A look forward to the New England Patriots 2012 schedule

[PatsFans.com Article]

A look forward to the New England Patriots 2012 schedule
By: John Morgan

Give credit to the NFL; only they can turn what was recently a back page, small agate type news item into a primetime television production broadcast live on two networks....

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS STORY​

 

[jmt57]

I saw this article today and thought it was worth sharing. It's a glimpse into what goes on in making the NFL schedule. Not an easy task considering stadiums not being available on certain dates (concerts, baseball), requests from five networks, requests from 32 teams, trying to avoid cross country trips on a short week, trying to avoid more than two straight road games, and finishing the schedule with only in-division games.

N.F.L. Schedule Makers Try Their Best To Please Everybody | Judy Battista | NYTimes.com

 

[pherein]

Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

A little late posting this. Read it a week or so ago, but then Im stuck on an army base
Thought someone might want to see it.

2012 New England Patriots Regular Season Schedule

Week 1 @ Tennessee Titans

Week 2 VS Arizona Cardinals

Week 3 @ Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 @ Buffalo Bills

Week 5 VS Denver Broncos

Week 6 @ Seattle Seahawks

Week 7 VS New York Jets

Week 8 @ St. Louis Rams

Week 9 Bye Week

Week 10 VS Buffalo Bills

Week 11 VS Indianapolis Colts

Week 12 @ New York Jets

Week 13 @ Miami Dolphins

Week 14 VS Houston Texans

Week 15 VS San Francisco 49ers

Week 16 @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 17 VS Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots 2012 Regular Season Schedule Early Impressions - New England Patriots : New England Patriots

First Quarter Prediction New England is unsure of whether to prepare for pocket passer Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker. The Tennessee Titans are able to sneak a win by New England at home because they are extremely underrated as a team. Losing a season opener to Tennessee gives the Patriots a wake up call they need.

In week 2 the Patriots would host the Arizona Cardinals in a home opener for New England. Winning 38 to 14 against the Cardinals while limiting Larry Fitzgerald to 7 receptions, 52 receiving yards, and 1 receiving touchdown with the Patriots current secondary is a great message to send to the rest of the league in 2012.

The Patriots face the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills in weeks 3 and 4. Both teams have defenses that can give Tom Brady fits. Both teams host Tom Brady. I will go against the grain and say that New England loses both games concerning some loyal Patriots fans about a 1-3 start.

Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule : New England Patriots

While the schedule looks to be in the Patriots favor for 2012, that doesn’t necessarily mean good news. In each of the past five seasons, the team with the easiest schedule, based on the previous year’s records, failed to reach the playoffs.

YEAR TEAM OPP WIN % OPP RECORD RECORD
2007 Arizona Cardinals .461 118-138 8-8
2008 New England Patriots .387 99-157 11-5
2009 Chicago Bears .414 105-149 7-9
2010 Arizona Cardinals .445 114-142 5-11
2011 Arizona Cardinals .441 113-143 8-8
2012 New England Patriots .453 116-140

In 2007, 2010, and 2011, the Arizona Cardinals failed to reach the postseason going 8-8, 5-11, and 8-8 in those seasons. In 2009 the Chicago Bears went 7-9 with their supposedly easy schedule.

 

[randomk1]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

16-0


EDIT: Possible slip with Texans/49ers. 14-2 worst

 

[Ron Sellers]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

To me the strength of schedule angle is very overstated. Last year in the week leading up to the AFCCG that subject was pretty much beat to death, with many convincing themselves that it would somehow be the most significant predictor in the outcome of that game. For some reason all those that were basing their predictions based on that stat were mute immediately after.

There is a very simple reason why teams with good records have 'easy' schedules every season, like the Patriots and Packers do this year: they don't have themselves on their schedule, but other teams do!

