It’s the final week of the regular season, but just another game for the Patriots. 15 down, 4 to go, but this is the week where the chase for regular season records end. Will the Patriots be the first team 16 and 0? Will Tom Brady share or break the touch down record? Will Randy Moss share or break the receptions touchdown record? Will the Patriots break the scoring record? This game is all about records and whether the Patriots will be able to set them on the New York Giants. The Giants and Patriots are both stuck in their respective playoff spots. A win or loss means nothing to the place they are in the playoff brackets. Neither team is even playing for respect. Nothing good comes from this for the Giants and only records come into play for the Giants. With the Giants having nothing to play for and the Patriots likely to win regardless, the Patriots win 41 to Giants 14.

1. Records – The Patriots are playing for records that would cement them as the greatest regular season team in the history of the NFL. If they want to be the greatest team in the history of the NFL, they’ll need to win three more after this game, but this win would make them without question the best ever in the regular season. 16 and 0 is a record. 22 touchdowns for Randy Moss would tie a record. 49 touchdown throws from Tom Brady would be a record. 6 more points from the Patriots would give them the regular season scoring record. On the other hand, they could also hold the Giants to as few points as possible and have the least points scored against a team this season as well as the scoring record. Playing well, getting the win, the Patriots are playing for their place in history.

2. Giants a spoiler – The Giants sole reason to play in this game is as a spoiler. They have their playoff spot and will not get better or worse with a win or loss in this game. Do they have the pride to want to come out and beat the Patriots? Will they rest the Giants key players for the playoffs? Will Tom Coughlin and the Giants coaching be preparing for this game or are they preparing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in next weeks Wild Card weekend playoff game? What is the smart move to make, play to spoil the Patriots success or prepare for the Buccaneers and their own playoff success?

3. Resting Players – Both teams will be doing it, sitting down nicked up players and perhaps key individuals. The Patriots will have special teams performers Kyle Eckel and Willie Andrews, tight end Kyle Brady, and offensive linemen Nick Kaczur and Stephen Neal out. Depending on whether Gutierrez is active or just available as the emergency third quarterback, the Patriots will have just 2 or 3 active players inactive for this game. The Giants will likely have Kevin Dockery and Sinorice Moss out. Brandon Jacobs and Plaxico Burress both seem to be likely to have limited play do to their injuries. One would expect that both teams would be rotating in all their players, the backups into the offensive and defensive sets. Could we see Pierre Woods and Eric Alexander playing throughout the second half on defense?

4. 60 minutes – Regardless of what the Giants do, the Patriots will be playing the entire game to try and win. Every game is an important win or loss to the Patriots and they will be playing hard every week to win it. We may see some different sets than normal, as the end of the season is when Bill Belichick experiments and attempts to mask his normal game plans and tendencies. Backups will have opportunities to play in a real situation, which could be invaluable in the playoffs or in experience for next year or in future evaluation. Antwan Spann and Ray Ventrone were both added during the past two weeks and their future will be affected by their play if they are active. The same likely goes for a number of other backups, Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, and Kelley Washington. Even the play of Randall Gay, Eugene Wilson, and James Sanders should have an effect on how the Patriots deal with the defensive backs into the future.

5. Win Early – Finish this game in the first half. If the Patriots get up to a three or four or more touchdown lead, the game will be over and both teams can focus on the playoffs. The Patriots could see a couple of drives from Matt Cassell in the third quarter and another couple from Matt Gutierrez in the fourth quarter. Rashad Moore, Le Kevin Smith, Eric Alexander, Larry Izzo, and Pierre Woods would all get extended time in the second half. Kelley Washington, Chad Jackson, and Troy Brown might get to pad their receiver stats or at least get receiver stats. Heath Evans could run the ball. Set the records early. Win the game early. And we will all be a lot happier, early.

The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins … the last few years this has not been an easy matchup. They have split the season series each of the last three years with the Dolphins winning the second game. Now, though, the New England Patriots are 14 and 0, clinched homefield throughout the playoffs and a Bye. They have beaten the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns. Will the 1 and 13 Dolphins be able to beat them? It seems doubtful, but history says that it is certainly possible. The game will once again be played in weather conditions, rain and heavy winds. Again Tom Brady may have a difficult time throwing touchdown passes. Naw, this is the team they scored 42 on in the first half earlier in the season. Patriots win 34 to Dolphins 10.

1. Chasing the ’72 Dolphins – The Patriots have gotten farther than any team has to what the Dolphins did in 1972. The Phins won 17 and the Patriots have won 14 so far, but it is the 2007 Dolphins that are now in the way of the Patriots. Both teams should be extra motivated now that they are matched up with each other. The Patriots are playing the team that symbolizes their goal. The players of the ’72 team have brought extra incentive with all the attention that they have gotten during this season. The Dolphins should also be motivated. They are playing the team that is trying to usurp the legacy of one of their great Dolphins teams. Beating the Patriots would be quite a coup for these 1 and 13 Dolphins.

