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Post by joemcrugby on May 28, 2019 12:15:16 GMT -7
Thought that I'd start a new thread for discussion about our collective "favorite" franchise. As solid of a franchise that they are, this plays a big factor in their year-upon-year title contention as they don't need to have their crap together until a stretch run while enjoying an annual divisional round bye and at least one home game is a huge advantage. There are some excellent charts in the Washington Post article that can't be posted in this forum. The Patriots have the NFL’s easiest schedule for the third year in a rowBy Neil Greenberg May 28 at 10:47 AM The New England Patriots are a football dynasty and if this season’s early projections hold true, they are well positioned to build upon it given an extremely favorable regular season schedule. Despite the league’s schedule makers jump through hoops to insure parity, the Patriots once again have the easiest schedule in the NFL. To determine this we used the weekly preseason point spreads released by CG Technology in May to calculate each team’s projected record and its opponents’ records. Since New England’s division, the AFC East, is the worst division in the NFL and the AFC East plays two other divisions expected to be near the bottom, the NFC East and AFC North, the average opponent of the Patriots in 2019 is expected to win 7 or 8 games during the regular season, not dissimilar to last year’s exercise or the results from 2017. The toughest game for New England this season occurs during its Week 11 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, the only game in which the Patriots are not the preseason favorite (plus-1). The second-toughest contest is the Week 9 clash with the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium — there the Patriots are still a 2.5-point preseason favorite. CG Technology only released point spreads for Weeks 2 through 16. Week 17 was estimated using the Simple Rating System, which takes into account average point differential and strength of schedule. If we convert these point spreads to win rates there is a 55 percent chance the Patriots win 12 or more games in 2019. They won 11 games in 2018 en route to their second title in three years. Teams with the most difficult schedules in 2019 include the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos. Two of those teams, the Bears and Texans, were division winners in 2018, making a repeat performance less likely. The Patriots’ easy schedule, coupled with New England’s strength as a team, makes them a virtual lock for the division title. The New York Jets (7-9 projected record in 2019), Buffalo Bills (7-9) and Miami Dolphins (6-10) are all expected to finish well behind the Patriots in the AFC East, giving New England a 96-percent chance to finish on top for an 11th straight season. That, in turn, gives Bill Belichick and Tom Brady a conference-high 19 percent chance to win the AFC (again) and a league-high 13 percent chance to win a seventh Super Bowl ring in 2020. The takeaway for 2019, therefore, is simple: the Patriots remain the best team in the NFL until further notice. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/28/patriots-have-nfls-easiest-schedule-third-year-row/?utm_term=.40a2174de2c5 |
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Post by frozendisc on May 28, 2019 13:19:38 GMT -7
No game in the NFL is easy......so every game in the NFL must be hard?
Maybe Brady can fill his other hand with rings......
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Post by joemcrugby on May 28, 2019 19:58:10 GMT -7
No game in the NFL is easy......so every game in the NFL must be hard? Maybe Brady can fill his other hand with rings...... Not equally hard. You are well aware of that. The Pats skated leisurely through the season in an unfocused manner facing a soft schedule, then amped it up over the last couple of weeks. Even with that coasting, it was enough to get a first round bye with an 11-5 record. Look for the same in 2019, and there’s a strong chance again for them to get a bye despite having a worse record than a wild card team. |
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Post by totallybolted on May 28, 2019 20:39:28 GMT -7
AFCE sucks.
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Post by chargerfreak on May 29, 2019 2:02:51 GMT -7
Its tough, but they can't be blamed for what division they are in. However, they are EXACTLY what I talk about...........If only the village would listen to me and Belichick.............. Poster: I want to play NE again for revenge !!!! Freak: Not me, give me Buffalo. frozen: You want to play the best to harden yourself for the postseason. Freak: No. I don't WANT to play the best ever, if I can avoid it. Result: Beat to hell and exhausted by the time we get to NE AT NE . There's your "hardened". I know I am once again in the minority here, or alone. Been here before. This debate is an absolute no brainer to me. Leave emotions out, and make good sense. Belichick and I laugh. Hey Bill, would you prefer to play the Chargers, the Rams, KC, and New Orleans OR The Bills and the Jets 4 times each year, every single year.......... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Seriously guys. C'mon.
