Patriots will have to go on without their top Wide Reciever, best Running Back & starting LT

[ALP]

By my count were down 5 starters from beginning of season:

Lewis
Solder
Vollmer
Julian
RG...who started there?

Out of 11 total that's a lot

 

[VectorPrime]

By my count were down 5 starters from beginning of season:

Lewis
Solder
Vollmer
Julian
RG...who started there?

Out of 11 total that's a lot

Vollmer, Cannon, Shaq Mason, and the other guy (i can't remember his name but he was starting at guard) will be back.

 

[Joker]

Tre Jackson

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Win @Denver practically guarantees a bye. That's the big thing right now. Win that game, get the bye, show up for the playoffs.

That game isn't just practically guaranteeing a Bye, I think it can clinch a Bye if the following things happen before the Den v Patriot game Sunday night:

1)Patriots beat the Bills next Sunday
2)Jets lose to either to Houston or Miami in the next two weeks.
3)Denver loses in Chicago next week
4)Pitt loses in Seattle in two weeks

It's not like any of those are unlikely to happen, however, having all of them happen is not likely. But if it does then the Patriots beat the Broncos? I think the Bye is now clinched (doing the math off the top of my head. Please excuse any errors or missed tie break scenarios).

**For certain it is clinched if we win the following week at home against Philly.

 

[Dexter]

It kinda starts to feel like two years ago, when we couldn't catch a break with many injuries to important players. We are not there yet and this team is much deeper and more talented but still, very depressing. It's the only thing that can stop us this season.

 

[VrabelJr]

The nice thing about getting healthy again is that our backups now have experience. It's gonna get ugly for the rest of the NFL in December, January and February.

 

[glm]

That game isn't just practically guaranteeing a Bye, I think it can clinch a Bye if the following things happen before the Den v Patriot game Sunday night:

1)Patriots beat the Bills next Sunday
2)Jets lose to either to Houston or Miami in the next two weeks.
3)Denver loses in Chicago next week
4)Pitt loses in Seattle in two weeks

It's not like any of those are unlikely to happen, however, having all of them happen is not likely. But if it does then the Patriots beat the Broncos? I think the Bye is now clinched (doing the math off the top of my head. Please excuse any errors or missed tie break scenarios).

**For certain it is clinched if we win the following week at home against Philly.

It seems you forgot about the Bengals.

 

[wizwor]

With Manning banged up and having played probably the worst game of his career (passer rating of 0.0), I don't know how many more wins Denver has in them.

The Pats have four games left on the schedule which will get their opponents' best -- the next two and the last two. I don't think Rex really looked past the Jets to the Pats, but he has been working on the Pats since Thursday. He gets a banged up Pats team. Could be a tough game. Hosting the Pats may be Manning's last chance to win a big game. He is going to get next week off and the short handed Pats will have to deal with Denver's defense -- which people say is very good. I don't think this week's performance was injury related. I don't think Manning can play two weeks in a row. He sill sit next week and play the Pats rested. The Jets could be playing for a playoff spot in December. If the Pats go to Miami undefeated, that game will be the Fins Superbowl -- and they have beaten the Pats when they shouldn't.

I'm not being cynical (I expect the Pats to win out), but they were close to losing today, have a target on their back, and are dealing with some significant injuries. They have to get through the Bills with no significant injuries for a chance to get everything Denver has left in the tank.

 

[wizwor]

It seems you forgot about the Bengals.

The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference receive a bye in the first round

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

It seems you forgot about the Bengals.

Talking just about the Bye not HFA. IMHO getting to sit out the WC weekend is far more important than getting the HFA.
I hope we get HFA too, however, as long as we get the Bye to heal and plan? I think we will be hard to beat anytime anywhere.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference receive a bye in the first round

Sorry didn't see you already answered the question

 

[PatsBoy12]

Win @Denver practically guarantees a bye. That's the big thing right now. Win that game, get the bye, show up for the playoffs.

The bye is no guarantee. While everyone is looking at DEN, who to me is a mediocre team and shouldn't even be in the discussion, Cinci is quietly still undefeated. I know about all the one and dones and blah blah, and I know they do still have to prove it in the playoffs, but it does not negate the fact that they are just as in the driver's seat for that No. 1 seed as NE is at this point, and they haven't suffered nearly the injury blows that we have in NE. Injury is the great equalizer in football (like no other).

With all that said, I still think we can capture that if the O-Line gets healthy. As someone else said, we still have weapons. LaFell seems to be getting better each week. Danny is playing well. My fear with him is exposure. He was great in his new role. Can he still be with an expanded role? Will he hold up? White needs to show more than he did yesterday, though I think some of his lack of production was probably gameplan related. What, if anything, will we get from Chandler? We have some names. We just need to see how they respond. This is still a 9-0 team with the G.O.A.T. QB, TE, K and HC.

By the way, I do know they can get a bye at the #2 spot, but I'm really hoping for HFA.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

Injuries are such a drag in football

 

[PatsBoy12]

Injuries are such a drag in football

This will be the only thing that derails another SB, IMO. There is no team in the league that I feel can handle NE when they're playing well.

 

[glm]

The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference receive a bye in the first round

Thought we were talking about the number 1 seed.

Regardless, I want that number 1 seed.

 

[TB_Helmet]

I am still very optimistic.

Vollmer, Jackson, Cannon hopefully back next week or the week after that (anyone know what's up with Cannon BTW? Seems like it's been longer than expected).

Collins back next week, Sheard will be closer to 100%.

Edelman back by the playoffs.

The only major guys we've lost for the year are Lewis, Solder and Wendell. That's about par for the course for any NFL season and to be expected. Our Defense was top-5 in scoring before last week, and should be back to full strength very soon, and will improve over the course of the year as Butler gets even better. When the O-line gets back to full health, we're still going to have a very dangerous offense -- maybe not scoring at a historic pace anymore, but still one of the best in the league. Then Edelman returns just in time to go on a deep playoff run. It's gonna be fun.