So You're Saying There's a Chance: The 2020 Patriots Playoff Push

[notex]

I dont think our team has any more talent than the bottom-dwellers of the league... just WAY better prepared. IMO our receivers and QB are the worst in the league and D is just OK outside secondary (middle of the pack, to be generous). I'd say on paper we are only better than the Jets and Jax in terms of "talent".

 

[sb1]

If Bill can find the QB next year or the year after then all be well. Until then it will be pretty miserable. At best we are a middler team to worst - a bottom third of the league.

I hope he can find the QB too. I'm sure he's not on the roster so he's got work to do.

 

[amfootball]

I dont think our team has any more talent than the bottom-dwellers of the league... just WAY better prepared. IMO our receivers and QB are the worst in the league and D is just OK outside secondary (middle of the pack, to be generous). I'd say on paper we are only better than the Jets and Jax in terms of "talent".

But that has always been true. Our teams for the most part were not considered the most talented when we were winning and going to SBs. It was always about Bill and having the GOAT QB. That is why we have to get another legit QB. We will be contenders again in short order with a good QB.

 

[ensoul]

Not seeing the pats making the playoffs. Currently 5-6. I see them finishing 7-9 at best (Which could be 2 more wins than I thought) but who knows? They could also finish 5-11. You cannot look at anyone on the schedule and say "Yeah that is a win."

Here is how I see the season going:

Wins: Jets (since they are tanking)
Chargers (Could go either way. Charges are awful but so are the Jets, who they barely beat, and The texans and broncos both of whom beat the pats)

Losses
Rams
Bill
Dolphins.

 

[Steve102]

The 'magic' number is four, for both the Colts and the Dolphins versus the Patriots. Any combination of four Indy wins & Pats losses, plus any combination of four Miami wins & Pats losses eliminates the Patriots from the playoffs. (I'm working on the assumption that the five teams 8-3 or above will make the playoffs here).

There are plenty of games for all three teams that could easily go either way. Another loss by the Patriots does not necessarily kill their playoff chances. It is not unfathomable for Miami (or to a lesser extent the Colts) to lose three - or even four games down the stretch.

Indy's remaining schedule:
at 4-7 Texans
at 6-5 Raiders
vs 4-7 Texans
at 11-0 Steelers
vs 1-10 Jaguars

Miami's remaining schedule:
vs 2-8-1 Bengals
vs 10-1 Chiefs
vs 5-6 Patriots
at 6-5 Raiders
at 8-3 Bills

Patriots' remaining schedule:
at 3-8 Chargers
at 7-4 Rams
at 7-4 Dolphins
vs 8-3 Bills
vs 0-11 Jets

About the only thing that would surprise me at this point is for them to run the table. I think the QB is a major problem now. I don't see him being able to carry them. I do think he's a liability in at least 1 of the remaining games. So that would be 9-7, in my mind, best case scenario.

 

[sb1]

The Pats really needed the Texans game to have a realistic shot. I think running the table is too much to ask. Nothing wrong with hoping though. Win Sunday and then get ready for the next one. One at a time.

 

[ensoul]

About the only thing that would surprise me at this point is for them to run the table. I think the QB is a major problem now. I don't see him being able to carry them. I do think he's a liability in at least 1 of the remaining games. So that would be 9-7, in my mind, best case scenario.

Newton is awful. He is currently 27th in QB rating and 23rd is passing yards. Somehow he is also 35 in the NFL in TD passes (4) which means a bunch of back up QBS and random players have more passing TDs

He did make a top 10 list though. He is currently 8th in most interceptions.

 

[Midship]

"I hate fun, and care too much about draft position to root for my team's success" homer poll, shocked to see that on this forum

 

[patsinthesnow]

It’s all about matchups. It would be interesting to see this team get in the playoffs.

The Chiefs & Steelers are pass heavy, WR heavy teams. The pats defense matches up well & they can be held in the 20s.

They can lose to the Broncos & Texans. They can also give a game to the top 2 seeds in the AFC.

