Final Standings...a sneak preview

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

But at least they have the most overpaid #2 WR in history...

 

[dryheat44]

From looking at the Titans scheduled time slots, it appears that the league has abandoned its mandate for having every team featured in a primetime game.

I don't ever remember that being a mandate. When did they decide that?

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

I don't ever remember that being a mandate. When did they decide that?

It was one of those things that you just had to look hard for to notice. There were never any announcements, but if you looked closely, you'd notice in the past several seasons that every team was either on MNF or ESPN (Sunday PM) at least once, regardless of standing. That's not the case now.

 

[TNPatsFan]

Pretty good rundown Dryheat. I'd agree with most of it.

Some thoughts..
1. While I fully expect the Pats to take the division, a 13-3 record might be pushing it a bit.
2. Jacksonville is way overrated. If they get 10 wins, it's only because of the division they play in. I don't see them in the playoffs this year.
3. KC should be better than San Diego and could make the playoffs.
4. I'm not so sure Philly is going to jump back up to the top of the division, but they could be a wild card.
5. I still don't think the Bears are that much better than the rest of their division, despite last year's inflated record. If they make Brian Griese the starting QB, then that would be an improvement. I think it could be a four team race in that division.
6. I agree with the Panthers pick. I can see 13-3 from them, but the Bucs can still challenge them.

 

[AzPatsFan]

JAX wins the AFC South. You heard it here first.

I'll second that, but I have been forcasting a Clots collapse for a long time.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

If you think that Miami will only win 9 and that the Pats will win 13, you are in for a rude awakening my friend. Miami is a MUCH better team than last year's 9-7 team. They are undoubtedly going to improve.

As for the Pats, you lost your Mr. Clutch in Vinatieri, and you also lost McGinnest and Givens. No way you guys improve more than 1 game from last year.

My pick:

Miami 11-5
New England 10-6 (Wildcard birth)

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

I'll second that, but I have been forcasting a Clots collapse for a long time.

I agree. Losing Edgerin James will prove costly for the Colts. He seriously did EVERYTHING for that team. Weather he was running touchdowns, picking up key blocks on passing plays, or coming out of the backfield to catch the ball, Edgerin James was always a big reason for their offensive sucess.

They still get the second wildcard spot along with you guys however.

 

[feelthepain]

Speak of the troll!

Okay, let's see:

1) You are be definition, a troll. Not by my creation, but by the fact that you show up on a Pats site as a non-Pats fan. There are good trolls and then there are annoying trolls, of course.

Just because I'm a fan of football doesn't qualify my a troll, and just because I step up and counter your overwelming love for your team from getting out of hand doesn't make me a troll either. We are discussing football here, it's also happens to be about two AFC east rivals, I think thats what this thread was about. So you'll have to grow up a little and realize the world goes on outside Pats land.

2) I don't think I said "easy" 6 game win streak, except the game against the Pats 3rd string, of course. The 'clicking on all cylinders' does not seem all that different from your 'meeting obstacles', that's the teamwork it takes to win any game in this league

So let me get this strait....the only easy game the Fins had was against the Pats?? Or did the fins have other easy games?? Just trying to understand your thinking here. The NFL is full of parody, just because a team doesn't have a winning record there is no guarantee that tem will lose to the best team in the league. To have a six game winning streak under all the adverse condition the fins faced in Sabans first season it was a huge accomplishment for the fins on several different levels.

Ones the Pat fans just don't want to accept because you enjoy thinking of the Fins as a non-factor. The times are changin, and for the fans here to cling to the hope Miami's season last year was a fluke shows that they can accept it when it's the Pats that make strides and turn the corner, but they aren't big enough to accept a division rival doing the same. Now who's being honest with themselves here?? I think Saban resume speaks for itself, it's no fluke the fins are getting better.

3) I didn't say you have no talent. On the other thread were you ****ed out of backing up your position on 15 QBs doing what Brady did, I told you that Miami has at the very least had a statistically better average Defense and running game then the Pats 2001-2005. I also think you have WR and TE talent which probably could hang with some of the guys we used to win superbowls, like Dave Patten, ect. That was why I concluded that Brady could very well have brought a ring to Miami by now.

