Very early look at Patriots vs. Seahawks Super Bowl storylines

(Photo by Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)

by Dakota Antelman

The combatants who will battle in Super Bowl XLIX were decided Sunday afternoon when the Seattle Seahawks toppled the Green Bay Packers by a score of 28-22 and the New England Patriots routed the Colts 45-7.

As their February 1 date at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale Arizona nears, the Patriots and Seahawks prep for each other's scheme riddled play calling and power heavy offences.

Below are some initial observations and storylines made at the very beginning of these team's Super Bowl preparations...

Comeback king Seahawks vs. dominant Patriots

The Patriots and Sehawks are alike in the sense that they both finished the season with the best record in their conference and proceeded to win their conference championship. Aside from that, they are two teams with vastly different paths to this season's Super Bowl.

Seattle started the year with a record of four and three and took much longer to find its identity in 2014 than the Patriots did. Furthermore, once they did start winning games, they were only doing so by 7 to 10 points. The Patriots on the other hand scored 40 or more points on five different occasions during a stretch where they won 10 of 11 games between Week 5 and Week 16.

Lastly, in the AFC Championship game, they blew the Colts away with ease while the Seahawks needed a last second drive from Russell Wilson and a stunning overtime hail mary to advance to the Super Bowl.

Pete Caroll faces his old team

Before Tom Brady was in New England and before Bill Belichick left the Jets to coach the Patriots, Pete Caroll spent three seasons as the Patriot bench boss.

He inherited the job from hall of fame bound Bill Parcels before the 1997 season and promptly led the team on a mediocre 27-21 three year run. Caroll was fired after the 1999 season and was replaced by Belichick.

As Belichick earned national recognition as one of the greatest coaches in the history of football, Caroll trundled around the college football ranks before breaking back into the NFL in 2010 as coach of the Seahawks.

He enters this rare meeting with the team that fired him looking to win his second Super Bowl as a head coach.

Brady and Belichick get yet another shot at 4th title

Over the course of 15 seasons, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have now been to six Super Bowls. Their last two appearances have not gone exactly to plan though with losses being handed to them by the Giants in 2007 and 2011.

In 2015, the Brady/Belichick duo are desperate to avoid having the same number of Super Bowl losses as wins.

As for their chances, this year's Super Bowl, according to Las Vegas is the closest in history. When betting opened on Monday, multiple lines offered a pick-em while still others favored either the Patriots or Seahawks by only one or two points.

If Brady can swing those odds in his favor on February 1st, he will win the Super Bowl and tie Joe Montana for the most Super Bowl rings in NFL history.

Doing that, for many, would erase much of the pain felt by those painful losses to the Giants.

Major injuries on both sides could effect game

The last time the Patriots got to the Super Bowl they did so with depleted forces.

In 2015, injuries will once again be a major storyline going into Super Bowl Sunday. This time though, the bug has bitten both teams.

Notably, eccentric Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was limited in the NFC Championship game with a sprained elbow. Beyond him, teammate Earl Thomas was in a "dire situation" Sunday according to coach Pete Carrol after he dislocated his shoulder in the first half.

While both Sherman and Thomas had MRI's Monday and are expected to play in the Super Bowl, their injuries could have lingering effects two weeks from now and lead to an amended approach for the Patriots offence and secondary.

On the Patriots side of the ball, rookie center Bryan Stork was the biggest Patriots injury story going into the AFC Championship and will likely remain so for the next two weeks. He sprained his knee in the Divisional Playoff Game against Baltimore and missed Sunday's game vs. the Colts. The Patriots are yet to comment on his status for the Super Bowl.

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Analysis: Patriot pocket protection throughout season

Please note, Week 10 is omitted so as to not cause confusion. The Patriots did not play in Week 10 as it was their BYE. As a result, the figure jumps from 9 to 11 along the "Weeks" axis for the sake of accuracy.

 The Patriots will play the Indianapolis Colts Sunday with an offensive line, shuffled by a recent knee injury to center Bryan Stork. That storyline has reopened the season-long conversation about the effectiveness of the offensive line at keeping pressure off quarterback Tom Brady. 

The above figure is an analytic representation of the sacks and QB hits allowed by the Patriot offensive line (Week 10 BYE week omitted). Those two statistics prove telling in the judging of a offensive line. Very simply, when the quarterback is not getting hit and/or sacked, the line is keeping control of defenders pressing their way. When the QB is getting knocked down, that means the defenders are beating them. 

A quick glance at the Patriots OL numbers this season shows rather sporadic work at different points in the year. 

The first four games of the season, which were marred with inconsistencies within most every part of the team, involved six sacks by New England opponents. Tom Brady was hit 18 times in those games and, consequentially finished Week Four's loss to the Chiefs with a season completion percentage of  61.1 and a four game passer rating of 80.95. 

Following the abysmal start though, the OL locked down and allowed just 9 sacks over the next 10 games. With less pressure, Brady himself turned his season around. He threw for two or more touchdowns in all ten of those games and successfully lead his team on a seven game win streak that toppled many of the NFL's best teams. 

After the Patriots clenched the AFC East and soon after, the number one spot in the conference, the offensive line ran into trouble once again. 

They allowed four sacks in back to back games against the Jets and Bills. Tom Brady was hit 17 times in just those two games alone and was forced to run far more than he would have liked. In the finale against Buffalo, the offence was rendered stagnant partially because of the Bills pass rush. Brady threw for just 80 yards before being pulled from the game in the third quarter. 

Things ended up slightly better two weeks later in the Divisional Playoff game vs Baltimore. Allowing just two sacks, the offensive linemen managed to keep the Ravens off Brady long enough to let him make his throws.  He was still hit nine times, far too many for an offensive line as physically powerful as the Patriots'. 

The Patriots will go up against the Colts without Bryan Stork and yet they cannot feel bad for themselves. Stork was not the entire OL and at times this season, the unit as a whole played a shutdown game for the team. 

If they can get the same results that they did between Week 4 and Week 15 Sunday in the AFC Title Game, all will be well. If they choose to keep with the trend set in the first four games of the year as well as the last three, than look to the running backs to bail Brady and company out of this one. 

