The Official Patriots vs Dolphins Game thread

[PATSNUTme]

Please post your comments, knee jerk reactions, and insightful observations, both before and during today's game between the Patriots and the Miami Dolphins, on this thread. Please do not start other threads about today's game.

The game will be on CBS with at 1Pm start time.

The weather for today's game is suppose to be: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 82. South wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Let's hope for a good game, with no injuries, and a Patriots victory.

 

[PATRlOT]

Hopefully the rainy weather can benefit us

 

[PATSNUTme]

I'm starting the game thread a little early as the snow has just started to let up, and now I have to remove the 12+ inches that we got. We were in the "jackpot" area for this storm here in So. Maine. I have quite a large area to clear so I want to be done before game time.

 

[FoxWhiskey]

Dobson and Thompkins are downgraded to out and will miss the game.

 

[PatriotsInGA]

Lets go Pats! The 1st of (hopefully) 3 Hat/T-shirt games! Get the division today

 

[102 Pat]

Here's hoping to a quick start this week and some sembelence of a run defence. I've got my staff party to go to after the game and it would be a much more bearable experience (I'd rather stay home and watch football) with a Pats win

 

[PATS16N0]

Hoping for a tough battle we come out on top in.
Want to leave room to peak down the stretch in the post season

 

[RedSleevesPinkStripes]

Pretty please with sugar on top...no...more...injuries

 

[Gronkowski123]

Brady will struggle. This will be one of those games where he barely completes 50% of his passes and the offense will struggle. Third down conversions will also be a huge problem without Gronk.

Can the defense get off the field on third down?? Tanehill is better than Campbell so that's probably a no...

Hoping for a quick start!

If we lose today, there's no chance we win in Baltimore. Which means we'd drop to the 3rd seed. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but still...we absolutely have to have THIS game if we want the number 1 seed..

 

[shmessy]

Here should be the KEY to the game for the Patriots:

1) It's 86 degrees and Tannehill is a VERY quick and mobile QB with world class speed receivers.

2) No Gronk, no Dobson, no Thompkins.

McDaniels should be denied access to the team plane if he does not adopt a slow churn-run offense today employing 6 running backs - rotating them freely to keep them fresh and attacking a less than mediocre Dolphin run defense (Ridley, Blount, Vereen, Bolden, Edelman - yes, Edelman - and Develin).

Win T.O.P. by a whopping margin and keep our defense and banged up secondary out of the heat as much as possible.

 

[PP2]

Going to be an interesting game one way or another. I anticipate a lot of runs and play actions today. Hopefully someone told Mulligan to ditch the fantasy that he can jump over people.

 

[SVN]

Here should be the KEY to the game for the Patriots:

1) It's 86 degrees and Tannehill is a VERY quick and mobile QB with world class speed receivers.

2) No Gronk, no Dobson, no Thompkins.

McDaniels should be denied access to the team plane if he does not adopt a slow churn-run offense today employing 6 running backs - rotating them freely to keep them fresh and attacking a less than mediocre Dolphin run defense (Ridley, Blount, Vereen, Bolden, Edelman - yes, Edelman - and Develin).

Win T.O.P. by a whopping margin and keep our defense and banged up secondary out of the heat as much as possible.

From what I have read this week ,reiss etc predict the opposite. A Quick tempo spread them out type offensive game plan.

 

[shmessy]

From what I have read this week ,reiss etc predict the opposite. A Quick tempo spread them out type offensive game plan.

What I would humbly ask Mike is:

Spread with WHAT? Add to that, Miami has an excellent pass rush, our LT was held out on Wednesday for a concussion and Vollmer is back in Munich.

Sorry, but quick 3 and outs on an 86 degree day against a slippery qb like Tannehill and Mike Wallace/Brian Hartline is just gunning one's gas pedal in a closed garage.

 

[SVN]

Spread with WHAT?

Sorry, but quick 3 and outs on an 86 degree day against a slippery qb like Tannehill and Mike Wallace/Brian Hartline is just gunning one's gas pedal in a closed garage.

Whoever they have I guess. At least go up tempo is what seems to the general 'analyst' theory

Bruschi's Breakdown -- New England Patriots versus Miami Dolphins - ESPN Boston

Mike: I think the Patriots find success with the up-tempo offensive approach. The receivers will need to come up big, the protection must hold up, and the defense needs to create turnovers. Patriots 23, Dolphins 20.

Tedy: This offense will go up-tempo. We might even see the up-tempo run game. Shane Vereen will have a big game and the Patriots will get those hats and T-shirts. Patriots 28, Dolphins 27.

 

[BelizePats]

Here should be the KEY to the game for the Patriots:

1) It's 86 degrees and Tannehill is a VERY quick and mobile QB with world class speed receivers.

2) No Gronk, no Dobson, no Thompkins.

McDaniels should be denied access to the team plane if he does not adopt a slow churn-run offense today employing 6 running backs - rotating them freely to keep them fresh and attacking a less than mediocre Dolphin run defense (Ridley, Blount, Vereen, Bolden, Edelman - yes, Edelman - and Develin).

Win T.O.P. by a whopping margin and keep our defense and banged up secondary out of the heat as much as possible.

THIS!!! Any other game plan is playing right into Miami's strengths.

 

[ivanvamp]

This kind of game always makes me nervous. On the road, tough divisional opponent who is fighting for their playoff lives, Pats with numerous major injuries, perhaps difficult weather conditions, and NE's weaknesses don't line up well at all with Miami's strengths.

It should be a very, very difficult game today.

Which is why I hope to watch NE come out with one of their best games of the year and win in a blowout. I don't expect that, but I'm sure hoping it.

 

[shmessy]

Whoever they have I guess. At least go up tempo is what seems to the general 'analyst' theory

Bruschi's Breakdown -- New England Patriots versus Miami Dolphins - ESPN Boston

Mike: I think the Patriots find success with the up-tempo offensive approach. The receivers will need to come up big, the protection must hold up, and the defense needs to create turnovers. Patriots 23, Dolphins 20.

Tedy: This offense will go up-tempo. We might even see the up-tempo run game. Shane Vereen will have a big game and the Patriots will get those hats and T-shirts. Patriots 28, Dolphins 27.

"Whoever they have I guess"????????

Key words in Bruschi's answer: "We might even see the up-tempo run game." Now THAT makes sense.

I'm sorry, folks, but anything else, with today's personnel and 86 degrees, would be McDaniels pulling a Budd Dwyer on live television.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

I doubt we see up tempo. It almost seems like they are saving it to me.

Just hoping we don't have a injury to a player that is needed.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

This kind of game always makes me nervous. On the road, tough divisional opponent who is fighting for their playoff lives, Pats with numerous major injuries, perhaps difficult weather conditions, and NE's weaknesses don't line up well at all with Miami's strengths.

It should be a very, very difficult game today.

Which is why I hope to watch NE come out with one of their best games of the year and win in a blowout. I don't expect that, but I'm sure hoping it.

Ivan, lets peak in the playoffs, not today. Lets make a big jump towards that peak, but not all the way .

 

[JMC00]

Inactives DE Bequette, LB Beuaharnais, WR Dobson, WR Thompkins, TE DJ Williams, OL Barker, DE Buchanan.