Gee I ****ed out on the 15 QB's that I mention as possible replacements for Brady in their SB runs!! You REFUSE to acknowledge anyone else could play QB in this league but Brady, no matter what YOU think he's not the only QB capable of leading the Pats. You love to give BB all the credit for his ability to coachup! He would be able to take any of the QB's on the list and put a system around their strengths. BB's strength is matchups, he would make any QB better because he would create matchups to fit their strenghts. It's what he does.

4) I don't knock Culpepper by suggesting he will go to the Pro Bowl, do I? I have watched this guy from day one of his career, and he chokes whenever he is called upon to step up. I didn't invent the ups and downs of his career, like the times he was benched and booed relentlessly in his home stadium. I just haven't seen him do much when the game is on the line.

Well as with everything you Pat fans love to find the worst in everything the fins do. How big of you to give the fins one good season with Daunte. I guess Sabans ability to coachup is non-existent....unlike BB!! I guess (in your mind) there is no chance Daunte improves with the Fins. Or becomes a more complete player. Well needless to say other people besides Fin fans happen to think Daunte will be a better player in Miami. Just curious, where is Mike Tyce these days?? Do you think maybe his coaching had something to do with the outcome of alot of the games in Minn?? You sure don't have a problem giving BB the credit for coaching the Pats to wins, don't you think coaching loses games aswell?? How about DW?? Hmmm, think he had an effect on the fins his five years in Miami?? You can choose to look at what happend in Minn as soley DC, but a real football fan knows it's NOT JUST ONE PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5) I am a Homer, and so are you. What's your point, Mr. Troll?

I'm not the one who feels the need to put the word troll or homer in every post, you are!!

6) I have gone out of my way on multiple threads now to agree that Miami improves with Culpepper, but he has not yet showed what it takes to win playoff games, let alone a superbowl.

The Pats HC and QB may not have proven to be superbowl winners in 2001, but I fail to see your big point here. They now have three, and I am banking on five before it is all said and done. I suppose you didn't know that those Giants superbowls were won mainly on Defense. Or that Parcells stayed the hell out of Belichick's way, when it came to defense.

The only thing you've gone out of your way to do is hype the Pats and discout the Fins. You fail to see my point about the Pats not being SB contenders before the 2001 season??? Wow, Ok....The Pats weren't any better then the fins of 05 in 2000, but 2001 rolls around and the players are buying into the system and some players are stepping up the coaching is getting better, the QB situation stabilizes by the playoffs. But before all that where the Pats considered contenders?? No, did it mean they weren't just because some thought they weren't?? No, the games have to be played and the upgrades have to be made and the system has to work. It's all a part of the evolution of a champion. Now Miami is where the Pats were in 2001. It's only hard to understand if you don't want to understand, and since we are talking about the fins improving you don't want to understand. Plain and simple.

 

[patsox23]

As for the last game against the Pats, you don't know if the score would have been any different had the starters played, because you're not psychic. Miami plays the Pats tough and the Pats play the fins tough. It's the way it is.

It's a division game. No matter who starts in NE, they still no the fins tendencies. Did you ever stop to think Miami would have played harder had the Pats played their starters?? Don't you think it was a bit of a mental letdown by the fins when the Pats pulled their starters?? I think that has some effect on the effort given by the fins.

I was with some of the phin fans re: their record next year - until this. This is idiotic. Yes, the Pats and phins have played close games in the past, but you almost lost to our 2nd and 3rd stringers. I suggested you avoid points like this one - it tends to downgrade other of your arguments that actually make sense.

 

[dryheat44]

If you think that Miami will only win 9 and that the Pats will win 13, you are in for a rude awakening my friend. Miami is a MUCH better team than last year's 9-7 team. They are undoubtedly going to improve.

