threats to Pats in AFC

[IllegalContact]

Aside from Steve Smith, who is still a competitive beast, how are Mike Wallace and a first round promising WR considered "old?" Their WR group has probably improved, not gotten worse. We will see over time. I'm guessing Jump Ball Joe is good with his receivers, though.

People here made the same silly argument last season regarding DeMarcus Ware's age, and all he did was torture Tom Brady and our OL in the most important game of the season. Dumerville and Suggs are still formidable. You're right that they're running out of gas and getting older, but they could do a lot worse.

I'm predicting their usual 9-7 record, so it's not like I'm claiming they'll be the AFC champs. It will take a consecutive losing season for me before I write them off, that's all.

Lol.....Demarcus ware had who around him?

Suggs and dumervil are both breaking down

As for perriman, it sounds like he's not even going to be on the active roster in the beginning of the year.....

Overall, the team has little to no depth to boot

 

[supafly]

As for perriman, it sounds like he's not even going to be on the active roster in the beginning of the year.....

Are you getting this info from the same place that you (incorrectly) claimed that BAL has "the oldest roster in the NFL," because Perriman played on Thursday night in the preseason finale?

Don't you think we'd know right now whether he'd be "on the active roster at the beginning of the year," considering that.....it's the beginning of the year and final rosters have been decided?

Either way, it seems like a post or two too much regarding whether a rival team goes 9-7 or 7-9, don't you think? We'll have to wait and see if they improve upon last year's injury riddled season or not.

 

[IllegalContact]

Are you getting this info from the same place that you (incorrectly) claimed that BAL has "the oldest roster in the NFL," because Perriman played on Thursday night in the preseason finale?

Don't you think we'd know right now whether he'd be "on the active roster at the beginning of the year," considering that.....it's the beginning of the year and final rosters have been decided?

Either way, it seems like a post or two too much regarding whether a rival team goes 9-7 or 7-9, don't you think? We'll have to wait and see if they improve upon last year's injury riddled season or not.

Breshad Perriman - Baltimore Ravens - 2016 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

perriman played for the first time last thursday.......there has been nothing to date to provide a basis for his productivity

as for oldest roster, I threw that off the top of my head because the ravens starting WR, RB, and OLB's are all over 30 and some of them by quite a bit.....technically, atlanta is older, but they have a 41 year old kicker and a 35 year old backup QB......pure stupidity to make the point based on that

I just don't think they're that good.......they have age and depth issues.....you can believe what you want, but

 

[obgod3]

Denver will get steamrolled if we can stay healthy (something we weren't able to do last year in either game) and if the OL doesn't **** the bed. We have the personnel to light them up. Also, their QB situation is laughable.

My point was their Qb situation is actually better than it was with Manning, Steamrolled, I don't know and boy that's a big if = Offensive Line. I sure hope your right.

 

[IllegalContact]

My point was their Qb situation is actually better than it was with Manning, Steamrolled, I don't know and boy that's a big if = Offensive Line. I sure hope your right.

it is impossible to make that claim based on a preseason

 

[FourierSeries]

My point was their Qb situation is actually better than it was with Manning, Steamrolled, I don't know and boy that's a big if = Offensive Line. I sure hope your right.

Their situation isn't better than it was with Manning. At the very least, Manning had a high football IQ and was able to put their offense in good situations with his mind, even if his physical skills had deteriorated considerably. Their QB situation this season is far worse.

 

[JMC00]

Their situation isn't better than it was with Manning. At the very least, Manning had a high football IQ and was able to put their offense in good situations with his mind, even if his physical skills had deteriorated considerably. Their QB situation this season is far worse.

I also don't think that defense will play as well as it did.

and for anyone that thinks that means I am saying their defense will suck, not saying that all I just don't think it will be as good and lucky which will result in more losses.

