Week 14 Sweet 16

[ivanvamp]

1. New England (+1) - I just think they're the best team in the league right now. I could be wrong. But the next two weeks will give them a chance to show it, as they play Houston and San Francisco.

2. Atlanta (+1) - Terrific win over New Orleans.

3. Houston (+1) - Can't wait for the Monday night matchup in Foxboro.

4. San Francisco (-3) - Brutal loss to the Rams.

5. Denver (+1) - They're going to be a very, very tough out.

6. Green Bay (+1) - Sitting atop the NFC North.

7. Cincinnati (+3) - It's SO hard to trust them, but they're really rolling right now.

8. NY Giants (-3) - RGIII seems to have their number, and they're suddenly in a dogfight for the division, but they still worry me a lot.

9. Chicago (-1) - It's hard for me to like this team...not sure why.

10. Indianapolis (+1) - Great comeback by Luck and the Colts. What a season they're having (eh...minus their game vs. the Pats).

11. Seattle (+2) - Beat up the Bears, and suddenly in the race for the NFC West.

12. Baltimore (-3) - They've been shaky recently, and you just can't lose that game to Charlie Batch.

13. Pittsburgh (+1) - Huge win by the Steelers in Baltimore.

14. Washington (N/A) - Are they for real?

15. Tampa Bay (-3) - Still in the playoff hunt.

16. Dallas (N/A) - You never know what they're going to do in any given week. Must be a really frustrating team to follow.

Moving up: NE, Atl, Hou, Den, GB, Cin, Ind, Sea, Pit
Moving down: SF, NYG, Chi, Bal, TB
Moving in: Was, Dal
Moving out: Min, NO

3/4 Pole Awards:
MVP: Tom Brady, NE
Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt (Aldon Smith is a close 2nd)
Rookie of the Year: RGIII

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I'm with you on #1 if we can get the TE healthy. I don't see us sweeping the next two without Gronk. Come playoff time he'll be ready to go but the injury may cost us a bye. I also have no feel for how healthy Hernandez is looking and whether he'll be better or worse by playing, I'm not good at judging that kind of thing.

 

[mayoclinic]

Right now there are 17 teams at .500 or better:

- Teams with 1 loss = 2: Houston, Atlanta
- Teams with 2 losses = 0
- Teams with 3 losses = 4: New England, Denver, Baltimore, San Francisco (also has a tie)
- Teams with 4 losses = 3: Green Bay, Chicago, Indianapolis
- Teams with 5 losses = 4: NY Giants, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
- Teams with 6 losses = 4: Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Minnesota

I'd rank Houston, Atlanta, NE, SF and Denver as the top 5 based on consistency and record.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Texans have played a tougher schedule than the Patriots have, and they are 11-1. There's no way that the Patriots should be ahead of them unless/until they beat them in the upcoming game.

 

[BradyFTW!]

The Texans have played a tougher schedule than the Patriots have, and they are 11-1. There's no way that the Patriots should be ahead of them unless/until they beat them in the upcoming game.

I can understand why some people would be a little down on the Texans for their performances lately. Arian Foster will pass 300 carries on Monday night, which has to be a concern since he's the focal point of the offense (surprised that it took the Texans as long as it did to start managing his carries). Nobody else has more than 250 carries, so he basically has an entire game's worth of heavy workload more on him than anyone else this season.

Throw in the fact that they probably should have lost twice in the last three weeks, and I can understand why some people would put the Patriots over them.

 

[Deus Irae]

I can understand why some people would be a little down on the Texans for their performances lately. Arian Foster will pass 300 carries on Monday night, which has to be a concern since he's the focal point of the offense (surprised that it took the Texans as long as it did to start managing his carries). Nobody else has more than 250 carries, so he basically has an entire game's worth of heavy workload more on him than anyone else this season.

Throw in the fact that they probably should have lost twice in the last three weeks, and I can understand why some people would put the Patriots over them.

Like the Patriots, the Texans have won 6 in a row. During the Patriots 6 game streak, the Patriots "probably should" have lost to both the Jets (first game) and the Bills. The Patriots also struggled against the Dolphins this past week.

 

[BradyManny]

The Texans have played a tougher schedule than the Patriots have, and they are 11-1. There's no way that the Patriots should be ahead of them unless/until they beat them in the upcoming game.

For starters - they were handed undeserved victories by 1 and 4 win teams in recent weeks.

Second, I'd question that their schedule is tougher, and by how much - and even if we accept that, what do we read into it.

They struggled against the Bears. They got smoked by the Packers.

They beat down on Denver the same way we did, only to have Peyton window-dress the loss.

Other than that, they beat the Titans twice. Against the AFCE they have averaged just 25 points a game (Pats average 38).

Other than destroying the Ravens, what have they really done to make you feel obligated to rank them above us in a purely subjective power ranking list?

 

[everlong]

The Texans have played a tougher schedule than the Patriots have, and they are 11-1. There's no way that the Patriots should be ahead of them unless/until they beat them in the upcoming game.

Team SOS SOV
Houston .451 .432
NE .497 .477

Although I do think that's misleading because Houston has played 2-10 Jax twice and 4-8 Tenn twice. While the Patriots have played Tenn once and 5 games against 5-7 teams and one against a 5-6-1. Houston has played more games against teams with winning records.

