Is anyone doubting the Patriots are the best team in football?

[markakis8]

I find out in hilarious that all last week it was the Texans that were the best team in football and now that the Pats destroyed them...we move on to the 49ers. Let's see, who's left after the 49ers and Chris Kirkpatrick as their QB?

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

If you believe in DVOA then going into week 14 the Pats were #1 at 39.7% with the Broncos right behind them at 38.1%. 49ers are 3rd with 32.2%.

All three teams won, but I would think the Pats rankings would improve more than the other two because of the quality of opponent.

 

[markakis8]

If you believe in DVOA then going into week 14 the Pats were #1 at 39.7% with the Broncos right behind them at 38.1%. 49ers are 3rd with 32.2%.

All three teams won, but I would think the Pats rankings would improve more than the other two because of the quality of opponent.

ESPN just released their power rankings and had 1. Patriots. 2. Broncos 3. Texans 4. 49ers 5. Falcons

Yeah the Broncos are worrisome at this point. They are playing the second best football in the NFL right now. If we win the next 3, we are guaranteed a bye right? Even if the Texans don't lose? B/c we have the tiebraker on both teams?

It'll be an interesting MVP race too: Brady, Manning or Peterson? Peterson might sneak in and take it.

 

[hive17]

ESPN just released their power rankings and had 1. Patriots. 2. Broncos 3. Texans 4. 49ers 5. Falcons

Yeah the Broncos are worrisome at this point. They are playing the second best football in the NFL right now. If we win the next 3, we are guaranteed a bye right? Even if the Texans don't lose? B/c we have the tiebraker on both teams?

It'll be an interesting MVP race too: Brady, Manning or Peterson? Peterson might sneak in and take it.

Peterson isn't sneaking anything; he is completely dominating the discussion, followed by Manning. Brady might sneak 1 or 2 first-place votes.

 

[markakis8]

Peterson isn't sneaking anything; he is completely dominating the discussion, followed by Manning. Brady might sneak 1 or 2 first-place votes.

They took a SportsNation poll and if you would give your 1st place MVP vote to Brady or not. 83% of the nation said yes. So I would say he's definitely in the mix. It's a lot closer than you think and if Brady comes out against SF like he did against Houston...it's not going to be a race anymore.

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

Peterson isn't sneaking anything; he is completely dominating the discussion, followed by Manning. Brady might sneak 1 or 2 first-place votes.

Voters lover QB's. 8 of the last 10 MVP's have been QB's.

The Broncos and Patriots will finish somewhere between 1st and 3rd in the division, while the Vikings probably won't make the playoffs. This also points to either Brady or Manning getting some votes from the crowd that doesn't like voting for an MVP who didn't even make the playoffs.

 

[notjomommasclint]

If all day hits 2k or breaks dickersons record he will win MVP. Brady gets lots of votes because of the oral performed by the media.. And hat hack Colin cowherd. I hate him sooo much.

I'm still in see that the texans didnt exploit the one on one and their running game hinged on running near wilfork. That guys amazing!

 

[markakis8]

If all day hits 2k or breaks dickersons record he will win MVP. Brady gets lots of votes because of the oral performed by the media.. And hat hack Colin cowherd. I hate him sooo much.

I'm still in see that the texans didnt exploit the one on one and their running game hinged on running near wilfork. That guys amazing!

If Peterson does break the record, I agree he should win the MVP. Hitting 2k doesn't necessarily lock it up for him. Ask Chris Johnson, or even worse yet, Barry Sanders (co-MVP).

 

[predatorkj]

I find out in hilarious that all last week it was the Texans that were the best team in football and now that the Pats destroyed them...we move on to the 49ers. Let's see, who's left after the 49ers and Chris Kirkpatrick as their QB?

Just to chime in... The patriots didn't beat the texans, the texans beat themselves. A slew of bad decisions all night. Schaub blew some passes, single man coverage(wade Phillips must be on crack), Kareem Jackson being greedy when he should have just covered the fumble, Myers and jones getting blown up by wilfork...

I could go on and on. Yep, the texans got their asses handed to them quite badly. I just think they had more to do with it than the patriots. Which is actually more of a kick in the junk than just plain getting your ass kicked.