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Why even without Stork, Brady and Co. should be able to deal with Colts pass rush

(Photo by the AP)

by Dakota Antelman

In a season where the defense has been hailed as one of the best of the Belichick era and the offense has been clicking at a rate similar to 2007's, the offensive line has at times been woefully bad. At certain points in the season Tom Brady has appeared to be perpetually under pressure from sometimes sub-par opposing pass rushes.

That has been especially true in recent games where the Patriots line has caved with painful regularity. That combined with the news that Bryan Stork will not play Sunday due to a knee injury  has the potential to strike fear into the hearts of Patriots fans the world over.

But before the alarms are completely sounded and the panic button hit, fans could take a look at the trends shown by these teams that have so effectively exploited the Patriots; then they would see that the Indianapolis Colts do not fit that trend.

Of the eight teams that the Patriots have faced since their BYE week, six of them finished the season in the top ten in the league in sacks. Furthermore, of those eight teams, all but two of them had more sacks that the Colts currently do.

The Colts, though possessing a somewhat acceptable blitz, have the weakest pass rush the Patriots have gone up against in weeks. Arguably, Sunday could be the easiest day for the offensive line since Week 14 in San Diego -- even without big bodied Bryan Stork.

So what does this mean for Tom Brady and company?

Not much. This is true simply because even when the pass protection has been bad, Brady has found ways to move the ball down the field.

Through what has been some rough few weeks for the Patriot QB, Brady has not dipped noticeably in his completions.

In Week 16 against the Jets, one of the most definitive flops made by the O-Line, Brady was hit 11 times and sacked four times. He kept mobile though, getting passes off before contact was made, and eventually throwing for 182 passing yards as well as a touchdown.

Last week, against the Ravens, Brady was hit 9 times and dragged down for a pair of sacks. He played lights out football late in the game though, ending the day with 367 yards through the air and three touchdown passes.

2014 has been a year of redefinition for Brady. He has been completing passes at his more regular rate but has suddenly introduced a new style of mobility to his game. He has ran the ball for some of the best gains of his career this season.

He is shaking tackles and throwing on the run. With an unrivaled arsenal of talented receivers, he has been able to complete those throws with great success and consistency.

His mobility is allowing him and the Patriots offence to break away from the traditional pocket-passer approach that has defined their offense for over a decade and a half now.

Needless to say, if the offensive line can pin the Colts down and give Brady a comfortable pocket to throw from Sunday, he will oblige.

Very simply, the AFC Championship Game looks to be one that Brady will dominate. Either through his new found mobility or through his traditional cannon throws from behind the capable backs of his offensive linemen, the Colts secondary could soon be inundated by big gains.

If that turns out to be the case, I would challenge anyone who could think of a scenario where the Colts could turn in a victory.

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Early look at the Indianapolis Colts

(Photo by Brian Spurlock/USA Today Sports Images)

by Dakota Antelman

Following Indianapolis' stunning upset of the Denver Broncos in Sunday's divisional playoff game, the New England Patriots are on to preparing for their AFC Championship Game against the Colts. 

The Patriots, decided favorites in this game, will spend this week prepping specifically for a unique Colts team as they aim to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2011. 

Below are some key storylines and players to watch going into next Sunday's game...

Colts passing game is second to none

The Indianapolis Colts were ranked first overall in the NFL in passing yards during the regular season. Such was largely the produce of third year quarterback Andrew Luck who completed 61.7% of his passes also leading the league in passing yards with 4,761. 

In the receiving game, stars TY Hilton and Reggie Wayne combined for over 2,000 of Luck's 4,761 passing yards. Though somewhat shaky in the endzone, Hilton and Wayne served as the secondary anchors to this offence that Luck built.

Indy run defense leaves room for breakout day for Patriots RB's

After running the ball on just 7 of 57 offensive plays vs. Baltimore, the Patriots could be headed towards a match-up vs Indianapolis that would favor a running back heavy approach. The Colts were 18th in the NFL this season in run defense, allowing an opposing RB to rush for 90+ yards on them five different times. 

The most stinging of those 90 yard days came in Week 11 when New England's own Jonas Gray dismantled the Colts rushing for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns on 38 carries. 

Lastly, if the past is any indication, this Patriots team enters this game with a history of running back explosions vs Indianapolis. Even before Gray this season, LeGarrette Blount blew the Colts away in last year's playoffs with 166 yards and four touchdowns of his own. 

Former Patriot Adam Vinatieri looking to prove he still has it

42 year old, four time Super Bowl winning, seasoned kicking great Adam Vinatieri has, in the time since he left the Patriots after the 2005 season, carved out a legacy for himself in Indianapolis. More so, 2014, a season 19 years after his debut, has arguably been his greatest. 

Vinatieri missed just one of the 31 field goals he attempted this season. He converted on three different kicks from 50 or more yards while also never missing from closer than 40 yards. 

As he faces the team that fostered his initial years of placekicking excellence, Vinatieri will be aiming to play a big part in one more AFC Championship win, proving his sustained skill as he does so.

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New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills Preview: Patriots with choices on how to manage roster

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

by Dakota Antelman

The New England Patriots roll into their season finale against Buffalo with their postseason seeding already locked in. 

Following their win last Sunday and a corresponding Broncos loss on Monday, a lot of talk has been made of the team resting its starters in this game. Patriots coach Bill Belichick wants none of that talk however, insisting all week the perceived importance of this game.

The Patriots have been hard at work this week, taking only Christmas day off as they prepare to host the 8-7 Buffalo Bills Sunday at 4:25. Tom Brady has been taking first team snaps all week and appears to be slated to at least start Sunday’s game. Beyond the quarterback position, even injury prone tight end Rob Gronkowski has been saying that he hopes to play “the entire game.”

"With the (first-round bye), you realize we're going to have a little time to rest up," Brady said this week. "We just want to go out and play well and see if we can string together as many good plays as possible.”

If the Patriots go all out Sunday it will be in pursuit of a win that would give them morale and momentum going into the post-season. A convincing win could in fact be immensely helpful especially after the Patriots just barely scraped past the Jets last week.

Their offence got fewer yards than they had all season in the 17-16 victory over their rivals. Their defense struggled to lock down the middle of the field and the Patriots offensive line allowed the Jets to have Brady under pressure for much of the game, sacking him four times.

