Playoff outlook

[Steve102]

All the Debbie Downers on this board are at home doing their Jim Mora impressions.

Personally I thought we'd be close to the playoffs going into the season and thought we might just miss due to a tough December schedule but now I feel December is slightly easier and with the landscape of the AFC I think we should probably be able to get in now.

I need to see much better QB play to think we can do anything if we get there. But if we can avoid the one that doesn't get the bye out of KC or Buff we could possibly get out of the first Rd. And I'd give Bill a punchers chance vs Buff or KC too. Need better QB play though.

I don't like to talk about playoff scenarios until after Thanksgiving... so here you go.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I could see them winning a lot of their games on the remaining schedule, but could also see them losing a bunch of games on their schedule. We have come back down to earth and are just like most NFL fans wondering what team shows up? I mean, I thought the Bears would be an easy victory, only to get their azzes kicked.

I think we'll know more after this next stretch of games ending with the Bills.

 

[jdlboot14]

I just think Bills are too strong and balanced to even have a hope of surprising them. We're 0-2 there.
Then @MIN & @AZ & vsMIA are the likely losses barring near-perfect play. So maybe we go 1-2 there.
vsIND, vsNYJ, @LVR, vsCIN are the likely wins, with CIN being 50/50. So best case we go 4-0 there.
That's a 9-8 finish at best. And if it equates to the last WC spot, we'll lose no matter who we play.
All I can hope for is more offensive potency, team chemistry, individual breakouts, and competitive games that are fun to watch.

 

[mgteich]

I just think Bills are too strong and balanced to even have a hope of surprising them. We're 0-2 there.
Then @MIN & @AZ & vsMIA are the likely losses barring near-perfect play. So maybe we go 1-2 there.
vsIND, vsNYJ, @LVR, vsCIN are the likely wins, with CIN being 50/50. So best case we go 4-0 there.
That's a 9-8 finish at best. And if it equates to the last WC spot, we'll lose no matter who we play.
All I can hope for is more offensive potency, team chemistry, individual breakouts, and competitive games that are fun to watch.

You overvalue AZ.

I think that we have always understood that the team would need to peak late in order to get into the playoffs. I am certainly a homer, but I don't think that we will make it without improvement and a bit of luck. If MIA is almost a lock for a loss, then we really aren't a playoff quality team.

 

[Triumph]

 

[Triumph]

12 - 5

1 more loss vs Buffalo @ NE. The Bills will rest starters game 17 vs NE when they have the # 1 seed locked up. No sense in risking injuries in a meaningless game vs the Patriots.

 

[Tom Tupa]

We can move into the 7th seed with a win sunday and Jets loss to Buffalo (very likely). And I believe we can actually move up in the seeding during the bye if the Chargers lose to SF. This is a great scenario for the Pats with how the season started. We basically have to handle our business and get to 9-10 wins and hope the Chargers or Bengals drop off. We have a good chance.

 

[Nehalem]

If the Patriots had beat Chicago, then all 3 AFC wild card teams would currently be from the AFCE

 

[Patnation21]

Some of you are delusional with this team. I hate to break it to you but this team is not making the playoffs unless a major trade happens shortly.

We should have lost to the Jets if not for them having an absolutely terrible QB.

This team is lacking in several area's including the offense. Parker was our big last minute WR signing. Not only is he injury prone but he's a number 3 WR on some teams. Just not good enough with two young QB's on the team.

 

[Calhoun44]

Some of you are delusional with this team. I hate to break it to you but this team is not making the playoffs unless a major trade happens shortly.

We should have lost to the Jets if not for them having an absolutely terrible QB.

This team is lacking in several area's including the offense. Parker was our big last minute WR signing. Not only is he injury prone but he's a number 3 WR on some teams. Just not good enough with two young QB's on the team.

I disagree. Not about me being delusional, because that may be the case. What I disagree with you about is that there was a chance we were going to lose to a Zach Wilson led Jets team. Once BB knew Zach was the starting QB they built a perfect game plan to make it look really bad. The only thing that prevented us from blowing them out was our incompetent OL and Mac still struggling. (Also, the Jets D is pretty good).

I think that most of the teams on our schedule have very beatable defenses and if our boys respond after the bye week, they could easily get a WC spot.

 

[Patnation21]

I disagree. Not about me being delusional, because that may be the case. What I disagree with you about is that there was a chance we were going to lose to a Zach Wilson led Jets team. Once BB knew Zach was the starting QB they built a perfect game plan to make it look really bad. The only thing that prevented us from blowing them out was our incompetent OL and Mac still struggling. (Also, the Jets D is pretty good).

I think that most of the teams on our schedule have very beatable defenses and if our boys respond after the bye week, they could easily get a WC spot.

That is very true but Wilson is absolutely terrible and pissed that game away.

I respect your opinion and you could be right. I just don't see our schedule as that easy when were scraping by teams like the Jets and Pittsburgh and losing to the Bears.

Our two best wins were against Detroit and the Browns and Zappe was a QB for both games. I've seen nothing from Mac Jones all year that gives me any confidense.

