Playoff matchups

[TruthSeeker]

There are no teams that scare me in the playoffs. Zilch. Nada.

There are no teams that scare me in the regular seaon. Squadoosh. L'euf.

Excuse me, I have to go back to planning the Super Bowl celebration party.

 

[psychoPat]

I'm hoping to see Jax ... Ten ... Den ... in any order in Foxboro.
Followed by GB in AZ.

I want The Perfect Season to include in the body count
every good team in the league
... and we already shall have bagged Dal, Cle, Indy, SanDi, Pit, and NYG.

 

[patsfan209]

I'm hoping to see Jax ... Ten ... Den ... in any order in Foxboro.

I want to avoid Denver like the plague. I would expect that the Broncos and Colts would be meeting each other in the 1st or the 2nd round, and we all know how that turns out.

Followed by GB in AZ.

Starting to look realistic now, I for one would be rooting big time for the Packers, as long as the Pats come through on their end of the deal in the AFC. No one else in the NFC does anything for me.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Hate to think ahead, but as much as I would like revenge on the Packers, I can see Lord Favre getting every call in that game.

 

[Oswlek]

The only thing I ask is that Pitt/Indy is some combination of 2/3.

That way, one would be forced to play each other before coming to NE.

Every other team in the AFC I welcome with open arms.

 

[cstjohn17]

Good discussion topic, taking it a level deeper here are my early projections for the tournament. I don't see Denver as a threat in any way shape or form, I don't even think they make the playoffs.

Wildcard weekend:
Chargers versus Jaguars - Jags win
Steelers versus Titans - Steelers win

Divisional round
Patriots versus Jaguars - Patriots win
Steelers versus Colts - Steelers win

Patriots over Steelers in the conference championship

In order of difficulty I see the teams ranked as:
1. Steelers - Defense can cause turnovers, Big Ben could get flukey hot
2. Colts - Manning, defense is playing well
3. Titans - ability to create pressure just with D line
4. Jaguars - Physical team
5. Chargers - a lot of talent

 

[AFPatsFan12]

Based on what we've seen thus far, I can't imagine any team that poses more of a challenge to this team in the postseason than a semi-healthy Colts team, because they have proven that, defensively, they can hang with this juggernaut O. I love the Simmons line that it only took 9 minutes of quality football for the Patriots to beat Indy in the dome, but the fact does remain that the O was shut down for 51 minutes (B.S. calls aside, since most of them were on the defense, and they overcame the Randy Moss phantom offensive PI). Still, I'm not sure they have enough on offense to put up 27-30 in Gillette come January. I'd list the worst potential matchups in the postseason as such:

(1) Colts

(2) Jaguars -- Highly physical team with a solid running back trioka, and a decent quarterback (David Garrard, when healthy, has been solid for this team). I don't think this team can win in Foxboro, but they can knock the snot out of you.

(3) Steelers -- Can't play on the road, have played an exceptionally weak schedule (the NFC West and the AFC East ). Defense is overated, Ben is jekyll/hyde. If you don't turn the ball over, this team should be little to no problem in the playoffs.

(4) San Diego -- Such an inept quarterback and coaching staff, that I can't take them too seriously. They are still loaded, and that counts for something... right? um....

(5) Cleveland -- Probably played the Pats better than any team not named Indy, and still lost by 17... this is the type of game that the Browns could get up by 10 or even 14 early in a divisional game before folding (a la their Steelers game a couple of weeks ago). They have a tremendously easy schedule down the stretch, and have the inside track to the six seed, with an outside shot at leapfrogging Jacksonville for the 5.

(6) Tennessee -- Vince Young blows, their defense is exceptional WITH Haynesworth, but I dont care how good your defense is, you can't hold the Patriots under 10, and that's what they would have to do.

(7) Denver -- History be damned, I can't take a team that lost by 37 at Detroit and by 41 at home to San Diego seriously. I would welcome this divisional round matchup with open arms.

