Super Bowl 49!

One more win. One. More. Win. That's basically been my mantra for the past 2 weeks. It still feels surreal to me that New England, my Patriots, are in the Super Bowl(again). I mean, Brady's playing in his 6th, going for his 4th ring, while Revis is playing in his first. This team has a great mix of young guys and vets. Exactly what you on a Championship team...

After a roller coaster season full of question marks, plenty of "what the heck are you doing?" moments, and a legion of doubters since week 1, I've never been more proud to be a fan of this team. Honestly, what other team can overcome adversity and endless allegations as well as the Patriots? No one. This is a team that sticks together through thick and thin, good and bad, whatever is thrown their way. Remember week 4? We were going to miss the playoffs, Brady was washed up, and the dynasty was over. They used the negativity and doubt as motivation to fuel for their journey to the Super Bowl. I completely believe that the same will hold true tomorrow, after having to hear about deflategate non-stop, the past 2 weeks. See, that's just what the Patriots do; we like to prove people wrong. In fact, that's why I like going into this game as the underdog. And honestly, we should be dubbed as the underdogs. Seattle's defense just has the edge. But you know Brady's playing with a chip on his shoulder. Okay, maybe a couple chips on his shoulders. There's the whole "haven't won since Spygate" thing, the deflategate nonsense, the doubts from earlier this season, and the fact that this Super Bowl is in the same stadium where we lost to the Giants, and our dreams of the having the first 'perfect' season were crushed. Brady's still heartbroken over that. What Patriots fan isn't?

Welcome to the greatest show on turf, the biggest stage in all of sports...
A game with probably the two best and most well-rounded teams in the NFL is bound to be a good one. Maybe even legendary. I don't see either team getting blown out. They're both too good for that. But I don't necessarily see it coming down to the wire, either. Obviously, I would love for New England to have the game put away with about 5 minutes left in the game. I'm talking like -no way in the world Seattle can come back- put away. Not just getting comfortable and conservative with a 7 point lead. I don't care if it's the first quarter or the last 50 seconds of the fourth, I never want the Pats to get conservative. No mercy.

Seattle's defense is obviously no joke. Their offense is also pretty good. Marshawn Lynch is probably the biggest threat to us. But containing Russell Wilson is also a must. Our defense will have their hands full the entire game. And I hope that our defense shows up prepared to play and ready to shut down Seattle. I hope they disrupt the Seahawks' passing game and running game, and consistently get pressure on Wilson. Lock it down. Revis needs another pick, too.
Offensively: protecting Brady is key. Give him time in the pocket and I like our chances. I hope Jules embarrasses Sherman. I really do. I hope Edelman has the best game of his life tomorrow night; because I doubt Brady's going to hesitate to throw in #25's direction. While I hope that Gronk and Edelman both have huge nights, I think 'littler' guys like Tim Wright and Amendola and Tyms really become the difference makers. I think a good combination of Gray and Blount is the perfect formula, as far as our ground game goes. Shake it up just enough to 1) confuse Seattle and 2) continuously be productive. I hope McDaniel's has a wicked great game plan tomorrow night, for a full 60 minutes. Protecting Brady is key. Give him time in the pocket and I like our chances.

THE New England Patriots. 
Ignore the noise. Never give up. I hope we never trail but if we do, remember we can come back; we've done it before, we can do it again. Give it all you've got for a full 60 minutes. Remember every negative or annoying thing ever said about you, and use that as motivation. Take it out on Seattle. Prove the doubters wrong. Remember how hard you've worked for this and how far you've come, as individuals and as a team. Never let the moment seem too big. Don't let the hype get the best of you. Most importantly, do your job.

Less than 24 hours to go. I'm feeling good but also a bit nervous. Like an excited anxious feeling. I believe in this team and like I've been saying, something just feels different about this season. I love this team and PatsNation. One more win.

As always, GO PATS.

TOP 5: Corners

Since the Super Bowl is a little less than a week away, and two of football's best corners are playing in it...I present my top 5 corners in the NFL today.

Cornerback is my favorite position in football. The amount of skill and technique that it requires is interesting. I've always said if I played football, I'd either want to be a wide receiver or corner. And lately, I've just really taken an interest in the cornerback position. I've been studying and analyzing it a lot the past 2 seasons. What really sparked my fascination with corners? Deion Sanders. Loveee Prime Time. One of the best to ever do it. 

