2015 Patriots Football

[Donoghus]

I'm going to try to stay hopeful. They started the game strong, may have kept it going if it wasn't for a bizarre drop-kick call, and they staged a pretty good rally to make it interesting at the end. Gronk could be back in the next week or two, then Edelman within a couple weeks after that, and Amendola's already back, along with Collins. Hopefully Hightower is back is a week or two. This team, when healthy, can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Except the damage has already been done. As things stand right now, we're playing on wild card weekend. Frankly, I find it more likely that we will lose another game, rather than Denver or the Bengals. Given how beaten up this team is, if we have no bye week and then have to head to Mile High, you can kiss the  season goodbye. But yeah, one can hope.

Bengals & Broncos face each other in Week 16 so, unless there is a tie, one of them is getting another L.

[kozlodoev]

Bengals & Broncos face each other in Week 16 so, unless there is a tie, one of them is getting another L.

Fair enough, I forgot about that. Have to win them all from now on then, I guess.

[PhoSita]

Who are the best teams in the AFC right now?  For my money, it's the Steelers and Chiefs.  Maybe the Broncos when they're at home, though I suspect Osweiler will get exposed eventually.

I've never believed in the Bengals.

I have a feeling we could be headed toward a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl.

[kozlodoev]

Who are the best teams in the AFC right now?  For my money, it's the Steelers and Chiefs.  Maybe the Broncos when they're at home, though I suspect Osweiler will get exposed eventually.

I've never believed in the Bengals.

I have a feeling we could be headed toward a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl.

I think Osweiler is pretty good. As long as they do enough on defense, they should be fine. I'd be less worried about them if they decide to play Manning again.

The only reason I wasn't taking the Bengals seriously is because I believed that Andy Dalton would eventually turn into Andy Dalton down the road. He hasn't yet, so I think it's about time to start worrying he may actually be ok in the playoffs, too.

[Donoghus]

Who are the best teams in the AFC right now?  For my money, it's the Steelers and Chiefs.  Maybe the Broncos when they're at home, though I suspect Osweiler will get exposed eventually.

I've never believed in the Bengals.

I have a feeling we could be headed toward a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl.

Steelers & Chiefs are certainly the two hottest teams in the AFC.  However, both are facing road games in wild card weekend if they make it.  Not exactly the best situation to be in although one of them would have to face a pathetic AFC South champ.   You just don't want to get stuck with the #3 seed and be forced to face the other one. 

I think, if healthy (which is a big "if" right now), the Pats are still the team to beat in the AFC despite what has been seen recently.   Steelers might be the scariest team out there and I'm actually in the minority when it comes to the Bengals; I actually think they're pretty legit this year and could pose a danger.  Denver?  I just don't know yet how seriously to take them come playoffs.

In the NFC, the Seahawks are going to be that team that nobody wants to face come playoff time.  They're getting their acts together at the right time and it certainly wouldn't surprise me if they knocked off CAR or AZ.   I think that conference is wide-open right now outside of the awful NFC East.

[jambr380]

It's easy to get down on the Pats as they have lost two straight, but those two losses had very strange things happen in them. The calls couldn't have gone worse for the Pats in the Broncos game and they still managed to bring it back to overtime. This past weekend, an interception, a punt, and a blocked punt were returned for a td in a game for only the third time in NFL history...HISTORY - and they still had the ball at the end with a chance to tie.

Both games they were pretty decimated by injuries. This should solve itself in the coming weeks.

They now have four games left - with only the Jets and Titans posing a threat. If we lose on of those (therefore knocking us down to Wild Card weekend), we may have something to worry about; but right now, I am still feeling confident we can get back to the Super Bowl with a healthy squad.

[Evantime34]

What I don't understand is why the Pats didn't try and run the ball more. Brady was getting knocked around all game and the run game seemed to get yards.

I understand throwing the ball all over the place once you get behind, but it doesn't make sense to open it up when our best receivers are all hurt.

