Pursuit of the Bye (1st Seed)

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Yes, we can hope that we become the team of over 20 years ago.

Or we can hope for a loss so that the team that had shown no signs of needing a humbling gets humbled. For no apparent reason

 

[Steve102]

It'll be one hell of a coaching job if we don't lose one of the Buff/Bal games and don't also lose one of those games that we should win in some sort of road flukey ****.

No idea how voters go, but 14-3 should make Vrabel the consensus COTY. Even 13-4 is such a heroic turnaround I think he deserves it but I feel like we historically don't get those kinda votes for some reason. Like Brady getting so few MVPs.

Shane Steichen in Indianapolis can stake a claim to it as well. It's going to depend if the voters want to reward a newer face or go back to a guy who's already won once. Belichick won it in 2003, '07 and 2010. It could be argued that he could have won it any other year, and might be easier to say which years he shouldn't have won it. My point is that voters are fickle and they'll vote for whatever flavor du jour is trendy at the time.

IMO, it doesn't mean chit. Just win baby!

 

[The Gr8est]

Denver's luck is going to run: glad they exorcised the Ghost of Patrick Mahomes yesterday. But that's as far as they will go: their Offense is kind of anemic. We have the Offense that would give their D some problems.

A recent picture of the Chiefs.

 

[Huckleberry1]

It would be pretty sweet if they can pull it off.

 

[mgteich]

2025 NFL playoff picture: AFC, NFC seed projections, chances

We're looking ahead to how the 14-team playoff picture could line up -- and who will win divisions -- en route to Super Bowl LX.

www.espn.com

 

[mgteich]

Or we can hope for a loss so that the team that had shown no signs of needing a humbling gets humbled. For no apparent reason

No one hopes for a loss

We all want us to continue to win and cash in on our 10-14% chance to play in the SB.

 

[Pape]

Win out. its the only thing that is in our control .

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

No one hopes for a loss

We all want us to continue to win and cash in on our 10-14% chance to play in the SB.

On the last page someone was hoping for a loss and another asked if it would be good for the team. My answer is no

 

[NFL Mystique]

Yes, I'd prefer another reg season loss before the playoffs than just wins honestly. Getting humbled when it counts less is best. They're a very young, playoff inexperienced team, and more than likely they will stumble in the playoffs and will not be SB champs. My usual bet is that a young team won't win the champ their first year in the playoffs, it's just a stepping stone. With this theory it would be good to get humbled a bit before playoffs

Skip Bayless said Drake Maye is/will be great. But it's unlikely they win a SB this season. They need to know what it feels like to lose before winning. "Pay their dues" type thing. He acknowledged that the Patriots will likely be a SB caliber team sooner than later.

 

[NFL Mystique]

I think the only way a loss ever "helps" is if the team needs a wake up call and something to galvanize them. That does not appear to be the case for this year, who still feel fueled by the last few bad years and then Vrabel seems to really instill a "day by day focus" type of culture and getting enjoyment out of that. So I'm inclined to say that a loss doesn't really do anything for us than potentially nuke our chances at homefield and maybe even the division because it's very tight on both fronts.

That is true.

I guess if they were barely scrapping by and winning while not playing very good, a loss could be good. But this team is beating up the bad teams and don't have many poor games.

 

[NFL Mystique]

Or we can hope for a loss so that the team that had shown no signs of needing a humbling gets humbled. For no apparent rereason

I never insinuated the Patriots need a loss. I asked if a loss would be good/bad in terms of the psychology aspect. It's something I thought alot about in general with sports.

I worded it poorly

 

[NFL Mystique]

Shane Steichen in Indianapolis can stake a claim to it as well. It's going to depend if the voters want to reward a newer face or go back to a guy who's already won once. Belichick won it in 2003, '07 and 2010. It could be argued that he could have won it any other year, and might be easier to say which years he shouldn't have won it. My point is that voters are fickle and they'll vote for whatever flavor du jour is trendy at the time.

IMO, it doesn't mean chit. Just win baby!

COTY usually goes to a HC who gets more out of a team than expected. It's why Reid never wins. The team is expected to succeed.

I understand some of the reasoning. But it punishes guys who are consistently great.

 

[Brick27]

Skip Bayless said Drake Maye is/will be great. But it's unlikely they win a SB this season. They need to know what it feels like to lose before winning. "Pay their dues" type thing. He acknowledged that the Patriots will likely be a SB caliber team sooner than later.

Skip really going out on a limb not betting Pats outright vs. the field..

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I never insinuated the Patriots need a loss. I asked if a loss would be good/bad in terms of the psychology aspect. It's something I thought alot about in general with sports.

I worded it poorly

Wasnt you who was hoping for a loss, a few posts after yours

 

[TheRainMaker]

Skip Bayless said Drake Maye is/will be great. But it's unlikely they win a SB this season. They need to know what it feels like to lose before winning. "Pay their dues" type thing. He acknowledged that the Patriots will likely be a SB caliber team sooner than later.

The NFL today is not what it used to due to parity. If the playoffs started today, the only teams in the AFC with the most "experience" is Buffalo. Steelers with Rodgers. However, Buffalo's team is extremely weak and it's not going to matter come playoff time. Same with your Chiefs if they somehow find a way in. The 2005 Pats are a good example as they weren't as good as their 2004 team and ran into the Broncos who didn't really have much playoff experience with those players. The crazy thing is, had the Pats not intentionally dropped their week 17 game, they would've had the #3 seed and faced the Steelers who they probably beat. Indy is most likely facing Seattle in the Super Bowl.

 

[NFL Mystique]

Skip really going out on a limb not betting Pats outright vs. the field..

If Brady was QB, he would pick them outright. Skip loves Brady lol

 

[VJCPatriot]

If Indy runs the table against that schedule then they are the real deal and a Super Bowl favorite if they are healthy after that gauntlet.

I don't see Indy running the table. Their opponents are too tough. They'll be lucky to get out with 4-2 against those opponents.

They have to play Chiefs at Arrowhead, the Seahawks away, the Jaguars twice, and the Texans twice. Jags and Texans are both decent but not great teams but those divisional games are usually tougher to close out.

On the other hand I could easily see the Patriots going 5-1 down the stretch. 14 wins would be an unprecedented haul and well exceeding my expectations entering the year, but it's possible. As long as we are playing our best football as we get close to the playoffs that's the most important thing, to see this team keep improving each week.

 

[Foxypats]

Instead of focusing on Indy and Denver, I am more focused on winning the division first. I would have felt better had the Bills lost yesterday. However, we saw how dangerous Josh still is and how he can take over a game all on his own and will them to a win . 6 total TD’s is insane and he is a force. Our gap has shrunk and we need to keep the intensity going !
This week they play Houston that I fully expect them to win so we need to come out with a great game plan against Cincy !!

 

[ALP]

Why do they need to be humbled?? What have you seen from the players or coaches that warrants this theory of yours.

Honestly, nothing yet

But chances increase so every straight win

 

[The Gr8est]

The NFL today is not what it used to due to parity. If the playoffs started today, the only teams in the AFC with the most "experience" is Buffalo. Steelers with Rodgers. However, Buffalo's team is extremely weak and it's not going to matter come playoff time. Same with your Chiefs if they somehow find a way in. The 2005 Pats are a good example as they weren't as good as their 2004 team and ran into the Broncos who didn't really have much playoff experience with those players. The crazy thing is, had the Pats not intentionally dropped their week 17 game, they would've had the #3 seed and faced the Steelers who they probably beat. Indy is most likely facing Seattle in the Super Bowl.

Like Brady needed to lose first before he could learn how to win?

I must have missed that.