PSA: Patriots are now the #7 seed [edit: now the #6 seed post-week 11]

[JMC00]

As of today, a 7th seed. We'll see after they play Buffalo x 2, NYJ, Arizona, Miami, and Cincy....

Gotta take into account who the 8th, 9th & 10th seeds have the rest of the way too if you are gonna do that

Chargers have Chiefs, Cardinals, Dolphins, Colts, Titans

Bengals have Steelers, Titans, Chiefs, Browns, Bucs, Pats, Bills, Ravens

Colts (Pats hold the tie-break) have Eagles, Steelers, Cowboys, Vikings, Chargers, Giants

The 11th seed currently is the Browns who the Pats have a tie-breaker over

 

[Ross12]

New Banner: Made the playoffs as a last place team

A "last place team" with a record better than one "first place team" and better than or equal to 6 out of 7 "second place teams".

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

As of today, a 7th seed. We'll see after they play Buffalo x 2, NYJ, Arizona, Miami, and Cincy....

Of course we will see. For better or worse. Did you accidentally hit Post Reply before making your point?

 

[Joey007]

The potential wildcard round matchup for the Patriots is basically between the Dolphins, Bills, or Chiefs all on their field which is...yeah.

The sad thing is, I’ll take KC out of those 3 matchups.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Of course we will see. For better or worse. Did you accidentally hit Post Reply before making a your point?

LMAO

 

[Ross12]

Gotta take into account who the 8th, 9th & 10th seeds have the rest of the way too if you are gonna do that

Chargers have Chiefs, Cardinals, Dolphins, Colts, Titans

Bengals have Steelers, Titans, Chiefs, Browns, Bucs, Pats, Bills, Ravens

Colts (Pats hold the tie-break) have Eagles, Steelers, Cowboys, Vikings, Chargers, Giants

The 11th seed currently is the Browns who the Pats have a tie-breaker over

Yeah part of the important thing about getting into 7th now is that you just need to be better than the teams you're jockeying for that slot with to hang onto it.

Pats have the tiebreaker over the Colts but it probably won't come into play since the Colts have a tie on their record so the chances of NE and Indy ending up with the same record is slim.

Pats play the Bengals head-to-head so get the chance to take that tiebreaker.

The Pats also have the tie-breaker over the #11 and #13 seeds (Cleveland and Pittsburgh who are both 3-6) should either of those teams get hot.

Overall if I had to prognosticate and be "safe" let's say NE goes 4-4 over the remaining 8 and ends at 9-8. I can see the Chargers going 4-4 as well. The Bengals have a tough slate also against mostly current playoff teams and may not do better than 4-4. I can't imagine the Saturday-led Colts taking down teams like Philly, Dallas, Minnesota, or NYG consistently.

Obviously a lot of football left but the Patriots have some potential wiggle room in the seeding even if they lose some games.

 

[jdlboot14]

I can see the Jets falling off. They are likely to lose 4 more games. Problem is, so are we.
Bengals and Chargers are on the bubble too, who knows which version of the teams will emerge down the stretch.
But that is never more true than for the Pats - we'll determine whether we make the playoffs by seeing what they've done to fix the offense (and Mac) over the bye. If we come out safe, slow and similar to the first half, we're done. #FACT

 

[Triumph]

This team is not making this post season with Mac Newton behind Center.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

We’ll still need alot of help down the stretch looking at our schedule. I feel like 10-7 gets us in for sure but 9-8 may be more likely for us. Which could still very possibly get us in looking at the remaining schedules for cincy, nyj , lac. But the cincy and jets games are probably must wins for that to happen

 

[notex]

It is crazy to me how the rhetoric has become "the patriots stink" yet are currently in the playoffs if season ended today. Several other teams have similar records and are considering quality teams. Obviously record doesn't paint the entire picture, as there are major issues to address with this Pats team.

 

[signbabybrady]

I can see the Jets falling off. They are likely to lose 4 more games. Problem is, so are we.
Bengals and Chargers are on the bubble too, who knows which version of the teams will emerge down the stretch.
But that is never more true than for the Pats - we'll determine whether we make the playoffs by seeing what they've done to fix the offense (and Mac) over the bye. If we come out safe, slow and similar to the first half, we're done. #FACT

I think if they continue to play it safe they probably can mask their problems enough to get into the playoffs. If they go the riskier path and start the turnovers again then it could prevent us from making it. However if we stay conservative and don't figure out how to open up the offense then it will be tough to compete with anyone that matters short of a magical defensive run.

 

[Tom Tupa]

Long way to go, but this is still cool considering how we started. I think we'll end up getting in at 10-7.

 

[Sicilian]

It is crazy to me how the rhetoric has become "the patriots stink" yet are currently in the playoffs if season ended today. Several other teams have similar records and are considering quality teams. Obviously record doesn't paint the entire picture, as there are major issues to address with this Pats team.

I think it's a product of how closely we follow this team. We see EVERY flaw. We have a better (in theory anyway) understanding of which players are really good and which might look alright from the outside but are really limited. So it feels like this team is winning despite it's talent, while other teams are full of "good" players but just aren't playing up to it.

But I bet almost every other 5-4 team's fanbase feels the same as ours. Hell, the 6-3 Bills have fans that are calling for the HC to be fired because they've lost two in a row to teams with a combined record of 14-4. No one is a bigger critic of a team than it's own fans.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Long way to go, but this is still cool considering how we started. I think we'll end up getting in at 10-7.

We can absolutely go 5-3.

We can absolutely go 3-5.

 

[mike_usagisan]

It is crazy to me how the rhetoric has become "the patriots stink" yet are currently in the playoffs if season ended today. Several other teams have similar records and are considering quality teams. Obviously record doesn't paint the entire picture, as there are major issues to address with this Pats team.

I think part of it is the effects of parity. There are a few teams that are really good and then a whole lot of question marks until you get to the teams that really suck. Those teams in between could be considered quality or could be considered stinkers based on the point of view of who is talking.

 

[tasmlab]

Good year to be a so-so team? Maybe the Pats will win the super bowl by attrition alone.

 

[Tom Tupa]

We can absolutely go 5-3.

We can absolutely go 3-5.

I think the key is we have to win 2 out of 3 in the remaining Bills/Dolphins games.

 

[signbabybrady]

I think the key is we have to win 2 out of 3 in the remaining Bills/Dolphins games.

If we win 2 out of those 3 I want to win the division.

 

[VectorPrime]

Assuming the Pats are a wildcard team, which is by far the most likely way they can make the playoffs, which matchup on the road vs the Chiefs, Titans, Bills, Dolphins, Bengals or Ravens would be the least bad?

 

[Tom Tupa]

Assuming the Pats are a wildcard team, which is by far the most likely way they can make the playoffs, which matchup on the road vs the Chiefs, Titans, Bills, Dolphins, Bengals or Ravens would be the least bad?

The Titans because their passing game (and their offense in general outside of Henry) is pretty bad. I'd rather take my chances playing a low scoring, defensive game than have to worry about keeping up with some of those other high powered offenses on the road.