As for the trend about the playoff team with the easiest SoS, the first thing that jumps out at me is the number of times that Arizona is on there. In 2008 the Patriots were without their starting quarterback for all but a few minutes of the entire season, and still only missed winning the division on a tiebreaker. The 2008 Bears were a mediocre 9-7 team, so it wasn't exactly shocking that in 2009 they reverted to the same record they had in 2007, 7-9.

But hey, if it's something to give fans of other teams hope that the Patriots will suddenly regress, then they are more than welcome to go for it. I would assume the fact that nothing is listed prior to 2007 is because previous years don't support this theory.

Is it possible that the Patriots lose to Tennessee, Buffalo and Baltimore to start the season 1-3?

Sure, of course it is.

Is it probable, is it the most likely scenario?

No; more likely the writer is motivated by a desire to say something outlandish in order to generate web traffic.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

So the Pats lose to the Titans in the first game which gives them the "wake up call they need" and then they lose the next 2 out of three

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

A little late posting this. Read it a week or so ago, but then Im stuck on an army base
Thought someone might want to see it.

2012 New England Patriots Regular Season Schedule

Week 1 @ Tennessee Titans

Week 2 VS Arizona Cardinals

Week 3 @ Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 @ Buffalo Bills

Week 5 VS Denver Broncos

Week 6 @ Seattle Seahawks

Week 7 VS New York Jets

Week 8 @ St. Louis Rams

Week 9 Bye Week

Week 10 VS Buffalo Bills

Week 11 VS Indianapolis Colts

Week 12 @ New York Jets

Week 13 @ Miami Dolphins

Week 14 VS Houston Texans

Week 15 VS San Francisco 49ers

Week 16 @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 17 VS Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots 2012 Regular Season Schedule Early Impressions - New England Patriots : New England Patriots




Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule : New England Patriots

Interesting how two teams that beat the Patriots once every 7 or 8 years are suddenly going to do it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but i don't really think Arizona and Chicago have averaged 12.67 wins per year since 2003.

 

[Ron Sellers]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

Interesting how two teams that beat the Patriots once every 7 or 8 years are suddenly going to do it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but i don't really think Arizona and Chicago have averaged 12.67 wins per year since 2003.

Even more interesting is how the writer on the site (which lists TMZ as one if its preferred partners) rationalizes last year's predictions, pats himself on the back for being close with those guesses, and then goes on to predict that the Jets will make it to the Super Bowl this year.

I find it difficult to take it very seriously as a sports site, though it looks like a good place to go to if you want to find links to sites with hot girls in bikinis and lingerie.

 

[pherein]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

Interesting how two teams that beat the Patriots once every 7 or 8 years are suddenly going to do it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but i don't really think Arizona and Chicago have averaged 12.67 wins per year since 2003.

Yeah, your right. I don't think Arizona has ever won 12 games in team history. Chicago was 1984-1988, I think. Apparently the poster is a NE fan. So, I found it kind of interesting that he had such a unusual perspective from what you almost always hear from posters.
Like, NE is going 1-3 , and will lose to Tenn in the season opener, but still be in the playoff hunt... really ? But, Tenn was a hard game for us last season. Not sure underestimating them is a good idea. He is correct they are pretty good on both sides of the ball. If Hasselbeck plays.
But then I remember the Browns game we both lost and thought, well I never would have picked that either,lol.

I took it as an abnormal perspective of a fan, or he could just be an idiot

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

Easy schedule.

We should pound the rock with Ridley and keep Brady healthy for the playoffs.

But with McDaniels back, we probably throw 40 times a game.

 

[Wolfpack]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

Yeah, the Bills defense sure does give Tom Brady fits. In the past 2 years, the Patriots offense only averaged 38.5 points per game. Atrocious!

 

[Wolfpack]

Re: Breaking Down New England Patriots 2012 Schedule

To me the strength of schedule angle is very overstated.

Strength of schedule at the end of the year can be a telling stat, but the preseason strength of schedule is beyond worthless. We have no idea what teams will be this year's 49ers, i.e. a team that goes from the cellar to double-digit wins.