The Colts or Steelers can keep up and contend for home field advantage in the AFC. I don't think anyone will argue that the Patriots have the offensive firepower and defense to run the table. But the problem is if they end up 12-0 and home field locked up then key players won't see the field for very long if nothing more than to just stay fresh.
"Maurice Jones-Drew, below the waist, is incredible." Mike Mayock
There's is almost no chance that the Patriots will go undefeated this year, because they play the Giants in week 17. Since the Pats play both the Colts and the Steelers this year, they would automatically clinch any one-on-one tiebreaker against either team by week 16. The Jags already lost a conference game, so the Pats would have them beat by week 16 too. And by virtue of an undefeated conference record they own any 3-way tiebreakers as well. The only way I can see the Pats going undefeated is if the Giants have clinched home-field advantage by week 16, and they decide to rest all their starters too. Otherwise the Pats would have to risk their Superbowl chances to play their starters in a meaningless game. The schedule makers pretty much guaranteed that AT BEST the Pats are a 15-1 team.
Hypothetically.. if the Patriots are 15-0 going into the final week and therefore have a bye and home field throughout the playoffs clinched.. I bet you they play harder in that game than you are thinking, and probably win.
Nobody in recent years has ever started better than 13-0, so we've never gotten to see the way a team might play that late in the season under undefeated circumtances. But I do remember last year the Patriots final game was totally meaningless to them, on the road against a Tennessee team that was on fire and needed to win to make the playoffs.. and New England still won. The chance to be considered the greatest team ever would no doubt be valuable to them.
and once a team starts to look like they're going to run the table, everyone they play comes in even more fired up. So those late season games where maybe starters are being rested are against teams looking to be the one to prevent history from being made (with respect to the 72 Dolphins).
I still think NE has the best chance of going undefeated than any team I've seen.
RocketsDWM wrote:Believe it or not, I still think the Colts are a better team.
Bill won't go all out - it just isnt worth it. If they clinch early, they will sit Brady, Moss and the rest of the crew.
YES! thank you for this. I also agree with this sentiment. Last time I checked the colts were defending super bowl champions and haven't done anything to suggest that they aren't the best team in the league. They are still undefeated. Not only that but the pats defense is not as powerful as they have been in the past. They've had games where they give up a lot of pts (28 this week, 27 last week). Anyway, in my personal experience it pays to be skeptical, and until the colts give me a reason to suggest they aren't the best team in the league I will continue to say that they are...
RocketsDWM wrote:Believe it or not, I still think the Colts are a better team.
Bill won't go all out - it just isnt worth it. If they clinch early, they will sit Brady, Moss and the rest of the crew.
YES! thank you for this. I also agree with this sentiment. Last time I checked the colts were defending super bowl champions and haven't done anything to suggest that they aren't the best team in the league. They are still undefeated. Not only that but the pats defense is not as powerful as they have been in the past. They've had games where they give up a lot of pts (21 this week, 20 last week). Anyway, in my personal experience it pays to be skeptical, and until the colts give me a reason to suggest they aren't the best team in the league I will continue to say that they are...
FIxed it for you .
They've had two defensive TD's returned against them the past two weeks. But I will agree that their defense hasn't looked all that great so far this year, I think the offensive prowess might have something to do with it along with an inconsistent pass rush.
I expect the Colts-Pats game to be very high scoring. But, in the end, I don't think the Colts will be able to stop the offensive attack the Patriots have to offer.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a final line of:
Patriots 52 Colts 41
Especially since the game will be played in the dome.
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by mattUTD20 » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:51 pm 
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