Tuesday's basketball games mark the exact halfway point through the North Piedmont 3A schedule.
Here are a couple of things to watch for during the second half of the winter sports season.
Who emerges from the pack in the NPC?
This goes for both the girls and the boys. And keep in mind, the NPC sends six teams to the playoffs.
The boys side has East Rowan on top with an 8-0 record. The Mustangs are really, really good, and play a fun style of basketball - lots of pressing and fast-break points. It's also safe to consider Northwest Cabarrus (7-1 NPC) as a lock to make the playoffs.
After that, nothing is permanent, although the next three spots should be pretty secure. West Rowan (6-2), Mooresville (6-2) and Lake Norman (5-3) have all looked anywhere from solid to very, very good this season. They should be OK.
The last spot is a bit of a toss-up. Right now, it's Statesville (3-5) holding down the fort. The Greyhounds have been inconsistent this year, but have shown they can compete with the top teams. Statesville took Mooresville to the buzzer, and competed well with Lake Norman in the Holiday Classic championship. Carson (2-6) along with West and North Iredell (1-7) are technically still in the mix. The Warriors have Quan Rucker and the Raiders have Tyrece Scott, which means you can't count either one out.
Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: East Rowan, Northwest Cabarrus, West Rowan, Lake Norman, Mooresville, Statesville.
The girls side is even more congested.
Statesville and East Rowan are both 8-0 (and they play Jan. 8). Slightly below them is Lake Norman (6-2). North Iredell and South Rowan are tied for third (5-3).
Lake Norman still has an outside chance to win the conference, although it's a long shot. The Wildcats must go unbeaten the rest of the way and will need East Rowan and Statesville to split their season series.
The more interesting storyline, I think, is who ends up where. It looks nearly certain that Statesville or East Rowan will finish first. But then what? Lake Norman, Statesville/East Rowan and North Iredell could all finish anywhere from second to fourth. That's huge as far as playoff seedings go. And if South Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus make a run, it could get even cloudier.
Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: Statesville, East Rowan, Lake Norman, North Iredell, Northwest Cabarrus, South Rowan.
Can South Iredell maintain?
Forget about the 99-55 shellacking to Cherryville for a second. South Iredell is 3-9, but holds a 2-1 clip early in conference play. The Southern Piedmont 1A-2A sends four of its six 2A teams to the playoffs, and the Vikings still have a shot. The wins came over North and West Lincoln (combined 0-6 in SPC), so the stretch of games against Bessemer City, East Lincoln and Lincolnton will be telling.
Predicted order of finish, for 2A playoff purposes: Bessemer City, East Lincoln, Lincolnton, South Iredell.
Who will emerge on the mats?
With Lake Norman developing into a wrestling power, the entire NPC has been shaken up. Typically, it was Mooresville, North Iredell and either West Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus fighting for two playoff spots, with a wild-card entry also up for grabs.
This year, I think it's going to come down to Lake Norman and Mooresville on Jan. 29 for the conference title, with the loser getting the conference's No. 2 seed.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The MVP selection process
Have you ever watched some sort of sporting event, like the Super Bowl or an all-star game, and then wondered who got to select the game's MVP? And why, exactly, did those voters select who they did?
I'll fill you in on our thought process for the R&L Holiday Classic, specifically the boys game. And I'll be honest, I think our job of selecting a tournament-wide MVP is much tougher than selecting one for a single game. We have multiple games to consider, and in some cases, teams play a different number of total games, which skews stats.
Before the boys championship game between Lake Norman and Statesville, fellow sports writer Brian Meadows and I compiled a list of players who had done well and deserved MVP consideration. Anybody is eligible for MVP but, like in most instances, it typically goes to a member of the winning team.
Once the game was final - Lake Norman 68, Statesville 58 - there was only time for a brief consultation of stats and discussion before presenting our selection.
It's pretty demanding, actually. We're already there to cover the game, look for interesting story lines and keep our own stats, in addition to constantly thinking about the MVP selection.
It came down to two people, both from Lake Norman - sophomore Paul Larsen and senior Nathan Bowers (if Statesville won, it probably would have been either T.J. McCombs or William Marion).
Let's take a quick look at the numbers: Nathan Bowers finished with 37 points and 24 rebounds in two games. He played great defense and picked up timely rebounds and blocked shots. Paul Larsen finished with 39 points and 22 rebounds in two games. He also played great defense and picked up timely blocked shots and rebounds.