With Hightower, Edelman and Gronk all scheduled to come back later in the year, I still think this team has a strong chance at making it to the superbowl.

[PhoSita]

What I don't understand is why the Pats didn't try and run the ball more.

Because their run game stinks now without Dion Lewis.

In the words of Bill Simmons, "LeGarrette Blount died a few weeks ago and nobody told us."

Pats' lack of quality depth at RB is hurting them.  Bolden and White just can't cut it, and Blount is strictly a clock killer and goal line bruiser.

[Donoghus]

What I don't understand is why the Pats didn't try and run the ball more.

Because their run game stinks now without Dion Lewis.

In the words of Bill Simmons, "LeGarrette Blount died a few weeks ago and nobody told us."

Pats' lack of quality depth at RB is hurting them.  Bolden and White just can't cut it, and Blount is strictly a clock killer and goal line bruiser.

That's not necessarily on the running backs.

See offensive line.

[kozlodoev]

What I don't understand is why the Pats didn't try and run the ball more.

Because their run game stinks now without Dion Lewis.

In the words of Bill Simmons, "LeGarrette Blount died a few weeks ago and nobody told us."

Pats' lack of quality depth at RB is hurting them.  Bolden and White just can't cut it, and Blount is strictly a clock killer and goal line bruiser.

That's not necessarily on the running backs.

See offensive line.

It's funny that now that the offensive line has finally been reassembled, it started stinking. Perhaps it's time to reinsert Andrews? He got yanked awfully quickly, and Stork isn't exactly lighting it up right now.

[Donoghus]

What I don't understand is why the Pats didn't try and run the ball more.

Because their run game stinks now without Dion Lewis.

In the words of Bill Simmons, "LeGarrette Blount died a few weeks ago and nobody told us."

Pats' lack of quality depth at RB is hurting them.  Bolden and White just can't cut it, and Blount is strictly a clock killer and goal line bruiser.

That's not necessarily on the running backs.

See offensive line.

It's funny that now that the offensive line has finally been reassembled, it started stinking. Perhaps it's time to reinsert Andrews?

It's actually stunk much of the season, IMO.  Certainly since the bye week.   A lot of it was masked earlier on quite a bit by the quick release stuff and playing teams with so-so pass coverage.  Receivers played a part in that too by being able to react to what the defense was giving them.  Edelman going down exposed it more and it was even more exposed last week against Denver because they were playing a team that can actually play pass defense.  Saw more of the same yesterday with Philly's secondary playing extremely well.  Coverage sacks killed this team.

[Evantime34]

What I don't understand is why the Pats didn't try and run the ball more.

Because their run game stinks now without Dion Lewis.

In the words of Bill Simmons, "LeGarrette Blount died a few weeks ago and nobody told us."

Pats' lack of quality depth at RB is hurting them.  Bolden and White just can't cut it, and Blount is strictly a clock killer and goal line bruiser.

Yesterday, the Pats as team averaged 4.1 yards per carry, even with Brady rushing 6 times for 17 yards. The run game was working just fine.

The O-line looked really bad when they were in obvious passing downs and the Eagles rushers could t off. I didn't think that the run game was poorly blocked yesterday.

[kozlodoev]

Coverage sacks killed this team.

There was an awful amount of plays designed for Brady to lob it deep. I assume this is partly a personnel issue (Martin played most of the snaps from any skill position), but the line just can't hold up long enough for this. Cannon sucks, Vollmer is injured, and Kline got injured.

I understand throwing to Amendola, Chandler and White is not the same as throwing to Edelman, Gronk, and Lewis, but you can't build a gameplan around Brady throwing bombs. He isn't accurate enough downfield, and he inexplicably tries to force it into double and triple coverage.

[kozlodoev]

So Watt broke his hand in yesterday, and Gronk practiced today. Talk about a huge momentum swing...

[Neurotic Guy]

If Oakland can just kneel effectively, a great day so far for the Pats. 

Yes!  Both Cinci and Denver lose.