Around the league - Week 15

[dolphins4life]

The Browns get to stay alive for another week due to beating the Broncos

No luck for Miami with the Cowboys, as the Colts blocked a field goal, and then went down and scored a touchdown.

Then, the Cowboys dropped a sure touchdown pass.

[dolphins4life]

Then the Colts stop them on fourth down and 1.  This week is looking a disaster for Miami.

[dolphins4life]

More bad news out of Dallas with the Colts adding a field goal to get up 10-0

[Pappy13]

I think we are starting to see the end of the Patriots domination. They will win the division and may even make a run in the playoffs, but I don't see them winning the AFC and I thought there were signs of Brady looking pretty human this year, I think father time is finally starting to catch up with him and it remains to be seen if Belichick can win without Brady. Belicick may not even want to try and may retire. If Brady and Belichick are both gone in 2 years that opens up the AFCE again.

[stinkfish]

The patriots dominate partly because every other AFC East team has been innocuous vanilla, and pathetic over the Patriots’ rise. If they had had some real competition in the division, they wouldn’t have been a guaranteed lock each and every season.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I think we are starting to see the end of the Patriots domination. They will win the division and may even make a run in the playoffs, but I don't see them winning the AFC and I thought there were signs of Brady looking pretty human this year, I think father time is finally starting to catch up with him and it remains to be seen if Belichick can win without Brady. Belicick may not even want to try and may retire. If Brady and Belichick are both gone in 2 years that opens up the AFCE again.

I tend to think the Chiefs, Chargers, Texans and maybe the Ravens are stronger teams than NE.  But anything can happen.  Can Brady be a top 10 QB next season, maybe, maybe not.  But here is the real question if the Patriots decline does the Dolphins or another AFCE team emerge that can be relevant or does the division just become the shitshow we see in the NFCE this year where anyone can win the division because all four teams are utter crap?  Right now I don’t see any of them developing a program that results in anything that fields a team that can do better than being the four seed and then getting blownout by the 5 seed.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The patriots dominate partly because every other AFC East team has been innocuous vanilla, and pathetic over the Patriots’ rise. If they had had some real competition in the division, they wouldn’t have been a guaranteed lock each and every season.

That argument would make sense if NE consistently went one and done.  You can win your division based on a weak division, but you actually have to be good to parlay that into the playoff wins necessary to take a trip to the SB.  Having weak division mates does nothing to help you win the AFCCG.

[stinkfish]

I know. I was just responding to the end of a previous post that says the AFC East will be open after the exit of Brady and Belichick.

[Spider-Dan]

The patriots dominate partly because every other AFC East team has been innocuous vanilla, and pathetic over the Patriots’ rise. If they had had some real competition in the division, they wouldn’t have been a guaranteed lock each and every season.

The AFCE has a better record against the Patriots than the rest of the league does.

[BuccaneerBrad]

So as it stands, NE is the #3 seed and would not have a first round bye for the first time in eight years if the season ended today.   If they lose one of their last two games and Pittsburgh wins out, then they drop to #4 which would force them to face the Chiefs/Chargers in the first round.   

[Tenshot13]

Or they lose out, Miami wins out and Miami wins the division.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

So as it stands, NE is the #3 seed and would not have a first round bye for the first time in eight years if the season ended today.   If they lose one of their last two games and Pittsburgh wins out, then they drop to #4 which would force them to face the Chiefs/Chargers in the first round.   

NE needs the Eagles to beat the Texans this week.  I don’t see the Texans losing at home to Jag.  If NE can’t beat the Bills and Jets, there really is no point in them being in the playoffs.

[masterfins]

That argument would make sense if NE consistently went one and done.  You can win your division based on a weak division, but you actually have to be good to parlay that into the playoff wins necessary to take a trip to the SB.  Having weak division mates does nothing to help you win the AFCCG.

Not completely true.  Having a weak division allows a team to get two or three extra wins on the season, thereby allowing for a better chance of home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  So in years that the Patriots had home field advantage throughout the playoffs it certainly did help them win the AFCCG.  This year when the Patriots will have to play games on the road will make it more difficult for them to advance.

[Spider-Dan]

Having a weak division allows a team to get two or three extra wins on the season, thereby allowing for a better chance of home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  So in years that the Patriots had home field advantage throughout the playoffs it certainly did help them win the AFCCG.

I repeat: The AFCE has a better record against the Patriots than the rest of the league does.

If the Patriots were playing more games against the rest of the league and fewer division games, their record would likely have been better than it was.