BleacherReport: Patriots favorites to win Super Bowl LIII

[BTTA]

Yea if you think the Eagles were a fluke you must have only watched one game at one moment in time. They dominated all season long and didn't skip a beat with their backup QB which spells doom for nearly every playoff team last year. Our depth at LB hasn't improved and we're another injury to Hightower away from a mediocre defense without a player who can make the play when we need him the most like a tackle at the goal line or a strip sack. Until our LB depth significantly improves or these rookies turn out to be decent players, I don't think this defense has what it takes for us to be favorites. And I love this team, I'm not just saying this to be a negative nancy. I've just seen this story many times before.

I don't think they are a fluke, and never said anything of the kind.

What I've said here several times is that the Pats unprecedented success over two decades has been based on a team development strategy that doesn't respond to what happened in one game, regardless of the game, or against one opponent from the NFC. The strategy is based on winning the AFC East, and beating a small handful of perpetually competitive AFC teams. They know that the Super Bowl is a crapshoot, because whoever gets there is hot at the moment. They know that if the Eagles show up there again, they will be a different team with different strengths and weaknesses. The last thing the Pats are paying attention to is trying to match up against the Eagles.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I don't think they are a fluke, and never said anything of the kind.

What I've said here several times is that the Pats unprecedented success over two decades has been based on a team development strategy that doesn't respond to what happened in one game, regardless of the game, or against one opponent from the NFC. The strategy is based on winning the AFC East, and beating a small handful of perpetually competitive AFC teams. They know that the Super Bowl is a crapshoot, because whoever gets there is hot at the moment. They know that if the Eagles show up there again, they will be a different team with different strengths and weaknesses. The last thing the Pats are paying attention to is trying to match up against the Eagles.

That's what I took from your post when you said they were a "hot team." Hot team to me is 2012 Ravens, 2007 Giants; mediocre throughout the year and turned it on during the playoffs, which is not what the 2017 Eagles represent to me. But I won't argue those semantics beyond that because I get your point. I don't think the Pats care about the Eagles or anyone cares about the Pats and their offseason or in-season strategy (outside of having to beat them of course) but I do think the Eagles are the better team and more likely to win again than NE is, taking my Patriots fan hat off. If everything else is equal and we're 100% injury free and the Eagles are 100% injury free, I'll take the Pats 10/10 times if they meet again but I have a feeling our front 7 depth (lack thereof) is going to rear its ugly head once again come playoff time and that makes me give the edge to Philly, who showed they could still perform at a high level offensively when their offensive MVP went down.

 

[moejr]

That's fair. But I think the betting public, and ergo the oddsmakers, look at Pats additions,including Edelman and Hightower,and see enough to edge them past Philly. Remember, Vegas had Eagles as SB favs just a few weeks ago and Pat's are only slight favs now.
And I'm glad your life doesn't suck.

That’s if Hightower can make it a whole season. I still think our defense is not going to be very good

 

[Joey007]

No offense, man, but your life must really suck.

He’s not wrong. I mean they just won the SB. Why shouldn’t they be the #1 favorites?

 

[Deus Irae]

He’s not wrong. I mean they just won the SB. Why shouldn’t they be the #1 favorites?

Any, or all, of the following

1. Patriots are the better team
2. Patriots have the easier path
3. Vegas is about betting and money, not about actually ranking the teams, and the money runs better for NE

 

[italian pat patriot]

am i the only one that IN APRIL is not so much interested in predictions ?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

am i the only one that IN APRIL is not so much interested in predictions ?

What else are you gonna do in April besides pontificate and talk out of your ass?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Any, or all, of the following

1. Patriots are the better team
2. Patriots have the easier path
3. Vegas is about betting and money, not about actually ranking the teams, and the money runs better for NE

1 and 2 are debatable but 3 is the real answer. I am guilty of taking the Vegas odds as meaning "best team" even though I know better but what's the point of noting odds-on favorites if we're not gonna talk about the field? Hey once August comes around I don't give a **** about anything else but as of now it's all I have to argue about

 

[italian pat patriot]

What else are you gonna do in April besides pontificate and talk out of your ass?

interested about draft /interested about our roster/ interested about our team news but not about predictions yet

i simply asked if i was the only one

i have not seen your comment on it...ah...probably yes, sorry...that i was pontificating ? that's all ?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

interested about draft /interested about our roster/ interested about our team news but not about predictions yet

i simply asked if i was the only one

i have not seen your comment on it...

Well I am interested in predictions personally. It's much easier for me personally to talk about where we think our season will end up than it is to talk about player xyz and how many microseconds it took for him to scratch his ass compared to other top prospects. Love to read about it though. But April is talk out of my ass month for me

 

[SammyBlueCat]

With my methods and a little luck we will start 1-0.

 

[XLIX]

The Eagles are about to discover how hard it is to stay on top and what makes the Patriots so special. 3 of the past 4 Super Bowl winners not named New England failed to make the playoffs the following season.

 

[oceansizer]

The Eagles are about to discover how hard it is to stay on top and what makes the Patriots so special. 3 of the past 4 Super Bowl winners not named New England failed to make the playoffs the following season.

To be fair it is hard to believe Eagles won't get the playoffs. Wentz is back and their defence is loaded with talents. Their front seven is a monster. It is simply undeniable fact.