Pundits picking Patriots, but not in another wipeout

[SVN]

Tuning In: Pundits picking Patriots, but not in another wipeout - Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Well, nobody was predicting a wipeout in the first NE - Hou game either. It was foreseen as a very close game, and a lot of the "experts" picked Houston. These guys need to say something though. They can't say "we'll just have to wait and see what happens this time around." That's really all you can say though. Got it?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

it won't be a blow out..it will come down to the 2nd half

 

[Wax Frog]

The more I read, the more sense I get that NE's offense presents more matchup problems than Houston's. Am I wrong in breaking from the herd with my nagging, unshakeable gut feeling that this could very well be another one-sided game?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

The more I read, the more sense I get that NE's offense presents more matchup problems than Houston's. Am I wrong in breaking from the herd with my nagging, unshakeable gut feeling that this could very well be another one-sided game?

houston is going to test the deep ball early and often in this game...they have to in order to open up the run game..let's just hope no PI calls..

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The more I read, the more sense I get that NE's offense presents more matchup problems than Houston's. Am I wrong in breaking from the herd with my nagging, unshakeable gut feeling that this could very well be another one-sided game?

No, you are not wrong per se. The Texans simply have not been playing at a level to suggests the results will be different than the first matchup.

Consider in their first two months of the season the Texans were frequently defeating their opponents easily (score wise). Yet in their last two months of the season, except the Tenn game, they did not have any showings that matched their first two month prowess. Every game is now a struggle to win -- no decisive victories are being demonstrated (a similar reason as to why some people are down on Atlanta).
Consider that, consider they are going into one of if not the hardest place to win, consider they made the first Patriot game a "franchise game" only to get embarrassed, considering these and other factors and it is far from unreasonable to believe the Patriots will win handily.

Of course, stating the obvious, every game is a new set of variables. They have won 13 games this year, this game has more riding on it and the expectations on them are less than the Monday night game. These reasons (and others) suggest a more competitive game.....

 

[Wax Frog]

I know all too well how flat the Pats O can be at inopportune moments, and accept the injury recovery factor, but for all that, visions of Gronkandez vs. depleted ILB corps sugarplums keep dancing in my head Surely a clean pocket for TB will bring about Gridiron Ragnarok? God, I think I'm turning into OTG

 

[TyronePoole]

second closest game according to Brian Burke:

Pwin GAME Pwin
0.22 Baltimore at Denver 0.78
0.34 Green Bay at San Francisco 0.66
0.51 Seattle at Atlanta 0.49
0.42 Houston at New England 0.58

Divisional Round Probabilities: Atlanta-Seattle Coin Toss Game - NYTimes.com

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I know all too well how flat the Pats O can be at inopportune moments, and accept the injury recovery factor, but for all that, visions of Gronkandez vs. depleted ILB corps sugarplums keep dancing in my head Surely a clean pocket for TB will bring about Gridiron Ragnarok? God, I think I'm turning into OTG

This is the area where your confidence surpasses mine. I am somewhat concerned with the level of the OL's play with OL. I'm not expecting doom, however, they have not played back to back games well in quite a while.

The Patriots are not impervious. The secondary can be porous. The LB's can allow too much 6 to 8 yard passing success over the middle. It isn't like the run D has stopped everyone. And the offense can get bogged down. But each of these can be overcome due to the totality of the Patriots abilities. IMHO the biggest team item that could derail a likely SB run is the uncertainty with the OL. If the OL performs the way they did against the 9ers, Jax, Miami 1? It will likely sink what appears to be a golden opportunity for a Patriot team that is, since Talib's addition, as primed for success as it has been since 2007.