Good corners, the best of the best, can shutdown the most lethal offensive weapons and make them a non-factor. The elite corners can essentially cut the field in half. They always seem to be one step ahead of the receiver, pick up routes quickly, and can read the quarterback well. Who came to mind when you read that? Most likely Richard Sherman or Darrelle Revis. Which makes sense. But to me, Sherman isn't head and shoulders above every other corner in the league, like he seems to think...

My top 5:
5. Antonio Cromartie: Cro31's ability to kill receivers (& their routes) at the line is what gives him an edge and makes him stand out. He can be sloppy at times, allowing receivers to get the best of him, but 8 out 10 times, the 6ft 2 corner locks it down. With Peterson and Cromartie continuing to evolve, Arizona could potentially have the best cornerback-duo in the NFL. 
4. Joe Haden: the worst thing about Joe Haden is the teams he's been on. He's such  a good player, but Cleveland's last few seasons kind of disguise all he's done and all that he's able to do. Arguably one of the most dynamic corners we've seen in the past decade, Haden is constantly frustrating receivers and disrupting plays. Exactly what you want a corner to do. I mean, after all, that is what he's getting paid to do. Joe Haden plays his best when he's up against big, physical offensive weapons (he tends to struggle against smaller receivers...much like our guy, Browner). He's got the speed to keep up with just about anybody. He's just 25 years old...give him a good team, or a good defensive minded coach, and he quickly emerges in talks of the best corner in the league. 
3. Patrick Peterson: Patrick Peterson is one of, if not THE most, athletic guys in the league. He consistently shuts down any receiver - short, tall, big, fast...and he can do it on either side of the field. He doesn't come up with a ton of interceptions season in and season out, but his ability to do literally anything else (ehem, return punts for touchdowns) makes up for it. Not to mention his football IQ and understanding of the game is out this world. I'd gladly take a secondary with Patrick Peterson. 
2. Revis: #24 can effectively cover both sides of the field. He consistently shuts down opponents' best weapons. 6 time pro-bowler and 4 time All Pro. He gets it done. I really don't think I need to say anything else about Revis. His stats (minus his Tampa days) speak for themselves. Let's get him that ring, next week! 
1. Sherman: as much as it pains me to put Sherman at #1...especially since we play them in the biggest game of the season in exactly a week..I have to give credit where credit is due. (Honestly, it's more of a superstition thing, right now).  Sherman definitely runs his mouth, but he can back it up. I think the simple fact that quarterbacks around the NFL are literally scared to throw in his direction says enough. The main thing that keeps me from wanting to put him at #1 though, is the fact that he doesn't play both sides of the field very often. He has occasionally, but most of the time, he stays on the left side. Which he can do, because thanks to Seattle's crazy good Legion of Boom, Sherman doesn't have to cover the top WR every game. Essentially, he's asked to do a little bit less than the other guys on this list. Revis, Peterson, and even Haden are asked to cover the best receiver every game, with little to no help from safeties. Truth be told, I'll personally take Revis or Peterson over Sherman any day. 

Honorable mentions:
Brandon Flowers: before getting banged up, he was a solid corner. But over the past couple seasons he hasn't been able to shut down No. 1 receivers. His days in Kansas City featured some of the best plays at corner we've seen in years. 
Brandon Boykin: he started out being used primarily as a kick returner. But Boykin took full advantage when given the opportunity to shine in Philly's defense. Forced fumbles and picks are becoming his specialty. The 4th-round pick out of Georgia has a chance to become one of the best at his position. 
Charles Tillman: back in the day, he was about as good as they come. Arguably the best corner in Bears history. He was always overlooked and out of most "top corner" discussions, but when allowed to get physical and play man-to-man, he was scary good. Over the years, though, father time has caught up with Tillman and his seasons have been plagued by injuries. Unfortunately, I think his NFL days are over. Peanut Tillman will always one of my favorites. 
Talib: he might make my top 5 if: 1) he wasn't always getting banged up in THE most important games and 2) he wasn't a trader. But that's okay because we got Revis.

Runners up:
- Brent Grimes
- Tim Jennings
- Dee Milliner -- I know, I know. I put a Jets player on here. No need to freak out. It's a once in a blue moon type thing. But the 23 year old is pretty darn good. 
- Xavier Rhodes -- let's just say the Vikings made good use of their 1st round draft pick in 2013. I've loved Xavier Rhodes since his days at Florida State, and I'm happy to see that his productivity has carried over into the NFL. 
- Vontae Davis 

That's all for now. Big week coming up. I honestly doubt I'll be able to eat or sleep or even focus on anything other than the Super Bowl. I wish I was kidding, hahaha. 

As always, Go Pats!

