AFC playoff chase 2021
- Thread starter j-man
- Start date
I don't think they are ahead of schedule. I think after signing that many impact free agents that 10-11 wins is exactly where they should be. I believe I said they'd win 12 games this year in the preseason and they were on pace to do so until the last couple weeks. Making the playoffs this year should always have been the goal and they've reached it. Now I'd really like to see them win a game.
While we wait if the playoffs started this weekend these would be the matchups as of right now. Best prediction on when the Pats would play if these were the matchups. 2 games Saturday, 3 on Sunday and 1 on Monday night.
AFC
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 7. LA Chargers Sat 8:15
3. Cincinnati Bengals vs. 6.Indy Colts Sat 4:30
4. Buffalo Bills vs. 5. New England Patriots Monday 8:15
NFC
2. Los Angeles Rams vs. 7. Philadelphia Eagles Sun 8:15
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers Sun 1:00
4. Dallas Cowboys vs. 5. Arizona Cardinals Sun 4:30
AFC
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 7. LA Chargers Sat 8:15
3. Cincinnati Bengals vs. 6.Indy Colts Sat 4:30
4. Buffalo Bills vs. 5. New England Patriots Monday 8:15
NFC
2. Los Angeles Rams vs. 7. Philadelphia Eagles Sun 8:15
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers Sun 1:00
4. Dallas Cowboys vs. 5. Arizona Cardinals Sun 4:30
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It would be a real downer if the Pats have to play the MNF game. Based on those matchups, I could see it being the NFC West game or the Tompa game
It's ridiculous they're having a Monday Night game at all. Just play 3 on Saturday, 3 on Sunday.
They stopped playing Monday nights the last week of the season because of that I would think. But now it's okay I guess. I assume who ever wins Monday will definitely get a Sunday game but who knows.
Especially since, in Murfman’s scenario, the 4/5 team would likely be playing on short rest against a team coming off a bye OR a team that played Saturday and therefore had two extra days rest/prep.
Edit definitely not likely
Mixon OUT on Sunday. The Browns may well win that game and lock Cincy into the 4 seed
View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1478754485665247236
View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1478754485665247236
I just did a quick look but where is the Monday night game on the totem pole. I would think the 4:30 ad the 8:15 game on Sunday are a head of it and would also think the Saturday night would be too.
And yet you gave 49ers-Bucs, the most attractive looking possible matchup, the 1 p.m. Sunday slot.
The Monday slot is the only game that day. No matter what anyone thinks of it being on ESPN, it will coalesce the NFL watching public.
I screwed up the matchups at first and had Tampa vs Philly and didn't think much of that game. I should have put more time into my post.
Or a Colt Fan. Hang that Positive Point Diff Banner!Geez J-Man, you’re starting to sound like a Jets fan. It will get better bud. . .
Burrow is not playing on Sunday.
View: https://twitter.com/Trags/status/1478778194274750477?s=20
Case Keenum vs. Brandon Allen
View: https://twitter.com/Trags/status/1478778194274750477?s=20
Case Keenum vs. Brandon Allen
No Burrow, No Mixon. IIRC, the Browns beating the Bengals was part of the roadmap to the AFC East title!
Isn't the only way for the Patriots to win the AFCE is for Buffalo to lose while the Patriots win
I would have to imagine whichever conference plays on MNF will have both divisional games on Sunday. I'd also hope the other two WC games in that conference are on Sunday as to avoid a two days rest advantage.
Yeah, the Bengals result is irrelevant to the Patriots. The Bengals need the Bills to win the division to win tiebreakers vs. them/KC/TEN and keep the Patriots out of it, but with Burrow sitting and a bunch of guys out for Covid it's probably moot.
I dunno ... Case Keenum leading a lackluster Browns team might not put up much of a fight
Out of curiosity, I looked at how they've fared during each time slot:
1:00: 6-2
4:00/4:25: 2-2
8:25: 2-2
It would appear that they play best during the 1:00 slot, although those games were obviously Jets twice, Houston, Carolina etc. Night games you're getting the Bucs/Bills/Colts. It's tough to really gauge for such a small sample but thought I would share since I looked into it.
Mayfield has absolutely owned the Bengals (even this year), but it's hard to imagine Keenum is worse at the moment. Either way, the Battle of Ohio will be a real barnburner!
If the Browns win that stinker, I'm fine with the Bills & Pats winning, then we draw Cincy. Will obviously know more by 4:25.
Unless Burrow is really banged up (and he says he's fine), I hate this move. Not only does it likely take them out of any chance of a top-2 seed, but the 3-seed potentially has a ton of value too since if the Raiders win they're going to be the 6 unless the Bills or Pats lose.
I think I'd rather have a rested (and perhaps healthier) Burrow in a home playoff game than risk him further aggravating the knee in a quest for playoff positioning.
That's obviously the big question. If it's just the difference between the Pats and Colts I could understand (although I like the Colts a lot more stylistically for the Bengals), but the difference between those two and the Raiders is enormous. I know the Raiders just beat the Colts in Indy, but they're by far the weakest of all the contenders besides the Steelers.
If the franchise QB needs a rest, that's better than the random seeding situation that may or may not matter.
