Reasons that it is a 'MUST' win game against the Colts

[loloooooooooooo]

why is everyone acting like the jets are going to win out?

 

[SVN]

Based on last week's reports and comments I would expect him to play this week. He was able to practice last week, but it was not a surprise that he did not play against the Steelers. There aren't going to be any updates until after the first practice of the week - you're never going to get any new news this soon after a game. Even then the information is probably going to be very minimal; there's no upside for the Pats to talk about who will or won't play.

contrary to what people think, pats still like to throw on indy even if they have a bad run defense.i dont see any change there so having taylor will not be huge. thats the way pats have chosen to play indy recently.

 

[Kulko]

Well with Indy back on Top of the AFCSouth this game is important for its obvious Playoff iimplications:

1) We want to keep step to step with the jets, because they are certainly good enough to keep the Division race tight.

2) If we win this week we own all possible H2H tiebreakers for the interdivisional seeding.

3) Its a AFC game, and we have been bounced out of playoffs on COnference Record once to often already.

4) If the Colts lose they might not make it at all to the playoffs, which I would greatly prefer.

5) 4th and 2 Revenge!

6) The pure Joy of winning.

7) The not so pure joy of seeing Peyton shaking his head in this loserly fashion

 

[convertedpatsfan]

They are all important but some have extra implications. Because they are leading their divisions and close to us in the standings Pitt and Indy have extra meaning, because they mean 2 games (lead plus tiebreaker) toward all important seeding

I understand the argument about tie-breakers, but I think people put way too much into them. Like several people said that losing to the Vikings wouldn't be as big a deal because there were no tie-breakers connected to that game, which is insane.

Overall record is the most significant factor. Tie-breakers only matter in the event of ties. If you lose on every single tie-breaker but you're one game ahead of the next team, it's all moot.

You could have a better divisional record than your opponents and still not win the division or make the play-offs. The 49ers went 5-1 in the division last year, one game better than the Cardinals, but finished 2 games behind Arizona and out of the play-offs.

Even a non-conference loss can screw you in the tie-breakers because you could have avoided the tie-breakers entirely. Imagine we lose to the Lions, and at the end of the season we're tied for the division and conference lead. That non-conference game suddenly has huge implications on whether we even need tie-breakers.

I get that we gain a subtle edge by beating Indy in the conference tie-breaker as well as heads-up if we tie them. But this game alone does not decide HFA is all I'm saying.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I got into an argument over a similar topic last week.

There's a sense in which every game is "critical" or a "MUST" win game, because we control our own destiny.

The Steelers had the same record as we did and were a viable candidate for Homefield Advantage? We play(ed) them...and won.

The Colts are our biggest rival and the greatest historical threat to the Pats? We play them.

We're tied with the Jets for wins and second to them in the Division? We play them.

So, logic says each one of those games has implications for how January plays out.

The same logic says that every other game we play, whether in the Conference/Division or not, is also an important game, because if we lose and someone else wins, we might be back behind the eight ball.

My reaction to all of this is to say, yeah, sure, fine, I get it. But I really don't want to focus on January or Homefield. I saw my first NFL game in 1960 (the Philadelphia Eagles last Championship team), so I've been following the sport for a long time and know how important Playoff Seeding can be.

But, I think we're better off just taking every week as it comes and letting January take care of itself.

That doesn't mean I don't understand how important Homefield can be, I mean just ask the 2001 Patriots, the 2002 Bucs, the 2004 Patriots, the 2005 Steelers, the 2007 Giants, the 2008 Steelers or...oops...I'll get back to you on that...

 

[Joker]

This game is more than a must win, it's a mustard win...mustard ,Mayo and relish...with lettuce and tomato on a sesame seeded bun win.If we don't win how will we ever ketchup with the green beans? That would really put us in a pickle.

I'm starved...gotta runopcorn:

 

[lostjumper]

#1. reason. I want to see that Peyton Manning face!

#2. We need to win the AFC East. People are talking about 12-4 to win the AFC east, but I think the winner will be 13-3. The Pats need every single win they can get. If they win the AFC East, they are the #1 seed, have a bye, and the road goes through Foxboro. If they end up 2nd in the AFC East even at 11-5 or 12-4, they drop to the 5th seed, and start off the playoffs on the road against the colts AFC West champ, then likely to Pitt or Baltimore, and then likely to NY to play the Jets. Thats a tough playoff road.

 

[Joker]

#1. reason. I want to see that Peyton Manning face!


why wait???

Manning Face

 

[PatsFanSince74]

This game is more than a must win, it's a mustard win...mustard ,Mayo and relish...with lettuce and tomato on a sesame seeded bun win.If we don't win how will we ever ketchup with the green beans? That would really put us in a pickle.

I'm starved...gotta runopcorn:

if we lose, our goose will be cooked...not only that, we'll go from the frying pan to the fire...now I'm thirsty... :beersign:

 

[TruthSeeker]

In 2006 the Patriots lost the tie breaker with the Colts for HFA in the AFCCG. Winning on Sunday gives them head to head advantages over Indy, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and San Diego (though I doubt SD catches the Pats record-wise). That will be huge should it come down to NE and one of the other division winners for the second best record in the conference.

Note that these tie-breaker scenarios are almost irrelevant if the Patriots don't win the division. In that scenario, the Patriots are just another wild-card team and can expect to have to play (and win) on the road every week.

The truly "must win" game for playoff goodness is against the Jets. The "really important" win games are all the AFC games. The "important" games are the other games left in their schedule.

 

[aluminum seats]

Note that these tie-breaker scenarios are almost irrelevant if the Patriots don't win the division. In that scenario, the Patriots are just another wild-card team and can expect to have to play (and win) on the road every week.

The truly "must win" game for playoff goodness is against the Jets. The "really important" win games are all the AFC games. The "important" games are the other games left in their schedule.

Right, exactly. The "must win" thing is always a little silly, but how you've laid it out is basically correct.

Although, come to think of it, maybe we should try and start a trend here by abolishing the phrase "must win" completely. Must win games are really just those that you're eliminated if you lose. Maybe just say huge games, big games, and games.

 

[FebruaryThirdOhTwo]

I had to look this up just to be sure of it, but every time the Pats have had the first round bye in the Brady/Belichick Era, they've gone to the Super Bowl. That is reason enough to beat the Colts this week, crush the Jets December 6th, and win out. We're playing for the first round bye if we want to get to Dallas.

 

[lostjumper]

#1. reason. I want to see that Peyton Manning face!


why wait???

Manning Face

Oh, I have already frequented that site this week. I just want to add to it.