I don't think any team is going undefeated down the stretch, that said we control our own destiny. We play Pitt this year, so assuming both teams would win every other game for the year, then that game decides home field and we have the opportunity to control our destiny by winning that game. So it really doesnt matter. That said, i think the Dolphins are going to be more hard pressed to win lots of games with their schedule. Pitt is a good team, so any stumbling they do would be damn good for us. To answer the original question, I don't think the game will matter in the long run either way, but I do think we are good enough as a team to root for Miami to win the game and give us some breathing room over pitt and B-more.
I love how some people seem to assume we have the division wrapped up already in week 7 and Miami sucks. They're one game behind us. If we lose to a good GB team we're tied with them and they ARE good enough to beat us at home. We barely beat them the first game and games with them are pretty much always one score games. I think we're the better team but I mean, c'mon, we're not the '85 Bears. It's week 7. You root for your division opponents to lose.
The thing is they still play the Pats so by losing to Miami it puts more pressure on them to beat the Pats. I like our chances at home against Miami as opposed to on the road at New England. Should Pitt lose to Miami the loser of the Pats/Steelers game is two games behind us for home field.
Home field? It's week 7. I hope the Steelers beat the Fins and the Pats. We will have our shot at them and if both the Steelers and the Jets truly are #1 seed contenders, the winner of that game will most likely decide who gets it.
They have two less wins than us and are 1-2 in the division. They habve to equal our season ending wins, while sweeping the Pats and us at home, and having us drop ALL 3 remaining division games, to pull ahead of us the AFC east crown. The Road they have to climb is much harder, so I would not be upset if the beat the steelers this weekend. Your right in saying we are not probly going to finish 15-1 like the '85 Bears, so is it that bad to hope a powerful conference rival loses to a team that is TWO GAMES BACK in the division standings? Quick Edit.... The Phins next 4 games at Vs Pitt @ Cincy @ Baltimore Vs Tenessee Now way in hell they go above .500 in the strech of games. So hopeing them to pull out one of those hard games is not going to kill us. We need the Pats to lose badly, and we need to keeping winning our games, but its not the Phins I'm worried about after they dropped two division games at home.
They've also played one fewer game. If they beat the Steelers like you want, they are one game behind us. Obviously tiebreakers don't count unless the season is over and you need them. All they would have to do is have a better record than us and the tie breakers don't matter. Do you think they can't beat us at home?
No, I belive they can beat us at Home. I highly doubt they beat us, and the Pats at home. Tie breakers do matter. They matter if we falter more than the Phins over the rest of the season and I don't seee that happening. Not that it's not possible, but at this point we are winning games where we are not playing our best football. The Pats scare me. They are rolling right now in a year were they are supposed to be reloading with a very young defense. They traded Moss and didn't miss a beat. They are equal to us in losses and one win behind and 2-1 in the division with a road win at Miami. They are going to be the issue down the road, not the Phins.
I don't think they'll beat us at home this year. We dominated them at home last year and by fluke they beat us. That won't happen again. I'm much more worried about the Pats then I am Phins. I don't see the Pats losing to SD although the Chargers could do us some favors. If we hold serve in the next 5 games it won't matter what they do because they'll likely be out. I don't see 15-1 but I can honestly say that this has the makings of a 13-3 season.
I don't think the Pats are the better team between them and the Dolphins, honestly. They imploded on that Monday night game, special teams broke down and they were simply out coached. This year I think we have the Pats number and don't think we will have trouble with them. Branch caught the Ravens by surprise, the Ravens had no clue what the Pats offense would look like and it still took OT to lose. The Pats have a great coach and QB, they had 2 weeks to get ready for the Ravens, I would've been surprised if they had lost. If Henne can keep his picks down, the Dolphins are our biggest division threat IMO.
I couldn't live without your Mom, so I would free her!! Ooooh, snap- I agree, it has to be a extraordinary situation for me to ever root for Miami.
There is way too much football left to be talking about home field, byes, seeds, etc. The AFC playoffs are going to have 6 strong teams in it and there will be no decided or prohibitive favorite. Someone will lose which certainly helps us so I don't really care who it is.
it was directed at the person who made the thread, i quoted you since you were the first one to comment on it
No no no. We would have to put up with the douchebag dolphin fans beating their chests about beating one of the best in the league. Division should be the highest priority for the season (besides leading the league in wins) We will get our own shot at the steelers
I disagrre with ya there. New Englands offense keeps trucking along no matter who's in there as long as brady is at the helm and thier young defense is talented and will only get better. Two very good young TE's combined with two good outside threats in Tate and Branch, or and Welkeer, the best possession receiver in the game, make them tough to stop. Brady is not going to beat himself like Henne does at times. Look at it this way, the Pats are the Bizzaro world Jets. They have a team that should not be ready to win being lead by a Vet QB who refuses to lose. We have a team that is built to take it all that has a QB thats a year or two away from carrying his team. As long as Brady can continue to produce at this level they have a good shot. The Phins are comming along nicely. Henne looks to be thier future guy, but is not ready to put the team on his back and carry them. Thier defense is good but not at our level. Thier running game is strong, but not as fearsome as in the past. They are a franchise in flux that needs to find an identity. Thier president just cleaned out his office, they are not a defensive monster like the Ravens or Steelers, They are not a run first ground and pound team like we are, they are not a shootout and win team like the Pats or Colts. They could end up as any of those depending on thier next couple of drafts and a direction taken by the coaching staff. They have tons of young talent that is just not quite there yet. At the momment they look like an east coast Chargers, lots of talent that needs to find a way to win big games. They are good, but they don't scare me like the other teams I mentioned.
Their offense is a Jack of all Trades but a Ace of none. While New England we know what to expect almost 100%. By the time we play them again there will be plenty of film on this 2 TE set with Branch and Welker on the outside. NE can not run the ball on any good rush defense. Just watch our game against them this year, they're very 1 dimensional. NE's defense is far from anything great, they're almost dead last in opponent passing yards, and in the bottom half against the run. As the weeks roll on I only see Miami getting better, and NE not. Of course a coach and QB of that caliber will account for some unexpected wins but that will only carry them so far with no running game, or defense.
Homefield talk is nice to hear, but I want the division first. Also, unless its Week 17 in the 2002 season, I don't like cheering for division opponents.