They may be right, and if that's the case then it certainly is worth sitting. For what it's worth, he only came out of the game because the only actions required from that point were a kneel and a spike and he says he's completely fine.
I know the spike was just a spike, but if he was fine, he would have taken the knee and did the spike. Not Kyle Allen.
Fine is relative. Burrow was hurt, not severely but enough that he wasn't out there for the last couple of plays. Burrow is the team. Without him, they are not great.
Crazier things could happen but I'll say the MNF game is the "worst" of the six. If Philly ends up playing Tampa, then I think it will be the NFC game that doesn't involve them or Dallas.
If It's Pats-Bills, I think that gets a decent slot. So maybe the Sunday at 4 one.
Is there a way for the league to prevent the possibility of having a team that plays on WC Saturday play another team that plays on WC Monday? In other words, if 1-2 upsets happen you could conceivable have a situation where there is a matchup of two teams that play WC weekend with one team having an extra two days. I think the only way to prevent this would be to not have AFC games both Saturday and Monday, or same with the NFC, right? In other words the AFC games need to be Sat-Sun and the NFC Sun-Mon, or vice-versa, otherwise there could be some major scheduling advantage? Am I correct?
Per a little birdie, it sounds likely that the MNF game will a 4-5 game. If Dallas remains the 4, it won't be Dallas. So, if Dallas remains the 4, get mentally prepared for that possibility.
It's irrelevant to the Pats winning the East but not to potential matchups. If form holds everywhere, Pats play Bills. If it holds everywhere except Cincy/Cle then the Pats play Cincy.
I think it's wild that they would want to put a 8pm game in Buffalo on TV, the odds of something similar in viewing experience to that Dec 6th game are too high.
I feel the NFL wouldn't really give a shit about conditions and viewing experience. Also, people love bad weather football games. Aren't the ratings usualy awesome for them?
Obviously matchups could change, but if I had to guess based on today's standings:
Sat 4:25 Colts @ Bengals
Sat 8:20 Cardinals @ Cowboys
Sun 1:00 49ers @ Bucs
Sun 4:25 Raiders/Chargers @ Chiefs
Sun 8:20 Eagles @ Rams
Mon 8:20 Patriots @ Bills
I think logistically those all make sense, though as a Pats fan I would hate having Monday night. I think Cincy will end up in the Houston Texans timeslot with the early Saturday game. Dallas in primetime on Saturday. LA and Philly on Sunday.
Edit: Flipped the Bucs and Chiefs.
Sat 4:25 Colts @ Bengals
Sat 8:20 Cardinals @ Cowboys
Sun 1:00 49ers @ Bucs
Sun 4:25 Raiders/Chargers @ Chiefs
Sun 8:20 Eagles @ Rams
Mon 8:20 Patriots @ Bills
I think logistically those all make sense, though as a Pats fan I would hate having Monday night. I think Cincy will end up in the Houston Texans timeslot with the early Saturday game. Dallas in primetime on Saturday. LA and Philly on Sunday.
Edit: Flipped the Bucs and Chiefs.
The league hasn't always given a shit about competitive advantages, but I hope they would for the playoffs. You could have the winners of Colts/Bengals and Pats/Bills meet if the 7-seed wins and the former would have two days extra rest. I'd hope they at least make the conference that plays the MNF game have both their other games Sunday.
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This was the point I was trying to make earlier. I’d be pissed at that kind of competitive disadvantage
As long as they're able to do this, either conference could have the MNF game since there's cross-flexing in the playoffs now (Bears-Saints was on CBS last year). The schedule would look something like this:
Saturday 4:30 NBC (NFC)
Saturday 8:15 FOX (NFC, networks could be swapped but they'd both be NFC games)
Sunday 1:00 CBS (AFC)
Sunday 4:30 FOX (NFC)
Sunday 8:15 NBC (AFC)
Monday 8:15 ESPN (AFC)
Then you'd have both NFC divisional games Saturday and AFC Sunday with one FOX and one CBS/NBC each day.
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rofl we was + 38 with 2 games left but vic gambled too much and bad ST costs a TD as denver left 10 pts on the fieldGeez J-Man, you’re starting to sound like a Jets fan. It will get better bud. . .
it will get better but without a etite qb denver is 9-8 at best
i want doug peteton or caldwell as denver next coach
my guess
Sat 4 25 Colts @ Bengals 8 20 Eagles @ bucs
sun 1 pm vegas @ kc 4 25 cards @ cowboys 8 20 saints @ rams
mon ne @ buff or coits @ bengals
I would guess that the top TV rating teams are Cowboys/Bucs/Chiefs/Pats in that order. I am also guessing that the top time slots are Sunday night and Monday night, and that those games will have two of those four teams. I am open to being corrected.
Is Saturday night a good time slot? I would guess Chiefs Saturday night, Cowboys Sunday night, Bucs Monday night. Bucs have a short week but stay home to play the Rams the following Sunday.
Is Saturday night a good time slot? I would guess Chiefs Saturday night, Cowboys Sunday night, Bucs Monday night. Bucs have a short week but stay home to play the Rams the following Sunday.
Wow that sucks. Lets face it, they aren't doing it if the NFC #4 is Tampa either. From playing the machine it is possible that Tampa is 2 and Dallas 3 but it's unlikely.
Pretty sure Sat night is the top slot.