Patriots Playoff Fear Factor

[54thMA]

Wrong. The AFL and NFL announced the merger in 1966 well before super bowl 3.

Good to know that if the Jets and Chefs had gotten blown out, the merger was going to happen anyway, ie, the NFL was going to bring a bunch of creampuffs into their league, all in an effort to keep salaries down and prevent bidding wars for players.

Sounds like a solid idea.

 

[Average Reds]

Good to know that if the Jets and Chefs had gotten blown out, the merger was going to happen anyway, ie, the NFL was going to bring a bunch of creampuffs into their league, all in an effort to keep salaries down and prevent bidding wars for players.

Sounds like a solid idea.

I've read this a number of times and I can't figure it out. Specifically, your mocking of the merger plan seems odd considering how well it worked out. (And fwiw, ending the bidding war was important, but consolidating control over the pro game was the objective of the merger.) So yeah, it was an incredibly solid idea.

While the Jets' victory was not a factor in the merger, it cemented the importance of the Super Bowl in the minds of fans and played a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the NFL in the 70s. I should add that the success of the Super Bowl has placed the league in a virtually unassailable position from a competitive standpoint. (Both in terms of startup leagues and other professional sports.)

Pete Rozelle was a freaking genius.

 

[tims4wins]

My brother informed me that the Pats are undefeated when Dion Lewis suits up. 13-0. So clearly the answer is that as long as Lewis plays, it doesn't matter.

 

[Blue Monkey]

My brother informed me that the Pats are undefeated when Dion Lewis suits up. 13-0. So clearly the answer is that as long as Lewis plays, it doesn't matter.

This doesn't seem to pass the smell test... where does one look something like this up?

 

[tims4wins]

This doesn't seem to pass the smell test... where does one look something like this up?

Last year plus this year. 7-0 last year 6-0 this year.

 

[54thMA]

I've read this a number of times and I can't figure it out. Specifically, your mocking of the merger plan seems odd considering how well it worked out. (And fwiw, ending the bidding war was important, but consolidating control over the pro game was the objective of the merger.) So yeah, it was an incredibly solid idea.

While the Jets' victory was not a factor in the merger, it cemented the importance of the Super Bowl in the minds of fans and played a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the NFL in the 70s. I should add that the success of the Super Bowl has placed the league in a virtually unassailable position from a competitive standpoint. (Both in terms of startup leagues and other professional sports.)

Pete Rozelle was a freaking genius.

My point was they agreed to a merger with the AFL in 1966 without really knowing how competitive the AFL teams were going to be vs NFL teams; the first two Super Bowls were not very competitive. And have you seen the crowd shots of that game; it wasn't close to a sell out.

In hindsight, sure, it was a brilliant idea; but what would have happened had the Jets gotten blown out and the Vikings beaten the Chefs as they were what, 12.5 point favorites in that game, that would have been four strait blow outs.

How much would the NFL have grown in the 70's as you pointed out if every Super Bowl was a thorough ass kicking?

The AFL teams had been around for only 6 years at the time the merger was agreed to.

Also, the Colts, Browns and Steelers were moved from the NFL/NFC to the AFC; at the time, the Browns and Colts were solid NFL franchises and they helped prop up the AFC, specifically the Colts who proceeded to knock of the Cowboys when they met in the Super Bowl. The Steelers were a sad sack NFL franchise that caught fire in the 70's and again, helped prop up the AFC, the team of the 70's.

So again, it all worked out, but hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[singaporesoxfan]

This doesn't seem to pass the smell test... where does one look something like this up?

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiDi00/gamelog/

Look at the game logs from 2015 onwards. 13 wins, no losses.

 

[pokey_reese]

I think that I'm pretty solidly in the camp of:

• PIT scares me the most in the AFC, followed by KC
• DAL scares me most in the NFC, followed by ATL

If there is any way to avoid playing the Steelers, I would love that, though it seems pretty likely that we will have to play both them and the Chiefs to get to the SB. At least that should sharpen everyone up for the big game, if we make it that far. Any given Sunday and all that, but really those four teams are the only ones out of the 11 in the playoffs that I would worry about losing to in advance.

 

[tims4wins]

The Pats point differential is 101 better than anyone else in the AFC. This is the largest gap between 1st and 2nd place since... the 2007 Patriots, who were 127 points better than the next team. That's pretty remarkable. The next closest team in that stretch was the 2013 Broncos, who were 82 points better than anyone else.

 

[Devizier]

in the AFC, probably KC
in the NFC, definitely Dallas, a team that people are (surprisingly) underrating.
Of course Seattle and NYG for matchup reasons.

 

[bradmahn]

I think that I'm pretty solidly in the camp of:

• PIT scares me the most in the AFC, followed by KC
• DAL scares me most in the NFC, followed by ATL

If there is any way to avoid playing the Steelers, I would love that, though it seems pretty likely that we will have to play both them and the Chiefs to get to the SB. At least that should sharpen everyone up for the big game, if we make it that far. Any given Sunday and all that, but really those four teams are the only ones out of the 11 in the playoffs that I would worry about losing to in advance.

If the Broncos beat the McGloin-led Raiders and KC beats SD, Pitt would have to travel to the #2 seed Chiefs if the Steelers win their wildcard game. That's the scenario I'm pulling for this weekend.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

in the AFC, probably KC
in the NFC, definitely Dallas, a team that people are (surprisingly) underrating.
Of course Seattle and NYG for matchup reasons.

Who is underrating the Cowboys? People here or in the media?

 

[Old Fart Tree]

If the Broncos beat the McGloin-led Raiders and KC beats SD, Pitt would have to travel to the #2 seed Chiefs if the Steelers win their wildcard game. That's the scenario I'm pulling for this weekend.

That is the best case scenario.

 

[Devizier]

Who is underrating the Cowboys? People here or in the media?

Round 'here. I think the Cowboys and their line present a substantial matchup concern for the Patriots defense. They can also limit possessions which has been the formula for a number of disappointing Patriots postseason losses.

 

[mwonow]

That is the best case scenario.

I still feel dirty pulling for a Broncos win

 

[wiffleballhero]

I think this was also mentioned mid-garbage-time vs. Jets.

"My brother informed me that the Pats are undefeated when Dion Lewis suits up. 13-0. So clearly the answer is that as long as Lewis plays, it doesn't matter."

This doesn't seem to pass the smell test... where does one look something like this up?

 

[DJnVa]

This doesn't seem to pass the smell test... where does one look something like this up?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=dion+lewis+game+log