I'm Sick if it

[Playoffs2013]

New England every year gets the easiest or one of the easiest schedules.

it irritates me because year after year they do good against mediocre teams and get home field advantage and have an easier time in the playoffs

[Peyton and Eli fan]

It's just luck of the draw. They rotate the divisions they play each year just like everyone else.

[chad72]

Hey, the year the Texans get good, it is because of the absence of Peyton. Now, the Pats get both the AFC South and NFC West, where the Texans and 49ers are the only ones with anything to write about. That totally weights the strength of schedule in their favor. If Peyton was still in the AFC South, the schedule wouldn't be the easiest one, I can guarantee that.

Still, the Pats get to play at the Ravens, are home to the Broncos, Texans and 49ers. Those 4 games can still kill their quest for HFA (home field advantage), IMO.

There are always a couple of things I root for in the AFC and NFC every single year since the 2009 Saints SB loss for the Colts:

1) Pats not to get HFA in the AFC, easier said than done, and to get a #3 seed or lower (since Brady has never won 2 road games in the AFC en route to the SB). Ironically, they have gotten HFA in 2010 and 2011. Every single time but once (when Jets beat them in 2010 which was one of my happiest days) since 2003 when the Pats got a #1 seed or #2 seed, they have gone on to the SB. That would be 4 out of 5 times.

2) Saints not to get HFA in the NFC - more likely (since Saints under Brees have never won a road game)

That is why my worst nightmare is Pats and Saints getting HFA and meeting in the SB. That will be a SB I wont even turn my TV on for.

That is why I was rooting so hard for the 49ers to take down the Saints in the playoffs.

[Coltssouth]

Sunday, Sept. 9 -- at Titans (1 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 16 -- vs. Cardinals (1 p.m.)

Sunday, Sept. 23 -- at Ravens (8:20 p.m.)

Sunday Sept. 30 -- at Bills (1 p.m.)

Sunday, Oct. 7 -- vs. Broncos (4:15 p.m.)

Sunday Oct. 14 -- at Seahawks (4:05 p.m.)

Sunday Oct. 21 -- vs. Jets (4:15 p.m.)

Sunday, Oct. 28 -- at Rams (1 p.m., in London)

Sunday, Nov. 4 -- OPEN

Sunday, Nov. 11 -- vs. Bills (1 p.m.)

Sunday, Nov. 18 -- vs. Colts (1 p.m.)

Thursday, Nov. 22 -- at Jets (8:20 p.m.) -- Thanksgiving

Sunday, Dec. 2 -- at Dolphins (1 p.m.)

Monday, Dec. 10 -- vs. Texans (8:30 p.m.)

Sunday, Dec. 16 -- vs. 49ers (8:20 p.m.)

Sunday, Dec. 23 -- at Jaguars (1 p.m.)

Sunday, Dec. 30 -- vs. Dolphins (1 p.m.)

Preseason

Thursday, Aug. 9 -- vs. Saints (7:30 p.m.)

Monday, Aug. 20 -- vs. Eagles (8 p.m.)

Friday, Aug. 24 -- at Buccaneers (7:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, Aug. 29 -- at Giants (7:30 p.m.)

Some good, some not so good. I would hate to have the London game.

[Thewholefnshow28]

You do realize the schedules are pretty much predetermined years in advanced based off the NFL scheduling formula correct?

Complaining about the schedule a day after they come out is silly. How many times have we watched teams that were supposed to be good be bad and teams who were supposed to be bad be good.

The fact that they have the London game is enough to warrant not complaining about the schedule.

[Jaric]

New England every year gets the easiest or one of the easiest schedules.

it irritates me because year after year they do good against mediocre teams and get home field advantage and have an easier time in the playoffs

You should write a letter.

[trsean]

Take it up with the rest of the AFC sucking so bad.

[BleedingBlue]

Should be a cakewalk for Denver to eliminate NE then, since they will be lulled into a false sense of complacency.

[21isSuperman]

There is no such thing as an "easy" schedule in the NFL. Every week is a hard fought battle and every week, either team would win (who honestly had the Chiefs beating the Pack last season?). And teams change a lot during the offseason. We will be much better than our previous team, but that won't be displayed in the schedule. For teams that play us, it will say that we are facing a team that just went 2-14. It doesn't say that we have a better QB in place or a new coaching staff or a new defensive system, all of which I believe make us a better team than last year. Not only that, but division games are always tough and close. Buffalo went 6-10 last season I believe, but they still beat the Pats in week 4 (I think). There is so much change each season that it's not very reliable to say "since most of the teams we played last year weren't good, we have an easy schedule".

[-JJ-]

You should write a letter.

lol

[MAC]

New England every year gets the easiest or one of the easiest schedules.

it irritates me because year after year they do good against mediocre teams and get home field advantage and have an easier time in the playoffs

What in God's name are you talking about?

Related question, what are your plans in the event that the Colts don't draft Alshon Jeffery?

[Jules]

The SB is in New Orleans. The Pats like to play Super Bowls there too.