It's nice to be optimistic and all, but since we haven't seen them play a single game, it's hard to call them MUCH better than last year. I think they will be better. I don't think their record is going to significantly improve though. Look at the Patriots and Dolphins schedules. Go down them and figure a win or loss, then tell me what their records are going to be. Tell me which opponents the Dolphins are going to beat but the Patriots won't. Here's my effort. Notice we get the good fortune to get Chicago at home. You travel there in November. That certainly favors NE. Ditto the Indy situation. You're not going to beat Indy on turf. Do you think you're going to fare better against the Jets and Bills than we will? You're not going to beat Pittsburgh at Heinz with the emotion of opening day and raising the Super Bowl banner. I'll tell you what, originally I only had the Pats losing two, but that seemed unrealistic with too many wins to start, so I changed Cincy. But if Palmer isn't playing, that's a Pats win also. In fact, the next week in Cincy's bye, so there's a decent chance he won't. If that's the case, Jacksonville is the only tough non-conference foe that we face on the road. You get Jacksonville at home, but it's not really a road game for them, given the proximity. I think my prediction is extremely realistic. Let's see what you can come up with.

NE
Sep 10 Buffalo 1:00pm W
Sep 17 @N.Y. Jets 4:15pm W
Sep 24 Denver 8:15pm W
Oct 1 @Cincinnati 4:15pm L
Oct 8 Miami 1:00pm W
Week 6 BYE
Oct 22 @Buffalo 1:00pm W
Oct 30 @Minnesota 8:30pm W
Nov 5 Indianapolis 8:15pm W
Nov 12 N.Y. Jets 1:00pm W
Nov 19 @Green Bay 1:00pm W
Nov 26 Chicago 1:00pm W
Dec 3 Detroit 1:00pm W
Dec 10 @Miami 1:00pm L
Dec 17 Houston 1:00pm W
Dec 24 @Jacksonville 1:00pm L
Dec 31 @Tennessee 1:00pm W 13-3


Mia
@Pittsburgh 8:30pm L
Sep 17 Buffalo 1:00pm W
Sep 24 Tennessee 1:00pm W
Oct 1 @Houston 1:00pm W
Oct 8 @New England 1:00pm L
Oct 15 @N.Y. Jets 4:15pm W
Oct 22 Green Bay 1:00pm W
Week 8 BYE
Nov 5 @Chicago 1:00pm L
Nov 12 Kansas City 1:00pm L
Nov 19 Minnesota 1:00pm W
Nov 23 @Detroit 12:30pm W
Dec 3 Jacksonville 1:00pm L
Dec 10 New England 1:00pm W
Dec 17 @Buffalo 1:00pm L
Dec 25 N.Y. Jets 8:30pm W
Dec 31 @Indianapolis 1:00pm L 9-7

 

[patsox23]

I think Miami wins 10-11 games.

 

[feelthepain]

I was with some of the phin fans re: their record next year - until this. This is idiotic. Yes, the Pats and phins have played close games in the past, but you almost lost to our 2nd and 3rd stringers. I suggested you avoid points like this one - it tends to downgrade other of your arguments that actually make sense.

So it isn't possible the fins had a let down in effort after the Pats starters left the game?? I'm sure it happend, it's not hard to understand, given the job at hand had, the job lost it's luster. Miami wasn't playing for a playoff spot and all they had was a desire to beat the Pats at their best at home. Once the starters left the game what was there left to play for? Beating the Pats backups?? Yeah, there's a motivator!!! It's a lose/ lose situation. If the fins lose they couldn't beat the Pats backups, if they win all they've done is beat the Pats backups. If you think taking the Pats starters out of the game didn't effect the fins performance then you don't understand the game and the motivating factors that are so important to all wins and loses. It might not have been a big deal to the Pats, but the Fins wanted to beat them with their best on the field, the Fins didn't get that chance.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

You're not going to beat Pittsburgh at Heinz with the emotion of opening day and raising the Super Bowl banner.

