Last season, undefeated teams dropped like flies, with no club ever reaching 4-0. With the 2-0 Patriots visiting the 2-0 Bills, we are guaranteed at least one 3-0 team entering Week 4. Five others -- the Lions, Texans, Jets, Packers and Redskins -- can join them. Looking at the upcoming schedules, which team has the best chance at staying unbeaten the longest?
Each of these undefeated teams has a tough game this weekend, especially since so many of them play on the road, but I've got to go with New England having the most staying power. It won't be easy this Sunday in Buffalo, but the Patriots should come out 3-0. They travel to Oakland in Week 4 -- another tough task -- but looking at other team's schedules these next two weeks, it might be the path of least resistance, and there's plenty of resistance forthcoming.
The Packers will stay unbeaten for a while based on their schedule. Road games against the Bears and Falcons loom large, but the Packers proved their ability to win away from Lambeau during their Super Bowl run last season. That confidence will allow them to remain unbeaten until they meet the Chargers in San Diego in a big Week 9 battle.
Schedule, schmedule. The Patriots are the best of this bunch, by far. I don't expect anyone to truly challenge for an undefeated season again for a long, long time, but a team or two just might get to 8-0. New England has the best quarterback-coach combo on the planet, so I'm rolling with the Pats.
The Jets are a great team, but I need to see consistency from their quarterback. The Texans face some heavyweights coming up with the Saints and Steelers and Ravens. I love the Lions, but they are so young so I have a hard time thinking they're the last undefeated standing. The rest of the group I don't believe in, at least not yet.
Sorry to be boring, but I'll go with the Packers. They're the league's best team, and their schedule sets up well enough for them to make it to November undefeated. Of their next five games (at Chicago, vs. Denver, at Atlanta, vs. St. Louis, at Minnesota), only the trip to the Georgia Dome raises a red flag, but I'm no so sure the Falcons are an elite team. Keep in mind they'd likely be 0-2 if Vick hadn't bonked his head on his own teammate.
The Patriots also have a chance in spite of a tougher schedule. Why? Because they're the sickeningly efficient Patriots, that's why. And I'll tell you one team that definitely won't go unblemished much longer: the New York Jetropolitans. Their next seven games are at Oakland, at Baltimore, at New England, vs. Miami, vs. San Diego, at Buffalo and vs. New England. Sounds like a recipe for 4-7 to me. And no, I didn't bring up "recipe" as a joke on Rex Ryan. Although I should have.
I think the Patriots have the best chance to stay undefeated the longest because they can score over 30 points on just about any team in the league. Their defense may fail them occasionally, but the offense will cover things up. I also like the Lions and Packers to stay alive for another week at least. The surprise team to keep it going could be the Redskins.
