Several reasons why this time around Miami should be easier

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

1) We will not be surprised when Joey Harrington gets on the field - Remember he came in unexpectedly when all of a sudden Culpepper who we were expecting to start was out,Joey surprised our defense who simply was not ready for him since we had no game plan set for the QB change and he played like he was Marino in the first half of that game - Won't happen again.

2) I don't think we respected Wes Welker back then, I think the D did not expect much from him in that earlier season game and he made us pay (Ellis Hobbs was burnt by him more than a hamburg cooking on a hot grill for 3 hours) - I think we game plan on Welker who is the best playmaker on that offense...Yes Chambers included,Chris does not do much damage to us for what I have seen when we play them.

3) I am not sure about Jason Taylor playing in this game,I believe he will,but likely won't be at his 100% self - Brady will be happy about that...Almost everytime we play Miami ,Taylor has nailed Brady for a blind side hit and/or fumble,I can't remember a time when Taylor was not a major pest to Tom.

4) Finally the biggest reason we will win easier this time? - THE PLAYOFFS ARE CLOSER! - No other coach and starting QB are better than our guys when the 13th week starts, I am also expecting a game similar to the Minnesota or Cincinnati games we have played,I expect this team will go out and have a near perfect type game,I would be surprised if we turn over the ball more than once this game,I am projecting NO fumbles or Interceptions (on our side that is)!

We have something to prove about being a sloppy error proned team in the past 2 weeks as we are viewed as in general and I bet we do something to prove people wrong like we have always done and that the past 2 weeks were not what you will see as a trend once week 13 starts - We WILL beat Miami by at LEAST 14 - Brady throws for 275 Yards and one of our rookies who has not done much yet (Jackson if he can play or David Thomas) has a outcoming game - there will be a pleasant surprise from someone we don't expect to contribute come sunday,If its not one of those rookies I mentioned then it will be someone else unexpected - Mark it down! - Who says 13 is an unlucky number? - For Miami maybe..not us.

I am not saying this because the Patriots are my team,I have seen this team be questioned in the past only to have a superb performance to quiet the critics and I think it will happen again..Whether I am a Patriots fan or not,This is an unbiased prediction.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Sorry, last Sunday was week 13. This Sunday is week 14.

Its week 13 as far as records go..Thats what I am looking at - We are 9-3 - 9+3=12 - This is week 13 in my words,Despite what the OFFICIAL week actually is

 

[unoriginal]

Most of these are pretty weak, man. Kind of reads like wishful thinking.

Jason Taylor might be on blocks, that's about it.

We had a close game against a Detroit team that had nothing to play for except as a spoiler. It would be a surprise if Miami laid down.

Probably the best reason to expect the Patriots to win would be the stiff breeze that is the Miami ground game at this point. That said I don't see the Pats ground game being much better, unless Heath Evans has a little more coal in his Christmas sack for his old team. So its Brady versus Harrington for the win, and while that is a clear mismatch the Phins always seem to wring one miserable game out of Tom a year.

I really don't want to hear any more whinning next week if the Pats win a close one.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Going to Miami is never easy. Whether the Dolphins are 1-15 or a 15-1 team, the Pats seem to have a lot of trouble against Miami. I don't care if the Pats win 6-3, a win is a win. You won't hear me complaining next week if they sqeak out a win.

 

[rabthepat]

If the Pats play their A game they should win this solidly. If they don't play their best I think it could look like the Detroit game. Messy but we should still prevail.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

1) We will not be surprised when Joey Harrington gets on the field - Remember he came in unexpectedly when all of a sudden Culpepper who we were expecting to start was out,Joey surprised our defense who simply was not ready for him since we had no game plan set for the QB change and he played like he was Marino in the first half of that game - Won't happen again.

2) I don't think we respected Wes Welker back then, I think the D did not expect much from him in that earlier season game and he made us pay (Ellis Hobbs was burnt by him more than a hamburg cooking on a hot grill for 3 hours) - I think we game plan on Welker who is the best playmaker on that offense...Yes Chambers included,Chris does not do much damage to us for what I have seen when we play them.

3) I am not sure about Jason Taylor playing in this game,I believe he will,but likely won't be at his 100% self - Brady will be happy about that...Almost everytime we play Miami ,Taylor has nailed Brady for a blind side hit and/or fumble,I can't remember a time when Taylor was not a major pest to Tom.

4) Finally the biggest reason we will win easier this time? - THE PLAYOFFS ARE CLOSER! - No other coach and starting QB are better than our guys when the 13th week starts, I am also expecting a game similar to the Minnesota or Cincinnati games we have played,I expect this team will go out and have a near perfect type game,I would be surprised if we turn over the ball more than once this game,I am projecting NO fumbles or Interceptions (on our side that is)!

