PostGame Thread OFFICIAL 2023 Post Game Thread: Week 16 - NE @ DEN

[hornetfb85]

If Zappe keeps looking solid then I think most fans would buy in but it would help to have a rookie too. Like I said, grab a guy in the 3rd with your pick in return from trading Mac.

Who in the actual **** is going to trade a 3rd for Mac.

 

[Lavictoire]

I don't see how he can still be in the league honestly

he’ll do fine with a fresh start on another team.

 

[The Gr8est]

The dirty little secret is the have built a pretty darn good defense and are going to add to it next year before they draft a single player. Zappe won a game late on the road in a stadium that is a house of horrors for NE. Impressed - yeah. Give the guy some confidence and who knows. Hell, he got released and nobody wanted him. He probably is an FU mood vis a vis the entire league.

FU attitude goes a long way sometimes.

Brady used it on the way to a HOF career.

 

[n1997y]

Defense will be great in 2024. Offense needs a lot but they will need to spend tons of cash plus have high picks. If they decide to keep rolling with Zappe and use their 1st on a different offensive position then it helps a lot in the short term. I would still target a QB in the 3rd to develop. Maybe Mac fetches a 3rd and you use that pick. Maybe you keep developing Rourke.

Going into camp next year with Zappe, Rourke, a developmental rookie, and maybe a middling vet FA QB seems ok if the rest of the offense has been upgraded.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Reverse strength of schedule is why they jumped them. Dumb.

2024 NFL Draft order: How Pats' upset in Denver impacts pick position

The Patriots’ surprising win over the Broncos on Christmas Eve had massive implications for their pick position in the 2024 NFL Draft.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

If we both lose out we may get the SOS tiebreaker back. Believe Washington has SF and Dallas left.

 

[TheRainMaker]

SOS

Wsh does face tougher opponents than NE in weeks 17/18. So if both lose out, I don't know how it shakes out.

The frustrating thing is that these teams picking at the top do need QB's. And AZ won't pass on MHJ.

Bears probably take a QB.

Arizona has no choice, but to take anyone but a QB due to Murray’s $52M cap hit.

Commando’s will take a QB. I feel sorry for that QB.

What an awful trade by Carolina to trade all that, yet still end up with the #1 pick that goes to Chicago.

 

[The Gr8est]

Absolute worst case Pats pick from #10. Where was Mahomes picked from again?

Remember Mahomes was a late riser.

He wasn’t a top QB prospect until the post season work and evaluation.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Reverse strength of schedule is why they jumped them. Dumb.

2024 NFL Draft order: How Pats' upset in Denver impacts pick position

The Patriots’ surprising win over the Broncos on Christmas Eve had massive implications for their pick position in the 2024 NFL Draft.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Yup…lots of folks thought 3rd because they assume draft tie-breaker is same as playoff.

Totally different

 

[The Gr8est]

You can't possibly believe momentum will carry over 8 months later?

Yes, winning is a habit.

You can’t just turn it off and on.

I learned that when Bledsoe got knocked out by Mo Lewis, and the Pats had a losing record and brought in their 6th round pick.

I was already in “who is coming out in the draft” mode.

 

[Lavictoire]

Barmore was balling. I was stuck listening to Sirius XM radio in the car, and the Denver broadcast team was tremendously impressed by his play. Not just sacks, stuffed several running plays, forced a fumble recovered by Wilson on a strip sack. He‘s a keeper.

he almost caused a safety when he threw wilson.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Bears probably take a QB.

Arizona has no choice, but to take anyone but a QB due to Murray’s $52M cap hit.

Commando’s will take a QB. I feel sorry for that QB.

What an awful trade by Carolina to trade all that, yet still end up with the #1 pick that goes to Chicago.

Does illustrate the crapshoot of “can’t miss QB’s”. Young has been absolutely awful.

Which…

Also forces a dive into “what is around your early rd 1 QB?”

Jury is out on if Young sucks, or Carolina surrounded him with trash.