Talk about a doozy - nearly identical numbers and impact.
Here's a few other things we considered: Bowers' best game was against North Iredell in the semifinals. He had 24 points, was 9-of-16 from the field and pulled down 11 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. There's no way Lake Norman would have won without him.
Larsen's best game was in the championship, when he scored 26 points and had 14 rebounds. He scored 11 points in the final six minutes of the game, including eight in a row at one point. In the semifinals against North Iredell, he made two game-winning free throws with 0.7 seconds left.
Taking all of that into consideration, Paul Larsen won the MVP. The biggest reason behind that was his clutch play in the championship game. That doesn't take anything away from Bowers, because he had an outstanding tournament as well. It was about as close as you could get.
Thanks for reading, and have a happy New Year.
I'll fill you in on our thought process for the R&L Holiday Classic, specifically the boys game. And I'll be honest, I think our job of selecting a tournament-wide MVP is much tougher than selecting one for a single game. We have multiple games to consider, and in some cases, teams play a different number of total games, which skews stats.
Before the boys championship game between Lake Norman and Statesville, fellow sports writer Brian Meadows and I compiled a list of players who had done well and deserved MVP consideration. Anybody is eligible for MVP but, like in most instances, it typically goes to a member of the winning team.
Once the game was final - Lake Norman 68, Statesville 58 - there was only time for a brief consultation of stats and discussion before presenting our selection.
It's pretty demanding, actually. We're already there to cover the game, look for interesting story lines and keep our own stats, in addition to constantly thinking about the MVP selection.
It came down to two people, both from Lake Norman - sophomore Paul Larsen and senior Nathan Bowers (if Statesville won, it probably would have been either T.J. McCombs or William Marion).
Let's take a quick look at the numbers: Nathan Bowers finished with 37 points and 24 rebounds in two games. He played great defense and picked up timely rebounds and blocked shots. Paul Larsen finished with 39 points and 22 rebounds in two games. He also played great defense and picked up timely blocked shots and rebounds.
Talk about a doozy - nearly identical numbers and impact.
Here's a few other things we considered: Bowers' best game was against North Iredell in the semifinals. He had 24 points, was 9-of-16 from the field and pulled down 11 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. There's no way Lake Norman would have won without him.
Larsen's best game was in the championship, when he scored 26 points and had 14 rebounds. He scored 11 points in the final six minutes of the game, including eight in a row at one point. In the semifinals against North Iredell, he made two game-winning free throws with 0.7 seconds left.
Taking all of that into consideration, Paul Larsen won the MVP. The biggest reason behind that was his clutch play in the championship game. That doesn't take anything away from Bowers, because he had an outstanding tournament as well. It was about as close as you could get.
Thanks for reading, and have a happy New Year.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Red, white and ... rainbow?
I was puttering along the road yesterday when a very old white van passed me.
When it passed me, I noticed a gigantic bumper sticker on the back window. It was one of those "Power of Pride" stickers, but it was a bit different. This thing was HUGE. It nearly stretched all the way across the entire back window.
But then something else jumped out at me.
Halfway across the sticker, between the "r" and the "i" in Pride, it appeared another bumper sticker was slapped on. A gigantic picture of Jeff Gordon's head came into view, with the phrase "Rainbow Warrior" and a picture of his No. 24 car.
So the person in this van, after purchasing this Jeff Gordon sticker, was so intent on people seeing it, he completely covered up his American sticker.
Yes, it's true. People in Statesville love Jeff Gordon more than their country.
When it passed me, I noticed a gigantic bumper sticker on the back window. It was one of those "Power of Pride" stickers, but it was a bit different. This thing was HUGE. It nearly stretched all the way across the entire back window.
But then something else jumped out at me.
Halfway across the sticker, between the "r" and the "i" in Pride, it appeared another bumper sticker was slapped on. A gigantic picture of Jeff Gordon's head came into view, with the phrase "Rainbow Warrior" and a picture of his No. 24 car.
So the person in this van, after purchasing this Jeff Gordon sticker, was so intent on people seeing it, he completely covered up his American sticker.
Yes, it's true. People in Statesville love Jeff Gordon more than their country.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Football thoughts
This is one of my favorite times of the year as it relates to sports. In fact, it's right up there with March Madness.
