We're on to Miami

[Tunescribe]

Losing to Tennessee cast a lot of doubt on this Patriots team. Today's game and vs. Steelers next week will finally let us know how capable New England is.

 

[long distance]

Butler in the Superbowl, made the trip, was not injured and still didn't play.

My point: an airplane trip means jack under Belichick's reigns. Gronk also made the trip a few weeks ago (Titans game?), and ended up watching the game from the sidelines.

Hoping for the best, expecting the worst.

Gronk was game-time decision and played the next game. Butler was not regular season and not injury related.

At this point significant injury imo would mean missing significant time / possibly the playoffs. In this sense seeing Gilmore making the trip after popping up on injury list Friday was a good news in my world..

 

[RobertWeathers]

Losing to Tennessee cast a lot of doubt on this Patriots team. Today's game and vs. Steelers next week will finally let us know how capable New England is.

I tend to agree. They really need to put these two together. It'll help build that swagger and attitude you need to be a championship team

 

[Tunescribe]

I tend to agree. They really need to put these two together. It'll help build that swagger and attitude you need to be a championship team

It's pretty much the season right here in these two weeks. They're fairly healthy overall and will have no excuses.

 

[goheels22002]

Going into the JETE game (in NY) 2 weeks ago ...

The JETE pass-D had allowed:
- 5th lowest completion%
- 7th lowest passer rating
- 7th lowest yds/att

The JETE run-D was:
- 22nd in yds allowed
- 13th in ypa allowed
- 19th in rushing TDs allowed

The Pats ran it 36/215, 1 TD (and they didn't have Burkhead back yet).
Brady threw only 31 times (20/31, 283 yds, 2 TDs).
The Pats won 27-13.
-----
Last week, at home against Minny's top-3 run-D, the Pats:
- ran it 39/160, 2 TDs
- Brady passed only 32 times (24/32, 311 yds, 1 TD)
The Pats won 24-10.
-----
In the 2014 regular season against Indy's weak run-D (in Indy), the Pats:
- ran it 44/257, 4 TDs (with Jonas Gray)
- Brady passed only 30 times (19/30, 257 yds, 2 TDs)
The Pats won 42-20.
The Pats executed pretty much the same run-first attack plan against Indy in the AFCCG later in 2014, and won 45-7.
-----
The MIA pass-D is:
- 20th in completion% allowed
- 11th in passer rating allowed
- 28th in yds/att allowed
(and they're apparently without their best CB).

The MIA run-D is:
- 30th in yds allowed
- 26th in ypa allowed
- 12th in rushing TDs allowed
- 26th in defending against RB receiving

The Pats have Michel, White, Burkhead and Patterson all healthy. So, how do folks think the Pats' offense should attack the MIA defense?

This is definitely a rushing attack game with varying hurry-up tempo changes. The Dolphins interior defensive line is a weakness, putting lots of pressure on a good linebacking crew. If the Dolphins linebackers have to stay home to fill gaps created by the Patriots rushing game, Brady will have plenty of opportunities in the middle of the field and up the seams for 7 - 12 yard passes to move the chains. I think this will be a methodical attack at the center of the field with rushing and quick release passes to take away the best part of the Dolphins defense, their defensive ends.

On defense, I think the Patriots will be very aggressive in pass rushing. Tannehill gets rattled and makes mistakes between occasionally great throws. The Patriots run defense is good and the Dolphins running game is mediocre. They get one-dimensional when behind and start slinging it around (see: Vikings c. last Sunday at 1:00 pm).

I expect a low-scoring game but a solid Patriots win. Turnovers will be key in this one. The Dolphins could get blown out if Tannehill is inaccurate.

 

[Snooky97]

Run the ball down their ****ing necks. Set the play action pass up. Play solid D. No Mental mistakes and the game is ours

 

[long distance]

STs bailed Miami quite a few times this season. It was all BB talked about on Belestrator. Making another point on the field today..

