8th straight AFCCG

[mosi]

Houston is not winning at Philly Sunday so we will get the bye.

Yeah, that is what I think as well. And if they do, honestly, they deserve the 2nd seed.

 

[wheresmosi]

Fly Eagles, Fly!

I'm torn on who I want Houston-Philly. Ultimately, I want the 2 seed, BUT I live in Philly, and if they squeak into the play offs, I do not rule out that they could make a run to the SB (thouigh it is VERY hard to see them winning in NO). If they somehow came out of nowhere to win their second in a row, living here as a Pats fan would not be pleasant. :/ I actually kind of like the Eagles, but want it to be clear that they are NOT anything close to the legacy of the patriots.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s to never count BB and Brady out prematurely.

You guys have a legit shot at anything in the playoffs with those two

Thanks dude but the hill to the top has a steeper grade to it this year.

 

[Sicilian]

We've never made it to a Super Bowl under BB/Brady without a first round bye. I won't ever count them out completely, but if I'm going to use reputation and past performance to have faith in them most of the time, I have to look at the history the other way too. Getting the 2 seed is huge for this team.

 

[PatsFan2]

This team has much to fix to turn things around. One game at a time.

And that's the Team I compare the current one to especially Defensively they were just as bad.

 

[qbno12]

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s to never count BB and Brady out prematurely.

You guys have a legit shot at anything in the playoffs with those two

While I agree to the fact that never count out BB and Brady, I respectfully disagree to that given how things are looking this year. We have shown no fight, consistency in execution and it's quite obvious that our D can't contain run. Over the years it's been a trend that D gets better over the year progresses but I see no improvement so far this season. On the other hand, O is getting worse too and that's a serious concern.

If we beat Bills and Jets, it's not a good gauge of how much better offense and/or defense will get because they are no way near as good as playoff bound teams in AFC.

 

[wheresmosi]

Let's not forget that the year after we beat Seattle, we lost 4 of our last 6, some inexplicable (the lost to Philly after the loss in Denver, where should have gone 11-0, was a disaster among the biggest I've seen the pats make). And then the odd run-run-run game against Miami, where it looked like we were intentionally holding back their offense for the play offs. A win there would have given them homefield. And still, we almost won at Denver who had a superb defense, and we very well might have pulled it off if Ghost had not missed an extra point (plus that was the game where it turned out center Stork was giving away the snap count by a head move, which almost certainly would have been avoided if Dante S. had been there that year). My point is, we were failing similarly that year, and still made the AFC title game, and just as easily could have won as lost (though I do think Carolina would have given us more of a fight than they did denver in the SB).

 

[wheresmosi]

While I agree to the fact that never count out BB and Brady, I respectfully disagree to that given how things are looking this year. We have shown no fight, consistency in execution and it's quite obvious that our D can't contain run. Over the years it's been a trend that D gets better over the year progresses but I see no improvement so far this season. On the other hand, O is getting worse too and that's a serious concern.

If we beat Bills and Jets, it's not a good gauge of how much better offense and/or defense will get because they are no way near as good as playoff bound teams in AFC.

Some things to consider (and sure, there could be similar points made in the negative): if we had done a couple of things differently yesterday, we would have won, and obviously could have won against Miami. If we were 10-3, people would still see our vulnerabilities but would be less pessimistic (though I know some of that has to do with less homefield opportunities). But in both cases, one or two minute things could have and likjely would have changed the outcome. So, if we can correct those things (and we are healthier than most teams)< we could see a definite uptick in the play offs. At the same time, I do have awareness of our genuine shortcomings, mostly with a lack of explosion in the passing game, and a newfound tendency to not complete some passes that were made 90% of the time in the past. On the other hand, our running game is better than most past years. So we'l see. But I do think we'll have to be prepared to win some 20-17 or 24-20 type games, and not go for 30 plus in the play offs.

 

[PatsFan2]

While I agree to the fact that never count out BB and Brady, I respectfully disagree to that given how things are looking this year. We have shown no fight, consistency in execution and it's quite obvious that our D can't contain run. Over the years it's been a trend that D gets better over the year progresses but I see no improvement so far this season. On the other hand, O is getting worse too and that's a serious concern.

If we beat Bills and Jets, it's not a good gauge of how much better offense and/or defense will get because they are no way near as good as playoff bound teams in AFC.

Exactly the AFC-Least is not exactly the standard of Today's NFL.

 

[RobertWeathers]

And that's the Team I compare the current one to especially Defensively they were just as bad.

The interesting thing is we would take the talent on that defense over the current squad in a heartbeat.

