Team the Pats should worry the most about?

[BobDigital]

Side note. Are the Steelers still going to play zone blitz vs Brady? Yes you say?!?!

Well put them in the no threat pool of teams then cause Brady eats that for breakfast as part of his super diet then dines on avocado ice cream for a nice treat after.

 

[FourierSeries]

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"

 

[doesntmatter1]

The Bengals roster looks very promising, but they are still the Bengals.

 

[varjao]

The Jets

 

[varjao]

Seriously, considering the question is about playoffs, it has to be Green Bay and I'd say Atlanta too. They made everything right for 3 quarters and then lost on dumb coaching decisions. Matt Ryan is an experienced QB and will learn too from that mistake on holding the ball too much, they will be angry and they have a good team, I think they win the division again.

Oh yeah, Giants by default too.

 

[Kontradiction]

Until Atlanta falls apart, I would say them. They still need some pieces on the defensive side of the ball, but they're the team to fear in the NFC (at least for now). Other than them, I would say the Giants. They have the pieces on offense to move the ball and their defense was very tough last year. They've also always played us well. Same goes with the Seahawks although Wilson will be running for his life again in 2017 and their years of poor drafts may finally be catching up to them.

On the AFC side? The Raiders, Chiefs, and Steelers look again to be the Pats primary competition. But the talent gap is so big on both sides of the ball now that I don't look at anyone in the AFC as a serious threat unless a bad injury rash (ala 2013 and 2015) occurs again.

 

[jmt57]

Added a poll.



Losses are inevitable, so I'm not going to look at this question from the perspective of 'which game are the Patriots most likely to lose', but instead look at this on the season as a whole.

I'm also not going to look at NFC teams as much as AFC teams, since there are so many more obstacles to overcome to make it that far.

Even though the Patriots have handled them in the recent past, for me it is the Steelers. In my opinion they are the second most complete and balanced team in the conference. If they remain relatively healthy they could rack up a lot of wins this year. That would mean the game at Pittsburgh could conceivably determine top seed in the AFC, and we all know how important home field is in the playoffs.

There are too many variables to consider who will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. As excited as we all are for the 2017 season, I can't find myself being so presumptuous to assume that the Patriots will be back in the Super Bowl again.

 

[jah]

No team really worries me, except for the usual suspects who tend to get our worst efforts: Ravens, Broncos, Giants, Seahawks. But even against all those teams, objectively it should be an easy NE win.

The teams often touted as the best besides NE are the Raiders, Steelers, Cowboys, and Falcons. I can say with very high confidence that the Raiders and Steelers will not be a problem due to their horrible defenses. Cowboys have recently followed up good seasons with bad ones. As for Atlanta...it remains to be seen whether we broke them, but I bet we did.

 

[stinkypete]

Kansas City - because they're the next one.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

No team really worries me, except for the usual suspects who tend to get our worst efforts: Ravens, Broncos, Giants, Seahawks. But even against all those teams, objectively it should be an easy NE win.

Agree with this. If you look at teams that have beaten us in the playoffs since 2010 (which I consider to be the second iteration of the dynasty), it has always been a defensive power. The Jets in 2010, Giants in 2011, Ravens in 2012, and Broncos in 2013 and 2015. I think the Ravens, Broncos, Giants, and Seahawks are the four teams most likely to give us problems.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

345 Park Ave was my initial response and @chasa covered that.

I'll have to go with a classic:

Dutch: "Billy, you fear no man"
Billy: "Roger Goodell aint no man"

Almost had to go With Ghostbsuters reference, "Yes, this man has no ..."

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Denver, as long as they have Von Miller and that secondary. Obviously the Pats can have a bad day against anyone, but no team in the AFC appears to have the defense to force the issue like Denver.

Should the Pats make SB52, Atlanta may pose to be the scariest team...this time due to their D. They got Poe from KC, get back situational rusher Adrian Clayborn, get Desmond Truffant back (he and Alford are amongst the best CB duos) and drafted a fast LB to join Deion Jones, Vic Beasley and De'Vondre Campbell. Quinn is building Seattle Southeast.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Patjew]

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

 

[jmt57]

An article on the Pats team website today is appropriate for this discussion. Look no further than last season to see how many teams floundered when many thought they would be good.

What we think we know now rarely holds up for long in the NFL: A look back at 2016's misconceptions

 

[FourierSeries]

Denver, as long as they have Von Miller and that secondary. Obviously the Pats can have a bad day against anyone, but no team in the AFC appears to have the defense to force the issue like Denver.

In 2014, they had essentially the same personnel on defense as they had in 2015, and the Patriots dropped 40+ on them. Wade Philips and the NE injuries were the difference in 2015. Philips is no longer there.

Additionally, they still have no offense. How exactly will they put up more than 10 points on this improved defense, when they barely got 3 last year? It would take a miracle (half the team going on IR, multiple ST mistakes, etc.)

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

In 2014, they had essentially the same personnel on defense as they had in 2015, and the Patriots dropped 40+ on them. Wade Philips and the NE injuries were the difference in 2015. Philips is no longer there.

Additionally, they still have no offense. How exactly will they put up more than 10 points on this improved defense, when they barely got 3 last year? It would take a miracle (half the team going on IR, multiple ST mistakes, etc.)

All valid points. Pats are better than anyone, including Denver. Denver appears to me as the worst candidate to have an off game against.

Regards,
Chris

 

[JarOfMayo51]

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"

I don't worry about the Broncos because I think they might beat the Pats, I worry about them because they're dirty pieces of **** that take cheap shots all game long that could end seasons/careers

 

[aluminum seats]

Teams (except for the Pats) change so much from year to year (in terms of being good) that there's no way to tell which might be a threat, at least until the half way mark.

Pats just need to be healthy for when they host the AFC Champuonship game, that's when their season really starts. That probably sounds arrogant. I don't care.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I'm gonna laugh uncontrollably if anyone says Pittsburgh....just checked the thread

I'm now laughing uncontrollably


Tom Brady is the Steelers daddy!

 

[Uptown]

The Indianapolis Injuries. That team is a nightmare matchup, they're undefeated and they seem to come back stronger and scarier EVERY SINGLE SEASON. I hope BB & Moses Cabrera have prepared the troops for this squad.