Easiest Path To The Super Bowl

[NEPatsfan]

Every year this dumbass argument comes up and EVERY YEAR... the people using it lose one simple statistic.

During the Patriots reign. They have nearly an identical win percentage in the AFC East (.788) as they do vs the rest of the NFL (.788). They beat everybody. They were 8-5 vs Peyton and the Colts. They've dominated Ben and the Steelers. New England averages 12.6 wins per 16 games against AFC East teams, they average 12.1 wins per 16 games outside of the division. Both are a league best.

Furthermore, the AFC East has not been terrible during the Patriots reign. It's been middling. League average. The fact that the Patriots PLAY in that division has everything to do with the fact that no one else can make headway (DUH).

The AFC East has been just mediocre — not terrible — during the Patriots’ reign - The Boston Globe

The AFC East, outside of the Patriots, is more accurately described as mediocre as opposed to terrible over the past 17 years. Though the division hasn’t had a sustained, worthy rival to New England since 2002, it also hasn’t had the sort of chum (the Browns come to mind) that has been tossed in the water of the other divisions.

That’s evident in looking at the performance of AFC East teams as a whole outside the division. Thanks to the Patriots, the AFC East has the best out-of-division winning percentage (.540) of any NFL division in the last 17 seasons. But removing the Patriots — as well as the top out-of-division team in each division — over the same span, the AFC East looks like a middle-of-the-pack grouping.

The Bills, Jets, and Dolphins have a combined .465 winning percentage when playing teams outside the AFC East. Which is better than the non-Colts teams in the AFC South (.446), and largely in line with the bottom three teams in the AFC North (.468 in out-of-division games) and AFC West (.476, not including Denver).

In other words, most years, the competition in the AFC East looks a lot like that in the other AFC divisions.

 

[jarntt]

I wonder which team this guy thinks has the easiest path:

 

[NWPATSFAN]

From best to worst record:
BUF
NYJ
AZ
MIA

I'm going:
NYJ
BUF
AZ/MIA tie

 

[dtgold88]

Seems we see this every year.

First it's quite funny considering we don't know who will be on the 53 man rosters for every team.

Nor does it matter that NFL schedule rotates every year.

I guess BB somehow has the power to ensure that their schedule corresponds to playing the weakest non conference teams each season.


Or it could be NE is just that good.

NE is just that good, but there really is no denying them being kinda good AND playing no one who can really challenge them 6X per season does give them an advantage over most teams.

Not sure why you don't embrace it. sure they have a better chance to get 2 home games in the playoffs but they still have to beat 1-2 top teams to go to SB.

I've heard this said about the Indians and why they made the playoffs in their recent run the last 3-4 years or so and in the 90s. Often it was true.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

NE is just that good, but there really is no denying them being kinda good AND playing no one who can really challenge them 6X per season does give them an advantage over most teams.

Not sure why you don't embrace it. sure they have a better chance to get 2 home games in the playoffs but they still have to beat 1-2 top teams to go to SB.

I've heard this said about the Indians and why they made the playoffs in their recent run the last 3-4 years or so and in the 90s. Often it was true.

Well I'm not sure of the Indians records vs their division and others or the NL.

But I'm pretty sure the numbers for the Pats success kind of debunk your point?

 

[dtgold88]

And?

What can be done about that?

Agree.....not the Pats fault, but is true they have an easier path than most good teams.

Then again, also true if dropped them into any division it gives their top team a tougher road.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Prediction time. Arrange these four teams in the order you think they'll finish this year based on W/L records.

AZ
MIA
BUF
NYJ

NYG
BUF
AZ
MIA

 

[dtgold88]

Well I'm not sure of the Indians records vs their division and others or the NL.

But I'm pretty sure the numbers for the Pats success kind of debunk your point?

OK, but they play 76 of their games against their division. Nearly 50% of their games. Often their division foes consist of a mediocre team and 3 more ranging from bad to awful.

Makes it much easier to get to the playoffs when they are a good team (which unlike NE is not always the case for the Tribe). Of course, also like NE they still need to beat 1-2 good teams to get to the WS/SB.

 

[dtgold88]

You can take them to school.

You can't make them learn.

You get both points can be right, correct?

NE is a very good team. Better than most or even all. But they do have probably the easiest division in the NFL to navigate to a division title.

 

[dtgold88]

I think they'll be better but will they make the playoffs? Maaaybe. If I was a Browns fan that will be the type of questions I would be asking.

I am and I am.

 

[dtgold88]

Prediction time. Arrange these four teams in the order you think they'll finish this year based on W/L records.

AZ
MIA
BUF
NYJ

Jets
Buffalo
AZ
Miami

But Jets, Bills, Mia records inflated playing each other 4 times.

will say not impossible those teams are on par or better than Washinton or the NYG this season. But I still think Philly/Dallas are both good teams while NE has no one like that in their division......yet.

 

[YankeeRebel]

You get both points can be right, correct?

NE is a very good team. Better than most or even all. But they do have probably the easiest division in the NFL to navigate to a division title.

Sure b/c the AFCS or NFCS or hell NFCE are such juggernauts anymore.

 

[dtgold88]

its always fun when you show the pats record outside of the AFC east. "its your division, so easy".

then of course i show the AFC south, etc...and how bad theyve been as a division, and no one seems to reply.

no doubt been some down years for the AFC South. And to be fair NE dominance is because they are so good, while the top team in AFC Sough not on NE level most years.

 

[dtgold88]

Sure b/c the AFCS or NFCS or hell NFCE are such juggernauts anymore.

But in those divisions most years the 2nd best team can at least put up a challenge to a great team.

 

[dtgold88]

I'm going:
NYJ
BUF
AZ/MIA tie

Only reason I have Mia on bottom is I think they are tanking.

 

[YankeeRebel]

But in those divisions most years the 2nd best team can at least put up a challenge to a great team.

And in the AFCE those team do play the Pats close, closer than most know. It's all moot any damn way they can't change divisions to satisfy the whines of a few haters.

 

[dtgold88]

And in the AFCE those team do play the Pats close, closer than most know. It's all moot any damn way they can't change divisions to satisfy the whines of a few haters.

You get I said that, right? Nothing the Pats can do and they are still a great team if not the best.

Embrace it.

 

[YankeeRebel]

You get I said that, right? Nothing the Pats can do and they are still a great team if not the best.

Embrace it.

Yes my comment was geared toward the masses in a replied to post.

 

[flyingelvis]

Here's the bottom line ladies...

The Pats would have dominated every fucking division in the NFL the past 20 years. Except the NFC East. Haha.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

You get both points can be right, correct?

NE is a very good team. Better than most or even all. But they do have probably the easiest division in the NFL to navigate to a division title.

I get both points could be correct.

But, I'll still side with what the #s say. That takes out any subjectivity.