Keys To The Game: Patriots host Dolphins, playoff implications

On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins will travel to the frozen tundra of Gillette Stadium to take on the playoff-bound New England Patriots.

Though all eligible contenders in the AFC are locked in, the format of the 2012 playoffs is to be determined. All eyes in New England will be on the 1PM matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. The implications of that matchup will largely determine where the Patriots stand at kickoff.

There are many playoff scenarios – none of which come to fruition with a Patriots’ loss. For the Patriots, the modus operandi is to win. At 4:25PM, New England will have to put on the blinders and focus on these three factors:

Protect Tom Brady

Pass protection has been a nagging issue in recent weeks. It is task numero uno for opposing defenses: get to Tom Brady. Sacks and quarterback hits must be significantly reduced in order for this Patriots team to be successful tonight.

Stick to the Run

Part of successfully protecting Tom Brady stems from having a viable running attack. The run is what saved New England in their last meeting with Miami, and will be a big part of the gameplan this week,

Tighten up on the Secondary

I haven’t said this in a few weeks, but it certainly needs to be said: we need the secondary in order to win today. Keeping  Miami’s offense on the bench will allow Tom Brady & Co. to develop a rhythm where they can put up the obligatory 50+ points that led to New England’s midseason success. I’m nodding my head in the direction of Aqib Talib to be a difference maker. Let’s hope McCourty stays out of the CB spot.

I’m seeing the Patriots walk away from this one quite comfortably.

Patriots 34, Dolphins 20 (12-4)

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Key Matchups for Pats-Texans

At this point in the season, Patriots fans are used to tuning into the second Monday night game of the year. Unconventionally, the matchup against the Texans is New England’s lone appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. On the upside, we’re only forced to listen to Jon Gruden rant about ‘this guy’ or ‘the sheriff’ just once this year. The Monday night showdown against the Houston Texans will be a great barometer to evaluate just where the Patriots are at in this point of the season.

The Texans come in at an astounding 11-1, a record the seemingly deserve, as they have played some very resilient football over the course of the season. Their victories range from close calls, come from behinds, and blowouts. They rank 5^th and 6^th in offense and defense, respectfully, and rank in the top ten of nearly every major statistical category. Simply put, Houston has proven that they can win in nearly every fashion.

On the media front, all has been quiet from either side. Texans’ WR Andre Johnson said last week claimed that, “it’s the biggest game in (Texans) franchise history.” That’s about as much as you’ll hear from either side, as both teams have the upmost respect for one another.  

Here are some key Matchups to look for in tonight’s contest:

Tom Brady vs. J.J. Watt

Highly regarded as the top players at their respective positions this year, Brady vs. Watt should pan out to be one of the greatest head-to-head matchups you’ll see all season. It’s understood that the O-line will be directly responsible for defending Watt, but keep your eyes open pre-snap – this is where Brady will audible receivers to run opposite Watt in order to throw away from Watt, who leads the league in tipped balls this season (15).

Andre Johnson vs. Aqib Talib/Devin McCourty

This is when we get to see how good Talib can be. Acquired at the trade deadline, Talib had just over a week to get adjusted to the New England defense and has shown flashes of greatness. At times, Talib has also let players burn by him where there was apparently no safety help.

Safety help is also crucial. Johnson has the ability to torch the New England secondary on literally any play. It’s important for McCourty to keep an eye out, and to shut down all passing lanes.

Pats’ 3^rd Down Offense vs. Houston 3^rd Down Defense

Each team comes in ranked tops in either 3^rd down conversion (Patriots) and 3^rd down defense (Houston). This is a crucial in determining a victor tonight. If they want to win, The Patriots must either a). be successful on 3^rd down, or b). be very, very successful on 1^st and second down. The fan in me wants the latter, the analyst in me needs it to be the former.

In all, this will be a great contest that is arguably the game of the year. Stay locked to New England Football  Live for updates throughout the game.

Prediction:  Patriots 26, Texans 21 (10-3)

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