Miami could win that game if Ben is still recovering (a rearranged face and a dental overhaul can take a while to heal in the context of playing football) and Charlie Batch starts. Remember, Miami caught the Broncos at week ~1 and the Pats at week ~ 17 and won both games.

My problems with Miami are...

* O-line: Miami picked up a couple of castoffs from The Jags (Mike Pearson) and the Bills (Bennie Anderson).

* QB: Culpepper showed he wasn't as good as his 2004 stats suggest, had a terrible 2005, and hasn't played since the knee injury. His record against teams with winning records speaks for itself. Having Joey Harrington on my team is not something I would want to admit in public.

* Defense: two of their pillars, Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor, are in their 30s as well as Fred Carter and Vonnie Holliday. 3/4 of the starting D-line is over 30. In 2005 the Dolphins ranked 18th in Total Defense and 15th in Scoring Defense. Against the Pass, Miami ranked 16th in Yard Per Attempt and 22nd in Opponents QB Rating. I doubt Will Allen (who was mediocre with the Giants) and Jason Allen will make that much of a difference. Miami did finish 2nd in QB sacks, but they ranked 8th in most Opponent Pass Attempts.

* 2005 Draft: Jason Allen had a serious hip injury in 2005. That's a risk in the 1st round regardless of workouts. I'm wondering if they were hoping for CB Tye Hill or Safety Donte Whitner (or DT Brodrick Bunkley?) to fall to them at 16. That Saban took Allen that high is indicative of how he feels about his secondary. The WRs Miami took are unlike to make an impact, unless you think Chad Jackson will also help the Pats. Derek Hagan was dropping balls in Senior Bowl practice, at the Senior Bowl game, at the Combine, and at private workouts. If it wasn't for that, he would have been a 1st round pick.

Overall, the Dolphins are depending on too many unproven young players to have breakout seasons. That such a team can challenge the Patriots is unlikely.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

Miami could win that game if Ben is still recovering (a rearranged face and a dental overhaul can take a while to heal in the context of playing football) and Charlie Batch starts. Remember, Miami caught the Broncos at week ~1 and the Pats at week ~ 17 and won both games.

What does that mean that we "caught" Denver in week 1? We beat them down. We embarrased them on that day and there was no excuse.

As for FRED CARTER. LOL his name is Kevin Carter. I was actully reading your post with some credibility until I saw that.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

I was with some of the phin fans re: their record next year - until this. This is idiotic. Yes, the Pats and phins have played close games in the past, but you almost lost to our 2nd and 3rd stringers. I suggested you avoid points like this one - it tends to downgrade other of your arguments that actually make sense.

First off, our first team was beating up on your first team until you guys decided to pull the plug on that idea.

Secondly, winning is winning in the NFL. Just because we ALMOST lost doesn't mean anything. Remember 2004 when we (a 2-11 scrub team at the time) beat you guys (the super bowl champions?) Things happen in football, that's why they play the game.

 

[feelthepain]

Miami could win that game if Ben is still recovering (a rearranged face and a dental overhaul can take a while to heal in the context of playing football) and Charlie Batch starts. Remember, Miami caught the Broncos at week ~1 and the Pats at week ~ 17 and won both games.

My problems with Miami are...

* O-line: Miami picked up a couple of castoffs from The Jags (Mike Pearson) and the Bills (Bennie Anderson).

* QB: Culpepper showed he wasn't as good as his 2004 stats suggest, had a terrible 2005, and hasn't played since the knee injury. His record against teams with winning records speaks for itself. Having Joey Harrington on my team is not something I would want to admit in public.

* Defense: two of their pillars, Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor, are in their 30s as well as Fred Carter and Vonnie Holliday. 3/4 of the starting D-line is over 30. In 2005 the Dolphins ranked 18th in Total Defense and 15th in Scoring Defense. Against the Pass, Miami ranked 16th in Yard Per Attempt and 22nd in Opponents QB Rating. I doubt Will Allen (who was mediocre with the Giants) and Jason Allen will make that much of a difference. Miami did finish 2nd in QB sacks, but they ranked 8th in most Opponent Pass Attempts.