Many questions were raised by the weak play calling that allowed the Jets to solve New England. Unless the Patriots can prove Week Sixteen to be an anomaly, the game film from that game could become welcomed required reading for upcoming playoff opponents.

But all that of course is riding on the assumption that Brady starts and finishes the game and Gronkowski’s wish to play every snap is granted. If the whispers of backup Jimmy Garappolo playing the second half are in fact true than all those game film projections and momentum building strategies go down the drain.

If Garappolo makes an appearance it will be his first extended stint with the offence since the fourth quarter of the Patriots Week Four loss to the Chiefs. Save for the few who have attended Patriots practices since that game, Garappolo has been invisible to the Patriot fan’s eye. During that time though, Belichick says he has improved fundamentally, learning about the NFL and its teams in a deeper sense.

“I think Jimmy’s worked hard,” Belichick said Friday. “I’d say similar to (rookie center Bryan) Stork, he’s been consistent, he’s improved every week. He’s running different offenses for the scout team and having to keep up with what we’re doing in our installation and our game planning on a weekly basis, but he’s, again, been durable, been healthy, been out there every day, keeps getting better.”

The Patriots could go one of two ways Sunday vs the Bills. They could trot Tom Brady and company out as if this was a Week Seven game with playoff implications or they could pull him after a quarter and throw in the rookies and second team players to finish Week Seventeen like Week Four of the preseason.

Whatever direction the Patriots decide to go in though, they will remain professional and search for the win with whoever Belichick calls to action.

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New England Patriots vs. New York Jets Preview: Pesky Jets look to rain on Patriot parade

(Photo courtesy of Charles Krupa/AP)

by Dakota Antelman

The Patriots roll into the Meadowlands for their Sunday game vs. the Jets riding high following their 41-13 win over the Dolphins that wrapped up the division for them. Furthermore, they enter their second to last game of the season aware of the fact that wins in these two games will guarantee them the number one seed in the AFC.

On paper, their next two opponents, the Jets and Bills, are not the most imposing of foes. However against each of them, especially the Jets, the Patriots have a long history of struggles that beg to make these next two contests more intense than they might seem.

Despite the Jets 3-11 record, the team is a threat to New England.

"I know the records are what they are, but we don't look at it like that," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. "We lost going into the Meadowlands last year."

The Jets have a way of keeping themselves in games that they could easily have been blown out in. Four of the last five Patriots/Jets games have been decided by three or fewer points. This season alone, which featured 10 New York losses by Week 13, has also featured four games decided by five or fewer points.

The Patriots attribute the Jets ability to keep pace to their defense.

“They've got a real good defense," Brady said. "We're anticipating their best game."

That Jets defense, made up of guys like Muhammad Wilkerson at the line and Marcas Williams in the secondary, like the rest of the team, has a history of elevating its game whenever the Patriots are on the schedule. In the five games since the beginning of the 2012 season, New England has scored 30 points just once.

At the same time however, New England comes to the Meadowlands with a kind of diverse attack comparable only to Patriots teams of the early 2000’s. They have three receivers (Brandon LaFell, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski) who are within striking distance of 1,000 yard seasons while they also boast a running back core that has them converting on 3^rddowns at one of the highest rates in the NFL.

If the roll over the Jets, which they might very well convincingly do, the result, though expected could lead to an immense turnover within the Jets system next offseason. Of the biggest of those potential changes stands at the coaching position. 

An eccentric Jets coach, Rex Ryan, appears to be on his last legs coaching a team that has averaged 16 points per game this year.

As has been pointed out all week, this game could in turn be his last as part of the Jets/Patriots rivalry. He insists however that he is focused on just this week’s matchup.

"It's not hard for me to do," Ryan said. "I'm a confident person, and I think I'm a decent football coach and I think people who know the game realize that. So, I don't worry about it."

If Ryan was watching the Patriots news feed this week he might have even been given some news to celebrate when a stream of announcements were made Saturday afternoon that neither Julian Edelman, LeGarette Blount or Kyle Arrington had made the trip with the Patriots to New York.

Each with mild to somewhat severe injuries, those three Patriots core players were the subjects of trending topics and worried analysis this week as they were all limited in team practices. The Jets could have predicted that at least one or two of them would have stayed back but to see Arrington, Blount and Edelman all as no shows ought to be somewhat of a surprise.

In their absence, the rest of the Patriots team will need to pick up the slack. Lucky for them, a stacked depth chart gives them the options and freedom to do that. 

Speculations dictate that RB’s who have seen decreased snaps since the signing of Blount could be thrust back into starting roles this week. Guys like Jonas Gray or Shane Vereen have their eyes set on big days.

Danny Ammendola could step in to compensate for the loss of Edelman at wide receiver, while the Patriots could also institute a more varied target distribution over the entire receiving unit including LaFell, Gronkowski and possibly even Aaron Dobson.

In terms of the secondary, where Arrington normally plays, New England will still be able to designate Darelle Revis to a full time coverage of Jets pass catchers Percy Harvin and Eric Decker while CBs, Brandon Browner and Logan Ryan could also see inflated snap counts.

All and all though, New England enters the game aware of their weaknesses but eager to exploit the Jets’. The Jets will try to rain on the Patriot parade but if the past is any indication, a close win could be in the near future for the Patriots as long as they do not get complacent.

"We have to play our best football to win," New England defensive end Chandler Jones said, "and I truly believe that."

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Patriots vs Dolphins Preview: Team Not Giving Week One Loss Excessive Weight

(Photo courtesy of Lynne Sladky of the AP)

by Dakota Antelman

The Patriots will be looking to wrap up the AFC East Sunday vs the Dolphins. A win for New England will clench the division for the 12^thtime in 14 seasons while a loss for the Dolphins will potentially eliminate them from the playoffs once again.

Needless to say, the near annual nature of their winning the division, does not make the accomplishment any less appealing as it often predates postseason success.

“It means a lot but obviously not focusing on that, it's more about winning and seeing what happens after that,” Patriots linemen Sebastian Vollmer said to ESPN’s Mike Reiss earlier this week.

