8th straight AFCCG

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

If this team can’t take care of business at home the next two weeks, and CONVINCINGLY I might add, that feels like a pipe dream.

If the team can’t fix the beyond atrocious run defense, and learn how to score in the red zone, then we’re screwed. KC/LAC/HOU/BAL/PITT all can run the ball. The way we’re stopping the run, you can count on a 150+ yard rush game from any of them. Not a recipe for an AFCCG appearance.

 

[obgod3]

Ill probably get flamed on this one...but

Does this look like a team we want to see in the SB....?????

I mean if they can crank out 3-4 games of looking like then can actually win...not squeak by.....then I guess maybe IMHO

But as they stand now, there a good team, but I dont think good enough. We have been spoiled over the last 18 years.....some folks are old enough here to remember the 80’s and 90’s so Im ok if they dont go the SB every year. I dont mind that Brady is 5-3 in the SB, I care not to see 5-4 or 5-5......

I’d Iike to see them win a a game or two in the playoffs but if they are sketchy wins then I prefer not to see them get crushed in the SB. Let that happen to someone else.

 

[wheresmosi]

Ill probably get flamed on this one...but

Does this look like a team we want to see in the SB....?????

I mean if they can crank out 3-4 games of looking like then can actually win...not squeak by.....then I guess maybe IMHO

But as they stand now, there a good team, but I dont think good enough. We have been spoiled over the last 18 years.....some folks are old enough here to remember the 80’s and 90’s so Im ok if they dont go the SB every year. I dont mind that Brady is 5-3 in the SB, I care not to see 5-4 or 5-5......

I’d Iike to see them win a a game or two in the playoffs but if they are sketchy wins then I prefer not to see them get crushed in the SB. Let that happen to someone else.

Ive had similar thoughts about overachieving and making the SB only to lose. however, if we get in at 10-6 or 11-5 and lose competitively to a 13-3 type team, that will mitigate it some--that's partly why I don't mind not going 13-3--losing won't bother me as much as it would then (in any play off scenario). The year we lost to the jets after thumping them by 40 plus in the regular season stank, as did the loss in our undefeated year (though we were clearly a team winding down late in the season). And the year we blew a 21-3 at Indy (though we played way above our heads to win in SD before that) hurt almost as much as a SB loss (actually, more than any of those, except for the one that prevented history/undefeated season).

 

[ashley]

We've just lost 3 out of 4....We can't afford to think about the playoffs...We need to focus on the Bills and hope we start playing better.

 

[Tony2046]

And of course we also won on the road at Pitt the year of our first SB win. I still remember it--Pitt had to repunt because of a false start, and on the re-kick, Troy Brown returned it for a 7-0 lead that got the ball rolling.

What a game.

 

[Tony2046]

We've just lost 3 out of 4....We can't afford to think about the playoffs...We need to focus on the Bills and hope we start playing better.

They will. They're better than what we saw in Pittsburgh. Playoffs ? Who knows. Don't bet against them though.

 

[PittPatriot]

I am using the 2006 Colts as my motivation:

They lost 4 of their last 7.
They looked like they couldn’t stop anyone but they gave up 14 points in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs.
They overcame their nemesis by beating us in a tough loss.
They won the super bowl.

The 2018 Pats can do all of those things as long as we remain healthy.

 

[Soliel]

 

[Coolade2]

Wow.. we have a prediction..

History ( 7 straight..) on your side. You got that going for ya.

 

[gitgronked82]

I will never ever bet against Brady and Bill to make the afcg

Few things, too
-we’ve shown the ability to beat good teams. Absolutely. Chiefs, Texans, bears, etc. and tbh, we showed imo that we could beat the Steelers. No we didn’t play well enough to do so, but it’s not like we didn’t belong on the same field. Clean up the penalties and even if ben erases a pick, it’s a winnable game (it was as is)
-the 2 seed is not gone. Houston is a pick em this week. Philly really could win that. And next week against the jags is less likely, but not a forgeone conclusion
-the 2 or 3 seed is a good path this year. If the 3 seed wins, whoever that is, it’d be us vs Houston in the divisional. I’ll take us there, home or away. And if the chargers get the one seed, it would then be either at la or home vs kc. Not impossible to win those by any means

 

[supafly]

-the 2 or 3 seed is a good path this year. If the 3 seed wins, whoever that is, it’d be us vs Houston in the divisional. I’ll take us there, home or away. And if the chargers get the one seed, it would then be either at la or home vs kc. Not impossible to win those by any means

I don’t know that I’d necessarily call it a “good path,” but it’s doable if the team can play up to its potential.

