Coming out of Buffalo I would hate to see a 1-3 record with 2 of the losses against AFC rivals. 2-2 seems like where we need to be. Ya it's a bit early to be playing the "its a must win card" but I think it really is a must win game.

I'm sure you'll get many responses saying this is a must win but it isn't.
They could start 1-5 and still go 11-5 and make the playoffs.
It's all moot though. The Patriots are going to crush the Bills.

Well at some point you have to start winning important games - this is one of those (division rival). I would put this in a must win type of situation because things could start to land fall and this is a young team. You've got to remember too, we are relatively healthy besides Hernandez...what's going to happen when the injuries and adversity hit?

I think we'll be fine, but if this defense doesn't prove to be improved over last season's, then I'm thinking we won't be sniffing a super bowl.

We win today, the Jests will get crushed, and the AFCE is all tied up. Would put us up a division game on the Jestsand Bills. The 2 losses we had stung more then they hurt.

In response to mthurl's comment:

Agreed about winning divisional games. They are already behind Balt in the loss column in the conf. for home field. If they are a legitamate SB contender they don't want to be playing on WC weekend.

If they can keep the loses to 4 or under  and win  all the divisional games and most of the AFC conf. games and they should be able to get the 1 or 2 seed. 

It looks as though they might be without Mankins tomorrow so it should be inetresting to see how they decide to attack the bills with a slightly depleted O line.

13-3 will get a bye thru out the playoff!

You may be correct about 13-3 but I don't know 12-4 might do it. It depends on how healthy the Ravens stay throughout the course of the year.

Houston's not going to lose 4 games this season.  HF advantage will go through them.  Pats can afford to lose one more game before losing HF...they get SF and Houston later in the season. 

Every game they've played so far is a must win game.  If they lose tomorrow, they will lose homefield in the playoffs.  Mark it.

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

In response to PhatRex's comment:

You make a bag of rocks look cerebral

 

 

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

All division games are "must-win" games.

Win the division and you won't have to worry about what anybody else does.

 

 

Question: How many times have the Patriots swept their division in 52 seasons?

Answer: Once (2007)

Under Belichick:

2000 2-6
2001 6-2
2002 4-2
2003 5-1
2004 5-1
2005 5-1
2006 4-2
2007 6-0
2008 4-2
2009 4-2
2010 5-1
2011 5-1

While I agree that division games are more important than the rest, it's unrealistic to think that the Patriots will win all of them.

Another thing, the Jets, Bills or Dolphins are not going to win more than 8 or 9 games. The AFC East belongs to the Patriots.

it's important to take their division games this year...

division games are important, but there's no need to get hysterical if they get to 1-3 (NOT directed to you, bubba... to everyone here).

I believe the Giants won both their SBs during years when they barely made the Playoffs, then got hot at the end of the season and thru the playoffs---just get in baby - just get in!  11-5 gets us in. 10-6 wins the division meaning no worse than 4th seed. Not sure if KC or SD will be 10-6, so 10-6 and win division gets us the 3rd. But it's way too early to be talking playoffs, heck it's the 4th game of the season--and yes Division games are always big games! They almost count as 2 wins due to the first tiebreaker being head to head.

NYFAN111 and PHATREX, where are you suckers