All of the college football bowl games are set. Intriguing matches dot the landscape, and conversations will take place about who got snubbed, the biggest Cinderella and the best matchups.
In the NFL, there are only four games left in the regular season and the playoffs are beginning to take shape.
Here's what I'm thinking heading into what should be a very exciting next few months.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
I really don't mind the BCS national championship game of Ohio State vs. LSU. I think both teams are very good, and there's a ton of story lines. But I think the best team in the nation is Oklahoma. I know the Sooners lost to Colorado, which was a long time ago. More recently, they lost to Texas Tech, but keep in mind that was without Sam Bradford. They just smashed the No. 1 team in the nation in a game everybody was watching. I would have liked to see them get a shot at the title. But LSU also lost twice, and it took six total overtimes for them to lose. They deserve it as well. Plus-one, anybody?
I'm also pretty intrigued by most of the BCS matchups this year. Oklahoma and West Virginia is a great pairing. The traditional power team versus the up-and-coming Mountaineers and their speed and spread offense. Georgia and Hawaii should also be a lot of fun, and I think Hawaii will make this an interesting game.
The biggest snub - easily - has to go to Missouri. Missouri lost twice this year, both times to Oklahoma. They defeated Kansas fairly easily, and they also beat Illinois to open the season. Somehow, Kansas and Illinois (with three losses, but a marquee win) are in the BCS and Missouri is going to the Cotton Bowl.
Other intriguing bowl games I like are:
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Virginia
Two completely different styles here. Virginia's running game and strong defense against air-it-out Texas Tech.
Armed Forces: Air Force vs. California
Cal was once ranked No. 2 in the country and on pace to play for the BCS title. Since then, the Bears have lost six of seven, including last week's defeat against Stanford. Air Force is a great story this year, and they have a very good team. It's a team stoked to be in a bowl against a team which had BCS aspirations.
Capital One Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida
So many reasons to love this one. Michigan's senior class trying to win its first bowl game. Michigan's coaching situation. Florida's spread offense. Keep in mind Michigan's defense was overwhelmed by Appalachian State's and Oregon's spread offense. Florida runs a spread better than anybody in the country. With a month to prepare, can the Wolverines finally shut down a fast, dynamic offense?
NFL
I can't remember a season where, with four games remaining, every division race was essentially over, but the playoff picture still has a bunch of scenarios. New England has clinched its division and Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and San Diego all have a two-game lead. The gap is even wider in the NFC. Green Bay has a whopping four-game lead while Dallas and Tampa Bay are ahead three games and Seattle is ahead two. But check out the wild-card scenarios in both leagues.
AFC: Jacksonville (8-4), Cleveland (7-5), Tennessee (7-5), Buffalo (6-6) and a host of a 5-7 teams are still alive. The Jaguars have played a great season and should be in, but the race for that last spot will be intense.
It's even wackier in the NFC wild card race: the New York Giants, at 8-4, should be in. But there are EIGHT teams within one game of each other for the final spot. Arizona, Detroit and Minnesota are 6-6, and Carolina, Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington are 5-7. The Panthers have an absolutely brutal schedule remaining and I think they won't make it. I also think the fading Lions will be eliminated from contention, as will the Redskins and Eagles. I'd look for the surging Vikings, behind a suddenly explosive offense, to clinch the No. 6 seed.
All of the college football bowl games are set. Intriguing matches dot the landscape, and conversations will take place about who got snubbed, the biggest Cinderella and the best matchups.
In the NFL, there are only four games left in the regular season and the playoffs are beginning to take shape.
Here's what I'm thinking heading into what should be a very exciting next few months.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
I really don't mind the BCS national championship game of Ohio State vs. LSU. I think both teams are very good, and there's a ton of story lines. But I think the best team in the nation is Oklahoma. I know the Sooners lost to Colorado, which was a long time ago. More recently, they lost to Texas Tech, but keep in mind that was without Sam Bradford. They just smashed the No. 1 team in the nation in a game everybody was watching. I would have liked to see them get a shot at the title. But LSU also lost twice, and it took six total overtimes for them to lose. They deserve it as well. Plus-one, anybody?
I'm also pretty intrigued by most of the BCS matchups this year. Oklahoma and West Virginia is a great pairing. The traditional power team versus the up-and-coming Mountaineers and their speed and spread offense. Georgia and Hawaii should also be a lot of fun, and I think Hawaii will make this an interesting game.