One theme that rings loudly in the minds of Patriots fans going into this game is the Week One loss the Dolphins handed the Patriots back in September. The game did not go well for the Patriots as a weak running game and a mediocre start to the season for Brady immediately created much of the worry and questioning that was present for the first four weeks of the year.

However, since these two teams met in Week One, the Patriots have climbed to a sustained position where they have rained touchdowns and stunning losses down upon opponents, effectively erasing the pain of that rough Week One loss. For New England the result of that game is not as much a cause of worry but rather a reason to work even harder in practice.

“Obviously [we have] moved on from that, but there is some stuff that we're goanna try to do better, you know stuff that didn't go well, we'll work on that. Overall, we'll have to play better than we did. Loosing is not acceptable.”

Among the units that have been called upon to improve considerably on their effort last time they faced Miami is the offence as a whole. The Miami defense has given the Patriots trouble in the past. Their run game is prepared while Tom Brady is focused on dumping short passes and not tempting the secondary with deep balls.

In general though, Bilichick has been preaching about giving full effort on all sides of the ball all week.

"We need to talk about how to play offense, defense and special teams against the Dolphins a lot better than we did the last time we played them, which wouldn't take much," he said. "That's what we'll be talking about this week: what to do and how to do it.”

The Patriots defense will have to contend with a mobile quarterback in Miami’s Ryan Tannihill and a varied run game that has hit it off this year with wide receiver Mike Wallace.

Good news for New England though is that Wallace in particular has struggled to catch passes when matched up against physical corners like Brandon Browner or Darelle Revis so far this season. Also, as with almost every matchup between New England and Miami, interceptions could be favored to decide the game.

Many comparisons have been drawn this week between the Week One incarnation of the Patriots that lost to Miami and the Week 15 version that will try to beat them. But according to the team, those comparisons are meaningless. 

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Patriots vs Packers preview: New England, Green Bay poised for painfully close game

by Dakota Antelman

The Patriots and Packers, perhaps the NFL’s two hottest teams, will clash in what could be a rather brilliant display of quarterback power and defensive execution.

New England, fresh off an offensive dismantling of the Lions will head to Lambeau Field in Green Bay with the understanding that their romp of the NFL may very soon come to an end. 

 "It's not realistic for us to expect to continue to blow teams out like that, or, I don't want to say blow out, but win by a large margin," coach Bill Belichick said. "I can't really put my finger on what it is. I think it's a culmination of things and preparation, I think, is at the forefront of that."

The Packers are one of the closest teams to the Patriots in terms of statistical ranking that New England has and will face for the remainder of the year. They have a top 10 passing game, average over 100 yards in the run game per game and their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is looking confident as ever in the pocket. Their starting running back, Eddie Lacey, has been running over defenses all season while prime receivers Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson are both on pace for 80+ catch seasons.

The Packers, an 8-3 team that is a more impressive 7-1 since week three, pose a threat to the soaring Patriots. Needless to say however, the threat is recognized.  

"We're playing Green Bay in Green Bay," Belichick said. "That's where they've been very dominant, really, in terms of getting ahead and playing from ahead, first quarter. The numbers are staggering."

The Packers are scoring nearly 33 points per game with Rogers throwing two or more touchdowns on six different occasions this season. But at the same time there have been moments this season where the Packers defense has struggled.

They rank 12^th in the league in pass defense and 30^th in run defense. In some of the same games that Rodgers has dominated, so have the Packer’s opponents.

As New England has prepared for this marquee meeting, finding and isolating the weaknesses in the Packers secondary and defensive line has been a focal point.

The Packers in turn understand this and know they will have to step their game up if they want to stem the flow of big Patriots players; especially streaky tight end Rob Gronkowski.

“I don't know that a lot of people have had great success covering him," Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said Friday. "He can go vertical. He's a big guy. He's got a big wing span. You've seen him catch a ball thrown behind him and pull it in. He likes the physical part of the game. He's going to challenge you in terms of tackling. If you go up on his upper body, the guy's big and strong. Tacklers bounce off of him.”

Beyond Gronkowski, tight end Tim Wright is coming off a two touchdown performance last week vs. Detroit while wide receiver Brandon LaFell has added an extra passing target for New England along the sidelines.

Tom Brady’s distribution of the ball to his varied list of receivers has the Packers unsure of how to neutralize his abilities.

As of Friday, they still seemed unsure of who would be covering who. There was even talk of 225 pound linebacker, Clay Matthews, being matched up on Gronkowski.

There is indecision in regards to how either team will combat the other. Such becomes commonplace when two teams of immeasurable greatness like the Patriots and Packers meet.

Needless to say, after weeks of games decided in the first quarter, the Patriots and Packers game could very well have Patriots fans watching a kind of game they have not seen in months; a close one. 

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Patriots vs Lions Preview: Patriots seeking 13th straight winning season

November 11th, 2014
by Dakota Antelman

A week of transactions and roster drama will culminate in a Patriots face off with the Detroit Lions at 1pm on Sunday.

After last week’s Jonas Gray excellence, this week’s LeGarret Blount signing as well as the Patriots sudden distancing themselves from the rest of the NFL, the themes evident in this game are vast and plentiful. Furthermore, this game pits two teams going in opposite directions against each other.

 The Lions are coming off a painful loss to the Cardinals last week in which they only scored six points. 

New England however, sits first overall in the AFC with an 8-2 record and has a two game lead on the Broncos in the AFC standings. They are only a few good wins away from clinching their division and one win away from clenching their 13th straight winning season. Needless to say, the Patriots have won their last six games by virtue of the fluidity of their attack.

"We always try to stay balanced," said Tom Brady, who saw his running backs pick up the slack for him when he threw for just 257 yards last Sunday. "You never go in saying we're going to run it this much or throw it this much. You try to get the runs on your terms, and if they're going to load up and stop it, you've got to throw it, but if they're not going to respect the running game, you've got to keep giving it to him."

Jonas Gray blew the Colts away last week with four touchdown runs and over 200 yards of total offence. He was featured as the cover boy for this week’s edition of the magazine “Sports Illustrated” and predicted to dominate vs. the Lions if given starting snaps once again. During the week however the Patriots brought in recently dropped Steelers running back LeGarrett Blount.

