PATRIOTS WILDCARD WEEKEND 12/24: BENGALS @ PATRIOTS

[A Defiant Goose]

Ok, it's not technically the playoffs. But for this team, this is it. We have one more "regular season" game against the Raiders, and after that we are facing 3 straight playoff teams with our season virtually on the line for each of them (and DEFINITELY on the line if the Patriots drop the game against Vegas). That's the attitude this team needs to have for the rest of the year. There's no more time to figure it out, no more time to piss around and feel out the opposing team. There need to be risky 4th down attempts, some trick plays, whatever it takes to win the last 3 games of the season.

Do you all think the team has the same mindset right now? Is it going to be too mentally exhausting to try and keep a playoff tempo for what amounts to 1.5 months to get to the Super Bowl? What are your expectations for the end of the regular season?

The way I see it, if they find a way to win two of their final three games, that means all bets are off in the post-season. Anything goes if we can show we can beat the top teams in the conference. If they limp in at 9-8 or 8-9 somehow, it just means we're playing for a worse draft pick.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The Patriots are in the hunt for a wildcard spot. They basically need to win out to control their own destiny.

This is nothing new. The best Patriots teams played their best football in the cold months of December and January. If they want to show they belong in the postseason, they need to win the rest of the way. This year in particular our defense practically has to put the team on its back and carry it to that postseason. Let's see if they can do it enough for that to happen.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I wonder if BUF will sit Allen vs us if they have nothing to play for.

Might be what we need to sneak in

 

[sb1]

I wonder if BUF will sit Allen vs us if they have nothing to play for.

Might be what we need to sneak in

I can totally see McDermott doing what Coughlin did in 2007 and go all out to try to keep us out.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I wonder if BUF will sit Allen vs us if they have nothing to play for.

Might be what we need to sneak in

Good point, I thought Miami was our season finale not Buffalo. We may get the break we need against them but it is going to be very demoralizing if we can't even hang with the second string. To be fair though, they are probably going to be the #1 seed and there's a reason they're up there and we're scraping by on the bubble, so that's kind of the way things go in the NFL. Miami and Cincinnati though are the teams that IMO we should be on the same playing field as. I genuinely don't think the talent on the roster is as bad as 7th or 8th best in the conference, we ought to be a tiny bit better than we are. Even the OL problems I think aren't solely a talent issue.

 

[sb1]

New England Patriots Playoff Picture

The Patriots playoff picture table presents the probabilities that the Patriots will win each playoff spot.

www.playoffstatus.com

Interesting that this data says the Patriots don't control their destiny for the playoffs. Meaning there's a scenario where the Patriots go 4-0 to finish the season with an 11-6 record and miss the playoffs. I looked on the playoff machine and a 4-0 finish for both the Patriots and Chargers gives the edge to the Patriots so I can't see what other scenario keeps them out

 

[A Defiant Goose]

New England Patriots Playoff Picture

The Patriots playoff picture table presents the probabilities that the Patriots will win each playoff spot.

www.playoffstatus.com

Interesting that this data says the Patriots don't control their destiny for the playoffs. Meaning there's a scenario where the Patriots go 4-0 to finish the season with an 11-6 record and miss the playoffs. I looked on the playoff machine and a 4-0 finish for both the Patriots and Chargers gives the edge to the Patriots so I can't see what other scenario keeps them out

My guess is there's some weird tie scenario that plays into it, or something where the AFC or common opponents record tiebreaker affects it

 

[archstanton543]

Does this really need it's own thread?

 

[Fuzz]

Does this really need it's own thread?

Not negative enough for you?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Does this really need it's own thread?

This is the playoff hype thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's win or go home time, starting next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you ready archstanton??????????

 

[Hyped]

Heres how I see it shaking out:

Team	Conf.	Div.	Current Record	14	16	17	18	Predictions:	Estimated final records:	Estimated Results:
KC	AFC	West	10-3	@Hou	Sea	Den	@LV	Winning out, IMO.	14-3	Wins AFC West and #1 seed.
Buf	AFC	East	10-3	Mia	@Chi	@Cin	NE	1 more loss at most.	13-4	Wins AFC East and #2 seed.
Bal	AFC	North	9-4	@Cle	Atl	Pit	@Cin	2 more losses at most.	11-6	Barely wins AFC North by tiebreaker and #3 seed.
Ten	AFC	South	7-6	@LAC	Hou	Dal	@Jac	2-3 possible losses.	9-8	Barely wins the AFC South and #4 seed.
Cin	AFC	North	9-4	@TB	@NE	Buf	Bal	2 more losses at most.	11-6	#5 seed.
LAC	AFC	West	7-6	Ten	@Ind	LAR	@Den	1 more loss at most.	10-7	#6 seed.
Mia	AFC	East	8-5	@Buf	GB	@NE	NYJ	2-3 possible losses.	9-8	???
NE	AFC	East	7-6	@LVR	Cin	Mia	@Buf	No idea!	No idea!	???
NYJ	AFC	East	7-6	Det	Jac	@Sea	@Mia	2-3 possible losses.	9-8	???
Jac	AFC	South	5-8	Dal	@NYJ	@Hou	Ten	2 more losses at most.	7-10	Misses playoffs.

 

[irishfanatic]

Not negative enough for you?

You won't have to wait too long I reckon.

 

[Disco Volante]

Does this really need it's own thread?

The trend of 99% of all discussion being in 2-3 megathreads needs to die, kills the board.

 

[Hyped]

Bottom line....take it one game at a time.

If the Chargers, Dolphins, and Jets all lose this week and we win.....we might not even need to go 2-1 in the final 3.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Need to beat LV first.

 

[irishfanatic]

Bottom line....take it one game at a time.

If the Chargers, Dolphins, and Jets all lose this week and we win.....we might not even need to go 2-1 in the final 3.

Agree, always one game at a time.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I mean it IS one game at a time. The last 4 weeks of the season are our playoffs tbh

 

[Brotherblues]

Seeing some World Cup paralells.

- Win our next game and it's like we qualified for the World Cup.

- Next 3 games are like World Cup group stage, you wanna win 2 of them to (most likely) advance.

- Then come the 1 game elimination rounds.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Besides the talent issues, I thought that this team had no fight in it. If it is true that the players united 'against' the coaches to the point where BB and company needed a couple of days to regroup, they just might have a chance to catch some lightning in a bottle at the end of the season. Realistically, I just want the games to be competitive and fun to watch.

 

[signbabybrady]

There's no more time to figure it out, no more time to piss around and feel out the opposing team. There need to be risky 4th down attempts, some trick plays, whatever it takes to win the last 3 games of the season.

No need to be needlessly aggressive and risky. We are going to win with a more conservative approach allowing our D and STs to do it's thing and not make costly mistakes on offense.

Ultimately if we make the playoffs it will likely be because our offense came together in whatever small way it can and start being at least minimally effective. Our D and STs will have to be our strength and our O just needs to improve.