Why do people keep spewing this notion that the Pats were dead last in SOS? When in fact they were 9th...?

[NYG4lifeNYK]

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/201479/2016-nfl-strength-of-schedule



Are people just trying to ease their minds and feel good about ATL? I don't get it.


regardless even if they did have the easiest SOS, it's not like NE can't beat/destroy good/great teams.... especially a team that doesn't have a strong defense.

 

[Serbone]

That's the pre season SOS.
Completely, totally irrelevant to the SOS based on the reality of the actual 2016 season.

 

[In2Sports]

The article is from April 2016 based off teams records from the previous win/loss records.

 

[NYG4lifeNYK]

That's the pre season SOS.
Completely, totally irrelevant to the SOS based on the reality of the actual 2016 season.

Ah I see where they're getting it from. Thanks

Even still I don't think it holds much water as ATL's record this season has been pretty poor against playoff teams. Someone posted their record have to try and find it.

 

[Loves2kickass]

You probably should listen to what people are spewing lol. They were 32nd in SOS, that's dead last, at the conclusion of the season. Pre season SOS means nothing.

 

[Loves2kickass]

http://www.therxforum.com/showthread.php?t=1077678

I speak a little about the Pats in post #5 in the above thread.

 

[Loves2kickass]

Cut and pasted from my thread link I just posted.

"New England has a great defense? Please tell me you're either still hung over from yesterday or your just kidding with me. I'm here to tell ya there are 32 teams in the NFL and the all mighty, public loving team such as the Patriots were dead last, 32nd, in the league this year in strength of schedule. Please name 1 top tier quarterback they played against this season. Let me answer that for you..... Maybe 1 or arguably 2. Here are the quarterbacks that they faced this season. Palmer, Tannehill, Osweiler x2, Taylor x2,Whitehurst, Dalton, Jones, Wilson, Kaepernick, Fitzpatrick x2, Goff, Flacco, Siemian, Moore, Roethlisberger. Really?

18 games for the Patriots and a whopping 4 were playoff teams and a whopping 5 teams that they have played had a regular season winning record. If you are telling me the Patriots have a top tier defense I don't like you anymore haha. I'm kidding. I am here to tell ya that Atlanta has the better defense and by far the better offense with more weapons.

This is why I have said their is no reason to talk about this for days leading up to the big game. Put your money on Atlanta and make sure you take me on a date with your winnings".

 

[Loves2kickass]

Atlanta was 2-2 against playoff teams, their 2 losses by 1 and 2 points.

 

[Saints2016]

Alternative facts?

 

[Willie99]

best record against playoff teams, now 6-1 (6-1 ATS against playoff teams too)

and their record ATS? 15-3 83.33% (how is that even possible? any thoughts? does that imply a team is overrated? or underrated?)

just a thought

 

[Willie99]

I wouldn't put too much weight on who played the stronger cupcakes, just because a team you beat was ranked 25th while a team your opponent beat was ranked 32nd, that doesn't prove you're better.

Does anyone really look at stuff like RPI when making bets? Do you think Baylor is the best team in the country? Would you lay points with # 3 Butler over UNC? (or UK, KU, FSU, OR.................)

a computer model doesn't replace eye test, ever (and my argument here is not who's winning the SB, it's about citing SOS as a predictive measure as to who's winning the SB)

 

[solrosenberg]

Agree with the easy schedule theory, hell the AFC Least has provided B & B plenty of wins and home field playoff games the last 17 years.
That being said its hard to imagine the Patriots blowing this game........

