Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye

PatriotSeven said:

They clinched. There's no way they can move back down. But...if they lose Houston gets the bye week as the #1 seed and they would get one of the 2 wildcards if any of them advance, which would pretty much guarantee the possibility of a Colts-Houston game in the divisional round, since we're going to take out Cincinnati, and a 3rd Houston-Colts game in a span of 1 month.

The NFL doesn't want this. They can pretty much assure Colts will get the Broncos in the divisional round by beating Houston next week. They want Manning vs Luck then Manning vs Brady. In the powers that be I trust

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So you are saying the NFL is fixed

TommyBrady12 said:

being the number 2 seed might be better than the 1st seed:

Cincinnati #6 would defeat Houston #3

Indy #5 would defeat Baltimore #4


In the divisional round,

NE would host Indy

Denver would host Cincinatti


I can definitely see the Bengals upsetting the Broncos, and assuming we beat Indy, we would host the AFC championship against the bengals.

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How is being the #2 seed better than being the #1 because the #1 might lose?
The entire point of being 1 instead of 2 is to be at home in a 1/2 matchup.

AndyJohnson said:

So you are saying the NFL is fixed

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I'm just saying I think the NFL prefers certain match-ups that's all.

All the playoffs teams are set for the AFC. It's simply a matter of who plays who and that will ultimately be decided next week.

I understand the Colts really have nothing to play for. but with pagano coming back and them wanting to prove themselves as a playoff team...wouldnt beating the #1 team in the AFC east do something to boost their confidence?

especially if they then have to go into baltimore or New England? for a young team building confidence, I dont see much of a benefit in throwing a game.

blackglass3 said:

Yes. Everyone asking to/thinking we will rest our starters next week are insane. We can still get #1 or #2 seed, why settle for a #3?

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Settle for 3? Some of these guys would rather have 4 :bricks:

Sucks to think that if we just kicked the damn field goal before the half in Seattle we'd have that bye firmly in our hands.

PatsSox363804 said:

Sucks to think that if we just kicked the damn field goal before the half in Seattle we'd have that bye firmly in our hands.

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And maybe TFB would have taken an injury that knocked him out for the season in the second half.

"If" may be the most dangerous word in the English language.

AndyJohnson said:

How is being the #2 seed better than being the #1 because the #1 might lose?
The entire point of being 1 instead of 2 is to be at home in a 1/2 matchup.

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I just like the matchups better that way - Cincinatti (#6) over Houston (#3) and then going up to Denver (#1), and the patriots (#2) playing indy (#5) in the divisional round. I don't like NE v. Cincinatti and Denver v. Indy as much. While I think the pats can handle cincy, I think Denver is the hot team right now in the AFC and would rather see them lose to another hot team.

blackglass3 said:

They can't move up in the seeding but they might be able to move down with a loss. Houston has never won in Indy and it will be Chuck Pagano's return game...would Indy want to throw Chuck Pagano's return game? That seems wrong to me, I don't know.

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Depending on the Ravens Bengals games you are correct. I think the Colts would rather play the Ravens than play @ NE in the first week. So there is incentive to win along with Pagano's return.

Our best shot for a bye is certainly the Colts beating the Texans. If the Chiefs had a QB they could beat Denver, but......................

patsfan13 said:

Depending on the Ravens Bengals games you are correct. I think the Colts would rather play the Ravens than play @ NE in the first week. So there is incentive to win along with Pagano's return.

Our best shot for a bye is certainly the Colts beating the Texans. If the Chiefs had a QB they could beat Denver, but......................

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Denver getting a bye is a given at this point considering who their opponent is next week. we just have to hope for indy to show up BIG against houston. i think we have a really good shot at a bye.

If this season ends short of a SB appearance, I will always look at the 49ers game as where it fell apart.

Had we completed the comeback against the 49ers, Brady would be the the MVP (as that would be his signature historic moment) and the Patriots would be the #1 seed right now. I'd be VERY confident in winning 2 home games and returning right back to the SB.

Instead, Brady is basically out of the MVP discussion, the #1 seed is unrealistic and the #2 seed comes down to a Colts team that has clinched and the Chiefs. We are most likely going to have to face the daunting task of defeating the Broncos (with a week rest) in Denver....

If an Indy loss would knock them down to 6th seed, playing New England, vs. 5th seed playing Ravens/Bengals, that would give them something to play for. But if they have the 5th seed locked up, then a win merely gives them:

• A boost in Pagano's return.
• Worse draft position.
• A reordering of their projected 2nd & 3rd playoff game matchups from Houston and (Denver or NE) to Denver and (NE or Houston).

The Pagano-return boost is their only positive incentive in that. Fortunately, that's enough reason for them to be up for the game ...

TommyBrady12 said:

Denver getting a bye is a given at this point considering who their opponent is next week. we just have to hope for indy to show up BIG against houston. i think we have a really good shot at a bye.

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I don't know if I'd describe it as a really good shot, but I believe it is a legit shot. And at this point, that's about the best you can ask for.

Playoff Bye Chances

So heading into week 17, we are behind both the Broncos and Texans by a game but hold the tie breakers against both. So as you probably all know, basically to get a bye we will need one of those two to lose, or to get the first seed both will need both to lose.

This seems unlikely already and we appear to be looking at the third seed and a tough wildcard game at home against the Bengals. The Broncos play against the Chiefs and the Texans square off against the Colts next week.

I can see the Chiefs playing the Broncos tough since it is there last game, but I don't see the Colts making any effort against the Texans, and they will probably rest their players. What do you guys think about our chances at getting at the top seeds? Is there any hope? Or do you think a tough matchup against the Bengals is all but inevitable?

Re: Playoff Bye Chances

Just worry about what you can control...beat Miami and let the rest fall where it may.

Re: Playoff Bye Chances

resting starters is the Colts way.

And the Chiefs have no offense to be competitive against DEN for even a quarter

Re: Playoff Bye Chances

The Colts have a proud tradition of quitting games (even with a perfect season on the line) and even an entire season, I don't expect anything to change. So Pagano is going to come back and most likely lose the last regular game as well as the playoff game, bringing his record with the team to 1-4. That will be just great for team spirit...

The Chiefs are awful.

The #1 seed for the taking but we didn't play well enough for.

Re: Playoff Bye Chances

BradfordPatsFan said:

Just worry about what you can control...beat Miami and let the rest fall where it may.

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Correct. It's that simple.

Re: Playoff Bye Chances

Pessimistic Pete said:

The Colts have a proud tradition of quitting games (even with a perfect season on the line) and even an entire season, I don't expect anything to change. So Pagano is going to come back and most likely lose the last regular game as well as the playoff game, bringing his record with the team to 1-4. That will be just great for team spirit...

The Chiefs are awful.

The #1 seed for the taking but we didn't play well enough for.

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Exactly......in a roundabout way..it might be good, that because we do have such a young team, that this team will have to go on the road. They still have a veteran player influence to help the younger players along...but now they know that winning every game in the regular season is important for the playoff seeding....just like my sig. tagline states...had they not missed a FG...had not blown 4th quarter leads twice and didn't have a 62 yard KO return after coming back from 28 down...things might be different....but they didn't..they are what they are....just go out and win..it matters not who the opponent is or where we play......even though I paid for my playoff tickets already and could have used that 9 bills for xmas shopping...lol

Hopefully Pagano takes a lesson from Tom Coughlin, who was also locked in at the #5 and had nothing to play for but pride and to use the game as a measuring stick. And it worked out perfectly since they won the Super Bowl. Luck is hot, don't force him to cool off on the bench!