Blount, a player with both running back and kick return abilities will likely be utilized in the former of those two positions vs the Lions and not the latter.  That is because earlier this week, Patriots coach Bill Belichick insisted that Blount would have to earn his playing time in a tight system.

"When he gets an opportunity, [it's] how much he can take advantage of it, how much he can be productive and what he can do with those opportunities [that] will determine how many more there are,” Bilichick said. “It's totally up to him”

Beyond the running back battle, the Patriots and Lions game will feature a fierce clash at the line of scrimmage. 304 pound defensive tackle, Ndamukong Suh, will test a Patriots offensive line that has been lights out in recent weeks. Suh has 4.5 sacks this season and has made 23 total tackles.

The Patriots and their offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels recognize the threat though and have been preparing relentlessly this week.

"He’s an extremely disruptive player in any alignment that they put him in,” McDaniels said of Suh. “He’s a great football player. He plays the run well, creates a lot of problems in pass protection. He penetrates. He can handle double-teams and beat single blocks and moves with the other defensive linemen very well.”

To counteract what pressure, Suh manages to put on Brady, the Patriots will have to work in short run plays and screen passes that have been used only sparingly during this six game win streak. On top of plentiful targets to dominant players like tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receiver Julian Edelman, the Patriots could start dumping short passes off to running back, Shane Vereen in this game.

Vereen who has caught 35 passes for 305 yards this season, understands the need for quick hitting plays early.

“It’s just about getting the ball rolling,” he said after Friday’s practice. “Hopefully we'll be able to keep doing what we've been doing in recent weeks but also just get the ball going downfield early.”

Finally, the Patriots are in for a tense matchup in the secondary as the highly touted wide receiver Calvin Johnson will happily exploit any miscues the Patriots make. Johnson already has over 500 receiving yards this season and will likely be shadowed closely by Patriots corner Darelle Revis.

Earlier this week Revis praised Johnson as a “man amongst boys.”

“I have a lot of respect for him,” Revis said. “I feel like our defense has a lot of respect for him. He has a lot of respect around the league as well.”

The Patriots will be looking to extend their winning streak to seven games Sunday but will have a wholly capable Lions team standing in their way. They recognize the threat and as they have on countless occasions this season, done their homework and adapted accordingly so as to give them the best chance to win.

"We’re going to need to play a good, complementary game all the way across the board; there’s no real weak points, a lot of things we have to deal with," Belichick​ said. "It’s a team we don’t know very well, so we’re going to have to really work hard this week to get on top of them, get familiar with them, but they present a lot of problems."

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Patriots vs Colts preview: Brady looks to extend streak, Luck looks for defining win

November 15th, 2014

by Dakota Antelman

Two weeks after a long awaited matchup between old and old, the Patriots and Colts will face off in a game that features a matchup of old and new.

The Patriots and Colts are two teams fresh off of BYE weeks. They are two teams with a wide array of receiving targets as well as powerful running backs that they use to move the ball up the field. But their biggest calling card is both their quarterbacks.

Tom Brady, New England’s 15^th year star has been playing brilliantly since a Week Four loss to Kansas City while Andrew Luck, Indianapolis’ third year starter Andrew Luck has been playing brilliantly since he was drafted in 2012.

The two are of great value to their respective teams and have also been compared heavily to each other. In this their 3^rd NFL meeting though, the stakes are higher as it seems that Luck is having a career year.

Patriots linebacker Dont'e Hightower glowed about Luck’s abilities after last Thursday’s practice in Foxboro.

“Luck is definitely one of the premier quarterbacks in the league,” he said. “He can do it with his arm. He can do it with his feet. He’s a smart guy, so he’s definitely again one of the premier quarterbacks in the league.”

Luck’s mobility was something that was noted almost controversially this week when Brady spoke frankly of his soon to be opponent.

"He's a great player, in his third year, and he's had a lot of success," Brady said at Wednesday’s Patriots press conference. "Their offense is doing a great job this year; they score a lot of points [averaging a league-high 32.2 per game], especially at home. He's kind of the ringleader. He does a lot of things I wish I could do."

Luck has thrown for almost 700 more yards than Brady has to this point in the season while also rushing for over 100 more.

Beyond Luck however, the Patriots will have their hands full. A vast onslaught of highly capable tight ends has the Colts positioned as the team with the most points per game in the NFL (31.8). Their last game, a 40-24 demolition of the Giants, featured touchdowns thrown to four different receivers.

Patriots corner-back, Darelle Revis recognized the huge threat that Colts tight end T.Y Hilton poses. He caught one of those Luck passes two weeks ago.

“He’s very fast and very explosive. He makes big plays,” Revis said. “I think he’s a No. 1 receiver at making big plays.”

Revis spoke similarly of Hilton’s teammate, Reggie Wayne.

“He’s just an elite receiver,” Revis said. “He’s been doing it for 14-plus years now. You never see any downfall. I never see a downfall in his game, so that tells you something.”

Beyond the receivers, the Patriots understand the need to prepare for the Colts ability to run the ball. Running back Trent Richardson has a history to beating up on the Patriots and will stop at nothing to do the same on Sunday night. 

But the Patriots are prepared and wholeheartedly willing to utilize their top talents in new ways. Earlier this week, the Patriots practiced in their domed Dana Farber Practice Facility to simulate the conditions in the similarly enclosed Lucas Oil Stadium. 

If the past is any indication, Brady will excel in the climate controlled game.

Earlier this week, CSN Patriots insider Tom E. Curren published an article detailing Brady’s supreme excellence in his 19 games played in domed stadiums. The piece revealed that Brady had thrown 39 touchdowns and an average of 284 yards per game. He is 14-5 in dome games.

“[It’s a change] to have [a week] where the weather is not a factor and we’re not talking about what the conditions may be because it seems like all season Coach [Belichick] has had meetings about what the weather is going to be and how the wind is going to affect the game and if it rains how the rain is going to affect the game,” Brady said in an attempt to extrapolate the trend to this game. “It is a little bit of a breather where you’re playing in a dome where everything is controlled. Like I said, ultimately it’s going to come down to how well you play and execute, but yeah, it’s nice to be indoors today.”