 

[tasmlab]

Can't see it happening though. I think the Rams are a formidable opponent.

Need the D to hold them to 3 again.

 

[lancerman]

But that has always been true. Our teams for the most part were not considered the most talented when we were winning and going to SBs. It was always about Bill and having the GOAT QB. That is why we have to get another legit QB. We will be contenders again in short order with a good QB.

Eh every SB run we had a stacked team.

Take 2014

QB: Brady
WR: Edelman
WR: Amendola
WR: Lafell
TE: Gronk
RB: Blount
RB: Vereen
RB: White
OL: Cannon
OL: Connolly
OL: Solder
OL: Wendell

DT: Branch
DE: Jones
DE: Ninkovitch
DT: Wilfork
OLB: Collins
MLB: Hightower
CB: Revis
CB: Browner
SS: Chung
FS: McCourty

That’s a loaded roster

 

[1960Pats]

I think we are something like 28-3 late in the third.

I think it's more like 24-14 in the fourth.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Not seeing the pats making the playoffs. Currently 5-6. I see them finishing 7-9 at best (Which could be 2 more wins than I thought) but who knows? They could also finish 5-11. You cannot look at anyone on the schedule and say "Yeah that is a win."

Here is how I see the season going:

Wins: Jets (since they are tanking)
Chargers (Could go either way. Charges are awful but so are the Jets, who they barely beat, and The texans and broncos both of whom beat the pats)

Losses
Rams
Bill
Dolphins.

True, thats been another issue, theres no ‘gimme’ games like years past. Other than the jets we haven’t played any hapless teams. Texans and chargers are much better than their records. Also We havent been one of the lucky teams either that drew a depleted team or a team playing without their regular qb due to covid or injury. That makes it much harder to string wins together which is what you need to do after a 2-5 start. Just alot working against this team this year which is already pretty devoid of talent as it is. A playoff appearance would be one of bb’s greatest feats.

 

[Hyped]

It's simple:

AFC East - Bills (we are 3 games behind and only play them once more)

AFC North - Steelers

AFC South - Titans

AFC West - Chiefs


Cleveland 8-3
Indianapolis 7-4
Miami 7-4*
Baltimore 6-5*
Las Vegas 6-5*

Patriots 5-6 and have beaten 3 of 5 teams vying for 3 spots.

Bottom line...we need Cleveland and Indianapolis to lose a few games to really muck things up.

Cleveland's sked: @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ, and PIT
Indianapolis' sked: @HOU, @LV, HOU, @PIT, and JAX

I am seeing 3 losses for the Browns...that gets them to 10-6.

I am seeing 2 losses for the Colts...that gets them to 10-6.

So, if we run the table...we really have a shot at forcing some tie breakers to come in play.... but it all starts with a L.A. double dip in the next week. No double dip......we are done for unless there is a COVID week 18....

If we double dip...we have 10 days to deal with Tua in Miami.....then finish at home vs. Buffalo and the Jets.

10-6 should do it in a 7 team AFC playoff format...SHOULD.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It's simple:

AFC East - Bills (we are 3 games behind and only play them once more)

AFC North - Steelers

AFC South - Titans

AFC West - Chiefs


Cleveland 8-3
Indianapolis 7-4
Miami 7-4*
Baltimore 6-5*
Las Vegas 6-5*

Patriots 5-6 and have beaten 3 of 5 teams vying for 3 spots.

Bottom line...we need Cleveland and Indianapolis to lose a few games to really muck things up.

Cleveland's sked: @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ, and PIT
Indianapolis' sked: @HOU, @LV, HOU, @PIT, and JAX

I am seeing 3 losses for the Browns...that gets them to 10-6.

I am seeing 2 losses for the Colts...that gets them to 10-6.

So, if we run the table...we really have a shot at forcing some tie breakers to come in play.... but it all starts with a L.A. double dip in the next week. No double dip......we are done for unless there is a COVID week 18....

