaneer days.he's more of a fullback to me.

McDaniels is taking a beating in Denver over trading Hillis away. He was a Shanahan pick and never really had an opportunity to show what he could do.

To add insult to injury, Maroney is averaging 2 yards a carry.

 

[SVN]

Pittsburgh looks like the biggest challenger for a #1 seed and homefield throughout that we will have. If we win this game, we not only have a 1 game lead over them, but also the tiebreaker.
We would also have the tiebreaker over Baltimore, and next week can earn it over Indy.
If the Jets lose, we are playing for the sole best record in the conference. And even if the Jets win, we are tied with them with a win, and still have the advantage of a game left at home vs them.
Homefield in the playoffs may be as important to this Pats team as to any other because of the youth on the squad.
Winning this one, then coming home to beat the Colts will set the rest of the season up very well. In terms of long term prospects for the season this is one of the biggest games the Pats have had in a long time.

iam not sure #1 and homefield throught are really something the pats can think about right now. Getting in as a WC is going to take some effort. As of yesterday both the steelers and the pats were WC''s i think. This game is as big for pitt because if they lose, they are tied with balt and then have to go balt to play in 2 weeks.
Winning this game and next and the lions too assuming the jets win the next 3 is just going to setup the jet game . if we play the jets a game behind them then the win doesnt help us much. they have a better conf record and an easier schedule.