Peter King's prediction for BEST team in the NFL...

[oldrover]

Peter King’s Off-Season NFL Power Rankings, 16-1 | The MMQB with Peter King

And the #1 spot goes to.... drumroll please...

I especially like THIS:

Patriots prediction in 10 words or less: Pats beat Raiders in Foxboro in AFC Championship Game.

 

[borisman]

No surprises yet. I don't see how anyone can pick anyone else. I can see someone picking Atlanta but we improved the team more than they did. Still would like another edge rusher and maybe an upgrade at LB via trade or a cap casualty. Either way it won't be anything significant. But with BB you never know.

 

[Tony2046]

This is going to be a fun and interesting season.

I'll be watching for:

1. Brissette's play during the preseason.
2. How Gillmore fits in and the overall effectiveness of the secondary. Will that increase coverage sacks/pressures over last seasons?
3. How much of a deep threat Cooks will be and how that shifts the defensive coverage. e.g, will Edelman now get #2 CB attention?
4. TE Allen's performance compared to Bennett's over last seasons.
5. The effectiveness of our Feng Shui defense. Rivers, Flowers and Branch.
6. The running game. Gillislee, Burkhead, White and Lewis. Interesting.

 

[patfanken]

It should be noted that the Pats play NINE games against King's top 16 teams. They also play this season against the 2 top divisions in the league (AFCW, and NFCS). I'm pretty sure no other team can say that.

Kind of makes you wonder how FO's came up with the idea that Pats have the easiest schedule in the league this season. The reality is whatever stats they used to come to that conclusion, were faulty.

 

[VectorPrime]

How courageous of him.

 

[Ivan]

This is going to be a fun and interesting season.

I'll be watching for:

1. Brissette's play during the preseason.
2. How Gillmore fits in and the overall effectiveness of the secondary. Will that increase coverage sacks/pressures over last seasons?
3. How much of a deep threat Cooks will be and how that shifts the defensive coverage. e.g, will Edelman now get #2 CB attention?
4. TE Allen's performance compared to Bennett's over last seasons.
5. The effectiveness of our Feng Shui defense. Rivers, Flowers and Branch.
6. The running game. Gillislee, Burkhead, White and Lewis. Interesting.

Cooks is nasty. Steve Smith but faster and quicker than Antonio Brown. This is going to be the best offense they have ever had, and that really is saying something.

 

[Tony2046]

Cooks is nasty. Steve Smith but faster and quicker than Antonio Brown. This is going to be the best offense they have ever had, and that really is saying something.

I feel the same way but hate saying it without seeing it.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Idiot Peter King picked NE #1?
They're effin' doomed, then.

 

[XLIX]

No surprises yet. I don't see how anyone can pick anyone else. I can see someone picking Atlanta but we improved the team more than they did. Still would like another edge rusher and maybe an upgrade at LB via trade or a cap casualty. Either way it won't be anything significant. But with BB you never know.

That is, word for word, what I was thinking. I mean, how in the world could anyone pick any other team? I suppose someone might say Atlanta was just a play or 2 away from winning the Super Bowl but I don't see many people terribly high on them.

 

[Tony2046]

That is, word for word, what I was thinking. I mean, how in the world could anyone pick any other team? I suppose someone might say Atlanta was just a play or 2 away from winning the Super Bowl but I don't see many people terribly high on them.

I want to see how that team responds next season after the Super Bowl and with all the scrutiny they will face during the season.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

I want to see how that team responds next season after the Super Bowl and with all the scrutiny they will face during the season.

Usually teams that lose the Super Bowl drop off the next year ( often not even making the playoffs) but I have to believe it will affect them....losing "that way"...

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

Usually teams that lose the Super Bowl drop off the next year ( often not even making the playoffs) but I have to believe it will affect them....losing "that way"...

I'd love to see a rematch of what was arguably the greatest Superbowl ever.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I'd love to see a rematch of what was arguably the greatest Superbowl ever.

Lightening struck once in the right place. Wouldn't want to dare it to strike again in Minneapolis.
Not saying the Pats don't win...just I'd rather not play that game over...other than in reruns from February.

 

[Jangles]

How courageous of him.

Lol

Dude really went out on a limb with that prediction.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

I'd love to see a rematch of what was arguably the greatest Superbowl ever.

Only if we can start with 18 minutes left..................

 

[ExpatPack]

Everybody and their mother is picking the Patriots as the best team in the NFL for the 2017 season Peter....

I don't see Atlanta as that close to NE. They don't have the defense. Raiders vs. Patriots--that's a game I'll watch!

 

[DarrylS]

It should be noted that the Pats play NINE games against King's top 16 teams. They also play this season against the 2 top divisions in the league (AFCW, and NFCS). I'm pretty sure no other team can say that.

Kind of makes you wonder how FO's came up with the idea that Pats have the easiest schedule in the league this season. The reality is whatever stats they used to come to that conclusion, were faulty.

Because they play the Jets and Buffalo twice which scales down any metric which defines strength of schedule???..

 

[DarrylS]

Usually teams that lose the Super Bowl drop off the next year ( often not even making the playoffs) but I have to believe it will affect them....losing "that way"...

It always seemed in the past that after a Superbowl that the teams had a higher incidence of injuries, less so with SB 49, but in the past the "short" off season often seemed to lead to less time to "heal" and more injuries in the following season..

Many teams that reach the Superbowl and even win it, view that as the goal.. instead of trying to sustain that level of excellence.. Carolina for example, they went from 15-1 to 6-10 in subsequent seasons.. what we have been witnessing is the sustaining of a level of excellence unparalleled in post salary cap era the NFL.. consider the simple fact that next year this team has about $70 million in cap space..

 

[Dexter]

Saw that posted the week before the SB:

Conclusion: 2004=2017