Poll: How far will Pats make it in playoffs?

[crypto]

Luck and other annoying factors aside, I see no reason they shouldn't win the Super Bowl. I think their defense will buckle down. Yesterday's game was not indicative of the overall quality of their play, and the defense was very good in the previous few games in my opinion. But really, we'll have to see. It seems so hard to judge anything this year.

As for Welker, yes, it sucks, and I don't want to sound too optimistic here, but I think a lot of people don't understand just how fricking ridiculous Edelman is. He doesn't have all Welker's grit, maybe, but he's a nightmare when he has the ball in his hands.

It looked like Edelman dropped the ball a couple of times yesterday. I didn't pay enough attention to see if it was really his fault. But I doubt that will be a major concern. He will rock. Now.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

I really believe that the Pats can win every game they're in.
We have the best QB ever, the best coach ever, one of the top 5 best recievers ever, a good O-Line(Light-Mankins-Koppen-Neal-Vollmer), 4 different runners, but overall, good runners, sammy morris probably being the worst.
A defense that is great against the run, don't forget Wilfork and Warren have had injuries, but is weak against the pass, strange, because we really have good players, with Meriweather, McGowan, Booden, Butler??, but there is lack of comunication, thats why BB tried to solve it with springs and sanders, but we'll get better.

So, I believe we can win it all, we have the most playoff experience in the NFL!!!

 

[Rob0729]

Voted the AFC Championship Game. My heart says the Pats will go there, but my head says they will lose in San Deigo in the division round.

 

[mgcolby]

The winner of the Pats/Chargers game will represent the AFC in the SuperBowl. Not sure where the talk of the "Chargers will crush us" is coming from. They have played well winning 11 in a row. But they haven't been exactly crushing good opposition. If our defense is week, then what is their's? The only thing helping their defense out, is they play in an offensively challenged division. They can't run the ball and will rely on Rivers magic to win.

A Pats/Chargers game will be a nailbiter that will come down to the wire. IMO, that game is 50/50. I'll believe they crush us when they actually beat us in the playoffs.

Here are the Chargers defensive ratings:

Total Defense: 16th
Scoring: 11th
Passing: 11th
Rushing: 20th

After playing 6 games against the 31st, 25th and the 15th ranked offenses in the league. Not to mention the Browns (32nd), Miami (17th) that is half of there games against week offenses and yet the defensive numbers are less than impressive.

Don't get me wrong I think the Chargers are the team to beat in the AFC, but I don't see them as some indestructable force.

 

[chevss454]

The runnng games gotta come up huge against both the Ravens and Chargers. Welcome back Taylor and Morris!

 

[NSPF]

The Pats will probably win against the Ravens, and lose against the Chargers. However, Its more likely that they go one and done though than they win their first game and then lose against the Chargers, because then you are predicting the outcome of two games instead of one. Still, poll results are interesting.

 

[Buchanty]

Losing Welker dims the prospects of getting to both AFC and SB, though its still a case of any given Sunday. It really depends on the amount of pluck the team has. I am an optimist but it will require more than I have seen this season to get to Miami.

One thing I am relatively sure of is that the Jets will not get far, they have played marshmallows for the past 2 weeks and will lose their confidence and composure on the second Sanchez interception.

SD is the team to beat, if we get to SD I will be praying for the end to the jinx we have been playing under for the past 2 years.

 

[lamafist]

The winner of the Pats/Chargers game will represent the AFC in the SuperBowl. Not sure where the talk of the "Chargers will crush us" is coming from. They have played well winning 11 in a row. But they haven't been exactly crushing good opposition. If our defense is week, then what is their's? The only thing helping their defense out, is they play in an offensively challenged division. They can't run the ball and will rely on Rivers magic to win.

A Pats/Chargers game will be a nailbiter that will come down to the wire. IMO, that game is 50/50. I'll believe they crush us when they actually beat us in the playoffs.

Here are the Chargers defensive ratings:

Total Defense: 16th
Scoring: 11th
Passing: 11th
Rushing: 20th

After playing 6 games against the 31st, 25th and the 15th ranked offenses in the league. Not to mention the Browns (32nd), Miami (17th) that is half of there games against week offenses and yet the defensive numbers are less than impressive.

Don't get me wrong I think the Chargers are the team to beat in the AFC, but I don't see them as some indestructable force.