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Post by frozendisc on May 29, 2019 7:20:45 GMT -7
Well yea.....except for that one team that has a nasty habit of winning Super Bowls.
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Post by frozendisc on May 29, 2019 7:24:13 GMT -7
Its tough, but they can't be blamed for what division they are in. However, they are EXACTLY what I talk about...........If only the village would listen to me and Belichick.............. Poster: I want to play NE again for revenge !!!! Freak: Not me, give me Buffalo. frozen: You want to play the best to harden yourself for the postseason. Freak: No. I don't WANT to play the best ever, if I can avoid it. Result: Beat to hell and exhausted by the time we get to NE AT NE . There's your "hardened". I know I am once again in the minority here, or alone. Been here before. This debate is an absolute no brainer to me. Leave emotions out, and make good sense. Belichick and I laugh. Hey Bill, would you prefer to play the Chargers, the Rams, KC, and New Orleans OR The Bills and the Jets 4 times each year, every single year.......... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Seriously guys. C'mon. So what you are saying is you completely embrace the easy schedule the Patriots will enjoy, and are just envious it is them instead of the Bolts. No team picks their opponent, so just play them as they come along.....
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Post by chargerfreak on May 29, 2019 9:43:56 GMT -7
Its tough, but they can't be blamed for what division they are in. However, they are EXACTLY what I talk about...........If only the village would listen to me and Belichick.............. Poster: I want to play NE again for revenge !!!! Freak: Not me, give me Buffalo. frozen: You want to play the best to harden yourself for the postseason. Freak: No. I don't WANT to play the best ever, if I can avoid it. Result: Beat to hell and exhausted by the time we get to NE AT NE . There's your "hardened". I know I am once again in the minority here, or alone. Been here before. This debate is an absolute no brainer to me. Leave emotions out, and make good sense. Belichick and I laugh. Hey Bill, would you prefer to play the Chargers, the Rams, KC, and New Orleans OR The Bills and the Jets 4 times each year, every single year.......... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Seriously guys. C'mon. So what you are saying is you completely embrace the easy schedule the Patriots will enjoy, and are just envious it is them instead of the Bolts. No team picks their opponent, so just play them as they come along..... No, what I am saying is that NE and I have destroyed your "let's play tough schedules to harden our team".
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Post by totallybolted on May 29, 2019 9:46:47 GMT -7
Its tough, but they can't be blamed for what division they are in. However, they are EXACTLY what I talk about...........If only the village would listen to me and Belichick.............. Poster: I want to play NE again for revenge !!!! Freak: Not me, give me Buffalo. frozen: You want to play the best to harden yourself for the postseason. Freak: No. I don't WANT to play the best ever, if I can avoid it. Result: Beat to hell and exhausted by the time we get to NE AT NE . There's your "hardened". I know I am once again in the minority here, or alone. Been here before. This debate is an absolute no brainer to me. Leave emotions out, and make good sense. Belichick and I laugh. Hey Bill, would you prefer to play the Chargers, the Rams, KC, and New Orleans OR The Bills and the Jets 4 times each year, every single year.......... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Seriously guys. C'mon. So what you are saying is you completely embrace the easy schedule the Patriots will enjoy, and are just envious it is them instead of the Bolts. No team picks their opponent, so just play them as they come along..... If you think the rest of the teams in the division don't matter, then I have no words for you. NE has won that many because they are in the PO every year due to the suckage around them.
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Post by frozendisc on May 29, 2019 10:22:17 GMT -7
So what you are saying is you completely embrace the easy schedule the Patriots will enjoy, and are just envious it is them instead of the Bolts. No team picks their opponent, so just play them as they come along..... If you think the rest of the teams in the division don't matter, then I have no words for you. NE has won that many because they are in the PO every year due to the suckage around them. Since 2001 season the Pats have had one season with less than 10 wins, they had only 9 that year. While your point is fair, clearly the Pats have been beating other teams as well as those in their division. They are in the PO's more often than not because they win in the regular season......and I suspect it is because they are doing things correctly much more than the other teams doing things incorrectly.