2. Changeover and Injuries – The Patriots have changed their roster a bit recently. Both Rashad Baker and Eddie Jackson were released while Ray Ventrone and Rashad Moore were added to the team. Kyle Brady and Benjamin Watson are both questionable for this game. We may see just one of them and Stephen Spach active for this game. The Right Guard situation is also tenuous with Billy Yates and Stephen Neal both questionable and both missing time this season. For the Dolphins, Channing Crowder was just put on injured reserve and so will sit out the rest of the season. Jason Taylor missed practice this week, but is expected to play.

3. Bill Parcells – Could he be a source of motivation for the Miami Dolphins? Could the Dolphins players specifically work harder to give the team a win in his first week as a part of the Miami Dolphins? Or will his addition to the team be a distraction, as the players have had to worry about their jobs and that of their coach instead of in preparing for the New England Patriots and cold weather football? One cannot be sure right now what type of immediate effect that Bill Parcells with have on the 2007 Miami Dolphins, but does give the 2008 Miami Dolphins and perhaps future Dolphins teams credibility that the team has lacked since Dan Marino retired.

4. Weather – Again the Patriots will be playing in terrible weather. It will rain in Foxborough and there will be heavy wind. Will it be a decisive advantage for the Miami Dolphins? It most certainly will not. Such weather favors a heavy running attack. Miami’s front seven is banged up and so is Jesse Chatman, their starting running back. The Patriots should be able to run effectively on the Dolphins and then have Tom Brady throw it. The weather may hold down the number of points that the Patriots would have put up on the Dolphins, but it certainly will not affect the outcome of this game.

5. Cam Cameron vs Bill Belichick – Cam Cameron may have been a great offensive coordinator, but he is a lousy head coach. It takes an extra special incompetence to lose 6 games by 3 points and only beat the Ravens that head its heart destroyed against New England and body destroyed against the Indianapolis Colts the previous two weeks and almost blow it to them. Cameron was half a yard and one dumb Brian Billick decision away from 0 and 14. His publicized “Fail Fast First” philosophy may have its merits in terms of part of instruction, but for the Dolphins, it just meant that he had a lousy team. The coaching matchup is overwhelmingly in the favor of the Patriots. With the other intangibles of various types of motivation, injuries, and weather, it seems more likely that Bill Belichick will be able to handle it better than Cam Cameron.

Well, welcome to week 15, New York Jets verse the New England Patriots …what kind of revenge will be in store for this game? Ever since the first SpyGate, Patriots fans have had this game circled on our calendars in anticipation of a dominating performance from the Patriots. Message boards, blogs, and the media have hyped this game as one where the Patriots would go for 50, 60, 70, or even 100 points in a dominating victory. Earlier this week, we learned that there would be inclement weather, a Nor’easter. It turns out, though, that the snow has turned to rain in Foxboro and the wind has died down, so perhaps mother nature has turned its favor to the Patriots. Regardless, I cannot see the Jets winning this game, Patriots 35 to Jets 7.

1) Revenge – In the first week of the season, the New York Jets started the season by bringing about SpyGate, which of course started this quest of destroying all opponents and proving that the team was the best in the history of the NFL. The Jet actions, Mangini’s actions, and cost the Patriots a first round pick and fines. If Anthony Smith’s comments can be found as motivation for the Patriots then I would expect that SpyGate would do the same thing for this game. The Jets must lose and they must lose big, so one would expect the Patriots to have been working extra hard all week in preparation for this game.

2) Belichick verse Mangini – The coaching matchup is huge for this game. These are two of the best Head Coaches in the NFL, master and protégé. These two during this game will not make mistakes. We will not see a Gibbs double timeout or misuse of timeouts around the two-minute mark. We may see Mangini throw a few trick plays, but one would not expect that from Belichick in this game.

3) Tom Brady and Kellen Clemens verse the weather – Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL and more than that, the best weather quarterback. Regardless of conditions, he can find a way to move the ball down the field through rain, sleat, wind, or snow against any team. Kellen Clemens will be new to this, but is also playing against a feisty Patriots defense. Can he succeed in inclement weather?

4) Stop the run – Thomas Jones is perhaps the most productive offensive weapon on the New York Jets. He may have just 1 rushing touchdown, but the 944 yards at 3.7 per attempt show that the Jets are willing to run even when it is not effective. As a back, Jones is north-south type back who is perfect for bad weather football. We will have bad weather. Kellen Clemens is unproven in weather and proven inconsistent without it. Forcing Clemens to be the lone offensive threat would be in the best interest of the Patriots.