We'll know for sure come Monday night.

 

[Deus Irae]

For starters - they were handed undeserved victories by 1 and 4 win teams in recent weeks.

Second, I'd question that their schedule is tougher, and by how much - and even if we accept that, what do we read into it.

They struggled against the Bears. They got smoked by the Packers.

They beat down on Denver the same way we did, only to have Peyton window-dress the loss.

Other than that, they beat the Titans twice. Against the AFCE they have averaged just 25 points a game (Pats average 38).

Other than destroying the Ravens, what have they really done to make you feel obligated to rank them above us in a purely subjective power ranking list?

11-1, and their only loss is to a high powered Packers team that, like the Patriots, seems to have the ability to kill everyone, on any given day, except the Giants. The Patriots lost to a team that's dropped 8 in a row.

 

[BradyManny]

11-1, and their only loss is to a high powered Packers team that, like the Patriots, seems to have the ability to kill everyone, on any given day, except the Giants. The Patriots lost to a team that's dropped 8 in a row.

It's a not a very meaningful ranking if we're merely going to follow the standings. The point of the exercise is to subjectively evaluate the teams beyond the W-L columns.

If we do, we see the Patriots could are 4 points away from being undefeated - and had there been no replacement refs, would most likely be 11-1 (referring specifically to the botched calls in the BALT & ARI games).

The Texans, on the other hand, could just as easily be 8-3. In fact, they really should be considering the Jax & Lions games.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's a not a very meaningful ranking if we're merely going to follow the standings. The point of the exercise is to subjectively evaluate the teams beyond the W-L columns.

If we do, we see the Patriots could are 4 points away from being undefeated - and had there been no replacement refs, would most likely be 11-1 (referring specifically to the botched calls in the BALT & ARI games).

The Texans, on the other hand, could just as easily be 8-3. In fact, they really should be considering the Jax & Lions games.

Yes, if you do what you're doing and ignore what's actually happened, and if you only downgrade the Texans while continuing to ignore the same downgrade issues with the Patriots, you can make the Patriots look good. If, however, we look at reality, the Patriots have no business being ranked above the Texans.

It's understood that power rankings are subjective, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to eliminate our biases. The "4 points" thing is a perfect example. The Patriots could be 7-5 right now, with losses to the Bills and Jets, yet you choose to completely ignore that.

 

[BradyManny]

It's understood that power rankings are subjective, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to eliminate our biases. The "4 points" thing is a perfect example. The Patriots could be 7-5 right now, with losses to the Bills and Jets, yet you choose to completely ignore that.

The Bills game is a stretch. Buffalo was lucky to be in that game considering what happened on the 2 yard line, so if we're playing hypotheticals, I'm not including that in a game the Patriots could've or should've lost.

But sure, they could've easily lost the first Jets game. I'd factor that into the equation if you want.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Like the Patriots, the Texans have won 6 in a row. During the Patriots 6 game streak, the Patriots "probably should" have lost to both the Jets (first game) and the Bills. The Patriots also struggled against the Dolphins this past week.

To say that I disagree with that would be a pretty major understatement. They could have lost either of those games, but that doesn't mean that they probably should have. If anything, the Bills and Jets were both exceptionally lucky that they even had a chance to win those games (which they still failed to do).

 

[BradyFTW!]

11-1, and their only loss is to a high powered Packers team that, like the Patriots, seems to have the ability to kill everyone, on any given day, except the Giants. The Patriots lost to a team that's dropped 8 in a row.

The Cardinals that the Pats lost to are not the same team that's currently on an 8 game skid. If Lindley had been playing in week 2, that game would have been a decisive win. He's the worst quarterback starting in the NFL right now, by a pretty wide margin.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Bills game is a stretch. Buffalo was lucky to be in that game considering what happened on the 2 yard line, so if we're playing hypotheticals, I'm not including that in a game the Patriots could've or should've lost.

But sure, they could've easily lost the first Jets game. I'd factor that into the equation if you want.

If Fitzpicksix doesn't brain lock, the Bills win that game. It's a potential loss every bit as much as those you're tagging Houston with.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Cardinals that the Pats lost to are not the same team that's currently on an 8 game skid. If Lindley had been playing in week 2, that game would have been a decisive win. He's the worst quarterback starting in the NFL right now, by a pretty wide margin.

It's the same team. If we're not giving the Texans a break for losing to Green Bay in their first game without Cushing, the same rules need to apply on the other side. If Texans = Texans, then Cardinals = Cardinals.

 

[BradyFTW!]

It's the same team. If we're not giving the Texans a break for losing to Green Bay in their first game without Cushing, the same rules need to apply on the other side. If Texans = Texans, then Cardinals = Cardinals.

Have you seen Ryan Lindley play? It's most definitely not the same team.

 

[Deus Irae]

Have you seen Ryan Lindley play? It's most definitely not the same team.

I've seen Lindley. You can't use the "different players = different team" and start tossing out the "4 points" arguments for the Patriots without giving the Texans a pass about the Packers game for losing Cushing. And Lindley only has 2 starts compared to 10 for the other QBs, so that's a red herring anyway.