Expectations...

[catoga]

1st 6 games:
Optimistic: 4-2
Pessimistic: 3-3
(we already know what happened here)

Next 7 games:
Optimistic: 7-0
Pessimistic: 5-2
We can win all these. If we lose more than two, we have completely derailed.

Last 3 games:
Optimistic: 2-1
Pessimistic: 1-2
We should win one of these, three would be gonzo, 2 is still a lot to ask,
but is not unreasonable.

So, we should expect to finish no worse than 9-7, no better than 12-4, and
most likely in between.
Playoffs still appear imminent, a division title not as likely.

But looking at Minnesota's schedule, 11-5 is not altogether unlikely
(potential losses: us, a surprise in GB, Dallas on Thanksgiving, at St.
Louis, at Indy). Okay, they could easily wind up 13-3, which puts us out of
the picture, but it's still a long season yet.

And Detroit could still end up as bad as 8-8, as they come out of the BYE
against us, Indianapolis, and Miami, and then still have to play at NYG, at
Vikes, and at NYJ.

Bottom line, I still believe.

[catoga]

[catoga]

Some sort of mishap.

[John Viveiros]

cat...@go.com (catoga) wrote in <iw3F5.9152$Ri3....@news2.atl>:
[detail omitted]

>So, we should expect to finish no worse than 9-7, no better than
>12-4, and most likely in between.
>Playoffs still appear imminent, a division title not as likely.

I think I've got you at 10 or 11 wins.

>But looking at Minnesota's schedule, 11-5 is not altogether unlikely
>(potential losses: us, a surprise in GB, Dallas on Thanksgiving, at
>St. Louis, at Indy). Okay, they could easily wind up 13-3, which
>puts us out of the picture, but it's still a long season yet.

I agree with all but the loss at Dallas. The Vikes have owned
Dallas for the last two years. They have no answer for Moss, their
defense is terrible, their best WR is on IR. I agree about the
surprise loss (somewhere, not necessarily GB), and at the three "great"
teams. That's 12-4. That's the big advantage of the 2.5 game lead.
The Vikes probably can go 7-4 and easily win the division while the
Bucs go 8-2. The game at Tampa is incredibly important for the Bucs.
If the Vikes win that one, Tampa has to go undefeated, with the Vikes
needing four losses in a whole lot of games they'll be heavily favored.

The Bucs will be in the playoffs. Realism tells me the division title
is a reach at this point.
--
John Viveiros - xxjj...@prodigy.net
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