System, play-calling will crown Monday winner

[Box_O_Rocks]

Pat Kirwin's thoughts...
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9761478

REASONS TO PICK THE PATRIOTS
The Patriots have won five straight on the road, and have averaged 31 points in that streak.
New England is No. 2 in the NFL in red-zone offense and the Vikings are No. 30.
Brady is 16-4 against NFC teams.
New England beat Buffalo twice this season; Minnesota lost to Buffalo.
Brady has 10 touchdown passes; Johnson has only four.
The Patriots defense allows 13.3 points per game.
Corey Dillon and Lawrence Maroney have 689 rushing yards and seven TDs.
New England has had only 30 penalties this season -- the fourth fewest in the NFL. Minnesota has had (48).
The Patriots convert 42 percent of the time on third down, the Vikings only 32 percent.

REASONS TO PICK THE VIKINGS
Minnesota gives up only 70.8 yards per game on the ground -- the fewest in the league.
Brad Johnson has won six of his past seven MNF games.
The Vikings defense leads the NFL with four touchdowns scored.
Minnesota's defense gives up 15.8 points per game.
Chester Taylor is second in the NFL with 590 rushing yards.
The Vikings defense stops run plays behind the line of scrimmage 20 percent of the time.
Minnesota has intercepted seven passes in six games.
Ryan Longwell is 13 for 14 in FGs under 50 yards. New England is 5 for 8.
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Both defenses will slow down the running games and get to the quarterbacks for a sack or two. This should be a low-scoring game that gets decided by a critical turnover. It won't surprise me one bit if Minnesota squeaks by, but I'll take New England on a late drive by Brady to set up a field goal by rookie Stephen Gostkowski.

 

[edgecy]

Hrm... is Gost ready for a GW FG? He did say he likes to kick in a dome..

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Hrm... is Gost ready for a GW FG? He did say he likes to kick in a dome..

Start'em young.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Analysis by Joe McDonald
http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20061030_30anal.32a4ca0.html

WHEN NEW ENGLAND HAS THE BALL
Minnesota has a strong defensive line...New England's passing game was finally effective against Buffalo last week...But the Vikings' secondary is strong...
ADVANTAGE: Minnesota.
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WHEN MINNESOTA HAS THE BALL
From big-play receivers, a young running back and solid tight ends to go along with a strong offensive line, Minnesota will be a tough team to defend against.
ADVANTAGE: Minnesota.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
New England's special-teams' unit has quietly done a solid job this season.
ADVANTAGE: New England.
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COACHING
ADVANTAGE: Even
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INTANGIBLES
...the Vikings have one of the best home-field advantages in the league.
ADVANTAGE: Minnesota

 

[RPCity]

BOR....I'm not a member of the ProJournal website....but tell me I didnt misread that last quote.

Based on our offensive performance this year at times and the way Minnesota's defense has played....I can see McDonald giving the Vikes an edge there. But how on EARTH is their putrid offense at an advantage over our defense? This team has gotten outscored this season by their own defense. Granted, second leading rusher in the league, but he also gets the second most carries in the league....so that helps some.

And coaching.....Even???

 

[DarrylS]

Coaching even, raises my ire... do not know how you can compare Childress to Belichick.. this is a tough game to predict, as a homer the Pats will win.. but on any Monday nite.. really do not know enough about this team.

 

[pats1]

Coaching ---> Even?!?
Intangibles ---> Vikings?!?

What kind of crack did McDonald throw in his cereal that morning?

 

[desi-patsfan]

what the hell kind of review is that, how is the coaching even? Intangibles for the Vikes? No way in hell their offense gets an advantage over our D.

 

[PatsDeb]

Analysis by Joe McDonald
http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20061030_30anal.32a4ca0.html

This analysis is ridiculous. If Minnesota has such a great offense, why have they struggled to score 20 points (except for last week against Seattle who is suddenly as porous as a sponge)? Coaching even? Yeah right. It won't be an easy game to predict, but to say that Minnesota has any big advantage except run defense and home-field, is laughable.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

BOR....I'm not a member of the ProJournal website....but tell me I didnt misread that last quote.

Based on our offensive performance this year at times and the way Minnesota's defense has played....I can see McDonald giving the Vikes an edge there. But how on EARTH is their putrid offense at an advantage over our defense? This team has gotten outscored this season by their own defense. Granted, second leading rusher in the league, but he also gets the second most carries in the league....so that helps some.

And coaching.....Even???

It was mildly disconcerting to see that evaluation, certainly not how I would break it down and I expect the Vikings to be a tough game. You may try this website http://www.bugmenot.com/ if you'd like to read his full reasoning without commiting to membership - though I find most papers allow you an opportunity to opt out of e-mail from them. That and I use a free web-based e-mail, such as Hotmail, which has strong junk filters when I register places. I like to keep my home mail for friends and family.

 

[BelichickFan]

This analysis is ridiculous. If Minnesota has such a great offense, why have they struggled to score 20 points (except for last week against Seattle who is suddenly as porous as a sponge)?

There's this mysterious misperception that Minnesota's offense is good. Even with Marcus Robinson, going into yesterday they were ties for 18th/19th in points scored and 23% of those points were scored defensively.

 

[TeamPats]

Kind of off-topic but can I just say how happy I am that it is Football Season and we get to watch our Patriots on Monday Night and talk about coaching and intangibles. This has been such a wonderful ride, the New England Patriots make the Fall/Winter so much more interesting.

P.S. Projo, seems like with the absense of Curran you are sort of losing it, Intangibles? well yeah, they have homefield but last I saw that was a touchable object and a bit unfair to throw on a road team. I will not even humor the Coaching-Even comparison

 

[FirstAndGoal]

I was just over at one of their boards and the fans are pretty ****y going into this game. They think it's the Super Bowl or something.

Whats with all of the NE turds going over there and making excuses about why we might lose? Brady, receivers, bad play calling, etc.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

No running from those Vikings
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/sports/pro/patriots/061030pats.html

Tom Brady is improving, but the New England Patriots' down-field passing game still doesn't scare anyone. The running game, impressive at times, bogs down at others.
Six games into the NFL season, we're still not certain what to make of the New England offense.
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It probably doesn't matter. Fact is, the Patriots are 5-1 heading into tonight's game against the Minnesota Vikings (4-2) in the Metrodome and that's all the players and coaches care about.
"We're playing Patriot football,'' said fullback Heath Evans. "We find ways to win as a team and I think that's always been our identity.''
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"We've won five games. We're content with that. But obviously, the improvement we make week-to-week is where we focus on.''
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"We do what we do,'' said left tackle Matt Light. "There's no real mystery here. We're going to go up there, line up and run our plays.''
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"I think all the (running backs) have the same train of thought,'' said Evans. "We all think we can do things to help us win. And as long as we're winning, we're happy doing it as a team.

 

[alamo]

Hrm... is Gost ready for a GW FG? He did say he likes to kick in a dome..

Better to give him that experience now than waiting for a playoff game.