We're starting to see the team right the ship

[Hyped]

Wow...we got some Debbie Downers here.... I am with @Simpelton.

IMO, we only need to go 2-1 over the next 3 to have a chance. 2-1 gets us to 5-6 before the L.A. trip.

5-6 day trip in L.A.....team bonding and ****...we could be 7-6 going into Miami with 10 days to prepare....and two final home games vs. BUF/NYJ.

At some point, we will reach "run the table or die" status...and that will only happen the NEXT time we lose a game. The longer we can put off that 6th loss...the better our chances.

Even 9-7 might make the post-season in a 14 team format...but almost definitely in a 16 team format. All we need for is for a game to be CANCELLED and postponed to week 18 among the 22 teams that have finished their BYE weeks.

But let's say the playoff format is 7 teams in the AFC...we still only need to be better than 9 teams. Let's break it down:

AFCN: Steelers
AFCW: Chiefs
AFCE: Bills (Play them one more time)
AFCS: Titans
Wildcard 1: Ravens (Playing them this weekend)
Wildcard 2: Raiders (Beat them)
Wildcard 3: Dolphins (Beat them and play them again)

Cleveland 5-3
Indianapolis 5-3
Denver 3-5 (Lost to them)
Patriots 3-5

We are only 2 games out!!!

The Raiders have to play: DEN, KC, @ATL, @NYJ, IND, LAC, MIA, and @DEN (4 games between teams ahead of us in the conference).

The Dolphins have to play: LAC, @DEN, @NYJ, CIN, KC, NE, @LV, and BUF (4 games between teams ahead of us in the conference)

The Browns have to play: HOU, PHI, @JAC, @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ, and PIT (I think 3 more losses, but they are the Browns man and could lose vs. the Texans this weekend!)

The Colts have to play: @TEN, GB, TEN, @HOU, @LV, HOU, @PIT, and JAC (4 games vs. teams ahead of us in the standings, think the Packers beat them, and Houston gets a split).

The Broncos have to play: @LV, MIA, NO, @KC, @CAR, BUF, @LAC, and LV. (They are toast, IMO...but could upset the Raiders, Dolphins, and Bills and help us out).

Basically ROOT HARD for the Chiefs, Texans, Titans, and Chargers to win every game except against the Pats!

=================

I don't know about you Debbie Downers, but there's a lot of football left to be played....and with no NBA, NHL, or MLB....I am gonna be watching and rooting for the Pats until we are mathematically eliminated!!!!

Lets' F-ing Go!!!!!

 

[Jimke]

We simply are not that talented of a team. I liked the fight we showed against the JETS but it still took a dumb offsides and a 51 yd last second field goal to beat an 0-8 dumpster fire. Let’s be realistic, the Pats are not playoff bound and need an influx of talent.

With the free agency losses the last few years plus the 20 that will occur next March, the Patriots
need multiple additions at most positions. They need a super draft without a second round defensive
back dud and a slow wide receiver who cannot catch the ball nor get separation. A genius IQ might
help to learn the offensive system.

 

[Nikolai]

Let's see how they do against the Ratbirds. They don't have to win I guess, but being competitive would make me think this team is still capable of being the team it was during Weeks 1-4.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Playing better doesn't necessarily mean they will win more games.

 

[50-yard-line]

7-9, 8-8, 9-7...all of those might be the WORST thing a middling team in need of a franchise QB can do.

Shudder.

 

[203Pat]

Wow...we got some Debbie Downers here.... I am with @Simpelton.

IMO, we only need to go 2-1 over the next 3 to have a chance. 2-1 gets us to 5-6 before the L.A. trip.

5-6 day trip in L.A.....team bonding and ****...we could be 7-6 going into Miami with 10 days to prepare....and two final home games vs. BUF/NYJ.

At some point, we will reach "run the table or die" status...and that will only happen the NEXT time we lose a game. The longer we can put off that 6th loss...the better our chances.

Even 9-7 might make the post-season in a 14 team format...but almost definitely in a 16 team format. All we need for is for a game to be CANCELLED and postponed to week 18 among the 22 teams that have finished their BYE weeks.

But let's say the playoff format is 7 teams in the AFC...we still only need to be better than 9 teams. Let's break it down:

AFCN: Steelers
AFCW: Chiefs
AFCE: Bills (Play them one more time)
AFCS: Titans
Wildcard 1: Ravens (Playing them this weekend)
Wildcard 2: Raiders (Beat them)
Wildcard 3: Dolphins (Beat them and play them again)

Cleveland 5-3
Indianapolis 5-3
Denver 3-5 (Lost to them)
Patriots 3-5

We are only 2 games out!!!

The Raiders have to play: DEN, KC, @ATL, @NYJ, IND, LAC, MIA, and @DEN (4 games between teams ahead of us in the conference).

