Lets be realistic.... Do you think we'll go far in the playoffs?

[MrNathanDrake]

We will have huge problems with Baltimore, Houston, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Giants and a few other teams.


I thought our team had a special quality to it last year. Maybe it was all the rookies. Maybe it was the emergence of Woodhead and the return of Branch. Who knows. I thought we had a good chance last year. But this year? Nahhh.


Does anyone here really think we have a SuperBowl team?

 

[TB=TD]

We will have huge problems with Baltimore, Houston, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Giants and a few other teams.


I thought our team had a special quality to it last year. Maybe it was all the rookies. Maybe it was the emergence of Woodhead and the return of Branch. Who knows. I thought we had a good chance last year. But this year? Nahhh.


Does anyone here really think we have a SuperBowl team?

An AFC championship birth isn't out of the question. The AFC is pathetic and if an AFC West team finds it's way to Patriot place I like our chances.

 

[Deus Irae]

It depends upon the matchups and how well Brady plays in a given game.

 

[Nunchucks]

The truth is that if the Patriots get a seat at the table (playoffs) then there is no telling whether they will be one and done or win the Superbowl. Any team can win any one can, no matter what the matchups look like, and I like Bill being the coach that can win that one game.

Now sure, they have some serious issues with their pass defense, they have issues beating press coverage, but I would never count them out.

My suggestion is to take one game at a time and enjoy it. The minute you start thinking too far ahead, you are diminishing the great fun of football.

 

[ivanvamp]

An AFC championship birth isn't out of the question. The AFC is pathetic and if an AFC West team finds it's way to Patriot place I like our chances.

If they get a bye (which, given the Schaub injury and the Patriots' remaining schedule, seems like a strong possibility), then all they need to do is win *one home game* to reach the AFCCG (and thus, the NFL's "final four"). Who here thinks that's unrealistic? Not me. It very well may not happen, and I wouldn't be surprised if they lost that game, but I think it's also very possible to see the Pats playing in the AFC Championship Game.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

We will have huge problems with Baltimore, Houston, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Giants and a few other teams.


I thought our team had a special quality to it last year. Maybe it was all the rookies. Maybe it was the emergence of Woodhead and the return of Branch. Who knows. I thought we had a good chance last year. But this year? Nahhh.


Does anyone here really think we have a SuperBowl team?

Those teams will have huger problems with us.

The only team I would worry about is New Orleans.

Why waste the time being a Patriots fan?

 

[Tyler.Durden]

We would have to be NYG lucky to do well in these playoffs.

McCourty is injured and has somewhat regressed.

Plus all the inexperience in the side.
That being said, with each game their experience doubles, triple then quadruples.

Their comfort level will be much better than it is now. I think there is some talent in these guys we have picked up. So hopefully we surprise a few teams.

With our "soft" schedule to close out the regular season, NOBODY will give us a chance.

We will be underdogs, we will be in a position to surprise.

 

[ivanvamp]

Those teams will have huger problems with us.

The only team I would worry about is New Orleans.

Why wouldn't you worry about Green Bay? They're only the defending champs, the current best team in the league, and, with a backup QB, nearly beat the Patriots in Foxboro last year. I mean, other than that, what possible concern could we have playing the Packers??

 

[BradyManny]

We will have huge problems with Baltimore, Houston, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Giants and a few other teams.


I thought our team had a special quality to it last year. Maybe it was all the rookies. Maybe it was the emergence of Woodhead and the return of Branch. Who knows. I thought we had a good chance last year. But this year? Nahhh.


Does anyone here really think we have a SuperBowl team?

If Schaub is done for the year, you can scratch them off the list.

And count me as someone who is not overly convinced that their 32nd ranked pass defense is suddenly 2nd in the league. Look, they haven't had to play Peyton Manning twice this year. Brees absolutely lit them up and Roethlisberger is the only other half-decent QB they've faced.

The Ravens suck every other week. I would not be as scared of facing them as in year's past. Truth is, Flacco - like Sanchez - has not progressed, and key components on that defense are aging.

Steelers - as bad as they beat us in the regular season, we still have had a lot of success against them over the years, so I'm not going to shy away from that one.

Green Bay has a terrible pass defense and an offense that has yet to be tested by even a mediocre defense.

Giants scare me, yes. But it took a freak show final drive for them to beat us, as it did in SB42, and if that happens again, well that's just not something anyone can control.

This is as wide open a league as I can remember in the NFL. Pats are elite in the two most important positions - coach and QB. We have as good a chance as anybody. Just relax and enjoy the ride. I have a feeling we will go deeper into this postseason than most are assuming.

