The hard part of our schedule ends Sunday night

[Brady_to_Moss]

If they lose this game..they can go on a run..would be nice to win this however

 

[Paul_Newman]

The schedule gets easier, but we're all thinking this is the Patriots team of old.

They'll win majority of the games left, but don't be surprised if they drop a game, or two to a team you wouldn't think.

I think Patriots will end the year 10-6. Which might or might not be good enough for the playoffs. A lot of it depends whether or not they can beat the Jets and/or the Bills. I think both, or at least one of those teams will be around the same mark. Pats will need to beat them for the possible tie breaker.

This defense is just so atrociously bad to say any game for them is in the bank.

Chiefs can give the Pats some trouble, the Eagles, too. I still think the Dolphins are a real wild card for them as well. Any team can score on this junior varsity high school defense. Chad Henne, 400 passing yards!

 

[neuronet]

Its completely different then the Giants. Giants have the best D line in football and the Eagles get run on at will. Their strength is in their corners.

Similar defensive strategies and packages is what I meant, and they give us trouble. Not like our OLine is amazing, despite homerisms...

 

[Bronx Jet]

Sanchez has the 2nd highest passer rating in the AFC over the last 4 weeks. Throw out one game and he has been really good this year. I understand stating these facts on this board are liking speaking to the wall but I will anyway. Lets see how much he sucks tomorrow nite.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I think we're well into the territory of "anybody can get hot at any time remember the 07 giants" thinking, and it's appropriate.

At present, we're not scary. I'm not a "sky is falling" guy, but I'm okay realizing that this year is a long-shot season. The "it's a given we'll be in the middle of it" years are over, unless something is brewing that has not yet shown anything but occasional flashes of promise (thinking of the D here.)

The O, obviously, has lost a step, but would be more than enough to win were the D a little bit more capable.

Just an opinion - have to say I've been less burroughed into the stats and the draft and the line play and the specifics of what can be attributed to what for a while now.

Still, from the casual level, that's how this season feels, whether or not the soft part of the schedule is coming up. The soft part of the schedule won't be there in January.

 

[Raymond]

I see the Philly game clearly as a coin flip.

But KC and Denver? If the Pats can't win those, they don't deserve the playoffs. Look at who and how they've won games.

 

[Simkin]

Here's the thing, though, with regards to this year specifically.

Swap QBs and then re-evaluate the two teams.



Jets, by a mile.


Now, naturally, that's a "what if" that's not going to happen. But what it shows is that Brady has to really dominate the QB matchup in order for the Patriots to really gain the edge in the matchups. He can't just win the matchup. He's got to own it. That's been the case since Ryan took over as Jets head coach.

Wait, Jets being better than th ePats in something? This cant be possible, you are a troll

Adams > Revis
Conolly>Mangold
Pats DL>Jets DL

 

[neuronet]

Sanchez has the 2nd highest passer rating in the AFC over the last 4 weeks. Throw out one game and he has been really good this year. I understand stating these facts on this board are liking speaking to the wall but I will anyway. Lets see how much he sucks tomorrow nite.

A non sequitor in this thread.

 

[andrewgarrr]

Hardest part of Patriots schedule ended last Sunday.

45-3. Repeat of last year's game 2. WOO

 

[Sivy]

Sanchez has the 2nd highest passer rating in the AFC over the last 4 weeks. Throw out one game and he has been really good this year. I understand stating these facts on this board are liking speaking to the wall but I will anyway. Lets see how much he sucks tomorrow nite.

You know whats silly? when people say "throw out this or that" ok, lets throw out that one game..and at the same time, lets throw out all the Picks Brady had that were batted balls, and suddenly the pats are looking at 8-0..

 

[RhodyPatriot]

The Patriots need a road win against a very good team to build their confidence going forward. Tonight is a good place to start.

 

[mgteich]

Buffalo and Cinci are likely to fold before year end. 10-6 should be plenty.

And why does everyone think that the jets will go undefeated?

 

[E Belichick Unum]

Especially in terms of facing pass defenses, which is always a good indicator of level of competition.

6 of our 8 opponents have been in the top half of the league in terms of defensive passer rating; including the league's best, the Jets, and 5 of the best 11.

After we face the league's best pass defense this Sunday for the second time, GOING FORWARD: we will face the three bottom teams (Indy, Denver, Miami) along with three middle of the pack teams. We finish it off with Buffalo, who is in the top 5 in this category.

However, for frame of reference, consider the undefeated Packers have faced 5 of the worst 10 pass defenses; 6 of the worst 15; and ZERO teams in the top HALF of the league's pass defenses.

For about the third straight year, the strength of our schedule - especially in terms of the defenses we faced, is largely being ignored.

A victory this week and we could very well run the table going into Buffalo to end the season. A loss this week might derail the season to the point where we can't take advantage of the easy part of our schedule, unfortunately.

