The Patriots, with an 11-5 record, officially miss the playoffs

[Roy Hobbs]

There is something wrong with a system where an 8-8 team makes the play-offs and an 11-5 team stays home.

That happens in all sports, though.  In the NBA last season, the 37-45 Hawks made the playoffs, but the 48-34 Warriors didn't.  In MLB, the Yankees won 89 games and missed the playoffs, but the Dodgers won 84 games and made it.  Similar results happen in the NHL and college football.

Things like that are going to happen in any league that is divided into conferences and that rewards division winners. 

[ma11l]

There is something wrong with a system where an 8-8 team makes the play-offs and an 11-5 team stays home.

That happens in all sports, though.  In the NBA last season, the 37-45 Hawks made the playoffs, but the 48-34 Warriors didn't.  In MLB, the Yankees won 89 games and missed the playoffs, but the Dodgers won 84 games and made it.  Similar results happen in the NHL and college football.

Things like that are going to happen in any league that is divided into conferences and that rewards division winners. 

I agree with you here, there needs to be a reward to winning your division.  Sometimes that works against the teams in the better divisions but that's part of sports.


I might be a little more upset about this if we hadn't played the Chargers this year.  We lost in San Diego by about as much as the King lost by last night.  If we won that game against the 8-8 team that's in the playoffs we'd be in there with them.

[Finkelskyhook]

I really don't get whats so entertaining about American football, and I really try. Most of the world doesn't.
I have NASN and it shows collage games all the time, and since I have a broken leg I watch a lot of TV. I watch 6-7 games a week and I still can't understand the rules.
And I won't even start about Baseball, I think best sports are simple ones and with simple rules, like football, tennis, even basketball.
Just saw the DAL-PHI game and I liked it a lot, who knows maybe I'll start to understand this game better with time

Yeah, because soccer is so exciting to watch.  I especially love when some ref wakes up from his trance to run over to some player holding up a card.  It's probably the most exciting thing soccer has to offer.  The riots in the stands must be especially fun for anybody foolish enough to bring their kids.  

I'd agree with you, Brick, about Favre....As long as he plays another 10 years with a muzzle so we're not subjected to his ad nauseum narcissism.

[Chris]

As much as it sucks the Pats didn't make the playoffs, the Dolphins and Ravens absolutely deserved to be there.  The Pats blew their chances against the Jets and Colts, and it sealed their fate.  It sucks that a team like San Diego got in with such a bad record, but that is how it works. 

Here is a question though...in the draft, do the Pats still get a lower pick than San Diego, or do they just get the lowest pick of all of the teams that didn't make the playoffs?

[Roy Hobbs]

Here is a question though...in the draft, do the Pats still get a lower pick than San Diego, or do they just get the lowest pick of all of the teams that didn't make the playoffs?

In the NFL, draft order is determined solely by record, with the exception that the Super Bowl winner and runner-up get the last two picks in the round.  Therefore, even though they missed the playoffs, the Patriots will something like the 24th pick.

[Brendan]

The Pats could have beaten the Jets or Dolphins and made the playoffs, they didn't. They also got their butt kicked (royally) by San Diego. It stinks as a Pats fan - but you could see this coming as they rolled up wins against a weak NFC West and lost conference games. (Having to play Indy and Pitt off schedule is the price you pay for going 16-0.)

The one that hurts the most is Indy - where a bad penalty (IMO) for unnecessary roughness took them out of the game late.

[nickagneta]

The Pats lost to five teams, the Colts, the Steelers, the Dolphins, the Chargers and the Jets. Four of those teams are representing the AFC in the playoffs. If the Pats have a problem with not making the playoffs then they have only themselves to blame as virtually every team they lost to turned out to be a playoff team.

[Evantime34]

I think this will be a large offseason for the Pats. Hopefully they can franchise and trade Matt Cassell for a first. In the Draft I would like to see them get an impact corner, linebacker or safety my pick would be James Laurinitas. Also Vilma, and Dunta Robinson could become free agents. I think that the Patriots will be back terrorising the nfl next year with a young, fast revamped defense and an explosive Tom Brady lead offense.

[Cman]

I think this will be a large offseason for the Pats. Hopefully they can franchise and trade Matt Cassell for a first.

