Predict Our Season Way Too Early

[Real fan 02]

I mean, the draft is over. Why not?

Granted, "predict the roster" makes more sense, but you have any idea how many poll responses you'd need?

I feel much, much differently about this team than I have all off season. They are counted out, all the "experts " have them faltering. I think otherwise.. after the draft it clarified some things for me. The team is expecting with coaching, some FAs filled in offensively and some addition by subtraction in smith at TE.

Seeing our own division and the schedule.. it's likely they felt with a lockdown corner they could at least make it tough on Allen, Rodgers so to speak. I just have a feeling this team will win 11-12 games. Call it being overly optimistic, But I just believe Mac is hungry and wants to show the QB he can be to lead this team.

 

[TheRazorsEdge]

At least he didn't say Lamar Jackson...

Should have used Malik Cunningham in hindsight but I was in the zone.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

This

I'm thinking we will get 9 or ten wins. It's a competitive conference so let's say 9 wins still gets us in the playoffs. And if we can pull off a win that would go a long way to quiet the storm.

For me though record aside the most important thing is Mac. We need to see something from him that makes us believers. Or the other way we need to find out now if he won't be that guy. Zappe too but I still think more of Mac.

I think Bill's okay/the storm is quiet/etc. even, as you say, in the unsatisfying but not impossible to respect middle -- the 9-8 or 8-9 world. Terrible by our previous 20 years or so, the norm recently. That isn't forever, but you can buy a lot of "we'll get em next years" by not being total doormats.

The one thing the poll tells us we cannot imagine is a further fall from grace into the ranks of the truly putrid. We've been there -- not you younger guys, but us old guys.

It's horrible to contemplate, but the truth is, just like somebody has to fill out the low probability cells on the upside, someone has to do it on the more Jete side. Usually thats the Jete. But the horror is, that could be us--we are in range of cratering. We used to have a certain warning track built of pride, previous wins, arrogance... whatever made an 11-5 guy out of Matt Cassel (and yes he did have weapons). It doesn't feel real until it happens.

 

[captain stone]

youtube Rocky 3 Clubber Lang Prediction? Pain...

 

[A Defiant Goose]

The absolute worst-case scenario is 7-8 wins with zero improvements from the QB play.

The best-case scenario where a lot has to break right is something like 9-10 wins that allows this team to sneak into the playoffs as a wild card and pull off an upset against a sufficiently battered or mentally soft team before bowing out in the divisional.

I'm going to be circumspect and say 9-8 and just missing out on the playoffs.

Worst case 7/8 best case 9/10 wins? What's the middlest case? Lol

I think best case 13-4, worst case 6-11. Probably have them at 11 wins personally

 

[Real fan 02]

This

I'm thinking we will get 9 or ten wins. It's a competitive conference so let's say 9 wins still gets us in the playoffs. And if we can pull off a win that would go a long way to quiet the storm.

For me though record aside the most important thing is Mac. We need to see something from him that makes us believers. Or the other way we need to find out now if he won't be that guy. Zappe too but I still think more of Mac.

Agreed! You said it best. The most important thing is Mac, I believed in Mac his rookie season. What it is.. folks are judging him by last season. I wish last season could be erased from the NFL history books. But I posted earlier that I feel.. I just feel.. this team will have a resurgence. I'm thinking 11 wins.. the trajectory we should have been on is where the jags are. That's absolutely attainable.

 

[lancerman]

In the division I think they still get swept by Buffalo. I'll grant them that maybe they can get a good gameplan off Rodgers once and steal a game there and maybe something happens in one of the Miami games. So I have them going 2-4 vs the division giving them the benefit of some good breaks.

Against the AFC West I think they probably lose to the Chiefs but will make a game of it. The Chargers they probably beat. And they'll go 1-1 with the Broncos and Raiders. So 2-2 there.

NFC East: I see them struggling with the Eagles, Cowboys and Giants. They should have a shot against the Commanders. I'll give them 1-3 on that front.

They'll find a way to beat the Colts and Steelers imo. 2-0 there.

Then the Saints are a toss up.

So somewhere like 8-9 or 7-10 seems like the sweet spot. And I'll variable it to the possibility that Mac takes a big step and 10 wins could be a possibility, but 6 is equally possible if our offense remains as inept as last year

 

[farn]

I think they’ll be third in the division. Leaning Jets 4th, but if AR does better than I expect, I could see Miami in last.

 

[TheRainMaker]

They will hover around 7 wins next season. The O-line will hold this team back.

 

[Huckleberry1]

For once I have absolutely no idea what their wins total be, but I do think this team will play their asses off. I could just see them playing tough game after tough and coming out on the losing end.

 

[DarrylS]

My usual vote every years is between 10 & 12 wins..
This year will make a huge change to 9 & 11 wins..

 

[Pape]

I am expecting this offense to score at least 100 more points this coming year... That's only a mere 6 ppg difference... But with that comes a slightly better top... If the defense can maintain it's turnover advantage, then we are talking about an extra two wins... So figure in the 10 to 11 win range...

We know the by week will be in November so they will have that as an advantage gearing up for the back half of the season...

Buf 0-2 ... Most likely scenario
Mia 1-1 ... Depending on schedule
Nyj 2-0 ... Discount double check will give them an early bump but will fade once things turn jete

Home
Nor (n) ... W who's the QB?
Kc L ... Eh, screw em
Lac W ... Can't win on the road
Phi L ... Depends on their d
Was W ... Who's the QB?
Pit W ... Get em early, we lose, get em later we win... I'm predicting a late October game

Away
Dal L ... The most inconsequential "good" team
Nyg L ... Tagged at a loss, hate losing to these turds, even in preseason... The results are in play though
Den W ... Only the site helps them
Oak W ... Jimmy will be hurt by the time we play them.. a candidate for the season opener
Ind W ... They suck

That's showing ten wins above...Giants game is in play, would feel better if it was in NE, but sometimes this team does better on the road

Denver is also in play... Just because it's in Denver... Russel Wilson is spent though... So meh

Believe it or not, I think a buffalo game could be had... Given the right circumstances... If Josh Allen keeps playing recklessly and giving up ints, outside shot at taking one there...