The Patriots and Colts face off at 8:30pm Sunday in a long awaited quarterback duel. Brady will be looking to extend his streak of dominance while Andrew Luck will be looking to achieve his first ever win against the long tenured Patriots legend.

The game will be one stocked with talent and will likely produce a final score that dictates each team’s scouring well past 30 points. 

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Patriots vs. Broncos preview: Manning/Brady, Revis/Talib highlight key matchups

November 1st, 2014

by Dakota Antelman

When the Patriots and Broncos face off Sunday afternoon in Foxboro they will be facing a bracingly cold and windy weather scenario. Beyond that, the game will be a showcase of the skills of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Brady and Manning enter the game with nearly identical numbers in the past few weeks. Manning only recently set the all-time touchdown record for a quarterback while Brady has recently climbed past the 50,000 passing yards milestone.  

With each milestone, the rivalry between Manning and Brady intensifies. As their respective careers reach their final days and their career statistics climb past previous norms, these meetings become increasingly spectacular.

"Peyton has been a phenomenal player -- so consistent and durable for a long period of time," Brady said. "We've had a great rivalry in the AFC East (when Manning was with Indianapolis), and this year is no different."

Supercharging this game with emotion is the fact that its winner will be granted the best record in the AFC. If the past is any indication of who will grab that positive record, the Patriots are at a serious advantage. Brady is 10-5 all-time against Manning with an even bigger discrepancy becoming evident in Brady’s record in “cold weather games”.  

If the past few games applies any direct influence on the outcome of this game however, the Broncos hold a decisive advantage. They beat the Patriots in their last meeting back in the AFC Championship while nearly beating them in last year’s regular season clash. It took the biggest comeback in Patriots history to seal that win.

Starting fast will be key for the Patriots.

"They've played from ahead, which has been a great advantage for them all season," Brady said. "Hopefully we can get off to a fast start and make them play from behind for once, because you don't want to get behind these guys too much."

Beyond Brady/Manning, this game does feature another huge clash of old and new and good and great. Darrell Revis and Aqib Talib are two of the best corners in the game right now. Revis is coming off of a shut down performance last week against Chicago while Talib comes back to his old home riding the momentum of a 7 tackle game vs the Chargers.

The big story in this game will be how Manning deals with Revis who has, in the minds of many, been much better than Talib.

"We're trying to get everybody involved," Manning said. "If you're throwing against (Revis), you better be accurate."

With bragging rights for Brady and Manning as well as the number one spot in the conference on the line, Sunday’s game against Denver will be a memorable one. 

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Patriots vs Bears preview: Jay Cutler comes to town after weak performance in Week 7

October 25th, 2014
Dakota Antelman

Coming off their third straight win since their Week Four loss to the Chiefs, the Patriots will conclude the first half of their season Sunday against the Bears.  

At 5-2, the Patriots sit in first place in the AFC East, two weeks after moving past the Bills with a pivotal win. New England has seemingly, rescued at least part of a season that was looking increasingly worrisome as the first four games played out. They have done so mainly as a result of the play of Brady.

The Patriots quarterback struggled to start the season but has turned his year around since week four. He has thrown for 9 touchdowns and 914 yards in the past three games possibly regaining the respect of Patriots fans who only a few weeks ago were calling for his head. 

Still, despite his work of late, Brady remains a mediocre quarterback in the eyes of NFL experts this season. That is shown by the fact that this week’s quarterback matchup between Brady and Chicago Bear Jay Cutler which tells of a statistical inferiority on the part of Brady.

Firing back against that numerical favoring of Cutler however, former NFL’er and current analyst Brian Urlacher, said, "You look at the guys ... the Bradys, the Mannings, the Rodgerses, the Breeses ... those guys win every year. Even with no one around them. (Aaron) Rodgers has no offensive line, he wins. (Tom) Brady has no receivers, he wins. You look at Jay, he's got Brandon (Marshall), Alshon (Jeffery), Matt (Forte) and a great offensive line ... Martellus Bennett ... and they can't seem to put it together for some reason."

Last week, Cutler threw an interception and fumbled the ball twice.

Going into this week’s matchup, major speculation has been made in regards to how the Patriots defense will work to deal with Cutler and the Bears offence. Earlier this week, Bill BIlichick spoke on how the team will need to play and aggressive game at the line of scrimmage while also throwing Revis into tight coverage against either Brandon Marshall or Alshon Jeffery.

In the past, Revis has exercised a superiority over Marshall in particular. In four games against the heralded receiver, Revis has allowed just 120 yards in receptions intercepting at least one pass thrown at Marshall.

The Patriots recognize the threat he poses.

“Great receiver, man. This week, we got our hands full with two big wide receivers, with him and (Alshon) Jeffery, and we’re looking forward to it,”

Marshall and Jeffery have combined for 853 yards. Their danger is appreciated by the Patriots. But their teammate, Matt Forte is, logically, even more dangerous. Sitting as the third best running back in the league this year Forte has rushed for 448 yards and a trifecta of touchdowns. He will likely draw the attention of middle D-linemen, Vince Wilfork.

"He [Forte] does an excellent job of burst and explosion through the line of scrimmage," Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said. "He has incredibly quick feet and some good quickness to get to the edge.”

The Bears and Patriots will hit the field a 1PM Sunday for a key midseason matchup. The 3-4 Bears need a win to save their season while the 5-2 Patriots need a win to keep on the track they are on.

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Patriots at Bills preview: Pats look to capture division lead against Bills

October 11th, 2014
by Dakota Antelman

2014 has not gone as planned for the Patriots. But amidst all that has fallen off the rails, all that has been scrutinized and all that has been booed by New England fans, the team got back on track last week and now is looking ahead to a huge game in Buffalo this weekend.

As has been heavily profiled, the Patriots and Bills are currently locked in a tie for the number 1 seed in the AFC East. Buffalo, despite early struggles by QB EJ Manuel, has salvaged wins against the Bears, Dolphins and Lions respectively. In those games, they have averaged just about 19 points per game. Thus it is clear that the Bills offence has lived and died in the hands of highly touted rookie, Sammy Watkins.

