bobgeorge

...because of the server problems.

First of all, I join Ian in thanking everyone for their patience during these server downtime periods. We are a terrific FAMILY and neither Ian nor I want to see it broken up in any way. A thousand thanks to all of you for your sticking here, and we will continue to provide the best Patriots site on the web now and for the foreseeable future.

This game is for the top seed in the AFC for right now, and beyond. Should the Patriots win, they would gain the inside track to at least a first round bye, if not the top spot since they would win a tiebreaker with Indy. They have to stay a win ahead of Denver; should Indy win tonight, the Pats fall to the three seed if the playoffs started this weekend.

The key to this game is whether or not Bob Sanders plays for Indy. If he plays, the Patriots might not dominate the run game and the clock (which is crucial in keeping Manning off the field) like they would like to and are predicted to do. Sanders is listed as questionable, but so aren't three-quarters of both rosters. But Sanders has been out the past few weeks, so he really is a game-time decision.

The next step has been mentioned by many others. The secondary must punish the Colt WRs as they have done before. They have to re-acquire a Super Bowl XXXVI mentality, especially if the Patriots want to regain the mental edge against this team which may have been lost last year in the anomalic loss at home. BB will come up with a plan to confuse Manning, but this year the personnel must come through, unlike last year when there were too many injuries to execute the plan properly.

Having Seymour and Harrison in the fold will help greatly. The Colt OL is a line the Patriots can and must deal with. The 2004 playoff game was a beaut (the 20-3 win in 2004) when, during the films afterwards, OL coach Howard Mudd looked like Edith Bunker in trying to talk to his players and figure out why they were getting their butts whipped. The Patriots know how to beat this team, and they have to be able to do what they have done in years past.

So, if our run game goes as expected, and if we can scare the tar out of Marvin Harrison and Wayne, the Patriots can win.

Bob G

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Bob G

patsox23

thanks, Bob. Always insightful and always appreciated.

Patriotic

Bob, watch out for Polian in the press box. He might want to jack you up or something worse.
Keep up the good work but watch your back.