The biggest snub - easily - has to go to Missouri. Missouri lost twice this year, both times to Oklahoma. They defeated Kansas fairly easily, and they also beat Illinois to open the season. Somehow, Kansas and Illinois (with three losses, but a marquee win) are in the BCS and Missouri is going to the Cotton Bowl.
Other intriguing bowl games I like are:
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Virginia
Two completely different styles here. Virginia's running game and strong defense against air-it-out Texas Tech.
Armed Forces: Air Force vs. California
Cal was once ranked No. 2 in the country and on pace to play for the BCS title. Since then, the Bears have lost six of seven, including last week's defeat against Stanford. Air Force is a great story this year, and they have a very good team. It's a team stoked to be in a bowl against a team which had BCS aspirations.
Capital One Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida
So many reasons to love this one. Michigan's senior class trying to win its first bowl game. Michigan's coaching situation. Florida's spread offense. Keep in mind Michigan's defense was overwhelmed by Appalachian State's and Oregon's spread offense. Florida runs a spread better than anybody in the country. With a month to prepare, can the Wolverines finally shut down a fast, dynamic offense?
NFL
I can't remember a season where, with four games remaining, every division race was essentially over, but the playoff picture still has a bunch of scenarios. New England has clinched its division and Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and San Diego all have a two-game lead. The gap is even wider in the NFC. Green Bay has a whopping four-game lead while Dallas and Tampa Bay are ahead three games and Seattle is ahead two. But check out the wild-card scenarios in both leagues.
AFC: Jacksonville (8-4), Cleveland (7-5), Tennessee (7-5), Buffalo (6-6) and a host of a 5-7 teams are still alive. The Jaguars have played a great season and should be in, but the race for that last spot will be intense.
It's even wackier in the NFC wild card race: the New York Giants, at 8-4, should be in. But there are EIGHT teams within one game of each other for the final spot. Arizona, Detroit and Minnesota are 6-6, and Carolina, Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington are 5-7. The Panthers have an absolutely brutal schedule remaining and I think they won't make it. I also think the fading Lions will be eliminated from contention, as will the Redskins and Eagles. I'd look for the surging Vikings, behind a suddenly explosive offense, to clinch the No. 6 seed.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Where to go from here
I had a couple of comments from people on my last post asking about the Panthers, and it's probably better to address all of the Panthers woes in a separate post. It may get a little lengthy.
My initial thought of Carolina looking like a 7-9 team seems very generous right now, seeing the Panthers would have to go 3-2 to get there.
The remaining schedule is as follows, with games where the Panthers will not be favored in bold:
Dec. 2: vs San Francisco
Dec. 9: at Jacksonville
Dec. 16: vs Seattle
Dec. 22: vs Dallas
Dec. 30: at Tampa Bay
The Panthers better win against the 49ers this week, because the schedule is brutal the rest of the way.
The game at Jacksonville and the home game against Dallas are practically guaranteed losses. My best guess now it Carolina will find a way to beat the Niners, then spring an upset on either Seattle or Tampa and finish 6-10. But I wouldn't be surprised if the team finished 4-12 either.
A couple of other thoughts:
I've heard from a bunch of people that this season cannot be necessarily blamed on coach John Fox or general manager Marty Hurney because the Panthers have been beset by a rash of injuries. I don't buy that for a second. It's the responsibility of the general manager - and coach, too - to put together a team that is capable of overcoming big injuries. Jake Delhomme has gone down with a major elbow injury, and might never be the same again. The Panthers brass hand-picked David Carr as the much-needed backup, and it was a bad signing. Thinking back to when it happened, more teams were interested in Trent Dilfer than Carr, who got serious consideration from only two teams.
The team also relied way too much on Dan Morgan, who will almost certainly be forced to retire now, and tries to skirt through positions with little to no depth.
Carolina essentially has three defensive ends - Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker and Stanley McClover. Charles Johnson has been inactive this year. At linebacker, the story is the same. Beason is a monster player, and Thomas Davis and Na'il Diggs are quite serviceable, but the lone backup who could actually produce is James Anderson. The secondary is patchwork. Richard Marshall is a solid option at No. 3 cornerback, but Panthers management stubbornly refused to get a big safety. Then they tried to sell Deke Cooper as a viable option, even though he's been cut by several teams throughout the league.
Offensively, it's not a lot better. DeShaun Foster got a a fistful of money for having produced very little as a Panther, and the zone blocking schemes have been mediocre to this point.