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

Just to chime in... The patriots didn't beat the texans, the texans beat themselves. A slew of bad decisions all night. Schaub blew some passes, single man coverage(wade Phillips must be on crack), Kareem Jackson being greedy when he should have just covered the fumble, Myers and jones getting blown up by wilfork...

I could go on and on. Yep, the texans got their asses handed to them quite badly. I just think they had more to do with it than the patriots. Which is actually more of a kick in the junk than just plain getting your ass kicked.

They Patriots have a long history of not actually beating people. They consistently play teams that make mental errors, bad decisions, and don't play to their strengths all while the Patriots rarely do that themselves.

 

[markakis8]

Just to chime in... The patriots didn't beat the texans, the texans beat themselves. A slew of bad decisions all night. Schaub blew some passes, single man coverage(wade Phillips must be on crack), Kareem Jackson being greedy when he should have just covered the fumble, Myers and jones getting blown up by wilfork...

I could go on and on. Yep, the texans got their asses handed to them quite badly. I just think they had more to do with it than the patriots. Which is actually more of a kick in the junk than just plain getting your ass kicked.

LOL, cmon man. Really? The score was 42-14. Not 24-21 and the Pats just got by on a last minute FG. At least you actually give some credit to Wilfork. The matter of the fact is, we were given one touchdown (the fumble recovery) and other than that, Brady and the offense showed up and Wilfork and the defense showed up.

How many 40 point wins do the Patriots have to get before it's the Patriots winning and not the "opponents not on their A game" or "beating themselves"

I'm sure we'll hear the same thing next week when the 49ers lose by 14 "oh they had an off week"

 

[predatorkj]

LOL, cmon man. Really? The score was 42-14. Not 24-21 and the Pats just got by on a last minute FG. At least you actually give some credit to Wilfork. The matter of the fact is, we were given one touchdown (the fumble recovery) and other than that, Brady and the offense showed up and Wilfork and the defense showed up.

How many 40 point wins do the Patriots have to get before it's the Patriots winning and not the "opponents not on their A game" or "beating themselves"

I'm sure we'll hear the same thing next week when the 49ers lose by 14 "oh they had an off week"

No, I think the pats are damn good but be honest, the texans made crap decisions. As a pats fan, don't you think Brady was licking his chops over all that single coverage? IMO, that simple strategy right there sure the hell helped Tom Brady get a few of those touchdowns. Throw in just a few of the other, not even all, of the dumb things we did and now you've got a ball game. I think that's what makes teams like the pats great. They keep their head out of their rear.

 

[LazerShow15]

Packers are, we will be getting at least 9 players back from injury by the playoffs, watch out WORLD.

 

[CubsfanP]

Anyone here suprised by the Colts? def not best team out there, but teams should be worried about them.

They will get their inspiring coach back for the end of the season which could put some emotion behind them.

Teams should be worried more about them, they are the type of team that could come out of nowhere and beat any team out there.

If Arians/Pagano don't win coach of the year something is wrong !!

 

[markakis8]

No, I think the pats are damn good but be honest, the texans made crap decisions. As a pats fan, don't you think Brady was licking his chops over all that single coverage? IMO, that simple strategy right there sure the hell helped Tom Brady get a few of those touchdowns. Throw in just a few of the other, not even all, of the dumb things we did and now you've got a ball game. I think that's what makes teams like the pats great. They keep their head out of their rear.

I will admit it was probably like Christmas morning to him with the single coverage.

 

[predatorkj]

I will admit it was probably like Christmas morning to him with the single coverage.

Which is what is frustrating for the fans. Hell no I couldn't get out there and play the game at that level. But if I, as a fan, can watch and immediately see the problem in a strategy, and the problem actually does happen, and nothing is done to circumvent it, I'm left wondering how the hell someone else didn't see it. Or why they didn't adjust. At all. And I'm supposed to be led to believe these jokers are Super Bowl caliber? Look... I'm a fan but I'm also realistic.

 

[predatorkj]

An interesting theory brought up today by a few buddies as well as the radio was maybe the texans laid down to see exactly what the pats could do. They are guaranteed a playoff spot either way and maybe they thought they could find or see something. Kind of like observation before the playoffs.

