Guess who has the easiest schedule again???

[convertedpatsfan]

Football Outsiders: Patriots have easiest schedule in 2017

mod edit: FYI, link above is to an ESPN article, not to Football Outsiders.

"The Patriots seem to have an easy schedule most years. Some of it is the division -- we have the Bills' offense taking a step back, Miami was not as good as its record last year, the Jets are still awful even if their defense rebounds a bit -- but also a lot of it is playing NFC South, because our projections see a big difference between playing NFC West/East (really good divisions except San Francisco) or NFC North/South (not as good divisions)," Schatz said.

"So the whole division comes out with easier-than-average schedules. Miami is 18th, and the other teams are in the bottom 10.

"A lot of it is a lack of balanced teams that are average or better on both sides. Most of the teams with better quarterbacks have iffy defenses (Atlanta, New Orleans, we have Tampa Bay's defense regressing), and the really good D's have no quarterbacks (Houston, Denver).

Might as well get the excuses going early for the rest of the league when we're on our way to another #1 seed and Super Bowl appearance.

Cue up another 15+ weeks of "they haven't played anyone" ******** from the rest of the league, and half our own fan base...

 

[RIpats88]

could just be pats are better than everyone

 

[Sfpat]

If only the Pats could play themselves twice - that would improve the SOS

 

[WinstonSmith]

I've made the related adjustments to my Patriots 2017 forecast: 20 - 0

 

[Dexter]

 

[fnordcircle]

Our schedule is 'easy' because we tend to go 4-2, 5-1 or 6-0 in our division and then the rest of the division beats up on themselves, splitting a lot of games.

I swear I saw stats somewhere backing up the idea that the AFCE non-Pats teams do better than people make them sound when it comes to playing the rest of the AFC and the NFCE.

 

[patsinthesnow]

The Patriots Defense hasn't played anyone, Mike!

(35 game sample size entering the 2017 postseason dating back from 2016 opening day)

 

[Boston Boxer]

yikes, that is graphic

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I've made the related adjustments to my Patriots 2017 forecast: 20 - 0

Oh no. Okay I was the guy that started the New Sevenland thread (which produced the better name for the team, P8triots...) I got one guy who was all like "can we worry about six first" and I said "hey it's the offseason..."

But starting the 20-0 chant I dunno, that's just too contagious.

Also, potential downside... we still haven't seen the thing that makes Brady says, "okay I'm satisfied, now people really truly believe I was worth more than a sixth rounder."

I'm thinking 20-o might give him that "No other worlds to conquer" feeling...

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Guys, they haven't played anyone! That's why they only won the super bowl by a whopping 6 points.... elbows too pointy 4/10

 

[Clonamery]

We haven't played anyone yet.

 

[50-yard-line]

Logically, when comparing the schedules between the Pats and the other three AFC East teams, the common games shared by those teams 12) have to cancel, and the two against each other shouldn't count - which means that, based on the previous season, the Pats will ALWAYS have the tougher schedule, since the two uncommon opponent games put the Pats against the two other AFC division winners. THe only reason the Patriots have an "easier" schedule than, say, the Jets, is because the Jets play the Patriots twice, while the Patriots play the Jets twice. Both teams will play four against Miami and Buffalo, four against the AFC West, and four against the NFC South. (Leaving the Pats with Houston and Pittsburgh, while the Jets get who? Jacksonville and Cleveland?)

Also, the NFC South > the NFC West and probably the NFC North, as well. Atlanta is the current class of the NFC, the Panthers have been to the SB with essentially the same team, the Saints are always a tough out, and the Bucs were much-improved last year (should have beaten Denver).

And the AFC West is a stacked division - probably the best division int eh AFC. So I find this analysis lacking. Sorely.

 

[varjao]

Not our fault the other teams are not on the same level.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I'm a little scared of the JEST, they're undefeated to date

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Logically, when comparing the schedules between the Pats and the other three AFC East teams, the common games shared by those teams 12) have to cancel, and the two against each other shouldn't count - which means that, based on the previous season, the Pats will ALWAYS have the tougher schedule, since the two uncommon opponent games put the Pats against the two other AFC division winners. THe only reason the Patriots have an "easier" schedule than, say, the Jets, is because the Jets play the Patriots twice, while the Patriots play the Jets twice. Both teams will play four against Miami and Buffalo, four against the AFC West, and four against the NFC South. (Leaving the Pats with Houston and Pittsburgh, while the Jets get who? Jacksonville and Cleveland?)

Also, the NFC South > the NFC West and probably the NFC North, as well. Atlanta is the current class of the NFC, the Panthers have been to the SB with essentially the same team, the Saints are always a tough out, and the Bucs were much-improved last year (should have beaten Denver).

And the AFC West is a stacked division - probably the best division int eh AFC. So I find this analysis lacking. Sorely.

It's even worse when you read the whole article.

Basically every good team we do play is either too unbalanced on offense or defense to count as a real team, or else the legit good teams they all anticipate will regress.

Literally every ****ing excuse they can come up with...

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Literally every ****ing excuse they can come up with...

I think it's technically a pre-scuse.

For the whole flippin' league.

Damn

 

[New England Pride]

The better your team is, the easier said teams schedule looks.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Surprising. When you look at the teams and home-away I thought this was one of the toughest schedules in the past decade.

 

[jmt57]

It is lack of basic math skills that result in mouth breathers annually screaming in anger about the Patriots having as easy schedule. What is always laughable is how some then conclude that the NFL league offices are colluding to to give the Pats an easy path to the Superbowl.

As pointed out above, a 14-2 team will not have two games on their schedule against yep, that very same 14-2 team. Similarly a team like the Browns will not benefit by having their 1-15 selves on their schedule. Good teams are on paper going to have 'easy' schedules and bad teams are going to have difficult schedules. There's no getting around that unless you have the Browns play the Niners every other week.



And while we are at it, can some national writer please lay to rest the whole oft-repeated "AFC East is the worst division in football" myth?

2016 division records:
27-12-1 -- .688 -- NFC East
26-14 --- .650 --- AFC West
24-16 --- .600 --- AFC East
21-19 --- .525 --- NFC South
18-22 --- .450 --- NFC North
17-23 ---- .425 --- AFC South
14-25-1 -- .363 --- AFC North
12-28 --- .300 --- NFC West

 

[PatsWSB47]

Feldick and Azz will harp all year long on how we haven't played anyone good and that will wind up biting us in the ass when we get to the playoffs.