I am happy style points isn't big in the NFL, or the Patriots would be rock-bottom, next to a few others. Man, I really thought the Defense would have improved a little from last year, and they sort of did. But there are games where the Defense is not really there, like Houston. 

Houston looked like a team the Patriots would have easily beaten, but this year, it really seems every game is up for grabs, and  not a solid decisive game. Even the Jags could make a small run against the Patriots, if they played against each other this year, but that game I would feel the Patriots would win, regardless of how they are really playing this year. 

Do any of you feel that when Rodgers returns, he'll start off with a bang? Or will his returning game be a drag, while he gets back into sorts? 

The Patriots will really need home field advantage this year...home turf, with the snow (if there is any this year), the cold wind...Manning will have another tough game, but it seems the Broncos will clinch home field advantage. 

Sidewinder : I'm not sure what Style points have to do with anything in the NFL. Remember how good the Seahawks looked last night? Just remember that they almost lost to the Bucs at home as well as the Rams on the road. Any team (for the most part) can win on any given Sunday.

The Patriots, like many teams, have had some injuries that really affected them Wilfork being out and some injuries at LB. As well as Talib missing games.

Overall they are playing well and they have a nicely rounded team if everyone stays healthy. Are they perfect? Not by any means, but it seems like no team in the NFL is "perfect"

The Patriots have been rather inconsistent on defense this season. Some games they allow like 7 and others they allow likr 30. Some of the losses they had this season...were games that they shouldn't have lost.

I'm happy for the Seahawks. With how they have been playing, they deserve the playoff berth. Now if only the Giants can clinch a playoff berth...

megamanmaniac : You could say that about every team in the NFL just about.

You know what, I am feeling really bad for my Chiefs. I mean, with the injuries on defense, they really aren't much... I hope they can turn it around.

A loss of picks for the Steelers, and a $100k fine...was all of that fair for Tomlin and the Steelers? 

The fine, I am okay with, I guess that was expected and deserved. The loss of picks, I dunno about that one. Can anyone justify this action to me, if you do find it justifiable? 

Sidewinder : Yes you are talking about a coach in the NFL, and what he did was most certainly on purpose. Not only that, he's a member of the NFL competition committee so should be held to a higher standard for that alone.

I'm not sure if they will actually reduce some of the draft picks like they stated, they seem like they are just threatening to do so. They want to make a point to make sure that something like this doesn't happen again. People from the sidelines interfering directly with plays on the field is something that the NFL cannot afford.

*Ignore this post here mostly because that other post came a little to early

IgorBird122 : There are still 4 more weeks until the playoffs and this is the most important part of the season lol. Don't close this now.

Jordanv78 : Hmmm, maybe I was right the first time, maybe this thread can keep on going for a little bit longer and the other post-season thread can be closed for a couple more week

How about the conditions in some of these games today? A kickoff in that Philly Detroit game, I could hardly see the players lol. Weather going to make an impact in many games today....Sorry if you got burned by Reggie Bush in fantasy playoffs. The list him as good to play then he slips in pre game warmups and is out...with only a min or two before kickoff to adjust rosters.

Gronkowski injured, likely for the rest of the season and all of the post season. 

I now really say the Patriots will be unable to win the Super Bowl, even with the small chance that they could have when they had Gronk. Now those chances really slim down, a lot.

And Petersen is now injured as well. Even with that AMAZING return from the injury in 2011, I dunno about him getting an equal return when he does come back. 

"Just when you think you've seen it all ... the most redeeming quality of the '13 Patriots: They are one tough team to knock out." -Mike Reiss, ESPN BOSTON columnist.

Yep, you really have to play a full 60 minutes to try and beat down the Patriots, which is nice, but not the best way to play for the Patriots. Very slow to start, but great come backs. 

But man, what a game..Pats and Browns, 27-26. 

