2008 Schedule: tough away, easier home

[neuronet]

Miami schedule next year also very easy. If the Pats weren't in their division, they'd have a great schedule!

HOME
New England Patriots(**)
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers(**)
Seattle Seahawks(*)
San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore Ravens

ROAD
New England Patriots(**)
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs
Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams
Houston Texans

Just for spits and giggles, here is SD schedule:
Home
Denver
Kansas City
Oakland
New England(**)
N.Y. Jets
Atlanta
Carolina
Indianapolis(**)

Away
Denver
Kansas City
Oakland
Buffalo
Miami
New Orleans(*?)
Tampa Bay(*)
Pittsburgh(*)


Indy schedule: very tough
Home:
Houston
Jacksonville(**)
Tennessee(*)
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Chicago (*?)
Detroit
New England (**)

Away
Houston
Jacksonville (**)
Tennessee(*)
Cleveland(*)
Pittsburgh(*)
Green Bay(**)
Minnesota
San Diego(**)

Pitt also has a really tough schedule:
Home:
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns(*)
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts(**)
San Diego Chargers(**)
Dallas Cowboys(**)
New York Giants(**)

Away:
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns(*)
Jacksonville Jaguars(**)
Tennessee Titans(*)
New England Patriots(**)
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins(*)

I think we have a very good chance of taking the AFC again.

And finally, the Giants schedule:
Home:
Cowboys(**)
Eagles
Redskins(*)
49ers
Seahawks
Panthers
Ravens
Bengals

Road:
Cowboys (**)
Eagles
Redskins(*)
Cardinals
Rams
Browns(*)
Steelers(*)
Vikings

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

That's assuming you think that travel and when the games are played have more of an impact on the outcome than the quality of the opposition.

I personally couldn't disagree more, I don't think you can spin this schedule to the point where it's not an absolute cupcake.

I think you sort of have to view the season as more than a collection of individual games. The Pats got some real breaks this year with the placement of the bye (perfect) and the travel. While I think this is a collection of very winable games, the cumulative toll taken by all those flights, short breaks between games, etc. can cause injury and fatigue.

Once again, I think the team will be looking at needing to win that game in Indy and lose no more than 2 games if it wants to be in position to host the championship. That looks like a tough schedule for that goal.

 

[Disco Volante]

Bold prediction: Giants don't make the playoffs next year.

 

[PaulThePat]

Pretty dumb comment considering you don't know who is going to be here next year :bricks:

Crikey..just as well I didn't predict 14-2

 

[austinpatsfan]

We deserve at least a half of an asterisk.

i hate playing the broncos

 

[Satchboogie3]

18-0 shouldn't be too tough next season then...

I'm gonna take another stab at my 19-0 prediction for this season.

 

[FortressX]

I wouldn't diss the Bills!
Good coach and RB.

 

[Watson's IQ]

I think you sort of have to view the season as more than a collection of individual games. The Pats got some real breaks this year with the placement of the bye (perfect) and the travel. While I think this is a collection of very winable games, the cumulative toll taken by all those flights, short breaks between games, etc. can cause injury and fatigue.

Once again, I think the team will be looking at needing to win that game in Indy and lose no more than 2 games if it wants to be in position to host the championship. That looks like a tough schedule for that goal.

Again, I just couldn't disagree more. Look at the schedules posted above for what are likely to be the major competition in the AFC. Who do we expect to be the biggest factors for the 1 seed? NE, Ind, SD, and we can throw in Pitt and Jax too if we want.. All of those teams face significantly tougher schedules than the Patriots, travel or not.

Granted, there are many more factors to shake out (roster turnover, etc) before we can say for sure, but I think you're vastly overrating the equalizing effect of travel in such otherwise unbalanced matchups.

Let me put it this way: If I could choose between playing a non-division schedule of tough games, but never setting foot in Pacific time (as we did in 2007) and playing an easier non-division schedule but making 4 west coast trips (as we will in 2008) then I would take the latter every time.

It's a weird trick of the schedule that the four away games out of division (SF, Oak, Seattle, SD) are further west than the cities of the four home games (Denver, KC, Arizona, and St. Louis), but I'm not too worried. Besides, I don't think the Patriots will be too eager to head back to Glendale so soon. Maybe the NFL will do us a favor and have us play at Oakland and San Francisco back to back and the Pats can just never check out of the hotel.

 

[#12]

Home games
Bills
Broncos
Cardinals
Chiefs
Dolphins
Jets
Rams
Steelers(*)

Road games
Bills
Chargers(**)
Colts(**)
Dolphins
49ers
Jets
Raiders
Seahawks(*)

I think the most difficult games at this point are the Colts/Broncos because we seem to have our toughest games vs those two. I think Chargers game could be very challenging depending on what Charger team we see. There should be improvement in our division (would it be possible for the other teams to do worse?) Seahawks situation will be interesting to watch with a new coach...A lot of this obviously hinges on the offseason...bring on '08!

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Its too early to make predictions and schedule stuff..

A who is on the team, 14 free agents this yr...

B who are other teams getting...

I know people are trying to be optimistic, and that is great.. But there is a long way before July.. And also a long time before we forget this loss..