How badly do the Pats want the 3rd seed?

[TheRealJoker]

Do you think they'd be willing to play key players the whole game to beat us and clinch the 3 seed? If this were to happen they'd have a better chance at hosting the AFC championship and ensure they get to play the 6th seed in the first round.

From what I read of Marvin Lewis transcript, it seems like if the 3 seed is on the line at night they just might play their starters for a win on Sunday night:

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-...3-18aa0c0635f2

Q: Will you err on the side of caution this weekend against the Jets by resting some players, or will you just continue playing the way you’ve been playing?
ML: “It will be another Sunday for us. I’ll make those adjustments later in the week, and as we go. We’re going to approach it as a game we need to win.”

Q: Could you adjust that plan even on Sunday after the early games?
ML: “It could.”

Thoughts?

[gwallaia]

This thread should be retitled, "How badly do the Texans want the 6th seed?"

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by TheRealJoker

Thoughts?

Go Bengals!!

[TheCD]

I think they'll play their starters...at least I hope they do. I really think we're going to win this one, and if we get in it will be a good precursor to the playoffs, in which either way we'll be playing a team we've already beaten once (Cincy/Pats). I think if we get in and the Bengals lose, we might actually have momentum against the Patriots again, regardless of whether they play their starters or not.

[TheRealJoker]

Originally Posted by gwallaia

This thread should be retitled, "How badly do the Texans want the 6th seed?"

I hope the Bengals will be fighting for the 3rd seed on Sunday Night Football like the Texans fought for the 6th seed with a hard fought victory in Reliant Stadium over the Pats!!!

[Maddict5]

Originally Posted by TheRealJoker

I hope the Bengals will be fighting for the 3rd seed on Sunday Night Football like the Texans fought for the 6th seed with a hard fought victory in Reliant Stadium over the Pats!!!

if one of the 4pm games dont go our way, none of us will be watching that SNF game anyway

[Ryan]

God this just makes me hate the Colts even more.

[texanmojo]

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/346219...s-player_news/

"Coach Bill Belichick suggested Tuesday that the Patriots will not be resting healthy starters against the Texans this week."

Looks like its gonna be a tough weekend...

[redwhiteANDblue]

I think Texans have shown they can keep up with any team in the NFL and the Pats aren't looking superhuman this year. So if the Texans are really desperate to show they want their coach and WANT to show the fans that they are capable of having a winning season, we will win!

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by redwhiteANDblue

I think Texans have shown they can keep up with any team in the NFL and the Pats aren't looking superhuman this year.

Exactly. The Colts are clearly better than the Pats this year and we took them to the wire twice. I don't understand the throw in the towel attitude of some.

[Porky]

Originally Posted by texanmojo.com

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/346219...s-player_news/

"Coach Bill Belichick suggested Tuesday that the Patriots will not be resting healthy starters against the Texans this week."

Looks like its gonna be a tough weekend...

Good. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. And I think it cheapens and disrespects the game to turn it into a glorified exhibition game. And a pox on the Colts house.

[Norg]

all these teams now are saying game time decesion or more like min to min decesion

if the texans are wipping up on the pats like 30 to 6 then iam sure THe pats will stay into the game intill the 4th quarter either they will continue to play to get there mojo going and prove to themselfs they can drive down the field or they might throw in the towl

frankily i dont care what the pats do i just hope WE play 4 quarters of clean physical smart football

[Norg]

Originally Posted by texanmojo.com

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/346219...s-player_news/

"Coach Bill Belichick suggested Tuesday that the Patriots will not be resting healthy starters against the Texans this week."

Looks like its gonna be a tough weekend...

if the texans are mad blitzing Brady iam sure something will happen

[NitroGSXR]

Originally Posted by Maddict5

if one of the 4pm games dont go our way, none of us will be watching that SNF game anyway

Sure we would! We only need one to succeed to keep our hopes alive. We'll even be watching if both of our four o'clock games win. I'd love me a number five seeding.

[TheRealJoker]

I hope the Pats play their best. If we somehow make the playoffs all signs point to an immediate rematch the very next weekend. What better way to get a mental edge over them than beating them at their best the week earlier?

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by texanmojo.com

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/346219...s-player_news/

"Coach Bill Belichick suggested Tuesday that the Patriots will not be resting healthy starters against the Texans this week."

Looks like its gonna be a tough weekend...

Belichick: ‘Whoever plays, plays’
Posted: December 29th, 2009 | NFL.com Staff | Tags: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

Around the league, a handful of coaches are dealing with the same end-of-season dilemma — and the questions that accompany it — of how much to play their starters, or at least players who are less than 100 percent, in Week 17 games where playoff seeding has been decided. You can make an argument the scenario is playing out in San Diego, New Orleans and Cincinnati. And we already know about Indianapolis.

True to form, Patriots coach Bill Belichick isn’t revealing anything about how much his key players will play against the Texans. The Patriots — like the Bengals — aren’t locked into a playoff seed, but will either be the No. 3 or 4 seed, and will have a road playoff game in the divisional round.

Belichick said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday he hasn’t had that discussion with his staff.

“I wouldn’t even anticipate doing it, having that discussion right now,” Belichick said. “What’s going to happen now is we’re going to go through the game plan, players will come in tomorrow, and everyone is going to get ready to play. And that’s how we’re going to approach it. Whoever plays, plays. Whoever doesn’t play, doesn’t play. But it’s like that every week. We could go out there and on the first play of th game something could happen and somebody else could be in there.

“Everyone needs to be ready to go all of the time.”

Linky: Belichick: ‘Whoever plays, plays’


I'm not sure what to make of his comments.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Exactly. The Colts are clearly better than the Pats this year and we took them to the wire twice. I don't understand the throw in the towel attitude of some.

My feelings as well. I see no reason why we can't beat the Pats.

[Goldensilence]

Originally Posted by redwhiteANDblue

I think Texans have shown they can keep up with any team in the NFL and the Pats aren't looking superhuman this year. So if the Texans are really desperate to show they want their coach and WANT to show the fans that they are capable of having a winning season, we will win!

Can the Texans play with NE? Certainly. Are the Pats more beatable this year? Certainly. However, the team is still more then capable of coming out and putting a beat down on any team.

My big concern is that the past few weeks we've slipped by some not so great teams and went into run out the clock mode in the second half. This team cannot do that against the Pats. If they want to win this game they better show up to play 60 minutes and be prepared to go against a team that will be prepared to play. 3-4 defenses also concern me with this team.

That said, I'd be happy if the team manages to squeak out a win!

[Maddict5]

Originally Posted by NitroHonda

Sure we would! We only need one to succeed to keep our hopes alive. We'll even be watching if both of our four o'clock games win. I'd love me a number five seeding.

i think you misread my post

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by redwhiteANDblue

I think Texans have shown they can keep up with any team in the NFL and the Pats aren't looking superhuman this year. So if the Texans are really desperate to show they want their coach and WANT to show the fans that they are capable of having a winning season, we will win!

Keeping up with good teams and beating good teams are two different subjects.

That being said, I think the Texans have a shot of beating the Patriots this weekend, but it will depend on how many quarters they come to play.