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[pmcd9]

The Buffalo Bills are a pretty decent team, but New England beat 'em like a red headed step child tonight to move to 10 and 0.  Already this season they whipped a damn good Dallas Cowboys team.  They also beat the Colts.  They've got a couple of playoff teams still to face in the regular season, but I can't see anyone beating them if they continue to play as they have.  Is there a team that can beat them in the playoffs?

I like to see a team play at such a high level, but it's kind of boring if they are so superior the opponents offer such weak resistance.  That's only fun if you are a big fan of the team.  I want to see New England play against a worthy opponent.  Who should they be playing?

[theinevitable]

Even with as limited of an understanding of football as I have, seeing Randy Moss run all over that team was amazing. There's just an elegance to it... that interception by that other guy, near the end, where the ball just popped out when a guy got tackled, and the Patriot guy just caught it and ran all the way... it was like there was no other way it could have gone. At the same time, the more I watch football, the less I understand it. I know that it can't be as complicated as it seems, but every time my roommates are watching a game I end up asking a question like "wait, so, sometimes it isn't OK to tackle a guy when he's going to catch the ball? isn't that what you would want to do?" or "why are they way over on one side? shouldn't the ball be in the middle?" or even just comments about the weird graphical things they do. Why is it necessary to make it look like there is a big TV screen lying on the field?

So, yeah, I can't say who they should play, but that game today was impressive.

[KeithHernandez]

That was a fumble; you're right, you don't know much about football.  However, the way you described it was absolutely correct.  About 3/4 of the time that ball goes out of bounds or bounces to a Bills player or, etc.  As soon as I saw that play I recognized the, what I previously thought far off, very likely possibility of an undefeated season.  Now, I ain't gonna say I think it will happen or whatever, but that play shows a lot about this season.

Also, from my small amount of football knowledge, I would say that the game is more complex than either you or I could imagine, Inev, or at least that is the way it is sold by the coaches. (although not for the reasons you list.  You are only allowed to touch the receier, or at least touch to impede, once the ball has been touched by either an offensive or defensive player and if you are tackled outside of the hash marks (the dotted line type things) the ball is placed on the nearest hash mark.  Also, I don't really know what you are talking about with the TV thing, but it is probably for the same reason that there was a spiderman base in baseball a while back- money.)

[Carlos del Vaca]

If you want to understand football better, really get down into the details, pick up Madden football for your gaming console of choice.  It helps one understand what different plays mean, how certain actions by the offense counter other actions by the defense, and so on.

The whole point behind pass interference is to prevent the defense from just knocking the shit out of the receivers all the time before the ball gets there.  A whole lot of man-to-man pass coverage is based on the cornerback's ability to stay with the receiver and somehow counter him just as the ball arrives without committing pass interference.

As for the Patriots, the Colts look like the only team with a shot at them in the playoffs, but since the game will be in New England I don't give them much chance.  The Cowboys have a decent team and theoretically could make a game of the Super Bowl, but the NFC is much weaker than the AFC right now, and I think Dallas would end up embarrassed as everyone else.  Some suggest that in the final week when the Patriots play at the Giants, the Pats will have nothing to gain and rest their starters, whereas the Giants will probably need a win to make the playoffs.  I dunno, though--I think Belicheck has a huge fuckin' chip on his shoulder right now, and will go ahead and pour it on just to get to 16-0 and theoretically prove something.

[littlefallsmets]

I think this team probably wins the Super Bowl, what with likely home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and all but...

I have to believe that they're not so stupid as to risk injuries to their stars in a meaningless Week 16-Week 17 game.

The Super Bowl's still the prize at the end of the rainbow and... we've already seen how just a few injuries can drop a team from unbeatable to above-average in a matter of sixty minutes.

The question is... will 75% of the Patriots still beat a Giants team clawing for their last win, regardless of being 75%?

This is a possible thing.

[KeithHernandez]

I am also routing for the undefeated season as maybe they would be dumb and play Brady and Moss the whole way, thus guaranteeing me a Fantasy Football victory.

[robot_god]

Giants will beat them in the last game.