Who to root for week 16

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Dolphins (5-9) at Patriots (11-3) 1:00PM ET

Of course.

Texans (10-4) at Colts (1-13) Thur 8:20PM ET

If the Patriots beat the Dolphins, and Colts beat the Texans, the Patriots will clinch a bye. (#2 seed)

If Patriots beat the Dolphins, and Rams beat the Steelers, and Colts beat the Texans, and Browns beat the Ravens then the Patriots will clinch a bye and homefield. (#1 seed)

Browns (4-10) at Ravens (10-4) 1:00PM ET,
Rams (2-12) at Steelers (10-4) 1:00PM ET,

If Patriots beat the Dolphins, and Rams beat the Steelers, and Browns beat the Ravens. (but Texans win) the Patriots will clinch a bye #2 seed.

If Patriots beat the Dolphins, and Rams beat the Steelers, and Colts beat the Texans, and Browns beat the Ravens then the Patriots will clinch a bye and homefield. (#1 seed)

Falcons (9-5) at Saints (11-3) Mon 8:30PM ET,

We have the Saints first round pick.

49ers (11-3) at Seahawks (7-7) 4:15PM ET,

A 49ers win and the Saints losing and the Saints will not have a bye.

Raiders (7-7) at Chiefs (6-8) 1:00PM ET,

We have the Raiders 2nd round pick. A Chiefs win means the Raiders can not win the division.

Cardinals (7-7) at Bengals (8-6) 1:00PM ET,

A Chiefs win plus a Bengals win and the Raiders miss the playoffs.

Broncos (8-6) at Bills (5-9) 1:00PM ET, buy tix

Keep Oakland from winning the division.

Jaguars (4-10) at Titans (7-7) 1:00PM ET,
Chargers (7-7) at Lions (9-5) 4:05PM ET,

Keep Oakland out of the playoffs.

Eagles (6-8) at Cowboys (8-6) 4:15PM ET,

We might have the Eagles's 7th.

Giants (7-7) at Jets (8-6) 1:00PM ET,

In theory a Jets win is most benifical to the Patriots, because if Chiefs beat the Raiders, and Jets beat the Giants, then Oakland is out of the playoffs increasing the value of said pick. But I even a draft pick value fananic such as I has to draw the line somewhere. Eff the Jets.

Buccaneers (4-10) at Panthers (5-9) 1:00PM ET,
Vikings (2-12) at Redskins (5-9) 1:00PM ET,
Bears (7-7) at Packers (13-1) Sun 8:20PM ET

These games have no impact for NEP

 

[goheels22002]

I disagree with two of your selections, mostly because I do not see the need to keep Oakland (or anyone from that AFC West, actually) out of the playoffs. Why does the AFC West get an automatic playoff team anyway? There may not be a team in that division with a winning record for crying out loud.

Do we not want the Bills to polish off the Denver Broncos? Enough with Tim Tebow and all that.

Also we must root for the Detroit Lions to beat the San Diego Chargers. Rooting for Norv is like rooting for a root canal.

Oakland winning the AFC West is not so bad. Brutal travel for the AFC wild card - probably the Steelers. Five hours out and five hours back in a pressurized airplane will be excruciating on Ben's ankle and Harrison's brain. A few salty peanuts and those things will swell up up like the Hindenburg. If the Ravens have to travel they'll lose - they are such weenies when it comes to flying cross country.

If Oakland wins, Brady has the Tuck Rule in his back pocket he could do again at Gillette. Gruden will jump to his death from the press box.

I'm definitely rooting for KC to win - Romeo Crennel is a good man and deserves that job.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

I'm attempting to come up with something to differ, but with a "we win out and we're #1" scenario, I really can't find myself caring enough about other games.
I guess if I have to nitpick, in the "battle of NY" game I am rooting for the meteor.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Just saw on NFLN that McKnight is looking like he won't play (shoulder). Could hurt the Jets with field position, which I think is important to that offense.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

For sheer drama I want to see

Buffalo (at home) over Denver
Kansas City (at home) over Oakland
Detroit (at home) over San Diego

Then that would set up a battle for the AFC West championshipship, in week 17, between Denver and Tebow vs. Kansas City and Orton.

I heard Peter King describing this on the radio this morning, so I guess KC has a tiebreaker edge if they win out, in the above scenario.

Added benefit: if interim coach Romeo Crennel gets them into the playoffs, he will be interim coach no more.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I disagree with two of your selections, mostly because I do not see the need to keep Oakland (or anyone from that AFC West, actually) out of the playoffs. Why does the AFC West get an automatic playoff team anyway? There may not be a team in that division with a winning record for crying out loud.

Do we not want the Bills to polish off the Denver Broncos? Enough with Tim Tebow and all that.