Sidewinder : You keep talking about how pretty they look or don't look, but honestly who cares? A win is a win. They still have one of the best records in the league. All of the teams in the AFC are flawed.

Losing Gronk hurts losing him to a torn ACL/MCL and it takes away a Major weapon, but it's not out of the question that they could get to the Super Bowl without him. None of the teams in the AFC look unstoppable right now. The Broncos might have just lost Welker for an extended period with his second concussion in 4 weeks. He's going to have to be VERY careful.

I was surprised to see how badly the Colts got beat down. Their defense has played poorly the past few weeks.

Man how bad are the Lions? The Eagles had almost 300 yards rushing against them IN THE FOURTH QUARTER lol.

AP is probably shut down for the season after that loss today...(How bad was that loss??) I see no reason to risk further damage to their only decent player on offense.

The Saints really looked strong last night...but they are a team Similar to Seattle. AWESOME at home and not as strong on the road. Although they will be helped out by the fact that they probably wont play in a cold weather stadium outdoors in the playoffs...unless they make the Super Bowl or possibly if Philly makes it to the playoffs.

The Panthers had their streak halted in a rough road divisional matchup. Their defense wasn't able to get pressure last night and Brees killed them. Not much else to say.

The 49ers looked strong yesterday in a big battle of division rivals. Not much really to say here other than it was a usual hard fought game.

Looking at flaws of any team doesn't matter as much as them making the playoffs. If a team is strong at home, and mediocre on the road, then so be it. As long as they make the playoffs, they have a legitimate chance at making it to the Super Bowl (because football is like the only sport in which you don't have to be the best to become world champions).

Also, congrats to the Broncos and Colts for clinching playoff berths.

megamanmaniac : How a team plays at home as opposed to on the road makes a huge difference in the playoffs as well as what the weather is. So I'm not quite sure what you are getting at.

Sure it's a one game situation where anyone can win on that given day but looking at these tendencies helps determine who can win. Make no mistake a team has to be good to get to and win the Super Bowl.

Jordanv78 :  That Lions-Eagles game was crazy. Detroit had 7 fumbles, 3 lost. (5 of which were from fumbling the snap) Both teams were going for the two point conversion after every TD because it was impossible to kick in the snow, although the Lions cleared some of the snow to attempt one extra point and it missed anyway.

I do have Reggie Bush on my fantasy team, but even though he didn't play, I should be able to win unless Brandon Marshall gets eaten by the turf monster. I was thinking about starting Le'Veon Bell instead of him but then I remembered what happened in week 1. I tried to get too cute with it and started Ahmad Bradshaw instead of Bush because he had a better matchup. Reggie ended up with over 30 points while Bradshaw had like two and I ended up losing by about 17 points...ouch. I did get some revenge though, as I guaranteed to win the rematch in week 10 and I won by just over 100 points. lol

Jordanv78 : Well I'm saying that the lower seeds in football have a better chance of winning than pretty much any other sport. You don't see seventh seeds going to the NBA Finals, right? As long as a team can make it to the postseason in the NFL, they at least have a legitimate shot at making it to the Super Bowl.

megamanmaniac : You can't compare the NBA to the NFL. The talent is so watered down with 16 teams making the playoffs most 4-8 seeds ESPECIALLY in the Eastern conference don't deserve to even make the playoffs lol.

As far as this week is concerned I couldn't be more proud of the way my Bears stepped up on the night they retired DAAAA COACH's number. Even if it was only for one day, It's a happy one. They still have a shot of winning the division too, even though it's going to be tough. The Lions do have a tough game next Monday against the Ravens on Monday night though.

Jordanv78 : It didn't help my dads NFL weekly pool at his job. Couldn't they have won by 3 or something?

On the next topic, it has been reported that Rob Gronkowski has been injured. Again. He tore his ACL in the comeback win against the Browns. The Cleveland Browns. Yep. They had to come back on that.

Do you guys think it'll affect the Pats' season?