 

[n1997y]

I wouldn’t take Williams in the 7th round.
They have 100 mill in cap space Those qbs are as likely to be busts and successes.
Winning is a culture. Going into next year having swept the bills and jets and winning 4 of 5 (on the heels of 3 games you would have won with anything but horrendous QB play) means a hell of a lot more than a few draft slots.

Zappe’s post game interview he stressed “We played Patriots football” and talked about how it was a team performance. Called out specific teammates that made plays in the final drive. That‘s one reason I won’t be surprised if they beat the Bills next week and win out. It’s a winning culture.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

he almost caused a safety when he threw wilson.

Saw that…Broncos O lineman actually made a clever play shoving Wilson back out of the end zone to avoid the safety

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Who in the actual **** is going to trade a 3rd for Mac.

No one. Conditional 6 or 7 MAYBE.

 

[Jim Beankie]

If they win that game and the giants, titans and chargers lose out, it does put us at 8 possibly depending on how the SOS shakes out the next two weeks.

Just FYI - If the Pats win 1, then the Pats SOS is gonna drop maybe down to .520 or a pinch lower (it actually went from .524 to .522 with the win tonight). I'm not worried about the Titans and Chargers even though they're currently at .524, since if they lose, their SOS goes higher (since their opponents get wins). The Giants I'm not so sure about, but their remaining SOS is .651 which is huge. Gonna be curious to see how much it moves tomorrow from .510 assuming a loss against the Eagles.

Long story, imho, even if they win against the Jets (and Bills loss), there's still a huge chance they'll get the 4th pick. I know you're feeling really pessimistic about all this winning, so hopefully this cheers you up a pinch.

Tankathon | 2026 NFL Draft Order

2026 NFL Draft order tracker updated after every game. View traded picks in all seven rounds and a live updating Mock Draft after each game.

www.tankathon.com

NFL Remaining Schedule Strength | Tankathon

Shows the remaining strength of schedule for NFL teams based on the winning percentage of the opponents left on their schedule.

www.tankathon.com

 

[n1997y]

I think he’s at least earned a chance. He should have been playing all year and then we would know a lot more.

I do agree size is a concern. Can he overcome his lack of size? Maybe, maybe not but that remains to be seen.
Arm strength is close to average and better than Jones. Imo nfl calibre if on the low side.

His arm strength was sufficient to throw a 41 yard completion to Pop to punish a blitz. I was listening to Sirius XM so couldn‘t see if it was a rope or a rainbow, but the announcers creamed their jeans raving about how great a play it was so I’m assuming it didn’t show deficient arm strength.

 

[festy1986]

Just FYI - If the Pats win 1, then the Pats SOS is gonna drop maybe down to .520 or a pinch lower (it actually went from .524 to .522 with the win tonight). I'm not worried about the Titans and Chargers even though they're currently at .524, since if they lose, their SOS goes higher (since their opponents get wins). The Giants I'm not so sure about, but their remaining SOS is .651 which is huge. Gonna be curious to see how much it moves tomorrow from .510 assuming a loss against the Eagles.

Long story, imho, even if they win against the Jets (and Bills loss), there's still a huge chance they'll get the 4th pick. I know you're feeling really pessimistic about all this winning, so hopefully this cheers you up a pinch.

Tankathon | 2026 NFL Draft Order

2026 NFL Draft order tracker updated after every game. View traded picks in all seven rounds and a live updating Mock Draft after each game.

www.tankathon.com

NFL Remaining Schedule Strength | Tankathon

Shows the remaining strength of schedule for NFL teams based on the winning percentage of the opponents left on their schedule.

www.tankathon.com

What about Washington? Can we pass them if we both win out?

 

[IcyPatriot]

he’ll do fine with a fresh start on another team.

Well if he ever learns that QB's do get rocked from time to time ... part of the job.

 

[n1997y]

Taking a first round QB is so risky. If you get Mahomes, great. But so many are not. And if you miss, it kills your team for 3-5 years.

McCorkle Jones. QED.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

What about Washington? Can we pass them if we both win out?

Wash won’t win another game IMO. Better question is can we pass them of both LOSE out and I believe maybe. It may literally be 1 or 2 % points deciding it.