Will the patriots go undefeated?

[Moonliner]

Will the New England Patriots finish the season undefeated?

I remember in the past reading articles about why there will never be another undefeated season in the NFL. The primary argument seems to be that once a playoff birth is set a team will play it safe and pull it's stars in order to protect them for the playoffs.

The Patriots don't seem to be following this theory.

Can they go undefeated?

[Ghoulish Delight]

If any team can, it's them. I'd never bet on it because you never know what's going to happen, but I'd be surprised if they don't at least go 16-0. 19-0, that I'm less inclined to believe.

What I'm really hoping is that they do go at least 16-0 and that simultaneously Miami goes 0-16. How awesome would that be? (Not that I have anything against the Dolphins, I just like the parallelism of it all).

[scaeagles]

Miami is about as bad of a professional team as I have ever had the displeasure to witness.

I do think the Patriots will. There have been two teams come close, and the Patriots coaching staff will come up with schemes to more easily defeat the defensive strategies thrown at them.

They are about as close to football perfection as one can be.

I think that the whole uproar over the videotaping of signals has really motivated the Pats to show that it wasn't cheating that was giving them wins - they can dominate without that.

[Alex]

The last two will be the test since 14-0 will lock in home field advantage for them. They've had three close calls so it has been shown that you can pressure them. Jets and Miami shouldn't be a problem. Ending with the Giants could be a concern, as that is potentially a very important game for them (the Giants, that is).

But I'd say the odds of 16-0 are fairly good. 19-0 will be phenomenally more difficult. The best teams will play them having seen game plans that cause them trouble. I'm really looking forward to Colts-Patriots in the AFC Championship game. The first one was good, another one would be better.

Also remarkable is that four teams with 13 or more wins is probable. That hasn't happened in a decade I think.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Alex

Also remarkable is that four teams with 13 or more wins is probable.

Each with a superstar quarterback with a flair for dramatic comebacks. No Trent Dilfer-like afterthoughts in this bunch.

[SacTown Chronic]

The Pats will go 16-0, but I have the feeling that this season will end in crushing disappointment for them. I don't think they have enough to beat both the Colts and Cowboys again.

Originally Posted by scaeagles

They are about as close to football perfection as one can be.

Naw. The Patriots can't run their way out of a paper bag, their secondary can be had up the middle, and their linebackers sometimes have difficulty covering elite tight ends (the playoffs will include Gates, Clark, Winslow, Miller, Witten). And if you hit their star wide receiver early and often, you can take him out of the game. Of all these things, the lack of a serious commitment to the running game might be what trips them up in the end. Then again, they might go 19-0, covering the spread all the while.



Ugh, Trent Dilfer. It's no mean feat making Niner fans happy to see the Shaun Hill era begin, but Dilfer pulls it off.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by SacTown Chronic

Naw. The Patriots can't run their way out of a paper bag.

They won today because they could. They ran all over the Chargers in the second half.

[blueerica]

I just think it's funny that the pundits were all bantering a month ago what was more likely: Dolphins with no wins or Pats with no losses. We're still waiting...

[Kevy Baby]

I know it is not going to happen, but I would be very amused if the Dolphins defeated the Pats.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Stupid Baltimore, there goes Miami's perfect season.