Idiot opposing fans complaining about our strength of schedule next year

[Haterproof]

Technically 12th, as the Eagles are tied with the Cowboys for 10th. But good observation.

2017 NFL strength of schedule: Colts have it easiest, Broncos face a slate of doom

We also play 7 games against teams that made the playoffs. 7 of the 10 teams on this list also play us, which artificially boosts their SOS.

Who's been protecting the Colts from the Boston Massacre? It feels like we haven't played them in forever. I guess them not winning their garbage division the last couple seasons is a real blessing in disguise!

 

[Rob0729]

The funny thing is that the only games that are not set by a formula of playing in your own division and rotating between divisions in both conferences are arguably two of the toughest games the Pats have. It's not the Pats' fault they got the NFC South in 2017 and play in the AFC East.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Who's been protecting the Colts from the Boston Massacre? It feels like we haven't played them in forever. I guess them not winning their garbage division the last couple seasons is a real blessing in disguise!

TBH, I forgot they were in the NFL, thought they got relegated to the Big 10...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Atlanta, denver, carolina, KC, houston, oakland and pittsburgh are all tough teams. That's nearly half the schedule. Tampa bay is pretty good too.

 

[sb1]

Pats and Falcons were #1 and #2 respectively in Strength of Victory last season.

Funny how they ended up in the Super Bowl.

 

[mosslost]

So I saw this on facebook:

And of course the top comment is:

"Oh man, the Pats aren't in the top ten? Again? Shocked..."

Hmm let's see, the entire AFC West is here. They were the one of the best divisions last year and oh look they're playing the AFC East and the NFC East next year. Yup, makes sense.

Hmm, everyone in the AFC East is here, well they're playing the AFC West so that makes sense. Oh hey look the Patriots aren't here. It must be a conspiracy, those cheaters! That's why they win, they have an easy schedule!

Obviously, these people aren't math majors. Part of the reason these opponent winning percentages are so high for the AFC West and AFC East is because they all include a 14-2 Patriots team.

The Patriots can't play themselves, although that would be more entertaining at times. So of course their strength of schedule is less when you take out that lopsided 14-2 record.

Duh.

Hmmm let's see. Pat's are 14-2... EVERY team that faces them next year will go up in SOS. There are no 14-2 teams for the Pats to play.... And 3 teams in AFC East face us twice... This is so funny.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Even opposing fans must know that if the Patriots played themselves ... they'd still win.

You always win when you play with yourself.

 

[sb1]

Pats just skated through the easiest schedule in the league. They have no shot against the Falcons. The Falcons are tested I tell ya!

 

[mosslost]

Clearly a statistical flaw. 2 of the AFCE teams are in the top 10 and the Pats are playing pretty much the same schedule except for 2 games. And in those 2 game, by vertue of winning the division, they will play to TOP team of the other division.

So clearly not being able to play their 14-2 selves creates the statisical error.

SOS is actually a meaningless stat I have come to believe... both before the season like this... and during the season with the new team wins and loss records. The stat does not matter. WHat matters is if you do what the Pats did.. WIN YOUR GAMES

 

[Froob]

Not even worth looking at these SOS, so much changes season to season. These rankings almost always dramatically change.

 

[mosslost]

So how are you going to change the schedule? 14 of the 16 games is decided in advance, and the other two are against the AFC division winners not in the AFCW.

The real issue here is the SOS stat is dumb. It is silly to argue the "why" of it all. It is better to expose the SOS stat is meaningless in my opinion anyway. Think of this.. Panthers 2015 15-1... So you get them in 2016, it raises your pre-season SOS, they sucked "record wise" in 2016.. so in season they slowly start to lower your SOS stat as the year goes on and they accumulate 2016 losses. So pre-season they made your SOS stronger, during the season over time, it made it weaker.

On this board this season we had a few debates about this stat, I personally gave it some thought for a while, listened to Felger a few times (who harped on how "weak" our SOS was), and ultimately I decided that SOS of schedule is a loser stat.

Also, specific match ups are more important. Like the Steelers were dam good, but matched up bad with us. And the quality of the other teams QB or D are more important then SOS, especially a SOS based on this season's team records for NEXT season. It's ****.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

Already getting the excuses ready before we win it all again, pathetic.

 

[Minitron]

There's no way to come up with a truly accurate SOS, but using the records of the last season is probably the worst. If there was some way to include all of the other factors then we might have something.

I was hoping to try and put together the most accurate SOS that I could this off-season. I'd be grateful to know what everyone feels are factors that should be taken into account.

Does past history have anything to do with a current game or is it more the style that each team plays? Or is it the individual match-ups? How do we account for injuries? Some players are more valuable than others. Is it about the rankings? There's a lot to consider.

Thats a difficult question to answer. I belive you can make a SOS prediction only after the FA-period is over and the teams are basically set. Then I think the teams you play are factor, because there's a difference if you play the Pats 16 times or the Browns. I also think QB-Play is important, because its the most important position in the game. Then probably the overall offensive and defensive rankings because i think it takes some serious events that a top 5 Defense/Offense is a bottom 5 Defense/Offense the next year. There are a lot more factors but for me those are the most important to compare SOS.

 

[patsfan13]

A chunk of the Pats schedule is strong the non conference AFC teams, Pittsburgh, div champ, Houston div champ and the strongest div in the AFC the afc West, Miami was a playoff team, Buff and the NYJ not so much.

However their SoS is'hurt' by playing the NFC South with 3 weak teams and 1 strong team. of course as pointed out they have no 14-2 teams on their schedule like the Bills, Raiders KC SD and Den.

 

[brdmaverick]

That's what I was thinking. The Jets, Dolphins & Bills are on the list because they play US twice. Hey fans, how about you complain how bad your teams are, rather than spout this nonsense?

Exactly when you win 14 games that means you are lowering everyone else's winning percentage.

 

[Simpelton]

Dunno if anyone's mentioned this yet, but as long as we're the only team that can't play against the New England Patriots, our strength of schedule is going to look better than an average football team's.

 

[sb1]

I like Strength of victory. Means a lot more than Strength of Schedule to me. It's the record of teams that you beat.
As I said above the Pats were #1 and Falcons were #2 in 2016 in SoV. And the Super Bowl went exactly to chalk. Go figure.

 

[chasa]

i mean they are playing 7 games against teams that made the playoffs last year.

They are playing 2 games against teams that made the superbowl the year before that.

So 9 games next year are against teams that either made the playoffs, or made it to the superbowl in the last two years.

Then there are the jets and the bills. for 4 games, then the last three games against the bucs, saints, and chargers.

It's not like they make their own schedule. they are playing more then half the season vs the BEST teams in the league, in addition to having given almost the entire rest of the league a month long head start.

 

[neuronet]

So will the Broncos be back in Foxboro in 2018? This is our third year in a row playing there right? Isn't that how it works?

And also, why the F is that the pattern? It seems unfair to have it 3-3-3 why not just have it alternate? I know it is nice when they are at your place three years in a row, but playing at mile high 3 years in a row sucks. I know that's the rule, but the rule seems to suck.

Any of you gurus can explain to me why it doesn't suck?

 

[50-yard-line]

One reason the Pats aren't in the top 10 is because the AFCN and AFCS division winners had mediocre and lousy (respectively) records for division winners.

Those two standings-determined games are supposed to somewhat balance things, but in this case, they didn't.