Bold Prediction: Super Bowl Rematch

[TheBostonStraggler]

With the exception of the Steelers, who still have a chance to get that offense on track, I look at every other AFC team as having little more than the "any given Sunday" chance against the Patriots, come playoff time (though, as you say, injuries are always a wildcard).

Well said. The Steelers currently posses a top of the middling offense but if it busts out they are formidable (hard to believe but the Jags have a better PF/PD than Pitt and even have a better PD than the Patriots). Our secret weapon to defeat the Steelers is Tomlin but shhhhh, that's a secret (and another discussion altogether).

And to cut down on my typing (cause really it is a terrible burden to type out another 15 characters in my war & peace sized posts ) for every post in this thread and every post about PO/SB winners, there is an implied any given Sunday.

 

[goheels22002]

You think the Patriots just came out flat in a game of that magnitude? They spent 2 weeks studying the Falcons and Dan Quinn, and they had every reason to expect an entirely different gameplan than the one The Falcons threw at them. Fair play to them, because that was the only way they could be competitive in that game, but once NE adjusted, Atlanta had no answers. The Falcons then proceeded to get raped even more brutally by NE this season.

This would be by far the best match up NE could hope for in the SB, but it isn't happening.

Wait a minute. Did you watch the first half? The Patriots did not execute. The game plan looked fine, but they failed to get 1st downs, make tackles, pressure Ryan. They didnt't panic. The second half was about execution, one play at a time. The Edelman catch was wild, but the rest of the plays were about fundamentals.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

This is a huge if, because I just keep waiting for something to change, but:

IF Case Keenum's play doesn't fall off. I really think the Vikings could be the team that makes it.

That is a very big if, though. I'm still waiting to see a Brian Hoyer type playoff performance from him where it all unravels.

The Vikings good showing against the Rams was needed. Their previous wins were coming against mediocre to bad -- skins, ravens, browns, packers bears -- with only the Packers and Browns being wins above one score. So dismissing the division leading Rams kinda made a statement.
After Sunday they've got 3 away games in a row with ATL and Panthers game 2 and 3. If they blow through that road trip successfully then other teams better take notice,

 

[goheels22002]

Sounds familiar:



Flat Ryan and the Dirty Birds vs Seahawks Monday Night Football on BSPN Official Thread

DI! Where have you've been?

 

[Soliel]

The dumb falcons won’t make another bowl for tennyears

 

[Ring 6]

6-10 or 7-9.

They play the Bucs twice, who have far superior players.

I would internet bet on that one.
I see 11-5 or even 12-4.

Tampa sucks.

 

[Ring 6]

Still plenty of time for a team to kick it into high gear and start playing their best football as well as plenty of time for teams to start dropping off. I always take notice of the team that plays midling then better then their best/hot as the season ends. (though it's predictive value is questionable).

With that said, while the Patriots are already quite hot -- they still have plenty of room for improvement -- I trust the Patriots more than any 2017 team out there to be able to step into the playoffs and immediately! start playing their best football. There isn't another AFC team I can say the same about. And, IMHO, only the Saints strike me as that NFC team (which can change).

As far as the doubt about Philly? They have a leading and notable 132 Point Differential with a very good Points Allowed total (if not for the Jags, Philly would be in ear shot of the least PA). Factoids: best PD and best PA are relatively fair SB predictors. No not a lock by any means but from an odds standpoint is in the likelier than not category. Unfortunately to prove the uncertainty of this stat, a certain year with a certain team with a certain laughably absurd PA of 300+ did not win the SB.

No doubt the team that represents the nfc will be the team that plays the best from here on. The first ten weeks mean nothing (other than being in contention).
The hot team will get there.

I can’t see the team that uppends the pats but I never could for many years

 

[Ring 6]

There's context that's important here.

He told me the other day that the Raiders had far superior players than the Chargers right now. I thought I'd go ahead give an equally preposterous example

The raiders do, the bucs do not

 

[Joey007]

The raiders do, the bucs do not

Raiders defense sucks even more than Tampa's does

 

[Ring 6]

Raiders defense sucks even more than Tampa's does

Raiders are a far better team

 

[Joey007]

Raiders are a far better team

Outside of Carr? I'd say they're a bit better, but it's still the same idea. It depends on what talent you feel is there but just underachieving, because Tampa has underachieving talent as well.

 

[supafly]

Well said. The Steelers currently posses a top of the middling offense but if it busts out they are formidable (hard to believe but the Jags have a better PF/PD than Pitt and even have a better PD than the Patriots). Our secret weapon to defeat the Steelers is Tomlin but shhhhh, that's a secret (and another discussion altogether).

And to cut down on my typing (cause really it is a terrible burden to type out another 15 characters in my war & peace sized posts ) for every post in this thread and every post about PO/SB winners, there is an implied any given Sunday.

Even more than most teams, it seems as though the Steelers always perform better offensively at home than on the road; and while it may be cherry picking to remove the JAX game (great defense), they’ve scored 26, 29, and 40 in Pittsburgh this year.

Obviously, our chances increase quite nicely getting them away from Heinz field, so stealing one on the road on 12/17 would be huge.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

No doubt the team that represents the nfc will be the team that plays the best from here on. The first ten weeks mean nothing (other than being in contention).
The hot team will get there.