(8) Houston -- Don't sleep on this team with Schaub and Andre Johnson back. At 5-5, they sit one game back of a 6 seed. I think their division provides too difficult a schedule for them to compete for a playoff spot, but they could possibly provide some resistance in a playoff game (more than Denver or Tennessee, anyway), but even then, they'd have to leapfrog Jax/Ten/Cle for the 5 seed, or advance as a 6 to the AFC Championship game... unlikely...

(9) Buffalo -- Meh... we've seen what's happened already... don't think they're getting in anyway....

 

[ALP]

I want no part of Denver. They could come to Foxboro and pose a real problem. They have a good shot at winning 4/5 finishing 9-7 and winning the division. Look at their schedule vs San Diego's.

Two big targets at tight end. Explosive running game. Great secondary. Improved D-line play. That damn bootleg and a QB just starting to come into his own.

They would be playing with house money at that point and would pull all the stops out.

Let Indy take care of them like they do every season.

i think JAG will give us the toughest game in the postseason

 

[makewayhomer]

I'd be very surprised if we don't play Pittsburgh and then Indy

 

[richpats]

I'd be very surprised if we don't play Pittsburgh and then Indy

Indy is an enigma at this point. We won't know if they are worthy of concern until later in December.

 

[makewayhomer]

Indy is an enigma at this point. We won't know if they are worthy of concern until later in December.

I didn't say that I'd be concerned. but they are likely to finish as the 2nd seed (1 game (+?) ahead of Pitt who still has to play us, 1+ games ahead of Jax), which means that they'll only need to win 1 home game to potentially play us.

pittsburgh, meanwhile, should be the #3. it's doubtful san diego or denver pass them. they should host 1 playoff game, where they have been excellent, and then play @ us

 

[ALP]

imagine beating the colts 40 sumtin to 10 sumtin??? LOL

and the halftime score would be identical to last yrs? giving all Colts fans a slight hope, but all logical fans will know that the Pats O is not wut it was last yr, and that the Colts would have no shot of coming back...

and maybe even putting cassell in for the last TD???


i would LOVE that

 

[bradmahn]

I can't stand this whole "Broncos have the Pats number" nonsense. The Broncos are a completely different team than they were last year, as are the Pats. I'm not worried about Champ shutting down Moss one on one, because he won't be able to. You can only contain the Freak.

In all seriousness, there are too many receiving options on this offense to worry about one or even two defensive backs being able to contain two options. The only thing similar to this offense (and through 10 games the Patriots have been even better than them) is the Colts offense of the last several years, and the Broncos have not been able to even come close to slowing the Colts down, even with Champ. Jay Cutler vs. a Belichick defense? I like that match-up, especially with Javon Walker hobbled right now (who knows if he'll be healthy by then) and key guys on their OL out. Their defensive front isn't as formidable as it has been in the past. This Patriots team would paste the Broncos.

Against the Pats, the Colts will only go as far as their defensive line goes, and without Freeney that is a matchup that favors the Patriots. Their defense looked average against the Chiefs, and I blame Herm Edwards and a second year QB for them even looking that good. If the Colts don't get their act together, I could see them losing two of three to the Titans, Jags and Texans, and have to make it in as a wild card.

The Steelers are a fraud.

The Jaguars are a team that worries me more than most, if healthy. Stroud and Henderson are a force in the middle, they have two very capable RBs, Garrard is playing well right now, and they have really big WRs who might pose a problem for Hobbs/Samuel/Gay. Tough opponent.

San Diego is in a free fall and I don't think they can get themselves out of the hole named Norv.

 

[Metaphors]

Maybe I'm alone, but if this Pats team is going to be truly special, it has to vanquish the Broncos. Whether we're undefeated or not, we've been plagued by this franchise for 20 years and we rarely get the best of them (3-16 since '84, that's horrible).

Just like the '04 Sox had to go thru NY and Rivera, the Pats should have to go thru the Broncs...then the Colts...then the Pack.