 

[QuantumMechanic]

just my guess . like everything here

can't remember a non-QB non-rookie pats player making a road trip w significant injury for a reg season game.

unless they didn't want him to miss the possible hat&shirt party (or some other miami party)..

We've had players make the trip and then be a gametime decision to be downgraded to out.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

FWIW (from Reiss's notes column today):

A change on the media front: Rob Gronkowski didn’t hold any media interviews after Sunday’s win and waited until the final five minutes of the media-access period this week, on Friday, to do so leading into Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. That was different from the past two weeks, when he was more expansive, jovial and humorous in news conferences. While Gronkowski has managed back and ankle injuries this season, some believe he has also been fighting his confidence at times, so when he goes more under the radar, as he did this week, it's notable.

 

[long distance]

We've had players make the trip and then be a gametime decision to be downgraded to out.

Game time decision is not significant inj. in this league. I wouldn't mind if Gilmore sits this one out..

 

[maineman209]

This is definitely a rushing attack game with varying hurry-up tempo changes. The Dolphins interior defensive line is a weakness, putting lots of pressure on a good linebacking crew. If the Dolphins linebackers have to stay home to fill gaps created by the Patriots rushing game, Brady will have plenty of opportunities in the middle of the field and up the seams for 7 - 12 yard passes to move the chains. I think this will be a methodical attack at the center of the field with rushing and quick release passes to take away the best part of the Dolphins defense, their defensive ends.

On defense, I think the Patriots will be very aggressive in pass rushing. Tannehill gets rattled and makes mistakes between occasionally great throws. The Patriots run defense is good and the Dolphins running game is mediocre. They get one-dimensional when behind and start slinging it around (see: Vikings c. last Sunday at 1:00 pm).

I expect a low-scoring game but a solid Patriots win. Turnovers will be key in this one. The Dolphins could get blown out if Tannehill is inaccurate.

Brady has so many different and versatile (and healthy!) weapons at his disposal at the moment, that he should be able to play bait-and-switch with the 'Fins defense all day long for clock-eating, game-shortening scoring drives or quick strikes.

If the Pats defense plays as well as they did last week, I think the could be a low-scoring game, but only on the Miami side.

 

[maineman209]

Run the ball down their ****ing necks. Set the play action pass up. Play solid D. No Mental mistakes and the game is ours

Sony had 21/133 and a TD against the JETE #20 run-D.
He had 17/63 against Minny's #2 run-D.

The 'Fins run-D is bottom five in the league. Sony could have a day.

 

[Tony2046]

This is definitely a rushing attack game with varying hurry-up tempo changes. The Dolphins interior defensive line is a weakness, putting lots of pressure on a good linebacking crew. If the Dolphins linebackers have to stay home to fill gaps created by the Patriots rushing game, Brady will have plenty of opportunities in the middle of the field and up the seams for 7 - 12 yard passes to move the chains. I think this will be a methodical attack at the center of the field with rushing and quick release passes to take away the best part of the Dolphins defense, their defensive ends.

On defense, I think the Patriots will be very aggressive in pass rushing. Tannehill gets rattled and makes mistakes between occasionally great throws. The Patriots run defense is good and the Dolphins running game is mediocre. They get one-dimensional when behind and start slinging it around (see: Vikings c. last Sunday at 1:00 pm).

I expect a low-scoring game but a solid Patriots win. Turnovers will be key in this one. The Dolphins could get blown out if Tannehill is inaccurate.

Hoping to see more of the Amoeba Defence. That was fun to watch last week.

 

[maineman209]

Hoping to see more of the Amoeba Defence. That was fun to watch last week.

Could translate to a few Delay penalties for the 'Fins, or they burn all their time-outs before the end of the 1st-Q.

 

[long distance]

 

[Joey007]

d%#*!@t. Miami’s winning today aren’t they

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Huge game today, clinch the east, crush them!!!

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[ashley]

gdt now up, going to lock this thread

 

[Ian]

Today's Chat Room is Open:

Dolphins vs Patriots - Game Time Chat Room