Tough division games

[Kontradiction]

I’m not saying we weren’t eventually going to win these games (I’m also confident we would get the W in both). I am saying we played down to these talent lacking teams allowing them to hang around longer than they should’ve due to shooting ourselves in the foot.

In the case of the Bills game, we were also pretty banged up. We had no legitimate threat at RB between the tackles.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Jets in 2009 and 2010 as well.

I don't think too many people were worried in 2009. 2010 it wasn't even close. But the Jets got the last laugh in both years going to the AFCCG.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

In the case of the Bills game, we were also pretty banged up. We had no legitimate threat at RB between the tackles.

Agreed but not an excuse to finally get our first td in the 4Q

 

[Ring 6]

I’m not saying we weren’t eventually going to win these games (I’m also confident we would get the W in both). I am saying we played down to these talent lacking teams allowing them to hang around longer than they should’ve due to shooting ourselves in the foot.

You arent playing down to a bad teams level when you beat them by 19 and 24 points, allow 1 td in 120 minutes of football and win comfortably.
Not sure where the idea comes from that winning by 2 tds + is ****ty football. But whatever.

 

[Kontradiction]

Agreed but not an excuse to finally get our first td in the 4Q

Against one of the top defenses in football playing at home on primetime for the first time in years, it definitely is.

 

[maust]

Conclusions:

The Patriots would still have the same amount of success regardless of what division they are in. The theory of them having a huge advantage by playing in the AFC East is a myth.

Critics are probably correct to point at the division but the benefit to the Patriots isn't really as cut and dried as they're making it seem. The Patriots aren't beating up on a bunch of 5-11 teams in the division every year. But they are the only team in the East built for long term success - the other teams are trying to figure out how to build a team year to year to beat the Patriots. Explains the volatility with their coaches and QBs.

According to Pro Football Reference here are the Brady/Belichick regular season win %'s by division in their entirety as of yesterday's games:
AFCN .833
NFCE .813
NFCN .813
AFCE .798
AFCS .787
NFCS .750
NFCW .667
AFCW .647
Considering where the franchise is located, what Northern or Eastern division do you think those "sh!tty division" critics would rather see the Pats in? The correct answer, of course, is right where they are and not in whatever division their team plays in. The .833 vs the creampuff AFCN is even more impressive when you realize in 2 of every 3 years NE only plays the division winner of that craptastic collection. Over the past 10 years division winners average 1.52 division losses per year. NE has averaged 1.61.
As for how NE impacts the rest of the AFCE, teams are built first and foremost to win their divisions. The Pats are the reason the other teams in the division struggle achieving sustained success and why they hire/fire so many coaches & GM's.

 

[Triumph]

Division teams almost always have extra motivation to beat NE. Its like their Super Bowl.

The Pats did not roll over the Bills and Jets like the OP would have you believe.

NE 12 and Buff 6 2:03 remaining in 3rd quarter. Buff had held NE to 4 FGs up to that point. Oh no, that was not a tough game.

NE 13 and NYJ 13 - 4:00 remaining in 3rd quarter. Wish the Pats had more easy games like this one.

The OP figures that the first 45 minutes of a game do not count and only the last 15 do.

 

[everlong]

Tom Brady by division:

AFCE: 80-20, .800
AFCS: 26-7, .788
AFCN: 25-5, .833
AFCW: 22-12, .647
NFCE: 13-3, .813
NFCN: 16-3, .842
NFCS: 12-4, .750
NFCW: 10-5, .667

The only two divisions that are really below standard can easily be identified. The Patriots have hit Seattle and SF on years they were great skewing the numbers and the Denver Broncos have played him and every other team tough in Denver. 7-6 record vs the Broncos thus .750 winning percentage vs the rest of the division.

It wouldn't have mattered what division he played in.

 

[1960Pats]

The only meaningful statistics that show the strength of any of the AFC divisions is the one provided by @maust1013 because it uses the only consistent schedule. In each case it shows the record of one team (the Pats) vs the other groups of teams.

