Seed 2 is likely, and it is not really a bad spot this year.

[fnordcircle]

You including ‘96 and ‘85, or just in the Belichick/Brady era?

That's including 85 and 96 which I would put as our worst and 2nd worst SB teams respectively.

 

[supafly]

That's including 85 and 96 which I would put as our worst and 2nd worst SB teams respectively.

Yep, that’s what I had figured. Here’s hoping for a nice stretch run into February.

 

[supafly]

Considering that Matt Patricia and Dan Pees are at DET and TEN respectively, I am not that caught up that the Pats lost to them because even 'mediocre' teams became superior when they have inside info about our playbook and tendencies.

JAX & MIA - I suspect that both players and coaches are unable to operate @ their usual level of coolness when the weather is above 70.

Yeah, there are some legitimate possibilities, particularly in the FL games, like you said. I guess it just feels like maybe we win a couple of those games in most years, that’s all.

Personally, I really don’t care about losing those games nearly as much as I do about not being able to stop the run, but they went to the SB last year with a 4.7 YPC against, so anything is possible.

 

[sb1]

That's including 85 and 96 which I would put as our worst and 2nd worst SB teams respectively.

2011 was worse than 96 Imo. 96 was a good team and the 2nd best team in the conference. 2011 was good only on one side of the ball. There’s a reason why the 2011 team beat zero winning teams during the season and were lucky to beat one winning team in the playoffs (Ravens). There’s also a reason why those Pats lost to a very average Giants team in the SB.

The 1996 Pats would have rolled the Giants.

 

[brdmaverick]

Who we play, it would be either 3 or 4. It could not be 6, it could only be 5, if both seed 5 and 6 advance. (not likely)

It's not as 'unlikely' as you might think.

Most years (including this one) the best non division winner is better than the worst division winner. So a #5 seed win is almost expected over the #4 seed. So that wouldn't really be an upset.

It all comes down to the #6 beating the #3. So sure, still better odds that the 5 and 6 don't advance together, but not as crazy as you people may think (since 5 should actually be favored in widl card weekend).

 

[brdmaverick]

2011 was worse than 96 Imo. 96 was a good team and the 2nd best team in the conference. 2011 was good only on one side of the ball. There’s a reason why the 2011 team beat zero winning teams during the season and were lucky to beat one winning team in the playoffs (Ravens). There’s also a reason why those Pats lost to a very average Giants team in the SB.

The 1996 Pats would have rolled the Giants.

Right, that's what makes the losses to the Giants that much crazier.

Think of it this way, our first three Super Bowls (CHI, GB, STL) were against the clear cut dominant team in the NFC.

Carolina was the first time we played a Super Bowl against a team that was not regarded as an other-wordly, juggernaut team. Good, scrappy, sure, but not the clear, unquestioned powerhouse team in the NFC.

So it's good we won that, but then in 2007 and 2011 it was like we caught a break by also not having to play a powerhouse, and instead facing a team that 'just got by'. In 2007 the NFC's powerhouse team would have been the Cowboys, in 2011 the NFC's powerhouse team would have been the Packers, and yet we got the opportunity to face good/mediocre Giants. What a break!...and yet we didn't capitalize.

It's just something about those Giants.

I agree that the '96 Pats were far more talented than the '11 Giants, but in reality the '96 Pats needed to convert a key fourth down with less than a minute left to defeat the lowly '96 Giants (a 6-10 team).

 

[mosslost]

It's not as 'unlikely' as you might think.

Most years (including this one) the best non division winner is better than the worst division winner. So a #5 seed win is almost expected over the #4 seed. So that wouldn't really be an upset.

It all comes down to the #6 beating the #3. So sure, still better odds that the 5 and 6 don't advance together, but not as crazy as you people may think (since 5 should actually be favored in widl card weekend).

understood.

I am just saying that if Chargers go to KC, that is a very possible upset, and we end up with them in Foxboro. If Charges win tonight seed 1 still in play possibly.