I mean go back and look at their scores much of last year

6 point win vs Baltimore
7 point win vs KC
3 point win vs Minnesota
6 point win vs Oakland
3 point win vs Cleveland (OT)
2 point win vs Chicago
6 point win vs NE (OT. Huge assist by the refs)
3 point win vs Cin (OT)
7 point win vs SD
7 point win vs Pitt
2 point win vs NE


Off the top of my head I count 8 games where Denver made a play defensively that was the difference in the game.

Just don't think this will be the case for them this year

 

[FourierSeries]

I also don't think that defense will play as well as it did.

and for anyone that thinks that means I am saying their defense will suck, not saying that all I just don't think it will be as good and lucky which will result in more losses.

I mean go back and look at their scores much of last year

6 point win vs Baltimore
7 point win vs KC
3 point win vs Minnesota
6 point win vs Oakland
3 point win vs Cleveland (OT)
2 point win vs Chicago
6 point win vs NE (OT. Huge assist by the refs)
3 point win vs Cin (OT)
7 point win vs SD
7 point win vs Pitt
2 point win vs NE


Off the top of my head I count 8 games where Denver made a play defensively that was the difference in the game.

Just don't think this will be the case for them this year

They didn't even play a single top contender at full strength last year. Literally every single top AFC team they faced, be it in the regular season or in the playoffs, was missing multiple key weapons. Yet they barely squeaked by.

They won't even win their division this season. I think KC wins it comfortably.

 

[aluminum seats]

Aside from Steve Smith, who is still a competitive beast, how are Mike Wallace and a first round promising WR considered "old?" Their WR group has probably improved, not gotten worse. We will see over time. I'm guessing Jump Ball Joe is good with his receivers, though.

People here made the same silly argument last season regarding DeMarcus Ware's age, and all he did was torture Tom Brady and our OL in the most important game of the season. Dumerville and Suggs are still formidable. You're right that they're running out of gas and getting older, but they could do a lot worse.

I'm predicting their usual 9-7 record, so it's not like I'm claiming they'll be the AFC champs. It will take a consecutive losing season for me before I write them off, that's all.

I haven't looked at Baltimore at all this year, but I agree with your overall point that a team that has been consistently in the mix is one to be wary of until proven otherwise.

The Ravens have clearly been a consistent thorn in the Pats' side, it seems sort of silly to dismiss them because of last year.

 

[IllegalContact]

I haven't looked at Baltimore at all this year, but I agree with your overall point that a team that has been consistently in the mix is one to be wary of until proven otherwise.

The Ravens have clearly been a consistent thorn in the Pats' side, it seems sort of silly to dismiss them because of last year.

it was proven otherwise

Flacco was 3-7 last year, and the rest of the offense is not much different....they're locked in on 3rd place in the AFC North

yes, the ravens have been challenging to the Pats but this is not that team

 

[JMC00]

I haven't looked at Baltimore at all this year, but I agree with your overall point that a team that has been consistently in the mix is one to be wary of until proven otherwise.

The Ravens have clearly been a consistent thorn in the Pats' side, it seems sort of silly to dismiss them because of last year.

I wouldn't dismiss them but I'm not concerned by them as of right now. Still gotta show they have bounced back from last year, can't put that season just on injuries

 

[Haley]

I think the Chiefs have a good shot at their division this year. A lot depends on how the Broncos make out with their QB situation. And the Talib suspension is going to be helpful....

And the fight between the Bengals and Steelers will make for good viewing. I think they are pretty closely matched.

 

[aluminum seats]

it was proven otherwise

Flacco was 3-7 last year, and the rest of the offense is not much different....they're locked in on 3rd place in the AFC North

yes, the ravens have been challenging to the Pats but this is not that team

Hey, sounds good to me! Nothing would make me happier than to see that team in the dustbin.