I'm not trying to blast this team, but if you take a long, honest look at evaluating this roster from the top down, it's not very good.
The big question is where does that leave Fox and Hurney at the end of the season? The team needs to show at least some signs, or both will be gone. Both may be gone regardless. But if the Panthers show some life in these last few weeks and finish on a high note - say 7-9 - that could be enough.
My initial thought of Carolina looking like a 7-9 team seems very generous right now, seeing the Panthers would have to go 3-2 to get there.
The remaining schedule is as follows, with games where the Panthers will not be favored in bold:
Dec. 2: vs San Francisco
Dec. 9: at Jacksonville
Dec. 16: vs Seattle
Dec. 22: vs Dallas
Dec. 30: at Tampa Bay
The Panthers better win against the 49ers this week, because the schedule is brutal the rest of the way.
The game at Jacksonville and the home game against Dallas are practically guaranteed losses. My best guess now it Carolina will find a way to beat the Niners, then spring an upset on either Seattle or Tampa and finish 6-10. But I wouldn't be surprised if the team finished 4-12 either.
A couple of other thoughts:
I've heard from a bunch of people that this season cannot be necessarily blamed on coach John Fox or general manager Marty Hurney because the Panthers have been beset by a rash of injuries. I don't buy that for a second. It's the responsibility of the general manager - and coach, too - to put together a team that is capable of overcoming big injuries. Jake Delhomme has gone down with a major elbow injury, and might never be the same again. The Panthers brass hand-picked David Carr as the much-needed backup, and it was a bad signing. Thinking back to when it happened, more teams were interested in Trent Dilfer than Carr, who got serious consideration from only two teams.
The team also relied way too much on Dan Morgan, who will almost certainly be forced to retire now, and tries to skirt through positions with little to no depth.
Carolina essentially has three defensive ends - Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker and Stanley McClover. Charles Johnson has been inactive this year. At linebacker, the story is the same. Beason is a monster player, and Thomas Davis and Na'il Diggs are quite serviceable, but the lone backup who could actually produce is James Anderson. The secondary is patchwork. Richard Marshall is a solid option at No. 3 cornerback, but Panthers management stubbornly refused to get a big safety. Then they tried to sell Deke Cooper as a viable option, even though he's been cut by several teams throughout the league.
Offensively, it's not a lot better. DeShaun Foster got a a fistful of money for having produced very little as a Panther, and the zone blocking schemes have been mediocre to this point.
I'm not trying to blast this team, but if you take a long, honest look at evaluating this roster from the top down, it's not very good.
The big question is where does that leave Fox and Hurney at the end of the season? The team needs to show at least some signs, or both will be gone. Both may be gone regardless. But if the Panthers show some life in these last few weeks and finish on a high note - say 7-9 - that could be enough.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Panthers' season slipping away
It looks like the Carolina Panthers are destined for third place in the NFC South.
Tampa Bay has played consistent football all season (and already owns a win over Carolina), and the surging Saints appear to have their offense in top form. The Panthers, meanwhile, have shown no ability to get the ball to Steve Smith in the crunch (or at all) and may start Matt Moore at quarterback next week.
Let's get this straight. Jake Delhomme goes out with a season-ending elbow injury, David Carr gets his back messed up, Vinny Testaverde's improbable return gives the Panthers a win, but then he gets injured, and Carr suffers a concussion against the Titans.
Yes, there are lots of things Carolina could and should be doing better, but this might be the most injured team in the league overall. Remember, in addition to the quarterbacks, Dan Morgan has missed lots of time (shock), Mike Rucker is coming off a major knee injury and several other players have been nursing minor-but-nagging injuries throughout the season.
It's been a weird year for Carolina. I thought the win against St. Louis in the opening week would set the tone for an 11-5 season. When the Panthers lost the next week to Houston, I was sure they were a 6-10 team. Therein lies another problem. The team is so inconsistent week to week.
This week? It looks like a 7-9 team.
Tampa Bay has played consistent football all season (and already owns a win over Carolina), and the surging Saints appear to have their offense in top form. The Panthers, meanwhile, have shown no ability to get the ball to Steve Smith in the crunch (or at all) and may start Matt Moore at quarterback next week.
