Who do we root for?

[Ring 6]

What happened in 2005. when Belichick pulled Brady with the #3 seed on the line?

They didn’t lose on purpose. They rested Brady, and tried to win.

 

[Lavictoire]

This is the way we should be thinking because with a win against the Jags next week, we'll have a discussion of whether to purposely lose against the Phins.

Assuming the Bills are automatic to beat the Jets (which, I don't think BB will be thinking this way) a win against the Phins would send the Patriots to Indy or Buffalo on the first weekend, whereas a loss to the Phins would send them to Tennessee (I think it's greater than 90% that Tennessee is going to be the 2nd seed.)

So--who would we rather play? @ Tennessee? Or @Buffalo/@Colts? All depends on whether we beat or lose to the Phins.

No no no, we purposely lost one year and ended up in Denver and losing.

 

[Ross12]

Thank you all for doing the heavy math lifting in this thread. I thought I was missing the obvious calculations but clearly it’s very complicated.

What I am emboldened by is, it seems that if the Pats win out, they’re in the playoffs.

And also, I have a weird feeling ATL could beat the Bills.

I can definitely see the Bills being too full of themselves after their win yesterday, not paying attention or game-planning properly for the “lowly Falcons” and tripping up. I mean they lost to the Jags…

 

[upstater1]

No no no, we purposely lost one year and ended up in Denver and losing.

Yeah, I know. With Belichick though, you never know how he's going to play it. He has sat key players in the last game in the past once playoff seeding was assured. A 6th or 7th place seed isn't going to make a huge difference, but actually as I think about it, a team that beats Tennessee that first weekend, like for instance the Chargers, would face KC in the 2nd week, while a Patriots upset at the Colts or Bills would pit them against the Bengals or Colts/Bills.

So, in that sense, go for the win.

 

[Foxypats]

First and foremost we need to root for the Saints tonight. I know it is a tall order since they are on their 4th string QB, but stranger things have happened !

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

First and foremost we need to root for the Saints tonight. I know it is a tall order since they are on their 4th string QB, but stranger things have happened !

True, if they could beat tampa with taysom hill , they may be capable of beating miami with you or i at qb

 

[VectorPrime]

True, if they could beat tampa with taysom hill , they may be capable of beating miami with you or i at qb

Turns out this was very wrong. That QB was flaming trash.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Turns out this was very wrong. That QB was flaming trash.

maybe foxy and i are better qbs than him. Stop assuming dude!

 

[chasa]

this is shaping up to be one of those seasons where we win 10 games and miss the playoffs.

 

[gitgronked82]

Yeah, I know. With Belichick though, you never know how he's going to play it. He has sat key players in the last game in the past once playoff seeding was assured. A 6th or 7th place seed isn't going to make a huge difference, but actually as I think about it, a team that beats Tennessee that first weekend, like for instance the Chargers, would face KC in the 2nd week, while a Patriots upset at the Colts or Bills would pit them against the Bengals or Colts/Bills.

So, in that sense, go for the win.

Is this true? Wouldn’t the chiefs just play the lowest seed? So if we win and no other wildcard team wins, we are in KC? Or is it a fixed bracket now?

 

[signbabybrady]

this is shaping up to be one of those seasons where we win 10 games and miss the playoffs.

I think we are in with a win over the Jags and either a Tenn win or an Indy win this week.

 

[Steve102]

I think we are in with a win over the Jags and either a Tenn win or an Indy win this week.

 

[VectorPrime]

Dolphins are playing the Titans so don’t worry about that one.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

Dolphins playing the Titans and the Raiders playing the Colts. Both of them on the road.
Looks good to make the playoffs with a win next week
Although Mac has performed underwhelming the last few weeks I am sure it will translate into a valuable learning experience fir the future. This season has been a step forward in the rebuild. Way beyond my expectations
Go Pats

 

[kennyb]

Dreading seeing the pats humiliated on national tv again. Not sure who would be the easiest opponent.

 

[upstater1]

Is this true? Wouldn’t the chiefs just play the lowest seed? So if we win and no other wildcard team wins, we are in KC? Or is it a fixed bracket now?

I think I wrote that this was all based on the 7th seed beating Tennessee. That would mean the 7th seed goes to KC. New England as the 6th seed would then play the Bengals, Bills or Colts.

 

[PatsDeb]

First of all, we need to root for ourselves. If we don't win these last two games do we even make the playoffs? Secondly, we need to root for the opponents for the next two weeks of Buffalo, the Chiefs, the Titans, the Dolphins (which is us, the last week), and anyone else on our tails!

Edit - I see above someone said we have to win just one of our last two to make the playoffs. I really hope we win both, and look good doing so.

 

[upstater1]

this is shaping up to be one of those seasons where we win 10 games and miss the playoffs.

At least that's better than 11 wins and missing the playoffs, which has happened to us.

For get 11 wins (i.e. 11-6) but we have gone 11-5 and missed.

 

[upstater1]

First of all, we need to root for ourselves. If we don't win these last two games do we even make the playoffs? Secondly, we need to root for the opponents for the next two weeks of Buffalo, the Chiefs, the Titans, the Dolphins (which is us, the last week), and anyone else on our tails!

Yes, there's a very very high chance that if we only win one of the last 2, we're in regardless.

 

[Pape]

Yes, there's a very very high chance that if we only win one of the last 2, we're in regardless.

i think you are correct...

on the espn playoff machine, even with Miami winning out, we are in as the 7th seed if we beat the Jaguars... i didn't try all the various win/loss combos for afc teams... just picked the "most likely" winners...

that scenario would set us up as the 7 seed vs the 2 seed, the Tennessee Titans

If we win out, and buffalo wins out (vs Atl & the Jete, which is likely) the highest seed we are looking at is the 5th seed, and we'd (most likely) be onto Cincinnati, the 4th seed ...