I can’t see the team that uppends the pats but I never could for many years

I was trying to dig up some correlation between 'hot at the end of the year' and SB. It sure seems like that is the case and there are a few examples, however, the numbers I find don't show any trends. The only thing that seems predictive, in any tangential trend, is PD and/or PA.

Have to go back 16 years for a SB that seemed like the Patriots would surely get beat. I hate to admit it but I held little hope for the victory over the Rams (I was holding out for a 'any given Sunday' possibility). But it wasn't quite as depressing as 1985's SB outlook (where even any given Sunday seemed impossible).

The other year was 2011 due to that atrocious D but the O potency made for some cautious optimism. Overall I was close to ??? on the 2011 playoffs and the SB. If memory serves me, surprise! the D ended up playing pretty well in the playoffs (how I don't know) including an important shutout of the Ravens in the 4th quarter AFCDG. Damn! That 2011 memory is disappointing with the O only scoring 17 against the Giants (this was not the up and coming powerhouse Giants of 2007!). Yes, give the Giants credit that they were playing good D and exploiting the Patriots D (D fail!) on the much needed 4th quarter TD drive (insert WW expletive here). But the Patriot O was clearly!! better than 17 total points against those slugs, urgh!!

 

[supafly]

That 2011 memory is disappointing with the O only scoring 17 against the Giants (this was not the up and coming powerhouse Giants of 2007!). Yes, give the Giants credit that they were playing good D and exploiting the Patriots D (D fail!) on the much needed 4th quarter TD drive (insert WW expletive here). But the Patriot O was clearly!! better than 17 total points against those slugs, urgh!!

It still stings badly, particularly when you consider the fact that Brady set a SB record with 17 straight completions.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

It still stings badly, particularly when you consider the fact that Brady set a SB record with 17 straight completions.

(sad but I didn't remember that 17 straight) Yea Sup, to the best of my recollection the offense, which was definitely potent in 2011, just could not get any rhythm to start the game or in almost the entire second half. Again if memory serves me we came | | this close to a TD at the end of the first quarter/start 2nd quarter, and did exactly what the Patriots like to do: last 2 minute first half TD, opening drive TD for the second half. We are up by ummm ???? 10 with it now feeling like a Patriot game with momentum and playing slightly downhill to the end. Then just a royal friggin offensive flop for the rest of the game, damn, I don't remember us even sniffing a FG attempt (except fill in WW expletive here ). Again, IMHO, the O was wayyyy too good to be that blanked for that many minutes against that Giant team (but of course that is seen from 6 year old Patriot colored glasses ).

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Even more than most teams, it seems as though the Steelers always perform better offensively at home than on the road; and while it may be cherry picking to remove the JAX game (great defense), they’ve scored 26, 29, and 40 in Pittsburgh this year.

Obviously, our chances increase quite nicely getting them away from Heinz field, so stealing one on the road on 12/17 would be huge.

No doubt the HFA will have a tangible effect especially given Pitt's potency when at home. Bottom line: if the Steelers come to Foxboro I feel good saying punch that ticket. If we have to go to Steeler country I still like our chances but those chances are uncomfortably closer to 50/50.

JAX is a ??? to me - hadn't read/seen much about them. So once I looked at their PD and PA, very good numbers, no doubt they may be a threat. But let's see what the Jags do over these last 6 now that they will no longer be semi-flying under the radar.

The nice outcome: IF the Patriots grab the #1 there is a good chance of a JAX-PITT AFCDG. I like the idea of these two smacking the hell out of each other (while the Patriots play a KC or Titans or Ravens in Foxboro) then the winner has to come to Foxboro.

 

[Ring 6]

Outside of Carr? I'd say they're a bit better, but it's still the same idea. It depends on what talent you feel is there but just underachieving, because Tampa has underachieving talent as well.

Including Carr because qb is a huge part of being a better team. You can’t do “outside of qb” and get a meaningful answer.

 

[Off The Grid]

There is nothing less "bold" than predicting a Super Bowl rematch.

That's what the schlocks do, every year.

 

[50-yard-line]

Wait a minute. Did you watch the first half? The Patriots did not execute. The game plan looked fine, but they failed to get 1st downs, make tackles, pressure Ryan. They didnt't panic. The second half was about execution, one play at a time. The Edelman catch was wild, but the rest of the plays were about fundamentals.

At least 20 of that 25-point differential came on two bad mistakes: pick six and a fumble that ended an important drive.

Really don't want a rematch, though. I want Minnesota. I think that owuld be a great game.

 

[goheels22002]

At least 20 of that 25-point differential came on two bad mistakes: pick six and a fumble that ended an important drive.

Really don't want a rematch, though. I want Minnesota. I think that owuld be a great game.

We get a look at the Vikings today in a game that matters for both teams. What I've seen - mostly highlights - gives me the sense that the Vikings are a well-rounded team that will be a test for whomever they draw in the playoffs. Stafford should give that secondary a true test. They get Matt Ryan next week and Cam Newton the week after. We'll find out how good the Vikings really are against top flight passing attacks.

Happy Thanksgiving.