It was another dismal weekend for most of the AFC East.
Miami showed a few flashes against the improved Browns, and the Jets in their throwback unis made a play or two against the visiting Eagles... but in the end both lost rather handily.
The Buffalo Bills used their bye weak to rest their weary bodies, glad to not add to the AFC East debacle that was Week Six.
At least least the Patriots managed to pull away from the Cowboys in the fourth quarter en route to a 48-27 victory.
The Patriots lead the East at 6-0. The Bills are in second place at 1-4. The Jets follow at 1-5, and the Dolphins are 0-6.
Excluding the Patriots, that's a combined division record of 2-15.
Ouch.
Every other NFL division has at least two teams vying for the top spot, with the largest margin between contenders standing at two games.
The Patriots hold a a 4.5-game lead in the East—after only six weeks!
There's no disputing that the Pats are the class of the league. They made it look easy against the unbeaten Cowboys. They've scored 230 points while allowing only 92. Tom Brady has thrown 21 touchdown passes—six more than the combined total of the other six AFC East QBs.
Provided New England can stay healthy, the team will be nearly impossible to beat.
As it stands, the Game of the Year looks to be the Nov. 4th matchup in Indianapolis between the Pats and the Colts. Major bragging rights will be at stake—as will, perhaps, the Pats' perfect season.
That's right—it's only been six weeks, and I've already brought up the undefeated angle.
The Colts could also be unbeaten heading in, if they can win at Jacksonville and Carolina in the two preceding weeks. The Patriots, on the other hand, have an easier road: an away game against the winless Dolphins and a home matchup with the 3-2 Redskins.
If New England can beat Indy, their remaining schedule seems almost too easy. They travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills, then face Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, the Jets, Miami, and finally the Giants.
Only the Ravens and Giants games are on the road. Assuming home field advantage means something, New England looks to have a very real shot at a perfect season—with possibly six of their wins coming against AFC East teams.
Which begs the question:
Is the AFC East really that bad, or are the Patriots simply that good...making the rest of the division seem vastly inferior by comparison.
Maybe it's a little of both, but my money's on the Patriots being that good.
Given the state of the AFC East, the 2007 NFL season could see two very rare occurrences within the same division: New England may well go undefeated, and Miami may well go winless.
It's too early to say for sure, but it's quite clear to this writer that while the Patriots may face a challenge or two before the end of the year, it probably won't come from a divisional foe.
If the Patriots do complete a perfect season, they can thank their opponents in the AFC L-East.
11 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Ron Johnson about 1 year ago
Eagles, Ravens, Steelers, and Colts remaining on the schedule...all that equals 15-1 at the least. And everyone knows how much the Bills like to play spoiler
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Sam L about 1 year ago
Not to seem like a complete homer, but the upcoming game against Miami could very well be a trap game for New England, especially when you consider how mightily Tom Brady historically struggles when playing in Miami.
I know, I know, that sounds like a complete joke after seeing how both teams have played, but you only have to look back to last year when Miami shut out the Pats 21-0 in Miami. Go back to 2004, the disastrous season after Ricky Williams announced his retirement. Miami was 3-11 and facing off against a 12-2 New England team. Miami simply confounded Brady and they pulled out a miraculous 29-28 game that will forever live on in my memory.
Here are Brady's stats over the past three seasons when he plays in Miami:
2006: 12/25, 78 yards, 4 sacks, 2 fumbles, 55.1 rating
2005: 21/36, 275 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 2 sacks, 77.9 rating
2004: 18/29, 171 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs, 2 sacks, 73.3 rating
Over the past three seasons, that's a TD/INT ration of 5/6 with 8 sacks taken and a completion percentage of only 57%. For his career, Brady is 2-4 when playing in Miami.
Suffice to say, whatever the reason, Brady's production takes a precipitous drop when he arrives in South Florida.
I'm not going to outright predict that it will happen again, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.
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Greg Campbell about 1 year ago
There are a couple games this coming week that would shock the world if they happen this way and I didn't take them with my official picks for the week but it would not surprise me a bit if they turn out that way.
1) Miami can beat New England. They shouldn't be able to, but you're exactly right, and I ALMOST want to pick them... but I think this is a different New England team than even that 12-2 team you mentioned. (And let's not forget that first and foremost, I am a BILLS fan! I have no love for this Pats team... just a very healthy amount of awe.) :-)
2) Minnesota can definitely beat Dallas. I'm still not convinced that Dallas is that good. I think they're persistent, and they THINK they are that good, which keeps them in most games, and they make just enough plays to turn the game in their favor, and end up running away with it. Minnesota is a young team that may not really care that the Dallas Cowboys are supposed to be better than them. They may come in there and let Peterson run all over the 'Boys for a huge upset in Dallas! (I picked Dallas officially though because they have been decent against the run, and because I really don't see Dallas losing two straight home games...)
There's no shame in being a homer. You shouldn't watch if you don't think your team always has a chance! :-) Go Fins!
(Did I just say that??) :-)
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Sam L about 1 year ago
Haha, thanks Greg.
I was rooting for the Bills to beat New England, too. That's just what happens when one team in the division rises so much higher above the others. Rivalries tend to lose some of their luster when the teams are struggling so much. I guess that's why my dislike for the Pats has been so intense in recent years.
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brad d about 1 year ago
I agree fully. I have this strange feeling that the colts are going to lose to the jaguars this week. I don't know why. I just feel it.
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Anthony Ferrari about 1 year ago
I guess nobody remembers 3 years ago when the defending Superbowl Champion, 6-0 "unbeatable" Patriots carrying a the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the NFL (18 games regular season, 21 total) faced the Steelers in week 7. The Steelers won 31-20, rushing for 221 yards to the Pats' 5. Ke stat: Tom Brady's 2 interceptions. The Steelers dominated Brady by rushing him and only allowing him 17 minutes to posess the ball. Sure there were a lot of factors that caused that result. My point is that the Steelers diid exactly what they try to do to every team and it worked. If Pittsburg can run the ball, they will impose thier will on any team.
Then in week 8, the Steelers beat the undefeated Eagles with newly aquired Terrell Owens, score 27-3.
Since the end of the dynasty era, No matter how good the Steelers are, they are always underrated going into marquee matchups.
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William Qualkinbush about 1 year ago
Colts-Pats winner will win home field throughout the playoffs. And Indy hasn't lost at home since San Diego beat them in December 2005. So logically i think the Pats won't go undefeated--don't sleep on Baltimore with that D that has gotten back to being nasty or the Steelers with their young coach and ball control style.
The Pats worst enemy may actually be the weakness of their own division, which they will clinch way before anybody else. That gives Belichick plenty of time to rest his starters, which could lead to a letdown against a lesser team. A team like the Colts, on the other hand, who has to keep winning to stay ahead in the division, is more likely to stay unbeaten longer.
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Ron Johnson about 1 year ago
The Pats worst enemy is looking them right in the mirror every day they wake up. They have all the talent to indeed go 16-0, but if they beat themselves, then they will lose this chance to join the 72 Dolphins. Miami is a definite trap. Did you see how that kid did on Sunday? Impressive, indeed.
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Derek Kramer about 1 year ago
Haha yea Ron! LOL. GO BILLS!!! 4 of the last 5!
That said, fuck New England... I hope they go to the SB undefeated, then get an ass kicking (not likely, but that's what I'd want...)
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Derek Kramer about 1 year ago
Nope... I want our beloved Bills to win against New England. And I'll love every bit of it.
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