Distractions and Overblown Story Lines

The last thing anyone wants to read right now, especially Patriots fans, is another story about deflated footballs. But with more information coming out, and more and more former players talking about how common this is, I thought I would throw my two cents in. I think most people in and around the NFL know that this really isn't that big of a deal. Yeah, if it's proven that the Patriots did it intentionally, I'll be disappointed, but that's it. This whole situation is being overblown and really, it comes down to envy. As Jemele Hill from ESPN said, what player wouldn't love to play for New England? What coach or GM doesn't want to be as successful as New England? Exactly. Controversy surrounds every winner. This is just another bump in the road, being played up, in hopes of distracting a good football team.

Quick thoughts:

• I fully believe that Belichick had no idea about any of this. His presser was convincing, seemed honest, and it kind of sounded like Coach was a little hurt. Yet another Super Bowl run will be tarnished by cheating allegations, whether they're proven true or not. Disappointing to say the least.
• The blame now shifts to Brady - so did he have anything to do with it? I've always thought Brady was a pretty honest, play-by-the-rules guy. And I still do. But I also know that in the NFL -or any sport, really- everyone tries to get ahead. Every competitor has pushed the rules at some point to get an advantage. Deep down, I don't really think Tom Brady decided to under-inflate the game balls to give him and his offense an unfair advantage. What I believe happened is #12 made it known that he likes the pigskin deflated to the lowest PSI, allowed. Which would be 12.5. So a ball tested inside, in dry conditions, 2 hours before game time, that checks out at 12.5 could easily, easily deflate in outdoor conditions. Maybe only inflating the ball to the minimum PSI is pushing things a little bit, but it's still completely legal. 
• AGAIN, if the Patriots were in fact playing with under-inflated footballs, that is not the reason they won, and the Colts lost. Supposedly the Patriots played with backup footballs in the second half, when we scored an unanswered 28 points. So if anything, I could make an argument that New England helped Indy out by playing with semi under-inflated balls in the first half. Maybe if the football was properly inflated, Brady wouldn't have thrown that pick and  we would've beat the Colts by 45 points, instead of mere 38. You're welcome, Colts. Hahahahahaha. 
• "The Patriots can't make it to a Super Bowl without cheating, geeze. First the Tuck Rule, then filming walkthroughs, then Spygate, then tapping into the opponents' headsets to interfere with their communication, now this." Over the years, I've learned that there's really no use in arguing with Pats haters, or even acknowledging them, because it does no good, and they're going to believe what they want to believe. So I've accepted that. But one thing I would love to clear up, is that the New England Patriots had absolutely nothing to do with the Tuck Rule being called. That one was totally on the officials and was not "created for Tom Brady". That is honestly one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard. But moving on. I have a whole post on that game, but to sum things up, the Tuck Rule had been a rule since 1999...before Brady even came into the NFL. It had been called 2 other times that season, once against the Patriots. It is no longer a thing, and that's fine. But the Tuck Rule shouldn't be called the "Brady Rule" and it is definitely not the only reason we know Tom Brady. It's been over a decade, it's really time for Raiders fans, and NFL fans in general, to move on. *drops mic*

I think I'm done ranting today. Maybe. 

*Will probably update after Brady addresses the media at 4!*

As always, Go Pats. #WereOnToSeattle

Deflate Gate: Those Cheatriots are at it again?

If the NFL does in fact find evidence (and release it to the public) that the Patriots intentionally deflated footballs for the AFC Championship Game, where does that leave us Pats fans? 
I know even if the investigation comes back and there's no evidence to suggest that New England did this to gain an advantage, 90% of the rest of the league and non-Patriot fans will still think that the Patriots cheated. Just how it goes, unfortunately. 
So far, as of 11pm on January 20th, the league has found that 11 out of 12 balls were under-inflated by 2 pounds each. As of now, the NFL has no further comment and the Patriots have restated that they will fully cooperate with the investigation. 
Again, if they did do it, they deserve some type of punishment. I agree. But there is no way that anyone can honestly think that the amount of pressure in the football lead to the blowout. Nope. Not buying it. An under-inflated football wouldn't even be the difference between an interception and a touchdown. The ball is still going to go wherever it's thrown. The only real 'advantage' you could gain from an under-inflated ball, is getting a little bit of a better grip on it. That's really it.

Many NFL owners, coaches, staff, etc are talking like this is the worst thing ever, Spygate 2.0, essentially. Which is not surprising because the Patriots are powerhouse in the NFL right now, and of course, we're going to the Super Bowl. But the general census from former players/HOFers is that yeah, they broke a rule, but that's pretty much it. A lot of them don't believe it helped New England much at all. 