 

[SalemPats]

I would say Pittsburgh worries me and the rest are a threat but we are bad matchups for them:

1) Pittsburgh - I want to see their defense but they are dynamic and could have home-field advantage

9 times out of 10 we win
2) KC - Good all-around team, Reid always runs a good offense against BB. I just can't see A Smith beating us
3) Houston - can rush the passer, solid on offense and O'Brien is a good coach. I love Butler on Hopkins and if you take him out their offense is not dangerous
4) Bengals - Very strong defense, tough, can create pressure up the middle, but Marvin vs BB we have a huge edge there

Indy, Broncos have major holes

 

[Ivan]

Youd be crazy to rule out the Ravens if they get back on track. If they get to the playoffs they are always a threat. They are so experienced on the road home field is pretty much negated.

I think they are a franchise on the decline.

 

[ViperGTS]

Oakland. Why is everyone overlooking Oakland? Very good QB, 1A reciever, very good back and probably
the DPOY in Mack. Add in Irvin and other parts to the D with a good offense and no one seems to recognize this.

The Pats, if they need to go on the road again, would have extremely tough time in Oakland. They could be this years Broncos. They are the team I'm worrid about, nobody else.

 

[Flash]

The Broncos shouldn't be underestimated as long as their defensive core is there. Von, Wolfe, Sylvester Williams are more than enough to destroy 90% of the O-lines out there. CHJ, Talib, Darian Stewart, TJ Ward, Brandon Marshall, even though they lost Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan, that's still possibly the best defense in the NFL. Siemian is hardly an upgrade over Manning last year but as long as he doesn't go full Mark Sanchez Denver will still be extremely competitive.

1. Chiefs: Call me an idiot but I'm a believer. They have an excellent defense that will improve with Houston returning during the middle of the season. They are deep at RB, they have legitimate weapons in Maclin and Kelce. Alex Smith the game manager has gone deep in the Playoffs before, he and Reid can do it again.
2. Steelers: Their suspect defense keeps them from being #1.
3. Broncos
4. Bengals/Raiders/Jets/Texans: Really a wash as to who's better.

 

[BradyFTW!]

AFCN: Baltimore was murdered by injuries last year. If they're a little luckier this year, I think they're in the mix. The Bengals are one more year removed from Mike Zimmer's influence on their D, plus Hue Jackson's gone now too - I think whatever positive movement Baltimore make's in the standings will primarily come at their expense. Not sure what to make of the Steelers, probably a wildcard team if I had to guess. With the teams this close together, I think missing Bell for 3 games and Bryant for the season could easily swing things.

AFCS: I think Houston and Tennessee will both notably improve from last year. Jacksonville could go anywhere from 4-12 to 10-6 without surprising me much. The Colts are genuinely bad, no matter how much people have talked themselves into last year being a writeoff due to Luck's injury. They have huge, systemic problems that they haven't even remotely fixed.

AFCE: Nobody. They'll play us hard, because that's how intra-division games work, but I don't expect anyone to challenge us for the division title, even without Brady for 4 weeks.

AFCW: I think Denver comes back down to earth a bit purely due to regression toward the mean. They had a lot of games come down to 1 play last year, they won almost every one of them. That rarely translates from one year to the next. I still think they'll be good though; they lost a little depth on the DL, but otherwise I'm not sure how they're significantly worse. Manning wasn't good last year, so replacing the incumbent starter with Siemian doesn't scare me nearly as much as it would with almost any other team. I think the AFCW will in general be a lot more competitive, though. I'd pick any of the four teams in this division to win the AFCS if they played in it. At least one wildcard is coming from here.

Based on that, I guess I'd say the top contenders in the AFC seem to be the Pats having a healthy edge over everyone else, followed by the Ravens, Chiefs, Broncos, and whoever ends up being better between the Steelers and Bengals.

 

[mosslost]

Injuries are the biggest threat. And they must not have too slow a start without Brady. They cannot put too much burden and his shoulders. IMO they need to be 2 and 2 after 4 but hopefully better.

 

[1960Pats]

The top of the NFC (Cards, Packers, Seahawks, Panthers) looks much better than the top of the AFC (Pats, Steelers, Broncos, Chiefs)

We keep hearing that but the AFC keeps winning SBs.