Team the Pats should worry the most about?

[Chevy]

None of the above. The team to be the most concerned with (I hate saying fear) is the New England Scout Team.

 

[JMC00]

Past success is not a predictor of future success. Just look at the 2010 Patriots getting curb stomped by the Jets in the playoffs.

Except the jests beat the Pats earlier that season by 2 TD so your point is rendered moot.

None of the teams I listed came close to beating the Pats last season and the Pats went out and got better.

 

[Nunchucks]

Except the jests beat the Pats earlier that season by 2 TD so your point is rendered moot.

None of the teams I listed came close to beating the Pats last season and the Pats went out and got better.

I disagree. Regular season is not the post-season. We've seen how that plays out quite often. The Steelers have the fire power to put up points...or at least they did.

The question was the team the Patriots should worry about MOST. The others I worry about less.

 

[varjao]

Anyone saying Pittsburgh turn in your Pats fan membership card, it's been revoked.

 

[BobDigital]

There's not a single team the Pats should worry about. They're so talented and versatile (and much better than even last year's SB team) that it's hard to imagine any team posing problems, unless half the roster ends up on IR.

I do find it hilarious that people still consider Denver some sort of threat, simply because they barely beat NE twice back in 2015, with 3/4 of the roster either on IR or playing hurt. NE has spanked Denver virtually every game since 2011, including that 16-3 ass whooping at Mile High last season, when healthy. They no longer have Wade Philips, they've got a rookie HC, and their offense is still utter dog ****. I highly doubt they make the playoffs, and I expect NE to decimate them worse than in week 15 of 2016.

And some actually said Pittsburgh. I don't think I need to say anything other than: "LOL"

Denver could be scary for sure. People forget that Denver had a key int knocking on the door and if they don't throw that pick to Ryan who returns it 40 some yards to flip field position they could have got a TD and it would have been a nail biter the whole way through.

Denver had a historically bad offense in many respects last season. Their D allowed it to look better than it should have on a PPG basis but it was clearly the worst in the NFL. If they show a decent improvement on offense (and it would be hard to be as bad as last year as well) they become very threatening potentially. Personally I don't see how their offense improves enough to get in the Pat's league but they are a team that you need to play carefully.

One blown defensive play and a turnover turns into points and now you are playing into their hands and are forced to challenge a D you really would rather not.

 

[FourierSeries]

Denver could be scary for sure. People forget that Denver had a key int knocking on the door and if they don't throw that pick to Ryan who returns it 40 some yards to flip field position they could have got a TD and it would have been a nail biter the whole way through.

Denver had a historically bad offense in many respects last season. Their D allowed it to look better than it should have on a PPG basis but it was clearly the worst in the NFL. If they show a decent improvement on offense (and it would be hard to be as bad as last year as well) they become very threatening potentially. Personally I don't see how their offense improves enough to get in the Pat's league but they are a team that you need to play carefully.

One blown defensive play and a turnover turns into points and now you are playing into their hands and are forced to challenge a D you really would rather not.

They had one decent drive in 60 minutes. Scoring a TD there was far from a guarantee anyways, given their atrocious red zone offense. Denver was smacked around, especially in the trenches, all game long.

Their defense is also very likely to take a big step back without Wade Philips.

 

[BobDigital]

Also i really do get why People want to say "AFC first" but I don't think that is really needed and we can talk about all the team equally.

The Pats may have 2 tough AFC match ups in the playoffs this year. Usually they don't though. Usually they get the #1 seed (and i think they do this year) and the curb stomp one of the 2 AFC teams they play who is just over matched.

In the Division round yet again the Pats will get to play Houston/KC/Indy/Titans... Someone that is respectable but really has no chance cause of coaching or a crap D or too young and inexperienced. They will win the divisional game by about 20 points. and while it might be close early the Pats will pull away eventually and we will look back and think "yeah, that was more a formality win than anything".

The team I want to see the least in the AFC is Denver just cause that game is 1 mistake away from turning into a rock fight. Brady throws a pick 6 or a fumble happens near our goal line and it will come down the the wire. No other team in the AFC is less forgiving to make mistakes against than Denver cause they are the one D I don't think Brady can score on virtually at will.

