Patriots

[flamingrey]

...have an easy road to the SB. Denver and then Baltimore/Houston.

Patriots against the Packers or Saints would be a great game.

 

[cincygrad]

I think next week will be easy for them. As inspiring the Broncos were today, it was clear the first time the Pats/Broncos played that it was not a good match-up for the Broncos. The Patriots just have too many ways to score a bunch of points against just about anyone. The Broncos don't have that ability.

The Baltimore game will be interesting. If Flacco gets hot and his receivers are healthy, they can definitely put up some points against NE.

 

[flamingrey]

Ravens aren't the same team on the road as they are at home. I don't give them a chance at all.

 

[futballiscool]

Ravens aren't the same team on the road as they are at home. I don't give them a chance at all.

I think they'll be ready for a game that big even if it's on the road. they were the only team to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh

 

[futballiscool]

a big factor could be the weather in Foxboro..


the other three teams have much better running games and defenses...

if one of the games is played in bad weather they can be beat

 

[DanBengalfan]

mostly sunny 34/19 projected.

field may be wet from rain earlier in the week, but it's "field turf", so maybe not.

 

[Smoke]

Ravens aren't the same team on the road as they are at home. I don't give them a chance at all.

 

[Tubbs1518]

I refuse to count the Broncos out this week. Let's not forget the Broncos had 250 yards running against NE. If Tebow can hit a couple big plays off of play action this week and the D plays just a little better than last time, and gets some pressure I could see them shocking with a win again. Miller only had 1 tackle last time, I'm not sure if he was hurt then or what.

 

[DanBengalfan]

If Denver was favored and logical people expected them to win, what fun would that be?

 

[Tubbs1518]

Denver is doing exactly what it should. Establishing the run, then letting Tebow take a shot at big plays down the field off play action. He was hitting them today. He had a 31.6 YPC. That is insane. Thomas averages 50 yards per catch. I think they have a serious shot at beating NE.

 

[DanBengalfan]

They certainly shifted gears from scoring 3 points against crappy KC, even with the injuries, Pittsburgh is better than KC. Home field advantage though, can't rule that out. That place was nuts.

The thing is, you can't calculate odds on this game based on traditional observations, no one would have expected DT to make a catch and run TD the first play of overtime. Tebow can run just as well as any RB in the league. The Denver defense can play lights out one game, and then go soft the next.

I guess I'm too used to watching to watching the Bengals run into the pile until they have to punt.

 

[flamingrey]

The game was on Lebeau. No other team consistently puts 9 in the box or 10 as Lebeau did on that last play. Every team that has beat them with man coverage has given safety help over the top making those passes that much more difficult to complete. 1-1 with safety help over the top, you're also forcing Tebow to make decisions which he has responded to slowly this season and forced into mistakes. 1-1 with no safety help and there was no decision to make, just throw the ball up. 3-4 even "lucky" passes and the game is wide open for the taking.

Lebeau blew it. Pats won't do the same thing. It won't be close.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Any team that can run it well...see Den/Balt...has a shot at unseating the Pats. Even at home. What have the pats done the past few years at home? Lost. Mostly to teams that can run it.

Run the ball. Eat up clock. Keep Brady off the field. Also, B-more has the defense to hit and piss off Brady. When he gets hit he turns into a pumpkin.

 

[cincygrad]

Any team that can run it well...see Den/Balt...has a shot at unseating the Pats. Even at home. What have the pats done the past few years at home? Lost. Mostly to teams that can run it.

Run the ball. Eat up clock. Keep Brady off the field. Also, B-more has the defense to hit and piss off Brady. When he gets hit he turns into a pumpkin.

NFL rules dictate that you are not allowed to hit Brady. It's a 15 yard penalty if you even disrupt his throwing motion.

 

[vancelot23]

Agreed, LeBeau lost this one. You beat Tebow by making him actually make NFL throws. If you let him wind up and throw it deep, you're letting make the one throw he can beat you with. Tebow still completed less than 50% of his throws, but if you give him the option of throwing bombs he's going to complete a few or draw a few flags and win games. Gotta make him throw short passes, which he is awful at.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Agreed, LeBeau lost this one. You beat Tebow by making him actually make NFL throws. If you let him wind up and throw it deep, you're letting make the one throw he can beat you with. Tebow still completed less than 50% of his throws, but if you give him the option of throwing bombs he's going to complete a few or draw a few flags and win games. Gotta make him throw short passes, which he is awful at.

I've been thinking this as well, remember when Jeff Blake was here. He could run, and he could throw the bomb, ask him to make normal passes and he just couldn't learn to do it effectively. Tebow can find the cushion in the prevent defense at least, but I think Blake actually could manage that as well.

 

[vancelot23]

You can't let QBs play to their strengths.

 

[Tubbs1518]

I don't think the Patriots come close to covering the 13 or 14 points they are given.

 

[vancelot23]

One last thing about the Broncos. The OT play was almost all Thomas who made the catch, broke a tackle, outran two defenders, then stiff armed his way into the end zone. So naturally, Tebow gets all the credit.

 

[powerchord86]