If we double dip...we have 10 days to deal with Tua in Miami.....then finish at home vs. Buffalo and the Jets.

10-6 should do it in a 7 team AFC playoff format...SHOULD.

10-6 would definitely get us in. It’s possible we might miss out but very unlikely. At the very minimum these 3 would need to occur for us to miss the playoffs in that case: Baltimore whos in the middle of the worst outbreak yet win out, Oakland win out,miami win all their games besides us(they have kc , buff, oak on the schedule still). Not happening. And even if they do more would need to occur elsewhere.

 

[FCB02062]

San Diego is another "must win" - its a "winnable" game vs a team with a bad record. The Pats need to get back to .500, period. Get back to 6-6 and the path is 100% clear - beat San Diego and there's a tiny bit of room for a slip up vs St Louis or Buffalo, but not much. I still don't think they're going to make it because the other teams are not cooperating. We'll look back at this likely 8-8 season and look at that Denver game as the one that ****ing got away. Denver absolutely ****ing sucks and to let them come in here and pretty much control the game from start to finish is inexcusable. 3 turnovers, 31% on third downs, under 300 yards offense vs a team like Denver is a joke. And the way Bill the Coach managed that game was terrible as well - yes I know, it's in the past, but long time fans have games like this that stick in their craws, and this is another (to go along with at Denver and Philadelphia at Foxboro in 2015, at Miami 2017...

 

[amfootball]

It's simple:

AFC East - Bills (we are 3 games behind and only play them once more)

AFC North - Steelers

AFC South - Titans

AFC West - Chiefs


Cleveland 8-3
Indianapolis 7-4
Miami 7-4*
Baltimore 6-5*
Las Vegas 6-5*

Patriots 5-6 and have beaten 3 of 5 teams vying for 3 spots.

Bottom line...we need Cleveland and Indianapolis to lose a few games to really muck things up.

Cleveland's sked: @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ, and PIT
Indianapolis' sked: @HOU, @LV, HOU, @PIT, and JAX

I am seeing 3 losses for the Browns...that gets them to 10-6.

I am seeing 2 losses for the Colts...that gets them to 10-6.

So, if we run the table...we really have a shot at forcing some tie breakers to come in play.... but it all starts with a L.A. double dip in the next week. No double dip......we are done for unless there is a COVID week 18....

If we double dip...we have 10 days to deal with Tua in Miami.....then finish at home vs. Buffalo and the Jets.

10-6 should do it in a 7 team AFC playoff format...SHOULD.

So we just need to win six straight to just have a chance with everything else falling into place with the other 5 teams that are ahead of us and also a Denver team that is only one game back and has the tiebreaker over us. Might be worth mentioning at this point that we have only won 2 games in a row once this year when we beat the Jets who are tanking and the Ravens in a monsoon. We have managed though to lose 4 in a row.

 

[sb1]

So we just need to win six straight to just have a chance with everything else falling into place with the other 5 teams that are ahead of us and also a Denver team that is only one game back and has the tiebreaker over us. Might be worth mentioning at this point that we have only won 2 games in a row once this year when we beat the Jets who are tanking and the Ravens in a monsoon. We have managed though to lose 4 in a row.

So did the 2011 Giants. They too were a well coached team and their season ended pretty well I'd say.

How we beat those teams isn't that relevant. That's no different than making excuses when we lost to KC and Denver. Scoreboard says what it says.

With that said a run is very unlikely, but let's see what happens starting Sunday. I'm sure the team knows what is at stake.

 

[amfootball]

So did the 2011 Giants. They too were a well coached team and their season ended pretty well I'd say.

How we beat those teams isn't that relevant. That's no different than making excuses when we lost to KC and Denver. Scoreboard says what it says.

With that said a run is very unlikely, but let's see what happens starting Sunday. I'm sure the team knows what is at stake.

Nice reference with the Giants. Darn Eli!

 

[A Defiant Goose]

They just need to go 1-0 on Sunday. If they have a winning record the last quarter of the season I think they can sneak in