The way they played them last year was the right way IMO. You say "no, we are not taking any risk offensively. We will wait for your crap QB to make a mistake then capitalize". I think that is the best way to go about it. Denver will be close. Last year it could have easily been 16-10 if not for 1 awful interception. In the end the Pats won by 13 points but for most of the game it felt closer than that. It was not till the 4th when the Pats were sitting on the lead officially and daring Denver. However like i said in another post. If I am right and they only play 1 tough AFC team then really you have as much reason to worry about the AFC then then NFC.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Accurate & Mobile QBs put a strain on BB"s defensive philosophy. He surrenders a pass rush to "contain" them but they'll gladly throw from a clean pocket.

Luckily, the league has three accurate and mobile QBs (spare me Luck): Rodgers, Wilson, & Mariota.

The Titans have the only AFC QB to really challenge our defense. The Titans secondary looks poor on paper and wouldn't stop us.

The Broncos have the only AFC defense to contain this offense. The Broncos offense has no chance vs. us.

I can't see the Packers defense showing any resistance in a SB. I also think our secondary could contain their overrated weapons.

What's stopping this team: Injuries or Russell Wilson/Seahawks. They beat our team with Gronk and in our house. Considering Brady went 14-1 last year that's impressive. Wilson's a handoff away from being 3-0 vs. the Pats too.

Russell Wilson Career Game Log vs. Patriots | Pro-Football-Reference.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One thought on the Texans: Remove their CB1 in Bouye and add Gronk/Cooks to the mix I'd think they'd be screwed defensively.

All the votes for the Raiders. Sigh. Game could honestly be 45-17. Their defense doesn't have a prayer especially when you consider the DPOY rushes our All-Pro RT. Giant CBs vs shifty WRs. Cooks, Edelman, Mitchell. Nobody to cover Gronk or the RBs. Butler - Cooper, Gilmore - Crabtree are plus matchups for us as well.

The Raiders are this year's 2015 Colts & the 2016 Steelers. Fake News Media opposition.

 

[tasmlab]

If Houston can get mediocre QB play, I'm most worried about them. That D is legit and the coaching staff knows us well.

So many ex-Patriots. Half the Texans coaching staff probably forgot who to root for in the divisional game last year.

BOB, Romeo, Welker, Vrable, Izzo.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I've talked about Tennessee a few times and love what their doing. Their 2 years away from contending but a ton of legit young talent.

Mariota is so underrated. He's a very good QB. Great oline and new weapons. Next is D.


On the schedule the toughest game might be @ TB LOL. Those Thurs night absolutely suck for road teams and should be done away now.

Atl on a neutral field. Oak if their defense steps up big time.

This Patriots team is built for war.

Our Oline has a lot of experience together which is so huge and Scar being here is everything.

The guy is no nonsense but is a teacher. Rare. Teaches in group and 1 on 1. Cannon is def top 10 underrated in the league.

Possible top 5-6 WR Corp if you include Gronk.

Great group of versatile backs

Arguably best secondary in the league

Harris added

And I cant wait to see the Rooks

 

[Danger Zone]

What team should the Patriots worry about most?

... the next Team.



Put me in Coach! I'm ready

 

[mgteich]

SOME ARITHMETIC

Say that we are 80% favorites to win each of our 3 playoff games, including the SB. This would mean that we are less than 50% to win the SB when we enter the playoffs. My point is even heavy favorites going into the playoffs only end up winning the SB about half the time.

In many ways, this is what makes the current patriots so amazing.

 

[mgteich]

Our Oline has a lot of experience together which is so huge and Scar being here is everything.

Interesting. How many seasons have the starting 5 played together; how about how many games?

 

[Alternator]

I say the Raiders, and not even close - while I doubt their defense will even reach league-average, I can easily see that team going 12-4 with fifteen shootouts. When teams are just trading scores, it becomes much easier for one bad turnover to completely tilt the game, and I think that kind of bad luck is the biggest (non-injury) threat to the Patriots.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Interesting. How many seasons have the starting 5 played together; how about how many games?

I was def wrong in saying a lot lol.

 

[XLIX]

I think Raiders take a step back. Too many distractions.
I think the Falcons suffer the Super Bowl loser hangover we see more often than not.
I think the Cowboys also will take a step back. Prescott will suffer a sophomore slump, especially if asked to win games (instead of merely managing them).

While the Patriots are the best team in the NFL with the best QB in the NFL, the team I am worried the most about is the team with the 2nd best QB in the league: Green Bay.