1. #1
    Mr KLC
    Mr KLC's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 12-19-07
    Posts: 30,619
    Betpoints: 346

    Gap Between Patriots And Rest Of AFC Is Closing

    The rest of the AFC is finally closing the gap the New England Patriots created over 17 dominant seasons. The team lacks playmakers at key positions and can't hang defensively, and even the brilliance of Bill Belichick and his staff has come into question.

    New England tends to lay one or two eggs every season, but Sunday's 31-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars symbolized something more.

    "I think for us it was [a statement game] because we're underdogs," Jaguars defensive lineman Malik Jackson said, per ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco. "Nobody really believed in us once again. They thought they were going to come in here and steamroll us, so for us I think it was a statement game for people to recognize us."

  2. #2
    Easy-Rider 66
    Easy-Rider 66's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 02-14-12
    Posts: 33,156
    Betpoints: 3229

    Agreed

  3. #3
    ikid2groove415
    ikid2groove415's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-08-18
    Posts: 11,981
    Betpoints: 1184

    Typical overreacting after 1 lost - Patriots play in the worst division in football - meaning the road 2 the Superbowl goes through Foxborough

  4. #4
    unusialsusp5
    unusialsusp5's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 04-18-10
    Posts: 4,184
    Betpoints: 3601

    Quote Originally Posted by ikid2groove415 View Post
    Typical overreacting after 1 lost - Patriots play in the worst division in football - meaning the road 2 the Superbowl goes through Foxborough
    not this year. patriots will be on the road for all playoffs games if they actually make the playoffs with their 9-7 or 10-6 record. miami wins east this season. they lost way too many players and didn't replace them.

  5. #5
    ikid2groove415
    ikid2groove415's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-08-18
    Posts: 11,981
    Betpoints: 1184

    Quote Originally Posted by unusialsusp5 View Post
    not this year. patriots will be on the road for all playoffs games if they actually make the playoffs with their 9-7 or 10-6 record. miami wins east this season. they lost way too many players and didn't replace them.
    Ridiculous- how do they lose 6-7 games on that schedule? Dolphins? - no other team in the NFL have the Jagz defense - doesn’t mean New England can’t beat them in the playoff with home field

  6. #6
    unusialsusp5
    unusialsusp5's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 04-18-10
    Posts: 4,184
    Betpoints: 3601

    Quote Originally Posted by ikid2groove415 View Post
    Ridiculous- how do they lose 6-7 games on that schedule? Dolphins? - no other team in the NFL have the Jagz defense - doesn’t mean New England can’t beat them in the playoff with home field
    they will never have the home field vs jacksonville this year. tough schedule also. they have 5 home games against mia, ind, k.c, min, gb i see 3 losses there. also tough road games at chi, ten, pit and mia. minimum of 2 losses with that group. gives them a 10-6 record which is their best case scenario. more like 9-7 is more likely.

  7. #7
    lakerboy
    lakerboy's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 04-02-09
    Posts: 94,057
    Betpoints: 7635

    Will they lose in Detroit next week?

  8. #8
    ikid2groove415
    ikid2groove415's Avatar Become A Pro!
    Join Date: 01-08-18
    Posts: 11,981
    Betpoints: 1184

    Quote Originally Posted by unusialsusp5 View Post
    they will never have the home field vs jacksonville this year. tough schedule also. they have 5 home games against mia, ind, k.c, min, gb i see 3 losses there. also tough road games at chi, ten, pit and mia. minimum of 2 losses with that group. gives them a 10-6 record which is their best case scenario. more like 9-7 is more likely.
    So teams just goes into Foxborough
    And easily win now? Don’t understand how is there schedule tough? They are hosting the good teams -

  9. #9
    unusialsusp5
    unusialsusp5's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 04-18-10
    Posts: 4,184
    Betpoints: 3601

    Quote Originally Posted by ikid2groove415 View Post
    So teams just goes into Foxborough
    And easily win now? Don’t understand how is there schedule tough? They are hosting the good teams -
    they would have to go 6-0 in the division which is very unlikely. if they go 4-2 they are in trouble for home field playoff game beyond first one hosting a wild card game. then on the road and done. this team like most cannot afford any type of injury issue. they are thin throughout.

  10. #10
    unusialsusp5
    unusialsusp5's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 04-18-10
    Posts: 4,184
    Betpoints: 3601

    Quote Originally Posted by unusialsusp5 View Post
    they would have to go 6-0 in the division which is very unlikely. if they go 4-2 they are in trouble for home field playoff game beyond first one hosting a wild card game. then on the road and done. this team like most cannot afford any type of injury issue. they are thin throughout.
    they have been lucky at home in recent years pulling out games with late game heroics. teams coming in won't beat them easily but will beat them.

Top