Reverse Logic: Playoffs - Hardest > Easiest??

[jbb9s]

The premise: the 2nd, 3rd, 4th best teams in the league were Colts, Cowboys, Packers - Patriots played none.

Jacksonville in the 1st game represented the biggest challenge for the Patriots because of match ups. They jumped out early. Had a tie at half. Duel running back threat could have worn down the Pat LBs. Excellent game manager in Jaguar QB. Very good coach and motivator in Del Rio. Gutzy move a few days before the first game of the season. Very highly regarded team on the way up.

The Chargers in the 2nd game represented a lesser challenge for the Patriots. They have serious, serious talent at NT, LB, OL, FB, RB and TE. Injuries slighted them obviously and their lack of QB/WR tanden hurts them when falling behind.

The Giants are a 6 seed. They didn't qualify for the playoffs until week 16. They have a serious history of choking. They were on the ropes 3 weeks ago.

So does this run defy logic and do the games get easier as the playoff advance?

 

[psychoPat]

.... do the games get easier as the playoffs advance?

For the Giants they don't.
For the Patriots they do.

The Patriots already have beaten numerous teams
stronger than the Giants.

Especially the two latest games.
Not to mention the Giants themselves ... with half the starting O-line ...
at the Giants' field, a mere month ago.

 

[BelichickFan]

The premise: the 2nd, 3rd, 4th best teams in the league were Colts, Cowboys, Packers - Patriots played none.

I think you're starting with an invalid premise by overrating NFC playoff teams.

 

[Seymour93]

I think you're starting with an invalid premise by overrating NFC playoff teams.

That and the Jags were overrated too. The last third of their regular season schedule was pretty easy. Home versus Bills, Panthers, and Raiders and away at Colts, Steelers, and Texans.

Giants are a #5 seed BTW.

 

[jbb9s]

That and the Jags were overrated too. The last third of their regular season schedule was pretty easy. Home versus Bills, Panthers, and Raiders and away at Colts, Steelers, and Texans.

Giants are a #5 seed BTW.

So rank the teams #1-12 and then show me that the Giants are higher than the Chargers and the Chargers are higher than the Jags.

 

[patriotspride]

So rank the teams #1-12 and then show me that the Giants are higher than the Chargers and the Chargers are higher than the Jags.

i have a better idea .why dont you go play in your sand box and get your coloring book while your at it .ok buddy.

 

[jbb9s]

I think you're starting with an invalid premise by overrating NFC playoff teams.

Which AFC teams other than the aforementioned Colts could have beaten the Cowboys?

 

[jbb9s]

i have a better idea .why dont you go play in your sand box and get your coloring book while your at it .ok buddy.

Don't you learn about question marks about the same time you are playing in sand boxes?

 

[patriotspride]

Which AFC teams other than the aforementioned Colts could have beaten the Cowboys?

the jags and chargers come to mind .i don't know why I'm humoring you

 

[Lansdowne]

Facing and beating the Colts and Packers on the way to winning the Super Bowl would've been nice, but consider this. The Colts didn't live up to their end of the bargain when they choked yet again after getting their first round bye. The Packers had their opportunity (thanks Tynes) and squandered that as well (thanks again Tynes). The Chargers beat the Colts, which made them a worthy adversary of the Patriots. Now you have the Giants, who beat the consensus two best teams in the NFC to get to the SB. W-L records aside, what the Patriots and their opponents have accomplished to get where they ended up can't be diminished. Besides, this isn't like the truly-mediocre 2002 season, when 11-5 was good enough to get the Oakland Raiders the #1 seed in the AFC.

 

[Seymour93]

So rank the teams #1-12 and then show me that the Giants are higher than the Chargers and the Chargers are higher than the Jags.

My top 6...

1. Pats
2. Colts
3. Chargers
4. Giants
5. Packers
6. Jags

 

[BelichickFan]

Which AFC teams other than the aforementioned Colts could have beaten the Cowboys?

IMO there was the Patriots, Colts and everyone else. We were lucky that the Colts lost to SD, IMO. Other than that, they all merge together as viable playoff teams but nothing more.

 

[sieglo]

Pats
Colts
Chargers
Jags
Steelers (pre-Parker injury)
Cowboys
Packers
Giants
Steelers (post-Parker injury)
Titans

 

[Seymour93]

Which AFC teams other than the aforementioned Colts could have beaten the Cowboys?

Chargers, Jags, and possibly the Steelers. The Cowboys were playing like a team with a top 10 draft pick at the end of the season. They're a fragile bunch and their head coach inspired no confidence whatsoever. Compound that with liabilities who played prominent roles such as Patrick Crayton, Marc Colombo, Roy Williams, and Jacques Reeves, and you have the first #1 seed NFC team to lose in their first playoff game in the free agency era.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

i have a better idea .why dont you go play in your sand box and get your coloring book while your at it .ok buddy.

The only intelligent post in this thread....

 

[TommyD4207]

The premise: the 2nd, 3rd, 4th best teams in the league were Colts, Cowboys, Packers - Patriots played none.

Wrong, the Patriots played 2 of the 3, both on the road; one in a blowout.

Jacksonville in the 1st game represented the biggest challenge for the Patriots because of match ups. They jumped out early. Had a tie at half. Duel running back threat could have worn down the Pat LBs. Excellent game manager in Jaguar QB. Very good coach and motivator in Del Rio. Gutzy move a few days before the first game of the season. Very highly regarded team on the way up.

No disagreement from me other than Del Rio is an awful coach.

The Chargers in the 2nd game represented a lesser challenge for the Patriots. They have serious, serious talent at NT, LB, OL, FB, RB and TE. Injuries slighted them obviously and their lack of QB/WR tanden hurts them when falling behind.

Again, their coach sucked. Turner doesn't settle for FGs and punt with 9 minutes to go, who knows where the game ends up?

The Giants are a 6 seed. They didn't qualify for the playoffs until week 16. They have a serious history of choking. They were on the ropes 3 weeks ago.

They beat a weak Tampa team, and ran into multiple choking dog teams; including the Cowboys who had the worst coach in the playoffs; and the youth finally caught up to GReen Bay (who played over their heads all year). Plus, Favre choked like a dog when it counted. Shocking.

So does this run defy logic and do the games get easier as the playoff advance?

By the numbers, yes; In reality, I don't think so.
By definition, the Giants are the best team left in the playoffs. In reality, they have a tough matchup in the Patriots.

 

[TommyD4207]

Which AFC teams other than the aforementioned Colts could have beaten the Cowboys?

Patriots, Colts, Chargers, Jaguars and Steelers all would probably have been favored against Dallas. Tennessee would have a tough time with Dallas. I do think Cleveland could beat Dallas as well. Hell, Buffalo almost beat Dallas.

 

[BlitzFritz]

I like the premise of this thread.
Its pretty interesting idea.....

Its how i was looking at the world heading into the playoffs - colts, boys, pack.....

i just never stepped back to notice that maybe our games have gotten easier.

clearly if i had to pick a team to play from the group of jags, chargers, giants -- i would want the gmen

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Again, their coach sucked. Turner doesn't settle for FGs and punt with 9 minutes to go, who knows where the game ends up?

Turner played that one by the book. Nothing wrong with that. But I do feel that in situations like that Dame Fortune smiles on the bold.