 

[Willie99]

Agree with the easy schedule theory, hell the AFC Least has provided B & B plenty of wins and home field playoff games the last 17 years.
That being said its hard to imagine the Patriots blowing this game........

lots of people cite their record vs the AFC East

going back to 2003

they have the best record overall
they have the best record in their division
they have the best record in non division games (winning 34 more games then 2nd best)
they have the best record in their conference
they have the best record in their conference and outside of their division
they have the best record in inter-conference play

every way you slice the pie, they come out on top




again, not relevant when capping this SB, just putting some truth out there

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/trends/win_trends/?range=yearly_since_2003&group=0&sc=non_division


they also have the best record in playoff games, winning 8 more than 2nd best

 

[solrosenberg]

Good God do some people like to do nothing but start childish arguments?
Let's see the Patriots had the easiest schedule of 2016, they also had the best record of 2016, hmmm, think there was a correlation??
I don't think anybody will argue they are the most consistent and most winning team since 2000 or so, they have also piled up tons of wins against subpar Jets, Dolphins and Bills in that time frame. When was the last time the Bills made the playoffs ??
With all of the AFC East division titles came a ton of home playoff wins. Hell against the Texans they played like crap but still won easily because of who they were playing.
Not here to bash NE at all its part of the genius of Belichick to stay in the same place for all these years instead of being an attention whore like his mentor Bill Parcells and changing teams every 4 years. He saw early on the teams in his division weren't exactly stellar and was smart enough to take advantage of it.
Same thing with Brady, could have made more in salary by going elsewhere but stayed with the sure thing and he was brilliant for doing so.
And I love B & B as you pointed out they are damn good against the spread.....

 

[METFAN]

great posts Willie..thank you

 

[MR.HARRYtheHAT]

~Defense Wins Games~

Alternative facts?

I would like to give my opinion in behave of Saints2016

---

New England finished 2016 ranked #1 and Atlanta was ranked #7>> Power ratings compared to all three power ratings. Danny Sheridan power rating, Dunkel Index power rating,& The DVAXN Group 25 NFL Football Outsiders rating >>>>- Atlanta has put up far more points per game (33.8 to 27.6) but New England defense is much better (just 15.6 points per game to 25.4 pts/g given up by Atlanta). Sets up as NE defense vs ATL offense .Defense wins games>The DVAXN Group 25 NFL Football Outsiders point spread> New England by 7... My opinion on score (38-31) New England
Hårr¥THëHÄT

 

[MR.HARRYtheHAT]

Posted by: Vincent Verhei NFL Football Outsiders on Jan 2017>>> Great Read !!!!!!

In their bad games, the New England defense gave up tons of catches to opposing No. 1 wide receivers, but those receptions were by and large on shorter routes. Meanwhile, all the other wide receivers were running low-percentage, high-reward deep routes through the Patriots secondary. There's a bit of a chicken-or-egg question to this -- is this the way opponents chose to attack the Patriots, or is this the way the Patriots defense forced offenses to play? -- but it's easy to visualize Julio Jones catching a lot of curls and crossers to draw coverage to himself, then Taylor Gabriel and Mohamed Sanu streaking by New England's lesser corners in one-on-one matchups for big plays. This is another reason Atlanta will need to go pass-wacky against the Patriots -- the more often they drop back to pass, the more chances they will have to hit on those low-percentage throws. This also jibes with what we wrote about Atlanta last week: the Super Bowl will likely decided by New England's ability to cover Taylor and Sanu.
The Falcons offense was the NFL's best in 2016 and should have a big edge over New England's defense, but the Patriots offense was second-best and should enjoy an even bigger edge against Atlanta's defense. In a game where the first team to punt likely loses, Atlanta will need to use all of its weapons to the best of their abilities to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

 

[WinnersareGrinners]

Mr HTH you have had a geat season congratulatons and enjoy your pofits, i feel you're on the wrong side on this one though....enjoy the game it should be a great spectacle.

 

[rubadubrob]

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/201479/2016-nfl-strength-of-schedule



Are people just trying to ease their minds and feel good about ATL? I don't get it.


regardless even if they did have the easiest SOS, it's not like NE can't beat/destroy good/great teams.... especially a team that doesn't have a strong defense.

Yes they are trying to ease their minds kind of like when posters start a 'non-partisan' monolugue info thread then post mostly trends and stats that support a particular side.