Patriots-Dolphins flexed to 4:25 pm

[Chopblock CB]

You have the facts on your side, which is very annoying, but it's a Division rivalry. In other words, far, far stranger things have happened in the NFL.

Also, what I am about to say is completely unscientific and unsupported by the records of either KC or DEN and, indeed, betrays virtually everything factual that I've learned in 50 or so years of following the NFL since the days of Chuck Bednarik, BUT, I'll say it anyway: Denver has now won 10 in a row; my gut is that they are good, but not that good and I think they might be ready to lose a game.

just look who Denver has played since they lost to the Pats...lol

 

[Chopblock CB]

Argument for Indy resting players:
- It's more important to give banged-up players an extra week of rest so they're healthier for the playoffs.
- Don't want to risk Luck or anyone else that's important getting hurt.
- Nothing to play for seeding-wise.

Argument against Indy resting players:
- The lesson from Indy's playoff past is that resting players actually hurts come playoff time.
- Head coach is back - should be an emotional game.
- Want to head into the playoffs with some momentum, and beating the Texans would be a huge confidence boost.
- Rhythm and timing stay on track if they play; it's hurt if they don't.

All told, I bet Indy splits the baby and plays their starters for the first half and sees how it goes. From that point they might determine whether to sit guys in the second half. Hopefully they have a big lead by then and bury the Texans.

I don't see Denver losing at home to KC, even if KC is capable of running the ball well against the Broncos. They'd need some crazy stuff to happen to win that game.

I hope you're correct.....

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Why would they not flex Texans-Colts to the late game instead? It's a much better game, it features Andrew Luck, TWO playoff teams. This is ******ed. What am I missing?

"Follow the money": you might be right for hard core NFL fans, but Indy is a small to mid market team. The Texans don't have much of a following outside of Houston (where even many hard core fans were committed to the original Houston franchise and haven't warmed to the newcomers), even in Texas. The Pats and Brady are a national draw as well as in the Boston area and suburbs of NYC (the latter if only because Jets and Giants fans want to see them lose). Miami has had a national following since the days of Shula and Marino. The audience numbers will be much bigger.

And, as another poster has observed, don't look a gift horse in the mouth; this works to the Pats advantage for the reasons rehearsed in this thread ad nauseam.

 

[Rob0729]

Argument for Indy resting players:
- It's more important to give banged-up players an extra week of rest so they're healthier for the playoffs.
- Don't want to risk Luck or anyone else that's important getting hurt.
- Nothing to play for seeding-wise.

Argument against Indy resting players:
- The lesson from Indy's playoff past is that resting players actually hurts come playoff time.
- Head coach is back - should be an emotional game.
- Want to head into the playoffs with some momentum, and beating the Texans would be a huge confidence boost.
- Rhythm and timing stay on track if they play; it's hurt if they don't.

All told, I bet Indy splits the baby and plays their starters for the first half and sees how it goes. From that point they might determine whether to sit guys in the second half. Hopefully they have a big lead by then and bury the Texans.

I don't see Denver losing at home to KC, even if KC is capable of running the ball well against the Broncos. They'd need some crazy stuff to happen to win that game.

You look at the teams that play Wild Card weekend and win the Super Bowl. Most of them play for real week 17. The Giants did it twice. I don't know if there is a stat, but it seems that teams that rest week 17 and play Wild Card weekend seem to be more likely to lose.

Also, look at the Division Round in recent years, there are far more upsets that weekend than any other weekend in the playoffs. It seems that 50-75% of the games are upsets.

Personally, I don't know if resting players going into the playoffs or even the bye is necessarily a good thing for most teams. If your team is really banged up or experienced enough to turn on the switch, the time off might be a good thing. If you have a young team like the Colts, it can backfire.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

just look who Denver has played since they lost to the Pats...lol

What's your point? They've beaten two playoff teams and the Saints, who are much better than their record and always dangerous with Brees. Also, Denver's SOS is #2 in the league, the Pats #32. We "LOL" at our own risk.

 

[bresna]

Well this sucks for those of us on the fence for going to this game. A 4:25 start on December 30th is much colder than a 1:00 start and the long range weather forecast shows a (possibly big) snow storrm starting late afternoon. So basically they may have flexed the game into a nor'easter. Also, a 1:00 game guarantees that the Patriots starters play, which is why we go to games. Now there's a chance that it may look like a preseason game? Watch Ticket Exchange now.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

NFL did the Patriots a huge favor by switching this game to 4.
By game time the Patriots will know whether they're playing for a bye week or if the Dolphins game is their bye week and they sit Brady, Vince etc.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Why should the Pats rest and forfeit a chance to host the AFCCG?

