ivanvamp

The bye was really important for this team. They have all kinds of players fighting through injuries, including some of the most important guys on the team. Click here to see this past week's injury report prior to the Dolphins game:

Patriots Injury Report: Gronk, Mankins, Talib Among 20 ‘Questionable’ Against Dolphins « CBS Boston

I mean, some really key guys need more time to get to full health:

Gronk
Vollmer
Talib
Dennard
Jones
Connolly
Hernandez
Hightower

Even Brady has been dinged up. The two weeks should do all these guys a world of good. The one major worry is Ninkovich.

But if this team can be at full strength health-wise, they should be very, very tough to handle. And the two weeks off should be just what the doctor ordered.

KontradictioN

Ninkovich's loss was the only thing that really soured what was otherwise a very solid and enjoyable win yesterday. Sorry it had to happen, but we needed to play the starters all the way through as so much can be gained. Having Gronk and Hernandez on the field together and healthy is huge. Dennard and Talib healthy again is the second biggest priority.

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CREDIT - Sicilian

ivanvamp

I agree 100%. I think getting all the guys on the O-line in full gear is important as well.

We've really yet to see this team at full strength, and they still managed to go 12-4 and dominate the league in terms of point differential. It really is scary to think what they'll be like if the offense is at full strength and potency, and the D is the "good" defense they've displayed when everyone is there. Seeing the Talib/Dennard CB tandem, with McCourty at safety is terrific, but it's even better if Chandler Jones is healthy and explosive at DE.

KontradictioN

The interior OL is obviously important as Brady's kryptonite is the inability to step up in the pocket when it's collapsed by DT's. But I listed the CB's returning to health for the pure reason that I think teams in the playoffs will attempt to throw all over us. All season, we've seen pretty balanced rushing attacks for the most part. I don't think that's going to be the case in the postseason. I think, due to our earlier and sometimes continuing woes with stopping the pass, we're going to see opposing offenses going a lot more one dimensional knowing that the Patriots have been better at stuffing the run all year than they have been at stopping the pass.

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CREDIT - Sicilian

VJCPatriot

Yup health is definitely key. Did you see Gronk wearing a club on his hand and still torching the Dolphins for a 20 yard TD reception?? Imagine what he could do at FULL GRONK POWER!!

Definitely would love to see as many people as possible get healthy, particularly guys like Talib and Dennard who are key to the secondary and our OL which has been slightly dinged. Brady needs as much protection as possible to dominate. When the OL performs well, Brady generally picks apart defenses.

I think that Chandler Jones is well on his way back and the encouraging play of Francis and Scott add a much needed spark to our pass rush.

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PATSYLICIOUS

We're quite lucky that so far the only notable IR's are Edelman and Dowling (who if you're like me you weren't counting on him to be active by now in the first place). Ninkovich is potentially a huge loss but at least it's a spot where we have depth. None of the replacements will bring what he brought but we still have a strong line IMO.

The OL played alot better yesterday so I'm guessing Mankins and Vollmer are getting there, and now have 2 weeks to rest. Gronk will be good to go in 2 weeks there's no doubt in my mind. So that leaves Talib/Dennard as probably the biggest concerns, and we unfortunately won't have the slightest clue how they really are for 2 weeks. All we're going to see is 10-15 guys listed as limited participants and questionable for that game Overall I think I'll take this team's health over most.

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ctpatsfan77

And don't forget that, hopefully, we will have Wonder Twins Powers activate.

[Fun fact: GRONKnandez together have 56 receiving TDs over the last three seasons. Second in TE TDs is the Saints . . . with 31. ]

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SVN

Last two times we came off a long layoff, we didnt play our very best. Lets hope they come out sharp in two weeks.

Metaphors

Not sure which layoffs you are referring to. The bye week this year wasn't a masterpiece but they never trailed and led by 14 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. The divisional round last year was a demolition. The Pitt game last year was a clunker but I believe it resulted in the defensive personnel they have today.

The 2010 and 2009 playoff losses are a good example of what the OP is talking about. The Ravens loss came after Welker's injury but also involved a hobbled DL (a health Wilfork doesn't get moved sideways on the Rice 80 yd TD run). The Jets loss was influenced by the Hernandez injury. He was the matchup nightmare for the Jets that forced them to pick their poison during the wipeout a few weeks earlier.

Outside of the business-like dispatching of the Titans in week #1, we really don't know the true potential of this team when fully healthy. The whole OL. Both TEs. All the rush ends. Everyone in the secondary. Every week has been an exercise in matching gameplans and play-calling to the available players in these areas. Now they can run the true 2-TE package that can morph from power to spread without substitution. They can run rush and coverage schemes that are designed to attack and not just cover a hole.

If the Pats get healthy and stay healthy, I wouldn't trade this team for anyone left in the field. I do worry about bogus PI calls against the Broncos...but am comforted that Goober won't be able to muck with the thermostat in the AFCC game this time.

TheBostonStraggler

The last playoff layoff we played pretty good . IMHO the Patriots will clearly play better due to the bye. With Gronk back but having been gone for a long time, and Dennard/Talib having missed time with still not a a lot of time with this specific secondary on the field, the self scouting and reps will prove invaluable. Add in an OL getting mentally/physically healthier and this is a recipe for a beat down for out next opponent.

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