So now that Denver went the way of all the others, who's our next AFC rival?

mayoclinic said:

Where's Patradomous when we need him to start a thread about how pathetic the Pats' investment in upgrading the team has been compared to the mighty Broncos?

Click to expand...

Everybody hyped the Broncos' FA acquisitions and how they had upgraded their team more than anyone else. They overpaid for Ware, who is a shadow of what he used to be. He really faded down the stretch this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's not back. TJ Ward isn't particularly better than Pat Chung, at a much higher price tag ($7.75M cap hit in 2015).

PatsBoy12 said:

I honestly think this season was BB's best coaching job. I know that's a huge statement, but when you look at everything that transpired in total and all of the in-season acquisitions, BB was masterful this season to this point. It's funny how the story will continue to be his spotty drafting (and I'm not saying that's totally illegitimate), but few will talk about ***ency and the guys he brought in during the season - Ayers, Branch, Casillas, Jones (though he departed). How about keeping Bolden on the team? How about bringing Chung back (who might have had his best game as a Patriot against Baltimore)?

I know some of the other seasons where he was spectacular overall. But I'll say again that I truly believe that this may have been his best job yet. If they win it all, then I don't know it'll be easy to argue against it. The man may have built his best version of the Patriots since he got here.

Click to expand...

BB's done an incredible job of not just assembling talent, but building a team. I can't remember a team where all the pieces fit together so well. Not that there isn't work to be done, but the additions really fit together nicely.

Baltimore. That was by far the best divisional game to. I watched all the games objectively that game was the most well played and fun to watch. Green Bay Dallas was the second best game.

Ravens

Enjoy the ride this year. Nothing is guaranteed. The Pats were being left for dead by many at game 4 this year. The Pats could show up with a huge personnel turnover next year, and an entirely different look. There will be a whole offseason to muse what happens next.

And I would not bury the Donkeys next year just yet. They didn't finish strong, but Elway has done a decent job adding personnel and the deals they show up with (many were bemoaning that fact prior to the start of the season). They have significant room to move and add pieces that might fix some of the issues appearing at the end of this season. Miguel spelled out the structuring of the deals in detail, and I believe the Broncos are not locked into many long-term deals. Most have immediate exit clauses if I recall correctly.

Jacksonville.

PatsBoy12 said:

I honestly think this season was BB's best coaching job. I know that's a huge statement, but when you look at everything that transpired in total and all of the in-season acquisitions, BB was masterful this season to this point. It's funny how the story will continue to be his spotty drafting (and I'm not saying that's totally illegitimate), but few will talk about ***ency and the guys he brought in during the season - Ayers, Branch, Casillas, Jones (though he departed). How about keeping Bolden on the team? How about bringing Chung back (who might have had his best game as a Patriot against Baltimore)?

I know some of the other seasons where he was spectacular overall. But I'll say again that I truly believe that this may have been his best job yet. If they win it all, then I don't know it'll be easy to argue against it. The man may have built his best version of the Patriots since he got here.

Click to expand...

I think BB coached better in several of the Patriots' previous seasons - last year with all the injuries and in 2008 when Brady went down in the first game and Cassel led them to a 11-5 record. This year, however, was undoubtedly his greatest performance as a GM.

Ravens and Colts are the obvious teams. Harbough is a legitimately great coach who will have that team competitive year in and year out. Flacco has surprised me in becoming better than I thought he was capable of being. Having said that, there still might be a little bit of Eli Manning to his game so it wouldn't surprise me to see him have a lot of and up and down years just like Eli.

As for the Colts, its all about Andrew Luck. Its a quarterback driven league and he's next in line to enter the Brady/Manning/Rogers level of elite. Beating Manning and now playing Brady in the AFC Championship game seems like the beginning of a changing of the guard. Kind of like the 80's Pistons when they had to overcome the Celtics and Lakers before becoming champions. Or the pre-dynasty Bulls. Hopefully we can hold him off for a few more years but eventually he will climb that mountain.

The other team we need to watch out for, and I'm sure many will disagree, is the Buffalo Bills. Rex Ryan is a perfect fit for them. If they surround him with a competent player personnel staff and OC, the Bills will rise. Yes they need a QB but if they have any luck in that department…Watch out. The defensive personnel is already in place for him to construct a "BEAST" of a defense. Whatever your feelings are for Rex, he is a heck of a defensive coach and his players play hard for him. Throughout his tenure in New York, the Jets always overachieved. Even this year…despite a 4-12 record they were surprisingly completive in most of their games and almost knocked us off twice. That was a 1-15 or 2-14 type of roster he had this year. The Jets were foolish to give up on him….The issue in NY was the GM.