The Ravens will beat the Colts at home, and the Texans aren't looking too hot. It could easily be Ravens @ Pats AFCCG.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I think the Colts are going to lay down and rest everyone just like they did in the undefeated season....I hope they keep the Texans game at 1pm so we know the result by our game time. I think alot will change in if and when OUR players are rested if the Texans have won and everything is pretty much etched in stone...

are you kidding? chuck pagano's first game back? no way that's happening. this isn't polian's colts anymore - this is a different version that likes to fight. honestly chuck is fighting cancer, so what kind of team would the colts be if they give up?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

NFL did the Patriots a huge favor by switching this game to 4.
By game time the Patriots will know whether they're playing for a bye week or if the Dolphins game is their bye week and they sit Brady, Vince etc.

there is no way the patriots are resting players after that performance yesterday. that whole lockerroom was pi$$ed.

 

[Triumph]

No it depends on that Houston/Indy game. Denver will have that game put away by halftime. KC ran for 352 yards today and could only put 13 points up.

It looks like a slam dunk on paper that Denver will roll, but KC could give Denver a game. The Chiefs defense gave Manning fits in KC this year. It was 9 - 7 in the 3rd quarter. Football | NFL | Boxscore - Broncos v Chiefs - washingtonpost.com

KCs best shot might be to put (gulp) Cassel back in.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

It looks like a slam dunk on paper that Denver will roll, but KC could give Denver a game. The Chiefs defense gave Manning fits in KC this year. It was 9 - 7 in the 3rd quarter. Football | NFL | Boxscore - Broncos v Chiefs - washingtonpost.com

KCs best shot might be to put (gulp) Cassel back in.

KC is playing for something as well - a top 3 draft pick. i wouldn't put it past them to fire Romeo this week and put in some stiff as coach who will pull a bunch of their starters.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Why should the Pats rest and forfeit a chance to host the AFCCG?

The Ravens will beat the Colts at home, and the Texans aren't looking too hot. It could easily be Ravens @ Pats AFCCG.

Huh??? By next Sunday at 4:30 the Patriots will know where they stand. If the Texans win then the only significance for the Patriots/Miami game will be if the Ravens beat the Bengals in Cincy. If the Ravens win next Sunday the Patriots need to beat Miami in order to keep the 3 seed.
If that is the scenario then Belichick has a decision to make re: just how important is winning that game to keep the 3 seed vs. resting his tired and beat up football team. I say if the Patriots can't get a 1st round bye then BB needs to rest his core players next week. Having the NFL switch that game to later in the day is huge for the Pats.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I want to believe that Indy would see value in hurting the playoff position of a division rival and potential rematch opponent.

Indy is getting Coach Chuck Pagano back on the sidelines next week after his cancer scare.
Somehow I think his team wants to win that game reeeeeallly badly for their beloved coach.

 

[Triumph]

KC is playing for something as well - a top 3 draft pick. i wouldn't put it past them to fire Romeo this week and put in some stiff as coach who will pull a bunch of their starters.

KC has the 1st pick right now. Another win and Jax loss put them in the # 2 slot. Football | NFL | Standings - washingtonpost.com

 

[Rob0729]

I said this in another thread. I am mixed on the Pats getting the bye. Since 2005, only two teams have won the Super Bowl when they had a bye (the Saints and Steelers in 2008). Every other team played wild card weekend including the Giants (twice), Packers, Colts, and Steelers (2006). I don't know if a bye is an advantage that it used to be. There are a lot of upsets in the Division round (two out of the four last year).

 

[Rob0729]

KC has the 1st pick right now. Another win and Jax loss put them in the # 2 slot. Football | NFL | Standings - washingtonpost.com

Doesn't matter. Romeo and Pioli are going to be gone. Why would they tank the game for the next head coach and GM to get a better pick. They played the Colts down to the wire yesterday. Romeo has too much pride to tank a game for a pick especially when he won't be with the team next year.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I said this in another thread. I am mixed on the Pats getting the bye. Since 2005, only two teams have won the Super Bowl when they had a bye (the Saints and Steelers in 2008). Every other team played wild card weekend including the Giants (twice), Packers, Colts, and Steelers (2006). I don't know if a bye is an advantage that it used to be. There are a lot of upsets in the Division round (two out of the four last year).

i think the pats strategy of resting a lot of their important guys yesterday may backfire. patriots probably thought they were essentially locked into the number 3 seed. As the number 3 seed, they probably felt like having two games under their belts going into the divisional round will be enough to get guys like gronk back in the flow of things. now the pats may and likely will get a bye (thanks to a houston loss next week) and gronk will play next week and then not play for another two weeks. gronk should have been playing yesterday - if anything our offense is based on timing and if the timing and chemistry is not there you get what we saw yesterday.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Doesn't matter. Romeo and Pioli are going to be gone. Why would they tank the game for the next head coach and GM to get a better pick. They played the Colts down to the wire yesterday. Romeo has too much pride to tank a game for a pick especially when he won't be with the team next year.

assuming the chiefs don't fire romeo and pioli before next week...

 

[Rob0729]

assuming the chiefs don't fire romeo and pioli before next week...

Word is they were already told they were being let go after the season. There is no reason to fire them before the last game of the season. Would be a PR nightmare to do it considering tomorrow is Christmas.