NE strength of schedule

Dizzayton

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 8, 2001
1,747
6
0
NE backers are talking about how Jax played soft schedule. How about NE schedule this year?

2-3 against playoff teams

6 of 10 wins coming against Bills(2), Jets(2), Saints and Raiders-THOSE TEAMS ARE AWFUL.

Other wins....FINS(early in the season Fins were awful), PITT (Great Win), Falcons(so what) and Tampa.

So NE has had 2 good wins this season Pitt and Tampa (if you consider Tampa good). In the meantime they were killed by SD and INDY at home, dominated by Denver and KC on the road AND SHOULD HAVE LOST TO THE LOWLY BILLS ON SUNDAY NIGHT.

AND NOW THEY ARE LAYING 8. Good luck NE backers, you'll need an exceptional performance, which is possible, but not probable.
 

kcwolf

Registered User
Forum Member
Aug 1, 2000
7,224
21
0
Iowa City
Built for New England

They are built to win in the Northeast in January. The Jacksonville Jaguars may be from northeast Florida, but they can win in January in that other northeast, where the postseason weather is cold and icy.

A lot of warm-weather and dome teams light up the scoreboard for most of the season, only to find that their games deteriorate in December on the road in places such as New England, New York, Philly, Pittsburgh and other traditional northeast playoff stops. All of a sudden, all of the pretty things that were so easy to do in the warm weather and in the domes become nearly impossible in single-digit wind chills.

The NFL is the Northeast's game. Six of the last eight conference title games (AFC and NFC combined) were played outdoors in the Northeast, and if you wanna win there, you have to be prepared to play their game.

Jack Del Rio built his team accordingly. The Jaguars are not a finesse team. This is a team built on a strong running game and defense. Field position wins in the Northeast in January and the Jaguars play that game well.

?If you look at who the strong teams are, you're going to be playing outside and in some cold weather. In the cold and when the fields get beat up, big, strong men are going to plow ahead,? Del Rio said during his Tuesday press conference.

He was describing the merits of being a ?mudder.? In other words, he was describing the need for traction in soft or slippery conditions.

Maybe you're not a transplant. Maybe you're a true Floridian. If you are, you don't know about things such as putting bags of sand or bricks in your trunk to make your car go better in the snow. Apply, however, that same logic to the football field.

Little guys fall down in the mud. It's a football axiom. The little, fast guys are built for warm weather. They're built for hard and fast conditions. The kind of game the Jaguars are going to be playing in New England this Saturday is made for monster trucks.

That's how Del Rio and James Harris built this team; to play the kind of short-field physical game that's required in the Northeast in January. You run the ball; you stop the run. It always starts with that.

Fred Taylor is a 235-pound guy who's had some big days in cold weather. Greg Jones is a 250-pound plow horse who's perfect for this Saturday night's conditions.

This is the dig-your-cleats-in-the-ground time of the year. Imagine moving either Marcus Stroud or John Henderson after they've dug their cleats in the ground.

Yeah, the Jaguars are from Florida, but this is not your typical Florida team. As tight end Kyle Brady said, ?We're from north Florida.?

story(4972)335x188.jpg
 

RTL

Winner
Forum Member
Sep 17, 2002
1,032
0
0
The Winner's Circle
New England played one of the toughest schedules in the NFL this season:

Carolina
Pittsburgh
San Diego
Atlanta
Denver
Indy
Miami 2x
Kansas City
Tampa Bay

Are you kidding me? The combined record of these 9 teams is 96-48!

RTL
 

DanteTheDon

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 21, 2005
247
0
0
42
great point RTL. this thread is crackerjack material. The patriots had one of the toughest regular seasons in recent memory and for them to come out with a division title is pretty impressive.

the jags wont know what hit them this weekend
 

RTL

Winner
Forum Member
Sep 17, 2002
1,032
0
0
The Winner's Circle
Don,

Yeah, I couldn't help but laugh when I read the title line of this thread. Look, I respect everyone here. Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one, but don't post a statement like this without at least thinking about what you're saying. Good luck!

RTL
 

Dizzayton

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 8, 2001
1,747
6
0
Hey RTL

Hey RTL

This thread is legit. Did you see the stats to back it up? NE lost most of those tough games you are referring to. Just because you have a tough schedule and lose every tough game except Tampa and Pitt, doesn't mean you are good.

Please save your crackerjack comment until after the game.
 