While as a sane person, I feel this is crazy, if you look at the two games we have lost, they were both teams we would normally have our hands full with, and also people we will see in the playoffs. Now I thought, well what about Chicago or Baltimore? Then I figured, neither of those teams are bound to make it to the title game so why bother laying down to telegraph their punches? Then I figured it didn't make any sense though because why let Schuab take an ass kicking from sacks or possibly getting hurt?

Half of me believes this nonsense is just crazy fans trying to make themselves feel better about the losses. But the other half of me is very curious. Both of the games we lost have things in common that we don't normally do and don't seem to repeat. You go from being brilliant with your schemes for 11 different games and it just so happens that the two teams we are most likely to have to face in the playoffs in a big time game are the ones we don't mentally or physically show up for? That we make mistakes so blatant that a high school team would know better? Seems really odd to me. That's all I know. I also know that if this isn't some kind of sick test or game they are playing by toying around with GB and the Pats, then the Super Bowl isn't in the cards.

 

[hive17]

They took a SportsNation poll and if you would give your 1st place MVP vote to Brady or not. 83% of the nation said yes. So I would say he's definitely in the mix. It's a lot closer than you think and if Brady comes out against SF like he did against Houston...it's not going to be a race anymore.

Oh, well, SportsNation polls; excuse me...

/thread

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

An interesting theory brought up today by a few buddies as well as the radio was maybe the texans laid down to see exactly what the pats could do. They are guaranteed a playoff spot either way and maybe they thought they could find or see something. Kind of like observation before the playoffs.

While as a sane person, I feel this is crazy, if you look at the two games we have lost, they were both teams we would normally have our hands full with, and also people we will see in the playoffs. Now I thought, well what about Chicago or Baltimore? Then I figured, neither of those teams are bound to make it to the title game so why bother laying down to telegraph their punches? Then I figured it didn't make any sense though because why let Schuab take an ass kicking from sacks or possibly getting hurt?

Half of me believes this nonsense is just crazy fans trying to make themselves feel better about the losses. But the other half of me is very curious. Both of the games we lost have things in common that we don't normally do and don't seem to repeat. You go from being brilliant with your schemes for 11 different games and it just so happens that the two teams we are most likely to have to face in the playoffs in a big time game are the ones we don't mentally or physically show up for? That we make mistakes so blatant that a high school team would know better? Seems really odd to me. That's all I know. I also know that if this isn't some kind of sick test or game they are playing by toying around with GB and the Pats, then the Super Bowl isn't in the cards.

Haha, that's funny. Kubiak really put one over on Belichick? He expects Belichick to do the same thing twice? He expects the game plan to be the same when Gronk comes back?

Did they also let the Jags beat up on them to see what they had if they made the playoffs?

So about the single coverage thing, what exactly does that mean? Should they have doubled every receiver, because Brady was hitting whoever he wanted. You can ask why someone doesn't double cover Andre Johnson, because the Texans don't have another threat in the passing game. You can't do that against the Patriots.

 

[predatorkj]

Haha, that's funny. Kubiak really put one over on Belichick? He expects Belichick to do the same thing twice? He expects the game plan to be the same when Gronk comes back?

Did they also let the Jags beat up on them to see what they had if they made the playoffs?

So about the single coverage thing, what exactly does that mean? Should they have doubled every receiver, because Brady was hitting whoever he wanted. You can ask why someone doesn't double cover Andre Johnson, because the Texans don't have another threat in the passing game. You can't do that against the Patriots.

I admit its laughable but it's awful damn weird too. And I also had that thought...that they wouldn't play the same way again anyways so why lay down to see how they will come at you? But I do find it odd they all of a sudden go from damn good to damn brain dead that quick. It got to the point where it's like "Are you trying to lose?".

As far as double coverage...Andre is good enough that he can get open or will catch it anyways. They didn't double up much on the two guys who were the biggest threat. Not everyone can be doubled up for sure. But force Brady to throw to his lower tier guys at least. Welker should have had two guys strapped to his ass the whole game. They seemed way more focused on blitzing every damn play. I guess I just don't understand how you can go from a sound plan to this crap. As a person who has watched every one of their games this year...I have to say this game and the green bay game seemed awful inconsistent with their normal strategy. That's all I do know really.