* 2005 Draft: Jason Allen had a serious hip injury in 2005. That's a risk in the 1st round regardless of workouts. I'm wondering if they were hoping for CB Tye Hill or Safety Donte Whitner (or DT Brodrick Bunkley?) to fall to them at 16. That Saban took Allen that high is indicative of how he feels about his secondary. The WRs Miami took are unlike to make an impact, unless you think Chad Jackson will also help the Pats. Derek Hagan was dropping balls in Senior Bowl practice, at the Senior Bowl game, at the Combine, and at private workouts. If it wasn't for that, he would have been a 1st round pick.

Overall, the Dolphins are depending on too many unproven young players to have breakout seasons. That such a team can challenge the Patriots is unlikely.

Is there no surprise you mention nothing positive about anything the fins have done??? Not to anyone who isn't a Pat fan. Again....care to go over the question marks surrounding the 2001 Pats??? No, why??? Because if the Pats can overcome their issues and win a SB, then there is no reason to think the Fins won't. Unless, you're a Pat fan who refuses to face the fact they they aren't the only team in the league to ever go into a season wiht a bunch of question, yet come away champions. You Pat fans just don't even want to think about that, so you find every reason in the world to discount the fins. It's obvious.

 

[Kdo5]

First off, our first team was beating up on your first team until you guys decided to pull the plug on that idea.

Secondly, winning is winning in the NFL. Just because we ALMOST lost doesn't mean anything. Remember 2004 when we (a 2-11 scrub team at the time) beat you guys (the super bowl champions?) Things happen in football, that's why they play the game.

Yes it does. You had a good streak towards the end but face it you guys tried your best to beat a team that didnt even care, we didnt want to win, we wanted the Jaguars at home, so that meant we had to lose. Brady threw a pick to start it off...ok. Brady tosses a TD to Deion Branch nice and easy. Honestly then you met Matt Cassel who may have only played five minutes in his rookie season until this time. The second and third stringers struggled against the Miami starters as you would expect, but for the defensive starters of Miami to allow two passing touchdowns from Matt Cassel in minutes remaining....thats pretty poor. Put it this way, we choose to do a freakin drop kick. Dont even act like we were trying to be serious and win that game.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

Is there no surprise you mention nothing positive about anything the fins have done??? Not to anyone who isn't a Pat fan. Again....care to go over the question marks surrounding the 2001 Pats??? No, why??? Because if the Pats can overcome their issues and win a SB, then there is no reason to think the Fins won't. Unless, you're a Pat fan who refuses to face the fact they they aren't the only team in the league to ever go into a season wiht a bunch of question, yet come away champions. You Pat fans just don't even want to think about that, so you find every reason in the world to discount the fins. It's obvious.

I liked the pick of OL Joe Toledo in the 4th round.

 

[Aqua4Ever04]

, but for the defensive starters of Miami to allow two passing touchdowns from Matt Cassel in minutes remaining....thats pretty poor. Put it this way, we choose to do a freakin drop kick. Dont even act like we were trying to be serious and win that game.

Didn't we get a whole new secondary? Every single player from last year's starting secondary is no longer a starter here. Another area we have vastly improved.

 

[Ring 6]

Didn't we get a whole new secondary? Every single player from last year's starting secondary is no longer a starter here. Another area we have vastly improved.

Just because you changed the players doesnt mean its an upgrade.

To me the Dolphins are a very average team. They were last year and are this year. Could they win 10 games, sure. Cold they lose 10, yup.

Miami has a below average OL, average receiving corps, and RB, and a QB who is an enigma. The defense is also thoroughly average, with the best players showing their age. Hey, Miami can beat a lot of teams, but they also can lose to a lot of teams.

The thing that no one seems to be recognizing here is that while Culpepper MAY make the offense better, to do so would mean changing the conservative style that has protected an aging defense that wears down througout the year. Any imporvement on offense is going to correspond to a decline on defense.

Lets not get all fired up about a team that won 6 straight against a weak schedule before recognizing they were 3-7 before that.