Did we clinch a wild card today?

[carolinatony]

I still want to win the division but with the Fish and Rats losing today are we IN the playoffs?

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I think a win next week and we win the division..

 

[FootballFan85]

Win next week OR Dolphins loss locks the division I believe. But as of Today, the Pats don't have anything clinched. They could still technically miss the playoffs depending on how everything goes down.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Nope. If we finish in a 3 way tie with Baltimore/Denver then there's a chance those 2 would get the wild cards and we miss out.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Nope. If we finish in a 3 way tie with Baltimore/Denver then there's a chance those 2 would get the wild cards and we miss out.

Cant lose out to Balt, we own the tie breaker, by winning in oct..

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Cant lose out to Balt, we own the tie breaker, by winning in oct..

If we finish in a 3 way tie with Baltimore/Denver, head to head is even (we're all 1-1), then it goes to conference record and there's a chance they could both end up with a better conference record. So we haven't clinched anything yet.

 

[brdmaverick]

IF Baltimore loses today then that will guarantee that a team with a record of AT BEST 9-7 will make the playoffs, making last year's playoff absence at 11-5 that much more frustrating (and don't get me started with the Chargers making it at 8-8 last year).

Much like college football where a team has to have a certain record to be bowl eligible, the NFL may want to institute its own playoff eligible record of over .500. If there is a team that does not qualify for the playoffs with a record of over .500 and there is a division champ wiht a record of .500 or lower, the "wild card" would make the playoffs instead.

Just a thought.

 

[Jimke]

Cant lose out to Balt, we own the tie breaker, by winning in oct..

Hopefully, they win next week so they can rest all their injured players

(including Brady) against Houston.

They need to heal up some players before the playoffs.

 

[neuronet]

Hopefully, they win next week so they can rest all their injured players

(including Brady) against Houston.

They need to heal up some players before the playoffs.

Is this a joke? What team are you watching that would rest its starters?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Hopefully, they win next week so they can rest all their injured players

(including Brady) against Houston.

They need to heal up some players before the playoffs.

We're getting ahead of ourselves, but I think the lesson of the last two years is that SB winners play their starters (unless seriously injured, of course) and build momentum at the end of December and into January.

 

[emoney_33]

We're getting ahead of ourselves, but I think the lesson of the last two years is that SB winners play their starters (unless seriously injured, of course) and build momentum at the end of December and into January.

We've won with a first round bye. Resting starters for at least half the game when you don't have a bye is a good idea. Resting starters when you do have a bye is a bad idea.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

We've won with a first round bye. Resting starters for at least half the game when you don't have a bye is a good idea. Resting starters when you do have a bye is a bad idea.

I disagree for this team, this year.

Except for injuries, the exact extent of which we do not know because of the Pats secrecy, I think the last thing this team needs is "rest." It's failed to build any momentum anywhere this season (unless you count the games against Tennessee and Tampa Bay, which I don't). What it needs to do, IMO, is follow up on a solid win in Buffalo where the Defense played with some attitude with two wins and four very strong quarters against Jacksonville and, OK, maybe three strong quarters against Houston.

Without byes, the giants didn't rest their starters in 2007 and did OK in the Playoffs and the Cardinals didn't rest them last year and came within a circus catch of winning the whole thing.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I can't see the team resting starters because after all we still have a shot at the #3 seed battle vs. Cincy right?

 

[Fixit]

Hopefully, they win next week so they can rest all their injured players

(including Brady) against Houston.

They need to heal up some players before the playoffs.

Win, yes.

Rest starters? Hell, no. I'm going to that game.