Well boys only one other team has gone 16-0 since the Miami Dolphins did it in 1972…
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iMX ... VWrnf0rOLQ
What are your feelings on the New England Patriots immanent attempt to unseat the reigning champions of footballs most treasured, of unblemished of troves?
Can they do it with the greatest of all pressure riding like “the old man of the seaâ€
History Repeating?
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PigSkin_53
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"Just Win Baby" ~ Al Davis
I think that the Patriots have a more difficult task in front of them than the Dolphins had in their playoff run during their 14 - 0 regular season. That said, the Patriots should make the SB game, and then depending upon health have as good a chance as any to having the dream season.
Entertainment value = an all time low
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Hambone
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I wouldn't count the Pats' chickens too soon. The road out of the AFC will not be easy. Unless Tennessee upsets the Chargers they should get the winner of Pittsburgh and Jacksonville who both may be as good as anyone in the NFC. Interestingly I find New England's offence to be similar to Indy's of 3 or 4 years ago. Maroney is good, but their bread and butter is their passing game. Typical New England weather could actually hurt them at home in the playoffs.
Jacksonville may be the dark horse. They lost the season opener against playoff-bound Tennessee and the finale against 8-8 Houston when they rested 6 starters including their starting QB and RB. In between they were an impressive 10-4 with 2 of the losses being to the Colts. They ended up only 2-4 in their division where all teams were .500 or better and 3 made the playoffs. They were 9-1 against the rest of the NFL including wins against Pittsburgh and San Diego. Jacksonville plays a ball control game and has a good power ground attack which could be ideal should they wind up at Gillette Stadium to play the Pats.
The Chargers came out of the blocks 1-3 then went 10-2 the rest of the way losing only to Minnesota when Adrian Peterson went nuts with 296 yards rushing and later to Jacksonville.
The Colts finished 13-3 with their 3 losses coming by a combined total of 12 points. They lost their final game to Houston when they parked Manning after 2 series. Their first loss came to the Patriots when they dominated the Pats for most of the game before self-destructing defensively and surrendering 2 late TDs. The lost the following week 23-21 to San Diego when Vinatieri missed a 29 yard FG in the final minute. It was a wierd game. Manning threw 6 picks working with a rookie-laden receiving corps. Harrison, Clark and Gonzales were all out leaving Reggie Wayne to work with backups and rookies who were starting games for the first time. I remember checking out the rotations as the game went along. They started the game without their regular starting LT and lost their starting RT and a guard before the game was over. The DL was the same with 3rd string rookie DEs having to fill in at DT. All-Pro DE Dwight Freeney also went down for the season. Despite the adversity Manning put them into position to win the game only to have Mr. Clutch, Adam Vinitieri miss a chip shot.
Winning the SB shouldn't be as difficult for New England as getting there will be. Now that they are undefeated the pressure on them to win it all is more intense than it's ever been before. As a Colts fan I hated to see them go undefeated, but for the playoffs that could be the best thing to happen for NE's opponents. They seem to be quite an arrogant bunch as witnessed by earlier games when Brady was still playing into the 4th quarter with 40+ point leads. They might have trouble turning it back on after the emotions of finishing off 16-0 and going through the first round bye.
ESPN's end of season power rankings list as follows:
1) New England
2) Indianapolis
3) Dallas
4) Jacksonville
5) Green Bay
6) San Diego
Jacksonville may be the dark horse. They lost the season opener against playoff-bound Tennessee and the finale against 8-8 Houston when they rested 6 starters including their starting QB and RB. In between they were an impressive 10-4 with 2 of the losses being to the Colts. They ended up only 2-4 in their division where all teams were .500 or better and 3 made the playoffs. They were 9-1 against the rest of the NFL including wins against Pittsburgh and San Diego. Jacksonville plays a ball control game and has a good power ground attack which could be ideal should they wind up at Gillette Stadium to play the Pats.
The Chargers came out of the blocks 1-3 then went 10-2 the rest of the way losing only to Minnesota when Adrian Peterson went nuts with 296 yards rushing and later to Jacksonville.