RTL

Winner
Forum Member
Sep 17, 2002
1,032
0
0
The Winner's Circle
Hey, the title of your thread isn't Quality Wins, it is Strength of Schedule. I don't disagree with you if we're talking about quality wins. Having said that, Jacksonville only had 3 quality wins (Pittsburgh, Seattle, Cincy). There is absolutely no comparison between the Jaguars' strength of schedule and the Patriots' strength of schedule!

RTL
 

Killian

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 30, 2002
291
0
0
75
Seattle, Wa.
Super Bowl Champions play the toughest schedules the following year. New England fought through it and won their division. What did Jacksonville do? Oh yeah !! They played an easier schedule and won the wildcard.......WOW !!
 

Dizzayton

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 8, 2001
1,747
6
0
That's fine. I just take offense to someone telling me not to post something when you are criticizing me based on the semantics of my post. Anyways, good luck. I am telling you that this NE team isn't the juggernaut you think it is. This could be the end for the dynasty.....yes....this game.
 

Dizzayton

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 8, 2001
1,747
6
0
NE division was a joke. As a Bills fan, I know this, so stop with this division stuff please.
 

RTL

Winner
Forum Member
Sep 17, 2002
1,032
0
0
The Winner's Circle
Dizzy,

Don't put words in my mouth! I never said, "New England is a juggernaut." I agree with you, the Patriots aren't as good as they have been the past two years. However, the Jaguars have a very difficult time scoring. If you don't believe me, take a look at the game stats from the Jacksonville/San Francisco game three weeks ago. Jesus, even Chicago put up 17 points against the Niners. Jacksonville put up 10 at home! Good luck with your play on the Jags.

RTL
 
Last edited:

Dizzayton

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 8, 2001
1,747
6
0
Okay. I apologize. I don't want to be a guy who gets into computer arguments, which I am becoming on this threatened. I am confident in Jags +8 and already played it. Maybe I am wrong, but it feels so right.
 

Killian

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 30, 2002
291
0
0
75
Seattle, Wa.
But in all fairness to Jacksonville.....the wildcard in that division was the absolute best that they were going to get. Thanks to Indy. Good luck to you ......even though we're on different sides of the ball in this game.
 

thom24ad

UDFlyers
Forum Member
Sep 29, 2005
2,124
0
0
46
Columbus, OH
Dizzayton said:
So NE has had 2 good wins this season Pitt and Tampa (if you consider Tampa good).
Yeah I do consider Tampa a good team, and NE completely dominated Tampa in NE...I don't see that many differences between Tampa and Jacksonville...they are very similar in my opinion.

AND NOW THEY ARE LAYING 8. Good luck NE backers, you'll need an exceptional performance, which is possible, but not probable.
Exceptional performance, thats all NE has been known for in the playoff games. And even better NE is at home.
 

thom24ad

UDFlyers
Forum Member
Sep 29, 2005
2,124
0
0
46
Columbus, OH
Dizzayton said:
Okay. I apologize. I don't want to be a guy who gets into computer arguments, which I am becoming on this threatened. I am confident in Jags +8 and already played it. Maybe I am wrong, but it feels so right.
there are a lot of things that feel right but we know are wrong
:mj07:
 

AR182

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 9, 2000
18,654
87
0
Scottsdale,AZ
a site that i use that rates sos states that the pats played a tougher schedule....

Average power rating of opponents played: JACKSONVILLE 19, NEW ENGLAND 22.2
 

Blitz

Hopeful
Forum Member
Jan 6, 2002
7,540
46
48
58
North of Titletown AKA Boston
Don't forget that when NE was losing some of those games earlier in the season they were decimated with injuries and the secondary was like swiss cheese. Other than the guys that were lost for the season, NE is the healthiest they have been all year and thanks to superb play from guys like rookie Ellis Hobbs, the secondary is looking a lot better. although Rodney Harrison will still be deeply missed...
 

GM

PleasureGlutton
Forum Member
Jan 21, 2000
2,962
5
0
123
Toronto, ON, Canada
Killian said:
Super Bowl Champions play the toughest schedules the following year.
That simply is not fact. They will likely play a marginally more difficult schedule than the other teams within their own division. It could, however, be easier or more difficult than any other team in any other division. It is almost never the toughest schedule in the league.

Do you know how many games on the schedule are determined by the result of the previous season? Just two. In New England's case, this meant they played against Pittsburgh and Indy this year, while other teams in their division played against one different AFC North and one different AFC South team. The other 14 games on their schedule were predetermined and had nothing to do with them winning the Superbowl or their division.
 
Bet on MyBookie
Top