This is all still really odd to me, because the Patriots were clearly the better team Sunday night, so I don't understand why we would try to get an advantage against a team we've blown out the past 4 times we've met. Also, I still want to hear from the officiating crew.  If the refs had done their job, we wouldn't in the middle of this controversy. It's pretty well known that the refs are supposed to check EACH game ball 2 hours and 15 minutes before kick off. Wouldn't they have noticed *and fixed* the pressure? You would think...

Can't wait see what we find out over the next few days (please sense my sarcasm). But I wouldn't be surprised if the NFL kind of pins this one on us, anyway. 

As always, Go Pats! 

One More Win.

What a season it has been. And it's not over, yet.

After dominating the Colts and allowing only one touchdown, the Patriots further proved that they deserve to be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. Offense was great, offensive line SHOWED UP, defense was stellar, and Browner only had one penalty called on him. Improvement, you guys! 

This season, as Brady said, we've heard it all. We were done and Brady was getting traded in September; October told a different story, as the Patriots finally evolved into the team everyone thought they were going to be, back in July. We went on to win 7 straight, a streak that was snapped when we travelled to Green Bay and lost by only 5 points, in one of the toughest environments to play; December, we locked up the number one seed and home field advantage. Sure, we struggled in more first-half's then we would like to admit, but when it came down to it, the Patriots made plays when it counted most. Something just feels different about this season. It seems right. 

Deflated balls and deceptive formations. Even if the (ridiculous) accusations are true, is it that big of a deal? No. The only reason we're even being investigated for "intentionally deflating the game balls" is because the Patriots are good and people can't stand it. Oh, and the Spygate thing, of course. Spygate is another post in itself, but basically, it's the center of all this. Anytime New England has a legitimate chance to win it all, people start stirring things up. Because of Spygate, and because the Patriots have been "caught cheating before", we won't get the benefit of the doubt. Ever. 

I don't think there was really any way the Colts were going into Foxboro Sunday night, and winning. They're good, but the Patriots are just a better team. If, IF, the Patriots did deflate the game balls to try to get some sort of unfair advantage, then yeah, they should be punished. Do I think it's something that warrants major retribution? Not really. When it comes down to it, it almost seems impossible that the Patriots could've gotten away with it and only ONE player notice. In my opinion, it's more likely that the footballs deflated due to the weather. Which does happen. The refs pick up the ball and put it down after EVERY PLAY. How could they not tell that something felt 'different'? Regardless of what the NFL finds during it's "thorough investigation", the amount of air pressure in the football had absolutely no effect on the outcome of the game. We're on to Seattle!

One more win. 

As always, go Patriots. 

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Later today, the Colts come into Gillette Stadium to battle the Patriots for a ticket to the Super Bowl. The Patriots have gotten close over the past years, reaching the AFCCG four years in a row, but failing to advance. This year, though, something feels different. We weren't even supposed to make it to the playoffs; if we did, every "expert" had us as a wildcard, and going one and done. Brady "sucked" and the Patriots' dynasty was over in week 4 of the regular season, remember?? And if anyone thinks that Brady and the Pats won't use this as motivation, you are wrong. Brady's been on the quest for ring number 4 since, well, he won ring number 3. That's been a while. After losing to the lucky Giants twice in the big game (once in Arizona..!), I'm pretty sure Brady is tired of losing in the game that counts the most. Revis signed with New England because he's hungry for a Championshp. Something he's never known on the NFL level. After a shaky game last week, he's looking to redeem himself, and help get his team to Super Bowl 49. 

Injuries were the story last year. With 13 of our starters on injured reserve, it's really no surprise that we didn't make it to the Super Bowl, much less win. This year, though, if we fail to advance, disappointed will be putting things lightly. If we make it to Arizona and lose, well it will still be disappointing, but my best guess is that we'll be going up against the best defense in the league...it'll be a little more understandable. 

In my honest opinion, I think (and hope and pray...) that Brady and the Pats put on a clinic, Sunday night. Something similar to what happened the last 3 times we've faced the Colts. By no means should we underestimate Andrew Luck and the high-powered Colts, but I think Brady wants it more this year, than he has in a while. In New England, we like to prove people wrong. 

Not sure how much sleep I'll actually get tonight because ya know, I'm anxious and nervous and excited. All in a good way. Win or lose, this will always be my team. 

As always, GO PATS. 

COLTS @ PATS: bigger, better, faster, stronger.

One more win and we're going to Arizona; two more wins and we're walking out of Arizona as world champions. No pressure or anything!