Watkins has caught 2 touchdowns and hauled in 284 receiving yards so far. Beyond him more solidified Bills stars like running back CJ Spiller have also played parts in the offence. Spiller has already rushed for 215 yards but is yet to actually score a touchdown.

Spiller however, a player who has witnessed a long period of football incompetence in Buffalo first hand, understands the magnitude of this game.

“We've got to be really focused in on the little things and the details to give ourselves a chance to win at home," Spiller said.

A win for Buffalo would put them two games ahead of the Patriots in the AFC East. On the flip side, a win for New England would put them two games ahead of Buffalo, something that many fans say must happen.

Especially after last week, the Patriots are a team in a place where they could win back some of the support they lost in the first 4 weeks of the year. They looked much better against the Bengals a week ago and sported a stronger team mentality than had been apparent earlier in the season.

"When you had the result that we had (against the Chiefs) as a team, I think everybody rallied around each other," coach Bill Belichick said. "I mean, who else is there to rally around? That's all we have: guys that can go out there and play and make a difference.”

A win in a game like this, a win that would reassert the Patriots’ place as a top team would further distance the memories of 2014 from the word “failure” and further associate it with the word “success”.

Complicating the chances of making that goal a reality however are the words on the recently announced Patriots injury report. Tom Brady was listed as questionable due to an ankle injury. While

Brady has often graced the injury report and almost always played through whatever ailment landed him there. But still it is worrisome that this is the second time this season his name has dropped to the far more serious “questionable” category. If his ankle is truly hurting him it could understandably diminish the power with which he can plant and throw the ball downfield.

Against a Bills secondary that has allowed the second fewest passing yards in the NFL this season, any shortcomings in high pressure plays would quickly wreak havoc within the Patriots attack.  

All and all, the Bills are a new team this season, one capable of doing some serious damage on the scoreboard and one truly capable of competing with the Patriots in the AFC East.

With a new owner they seem to be ready to make a run. What better way to start that than to down a team that over the past decade and a half has been the model for statistical consistency? The Bills are truly a danger to New England.

But on the flip-side, now is not yet the time to say that the Patriots dynasty has been ousted. Tom Brady still stands under center and Rob Gronkowski still sets up just a few feet to his side. The Patriots still matter, the Patriots can still win; and though their window is closing, though they are understanding that all good things must end, 2014 is not lost.

If they are going to use all that they have, they will just have to work a little bit harder.

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Patriots vs Bengals Week 5 preview: Patriots caught up in unfamiliar race for AFC East

The two and two Patriots currently sit locked in a three way tie for 1^st in the AFC East. Not many fans expected these first games of the year to include a race for the AFC East crown but nevertheless, New England is caught up in one.

The Bills, Dolphins and Patriots are all 2 and 2 this season and each have suffered through unsatisfactory performances at the quarterback position throughout the season. But what makes the fact that the Dolphins and Bills are in contention great and the fact that the Patriots are tied for 1^st not so great is the fact that Buffalo and Miami’s quarterbacks are not named Tom Brady. 

The longtime Patriot offensive cornerstone has suffered statistically this season despite the return of several key targets. Tossing a sub 60 completion percentage against the defenses of the Dolphins, Vikings, Raiders and Chiefs respectively, Brady was finally pulled prior to the 4^thquarter of last week’s game.

The move came as a shock to Patriots fans and reporters alike who noted such a move as one of the first of its kinds in the Brady era. However, following the 41-14 loss to Kansas City, the second worst in the Belichick era, the team was tight lipped.

“Were on to Cincinnati,” were 4 words uttered by Belichick no less than 15 times in his press conference Monday night while Brady later tried to differ any thoughts of his benching being disciplinary.

"Like (Belichick) always says, ignore the noise and just stay focused on what we need to do, stay focused on what our process is to try to make the improvement," he said. "We've got an important job to do this week and the clock is ticking."

The Bengals are, at least in terms of winning percentage, the best team the Patriots have faced all season coming into Week 5 undefeated.

" They're tough, they're physical, they're explosive," Belichick said of the Bengals. "It's been a while since I've seen a team that's as complete as they are."

A big reason for Cincinnati’s success this season has been the resurgent play of 4^th year QB Andy Dalton. Dalton has a 95.5 passer rating this season having thrown for an average of 240 yards a game and notably snagging a 18 yard touchdown reception two weeks ago. 

Beyond Dalton though, the Bengals are stacked with receivers like the ever talented AJ Green and an elusive tight end named Jermain Gresham. 

Using those talents, Cincinnati mauled the Patriots only a year ago in a humbling near shutout of the then dynastic club.

"Over the last couple of years we've been winning the games like that, the ones we're supposed to win," said left tackle Andre Whitworth of last season’s Patriot record crushing win.

The same could be argued to have meaning this season. The Patriots are playing poorly and the Bengals are well aware of that. Brady, who sits just 60 passing yards shy of 50,000 in his career coming into this game knows that as well.

The game will be closer than was expected at the beginning of the year simply because of the tectonic statistical shifts in the Patriots persona this season.

“They’ve got a good football team; good organization,” Belichick said, “It will be a big challenge for us Sunday night. Looking forward to the opportunity and it will be good to get back on the field.” 

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Patriots at Chiefs week 4 preview: Patriots posed with threat of mobile Alex Smith

The first three weeks of the 2014 Patriots regular season have been far too exciting for fans of the team to appreciate. In three clashes with teams defined more by their mediocrity in the past decade than anything else, the Patriots themselves have been mediocre. Though they have been trying since week one to sort out their laundry list of on the field problems, time may have run out for the Patriots who face a big test this week.

Julian Edelman is still catching more than a third of Tom Brady’s passes. The Pats secondary, though satisfyingly competent at tackling, is still one plagued by penalties and the offensive line has continued to struggle to protect Brady in the pocket.

In three games, played against the Dolphins, Vikings and Raiders respectively, the Patriots are middle of the pack in rush defense. Also in those games the offence has been largely skewed in the direction of its established targets who, however great have the Pats sitting at 27th in the NFL in passing yards.

"We can do just really pretty much everything better offensively," coach Bill Belichick said. "Everything. Blocking, throwing, catching, running, run reads, routes, distribution, you name it."