The Dolphins have to play: LAC, @DEN, @NYJ, CIN, KC, NE, @LV, and BUF (4 games between teams ahead of us in the conference)

The Browns have to play: HOU, PHI, @JAC, @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ, and PIT (I think 3 more losses, but they are the Browns man and could lose vs. the Texans this weekend!)

The Colts have to play: @TEN, GB, TEN, @HOU, @LV, HOU, @PIT, and JAC (4 games vs. teams ahead of us in the standings, think the Packers beat them, and Houston gets a split).

The Broncos have to play: @LV, MIA, NO, @KC, @CAR, BUF, @LAC, and LV. (They are toast, IMO...but could upset the Raiders, Dolphins, and Bills and help us out).

Basically ROOT HARD for the Chiefs, Texans, Titans, and Chargers to win every game except against the Pats!

=================

I don't know about you Debbie Downers, but there's a lot of football left to be played....and with no NBA, NHL, or MLB....I am gonna be watching and rooting for the Pats until we are mathematically eliminated!!!!

Lets' F-ing Go!!!!!

Lol @ team bonding and running the table.

 

[TheRainMaker]

They'll get a beatdown this weekend.

 

[sb1]

Let's see how they do against the Ratbirds. They don't have to win I guess, but being competitive would make me think this team is still capable of being the team it was during Weeks 1-4.

They have to win if they have playoff aspirations.

 

[sb1]

Wow...we got some Debbie Downers here.... I am with @Simpelton.

IMO, we only need to go 2-1 over the next 3 to have a chance. 2-1 gets us to 5-6 before the L.A. trip.

5-6 day trip in L.A.....team bonding and ****...we could be 7-6 going into Miami with 10 days to prepare....and two final home games vs. BUF/NYJ.

At some point, we will reach "run the table or die" status...and that will only happen the NEXT time we lose a game. The longer we can put off that 6th loss...the better our chances.

Even 9-7 might make the post-season in a 14 team format...but almost definitely in a 16 team format. All we need for is for a game to be CANCELLED and postponed to week 18 among the 22 teams that have finished their BYE weeks.

But let's say the playoff format is 7 teams in the AFC...we still only need to be better than 9 teams. Let's break it down:

AFCN: Steelers
AFCW: Chiefs
AFCE: Bills (Play them one more time)
AFCS: Titans
Wildcard 1: Ravens (Playing them this weekend)
Wildcard 2: Raiders (Beat them)
Wildcard 3: Dolphins (Beat them and play them again)

Cleveland 5-3
Indianapolis 5-3
Denver 3-5 (Lost to them)
Patriots 3-5

We are only 2 games out!!!

The Raiders have to play: DEN, KC, @ATL, @NYJ, IND, LAC, MIA, and @DEN (4 games between teams ahead of us in the conference).

The Dolphins have to play: LAC, @DEN, @NYJ, CIN, KC, NE, @LV, and BUF (4 games between teams ahead of us in the conference)

The Browns have to play: HOU, PHI, @JAC, @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ, and PIT (I think 3 more losses, but they are the Browns man and could lose vs. the Texans this weekend!)

The Colts have to play: @TEN, GB, TEN, @HOU, @LV, HOU, @PIT, and JAC (4 games vs. teams ahead of us in the standings, think the Packers beat them, and Houston gets a split).

The Broncos have to play: @LV, MIA, NO, @KC, @CAR, BUF, @LAC, and LV. (They are toast, IMO...but could upset the Raiders, Dolphins, and Bills and help us out).

Basically ROOT HARD for the Chiefs, Texans, Titans, and Chargers to win every game except against the Pats!

=================

I don't know about you Debbie Downers, but there's a lot of football left to be played....and with no NBA, NHL, or MLB....I am gonna be watching and rooting for the Pats until we are mathematically eliminated!!!!

Lets' F-ing Go!!!!!

They're 2 games out but there are 3 teams are ahead of them that are also chasing a playoff spot.

The Bills loss made it elimination week every week for the rest of the season imo.

 

[borg]

 

[RIpats88]

Patriots drafting needs to get better. If we get a top 10 pick and draft as horrible as we have the last 5 years it won't make a difference

 

[jmt57]

For those looking ahead to 2021, here are some links to 2021 draft tracking sites and columns. If the season ended today the Patriots would be drafting 13th overall.

I laughed out loud at the name of the first site I came across.

