Jim Mora, Jr. (!) Analyzes Wildcard Round

[drpatriot]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/specials/playoffs/2005/01/06/mora/index.html

Apparantly Mora is SI's guest analyst. This is a good, fair analysis. In other words, a rarity.

Choice sections from the article:

The Jaguars beat the Patriots if ...
• Byron Leftwich doesn't show any effects from missing five games because of a broken bone in his ankle.
• They can counteract New England's front seven, which is playing so well right now.
• They don't turn the ball over.

The Pats beat the Jags if...
• Tom Brady gets the time he needs to throw the ball.
• They can confuse and harass Leftwich or Garrard, whoever happens to be in there at the time.
• They can stop the Jaguars running game with seven guys in the box, which would allow New England to protect its fairly decimated secondary.

There's a little detail for each point in the article.

 

[mosi]

I agree with those statements. I was watching a bit of the last Miami game and what scared me was how well Gus played in the first scoring series for Miami. The pass rush was there but Gus quickly released the ball to his free receiver.

Seeing this, I started to think that TJ is right...):

At the same time, the absolute look of horror on BB face when the pats scored that last TD made me think that the Pats did not play this game to win..

 

[hwc]

I was watching a bit of the last Miami game and what scared me was how well Gus played in the first scoring series for Miami. The pass rush was there but Gus quickly released the ball to his free receiver.

Defensive inactives for the final Miami game:

Asante Samuel
Tedy Bruschi
Artrell Hawkins

The Pats started Poteat at LCB, Sanders at SS, and Beisel at ILB.

I think the concern with the Jags passing game is more along the lines of what happened in the SuperBowl once the Pats had completely iced the Panthers' running game. The only thing the Panthers had left was Delhomme making desperation hail mary throws downfield -- usually as he was getting hammered. The Panthers receivers won enough of the jump ball matchups to make it a very close game. That's about all Leftwich and the Panthers will be able to do tonight. If they hit enough of 'em, it'll be a tight game. Conversely, if Brady hits a couple of his bombs early for quick scores, the game could be pretty easy.