But really, two more wins. That's all we need. Just let that sink in. The Patriots are on the verge of winning the Super Bowl for the first time in over a decade. And I think this team, this defense, gives New England the best shot they've had in some time. 

While the Super Bowl is on nearly every Patriots' fan's mind, we have a tough matchup at home before we can even start thinking about the big game. We have to face the "Lucky" Colts who made Denver look nothing more than average; granted, the Broncos have been struggling since mid-November.

When the two teams met earlier this season at Lucas Oil, Jonas Gray debuted and was the MVP of the game. Brady had two ugly picks, but thankfully the Pats managed to overcome them. New England won 42-20, and Indianapolis fell to 0-3 vs the Pats in the Andrew Luck era. 

What's different since the last time we met?

• Jonas Gray in Belichick's dog house. I love Bill, but I think he's made his point. After being late to practice the Friday following his breakout performance, Gray was benched for that weeks game, and he hasn't seen the field much, since. Gray has had just 20 carries for about 80 yards, since week 13, yet he still leads NE in yards rushing. In my opinion, LeGarette Blount hasn't exactly been the player we thought were bringing back. I'm still glad to have him back, but I think the best way to get the absolute most out of our ground game, is using a combination of Blount and Gray. Both are big, physical, hard runners, but they have slightly different skill sets and running styles. If I'm Belichick, McDaniels, and Brady, I'm using both of my skilled backs to keep the newly reenergized Colts defensive line on their toes. I think the AFCCG is when we see Gray come back into the game plan, and dominate...again!
• Potentially playing without Bryan Stork at center. Sigh. What is it with offensive lines in New England? We just can't seem to keep our unit healthy the past couple seasons. The best OLine combination we've seen all season long, has been one consisting of Connolly, Stork, and Wendell. Unfortunately, Brady & Co may be playing the AFC title game without Stork. 
• Indy's defensive line - bringing the heat. Have you seen the Colts' defensive line over the past month? Yeah, it's no joke. If I'm being honest, I didn't know they had it in them! New England's offensive line needs to have a near-perfect game, Sunday. 
• Indy's secondary. The Colts' secondary has miraculously gotten a major boost in recent weeks. One thing I'll point out though is in week 11, their biggest concern was slowing down Gronk. Now that McDaniels is starting to incorporate more weapons into the Patriots' offense, the Colts will have worry about effectively covering not just Gronk and Edelman, but LaFell, Wright, Hooman, and Amendola, as well. I hope we dominate the passing game. 
• Andrew Luck's protection has gotten better and better as the season has progressed. Since he's not afraid to take off and run it himself, our defense will have to play a stellar game. I'm thinking a couple sacks for Collins, maybe one for Chan95, and maybe he and Nink team up for sack and forced fumble.

Revis is coming off the worst game of his entire NFL career. If that doesn't motivate him to play the best game of his NFL career to date, I don't know what will. I would hate to be the guy going up against Revis, come Sunday. 

All in all, I don't see this game being as easy as many fans seem to think. We're facing a much different, much better Colts team than we did earlier in the season. Dominating offensively, defensively, and time of possession is crucial. The Patriots need to pick up where they left off in the second half of the game vs Baltimore. Arguably the most important thing for the Patriots on Sunday will be keeping their emotions in check and focusing on the game at hand. 

PS. Brady totally owned the Colts on Facebook this week. 

As always, GO PATS.

This is the End?

I had already started working on this post back in December. Now that the scenario at hand has become a reality, what's next? 


After spending big money in the offseason to improve the defense, Denver was hoping to pick up where they left off last season: one win away from being Super Bowl champions. Obviously, with a 38, almost 39 year old quarterback, it's Super Bowl or bust for the Broncos. What team's goal isn't winning the Super Bowl? 

Since Denver had the top ranked offense last season, GM John Elway focused primarily on defense this offseason. Singing TJ Ward (aka achilles killer), Demarcus Ware (a sack master), and Aqib Talib, their defense got a major boost. Was it enough? Evidently not. They say defense wins championships, which I firmly believe, and I think Seattle proved that last February. 

Take a look at the Broncos' roster: they're stacked. In fact, just going by the roster alone, most would probably rank both Denver's offense and defense in their respective top 10s. With their recent struggles in mind, especially in the month of December, you can't help but wonder what happened. You could blame their regression on Peyton and his obvious personal struggles, because his health issues bothered him more than anyone in the Broncos' organization wanted to admit. You could play the injury card since Julius Thomas had been banged up since their loss to the Rams, and RB Ronnie Hillman hasn't played since early November. You can talk bad about Jack Del Rio and his 'inability to coach a defense at a professional level'. Or, you could point the finger at the good ole' head coach. Granted, I haven't liked John Fox since his days in Carolina so I'm pretty biased. 