Also we must root for the Detroit Lions to beat the San Diego Chargers. Rooting for Norv is like rooting for a root canal.

Oakland winning the AFC West is not so bad. Brutal travel for the AFC wild card - probably the Steelers. Five hours out and five hours back in a pressurized airplane will be excruciating on Ben's ankle and Harrison's brain. A few salty peanuts and those things will swell up up like the Hindenburg. If the Ravens have to travel they'll lose - they are such weenies when it comes to flying cross country.

If Oakland wins, Brady has the Tuck Rule in his back pocket he could do again at Gillette. Gruden will jump to his death from the press box.

I'm definitely rooting for KC to win - Romeo Crennel is a good man and deserves that job.

Reading is fundamental. Keeping the Raiders out of the playoffs improves our 2nd round draft pick exponentially as the playoff seeds round out the draft order irrespective of where their record would have them picking. Besides SD is rounding into form and either they or Denver (who has god and altitude on their side) have more potential to give either of the wildcards fits than the Palmer led Raiders whose two best players are freakin' kickers. And if SD - who is also cross country - makes the playoffs Norv keeps his job, and that is a good thing...for future opponents.

 

[The_Riddler]

Reading is fundamental. Keeping the Raiders out of the playoffs improves our 2nd round draft pick exponentially as the playoff seeds round out the draft order irrespective of where their record would have them picking. Besides SD is rounding into form and either they or Denver (who has god and altitude on their side) have more potential to give either of the wildcards fits than the Palmer led Raiders whose two best players are freakin' kickers. And if SD - who is also cross country - makes the playoffs Norv keeps his job, and that is a good thing...for future opponents.

I believe the Raider pick in 2012 is a 3rd rounder.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I believe the Raider pick in 2012 is a 3rd rounder.

Looks like it is second round.

2012 Patriots Draft Picks | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2012 NFL Draft

Wow -- no picks after the fourth. I have a feeling that will change.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I believe the Raider pick in 2012 is a 3rd rounder.

Nope......

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Looks like it is second round.

2012 Patriots Draft Picks | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2012 NFL Draft

Wow -- no picks after the fourth. I have a feeling that will change.

Yeah, but two firsts, two seconds a third and a fourth... We got plenty of depth and developmental players on this roster. What we need is a talent infusion.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Yeah, but two firsts, two seconds a third and a fourth... We got plenty of depth and developmental players on this roster. What we need is a talent infusion.

I agree. Just a matter whether the man in charge does. Seems to me BB likes those late picks, or maybe it's just worked out that he's had a lot the last few years. Also I could see the Pats getting a late-round pick in '12 as part of a deal that, say, turns a '12 second into a '13 first or second. Anyway, don't want to get the thread too far off track here.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Yeah, but two firsts, two seconds a third and a fourth... We got plenty of depth and developmental players on this roster. What we need is a talent infusion.

Precisely

Normally I really enjoy reading this site in April as various posters' binkies get bypassed by BB and they implode hilariously, but this next April I'm all for trading up to address specific weaknesses. Bill needs to do a bit of self-analysis. It will show that he's really good at picking up fill-in players from UDFA, so why not trade up for a specific guy that addressed a hole rather than accumulate 2nd round picks that have mostly been poor selections?

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Precisely

Normally I really enjoy reading this site in April as various posters' binkies get bypassed by BB and they implode hilariously, but this next April I'm all for trading up to address specific weaknesses. Bill needs to do a bit of self-analysis. It will show that he's really good at picking up fill-in players from UDFA, so why not trade up for a specific guy that addressed a hole rather than accumulate 2nd round picks that have mostly been poor selections?

I think he has eschewed the trade up because you never really do know what you got 'til you get it in your system. Same could be said for FA's, but at least you have a wealth of relevant film and perhaps personal experience and some insider information from coaches or players on which to make those need based decisions. College players are a crap shoot from so many perspectives. Suh is a prime example... Talent will only take you so far, and in a system like ours intangibles and coachability and drive and focus matter so much it's tough to balance it all out.

 

[BlueThunder]

I'm sure BB has enough contacts at the college level to get coaches evals and grab some potentially good players who could really add value immediately and not be developmental type players....

Last year he had the perfect chance to bundle and move around but all I saw was trading out and down......I choked on my popcorn multiple times....

This year I see more of the same and nothing will surprize me when he drafts.....He has the Pats at 11-3 with smoke and mirrors this year after dumping the whole DB (Meri,Sanders,Butler,Bodden) and then getting whacked harder with the IR bug ( Wright,Dowling,Pryor,Koppen,Carter)...not to mention the standard injury bug where key players miss multiple games in a row.....

As stated above, he has a bunch of players that need more work to develop (Vereen,Dowling,Ridley,Cannon,Solder) so let's not go crazy and dilute the talent on the team....Pick high...not often....