I don't think the Pats can do it and I'll argue with any FanNation user who disagrees. Here are my key reasons.
- The Patriots will sit starters. If they go 15-0, they visit the Giants in Week 17. New York will almost certainly be playing for playoff position, and New England will have nothing at stake. As heartless as Bill Belichick is, he won't risk injuries for a record that is insignificant if they don't win the Super Bowl. Belichick has benched starters in similar situations through the years.
- They face the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked defenses in the NFL: Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The Colts proved you can get to Tom Brady, and they didn't need to blitz much to do it. The Ravens and Steelers will come up with creative ways to rush the passer and they'll try to rattle Randy Moss with big hits. Brady led Moss into some dangerous territory against Indy. Moss bounced off smallish Indy defenders like they were gnats. Not sure if he'll have the same luck against Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
- The target on their back is even bigger. On paper, none of these teams should beat the Patriots. But emotionally, you have to give New England's opponents an edge. How long can Belichick convince his team everyone is against him because of Spy-gate? The Pats are now the evil empire. They're the new New York Yankees or Duke Blue Devils.
- Injuries. They haven't had many. That will change. It always does.
- Strange things happen in the NFL. Not a great reason, but for my money, it's the most compelling. The Patriots were vying with the Colts for homefield last season and got shut out by the Dolphins in Week 14. Explain that. Other teams that have gone late into the season undefeated have lost games they shouldn't have. New England won't prove to be an exception.
Anne V
Daniella Sarahyba
Manny Being Manny
Venus vs. Serena Grand Slam Finals
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Each season there are some things that are stranger than fiction. Points can't be argued, though there will certainly be fans that believe otherwise. We'll just have to let the games play out.
Penwhale
Rochester , NY
Total Comments (1)
No, Belichick wont sit the starters. Not this year. I do not understand why people say this. Have they not watched the games this year? He had starters in up 38 points in the 4th quarter against the Redskins and you dont think hes gonna have his starters in with a perfect season on the line? And I dont get what examples of Belichick benching players in similar situations in the past Perloff is talking about, if my memory serves me correctly, Belichick has never coached on a 15-0 team.
Mattydp
Total Comments (27)
Doubt that the Pats will sit starters late in the season. If they are in a position to go undefeated, they will have a bye week before the playoffs start. If BB is not pulling players out of blowouts late in the game to avoid injury, why would he do it late in the season prior to a bye?
tomj1969
Nashua, NH
Total Comments (1)
1. I doubt it. If Belichick was worried about injuries, he'd have sat Brady and Moss in the fourth quarter of at least 3 games this season. Didn't happen, because the Patriots want to prove that they can dominate without opponents' signals.
2. The Colts proved you can do a lot of things against New England, but they ultimately proved that even if you do all of them, you can't beat them. No defense is good enough to stop all of NE's weapons.
3. So? No other team can be as fired up, or as talented, as the Colts were. Didn't matter.
4. I don't see it happening, because they all play so smart. And even if it does, they've got enough depth at every position but QB that it won't matter. If Moss goes down, you don't think Stallworth will put up the same numbers?
5. Not to this team.
MNfan09
Total Comments (191)
The Colts proved you can do alot of things to the Pats, but ultimately they proved that even if you do all of them, you still can't beat them. Even if they have over 140 penalty yards and you have a ten point lead on them with 8 minutes left, you can't win. And the only injury that would kill them is one to Brady, which won't happen because he's so well protected. If Moss goes down, you don't think Stallworth will put up the same numbers? I do. Strange things happen? Not to this team.
MNfan09
Total Comments (191)
Didn't mean to post twice there. My bad.
MNfan09
Total Comments (191)
Why do you only write for this lameass site (which I visit, and thus may implicate me as lame too) and not for the magazine or its official site? Have you been demoted? If you blog in tis site consistently, then what is to separate you from Larry B, or Colts-Wolverines, or any other FanNation tool?
Urnze
Total Comments (4803)
Well, the Pats have 1 obsticle to jump, the Steelers. For the first time this season, I say 16-0
EFB **** THE MODS!!