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Post by frozendisc on May 29, 2019 10:25:39 GMT -7
So what you are saying is you completely embrace the easy schedule the Patriots will enjoy, and are just envious it is them instead of the Bolts. No team picks their opponent, so just play them as they come along..... No, what I am saying is that NE and I have destroyed your "let's play tough schedules to harden our team". You do not get to pick your opponents.....and teams change every year anyway. Good teams, bad teams, you just play the games as they come, and hope to win.
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Post by LIGHTS OUT on May 29, 2019 10:31:13 GMT -7
If you think the rest of the teams in the division don't matter, then I have no words for you. NE has won that many because they are in the PO every year due to the suckage around them. Since 2001 season the Pats have had one season with less than 10 wins, they had only 9 that year. While your point is fair, clearly the Pats have been beating other teams as well as those in their division. They are in the PO's more often than not because they win in the regular season......and I suspect it is because they are doing things correctly much more than the other teams doing things incorrectly. I wonder if lost draft picks, suspensions and fines would fall under the category of "doing things correctly". The Patriots have done a great job of maximizing a generational QB/Coach combination by beating up on sub-par competition in their division and repeatedly crossing the moral line. It has been a combination of skill, luck and the willingness to do what other teams won't do that has led to the Lombardi collection. One has to wonder what other things they have done that went unnoticed.
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Post by frozendisc on May 29, 2019 10:39:45 GMT -7
Since 2001 season the Pats have had one season with less than 10 wins, they had only 9 that year. While your point is fair, clearly the Pats have been beating other teams as well as those in their division. They are in the PO's more often than not because they win in the regular season......and I suspect it is because they are doing things correctly much more than the other teams doing things incorrectly. I wonder if lost draft picks, suspensions and fines would fall under the category of "doing things correctly". The Patriots have done a great job of maximizing a generational QB/Coach combination by beating up on sub-par competition in their division and repeatedly crossing the moral line. It has been a combination of skill, luck and the willingness to do what other teams won't do that has led to the Lombardi collection. One has to wonder what other things they have done that went unnoticed. The Pats have certainly faced their share of adversity along the way, with a good bit of it self caused, no doubt. The entire 'beating up on sub-par competition' seems like hyperbole to me. You can't seriously believe the teams the Pats have beat, over close to 20 seasons now, have all been 'sub-par'.....can you? Winning requires Talent, Health and Luck.....no team has won a championship without those aspects.
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Post by LIGHTS OUT on May 29, 2019 10:59:52 GMT -7
I wonder if lost draft picks, suspensions and fines would fall under the category of "doing things correctly". The Patriots have done a great job of maximizing a generational QB/Coach combination by beating up on sub-par competition in their division and repeatedly crossing the moral line. It has been a combination of skill, luck and the willingness to do what other teams won't do that has led to the Lombardi collection. One has to wonder what other things they have done that went unnoticed. The Pats have certainly faced their share of adversity along the way, with a good bit of it self caused, no doubt. The entire 'beating up on sub-par competition' seems like hyperbole to me. You can't seriously believe the teams the Pats have beat, over close to 20 seasons now, have all been 'sub-par'.....can you? Winning requires Talent, Health and Luck.....no team has won a championship without those aspects. They have some big wins in the playoffs against very good teams (Steelers/Colts come to mind). But an almost guaranteed division title, first round bye and home field at Gillette is certainly an advantage that no other team has had for the past few decades. They have talent, luck and health going for them as well....but the other part is certainly part of the equation (not the only thing, but it is relevant).
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Post by chargerfreak on May 29, 2019 13:05:27 GMT -7
The Pats have certainly faced their share of adversity along the way, with a good bit of it self caused, no doubt. The entire 'beating up on sub-par competition' seems like hyperbole to me. You can't seriously believe the teams the Pats have beat, over close to 20 seasons now, have all been 'sub-par'.....can you? Winning requires Talent, Health and Luck.....no team has won a championship without those aspects. They have some big wins in the playoffs against very good teams (Steelers/Colts come to mind). But an almost guaranteed division title, first round bye and home field at Gillette is certainly an advantage that no other team has had for the past few decades. They have talent, luck and health going for them as well....but the other part is certainly part of the equation (not the only thing, but it is relevant). You have had two fantastic back to back posts. No one else will tell you that on here, I will.
Cruise through the division, get a bye week, then pour it on for two home games.
Major adversity.
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