We have something to prove about being a sloppy error proned team in the past 2 weeks as we are viewed as in general and I bet we do something to prove people wrong like we have always done and that the past 2 weeks were not what you will see as a trend once week 13 starts - We WILL beat Miami by at LEAST 14 - Brady throws for 275 Yards and one of our rookies who has not done much yet (Jackson if he can play or David Thomas) has a outcoming game - there will be a pleasant surprise from someone we don't expect to contribute come sunday,If its not one of those rookies I mentioned then it will be someone else unexpected - Mark it down! - Who says 13 is an unlucky number? - For Miami maybe..not us.

I am not saying this because the Patriots are my team,I have seen this team be questioned in the past only to have a superb performance to quiet the critics and I think it will happen again..Whether I am a Patriots fan or not,This is an unbiased prediction.

Conventional thinking would say they should beat them handedly but Miami ALWAYS plays them tough and this is in Miami.

 

[Willie55]

Expect Brady to struggle, the Miami scheme always confounds him.

 

[atomdomb]

another reason is that miami will be completely one dimensional. with ronnie brown out with a broken wrist they will have no running game to speak of. i think we will be able to get to harrington and he will make mistakes. on the offensive side i think we will continue to struggle. i hope the game plan includes going after miami's suspect secondary which will be hard to do with our suspect receiving core. i expect no offense out of miami but think it will still be a close game.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Another reason we're better situated this time is that the WR corps has had time to jell. That 1st game folks were new and unfamiliar. Plus, a BB defense always takes several games to reach peak efficiency. Despite last week's abberation, the D had been playing well.

Working AGAINST us is that both Rodney and Seau are out. Not good, except that Miami's offense is not the major problem. Their defense has always challenged Brady, and he says so.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Pats history lesson, not counting the AFC Title game in 1985.. The Pats have won only 2 games in the month of Dec in thier history..

1986 - Steve Grogan , comes in for the inj Tony Eason, and has a shoot out with Dan Marino. Grogan leads the team down the field , and hits Stanley Morgan with a Td in the last minute of the game.. Pats win 34-27

1997 - Pats coming of the Drew debacle against Pitt, were playing Miami for the AFC East Crown.. defense and Dave Megget steped up and Pats win 14-12 .. Pats win AFC East and played Miami the following week in Foxboro..

Now on the plus side both were AFC East clinching games, which this one could be one as well.. But I see a 19-17 game and a Miami win..

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

The Pats will never have a blow out in Miami as long as Miami fields a solid defense. It just isn't in the cards. But there is no reason for us not to win, unless we have another turn over marathon.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I, for one, am nervous about Sunday.

When I posted my 13--3 prediction in August, I had this as one of the five games that was "50-50" (along with Denver, Indy, Cincy and the Jaguars in Jacksonville). I didn't expect us to lose to the Jests either at home or away, so my prediction is definitely up for grabs and I'll be happy if we just sneak out of Miami with a win, no matter how ugly, take the Texans and Titans (though Young has made the latter a very different challenge than it looked before the season), and get a hard-fought win in Jacksonville. Then with a little luck 13--3 will be good enough for a Bye.

 

[nukin]

Its week 13 as far as records go..Thats what I am looking at - We are 9-3 - 9+3=12 - This is week 13 in my words,Despite what the OFFICIAL week actually is

So the bye week does not count then?

 

[RayClay]

Most of these are pretty weak, man. Kind of reads like wishful thinking.

Jason Taylor might be on blocks, that's about it.

We had a close game against a Detroit team that had nothing to play for except as a spoiler. It would be a surprise if Miami laid down.

Probably the best reason to expect the Patriots to win would be the stiff breeze that is the Miami ground game at this point. That said I don't see the Pats ground game being much better, unless Heath Evans has a little more coal in his Christmas sack for his old team. So its Brady versus Harrington for the win, and while that is a clear mismatch the Phins always seem to wring one miserable game out of Tom a year.

I really don't want to hear any more whinning next week if the Pats win a close one.

LOL. I don't agree with you on the running game, but that's a good post.

An easy game against Miami? Yeah right.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I, for one, am nervous about Sunday.

When I posted my 13--3 prediction in August, I had this as one of the five games that was "50-50" (along with Denver, Indy, Cincy and the Jaguars in Jacksonville). I didn't expect us to lose to the Jests either at home or away, so my prediction is definitely up for grabs and I'll be happy if we just sneak out of Miami with a win, no matter how ugly, take the Texans and Titans (though Young has made the latter a very different challenge than it looked before the season), and get a hard-fought win in Jacksonville. Then with a little luck 13--3 will be good enough for a Bye.

We have three tough games and one trap game. I totally agree with your point of view because I also picked 13-3 and also wrote off the Jets.

I predicted we would lose a game to Miami. I hope I am wrong.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

We have three tough games and one trap game. I totally agree with your point of view because I also picked 13-3 and also wrote off the Jets.

I predicted we would lose a game to Miami. I hope I am wrong.

Yeah. 13--3 made a lot of sense as a going in prediction: 50-50 on five games gave three (rounded up) expected losses and Miami was one of them for me. Problem is that the blank-blank Jets threw the calculation off.

I think we're at the point in the season where we can say that Sunday's game will tell us a lot about what to expect between now and February.