How good would New England be if they played in the NFC?

[Insomniac]

Since the 2001 season the Patriots regular season record against
NFC 45-11 .804
AFCE 67-19 .779 (note this counts Indy in 2001 as a Division opponent Patriots were 2-0 against the Colts that year)
Rest of AFC 58-24 .707
vs opponents that made the playoffs 44-29 .603 (only team with a winning record in this category)
vs opponents that finished with winning record 55-38 .591 (the Steelers are the only other team over .500 at .537)

 

[darthseinfeld]

Since they won there first SB they have been better then any team in the NFC East each year. They lost to NY twice in the Super Bowl, but they were a better overall team.

The NFC East hasnt had any powerhouse or even consistently good teams in a very long time

 

[ConstantReboot]

AFC has had it share of strong teams over the course of the Pats run. No way we can really says what they would have or would not have done in NFC. looking at their record vs NFC they have more than held their own.

Who? All I see are one hit wonders.

 

[ConstantReboot]

I just think these guys have a cake walk to a 1st rd bye every year playing in the weak AFC East. Miami,Buffalo and the Jets have to be the easiest division in all of Football. Let's just say the Patriots being a North East team had to play in the NFC East, How would they do?

I'll tell you this, There would be no way in hell they would've went to 6 Superbowls like they have. NFC is just a different kind of Football especially come playoff time. The only competition the Patriots have had over the years have been the Colts,Ravens and the Jets for a few years.

If they played in the NFC It would be a nightmare for Belichek and Brady.

Your right that their division makes it easier on them to get into the playoffs. When they do they don't really have that much of a competition.

Now if they were in the NFC, I still think that they will still be a very good team vying for the playoffs. But they will have much tougher competition. I don't think they will be able to reach the Superbowl 6 times. The AFC is just not that good when it comes to strong teams. Buffalo made it 4 times to the big dance because of lack of competition. On the other hand, the NFC has several strong teams vying most of the time. Among those teams just about any team can be beaten and its not as easy.

 

[jimmy40]

Since the 2001 season the Patriots regular season record against
NFC 45-11 .804
AFCE 67-19 .779 (note this counts Indy in 2001 as a Division opponent Patriots were 2-0 against the Colts that year)
Rest of AFC 58-24 .707
vs opponents that made the playoffs 44-29 .603 (only team with a winning record in this category)
vs opponents that finished with winning record 55-38 .591 (the Steelers are the only other team over .500 at .537)

this should end the thread but we have really stupid fans.

 

[HappyOnions]

This a really sad attempt at asking if the Cowboys are better than the Patriots...

They aren't...

They haven't been for a long, long time. For crying out loud, they just beat the #1 seed in the NFC.

 

[tyke1doe]

Yet, if a fan of another team tried to down play our Super Bowl win, we'd be ready to fight and call them haters - a part of the big conspiracy to disrespect the Cowboys.

 

[cej757]

This a really sad attempt at asking if the Cowboys are better than the Patriots...

They aren't...

They haven't been for a long, long time. For crying out loud, they just beat the #1 seed in the NFC.

The Cowboys went to foxboro a few years ago and should've beat New England if Garrett wouldn't have went conservative with 2 minutes left in the game. I can't wait until New England comes to Dallas next season and the Cowboys put it on them. We'll see who's better.

 

[Bay10]

Well seeing they won the Super Bowl 27 hours ago I'd say pretty darn good.

 

[Bay10]

Some you guys let your love for the Boys cloud your judgement and cant recognize or appreciate other talent or good teams.

 

[cej757]

Some you guys let your love for the Boys cloud your judgement and cant recognize or appreciate other talent or good teams.

I guess recording other teams practices and signals and deflating footballs is a talent if you don't get caught right away.

 

[Blackspider214]

Crazy how the Patriots went 4-2 in their division last year and had a first round bye, while we went 5-1 in the division and watched the playoffs from home. They've only lost to two NFC opponents the last two years so I reckon they'd still be pretty good.

Yes but to me, that's the logic of when the Miami Heat won the Finals, that they would still be able to do that in the West, which was easily the better side. It's one thing to play 4 of your 12 games against the NFC and win. It's another to play 12 of your 16 against that conference and play in those divisions and win.

I mean it's all speculation and no one really knows but the NFC has been deeper than the AFC for awhile now. A 5 or 6 seed Giants team was able to knock off the 18-0 Pats, who coasted through the AFC. Same goes for the Broncos. No way they win in the NFC that easily. I don't think it's as big of a separation as it was in the late 80s and 90s between the two but there is a big difference. Especially in terms of depth.

 

[DTown214]

It's always bothered me that the Patriots division has been so bad for so many years. They'd obviously still be a good team but there's no way they get all those first rounds byes and advance to as many super bowls as they have.

 

[darthseinfeld]

this should end the thread but we have really stupid fans.

If you think about it , if the Pats were NFC they would have went to a few more Super Bowls

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

good

 

[Red Dragon]

My, my, how times have changed. I still remember clearly the days from 2000-2008 when the AFC was considered significantly better than the NFC.

 

[camelboy]

As I once mentioned in a previous thread.. They hugely befitted from an amazingly poor AFC East division for a LOOOONG period of time. I am not sure there was a division that bad for that long. In numbers, in the previous 14 season their average record in the division is about 5-1. You are talking about a team every year guaranteed 5 wins..that's automatic playoff berth every single year...and a very strong change of a bye...however, in the playoffs they do not fair as well since in many occasions they will have to face REAL teams.. very lucky organization and makes you wonder, why did they have to cheat? it was all laid in front of them

 

[Insomniac]

The assumption that the NFC has been the better conference over this timeframe doesn't hold up. The AFC has gone 444-387-2 against the NFC since the realignment in 2002.
The AFC had the better record in 10 years including this season. (33-30-1) The NFC in 2 seasons (2012,2013) with 2007 being even.

The best records over the 2001-2014 period are
1 NWE 170 54 0
2 IND 150 74 0
3 PIT 145 78 1
4 GNB 142 81 1
5 PHI 134 89 1
6 DEN 132 92 0
7 BAL 132 92 0
8 SDG 126 98 0
9 SEA 126 98 0
10 NOR 122 102 0

 

[Future]

probably a 5 or 6 seed

Wut?

They beat every NFC team they played...

 

[40yrpatsfan]

I guess recording other teams practices and signals and deflating footballs is a talent if you don't get caught right away.

Well, they never recorded a practice and they're innocent of this current deflate-gate witch hunt. But other than that, I get your point