Assuming the following:

[-81- McMichael]

First, that we beat Chicago (and if we can't do THAT at home then there's no point in even discussing the rest of the season).

If Jay starts clicking right away and Carter starts making his presence felt, our offense should be able to get up to a playoff caliber level. Right? I mean, pretty much everything else is in place. Correct?

As for our defense, I just don't know what to think. Partially, I blame Bates for not coming up with a better game plan to stop Moulds and Price (ala the Jets the week before [cover 2]). On the other hand, I think that Freeman has simply been too up-and-down all year (and the Bills game was definitely down). I think now, more than ever, that losing Walker last year was huge.

Also, I think our linebacker corps may need some serious overhauling this off-season. They simply don't seem to make enough big plays. But, still, I don't know if that's Bates being all "conservative" as the announcers loved to point out all game long. FOR THE LAST TIME... CONSERVATIVE defense DOES... NOT... WORK!!! All good/great defenses gamble some. Every time I've seen this defense gamble (especially against Denver and San Diego) they've come up big. What gives??? Can't they (Bates) figure this out already?!?

So... assuming Fiedler and Chris come on and that Bates has the cojones to actually let the defense attack a little... 3-1?

So long as one of those 3 is against NE, we should win the East.

Any thoughts? What do you think are the KEYS to finishing 3-1 or better?

 

[Chubby]

Great Posts, If we can win in New England and against the Raiders we should be fine

 

[dolphan39]

IMO we need to win out to have a chance for the SB this year.

• Chicago s/b an easy romp.
• we are at home for Oakland and even though they are playing great, I look at the SD game as an indication of why we will win
• Min sucks and we are just too good to lose to them even in Minny, but it will be scary for sure. The fact that it is indoors will be the key
• at NE will be a tough game to win, It is 15 degress out now and I am 2 hours south of Foxboro. It will likely be brutally cold and this game will go a long way to show if we are a better team than the one that lost (on Lamar's F) to NE last year

 

[Sherif]

DB's have to start taking over games like the DE's have been. You cant blame Bates when Surtain, Fletcher and Madison drop int's. He had them in the right place 5 plays to get a t/o instead they blow all 5. Make two of those and the game is a run away.

 

[BLITZKRIEG]

Good post, I agree with your thoughts on the defense and J. Bates...

As for the playoffs, I'm not sure we'll even make the playoffs if we don't win from here on out....

That loss to the Bills was HUGE. Not only in the standings, but inside the team as well....A big time confidence blow all around.

PHINZ RULE!!!

 

[ac_lanham]

Hey 39, I THINK we should be able to beat Minn easily no matter if it's indoors, we beat the Colts and they're leagues ahead of Minnesota, I'll only be concerned now with Bennett and Moss and maybe Hovan on defense

 

[ublinkwescore]

You can't say that if you guys had got 2 of those dropped INTs that you guys would have ran away with the game - seems to me that you guys would have had to returned them both to take the game from us - your offense certainly wouldn't have won it for you.

 

[Samphin]

Hopefully this team takes every one of their remaining opponents seriously and plans for them likewise. I would hate to miss out on the playoffs due to taking the Vikings lightly.