I think we can already pencil in the AFC championship game

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Thanks to Houston, if things stay the way they are, the patriots will have to go through Baltimore.

Of course that means that pats will have to root for Buffalo to beat the Ravens.

Yeah, I am a Buffalo fan this week.  A lot easier to stomach that then rooting for the Jets the following week.

[BuccaneerBrad]

Yeah, I am a Buffalo fan this week.  A lot easier to stomach that then rooting for the Jets the following week.

And a much better chance of a happy ending

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

And a much better chance of a happy ending

True. Jets beating Ravens would be an utter shock.

[MaineDolFan]

I am pretty sure the AFCCG will be Patriots and Ravens.....lot less certain about the winner.

I'm not seeing this at all.  Patriots look great when they are playing the Jets and the Dolphins, causing turnovers and only having to drive 25 yards for a score.  They look completely different against half way decent teams. 

If a team can run the ball (and has mobility under center) they can beat NE.  I'm not sure they make it to the AFC title game this year.  When the defense doesn't play out of it's mind the offense can't get out of it's own way.

[CF DolFan]

I'm not seeing this at all.  Patriots look great when they are playing the Jets and the Dolphins, causing turnovers and only having to drive 25 yards for a score.  They look completely different against half way decent teams. 

If a team can run the ball (and has mobility under center) they can beat NE.  I'm not sure they make it to the AFC title game this year.  When the defense doesn't play out of it's mind the offense can't get out of it's own way.

I would agree but the problem is NE plays their best football at the end of the season. I'm not so sure playoff Patriots is the same team that you saw lose to the Texans.

[BuccaneerBrad]

I would agree but the problem is NE plays their best football at the end of the season. I'm not so sure playoff Patriots is the same team that you saw lose to the Texans.

Normally you're right but I'm still sticking with what I'm seeing.  And what I'm seeing is Tom Brady turning into the Peyton Manning in 2014/2015..... a guy whose body could no longer do what his mind commanded it to do.

[MaineDolFan]

I would agree but the problem is NE plays their best football at the end of the season. I'm not so sure playoff Patriots is the same team that you saw lose to the Texans.

It was just last week, it's not like they played a month ago.  I'm not sure how you can say this.  NE usually has it's falter (if any) October, early November.  By now they have things under control, they aren't going into games like last week and getting stomped.  And, let's be clear - last week was a stomping.  NE put together a couple scores in garbage time, they had no shot to win that game.

Teams get stomped in this league, NE traditionally hasn't been one of them.

Right now my AFC title game is KC - Baltimore; I'm still holding out hope for the Titans.  NE doesn't make it out of the 2nd round.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

NE doesn't make it out of the 2nd round.

NE is hard to beat at home with an extra week of rest. Going down to Baltimore and winning on the road, less likely. 

[MaineDolFan]

NE is hard to beat at home with an extra week of rest. Going down to Baltimore and winning on the road, less likely. 

Got to actually secure a first round bye first.  I'm not sure that will happen, we will see.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Got to actually secure a first round bye first.  I'm not sure that will happen, we will see.

They would have to falter pretty bad down the home stretch to blow a two game lead on the #2 seed.  (and need to get real lucky to get the #1 seed) 

[BuccaneerBrad]

They would have to falter pretty bad down the home stretch to blow a two game lead on the #2 seed.  (and need to get real lucky to get the #1 seed) 

They took a huge step towards doing exactly that today losing at home to KC.  First home loss by the Pats since Oct 2017.   If KC runs the table and New England loses one of their remaining three games, New England falls to the #3 seed which means no first round bye. 

[dolphins4life]

They took a huge step towards doing exactly that today losing at home to KC.  First home loss by the Pats since Oct 2017.   If KC runs the table and New England loses one of their remaining three games, New England falls to the #3 seed which means no first round bye. 

That game was the most ridiculous game I have seen so far this year.

Quick whistle negated what should have been a Patriot fumble return for a touchdown.

Then, the Patriots player clearly scored a touchdown, but was ruled out of bounds, forcing the Patriots to settle for a field goal.

Then, a blatant no call on the Patriots final drive.

I really hope this is not a sign of things to come in the playoffs.  If the Patriots lose, I want it to be fair and square.

I think I also I am going to coin a new phrase from this game.  PT.  This is short for Patriots Turnover.   This means a turnover that the Patriots force (or their opponent just hands to them) when everything is going perfectly for their opponents.  They got one today, when Kelce SHOULD have just gone down since he had the first down.

The Patriots will still likely win the Super Bowl because their opponents will panic and self-destruct.

[dolphins4life]

Sometimes I do wonder if something is going on behind the scenes.   I mean, bad calls happen, but they usually aren't so one-sided in a game

[raptorsfan29]

except those plays happened before a call that was clearly a 15 yard penalty on the patriots when Patrick Mahomes was thrown into the ground while already out of bounds, even the announces said it should have been a penalty. It works both ways on the bad calls.

[stinkfish]

This was just a poorly officiated game. Still good to see the patsies lose, but they realistically should have the win.