Any overall won/lost/tied results for a team are inconsistent because none of the teams play the same schedule, and in some cases not even close.

 

[1960Pats]

The advantage is Patriots get an automatic home game for winning the division. In recent years they've clearly been among the top class of the AFC so their division quality wasn't that relevant. Sometimes they've exploited their division and finished first even when the team hasn't been that great. 2009 for example. And 2005. They got to host a playoff game vs the Jaguars despite the Jags finishing two wins better and being a Wild Card team.

This is a great example of why the current 4 division setup with totally different schedules is a joke. There have also been times when the Pats sat home when they had a better record than teams that went to the playoffs, all in a league that ranks teams by wins and losses.

 

[jah]

We pulled away in the 4th in both games but I think we’re watching 2 different games here. Defensively, we did what we had to do to win against 2 of the worst offenses in the entire league. Offensively, we still stink in the redzone and still commit too many penalties allowing them to stay in the game longer than they should.

Why are we not counting "pulling away in the 4th" for anything?

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Division teams almost always have extra motivation to beat NE. Its like their Super Bowl.

The Pats did not roll over the Bills and Jets like the OP would have you believe.

NE 12 and Buff 6 2:03 remaining in 3rd quarter. Buff had held NE to 4 FGs up to that point. Oh no, that was not a tough game.

NE 13 and NYJ 13 - 4:00 remaining in 3rd quarter. Wish the Pats had more easy games like this one.

The OP figures that the first 45 minutes of a game do not count and only the last 15 do.

No, I think he's simply pointing out we should stop demanding the Pats be up 24-0 at halftime of every game we play.

I just looked back at the 2003 season and our 15 game winning streak. We won just 2 games by more than 12 points.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Why are we not counting "pulling away in the 4th" for anything?

When I say play down I’m talking about allowing the opponent to stay in the game longer than they should’ve.

 

[sb1]

No, I think he's simply pointing out we should stop demanding the Pats be up 24-0 at halftime of every game we play.

I just looked back at the 2003 season and our 15 game winning streak. We won just 2 games by more than 12 points.

I miss that defense so much. 3 shutouts. A 5-1 record when scoring 17 points or less. 7 games allowing less than 200 yards passing by opponent. Opposing TD:INT 11:29. Wow.

That was not a cupcake schedule either. 7 wins vs winning teams.

That kind of defense probably cannot be duplicated in today's era though.

 

[Ring 6]

Division teams almost always have extra motivation to beat NE. Its like their Super Bowl.

The Pats did not roll over the Bills and Jets like the OP would have you believe.

NE 12 and Buff 6 2:03 remaining in 3rd quarter. Buff had held NE to 4 FGs up to that point. Oh no, that was not a tough game.

NE 13 and NYJ 13 - 4:00 remaining in 3rd quarter. Wish the Pats had more easy games like this one.

The OP figures that the first 45 minutes of a game do not count and only the last 15 do.

No the op understands a game is 60 minutes and all 60 count

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

The only reason we were tied with NY midway through 3 was our own doing. We were moving the ball well but shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and missed redzone chances.

 

[mgteich]

???
We've won 12 of the last 13. How is this UNPREDICTABLE? What is unpredictable? The weather?

I think a better term would be unpredictable division games.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Its like jets* get up playing Pats like its their SB plus they probably don't want to get embarrassed blown out. Miami always has been an enigma going down there but on a whole we take of business. Bills, it is what it is.

 

[oldrover]

...we should stop demanding the Pats be up 24-0 at halftime of every game we play.

100% agree. That mindset IMHO started to take hold in segments of the fan base with the 2007 season, and has remained. It is ridiculous and unrealistic.

 

[Soliel]

???
We've won 12 of the last 13. How is this UNPREDICTABLE? What is unpredictable? The weather?

No, the score. You can’t predict how much they win by.