When will the Pats clinch their division? (1 Viewer)

[Bri]

week 8? week 9?

 

[omally]

Early. Their division isn't very good.

 

[Phlash]

The Patriots could go 6-10 and just beat division opponents and still make the playoffs.

 

[Jimmy James]

I'm all for calling off the rest of the season and just giving them the trophy (and a nice * beside it, but that's another, already well covered story).

I have no faith in anybody (not Dallas, not Indy) giving them much to worry about this year. Mind you, I'm a Dolphins fan. I get no joy out of it.

 

[Wingnut]

As soon as the others in the division lose enough games.

 

[The Jerk]

It would be interesting to research if ever before in NFL history has there been a division in which three different teams had no interdivisional wins through five weeks of the regular season. Even in the days of six team divisions, it's hard to believe this has happened very often. But it will happen if Dallas beats Buffalo tomorrow night.

Week 6 has Buffalo on bye, but the Dolphins play at Cleveland and the Jets host the Eagles. I suppose the Jets/Eagles game will be close to a pick'em.

 

[Brutis]

I dont think it matters much when they clinch their division. They are looking to secure home field for the playoffs and that wont happen til the very end the way Indy is playing.

 

[duaneok66]

I thought they clinched last week . . .

 

[Tau837]

This makes me think of how it might affect fantasy owners. They could clinch early enough that they don't play their starters heavily the last few weeks. Might not be a good thing to be planning to count on Patriots players in the fantasy playoffs.

 

[Brutis]

This makes me think of how it might affect fantasy owners. They could clinch early enough that they don't play their starters heavily the last few weeks. Might not be a good thing to be planning to count on Patriots players in the fantasy playoffs.

You dont think they will be battling Indy for home field at the end of the year? really?

 

[The Jerk]

You dont think they will be battling Indy for home field at the end of the year? really?

If the Patriots are 14-0, that would by necessity require a win at Indy. The win over Indy would also give them a tiebreaker edge on Indy, meaning that Indy would need to finish with a better record than NE in order to claim home field. So unless Indy won all of their other games, the Patriots would not need to win either of their final two games.I don't think you can expect that it will happen, and if it did, there remains the possibility of NE playing to win for an undefeated season. However, it certainly is not out of the possibility that either Indy or NE could be resting players as early by Week 16, if not Week 15 (like Indy in 2005).

 

[Bri]

The Pats had plenty of injuries the last 2 years, if not longer. The Colts know that if they lose Manning they're finished and just sat Addai and Harrison to injuries. Each team jumped out to a quick lead today and could have sat their starters the second half and still got the W, if not earlier. I'm afraid (FF wise) we'll see them doing this after say week 10, week 11.