 

[primetime]

baltimore's not a super bowl team because there's no way their offense plays well enough for 3 or 4 games to get them there and win it, but they could be a problem in any single game

houston will be starting matt leinart at qb. next.

pittsburgh will give this team fits. explosive potential on offense, very good defense.

 

[PatsDeb]

We will have huge problems with Baltimore, Houston, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Giants and a few other teams.


I thought our team had a special quality to it last year. Maybe it was all the rookies. Maybe it was the emergence of Woodhead and the return of Branch. Who knows. I thought we had a good chance last year. But this year? Nahhh.


Does anyone here really think we have a SuperBowl team?

Who knows? If the backfield starts to gel, if they can keep up a decent pass rush and if Brady to Gronk/Welker/Hernandez, etc. stays hot, of course we can go far. Who thought the Giants would go far in 2007? They squeaked into the playoffs and then went all the way. Heck, even the hated Jests made it to the AFC Championship game last year. Why don't we sit back and enjoy the ride?

 

[Sicilian]

Way too much up in the air right now to say that at the moment. Are Spikes and/or Fletcher back and healthy? Is McCourty back (and playing better)? Has Ocho made more strides or were his catches on Sunday a bit of an aberration? What other injuries are going to hit us and the other AFC contenders? Have we won a first round bye? Who are we playing in the first round?

Too many questions and too many weeks left. Right now I'm still enjoying the win, and looking forward to the Kansas City game.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

It depends on the matchups and how consistently the team executes. No AFC team is without it's warts this season. Patsfans just focus so intently on ours they fail to grasp that. Baltimore and Houston have ?? at QB and offenses that struggle (or will now begin to) to put up points. Pittsburgh is always subject to Ben's variables, and he just fractured his thumb. In a rematch I like our chances. The Bengals have a rookie QB. The Raiders have a statue. The Chargers are a hot mess. The JETS are the SOJ's...

 

[Rob0729]

If the Jags and Seahawks can beat the Ravens, why can't the Patriots? This year, anyone who gets into the playlets has a shot to win especially in the AFC. Every team has some significant flaws.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Why wouldn't you worry about Green Bay? They're only the defending champs, the current best team in the league, and, with a backup QB, nearly beat the Patriots in Foxboro last year. I mean, other than that, what possible concern could we have playing the Packers??

Why?

Because if they win, they win.

I "worry" based on a specific quality.

Green Bay is the best team. However, with their offensive line, I believe we can pressure with four and drop seven in coverage. I also, don't fear their running game.

They will score but how much will be required?

Also, they have the 31st ranked defense.

Finally, contrary to mythical status, Clay Matthews is WAY OVERRATED.
patsfans.com just doesn't have it to figure out the obvious.

New Orleans has a much better offensive line and stable of running backs.

Have you ever bothered to consider the "matchup" concept?

 

[ginachen]

I think we have a great chance of winning the AFC championship game. I know this defense is frustrating to watch at times, but I think they've done well in the red zone this season. The way the fans and media talk about this defense, you would think every time when this team loose, they lost by 20+ points, but in those three loses, we lost only by less than 10 in each of them.

 

[ExpatPack]

I really think the Pats have as good a chance as any team in the AFC to go to the SB.

Ravens: too inconsistent, not enough offensive punch.
Steelers: main roadblock for Pats.
Raiders: not unless Carson Palmer has an all-pro 2nd half, which I can't see happening.
Texans: chances just went down with Schaub's injury or I would have put them up there with Pittsburgh.

NFC: make it to the SB first and then we'll talk.

 

[MassPats38]

Why not? Every team in that list has its pros and cons, and no team is a lock in the post-season. Much of a team's post-season success depends on what the team is in the final few games of the season (Packers last year, Patriots in 2001, Giants in 2007).

I would take the Pats in a New Yprk minute in a rematch with the Steelers. It was a bad game, much like the game against the Browns was last year. The same is true of the Giants. The Packers have a great offense, but the defense is not particulalry impressive so it comes down to Brady and the offense performing, along with a few takeaways. The Ravens just lost to the Seahawks and have not been impressive on offense, but managed to beat the Steelers twice. Other than the Packers' record, which puts them as presumptive favorites right now, I don't see any evidence suggesting any NFL team is the 1985 Bears this year. Get in the playoffs and the Pats can go far with the teams likely in the field this year.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Weird...all I can think is about the next game and see if our team continues to improve irrespective of how poor the opponent ranks.

I will think about the playoffs when we are actually in it.

 

[randomk1]

I think we can beat any team if we are playing well and by playing well i mean that Brady is having a good day,no turnovers and the D plays solid like it has been for the past few weeks.