Jim Edmond's Ville, QQ
Total Comments (8333)
I've never read your blog before and i've never, ever commented on any other previously read blog. This one deserves a thought. 1.) This is a highly different Belichick, who will remain insanely "heartless" and will cut out the hearts of their remaining foes. The team will back him in totality. 2.) Neither the Ravens nor the Steelers have the quickness on their front four to match the Colts pressure. While their L.B.'s and safety's might be equivelant, no front four pressure equates to Tom Brady & crew high effeciency. 3.) "Target On Their Backs"????? Non-sensical at this point. The victory over the Colts will only embolden the Pats and scare their future opponents even more. 4.) Yes, injuries will forever be a huge part of the NFL. Only, if Brady goes down will effect the Pats charge to total supremecy. Any sports idiot could determine that. 5.) You must have required a few more written words to complete your column. Totally non-sensical if not totally stupid. At least you qualified your statement before you wrote it. I'm not even a Pats fan. However, almost any observer or real former athlete, can easily observe that this particular football squad is really, really different! They don't need luck. They've got the coach, coaches and players to carry out a truely once in a lifetime season. Don't even tell me about those old Dolphins......they couldn't carry this season's Pats', jocks.
RockyMon
Rifle , CO
Total Comments (1)
Your first argument for this is null and void, Perloff.
Think about it. Belichick already has a large ego, and losing in the AFC Title Game to the Colts rocked his psyche. He set out in the offseason to do exactly what he did this Sunday, beat the Colts. And by evidence from the previous eight games in their season, they have every intention of torching their opponents. Belichick seemingly is shooting not only for beating the Colts, but running the table and getting his QB the entire record book.
Teams like the Ravens have NO shot against New England. The ONLY team remaining on their schedule that could even REMOTELY give the Patriots a run for their money is the Steelers. And even then, I'm putting whatever amount of money I have on the Patriots.
It is simple: If not the Colts, than who? I say nobody.
Mac Has Left FN…
Middle Of Nowhere, LA
Total Comments (9416)
And Mr. Perloff, as far as facing some of the better defenses...
The Colts run a Cover 2 look. That defense is PERFECT for stopping the Patriots. It takes away the big plays and allows their stellar pass rushers on the DL to get to Brady. The Patriots were dead in the water all game long until they suddenly figured things out with eight minutes remaining in the 4th. Teams like the Steelers and Ravens dont run Cover 2 schemes, and for that reason I dont see them bothering Brady like the Colts did.
I might be wrong, but its probably because of the toga party I had last night.
Mac Has Left FN…
Middle Of Nowhere, LA
Total Comments (9416)
They'll lose to Pitt for sure. Probably Balt and NY as well.
Ruby salutes…
Los Angeles , CA
Total Comments (2724)
And then your reasoning gets weaker from #3 to #5.
The target has been on the Patriots back ever since the season began. They were known as an elite team, and then "Spy-Gate" enlarged it. They have handled it PERFECTLY.
Injuries-That happens to everyone. For all you know, when the Pats suit up to play the Steelers they could be without Big Ben.
Strange things do indeed happen, but this is the best team we've seen in years. And this team is being led by an egotistical and maniacal evil genius.
Mac Has Left FN…
Middle Of Nowhere, LA
Total Comments (9416)
Odds are against them going undefeated, I don't know why people get upset when someone points out that fact. Once in the entire history of the NFL, its possible, but the probability of it happening is extremely low even if you have Moss and Brady . Sorry for everyone that is in love with this team.
abusamra
College Park , MD
Total Comments (45)
reason number 1 is not a given - just look at new england's blowout of washington as a clue. brady didn't come out of that game until he was leading by 45. why? because he hadn't been touched once. the indy game notwithstanding, he hasn't been touched much at all this season. if the offensive line can regain that kind of protection, i'd expect brady to play as much as possible. and as far as resting other starters, look at what new england did last season without any kind of receiving corps - made it all the way to the AFC championship game and lost by a very narrow margin. 16-0 is very possible.
Doctor T
Santa Monica, CA
Total Comments (2)
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