Going back the loaded roster topic, if the Broncos don't win the Super Bowl this season, if I'm John Elway or a Broncos fan (which thankfully I am neither), I'm reevaluating my team's head coaching position. *update, the Broncos lost to the Colts about 20 minutes ago, so they are officially DONE this season*

Every Broncos game this season, NFL fans had to hear about "what John Elway did in the offseason"; if what he did and who he brought in was so great, you hope that you have a coach who can use them effectively, and win, especially come playoffs time. 

Since Denver fell short of their ultimate goal, you have to think that maybe it's time to move on from John Fox. And no, Rex Ryan isn't coming to Denver, he wouldn't be a good fit, anyway, and Jack Del Rio isn't the answer to your prayers. 

As always, go Patriots. 

Ravens @ Pats

Obviously, this weekend's game is huge. Win and advance, or lose and go home. Simple. As plain as we can make it sound though, this game will be anything but easy. As much as I hate to admit it, the Ravens are a good team. Though I dislike most of them, they're a talented team. With a defense that's known for their gritty, borderline-dirty playing style, and an offense that really comes alive in the post-season, Baltimore pretty much always gives us some trouble. 

As for the upper hand...
I'm not sure there's really an underdog in this game. It's an even mix of people who say Baltimore is the underdog, and those who say New England is the underdog. I think both teams take whatever negatives, whatever reasons they "won't win" that have been dished out this week, and use them as motivation. Do I think Suggs and Flacco and Steve Smith are tired of hearing about how they've struggled against above .500 teams this season? Yep. Do I think Brady and the Pats are tired of hearing about Baltimore having their number in the playoffs? Absolutely. I can't wait to see how this fuels the Patriots, tomorrow afternoon. 

I do believe that Baltimore will give us everything they've got. And I absolutely believe we do the very same. It'll be a hard fought game and I'd almost guarantee that we're all tempted to throw something at our TVs at least four times on Saturday. But that's okay, just get the win. Even though we beat them in Baltimore last season, we still want revenge for the embarrassing loss in the AFCCG, two years ago. In my mind, that was supposed to be our year. But apparently not, because we did not show up to play. If I remember correctly, we were shutout in the second half. Unacceptable. And something that can't happen again on Saturday night. 

Suggs, one of my least favorite players in the entire league, always plays us with a vengeance. I guess he's still jealous of Brady, who knows. Personally, I'm hoping that our offensive line makes him a non-factor this time around. No one wants to hear him running his mouth after the game, no matter the outcome.  

Since our offense has struggled in recent weeks, I hope this game turns out much like the game against Cinci. We came out on fire, scored a touchdown on the opening drive and hardly slowed down the entire game; defense was incredible that night. AJ Green had a nice mini-vacation on Revis Island, Andy Dalton was frustrated, we did pretty well stopping the run, and Browner wasn't even active. LOVED IT. Oh yeah, and we hadn't "released the beast (Jonas Gray)", yet, and Blount was still in Pittsburgh. Imagine all these 'forces' working together against Baltimore. Again, I'm not saying we're going to win, I'm not saying the Ravens will win, I'm not saying this will be an easy win for either team. I'm just excited. Revis, Brady, Belichick, as well as the rest of the team, are hungry for a win. The win. 

Pep talks

Defense, don't underestimate Joe Flacco. Limit Baltimore's deep ball and get physical. Offense, come out firing on all cylinders, from start to finish. Go no huddle and show no mercy. If at any point we get behind (which I hope we don't), don't stress, don't rush it. We know how to play from behind. Stay focused, stay calm. Remember, this is our house.

As always, GO PATRIOTS. 

Inside a Patriots fan's mind: Playoffs

So, come January, everyone gets a little bit crazier; understandably so because there's a lot on the line. In my opinion, the Patriots fan base has some of the most intense, loud, cocky, superstitious -and sometimes annoying- fans in the league. And I love it. Because I proudly admit that I am one of them. 
Twitter and the comment sections on Bleacher Report are probably the best places to witness New England fans in full blown playoff-mode. I mean, we take it to a whole new level. I present to you, some of my favorites. 

