To me, this upcoming game is probably the most important one going into next season, the Patriots are still the class of the division, we are coming off of a terrible loss to the Bills, the Pats coming off of their worst loss since the Wildcat Game last season, both teams have something to lose as well as something to play for going forwards. This to me is both a Gutcheck and must win game, gut check because we were stunned by the Bills, must win because our WC hopes hang on running the table. Pats have two counter trends going, 21-1 after losses, and 0-4 on the road this year.
This is gonna be a tough one. We always play them hard, and Belichick has a lot of respect for us. He won't be ill-prepared.
I think we are going to surprise people Sunday. Need to get started quickly, though, get the crowd involved. I fully expect Porter to have a big game. If the man has any pride left, he just has to!
Vintage Sparano, "We will be here until we shut off the lights, get it right prima donnas" There are so many players who can redeem themselves from the loss to the patsies: Vontae for Moss burning him Ginn for the drops the Dline for not getting pressure on Brady Bess for his drops Hartline Especially J Peezy, he looked like an *** after talking smack about Brady and the Pats then being shut down.
Agreed. It certainly looks to be the biggest/most important game of the season. Win, and we even our record at 6-6, and give ourselves a chance to claw our way back into the WC hunt. Lose, and we're pretty much done. The Patsies will be pissed and looking for someone to slap around. It will be a real gut check for both teams IMO. I think a win hinges on us playing mistake free football. And, playing a 60 minute game. If we can avoid costly turnovers, and come out with the proper adjustments in the second half, I think we can win. Fail in either or both areas, and we'll probably to get killed. Go Phins!
Sorry but I won't give up on the division. Have to realize that with a win we are one game out of the division. That isn't eliminated. I dont CARE about going into next year.
We just got stomped by the bills, I'm not holding any hope that we can even slow down the Pats offense.
Contrary to the score, we didn't. The last TD was garbage time, and the one before that was just catching us completely off guard. Before that it was a 3 point game. Three points that came off a career long field goal.
I'll be at the game Sunday. This team has a habit of playing to the level of it's competition, and we always play New England tough. If we still had Ronnie, I'd feel alot more confident. I noticed in the New Orleans game the Saints got quite a bit of pressure on Brady. No reason we shouldn't also. The D needs to find a way to get to the QB in the 2nd half of games, which has been our achilles heel.
I just don't feel we can beat them without Ronnie Brown. I can't visualize any scenario with that happening. Especially with the amount of points the defense gives up. I hope they surprise me.
Gotta agree 100% Took the words right out of my mouth. I gotta say though, those two other areas are looking pretty big at the moment given the fact that we have yet to (with the exception of the first Jets game) play a 60 minute game; that second half adjustments don't seem to be our forte this year, and turnovers against an angry/hungry Cheatriot defense is gonna be a tall order.
Firstly, we have to shutdown Maroney who's been running hard. I HATE giving up rushing yards and even more on TD's! Get some pressure and get Henne going early and we'll be good to go...
The key to this game is eliminating the big play. Make them work their way down the field and dare them to run the ball. If you can avoid the chunk yardage (as Sparano calls it), the Patriots will get frustrated and they will abandon the run (they're not committed to running the football). When they become one-dimensional, then the defense can pin their ears back and go after Brady. We saw it on Monday night. They had to work HARD for the TD on their first drive (I believe they converted two 4th downs), but they ran the ball effectively. After a defensive stand, Welker sets them up with great field position off a good punt return and BAM!!, they're in a 5-wide set. Brady is picked off on that play and the rest is history. They're not a patient football team on the offensive side, and their play-calling has illustrated that all season long.
And what does any of that have to do with the fact we got stomped on? If it was garbage time then our offense should have scored on their defense. But it didn't. They scored on us. Catching us completely off guard during the game? We got stomped.
Beating the Patriots would erase that pathetic performance in Buffalo. If we can win it will give us the confidence and momentum to make a run at the playoffs. It's a chance to remind everyone we can play with the best. This game is HUGE.
Because I'm sure you were expecting a bomb to TO in that situation. Yes you can catch a team/player off guard. We were stacking to stop the run, Vontae was thinking run, the fans were thinking run, the coaches were thinking run, and the Bills passed. Also if you think the defense was fired up into the game when they scored their last touchdown that is your opinion. We you say stomped, that makes it sound like it happened for four quarters, when in actuality it happened for all of a few minutes IF that.
Well said. A real Gutcheck here. Hopefully the coaching staff watched monday nights game and picked up on some good ideas how to handle this one. J Peezy really needs to take this opportunity to show up AND PLAY. His Gutcheck for sure. Hopefully his mouth will stay shut before hand this time.
Couldn't agree more. This game is going to be decided by willpower. Either we're more pissed off about our loss to the Bills, and want to prove something, or the Patriots are after their loss. Whoever wants it more will win.
For those that feel we cannot beat the Pats without Ronnie Brown, is it because you feel that we can't beat New England conventionally and have to use trickery plays?
brown is not the problem, we have a running game will our passing show up, how about the defense any more brilliant calls to be made by blundering coordinators?
FTR, I don't think we'd beat the Patriots with a healthy Ronnie Brown. They're (the Patriots) still a more talented football team than Miami, and I'm OK with that. The talent gap is shrinking and will continue to shrink this offseason.
The Patriots are aging, while we are mostly getting younger, especially at key positions. I hope we hand them a big fat loss, but I ain't betting the farm on it.