Only exceptions are JC over Otis, Guy over Steve Martin/Pleasent and Harmon over T Buck.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

I'm torn on who I want Houston-Philly. Ultimately, I want the 2 seed, BUT I live in Philly, and if they squeak into the play offs, I do not rule out that they could make a run to the SB (thouigh it is VERY hard to see them winning in NO). If they somehow came out of nowhere to win their second in a row, living here as a Pats fan would not be pleasant. :/ I actually kind of like the Eagles, but want it to be clear that they are NOT anything close to the legacy of the patriots.

Let me help you with that one, you WANT Philly to win that game against Houston. As for the Philly fans, let them eat horsesh*t.

 

[mosi]

If the Pats do fall to 3rd, they will mostly likely play Baltimore.

If the Pats get the 2nd seed, they would play the Texans/Steeler/Chargers. Honestly, in Foxborough, I bet they would win.

I think both the Steelers and Chargers could go to KC and win.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I have a hard time seeing us winning any playoff game right now. Would like to see the team bring in some street FAs at DT because while it's probably too late to fix that problem, they have to figure out how to suck less at it, at least.

I guess anything is possible, and maybe something will click and they'll get hot, but it would take a historical anomaly for a team that's looked this bad for the last month to achieve anything notable in the postseason.

 

[TheRainMaker]

And then the odd run-run-run game against Miami, where it looked like we were intentionally holding back their offense for the play offs

They actually did this the week prior at the Jest as well. They only started throwing in the 2nd half because the game was in reach.

All they had to do was beat the measly Jest in week 16 and they wouldn’ve had homefield throughout and treat week 17 as a preseason game. In addition, key players could’ve had additional rest.

No way the Broncos beat the Pats in the AFCCG in NE.

This was just another coaching blunder from BB holding his team back from another chance at a Super Bowl.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

We aint winning on the road this postseason.

Although I give us a 1% chance if it's in Houston and a 2% chance if it's in KC

 

[Uptown]

Houston is not winning at Philly Sunday so we will get the bye.

Is there a “hopefully” emoji??

 

[mosslost]

I would like to agree with you and will try to be optimistic but I am afraid this team doesn't have it. Beating the Bills and the Jets should be easy but somehow this team will find a way to struggle. OL won't hold back the charge of Buffalo. The DL won't stop the run of Allen. Too many penalties. Dropped balls. Missed passes. INT. Stupidity. Whatever it will be they will find a way. Why because that has been this season. Maybe the Jets will have a great day with a play like Miami.

After that we should be on the road. During the season we were 3 and 5, why should that problem change?


Go Pats

just my gut feeling. I've seen it too many times. If they win the next 2 games all bets are back on especially if Houston drops one.

I am not saying they go to the Super Bowl saying they make 8th straight AFCCG

 

[mosslost]

Impossible to say. There are some guys on this squad that have come up HUGE in the biggest of situations in the past (#11, White, HT, Brady, Gronk, Harmon...). So DO a few of those guys have a key play or two in key spots in January to make something happen ?

Maybe, maybe not. I feel a little like BB atm : what happened in the past has no bearing...

I’d be pleasantly surprised to see NE accomplish something this postseason. But autumn 2018 has given me very little hope to believe they can go on a consistent run.

Weirdly : had they won last night, they’d have beaten ALL division leaders (though Pitt would have fallen out of the lead). That is strange considering the inconsistency we’ve witnessed.

things change fast in the NFL

In 2001 we were 8-5 not even leading the division yet, and the Raiders were 10-3. We won out and they lost out, us grabbing the AFC East and stealing the 2 seed from the Raiders for their failure. And the rest is history.

 

[tasmlab]

Some things to consider (and sure, there could be similar points made in the negative): if we had done a couple of things differently yesterday, we would have won, and obviously could have won against Miami.

This is sort of the problem. The Pats this year, and really in the past three super bowls they went to, the outcome of the game comes on the luck of one or two plays going one way or the other, often at the last minute.

I think we miss those systematic Pats teams that would joylessly and confidently dismantle other teams and then play all clock-burning offense and prevent defense for the whole second half.

But, go 2018 Pats! It could be a wild ride.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Let's not forget that the year after we beat Seattle, we lost 4 of our last 6, some inexplicable (the lost to Philly after the loss in Denver, where should have gone 11-0, was a disaster among the biggest I've seen the pats make). And then the odd run-run-run game against Miami, where it looked like we were intentionally holding back their offense for the play offs. A win there would have given them homefield. And still, we almost won at Denver who had a superb defense, and we very well might have pulled it off if Ghost had not missed an extra point (plus that was the game where it turned out Bork was giving away the snap count by a head move, which almost certainly would have been avoided if Dante S. had been there that year). My point is, we were failing similarly that year, and still made the AFC title game, and just as easily could have won as lost (though I do think Carolina would have given us more of a fight than they did denver in the SB).

They're capable if getting hot but how can we complain 7 straight AFCCG and 5 super bowls, it's been an unbelievable run. I'd love to see one more super bowl with TB and to get it with a harder road would be quite satisfying