Who do we root for? Ravens, Patriots?

[WVDolphan]

pats aren't losing out i'd rather just root against the ravens

This is what confuses me.

This idea that there is simply no way the Pats lose the next two......

First of all, Baltimore is playing pretty well right now and they need the game badly. If we win at 1pm, Baltimore will know they almost have to win to have any shot of making the playoffs.

Secondly, why is it so far fetched that Buffalo beats New England in the last game? If you ask me, the Phins are a slightly better team than the Pats right now. The people who have this attitude that the Bills game is a cake walk for New England seem to think beating that same Bills team will be a tough task for us. I dont get it.

Finally, and AGAIN...... because we play at 1pm, we will already know if we have won or not when the Ravens and Pats play. If we have already won, why wouldnt you root for the Pats to lose? Do people honestly believe we will lose at home to the Jests in the final game? Personally, I think its much more probably that the Bills beat the Pats than the Jests beat us.... again, I think we are slightly better than the Pats right now. If we win at 4pm, the Ravens are really no threat to us making the playoffs. If we beat the Bills, the Ravens are going to have to win out and win the division to get in.

Now if we happen to lose to the Bills, then everything of course changes. It will be really important, almost imperative, that the Ravens lose. On top of that, we would already be eliminated from winning the division, so the Pats winning would not hurt us in any way.

We need to just worry about winning. Because us winning not only puts the Ravens in basically a must win situation(which helps us), but should we lose, the Pats will know they have clinched the division and that could hurt their chances of staying focused and beating Baltimore(which of course hurts us a great deal should we need Baltimore to lose).

I think whether or not we make the playoffs all comes down to beating Buffalo at 1pm. If we win, we pretty much clinch. If we lose, the whole thing could blow up on us in a hurry.

 

[greasyObnoxious]

This is what confuses me.

This idea that there is simply no way the Pats lose the next two......

First of all, Baltimore is playing pretty well right now and they need the game badly. If we win at 1pm, Baltimore will know they almost have to win to have any shot of making the playoffs.

Secondly, why is it so far fetched that Buffalo beats New England in the last game? If you ask me, the Phins are a slightly better team than the Pats right now. The people who have this attitude that the Bills game is a cake walk for New England seem to think beating that same Bills team will be a tough task for us. I dont get it.

Finally, and AGAIN...... because we play at 1pm, we will already know if we have won or not when the Ravens and Pats play. If we have already won, why wouldnt you root for the Pats to lose? Do people honestly believe we will lose at home to the Jests in the final game? Personally, I think its much more probably that the Bills beat the Pats than the Jests beat us.... again, I think we are slightly better than the Pats right now. If we win at 4pm, the Ravens are really no threat to us making the playoffs. If we beat the Bills, the Ravens are going to have to win out and win the division to get in.

Now if we happen to lose to the Bills, then everything of course changes. It will be really important, almost imperative, that the Ravens lose. On top of that, we would already be eliminated from winning the division, so the Pats winning would not hurt us in any way.

We need to just worry about winning. Because us winning not only puts the Ravens in basically a must win situation(which helps us), but should we lose, the Pats will know they have clinched the division and that could hurt their chances of staying focused and beating Baltimore(which of course hurts us a great deal should we need Baltimore to lose).

I think whether or not we make the playoffs all comes down to beating Buffalo at 1pm. If we win, we pretty much clinch. If we lose, the whole thing could blow up on us in a hurry.

Tom Brady has never lost a home game against Buffalo

 

[WVDolphan]

Tom Brady has never lost a home game against Buffalo

I recall a game recently in Foxboro against the Bills that the Pats pulled straight out of their ass. It can happen.

Again, if you think its so certain that the Pats beat the Bills, why would you think its such a tough game for us? We are a better team than the Pats are right now.

 

[hoops]

brady with the division on the line in a home winner take all game vs the bills seems like a no brainer...but you guys go about it however you want to...and so will i...seems like a given to me the pats are winning the division

 

[greasyObnoxious]

I recall a game recently in Foxboro against the Bills that the Pats pulled straight out of their ass. It can happen.

Again, if you think its so certain that the Pats beat the Bills, why would you think its such a tough game for us? We are a better team than the Pats are right now.

yeah, in week 1 a couple of years back. so? the Patriots still won even though they played about as flat as you could imagine.

those type of comparisons don't work in the NFL. i'm not as nervous as most guys about this game. i think we'll win if we play like we have been lately. but make no mistake about it, this game isn't gonna be easy for us.

