Honest Question: Is the bye a blessing for this squad?

[MainePatsFan26]

The historic success of the Pat dynasty from '01 onward has been synonymous with having a bye. Most of these Patriot teams had a veteran roster who needed time to physically recover compared to the competition.

With this year's young(er) team, we saw an uncharacteristic disaster against the Cots coming off the bye. We seemed to lose the plot the first three quarters, playing with a lack of urgency and focus. As some other threads have mentioned, maybe this loss was due since we've been on such a winning streak.

But if the Colts game was the result of a young team losing their groove because they had a week off... are we necessarily better off with the #1 seed with this specific team? I'd love the #1, but I do wonder if this squad might be best served with the #2 spot provided we don't draw the Colts (and beat the Bills, naturally).

I'm still rooting for a #1 seed, but wonder if a second seed might be a blessing compared to having a week off after what we saw against the Colts.

What do the rest of you think? Is the bye of absolute importance with this specific Patriot team?

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

"are we necessarily better off with the #1 seed with this specific team?" Yes.

 

[jah]

I see the logic, but the difference between this bye and the playoff bye is you get another chance to end your entire season if you don't get the playoff bye. Not the kind of chance I'd like to take.

Not that it really matters anymore unless KC collapses. We blew the #1 seed (which, to be fair, few of us expected to have in the first place).

 

[Mack Herron]

Blaming the bad performance against the Colts on the bye is idle speculation. In the playoffs, teams with a bye always advance, so yes we want a bye. Anything to advance.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

Blaming the bad performance against the Colts on the bye is idle speculation. In the playoffs, teams with a bye always advance, so yes we want a bye. Anything to advance.

I'd agree it is idle speculation without any context... but even Mac said they had a poor week of practice. Everything around the team postgame seemed to suggest they didn't put in the necessary amount of work and were complacent. That could have happened any week (especially following the major win against the Bills). But the fact it happened after the bye seems more than pure coincidence.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

Blaming the bad performance against the Colts on the bye is idle speculation. In the playoffs, teams with a bye always advance, so yes we want a bye. Anything to advance.

Agreed that a bye is still ideal (even though unlikely). I guess the question is whether it's as important as prior years. Maybe with such a young team it's more important rather than less. I'm not sure and am still figuring out why they seemed so flat last night.

 

[borg]

Is the bye of absolute importance with this specific Patriot team?

To answer the OP....

YES!

"Since the current playoff format was implemented in 1990, 58 different teams have reached the Super Bowl.
Of those teams, 46 had a first-round bye. Only 12 of the 232 teams that played in a wild-card game have reached the Super Bowl that year. The odds of making it to the Super Bowl without a first-round bye are low. Teams with a bye are hugely advantaged."

How Important is a First-Round Bye in the NFL Playoffs? (sportscasting.com)

 

[Mack Herron]

Agreed that a bye is still ideal (even though unlikely). I guess the question is whether it's as important as prior years. Maybe with such a young team it's more important rather than less. I'm not sure and am still figuring out why they seemed so flat last night.

Explanations from BB will focus on execution of course so wondering about meta reasons for failure to execute (like the bye) are questions forever without answers. As you said, could have happened without the bye. We’ll never know. My interest is narrow in hoping they play much better Sunday.

 

[holyredeemer]

To answer the OP....

YES!

"Since the current playoff format was implemented in 1990, 58 different teams have reached the Super Bowl.
Of those teams, 46 had a first-round bye. Only 12 of the 232 teams that played in a wild-card game have reached the Super Bowl that year. The odds of making it to the Super Bowl without a first-round bye are low. Teams with a bye are hugely advantaged."

How Important is a First-Round Bye in the NFL Playoffs? (sportscasting.com)

Is it because of the bye, or is it because the team who gets the bye has a better record due to being one of the better teams?

 

[Doctor DDS]

The importance of the bye is more about playing one less game than the extra rest/ability to heal but both matter. With massive parity across the AFC the wildcard round will be a dogfight and if there is a way to avoid it you take it. That said, just making the playoffs is an accomplishment and if they can win next week and win the AFCE they get a home game or 2 which will be a major success.

 

[VectorPrime]

This question is nonsense.

 

[stinkypete]

What is more probable, winning 3 games in a row or winning 4, beating the Chiefs at Gillette or at Arrowhead?

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Answer: Apparently not

 

[Ivan]

I don’t even think about the bye. If this team goes on to win a Lombardi it will be almost as surprising as 01’ was, the difference being the existing Super Bowl experience on this team. It’s possible, but I don’t expect it, The only thing I’m focused on right now is beating Buffalo which would essentially lock them in to the playoffs, once they achieve that I’ll start thinking about seeding. To me this year is about getting tested and facing challenges that will give them the experiences to be ready for the coming seasons, when I really expect them to become one of the teams to beat to win the Lombardi.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

100% yes. But I’m just happy that we’re even talking about the 1 seed right now.

 

[Rob0729]

Yes, of course it is. It is one less playoff game to play.

And don't forget the Colts were coming off a bye Saturday too. So they had actually one more day to prepare than the Pats. If the Pats get a bye in the playoffs, they will play a team that played a playoff game six or seven days earlier.

 

[sb1]

Pats haven’t made a Super Bowl without a bye in 4 decades so yep I’d say it’s a good thing.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think short term no but long term yes.

 

[Wozzy]

The bye was irrelevant, they won 7 straight, were reading their own press clippings and high off the smell of their own farts. They were due for a stinker.

The loss came at a good time, it will either transform them into a consistent winner or it will show them they aren’t ready or nearly good enough. I hope it’s the first.

Winning an NFL ring is hard, the Pats made it look so easy for the last two decades but it really isn’t. Nobody is going to lay down, especially not in the playoffs.

They need to get back to the brand of football they played during the 7 game win streak. Mistake free, good execution football, if they do that and stay healthy they’ll have a puncher’s chance to beat anyone.