We have another game against Miami who keeps getting better, two against Buffalo that were not winning. Raiders, Cardinals and the Vikings on the road which will all be very hard games. We could lose all 6 of those. Maybe we go 2-4, at very best 3-3 IMO. That leaves Bengals, Colts and Jets. Bengals are struggling but that's a good team still with a great offense.

I don't see how we get in the playoffs. We could go 2-4 in division. Those conference games are really important when it comes to a close finish to get into the playoffs.

I hope I'm wrong but I would be surprised.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

Playoffs will be a tough haul and they will need several teams above them to blow games. One good thing when you look at the playoff picture, although there's several teams in front of them I don't think any of the teams behind them (other than Cincinnati) are any good. The entire season for this team will come down to whether or not that last game of the season means anything for Buffalo. The Pats (best case) will be sitting at 8-8 or 9-7 needing to win that game to get into the playoffs. If Buffalo needs it for the #1 seed and they play Allen, forget it. But maybe they're in a situation where they've clinched home field and they sit a bunch of starters...a man can dream....

Have a feeling the Jill’s sitting started against us would be nice but don’t think it will happen. Pretty sure they’d like to play spoiler as well.

 

[Calhoun44]

Raiders, Cardinals and the Vikings on the road which will all be very hard games. We could lose all 6 of those.

I've watched all three of those teams play multiple games and they are not that impressive. Vikings will be the toughest game, but I think Cousins is the type of QB that BB usually keeps under wraps. I would be surprised if we don't win at least two of those games and I expect them to sweep all three. Obviously, Mac needs to step up and play to his potential, but I don't think he has to set the world on fire. Just stop turning the ball over and the offense will be fine. Oh yeah, OL need to do their part immediately!!!

 

[venecol]

Agreed, Mac is the key to anything we want to accomplish this season. As awkward as this seasons going.. I still have some optimistic hope Mac needs these next 7,8 games to redefine his poise and career projection. If we can get to the bye with no more major injuries to key players ,rest , decompress and make a playoff push again we have to play mistake free football the rest of the way..

Pats haven't played mistake free football for 3 years. What makes you think it'll be any different now.

 

[venecol]

@Ian predicted Pats go 13-4. There's still a chance.

 

[Ian]

@Ian predicted Pats go 13-4. There's still a chance.

That was assuming they'd pick up where they left off and take a step forward this season. Now I think there's a better chance of me winning the Powerball than that happening, which, I suppose would help me get over it

 

[venecol]

That was assuming they'd pick up where they left off and take a step forward this season. Now I think there's a better chance of me winning the Powerball than that happening, which, I suppose would help me get over it

I know that was a homer prediction, you yourself said so.

What do you think now? 10? 11 wins?

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Games are won and lost in the trenches. If the OL settles down and consistently approaches the level of play against the Lions and Browns the team has a chance to make the playoffs. Otherwise, Mac looks like crap and the team will be lucky to be 7-9

 

[Ian]

I know that was a homer prediction, you yourself said so.

What do you think now? 10? 11 wins?

LOL, I looked at it with the normal outlook you'd have in June before all the other issues popped up. Is what it is at this point.

Hard to say. In the entry & post I wrote, I had them losing in Minnesota just on a whim because they tend to lose odd ones like that, but now the Vikings are actually a pretty good team. I feel like they have a shot against Buffalo, based on if Mac takes a step forward. But they're going to need to start stringing some good performances together to be able to do that.

After that, I still don't feel great about Vegas just due to the history against ex-coaches, regardless of how bad things have been there, and I still feel like they'll potentially lose the finale in Buffalo. So I guess I would list it this way:

vs Indy - Win
vs Jets - Win
at Min - Lose
vs Buf - Win (on a crazy night at Gillette)
at AZ - Win
at LAS - Lose
vs Cincy - Win (if they're playing relatively well by then, because they're at home)
vs Mia - Win (again, same reasoning - see above)
at Buf - Lose

Finish 6-3 | Final Record 10-7

But man...that's hoping everything goes right. So who knows.

 

[lancerman]

So far our wins are a 2-6 Steelers team, a 1-6 Lions team (maybe the worst in the league), a 3-5 Browns team that is being saddled with Brissett, and our gem being a 5-3 win against the Jets where bringing Wilson back clearly put a vice grip around them. I'll take the wins, but we just haven't been all that impressive this year to start looking ahead to the playoffs.

The Bears and Packers aren't good this year and we couldn't get out of those games with W's which is concerning when the Packers also lost to two teams in our division.

My opinion:

Sure losses are: Vikings, Dolphins, Billsx2,
(which in case you didn't get the memo, losing to divisional teams doesn't help in the playoff race and it's pretty clear they should be viewed as better).

Toss up games: Jets, Cardinals, Bengals.
(the Jets came could have went either way, the other two teams depend entirely on what version of them come out)

Teams we should be able to comfortably beat if we stay out of our own way: Colts and Raiders.

7-10 or 8-9 seems most realistically to me. That MIGHT be enough to get in with the 7th spot. Maybe. Depends on how the Chargers, Bengals, and Browns go the rest of the way. It's probably safe to assume we don't get the division winning 4 seeds and that either Miami or Buffalo will get the 5th seed depending on who wins the division. So we likely are fighting with the 3 teams I mentioned and the Jets for those last two spots.

But let's call a spade a spade, getting in the playoffs isn't the hard part.