If you take a look at the stats over at FootballOutsiders -- which are per-play success rates weighted by down, distance, score differential, and adjusted for opponents faced -- the Chargers defense ranks out as:

Overall: 23rd
Passing: 18th
Rushing: 26th

There D has been playing somewhat better down the stretch, but not even enough to call above average.

Meanwhile, their offense has only the 29th ranked rushing attack in the game... but the top-ranked passing attack, and not by a little, either.

So basically, they are a very hot, but very one-dimensional team. They beat you with a fierce passing game. Unfortunately, the last time we played a team like that, we got blown out on national TV. There are reasons, however, to be more confident against the Chargers O than the Saints.

The Saints killed the Pats with their multi-receiver sets creating bad matchups and miscommunication in the secondary. The Chargers are more focused on two go-to pass catchers, with Vincent Jackson absolutely murdering teams deep, and Antonio Gates quietly having what might be his best season. And while Rivers has been having a break-out year throwing to those two guys, he hasn't looked great when forced to look elsewhere.

I'd actually be more worried going up against Indi than I would SD, as I think Manning can and would move the ball against us with Garcon and Collie left in single coverage.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I really believe that the Pats can win every game they're in.
We have the best QB ever, the best coach ever, one of the top 5 best recievers ever, a good O-Line(Light-Mankins-Koppen-Neal-Vollmer), 4 different runners, but overall, good runners, sammy morris probably being the worst.
A defense that is great against the run, don't forget Wilfork and Warren have had injuries, but is weak against the pass, strange, because we really have good players, with Meriweather, McGowan, Booden, Butler??, but there is lack of comunication, thats why BB tried to solve it with springs and sanders, but we'll get better.

So, I believe we can win it all, we have the most playoff experience in the NFL!!!

Have you seen our roster lately?..many of our veterans with playoff experience are now retired or with other teams,many are from teams who never got to the postseason or didn't go far.

 

[lamafist]

Overall, my feeling is this:

The Pats aren't a great team this year. We can all see that, which is why most of our playoff hopes are pretty dim. But none of the other teams in the AFC are great, either. The Colts have managed to scrape by, eking out unimpressive wins over a mostly unimpressive schedule. The Chargers are one dimensional. The Ravens, Bengals, & Jets deficiencies are obvious.

To me, this seems like one of the more even post-season slates the AFC has had in recent history. The Chargers and Colts have to be considered favorites right now because they have one fewer game they need to win, but other than that, I think the Pats would have as good a chance as any team in the AFC.

 

[goheels22002]

So do you think the Patriots have less of a chance in these playoffs than the 2001-2002 team?

 

[mgteich]

I suspect that the results are about the same as they have been for weeks.

 

[stcjones]

voted that they would make it to the AFC divisional game before bowing out with my homer, rose colored glasses ON.......

But to be realistic and after taking my homer glasses off.....this team will be one and done....too many holes to fill this year.......

 

[supafly]

If I were a betting man, I would have to take Baltimore and the 6 points.

LOL--6 points. Where in the world are you getting this information?

Every sportsbook, casino, and local bookie has the Baltimore game dead even, with the usual 3 points being awarded to the home team for the home field advantage.

Pats are favored by 3 points, maybe 3 1/2 in some areas, which will surely drop to at least 3--if not less. The public will take this 3 pt line down quickly, especially with another 21 points given up on defense in the 4th quarter, and the Welker injury.

 

[captain stone]

The Patriots will lose to the Ravens. This will spare them a 56 to 3 beating by the Chargers.

I completely agree, and therefore voted "1 & Done". On Sunday, we will all witness something not seen here in 31 years.

 

[JR4]

At least 26% of us had this team pegged correctly.
I just didn't figure they would be this bad.

 

[ATippett56]

At least 26% of us had this team pegged correctly.
I just didn't figure they would be this bad.

Why is that? This year's New England Patriots have been extremely inconsistent (game to game, quarter to quarter).

 

[Mogamedogz]

I think Baltimore is going to be a very tough out for us. im still up in the air, but im leaning one and done right now.

The Ravens can run the ball and get pressure on Brady. And even though Flacco hasnt played very well down the stretch, he can still zip it down field to Mason.

I was really hoping we didnt get them in the first round. It's gonna be a tough physical game win or lose.

I REALLY hoped I would be proven wrong this week. But sometimes a spade is a spade.

 

[weswelker#83]

Everything is possible ,the Jests can make it to the SB.Actually,for some reason,i like their chances,because.....they have nothing to lose.Joker.

Another good prediction made on 01-04-2010 !