Looking over to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Patriots must recognize that they will get yet another chance to vary their passing attack against a woeful secondary. The 1-2 Cheifs have allowed 223 passing yards per game this season while falling apart in the run game. In that category they are well within the bottom 10 defenses in the NFL.

The Chiefs offensive line has been the unit largely responsible for the team’s defensive shortcomings. Coach, Andy Reid recognizes a discrepancy in play calling for them.

"Some of that, especially early, that was my responsibility," Reid said. "We're in long-yardage situations, taking seven-step drops. I have to be a little smarter with the play call. And then the other ones, we have to make sure we block the right guys and do the right things."

However, among the Chiefs successes this season has been the play of their QB, Alex Smith. He is what makes this a big test for the Patriots.

Though leading his team through fewer passing yards than 25 other teams, Smith has tossed four touchdown passes this season to go along with 642 yards. But perhaps his biggest, most dangerous tool in the attack is his mobility in the pocket. Smith has scrambled for 95 yards this season and has not fumbled once. Smith does not deny his skill with the ball tucked.

“A lot of times, it sneaks up on the stat sheet, and if you can run for some first downs and make up some ground, it can really help you,” Smith pointed out. “And that’s just a matter of being smart with it when you’re a quarterback and you get out of the pocket because certainly this is a physical group and a lot of defenses are, so when you do get out, it’s about being smart and protecting yourself.”

When the Patriots and Chiefs clash Monday night, Alex Smith will be a player worth some attention from the Patriots defense.  As they prepped in Foxborough, the offensive line, particularly its cornerstone – Vince Wilfork – spoke of their wariness of Smith.  

“He’s got that team rocking and rolling,” said Wilfork. “Everybody’s working around him, they keep things mixed up with run, shot plays, pass game, screen – they throw it at you to see if you can defend it all and we need to be ready for everything.”

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Patriots vs Raiders Week Two Preview: Team looks to exploit Oakland's many shortcommings

The Oakland Raiders are a football team that has been living in the cellar of the NFL for over a decade now. The Patriots, in stark contrast are a team that has lived atop the standings for pretty much the same amount of time. Those two teams clash this week with the Patriots looking to move to 3-1 on the season while the Raiders will be chasing their first win of the season.

With rookie, Derek Carr starting at quarterback, the Raiders were hardily beaten last week when the Houston Texans piled on 30 points to Oakland’s mere 14. That game was punctuated by huge miscues in the Raiders defense, the most glaring being the 138 rushing yards allowed to Arian Foster and the touchdown pass allowed to lumbering JJ Watt.

"They're excited to see their Raiders and what was that that we put out there on the field today?" safety Charles Woodson said with obvious sarcasm. "That's embarrassing. I'm embarrassed for this team, I'm embarrassed for the fans."

The Raiders have struggled for over a decade now but it seems that this year is especially hard for them. Carr, being a rookie has made several key mistakes in his first games as a NFL’er tossing 2 interceptions and throwing just 3 touchdowns for a team that has no other way of scoring.

Needless to say, Carr could be an easy target for the Patriots in Week Two who are coming off a game in Minnesota where their defensive line stood tall against both the running game and the offensive line’s blocking.

Beyond that, the Patriots will also be looking to exploit that same Raider’s defensive line that let Arian Foster split them in two last week.

"You can't allow a team to just run the football down the field on you," coach Dennis Allen said of his team that has allowed more rushing yards than any other this season. "That has to change. Like I told the players, run defense is a mentality. Run defense is about lining up across from somebody, hitting them in the mouth, knocking them back, getting off a block, and making a play."

But though the Raiders defense will likely remain sharply incapable of defending the Patriots run game, they are not exempt from soliciting penalties from their opponent.

The Patriots were historically undisciplined last week, amassing more penalty yards (163) than rushing yards (150).

Statistics like those beg the question: how much can the Patriots give to a bad team before that bad team makes a good play?

In all honesty, that could be a huge theme of this game if the Patriots fail to get their act together. But otherwise, if push comes to shove the Raiders are poised to suffer yet another blowout loss. In short, though there are ways that the Patriots could theoretically lose this game, such a failure to execute would be a catastrophic one. The Patriots are simply a better team than the Raiders. This game is simply one more chance to remedy the teams fundamental and statistical shortcomings that have plagued them so far.

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Patriots at Vikings week two preview: Cordarrelle Patterson biggest threat for Vikings

In a time in which the NFL is facing more negative publicity than ever before, one of its marquee teams, the Patriots, are coming off their first week one loss in 11 years and are looking to avoid their first 0-2 start in more than a dozen.

They will kick off their week two matchup against the Vikings at 1pm on Sunday looking to remedy the many mistakes they made one week ago.

Last week’s loss was one made so by an inability to stop the run. After jumping out to a half time lead, the Patriots allowed 23 unanswered points. By game’s end they also had given up a total of 192 rushing yards.

Earlier this week, the Patriots came out in full force assuring their fans that they would try to lock down the middle of the field against the Vikings. Up until Friday evening, the big story was how Vince Wilfork would match up against power rusher Adrian Peterson.

365 pound Wilfork, a pure run stopper and ankle breaking Peterson a pure run producer were predicted to make this game a stunner. Then the news broke that Person had been indicted for child abuse. Within an hour the Vikings announced that he had been deactivated for the game against New England and would not even be present at kickoff. 

Though Peterson will be a huge loss for the Vikings, their game will not be completely devoid of a rushing facet. The Patriots will still have to prove themselves against an all-star running back.

Cordarrell Patterson, a second year back out of Tennessee State was without a doubt the best player on the field in Minnesota’s week one game. He ran for 102 yards on just 3 carries, breaking tackles like he was coated in butter. His 67 yard touchdown run midway through the 3^rd quarter saw him bust past nearly the entire St Louis Rams defense.  

“Patterson is obviously an explosive guy; you see that in the return game," Belichick said this week. "He's a deep threat. He's dangerous with the ball in his hand, whether they hand it to him or throw it on a short pass."

Stopping the run will be key in this game against the Vikings. Should the Patriots shut down Patterson they will gain much more room for error both on the scoreboard and down the field.  

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