Now that the pairings are finally set we can say for sure the Pats will play the winner of the Ravens at Chiefs game unless the Jets upset the Colts.
I’m going to stick with what I’ve believed the last two weeks and that is that the Patriots will host the Ravens on Sunday January 16th. Obviously once the matchup is set in stone we’ll analyze the bejeezus out of it.
For now let’s talk about the upcoming two games and what our Patriots-skewed perspective is.
Jets @ Indy
The good thing is that we’ll know Sunday morning if the Pats are playing the Jets or if it will indeed be the winner of the Ravens – Chiefs games. If the games were flipped there would still some doubt.
The Jets are of course already talking a lot, about how they owe the Colts for last year, and how the Colts are beatable this year, and how the Jets have all these new pieces for the Colts to deal with.
I still like the Colts. For the Jets to go to Super Bowl they’re going to have to beat Indy, the Pats and then the last remaining team out of Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Kansas City, and they’d have to do it entirely on the road. No way. No how.
Nothing the Jets have done this season points to them being able to go on an unstoppable three game tear against three elite teams. I think it ends for the Jets in round one. Peyton Manning will pick the middle part of their defense apart, and the Colts defense will take advantage of the suspect Jets offensive line.
Ravens @ Chiefs
This is an interesting match up, and I’m happy to see the Ravens have to play a team they’re not too familiar with in a tough road environment. It will really come down to whether or not Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles are able to run the ball on the Ravens. If they can, the rest of the KC offense will be opened up. If they can’t the game will be put entirely on Matt Cassel.
I just think the Ravens are a little more talented and a little more experienced and should be able to squeak it out.