I know it's currently considered cool to make bravado-based Pats playoff comments

SAMPLE:

" I don't care who the Pats play - as long as we play at our best we can beat anybody ".

Newsflash :

Right now that very same retread drivel is being used by at least a half dozen other NFL teams' fan bases .

It's usually spewed out by cliche' flingin' fans that don't understand the historical significance of having home field advantage / weaker opponents - as it relates to hoisting the Lombardi trophy .

Pffftttt.

 Here's my wish - list ( realistic ) for the Pats playoff run :

WEEK 17

Texans lose at Indy

Broncos beat KC

( Denver will sooner cut Manning and resign Tebow than lose to KC )

Pats get 2nd seed and first round BYE .

Wild Card Weekend

Colts lose at Baltimore

Bengals lose at Houston

Pats get to face Shaubs' Scrubs for 2nd time in a month

Broncos must face a possibly resurrected ( and definitely healthier) Ravens squad -

Who knows...Maybe the good Flacco shows up in Denver ?

Divisional Round

Ravens win at Denver 

Pats get Texans in Foxboro

So instead of travelin' to face Peyton Manning in the AFC Championship game - the Pats stay home and again greet Joe Flacco ( hopefully the bad one ) for a return trip to the SB .

 

OR Plan B

( where us most-macho fans get our wish granted by takin' the tough road )

Wild Card

Smash mouth game vs Gino Atkins' Bengals D

Pats should win (  hopefully nobody gets hurt)

Div. Game

Trip to Denver to face a well rested Peyton Manning & Co.

Tough game - but we own Manning

( plus we always win in Colorado  ...right ?)

AFC Championship

Away game in Houston.

No problem .

( Pretty sure visiting teams typically fair very well in Conference Championship games ...might have to double-check tho  , I'll get back to you )

 

If Plan B gets us to the promised land  - more power to you Pat's Chest Thumpers ...

No doubt it 'd be more exciting .

( after all  - at it's core this game IS suppose to be ENTERTAINMENT )

But for me ,

I just want to experience ring #4 ...

and I'm old enough to know which path gives us the best chance to make it happen .

 

GO UD6's BOYS  !

Hey the Chiefs might beat the Broncos...you really never know, they did beat the Packers last year remember? And Romeo always had something good in store for Peyton...we'll see.

Your scenario's OK, but I think the Dolts upset the Crows, and then upset the donkos. don't be surprised if bungles upset the texans.

i like plan A, that would be the easiest path to the superbowl. last year the patriots had a few breaks giving them the best matchups but it would be a huge upset to see it happen again. Imo the worst path would be to play the bengals, at denver, then at Houston. thats the way its looking right now too. not saying any of these teams are better than the patriots but the bengals have a tough defense, a couple of good wideouts, and have been on a roll of late. they are no pushover. playing in denver is always tough but when facing manning and the zebras its dicey. thats the toughest road game for the patriots. houston would be the afc championship, even in houston the patriots should roll,. the texans will look for revenge and play a better game than the last time they met but the patriots are better. 

Captn...  both your scenarios give us what we would like to see as an end result, the Pats in the SB.  But, when you downplayed this line: " I don't care who the Pats play - as long as we play at our best we can beat anybody." haven't you essentially supported those thoughts? In both scenarios, it will be necessary for the Pats to play at their best as the opponents will too! You can't have them win without that mantra!  

In response to agcsbill's comment:

Agreed.

Of course, the bye is the easier road; that's a no-brainer.

But I believe the Pats can make it to the SB without the bye, and that has nothing to do with bravado, but rather with the solemn belief that they are the best team in the AFC right now (assuming Talib and Dennard are healthy, which remains to be seen). Not saying it will be easy, by any means, but we're not the Bengals, either. There's simply no team in the AFC that the Pats do not have a better than 50% chance of beating, IMO. And if I thought differently, I would say so.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

 

Line the Pats up with anyone in the AFC and we'll spank them. The NFC is where I think the Pats will have trouble. 

 

1.) Against the Bengals, Pats have a better QB and the Patriots defense can hold their own against the Bengals offense. 

2.) Houston? We spanked them without Gronk, we'll spank them with Gronk. I also still like the way our defense matches up against their offense. 

3.) Denver? Brady has to be averaging 35 points against their defense in the past year, mixed with the fact that BB owns Peyton for three quarters on average and we're in business. Beating Denver will come down to Ridley, if he can run out the clock without fumbling, we have nothing to fear. 

4.) Ravens are bad, Flacco picked on McCourty and Arrington in week 4. Talib and Dennard are much better CBs, I have much more faith in them. 

5.) The Colts are a team I don't really want to face. Are the damn good? No, but they're filled with fast WRs that are match up nightmares for the Patriots. 

 

Either way, we're going back to the SB. I hope we get San Fran or even Seattle. Heck, I'd take anyone besides the Packers, Falcons and Redskins.