Winning at home versus say, Baltimore, then going on the road @Houston and then @KC/SD doesn’t exactly seem like an easy way to the SB to me, but no one should be counting them out. As you mentioned, the bye is still in play, and that would be huge.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I am using the 2006 Colts as my motivation:

They lost 4 of their last 7.
They looked like they couldn’t stop anyone but they gave up 14 points in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs.
They overcame their nemesis by beating us in a tough loss.
They won the super bowl.

The 2018 Pats can do all of those things as long as we remain healthy.

There are some take-home messages there. Sometimes you get to the Super Bowl and face the likes of Rex Grossman and the Bears, so bizarre stuff happens. That would be the equivalent of advancing to face the Carolina Panthers this year...

I would rephrase one part though:

They overcame their nemesis in part through a bizarre "face-guarding" call that the league and a smiling Roger Goodell had to apologize for making

 

[PittPatriot]

There are some take-home messages there. Sometimes you get to the Super Bowl and face the likes of Rex Grossman and the Bears, so bizarre stuff happens.

I would rephrase one part though:

They overcame their nemesis in part through a bizarre "face-guarding" call that the league and a smiling Roger Goodell had to apologize for making

That's still the most painful loss I've endured. Hated losing to Indy/Peyton.

 

[Joker]

The most painful loss I've ever endured was the Raiders loss in '75 when Ben Dreith showed the way for a young budding Scumbagdell. THAT was a fix, admitted years later by dreith himself. Today, EVERY week is rigged to one end or another to further the monetary interests of the 32..

"
NFL teams' national revenue increased by 4.9 percent in 2017. Despite declining television ratings, the NFL brought in more money than ever before through its broadcast deals in 2017. Each of the league's 32 teams took in $255 million in national revenues last year, which translates to $8.16 billion across the league.Jul 17, 2018"

 

[QuantumMechanic]

We've just lost 3 out of 4....We can't afford to think about the playoffs...We need to focus on the Bills and hope we start playing better.

"We" can think about anything we want. The players and coaches on the actual team are the ones who need to stay focused on Sunday.

 

[Steve102]

I think they have an outside shot at a 2, but likely getting the 3. That gives them Indy or Tennessee, based on my calculations. I think they get by them, but they aren't going on the road and beating whoever the 2 is, based on how they are playing RIGHT NOW.

 

[ashley]

talk about taking something literal....wow

"We" can think about anything we want. The players and coaches on the actual team are the ones who need to stay focused on Sunday.

 

[gitgronked82]

I don’t know that I’d necessarily call it a “good path,” but it’s doable if the team can play up to its potential.

Winning at home versus say, Baltimore, then going on the road @Houston and then @KC/SD doesn’t exactly seem like an easy way to the SB to me, but no one should be counting them out. As you mentioned, the bye is still in play, and that would be huge.

Yeah, I think that’s a relatively good path compared to what we’ve seen in past years for a 2 or 3 seed, though. If the chargers are the 1, that’s not the dominant 1 seed we’ve seen in the past, like going into Denver, etc. It’s just a much more winnable game, in my opinion.

Like I said, I like us against the Texans. I’d be quite confident at home, and fairly confident on the road. Compared to past 2/3 seeds, I like the matchup.

If the chiefs were the 5 seed, that would be a unique opportunity. Having the 2 biggest threats (in my opinion) play each other in the divisional, with the scariest team being then 5 seed, is a good situation.

if I had to pick a year to be a 2/3 seed, this may be it

 

[QB12]

I think they have an outside shot at a 2, but likely getting the 3. That gives them Indy or Tennessee, based on my calculations. I think they get by them, but they aren't going on the road and beating whoever the 2 is, based on how they are playing RIGHT NOW.

Thanks for that. I won’t even bother watching then.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I think they have an outside shot at a 2, but likely getting the 3. That gives them Indy or Tennessee, based on my calculations. I think they get by them, but they aren't going on the road and beating whoever the 2 is, based on how they are playing RIGHT NOW.

Houston is the 2 right now. They just squeaked one out over the Jets. Before that, they lost at home to the Colts. They have cooled off considerably and they are beatable. I for one prefer facing a defensive-minded team than an offensive juggernaut. Gives our D a chance.