Tankathon | 2024 NFL Draft Order

2024 NFL Draft order tracker updated after every game. View traded picks in all seven rounds and a live updating Mock Draft after each game.

www.tankathon.com

2024 NFL Draft Order: Current Projected Draft Order and List of Picks for Every Team

It's never too early to look ahead at the 2024 NFL Draft. Here is the current projected 2024 NFL Draft order and the picks owned by each team.

www.profootballnetwork.com

Tank for Trevor Lawrence tracker: Updated 2021 NFL Draft order for Jets, Jaguars, Falcons & more teams

And then there were two: the Jets and the Jaguars.

www.sportingnews.com

Projected 2021 NFL draft order: Jaguars clinch No. 1 pick, Dolphins move into top five

The top two picks in April's draft are now set, but the rest of the top five is undecided.

www.espn.com

13. New England Patriots (3-5)
Average draft position: 12.8
FPI chance to earn top-five pick: 4.2%
FPI chance to earn top-10 pick: 32.9%

 

[Simpelton]

7-9, 8-8, 9-7...all of those might be the WORST thing a middling team in need of a franchise QB can do.

Shudder.

So we should tank for the next Josh Rosen Hard pass.

This might come as a shock to you but the first round is not the only round in the draft that actually takes place.

The 2 best QBs in the game right now are Mahomes and Rodgers, both came out in the lower middle of round 1. Brady or no Brady, it is very possible to find a franchise guy in the middle of the first round, it arguably happens at least as often as that top guy actually turns into a top guy.

 

[Hyped]

They're 2 games out but there are 3 teams are ahead of them that are also chasing a playoff spot.

The Bills loss made it elimination week every week for the rest of the season imo.

Not really. As I laid out...the 3-5 teams ahead all play one another...and most of them play K.C. who needs a BYE.

Either way...any time it's an elimination game...it's a great game to watch! Just look at this as the NCAA tournament!

 

[203Pat]

So we should tank for the next Josh Rosen Hard pass.

This might come as a shock to you but the first round is not the only round in the draft that actually takes place.

The 2 best QBs in the game right now are Mahomes and Rodgers, both came out in the lower middle of round 1. Brady or no Brady, it is very possible to find a franchise guy in the middle of the first round, it arguably happens at least as often as that top guy actually turns into a top guy.

Lol the 10th pick in the draft is "lower middle"? I am not all for "tanking" in the sense that we should lose games on purpose. I would rather use this time to play young guys and see what they have got. As far as the draft the overwhelming majority of starting QB's in the league were taken in the top of the first round. Look at the list of QB's taken outside of round 1 in the last few years. Not many are doing/did much in the league.

Since 2010 there are 8 QB's drafted who were week 1 starters this year drafted outside of the first round. Of those 8 guys Russell Wilson is the only bonafide franchise QB at the moment. Dak Precott is pretty close to a franchise QB IMO and Jimmy and Derek Carr have been above average to good at points. Cousins has seemingly gotten worse each of the last few years and Minshew, Lock, and Tyrod Taylor all have lost their jobs or have a solid chance to lose their starting jobs next year.

I am not saying a team has to take a QB in the first round but even with the relatively high failure rate you still stand a much better chance of hitting on someone in the first as opposed to the rest of the draft.

 

[Nikolai]

They have to win if they have playoff aspirations.

10-6 would still get the Pats into the playoffs I would imagine.

 

[Toofy]

I would prefer taking a qb between 25-30 and hope he becomes the next mahomes. Maybe Zach wilson? Who knows.. else get more picks and get the best studs available at each juncture and no More drafting defensive backs.. we do a good job with undrafted picks. No point wasting them up high.. for once let's not be too smart and go with popular opinion in draft...No more division 2 or 5th rounds prospect taken in round 2...

 

[ivanvamp]

It really is sickening how different things would feel if we had finished off the bills game instead of fumbling at the 15. Right in the division race, two straight encouraging performances from cam and the offense, jakobi emerging, reason to believe the team will improve upon getting back Gilmore, guy, Jules, Bentley and integrating Ford and Davis.
A few plays can really change the narrative of how a team is seen. Remember in 2018 we got down to like the 2 yard line against the Steelers. Holding call, didn’t score, and everything went to how the team sucks and it isn’t our year. Not that this team is comparable to 2018, but man stuff really can swing on a couple plays.

Not just that one game.

- One yard short against Seattle.
- About 15 yards away against Denver.
- Driving against Buffalo then the fumble.

I mean, I know they lost, plain and simple. Losing teams do things to lose games. But they *easily* could be 5-3.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

We have uncovered some key pieces this Season.

Harris - is a back that can contribute.
byrd - could be a contributor as a 3/4 receiver.
meyers - could be a contributor as a 3/4 receiver.
onwenu - should be a stud at left guard for years to come.

we have 20 or so free agents after this season, so still many holes to fill.

qb - need number 1.
Dt - huge need. Multiple players needed.
Wr - huge need. At least 1 maybe 2 players needed.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

they hate their coach