I hear you, but with Brady questionable for next season, chances are the Pats franchise and keep Cassell.  The problem with the franchise tag for a QB is that it will kill a lot of the salary cap flexibility the Pats have in the offseason...

[Evantime34]

I think this will be a large offseason for the Pats. Hopefully they can franchise and trade Matt Cassell for a first.

I hear you, but with Brady questionable for next season, chances are the Pats franchise and keep Cassell.  The problem with the franchise tag for a QB is that it will kill a lot of the salary cap flexibility the Pats have in the offseason...

I still like franchising him because if Brady is not healthy then we keep Cassell. If Brady is healthy by the start of the season they can get a lot for Matt at a time when teams will be scrambling for a QB

[crownsy]

I think this will be a large offseason for the Pats. Hopefully they can franchise and trade Matt Cassell for a first.

I hear you, but with Brady questionable for next season, chances are the Pats franchise and keep Cassell.  The problem with the franchise tag for a QB is that it will kill a lot of the salary cap flexibility the Pats have in the offseason...

I still like franchising him because if Brady is not healthy then we keep Cassell. If Brady is healthy by the start of the season they can get a lot for Matt at a time when teams will be scrambling for a QB

you will absolutely not get alot for a franchised matt cassell. This thinking frustrates me more than anything. think through it as an NFL team.

Why on earth would an NFL team trade us a"alot" for a guy who is signed to them for ONE SEASON ONLY( you can't renegotiate a franchised players deal in season) for 14 million who has every  chance and right to bolt at the end of the year for more money?

would you trade alot to rent a player for a year and pay his top 5 deal against your cap with a good chance of losing him if he plays well the next year?

The pats would of course get something, i'd guess a 4th or 5th draft pick. mabey a third if they a GM drunk....or if its the raiders.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

Okay, So when the Patriots beat the Rams in there first superbowl this decade...record: 11-5
Last years Giants: 10-6
Steelers last superbowl team : 11-5

Just some examples of how messed up this really is

[Chris]

I think this will be a large offseason for the Pats. Hopefully they can franchise and trade Matt Cassell for a first.

I hear you, but with Brady questionable for next season, chances are the Pats franchise and keep Cassell.  The problem with the franchise tag for a QB is that it will kill a lot of the salary cap flexibility the Pats have in the offseason...

I still like franchising him because if Brady is not healthy then we keep Cassell. If Brady is healthy by the start of the season they can get a lot for Matt at a time when teams will be scrambling for a QB

you will absolutely not get alot for a franchised matt cassell. This thinking frustrates me more than anything. think through it as an NFL team.

Why on earth would an NFL team trade us a"alot" for a guy who is signed to them for ONE SEASON ONLY( you can't renegotiate a franchised players deal in season) for 14 million who has every  chance and right to bolt at the end of the year for more money?

would you trade alot to rent a player for a year and pay his top 5 deal against your cap with a good chance of losing him if he plays well the next year?

The pats would of course get something, i'd guess a 4th or 5th draft pick. mabey a third if they a GM drunk....or if its the raiders.

I think you are misunderstanding what people are talking about, when they talk about franchising him and trading him.  Once a player is franchised, they can still sign a long term contract and traded.  They do not need to be signed to the 1 year deal.  

All the franchise tag means is that if the team and player cannot come up with a long term deal, then the player has the option of taking the 1 year deal, if it cannot be reached.  And of course it also means any team that signed him away without working out a trade would have to give up draft picks.

The only way Cassell plays on a 1 year deal next year is if he is franchised and decides to sign that one year deal with the Patriots.

[FanInTheSouth]

I think this will be a large offseason for the Pats. Hopefully they can franchise and trade Matt Cassell for a first. In the Draft I would like to see them get an impact corner, linebacker or safety my pick would be James Laurinitas. Also Vilma, and Dunta Robinson could become free agents. I think that the Patriots will be back terrorising the nfl next year with a young, fast revamped defense and an explosive Tom Brady lead offense.

I don't think the Pats will sign Vilma even if he is a free agent.  He was very clear that he didn't like playing in a 3-4 defense when he was with the Jets, and I don't think the Pats would make an offer to him for the same reason. 

[Brickowski]

They need another good cornerback. They could also use an inside linebacker, but not Vilma.