The Jets meanwhile are headed toward some Rich Kotite like years. They will become the perennial doormat of the division.

The Ravens are a potential yearly playoff team as long as flacco is there.

So I would expect to continue to see them as a tough match up for us.

If Houston finds a way to get a star under center, they will be a tough match. Foster and Watt already make them pretty good. They only need consistency in the passing game.

PatsBoy12 said:

I honestly think this season was BB's best coaching job. I know that's a huge statement, but when you look at everything that transpired in total and all of the in-season acquisitions, BB was masterful this season to this point. It's funny how the story will continue to be his spotty drafting (and I'm not saying that's totally illegitimate), but few will talk about ***ency and the guys he brought in during the season - Ayers, Branch, Casillas, Jones (though he departed). How about keeping Bolden on the team? How about bringing Chung back (who might have had his best game as a Patriot against Baltimore)?

I know some of the other seasons where he was spectacular overall. But I'll say again that I truly believe that this may have been his best job yet. If they win it all, then I don't know it'll be easy to argue against it. The man may have built his best version of the Patriots since he got here.

Click to expand...

Can't discuss that until he finishes it.

the ravens are the one team that give the pats fits its the ravens until Brady calls it a career

Sticky Caulk said:

If Houston finds a way to get a star under center, they will be a tough match. Foster and Watt already make them pretty good. They only need consistency in the passing game.

Click to expand...

I would also throw the bills in the mix of if they get a QB will be a 11 win playoff team next year

Unless Houston pulls a trade for a QB that no one saw it coming, I have a hard time seeing them capable of beating us in Foxboro. And as of now, there are not many good QBs in the NFL, these last drafts provided Luck and a bunch of read option/runner QBs that are already banged up. Wilson is an exception and he is locked for years in Seattle.

If Manning really retires, Brady will reign in the AFC, all the other good QBs are in the NFC. Flacco is good but he also threw 2 stupid picks yesterday, and I can't consider a QB that is so so-so during the regular season to be a great one.

Someone will have to won the lottery again until Brady retires or things will be uneven.

I have a feeling that the fiercest competition for the Pats, at least as far as the AFC goes, will rest inside our own division for the next couple of years.

Baltimore and Indy easy. Just pray neither drafts Todd Gurley even though that will be a classic Ozzie pick.

Ravens's "inexperienced" OL had shown some great promises, only giving up 19 sacks. If they can upgrade on their secondaries, they can be scary. I am not sure on their cap number but getting Revis would be a wet dream or a wet nightmares for others. Run D is outstanding, 3.4 per temp. They also need a number 3 after resigning Torrey Smith.

Colts' OL is garbage, giving up 41 sacks and killed the running game. Pass rushing is bad to, only have 29.

Dunkeys are in a free fall mode. Thoms is hitting FA as well as Terrance Knighton and Orlando Franklin. Talib nets us a 3rd comp pick and possibly a ticket to SB for not playing Dunkey at home.

We need to invest heavily on the OL and DL via draft or FA, also need to keep Vereen, DM and Revis. The DL could not stuff the line nor generate enough pressure. It would be good to see Easley come back healthy and show his ability to get off the LOS quickly.

TBR said:

It made me laugh seeing their off-season acquisitions fail miserably in today's game. Ware couldn't get to the QB at all and Talib played pretty poorly.

Click to expand...

I knew Talib was going to struggle as soon as they said he was on Hilton. He does well with big receivers but quick guys eat him alive. He is also really quick to quit when things start going against him.

I agree with SVN, first things first. Overall however I think Luck is going to be in the mix for years to come.

patsinthesnow said:

Brady (and Jimmy G's) rivals: Colts and Ravens

**** Lebeau resigned, Big Ben is aging too. Not sure the Steelers will join those two.

Dolphins are tricky to figure out. Bills/Texans need QBs.

Click to expand...

After Saturdays performance it is going to be a long long time before Garrapolo sees the field, if ever.

Maybe Denver will give us their first..............

Our next AFC rival is the Colts. I mean that is who we're playing next week right?

Don't sell that team short. Even though I think Irsay considers going to Denver and knocking out Manning his SB.