 

[hoops]

also i doubt the pats are gonna roll with a bunch of slot wrs on the boundary these last 2 weeks...they did it out of necessity vs us...they will adjust though...they always do...go to less vertical routes on the outside wrs if their size guys can't play still...implement more pick plays and crossing routes and use of the rb in the passing game

they have some issues for sure but there's not a better adjustment team that imo in football...whether or not they can beat the ravens on the road though i don't know...buffalo at home though against likely thad lewis...hells yeah

 

[DolfanISS]

If Miami and Minny win at 1 the Pats at 4 is a NO BRAINER.

Inactives for Jets game: Tannehill (sacked 50 times this year), McKinnie (old), Wake (most important defender), Grimes, Carroll, R. Jones, Clemons, Wallace.....

What's a better scenario then that? I agree with Hoops NE at home vs the Bills is a lock.

 

[nick1]

I don't care what happens it's a win win as long as Miami wins at buffalo as far as I'm concerned. if the patriots win Miami has a little breathing room in case of a week 17 loss. if the ravens win we have a shot at the division, buffalo could beat the patriots without gronk. patriots cant stop the run, bills have a great running game, it could happen. guess who has the most 4th quarter INTs this year? that's right the golden boy, this isn't your typical patriots

 

[hoops]

no no no you don't deactivate anyone...you are riding momentum right now...you keep on playing do not sit anyone vs the jets whether you have clinched a spot or not...keep riding the building momentum...the last thing we want to do is break stride

have all hands on deck and whoop the jets *** and go into your road playoff contest with a bring it attitude

 

[DolfanISS]

no no no you don't deactivate anyone...you are riding momentum right now...you keep on playing do not sit anyone vs the jets whether you have clinched a spot or not...keep riding the building momentum...the last thing we want to do is break stride

have all hands on deck and whoop the jets *** and go into your road playoff contest with a bring it attitude

Yeah that's certainly worked in the past (07 Giants) just thinking of our beat up secondary and the fact that Baltimore or Cincy will have had a really hard fought game the week before. But again Baltimore played a ton of defensive snaps vs Denver last year and still went into Foxboro and won so I see your point.

 

[joenhre]

If the Dolphins beat the Bills then I am rooting for the Ravens. Any chance at winning the Division, no matter how unlikely, is nice to have in week 17. If the Dolphins lose to the Bills then I will be rooting for the Patriots since any chance at the division would be gone.

 

[Wildbill3]

If the Dolphins beat the Bills then I am rooting for the Ravens. Any chance at winning the Division, no matter how unlikely, is nice to have in week 17. If the Dolphins lose to the Bills then I will be rooting for the Patriots since any chance at the division would be gone.

thank you. you and WV get it. If we win, I'm rooting for the ravens.

 

[BigCityCat]

If the Ravens and Bengals lose and we win and were in already. We could rest our team the final week. Almost as good as a first round bye.

 

[Fins1971]

brady with the division on the line in a home winner take all game vs the bills seems like a no brainer...but you guys go about it however you want to...and so will i...seems like a given to me the pats are winning the division

But what everyone is missing is that the Patriots have never faced this situation in the last 10 years and won the division. They have never had to win in last game except in 2008 and they won the game but still lost the division to us. All the other years the division and playoffs was already secured and there was no pressure to miss the playoffs. That is what you are not seeing.

Year - Patriots lead in division in week 17 (games)

2003 - 4
2004 - 3
2005 - 3
2006 - 2
2007 - 7
2008 - even
2009 - 2
2010 - 3
2011 - 4
2012 - 4

So they have never faced week 17 with someone right on their heels. If we beat Buffalo you have to root for Ravens.
Put the Patriots in an unconformable position for the 1st time in Brady's tenure. JMO

---------- Post added at 04:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 PM ----------

If the Ravens and Bengals lose and we win and were in already. We could rest our team the final week. Almost as good as a first round bye.

Name a recent team that did well in the playoffs with those rest your starters games in week 17. Why lose momentum?

 

[Oronde]

BTW, I want to make the playoffs cause we're very good instead of making the playoffs cause the other teams suck more so unless we win our last 2 I will not care about making the playoffs.

Ozzy rules!!

Well that's just horrible. You should be rooting for us to make the playoffs no matter what.