It might be like us and Miami if the Pats make it to the SB again this year.

[Playoffs2013]

What in God's name are you talking about?

Related question, what are your plans in the event that the Colts don't draft Alshon Jeffery?

Change my name

[OZOC01]

The Patriots may have an 'easy' schedule (though perception should be taken with a grain of salt), but it hasn't resulted in a Super Bowl victory in the last several seasons...

[schwamm]

I'm sick of people griping about schedules every year. Even my 4 year old niece knows... you get what you get and you don't get upset.

Opponents and locations are all pre-determined. Every year. The only things anyone would have grounds for being upset about might be the position of the bye week, the order of opponents, or any clustering of away games. Even so, every coach and every player knows you just play the games you are scheduled to play, and focus on what you can control.

[GoPats]

You do realize the schedules are pretty much predetermined years in advanced based off the NFL scheduling formula correct?

Complaining about the schedule a day after they come out is silly. How many times have we watched teams that were supposed to be good be bad and teams who were supposed to be bad be good.

The fact that they have the London game is enough to warrant not complaining about the schedule.

This x 2.

It never ceases to amaze me that some fans think this is a totally arbitrary process and that for some reason the scheduling gods smile down upon the Patriots every season.

And even on paper, it doesn't always work out the way we think it will in April. Case in point, Pats-Colts game last November.

[That Guy]

Change my name

To "Trade for Alshon Jeffery" perhaps?

[Thewholefnshow28]

This x 2.

It never ceases to amaze me that some fans think this is a totally arbitrary process and that for some reason the scheduling gods smile down upon the Patriots every season.

And even on paper, it doesn't always work out the way we think it will in April. Case in point, Pats-Colts game last November.

It is the problem talking to your average fan. Your typical average fan knows enough to be dangerous, but unlike the more hardcore fans who frequent a message board like a lot of us they do not know all the details like how the schedule is created. Throw in the blind hatred of a rival and you get silly posts like this.

I have a friend who is like this. He follows the Colts enough to know a little about football but I hear the same crap like the Pats always get an easy schedule. They got Rodger in their back pocket. I tell him that the schedule is basically predetermined and that the only reason Pats/Colts play this season is because its our turn to place the AFC East.

[GoPats]

It is the problem talking to your average fan. Your typical average fan knows enough to be dangerous, but unlike the more hardcore fans who frequent a message board like a lot of us they do not know all the details like how the schedule is created. Throw in the blind hatred of a rival and you get silly posts like this.

I have a friend who is like this. He follows the Colts enough to know a little about football but I hear the same crap like the Pats always get an easy schedule. They got Rodger in their back pocket. I tell him that the schedule is basically predetermined and that the only reason Pats/Colts play this season is because its our turn to place the AFC East.

So I've been sending those Edible Arrangements to Goodell's office all these years for no reason?

[Thewholefnshow28]

So I've been sending those Edible Arrangements to Goodell's office all these years for no reason?

Well you owe him for covering up the horrible atrocity that you guys committed with Spygate!

[GoPats]

Well you owe him for covering up the horrible atrocity that you guys committed with Spygate!

Oh I think the box of Omaha Steaks certainly covered THAT...

[Peyton and Eli fan]

If the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins could get their acts together, they wouldn't have such an easy schedule.

[WSO]

We really dont know

no one thought the 49ers were going to go 13-3 last year, or the Lions to make the playoffs(if you did kudos). heck no one expected the Colts to go 2-14 this time around last year. There will be a few surprises. . .the Titans aren't far off, the Texans are still good, the Seahawks just need a darn QB, the Cardinals are giving Kolb another go, rams are getting Bradford back with a new coach, and the jags still suck.

The AFC East has also shown over the years they can play with the pats despite them being so dominant. I dont buy the easy, touch schedule

[shakedownstreet]

It is the problem talking to your average fan. Your typical average fan knows enough to be dangerous, but unlike the more hardcore fans who frequent a message board like a lot of us they do not know all the details like how the schedule is created. Throw in the blind hatred of a rival and you get silly posts like this.

I have a friend who is like this. He follows the Colts enough to know a little about football but I hear the same crap like the Pats always get an easy schedule. They got Rodger in their back pocket. I tell him that the schedule is basically predetermined and that the only reason Pats/Colts play this season is because its our turn to place the AFC East.

there is a core group of members here who are probably in the top 5% of knowledgeable football fans. even on other message boards, mis-information gets spread around uncorrected

for whatever reason, the less knowledgeable will buy into any conspiracy theories they can cook up

[shakedownstreet]

Oh I think the box of Omaha Steaks certainly covered THAT...

sean payton could learn valuable lessens from you jerks guys!

[ViriLudant]

New England every year gets the easiest or one of the easiest schedules.

it irritates me because year after year they do good against mediocre teams and get home field advantage and have an easier time in the playoffs

You do realize that the schedule rotation is set years in advance, yes? And that the other teams are based on similiar rankings in their respective divisions?

