On to Miami!

[Bradyking12]

I'd take any win in Miami w/o injuries
don't really care if its a blow out win or only 1 score win, it's a win in Miami, thanks!
On to Jete

Well the Super Bowl is in Miami so would be an early practice hopefully.

 

[BobDigital]

Probably pointless but here are my thoughts on the matchup.

QB - Fitzmagic. We've played him before. Have seen the good the bad and the ugly. Total wild care.

RB - Drake and Ballage are the kind of backs that can give the Patriots problems. Both can catch out of the backfield.. Should be a good match up here and worth watching. Doubt they will run well though.

WR - What a crap core. Maybe the worst in the NFL when healthy. Hurns, Parker, Wilson? Wilson is hurt and may not even play. Hurns has completely lost all benefit of a doubt that he could repeat that one good year he had 4-5 years ago. Also can someone please explain how Wilson who never got over 600 yards in any year is making 8.3M this year?

OL - This unit and the 2018 one look pretty much entirely different. Starting over with a whole new unit is bad enough. Downgrading on talent while doing it is even worse. The only really good thing about this line in 2018 was their tackles and both are now gone. Along with pretty much every other starter they had. Tunsil and James are happy to be out of here no doubt.

TE - Much like their WR unit this has little to talk about. They are hoping Mike Gesicki lives up to his talent and makes that year 2 jump. His first year doesn't give much hope.

Defense

DL - They lost pretty much every decent player they had here from the past year. The only guy to worry us may be the rookie who Wilkins has super star potential. Still only his 2nd game.

LB - A very young and unproven unit. They should be talented but talent without the ability to execute is worth less than a bag of peanuts. I find it hard to pick 1 guy to focus on as a positive in this unit. So I won't.

CB - Xavien Howard. The star of this unit and entire defense most likely. Eric Rowe is their #2 I guess? From there it gets worse. A Patch work unit with a total lack of consistency. Assignments were blown a lot vs Baltimore and I expect that to happen again.

S - Fitzpatrick is kind of a mix between slot CB and safety. He's been okay in that role. Not a great tackler, no one on this D is. McCain and Jones return and add a bit of stability and continuity onto the back end. Overall this unit is good not great. Not nearly good enough to stop the bleeding from the CB and LB units.

After really looking at it, it was worse than I thought.

 

[patchick]

After really looking at it, it was worse than I thought.

Yep, personnel-wise (and morale-wise) this is as lopsided a matchup as you'll find in the NFL. About the only question mark is the state of the Patriots' offensive line, assuming Cannon is out. So any real chance of an upset relies on factors beyond the rosters:

1. The @Miami factor
2. The "first game against a head coach who learned at Belichick's knee" factor
3. The "hey, freaky stuff sometimes happens" factor

 

[Snooky97]

I can see us running the ball a lot for this game. Get Sony and Harris going early to get them into the season. I wonder if AB will play or not, just due to the fact he hasn't had long to learn the playbook, maybe josh has some designed plays for him.

I just hope we don't pick up any injuries

 

[BobDigital]

I can see us running the ball a lot for this game. Get Sony and Harris going early to get them into the season. I wonder if AB will play or not, just due to the fact he hasn't had long to learn the playbook, maybe josh has some designed plays for him.

I just hope we don't pick up any injuries

Harris and Williams will be inactive yet again. Just you watch. Funny. As much as we like this draft class they certainly aren't playing much.

I think Michel will have a tough game. I don't think this is a team you can easily run up the middle on. Wilkins is a plug and play starter already who looks good and will only get better. I would want to keep to the outside with runs more so than the middle. They may have success in the middle but just not as much.

This is a game where I see a lot of short passing to RBs. White/Burkhead will absolutely abuse their LBs and their CBs can't keep with our WRs. Stretch them out and force them to tackle in space. They aren't good at it. The worst thing we can do it let them clog it up by running up the gut too much. It may be the only thing they can do against us successfully.

 

[farn]

Bolden will have 100 yards (STs, receiving, rushing).

 

[Zuma]

I’m honestly wondering if Brown even plays this week. Miami has given us problems in Miami in the past, and they’re a division rival, but this team is putrid garbage. We should be able to get the W without Brown and give him another week to digest the playbook and work with Brady.

Good point but the opposite could be said as well...if it's looking like a blowout...I could see AB playing the whole game learning Patriot route trees and also working on chemistry with Tom. It could go either way.

 

[sean10mm]

I wouldn't be surprised if AB comes up to speed even faster than Flash, the Steelers also ran the Erhardt-Perkins system for almost his entire career.

Not that you could tell by watching Sunday's game!

 

[The Brandon Five]

I actually need to DVR it. I'll be on a golf trip in northern Maine and won't watch live.

If they lose I'm telling Mrs RW to just delete it.

I'll be in "real Maine" for a wedding...like you said DVR it and if I get word of another Miami $hitshow just delete it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'll be in "real Maine" for a wedding...like you said DVR it and if I get word of another Miami $hitshow just delete it.

Where is the real Maine wedding?

 

[The Brandon Five]

Where is the real Maine wedding?

Deer Isle

 

[RobertWeathers]

Deer Isle

Very nice

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I’m honestly wondering if Brown even plays this week. Miami has given us problems in Miami in the past, and they’re a division rival, but this team is putrid garbage. We should be able to get the W without Brown and give him another week to digest the playbook and work with Brady.

*IF* he does play, he will catch a screen or two to get his feet wet.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Bolden will have 100 yards (STs, receiving, rushing).

He owes us

 

[Sfpat]

Harris and Williams will be inactive yet again. Just you watch. Funny. As much as we like this draft class they certainly aren't playing much.

They are rookies on a deep, veteran laden, Super Bowl champion team. Tough to beat out the returning starters/veterans. This isn't the Browns or Dolphins.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I'm debating on whether to go or not, since tickets are selling at face value.

The pros
I don't get to see the Patriots much in person, living in FL
When I do see them, they lose, for some reason, and this time SHOULD be different.
Seeing it in person means not having to listen to Dan Fouts.

the cons
90+ degrees, 1PM start
weird things happen to the Patriots in Miami
20% of the stadium might have actual Dolphins fans... yuk
I am locked into a don't spend money philosophy, with at least one kid in college for 7 years now

 

[DaBronxPats14]

No let downs here, too many weapons and this time finish it early.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[PatsFan2]

I'm debating on whether to go or not, since tickets are selling at face value.

The pros
I don't get to see the Patriots much in person, living in FL
When I do see them, they lose, for some reason, and this time SHOULD be different.
Seeing it in person means not having to listen to Dan Fouts.

the cons
90+ degrees, 1PM start
weird things happen to the Patriots in Miami
20% of the stadium might have actual Dolphins fans... yuk
I am locked into a don't spend money philosophy, with at least one kid in college for 7 years now

Go with your gut the pros.

 

[p8ryts]

Flores made a tactical defensive call, playing run with no deep safety. Jackson made them pay. Disappointing was the run yardage they gave up. Still have no sympathy for Dolphin players. They are in the NFL. Play better. Nobody thinks Laremy Tunsil or Kenny Stills would have made a difference in that game so shut up. Tunsil almost gone Watson killed yesterday. Those players asking for a trade better be careful, they might get what they wish for and if they played that bad they can certainly be replaced. One game and their bailing. Shameful!