The Colts finished 13-3 with their 3 losses coming by a combined total of 12 points. They lost their final game to Houston when they parked Manning after 2 series. Their first loss came to the Patriots when they dominated the Pats for most of the game before self-destructing defensively and surrendering 2 late TDs. The lost the following week 23-21 to San Diego when Vinatieri missed a 29 yard FG in the final minute. It was a wierd game. Manning threw 6 picks working with a rookie-laden receiving corps. Harrison, Clark and Gonzales were all out leaving Reggie Wayne to work with backups and rookies who were starting games for the first time. I remember checking out the rotations as the game went along. They started the game without their regular starting LT and lost their starting RT and a guard before the game was over. The DL was the same with 3rd string rookie DEs having to fill in at DT. All-Pro DE Dwight Freeney also went down for the season. Despite the adversity Manning put them into position to win the game only to have Mr. Clutch, Adam Vinitieri miss a chip shot.
Winning the SB shouldn't be as difficult for New England as getting there will be. Now that they are undefeated the pressure on them to win it all is more intense than it's ever been before. As a Colts fan I hated to see them go undefeated, but for the playoffs that could be the best thing to happen for NE's opponents. They seem to be quite an arrogant bunch as witnessed by earlier games when Brady was still playing into the 4th quarter with 40+ point leads. They might have trouble turning it back on after the emotions of finishing off 16-0 and going through the first round bye.
ESPN's end of season power rankings list as follows:
1) New England
2) Indianapolis
3) Dallas
4) Jacksonville
5) Green Bay
6) San Diego
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
Yeah, I've had about enough of the grumpy old Dolphin routine also. At this point, I'm rooting for the Pats, just to shut Mercury Morris up.
NE doesn't have the greatest defense on earth - it concerns me. That said, I see Jacksonville as the only legitimate challenge left, quite frankly.
NE doesn't have the greatest defense on earth - it concerns me. That said, I see Jacksonville as the only legitimate challenge left, quite frankly.
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WestCoastJoe
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The old Dolphins have been completely boorish in their happiness at other teams' failiure to match the undefeated season.
I think I read that the Dolphins played a very weak schedule of teams that year, teams with very poor won-loss records. Also, at that time, there was no media focus on the undefeated season, the way there is now. Teams have been gunning for the Patriots since about half way through this season.
I would say that the Bears of 1985, 15-1, 18 wins for the season including the Super Bowl, and the 49ers of 1984, 15-1, 18 wins altogether including the Super Bowl, had better years than the Dolphins of 1972. The Dolphins were a very good team, but the magic of the number 17-0 makes them look better than they were. The lack of class they have shown over the years detracts greatly from their achievement.
Historically, when athletes attend games as others approach their records, they have for the most part been very gracious, but not the Dolphins.
I think I read that the Dolphins played a very weak schedule of teams that year, teams with very poor won-loss records. Also, at that time, there was no media focus on the undefeated season, the way there is now. Teams have been gunning for the Patriots since about half way through this season.
I would say that the Bears of 1985, 15-1, 18 wins for the season including the Super Bowl, and the 49ers of 1984, 15-1, 18 wins altogether including the Super Bowl, had better years than the Dolphins of 1972. The Dolphins were a very good team, but the magic of the number 17-0 makes them look better than they were. The lack of class they have shown over the years detracts greatly from their achievement.
Historically, when athletes attend games as others approach their records, they have for the most part been very gracious, but not the Dolphins.
The Dolphins only beat two teams that had a winning record during their regular season that year. (Reports say they didn't beat any team with a winning record during the regular season) but the media should clarify by that they meant no team had a winning record when the Dolphins played them....by the end of the season two of those teams had climed to 8-6 or something like that. In any event, their schedule was VERY soft until they hit the play-offs.
I am no Bellicheck fan...and in my books Moss is great on the football field and pathetic everywhere else, but you have to hand it to the Patriots, they are appearing like they should go down as one of the greatest teams of all time (if they continue through the playoffs)
I am no Bellicheck fan...and in my books Moss is great on the football field and pathetic everywhere else, but you have to hand it to the Patriots, they are appearing like they should go down as one of the greatest teams of all time (if they continue through the playoffs)