 

[NEPatriot]

The only team that scares me is a healthy Colts team as they have the only offense good enough to match our's.

I agree with you. Even with their injuries, the Colts defense plus what their offense can produce scares me. There's still a lot of football to be played so a lot could change.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I want no part of Denver. They could come to Foxboro and pose a real problem.

Not to be smug, and I'm as worst case thinker as they get, but isn't Denver as a problem for the Patriots more urban legend than anything anymore?

 

[Metaphors]

The .500+ AFC teams in order of favorable matchup:

9) Buffalo

I'm sure they would show up. Maybe.

8) Tennessee

They are terrible. Just prevent VY from running for 200 yds.

7) Houston

They can have moments of inspired play...just not 60 minutes worth of them.

6) Cleveland

Dangerous offense but defense isn't ready to step up yet. Give Romeo another 2 years...

5) Denver

Cutler: strong arm + inexperience + pressure to score = turnovers. Even Champ has been toasted on double moves this year. They just seem to lack an identity and they won't find it in Foxborough in January. Unless it is on a toe-tag.

4) San Diego

The only fear is that the SD line and LdT/Turner get positive momentum and seize control of the game, allowing Rivers to be quietly efficient and Gates to be the finisher. Don't think it will happen, but that is the elephant in the room with SD. The Bolts' D hasn't been able to put it all together this year and I doubt "Lights Out" is going to rediscover the size/speed ratio he seems to have lost.

3) Indianapolis

Their depth has always been paper-thin and it is going to be their downfall this year. The Pats' win earlier was critical because Manning can't win a shoot-out in the elements. He doesn't throw a tight spiral and any amount of wind will affect his throws. Not good considering he is pretty much exclusively throwing timing routes at this point. The D relies on pressure (not sacks) to enable the DBs to cover only for a short time, making the loss of Freeney a killer. If the weather is unseasonably pleasant, Harrison completely recovers, Rice discovers the way-back machine to 2002 and Polian seizes control of the officials' penson fund...the Colts could be a problem.

2) Pittsburgh

2-3 on the road? Losses to Arizona and the stinkin' Jets? This team has flaws and the Jets provided a blueprint game to exploit them. That being said, this is a team that could take advantage of OL breakdowns or Brady misfires and turn them into points. I don't see them beating the Pats, but this is a team that could enable the Pats to beat themselves.

1) Jacksonville

They actually have all the components to pull off an upset besides the actual experience in winning big games. Garrard is just a game manager. He won't put up lots of point but also won't lose the game. The defense would have to play a perfect game. If they did, it could turn into a FG game...and while I love Gost as much as the next guy, he hasn't had to make a pressure kick all year. With the weight of destiny and a perfect season resting on a late kick, he would either become legendary or infamous in just a couple of seconds. Yikes!

So in summary, I don't see a major problem with any of these teams under predictable circumstances. Pats should have no problem getting into the 30's and have no problem keeping them in the 20's. But you just never know in a "one-and-done" situation...which is why the NFL playoffs rock!

 

[spacecrime]

Every year we get multiple threads of the best way for the Pats to back into the playoffs by facing the weakest teams possible.

The best playoffs are when we faced the best teams. When Brady defeated both co-MVPs, and the time we held the #1 offense to 3 points on one gaem and the next week scored 41 on the top defense.

If you are the world champion, you are the best there is.

You want to face the best team to stake your claim.

Gimme the Colts and Steelers, then the Cowboys. Those are the games I want. And if we lose one, then we weren't world champs anyway, were we?

 

[Seymour93]

Hate to think ahead, but as much as I would like revenge on the Packers, I can see Lord Favre getting every call in that game.

Yeah, that and out of all the NFC teams I think the Packers would bring the most fans to Arizona.

 

[Denzera]

I was thinking about this earlier. Denver has basically owned us for the history of the franchise, so if we were to go 19-0 I'd love to crush them on the way to it.

John Elway isn't walking through that door.