[Playoffs2013]

there is a core group of members here who are probably in the top 5% of knowledgeable football fans. even on other message boards, mis-information gets spread around uncorrected

for whatever reason, the less knowledgeable will buy into any conspiracy theories they can cook up

First of all I'm very knowledgeable about football second you don't know me third I know it's predetermined and I'm not making up conspiracy I was trying to say was the NE gets lucky with their schedule

So stop calling me stupid

[Playoffs2013]

there is a core group of members here who are probably in the top 5% of knowledgeable football fans. even on other message boards, mis-information gets spread around uncorrected

for whatever reason, the less knowledgeable will buy into any conspiracy theories they can cook up

Thanks for ruining the forum for me

[That Guy]

there is a core group of members here who are probably in the top 5% of knowledgeable football fans. even on other message boards, mis-information gets spread around uncorrected

for whatever reason, the less knowledgeable will buy into any conspiracy theories they can cook up

Maybe these forums are a place for us "less knowledgeable" to GET information. Most of the time, all we get is sarcasm and derision. I'm not buying into the whole "the league loves New England" conspiracy, but it's not just the OP. NFL.com has typed up stories about "how easy" the Patriot's slate is.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82861043/article/packers-patriots-looking-super-after-nfl-schedule-release

[-JJ-]

Maybe these forums are a place for us "less knowledgeable" to GET information. Most of the time, all we get is sarcasm and derision. I'm not buying into the whole "the league loves New England" conspiracy, but it's not just the OP. NFL.com has typed up stories about "how easy" the Patriot's slate is.

http://www.nfl.com/n...chedule-release

I agree your point is something elite posters should consider...since elite posters sometime come off snobbish:)

But to the heart of schedules aside from they are pre-set. There really are no easy teams. Sure there might be a couple that are in so disarray (or injured) that you should win. But every single coach will tell you there's little difference. These are pro-players of which only a few make it to the NFL out of college.

Games are often won by close scores (someone has to win and lose) so just calling a team bad because of their record is a misconception.

All teams are going to perhaps have a couple great linemen, or RBs or whatever so you can't just will a win...you have to play hard and even then its not a given.

The separation of good teams and bad teams is not nearly as great as many think.

The hard part of a schedule is how long travel games are bunched. Which is why I would support re-allignment.

Now if the Patriots say had to play the Giants for 16 games it might be a hard schedule

[GoPats]

Maybe these forums are a place for us "less knowledgeable" to GET information. Most of the time, all we get is sarcasm and derision. I'm not buying into the whole "the league loves New England" conspiracy, but it's not just the OP. NFL.com has typed up stories about "how easy" the Patriot's slate is.

http://www.nfl.com/n...chedule-release

Your point is well taken. BUT...

I think in fairness, when someone states an opinion that is based on misinformation, and that opinion is a strong and/or controversial one, then they cannot complain if they got called out on it.

If this thread had been more in the spirit of this, the eye-rolling would have never happened:

The NFL schedules are out and it seems as though the Patriots have a cake walk in 2012. Can anyone tell me how each team's opponents are determined by the NFL? Seems unfair, but I'm not really sure how it works.

[That Guy]

Your point is well taken. BUT...

I think in fairness, when someone states an opinion that is based on misinformation, and that opinion is a strong and/or controversial one, then they cannot complain if they got called out on it.

If this thread had been more in the spirit of this, the eye-rolling would have never happened:

The NFL schedules are out and it seems as though the Patriots have a cake walk in 2012. Can anyone tell me how each team's opponents are determined by the NFL? Seems unfair, but I'm not really sure how it works.

Very true...

And I'm sure the Patriots schedule looks easier than the Bills, Dolphins, or Jets because the Patriots cannot play against the Patriots. If you had your choice of playing three of those four teams twice a year, you would not choose to play against the Patriots.

[GoPats]

Very true...

And I'm sure the Patriots schedule looks easier than the Bills, Dolphins, or Jets because the Patriots cannot play against the Patriots. If you had your choice of playing three of those four teams twice a year, you would not choose to play against the Patriots.

I used to point that out all the time on the old board in discussions about which division (East or South) was tougher. You're in the AFC South during Manning's career? Probably looking at two losses a year. Same for the East.

[gspdx]

The separation of good teams and bad teams is not nearly as great as many think.

And as some have said, you are never as bad as you think you are when you lose and never as good as you think you are when you win. It's a pretty fine line.

And since the schedule rotation is set years in advance there is little chance of a conspiracy...unless it goes so deep that they are controlling free agency and the draft. Maybe Morpheus can give us a little pill so we can see how deep the rabbit hole goes.

I think the moon landings were fake too.

[shakedownstreet]

First of all I'm very knowledgeable about football second you don't know me third I know it's predetermined and I'm not making up conspiracy I was trying to say was the NE gets lucky with their schedule

So stop calling me stupid

sorry of it sounded that way. it wasn't intended as such, but i can see what you mean in retrospect. it was meant more to put a positive spin on the members of this board

not being knowledgeable about the finer rules of a specialized subject is not the same thing as being 'stupid'. that's a term i would never throw around, in actuality or in spirit