The wicked superstitious fans:
~ "Ehh, to be honest, I don't really know how I feel about Gronk on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week. Can't they wait until March?"
~ "Wait, did I wear this shirt in week 16?"  (last time we won)
~ "Saturday games really confuse me. I mean, how am I supposed to follow all of my superstitions, now?"
~ "Don't say win and Patriots in the same sentence. Evah."
*You have to read this one with a Boston accent* ~ "Damon, c'monnn. Why would you guarantee we're goin' all tha way? You know if we lose we're all blaming you." *in reference to Matt Damon, a diehard Boston sports fan, declaring that the Patriots will indeed "go all the way" this year. Mm mm mmm, should've taken the Ben Affleck route.

Pats fans in general:
~ "We can't lose to Baltimore in the playoffs again..."
~ "Dude, wouldn't it just be the icing on the cake if we actually win another this year, since everybody said we were done the first month of the season? Nothin' would make us happier than proving everybody wrong. We gotta complete this turnaround." 
~ "I'm not guaranteeing anything, but get the Duck Boats ready just in case." 
~ "We need the Pats to do good since the Bruins' season pretty much sucks. Thanks, Chiarelli." 
~ "I don't care if it's a blowout or a squeaker, as long as we win."
~ "We needed that bye. But I was so lost on Sunday without the Pats."
~ "I'm preparing myself for high blood pressure and unhealthy anxiety levels for Saturday's game. But what's new."
~ "Ya know, if our offensive line holds up for the entire game, I really like our chances. *knocks on wood*" 
~ "Everyone's sleeping on Tim Wright. Watch him be Brady's lethal weapon during our post season run. Probably the key piece we've been missing all season long. Go long, Tim!" 
~ "I hope Brady plays with a chip on his shoulder."
~ "I don't know if I'm sick like the flu, or just anxious for the game..." 
~ "I'm wicked pumped. GO PATS!"

Come on, you know you've said at least a couple of these, lately. 

*inspired by fellow Pats fans' tweets and my insanely superstitious self*

As always, go Patriots! 

"We're On To Baltimore"

Saturday's division round playoff game against the Ravens is being dubbed as the 'worst case scenario matchup' for the Pats. Which, if you think about it, is understandable. In the playoffs, Joe Flacco essentially becomes a completely different player, performing at an insanely higher level. In fact, he's 2-1 against Brady and the Pats in the playoffs. New England is 15-4 at home in the post season. Guess what...two of those losses came against Baltimore. 

If you want to talk about previous seasons, then yeah, Baltimore seems to have the edge against us in the playoffs. They're not afraid to play in Foxboro, which, is kind of admirable, really. Okay, so they beat us at home in the AFCCG 2 seasons ago, while they were riding the coattails of Ray Lewis' 'final ride' and his deer antler spray, I mean motivational speeches. We're still mad about that, by the way. But a lot has changed since 2013. Last year, we went into Baltimore and beat the Ravens 41-7. And the craziest part? We did it without Gronk, Wilfork, no LaFell, no Revis, no Browner...see where I'm going with this? And you best believe Wilfork is hyped, since he spent last years playoffs on IR. 

We know the Ravens well. We know how they play us and we know that it's never an easy game. This year, my concern is again, centered around the offensive line. Baltimore's front is scary good. They've always given us trouble. Though they suffered some blows to the secondary earlier this season, they've settled in and got a pretty good thing going. As far as the Flacco-led offense, well, our defense has their work cut out for them. Pass rush and getting pressure on Flacco is key. I sincerely hope he's uncomfortable all. game. long (hint, hint, do your job Chan95, Collins, Nink, Ayers). Revis on either Smith, Torrey or Steve, will most certainly be an interesting matchup. Hopefully he has another shutdown performance. Anyone else think Revis needs an interception, this game? Considering how many times we've struggled to slow down tight ends this year, I think the most underrated and overlooked offensive weapon the Ravens have, is Owen Daniels. I dig the idea of Browner on Daniels, but I don't expect a complete shut-down. Browner's good, but Daniels just might a lil better. 

Keys for a Patriots win:

• Defensively:
• Secondary needs to effectively shut down Baltimore's passing game, and our line has to stop the run and pressure Flacco. CONSISTENTLY. 
• Create turnovers. Picks, forced fumbles, strip-sacks, all of the above; whatever floats their boats. Just do it. 
• Dominate on 3rd downs and red zone stops. Pretty much speaks for itself. 
• Offensively:
• 2 dimensional offense. A nice combination of running and passing. 
• Open up the passing game. I would almost expect (and plan) for Gronk to be a non-factor for much of the game. More than likely, he'll be double-teamed for most of the night. And you can't just sling it to Jules every play, either. I have a feeling Amendola has a big game, maybe Wright and Tyms get involved a little, and LaFell becomes Brady's best/favorite weapon, this weekend. I'm all for using whoever it takes to get touchdowns, instead of settling for field goals.
• Obviously, limit turnovers. None would be nice, but as stated earlier, Baltimore's defense always gives Brady a little trouble. 
• Outstanding O-Line performance. I'm talking a -Brady has all the time in the world, leaves us speechless for 3 days, stellar- performance...too much? But really, if the offensive line can perform well, I like our chances. 