NOTE - proof of why defensive passer rating is a good indicator of level of competition....

Consider that of the teams in the TOP 10 in the league in this category:
- All but one have 5 wins or more
- Six of 10 have 6 wins or more
- In all, these 10 teams have won 70% of their games

Consider that of the teams in the BOTTOM 10 in the league in this category:
- Only one is above .500 (the Patriots)
- Excluding the Patriots, these teams are winning just a mind-boggling 25% of their games.

With this team there is no easy part to their schedule. I like the Pats as a wild card, but I have a hard time aseeing them win the division with this defense. The defense stops the run well, but can't stop the deep ball, and can't stop the short pass either. When they decide to cheat up and stop the shrt sideline passes, the zone gets split for a big play up the middle.

Their DB's seem to cover fairly well, but they do not turn their heads to see where the ball is, their safety play is horrible and their linebackers can't cover a lick. And when the game is on the line, Sergio Brown or some other JAG runs into a reciever at the goal line. Last week's game is indicative of what this defense has become, for 55 minutes they play well, and then the talent finds itself exposed.

Offensively, we have become a short pass, short run team. Welker has been spectacular, Gronk has been great, everybody else has just been on the field. Branch has been invisable for weeks, Ocho either has totally lost it or hasn't been used properly, Taylor Price is still a mystery. The play calling, for the most part has been fine, but at critical points in the game like Pittsburg on both first drive, third and one or two, and they try to throw for it. They have a decent ofensive line and a RB who goes forward, hand BJGE the ball and tell him he needs to make the first down, chances are he will get it.

The hardest part of their schedule happend to be every Sunday from today to to New Years day. This isn't a talented enough team to have an easy part of the schedule. Belichick the GM hasn't done a very good job building this version of the Patriots and injuries haven't really been the problem. If this team wins the division, Belichick the head coach deserves to be Coach of the Year.

 

[patsfan-1982]

I think we're well into the territory of "anybody can get hot at any time remember the 07 giants" thinking, and it's appropriate.

At present, we're not scary. I'm not a "sky is falling" guy, but I'm okay realizing that this year is a long-shot season. The "it's a given we'll be in the middle of it" years are over, unless something is brewing that has not yet shown anything but occasional flashes of promise (thinking of the D here.)

The O, obviously, has lost a step, but would be more than enough to win were the D a little bit more capable.

Just an opinion - have to say I've been less burroughed into the stats and the draft and the line play and the specifics of what can be attributed to what for a while now.

Still, from the casual level, that's how this season feels, whether or not the soft part of the schedule is coming up. The soft part of the schedule won't be there in January.

that 07 Giants team had the 7th over all defense #1 pass rush and the #4 run offense... im with is saying it ant over untill the fat lady sings but this team just not have the talent on defense that the 2001 pats 05 steelers 07 giants or 2010 packers had the only why they do it is if Brady puts 35 on the bord every game

 

[Bronx Jet]

You know whats silly? when people say "throw out this or that" ok, lets throw out that one game..and at the same time, lets throw out all the Picks Brady had that were batted balls, and suddenly the pats are looking at 8-0..

If you don't throw it out he still has the 2nd higher passer rating in the AFC the last 4 weeks, and is still having a good year. But all QB's have bad games

 

[Bronx Jet]

A non sequitor in this thread.

Reread the early part of the thread. Or at least read it

 

[BaltimorePatsFan]

If the Pats can't beat good teams in September or October, they won't be able to beat them in January either. Championship teams don't benefit from easy schedules. Take, for example, the 08 Steelers. That team had an absolutely brutal schedule and dropped some games here and there but in the end all that did was make the team tougher and ready for the playoffs.

 

[farn]

If the Pats can't beat good teams in September or October, they won't be able to beat them in January either. Championship teams don't benefit from easy schedules. Take, for example, the 08 Steelers. That team had an absolutely brutal schedule and dropped some games here and there but in the end all that did was make the team tougher and ready for the playoffs.

I wonder if NE loses tonight, but runs the table on a bunch of weaker opponents if everyone will forget how most of us feel right now... It'll be "12-4 NE peaking at the right time" blah blah.

I've been looking from a positive angle for quite some time, but I am starting to think that maybe the best bet for another BB/Brady ring is to "pull a late nineties Broncos" and have Brady lead a stocked team à la Elway in his last seasons... Willie, Vrabel, Bruschi, Harrison, Law : not walking through that door I'm afraid... (hell : I'd settle for A. Hawkins or "good" Eugene Wilson at this point)

 

[neuronet]

Its completely different then the Giants. Giants have the best D line in football and the Eagles get run on at will. Their strength is in their corners.

I really hope that nobody thinks the Eagles' defense will not give us any serious trouble.

I am VERY worried about the Eagles.

The Chiefs? Not so much.