(10-25-2019, 10:41 AM)PF* Wrote:

(10-25-2019, 10:02 AM)jagherd Wrote: Yeah, the Patriots are a lot of things.

But, rigging the schedule for them by NFL? No way.

Schedules are set way in advance. AFCE has to play an entire division from AFC & NFC on rotating schedule yearly. Only 2 games possible are set for them by strength of the pruor season's finish,, and it is always against 2 division winners from the last season.

Also, their competition within AFCE is almost always pitiful, and they get 6 games a year vs that. Not their fault the Dolphins, Jets, Bills (most of the time) are pathetic.

Anyway, the thread is about Indy pumping in crowd noise. Anyone here disputing that?

That's the real advantage. With their annual AFCE Title, they virtually get a pass into the playoffs and can spend the regular season avoiding injuries/getting healthy and adding pieces as needed. By the time January rolls around, they usually get a bye in the first round and then come out rested and snarling against whoever survived (and likely got beat up/lost a player) in Round 1.

At that point, they need win only 3 games to be SB Champions.

On topic, weren't the Colts punished for pumping in noise? Wait, I looked it up, they were vindicated by the NFL after the Patriots accused them of doing so. Since I dislike the Colts, especially after the Suck for Luck campaign, I firmly believe they were guilty as charged.