The scheduling gods have given the Pats a lot of extra rest/preparation time at the right time

[Rob0729]

Ok, I stole this from a tweet. But now that the NFL has switched the Pats/Indy game to Saturday night, the Pats have at least one extra day to prepare for or rest before the next four games.

Titans - 10 days between games (Pats last played last Thursday)
Bills - eight days between games (Monday night game)
Indy - 12 days between games (Saturday night game after the bye)
Bills - eight days between games (gained an extra day because the Indy game was moved to Saturday night)

At this time of the year, any extra rest can be huge especially for being healthy and going at full strength going into the playoffs. And since this might be the toughest four game stretch of the season, the extra preparation time is an advantage

 

[archstanton543]

It's nice that it worked out that way but having a bye this late is never good. Ideally, you want it in the middle of the season, not at the end.

 

[Sicilian]

Only caveat here is that while we have an extra day to prepare for the first Bills game, they'll have an extra three because they're playing on Thanksgiving. So that's more advantage Buffalo that week.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The late bye sometimes could backfire, but this year it ended up working out great since we haven’t been in major need of one yet. I think it comes at a great time for us

 

[Rob0729]

It's nice that it worked out that way but having a bye this late is never good. Ideally, you want it in the middle of the season, not at the end.

The Bucs had a late bye last year and went from an inconsistent team to never losing a game again after the bye. So saying a late bye is never good is wrong. The Bucs may not have won that Super Bowl without the bye being late.

 

[Jim Beankie]

It's nice that it worked out that way but having a bye this late is never good. Ideally, you want it in the middle of the season, not at the end.

*never except the Pats' 1st SB win when the Bye was Week 16.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I always felt like the later the bye, the better. Especially if it's looking like you're going to be playing wildcard weekend.

 

[Rob0729]

I always felt like the later the bye, the better. Especially if it's looking like you're going to be playing wildcard weekend.

I think you are a legitimate playoff team, a late bye could be the thing you need for a playoff run. Sometimes even the best teams start to run out of gas after a long season. A late bye can allow a team to recharge for the playoffs.

 

[Fuzz]

Thats the "glass half full" way of looking at it. The "glass half empty" take is that the Pats get a shortened bye week (12 days instead of 14 days). I think in this case, its a wash.

 

[TheRainMaker]

What would this board think if the Pats ran away with the #1 seed?

I’m calling it right now.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

What would this board think if the Pats ran away with the #1 seed?

I’m calling it right now.

I can see a few people giving Brady credit for teaching BB how to develop a QB

 

[PatsFanInVa]

What would this board think if the Pats ran away with the #1 seed?

I’m calling it right now.

FACK YEAH

we're fans, we can be irrationally exuberant if we want. Pretend I just smashed an empty beer can--scratch that, a FULL beer can--on my forehead.

Roll out that bandwagon, I'm on it.

 

[Rob0729]

Thats the "glass half full" way of looking at it. The "glass half empty" take is that the Pats get a shortened bye week (12 days instead of 14 days). I think in this case, its a wash.

I look at two less days during the bye less of an impact of four straight weeks of extra day(s).

Look at it this way. If you work at a stressful job, which would be best for you health? One week vacation or a month where you have two days off one week, a four day work week the next, then three days off the following week, followed by another week with a four day work week? Forget about doing a trip. Just look at it as a way to rehab yourself mentally and physically.

And from the preparation standpoint, an extra two days during the bye week means nothing compared to having a month of at least one extra day to prepare each week.

 

[Rob0729]

What would this board think if the Pats ran away with the #1 seed?

I’m calling it right now.

If the Pats win Sunday, I think they will ultimately win the #1 seed barring a significant injury(ies) or an implosion. I don't see the Bills beating the Pats twice. I see the Ravens the losing several more games.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

These thread opinions are making me reconsider eschewing recreational drug use!

 

[40yrpatsfan]

I noticed this as soon as the Saturday game was announced. It's huge. Beating Atlanta on the short week set this all up: 10 days till the TN game, then 8 days till MNF with the Bills, then a 12-day bye till the Sat game with Indy, then 8 days till a Sunday game with the Bills. This could not have worked out any better. We have extra rest for each game of the toughest stretch of the schedule, and will also be more rested than just about anyone for the playoffs. Even the bye being 12 days rather than 14 is better I think.

 

[rochrist]

Ok, I stole this from a tweet. But now that the NFL has switched the Pats/Indy game to Saturday night, the Pats have at least one extra day to prepare for or rest before the next four games.

Titans - 10 days between games (Pats last played last Thursday)
Bills - eight days between games (Monday night game)
Indy - 12 days between games (Saturday night game after the bye)
Bills - eight days between games (gained an extra day because the Indy game was moved to Saturday night)

At this time of the year, any extra rest can be huge especially for being healthy and going at full strength going into the playoffs. And since this might be the toughest four game stretch of the season, the extra preparation time is an advantage

They also lost two days in the schedule switch.

 

[oldrover]

These thread opinions are making me reconsider eschewing recreational drug use!

At least make sure you're getting good nutrition...



(just kidding, of course... I'm only posting to meet my minimum daily GIF requirement )

 

[PScottman]

I noticed this as soon as the Saturday game was announced. It's huge. Beating Atlanta on the short week set this all up: 10 days till the TN game, then 8 days till MNF with the Bills, then a 12-day bye till the Sat game with Indy, then 8 days till a Sunday game with the Bills. This could not have worked out any better. We have extra rest for each game of the toughest stretch of the schedule, and will also be more rested than just about anyone for the playoffs. Even the bye being 12 days rather than 14 is better I think.

As much as the suits dislike the Pats and will always prefer either NY or LA to get preferential treatment because of market size - if you don't think those same suits don't have dollar signs in their eyes to try and tilt the scale ever so slightly make a Pats/Bucs Super Bowl a reality in whatever small ways they can, is kidding themselves. They saw the massive share the regular season game got.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Ok, I stole this from a tweet. But now that the NFL has switched the Pats/Indy game to Saturday night, the Pats have at least one extra day to prepare for or rest before the next four games.

Titans - 10 days between games (Pats last played last Thursday)
Bills - eight days between games (Monday night game)
Indy - 12 days between games (Saturday night game after the bye)
Bills - eight days between games (gained an extra day because the Indy game was moved to Saturday night)

At this time of the year, any extra rest can be huge especially for being healthy and going at full strength going into the playoffs. And since this might be the toughest four game stretch of the season, the extra preparation time is an advantage

And both games at the end of that 12-day stretch are road games. It's not an ideal bye.