Let's get this straight. Jake Delhomme goes out with a season-ending elbow injury, David Carr gets his back messed up, Vinny Testaverde's improbable return gives the Panthers a win, but then he gets injured, and Carr suffers a concussion against the Titans.
Yes, there are lots of things Carolina could and should be doing better, but this might be the most injured team in the league overall. Remember, in addition to the quarterbacks, Dan Morgan has missed lots of time (shock), Mike Rucker is coming off a major knee injury and several other players have been nursing minor-but-nagging injuries throughout the season.
It's been a weird year for Carolina. I thought the win against St. Louis in the opening week would set the tone for an 11-5 season. When the Panthers lost the next week to Houston, I was sure they were a 6-10 team. Therein lies another problem. The team is so inconsistent week to week.
This week? It looks like a 7-9 team.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Can the Patriots go undefeated?
I've always maintained that, in this era in the NFL, no team is able to go undefeated. Looks like the New England Patriots are testing that theory.
The Pats, 8-0 heading into this week's game against the also undefeated Indianapolis Colts, are simply toying with teams right now. The defense is as dominant as ever, Tom Brady is in the zone of a lifetime and head coach Bill Belichick is not holding anything back in coaching ... and running up the score.
So will the Patriots go undefeated? I'm going to stick with my guns and say no, although this is the best NFL team I've ever seen. It also helps that they play in an incredibly weak conference, and are all but assured of a 6-0 conference record.
With that said, here's a breakdown of their remaining schedule with some thoughts at the end.
Nov. 3: New England at Indianapolis
Nov. 10: Bye
Nov. 18: New England at Buffalo
Nov. 25: Philadelphia at New England
Dec. 3: New England at Baltimore
Dec. 9: Pittsburgh at New England
Dec. 16: New York Jets at New England
Dec. 23: Miami at New England
Dec. 29: New England at New York Giants
The games in bold are, in my opinion, mortal locks that the Pats will win. And yes, I included the bye week.
I think New England will win at Indianapolis this week. So the biggest test remaining?
Actually, there are two. Dec. 3 at Baltimore and Dec. 9 at home against Pittsburgh.
The game against Baltimore stands out because the Ravens are one of the few teams in the league as physical as New England. That's a big Monday night game, too. If New England wins that game, then it has a short week to prepare for the Steelers, another physical team.
If New England somehow makes it to 15-0, which is certainly possible, what will Belichick do in Week 17? Will he play his starters the entire game, or will he rest them for the playoffs? With Dallas having a pretty good year, too, this game might decide the NFC East for the Giants, so they'll play their top guys all game.
There's just too many different scenarios for the Patriots to go undefeated. I don't think they'll do it. They will win the Super Bowl, though, and easily.
The Pats, 8-0 heading into this week's game against the also undefeated Indianapolis Colts, are simply toying with teams right now. The defense is as dominant as ever, Tom Brady is in the zone of a lifetime and head coach Bill Belichick is not holding anything back in coaching ... and running up the score.
So will the Patriots go undefeated? I'm going to stick with my guns and say no, although this is the best NFL team I've ever seen. It also helps that they play in an incredibly weak conference, and are all but assured of a 6-0 conference record.
With that said, here's a breakdown of their remaining schedule with some thoughts at the end.
Nov. 3: New England at Indianapolis
Nov. 10: Bye
Nov. 18: New England at Buffalo
Nov. 25: Philadelphia at New England
Dec. 3: New England at Baltimore
Dec. 9: Pittsburgh at New England
Dec. 16: New York Jets at New England
Dec. 23: Miami at New England
Dec. 29: New England at New York Giants
The games in bold are, in my opinion, mortal locks that the Pats will win. And yes, I included the bye week.
I think New England will win at Indianapolis this week. So the biggest test remaining?
Actually, there are two. Dec. 3 at Baltimore and Dec. 9 at home against Pittsburgh.
The game against Baltimore stands out because the Ravens are one of the few teams in the league as physical as New England. That's a big Monday night game, too. If New England wins that game, then it has a short week to prepare for the Steelers, another physical team.
If New England somehow makes it to 15-0, which is certainly possible, what will Belichick do in Week 17? Will he play his starters the entire game, or will he rest them for the playoffs? With Dallas having a pretty good year, too, this game might decide the NFC East for the Giants, so they'll play their top guys all game.
There's just too many different scenarios for the Patriots to go undefeated. I don't think they'll do it. They will win the Super Bowl, though, and easily.
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