 

[Triumph]

 

[Real fan 02]

In the division I think they still get swept by Buffalo. I'll grant them that maybe they can get a good gameplan off Rodgers once and steal a game there and maybe something happens in one of the Miami games. So I have them going 2-4 vs the division giving them the benefit of some good breaks.

Against the AFC West I think they probably lose to the Chiefs but will make a game of it. The Chargers they probably beat. And they'll go 1-1 with the Broncos and Raiders. So 2-2 there.

NFC East: I see them struggling with the Eagles, Cowboys and Giants. They should have a shot against the Commanders. I'll give them 1-3 on that front.

They'll find a way to beat the Colts and Steelers imo. 2-0 there.

Then the Saints are a toss up.

So somewhere like 8-9 or 7-10 seems like the sweet spot. And I'll variable it to the possibility that Mac takes a big step and 10 wins could be a possibility, but 6 is equally possible if our offense remains as inept as last year

Me personally I'm thinking 11 wins at the most and 9 at the least.. I guess I'm optimistic but I believe we split with all our division opponents... Jets plays us the best they have the best defense in the AFC I feel.. we should be able to score on Buffalo's defense and we should be able to at least challenge Allen and Diggs with Gonzalez locking him up..

Just my optimistic views..

 

[mgteich]

I am expecting this offense to score at least 100 more points this coming year... That's only a mere 6 ppg difference... But with that comes a slightly better top... If the defense can maintain it's turnover advantage, then we are talking about an extra two wins... So figure in the 10 to 11 win range...

We know the by week will be in November so they will have that as an advantage gearing up for the back half of the season...

Buf 0-2 ... Most likely scenario
Mia 1-1 ... Depending on schedule
Nyj 2-0 ... Discount double check will give them an early bump but will fade once things turn sour

Home
Nor (n) ... W who's the QB?
Kc L ... Eh, screw em
Lac W ... Can't win on the road
Phi L ... Depends on their d
Was W ... Who's the QB?
Pit W ... Get em early, we lose, get em later we win... I'm predicting a late October game

Away
Dal L ... The most inconsequential "good" team
Nyg L ... Tagged at a loss, hate losing to these turds, even in preseason... The results are in play though
Den W ... Only the site helps them
Oak W ... Jimmy will be hurt by the time we play them.. also the alternative season opener
Ind W ... They suck

That's showing ten wins above...Giants game is in play, would feel better if it was in NE, but sometimes this team does better on the road

Denver is also in play... Just because it's in Denver... Russel Wilson is spent though... So meh

Believe it or not, I think a buffalo game could be had... Given the right circumstances... If Josh Allen keeps playing recklessly and giving up ints, outside shot at taking one there...

A nice optimistic analysis, reasonable for this time of year. The primary challenge I see is beating the jets twice.

 

[Pape]

A nice optimistic analysis, reasonable for this time of year. The primary challenge I see is beating the jets twice.

Optimistic? Yes... In my defense... I am a homer & It's way too early

 

[Steve102]

Optimistic? Yes... In my defense... I am a homer & It's way too early

I think they will be improved. I think they were the stupid lateral game away from a playoff berth, no? Wasn't there that and a fumble going in for a TD? I have kind of purged last season from the hard drive, but that puts them at 10 wins and in last year. If that's the only thing they improve, then they are a 10 win team. If.

I think the CBs are better with Gonzalez. I think that makes the entire D better, because that takes 1 read away and slows things down. Obviously not all the time, but overall it makes the D better. I think JuJu > Meyers, Gesicki > Jonnu, and BoB is by far the most important addition to the offense.

Specials should be better with the two new specialists, and the returners should be equal to or better than last year. That means they are improved, on paper, in all three phases. The rest of the division is improved as well, so it'll come down to how the season plays out. I think they will be a lot better when it comes to execution, because BoB takes the offense off Bill's plate.

I don't know how, but 10-11 seems like the very early returns, on paper, from my desk anyway.

 

[mgteich]

Optimistic? Yes... In my defense... I am a homer & It's way too early

me too

I agree that it is too early. My point was that 10 wins was optimistic.

 

[stinkypete]

2022 was not just about the offensive play calling. It was about untimely penalties, special teams gaffes, getting thoroughly outclassed in a blowout loss to the league's worst team. Something mental was missing from this team. It was as if camp was such a mess that a bunch of guys went into the season with a "why bother" mentality. In spite of this, the team was a stupid circus play and a couple of kick returns away from an 11 win season.

The point is that most NFL teams are a few bounces of the ball away from making the playoffs. Likewise, most NFL teams are a few bounces away from a top 10 draft pick as well. The mystique of the Patriots is that they are supposed to be so disciplined that the ball almost always bounces their way. That is why they almost always win the games they are supposed to win against equal or lesser teams.

If 2022 was an aberration, if BOB and Klemm restore the passing game even to its modest 2021 level, if adding Chris Board and a bunch of new specialists equates to better field position and no more KR touchdowns, if the discipline returns and the stupid penalties go away, then the team should be able to hold its own against most opponents. Looking at the schedule, only KC, Buffalo, Dallas and Philly are clearly better.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

10 wins
Split with Jete & Fish
Beefalo, well...

Admited Pats homo

Not that there’s anything wrong with that