This post is kind of all over the place, but the gist of it is: just win, baby, win. *Snoop Dogg voice* 

As always, Go Pats!

New Year, Same Goal: Superbowl or Bust

With the NFL Playoffs starting today, I've been asked multiple times over the last week whether or not I think any of the AFC opponents can beat the Patriots. In short, do I think any AFC team can beat New England? Of course. I'm constantly saying, "any given Sunday." I mean there's a 50-50 chance going into ANY game. If someone were to ask me if I think any AFC team will beat the Patriots, however, that would be a completely different answer. As we all know, I am verrry superstitious so I will try to answer this as specific as possible, while being careful not to jinx anything. 

So really, can anyone beat the Patriots?

Again, any team could walk into Gillette Stadium and hand the Patriots a loss, sending us home to watch the big game from the couch. Since we have home field throughout and since we have a pretty good track-record at home, I think that definitely works to our advantage. I know from personal experience just how loud Gillette can get; the atmosphere will be intense. Will it be enough to throw off the opposing team? Hopefully. We'll either get Cinci, Baltimore, or Indy for the divisional round game. And I don't know about you, but I don't love the idea of playing Baltimore in the postseason, due to past outcomes; I know we beat Cinci pretty bad in week 5, and we could probably do it again, but the Bengals have been on fire lately, and that intensity mixed with a taste for revenge would make for a bit of a different matchup, this time around; and if we get Indy, we have to effectively stop Andrew Luck and Company, again. Say we get past the divisional round and advance to the AFCCG. Again, trying not to jinx anything. But after being humiliated out of the playoffs the past 3 years, nobody in New England wants to feel that way again. And if I'm Brady or Wilfork or Gronk or Nink or Belichick...you get what I'm saying... I'm going to do everything possible to avoid that happening again. If the Patriots really want it as bad as they seem to, I don't think it matters who we face, I  think we get the job done. *knocks on wood*

Hopefully the Patriots have used this bye week as a chance to regroup, refocus, and recharge. During the last 5 games of our regular season, offense took a step back. While I don't think it's something that can't (or won't) be fixed, it was still worrisome as it reminded some fans of our shaky start to the season. I would put about 60% of the blame on our O-Line. Because as we all know, if the quarterback has no time throw and is constantly pressured, and if our running backs aren't being blocked for, everything crumbles offensively. Thankfully, we usually seem to find our rhythm in the second half. The bad thing about that though, is that if we face a good team and get behind in the first half, there really is no guarantee that we catch up. So offense needs to be, no has to be clicking on all cylinders for a full 60 minutes. If defense can keep up their dominant shutdown performance, good. If they can play even better...GREAT. I hope the playoffs bring many turnovers, 3-and-outs, forced fumbles, sacks, and pick-6's for the Patriots' defense (and none of those for the Patriots offense, please!)

For now, I'm focused on wildcard weekend to see what exactly the Patriots are up against. It's actually kind of nice to have a worry free, stress free, football-filled weekend. 

My wildcard weekend picks: 

Arizona @ Carolina: as much as I would like to Arizona come away with the win (love Larry Fitz, don't like Ron Rivera), I have to go with Carolina. Just because I think their defense steps up and makes plays when it matters most. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I'm thinking something like 23-17 Carolina. 

Ravens @ Steelers: even though they're without Le'veon Bell, I think the Steelers find a way to inch by the Ravens. Give me Steelers over Ravens, 31-27. 

Bengals @ Colts: for me, it depends on which Andy Dalton shows up. If it's the Andy Dalton of playoffs past, Colts by a mile; if it's the Andy Dalton we've seen the past few weeks, I think the Bengals just might get their first playoff win in over 20 years. Will Cinci's defense and recent surge of power on offense be enough to win at Lucas Oil Stadium?  I think I'll go with a nail biter, 24-23 Colts. 

Lions @ Cowboys: Cowboys all the way. Their offense is just too much for Detroit's defense, in my opinion. And I don't think the Lions can make up for it, offensively. I could see a close game in the first half, but the Cowboys pulling away late in the 3rd quarter. 34-24, Dallas.

As always, Go Patriots!