5) Run the ball – The Patriots have not been using the run much the past few weeks, preferring to throw it 39, 54, 38, and 46 times in the games since the Bye Week. Even in bad weather, the Patriots have used the short passing game to set up longer passes. Hitting Welker for 10 or more receptions would likely mean a win for the Patriots, but using Maroney 15 times with Evans and Faulk for a few carries would also be effective. Traditionally, games in weather have more running attempts than normal. The Patriots can run, but it would be nice to see them do it.

For two weeks now, the New England Patriots have struggled, looking vulnerable to defeat. For two weeks now, fourth quarter comebacks have been what saved the Patriots. The Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles are not nearly as good as the Pittsburgh Steelers. There can be no letdown like there were the past couple of weeks if the Patriots want to win this game. The Steelers have the leagues top rated defense and historically one of the best, and their offense is not too bad either. The Patriots on the other hand have one of the greatest offenses ever and a good, but struggling defense. In the end, it comes down to who wants to win this game and has their intensity up. If the Patriots want to win then they will win. If the Steelers want to win then they have an opportunity to win. As for a prediction of today’s score, 24-13 Patriots over Steelers.

1. Beating the Steelers’ Pass Rush – The media’s designed game plan against the Patriots was for getting at Brady with a pass rush, hitting and sacking him. The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best pass rushes in the league, led by James Harrison, and everyone assumes will be getting after Tom Brady. The Patriots will have to be able to get the pass off and to the receivers for completions. Matt Light and the offensive line will need to do a good job protecting Brady. Kevin Faulk and Kyle Brady will likely see a few plays in pass protection. A key, though, could be the likely absence of Troy Polamalu who is doubtful for this game and often a huge factor in their blitz as either a fast safety over the top, in coverage, or even on the blitz.

2. Intensity – The past two weeks, the Patriots have had difficult games do to two playing harder than they have all season. Tom Brady and clutch defense was enough to engineer fourth quarter comebacks, but if we are to play the Steelers, being the more intense team will help the Patriots win. The Steelers are tough, but the Patriots are tougher, the team that comes out plays harder, wants to win the most, will have the intensity advantage. Hopefully this week, it will be the Patriots and not their opponent.

3. Outside the Pittsburgh Swamp – The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-0 at home and 2-3 on the road. No football field is in worse condition after a few minutes of football than the Steelers’ Heinz field. So far this year, the Steelers have proven themselves mediocre playing outside of it losing to the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets, while beating the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals away. The Patriots are tough at home and have an artificial turf. The Steelers appear to struggle away from their home field.

4. Beating Big Ben and Fast Willie – The Patriots defense the past couple of weeks have been beaten by average quarterbacks and running backs. Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker are two of the better players at their positions and they have a very good offensive line in front of them. The Patriots defense will need to work harder and cannot let the opponents offense “manhandle” them like they did last week. Vince Wilfork needs to stay home. Richard Seymour and Ty Warren have to get into the backfield. The outside linebackers will need to maintain contain. Perhaps we will even see Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas switch sides of the line or Jarvis Green on the right end in a 4-3 lineup.

5. Balance the Offense – In general Josh McDaniels does a good job calling the game and Brady makes the correct changes at the line. The Patriots need to be tough with the Steelers defense. Calling more run plays than normal, especially early, will open up passing opportunities for Tom Brady. Utilize some two running back sets or two tight end sets or both, and the Patriots could be just as successful, but keep the Steelers from keying on Brady, Moss, and the passing game. Something for the Patriots must change. Power running could be just what Brady needs to get Moss and Welker off the Steelers radar.

Can the New England Patriots be stopped? Are the Eagles the team that can do it? Well, that will probably not happen this weekend. The Patriots have been just so dominating this year and the Eagles have been inconsistent even with Donovan McNabb. Without him, one must wonder if the Eagles even have a chance. For the past week, this game has felt like a foregone conclusion, but with the only question mark being by how much the Patriots will win this game. Four of their past five games the Patriots scored over 48 points. Against the Eagles, they will continue that trend, 49 Patriots to 13 Eagles.

1) Philadelphia Eagles – The Patriots are not the only team playing Sunday night. The Eagles will be there, too, but can they force their will on the Patriots or even stop what the Patriots are trying to do? To even ask this question says a lot about the unusual dominance of the Patriots. The Eagles will likely get dominated in every aspect of the game, but if they find one area to play as well as the Patriots and they get a little luck, we could have a game.

2) Patriots Offensive Line vs. Eagles Defensive Line – The Eagles have a talented and deep group of players along the defensive front. Any team with a strong defensive line can dominate the opponent’s offense, so the Patriots offensive line will need to win that battle. There will be no offensive explosion without this battle going for the Patriots. Of course the Patriots offensive line has to be considered one of the best if not the best group in the NFL.

3) Officials – The officials always seem to be X-Factors in today’s sporting events. Can you trust them to call the game, as they should? They can definitely have an effect on the game. For the eleventh week in a row, the Patriots will have a different referee crew working their game, Gene Steratore’s crew.

4) Brian Westbrook – With Donovan McNabb out, the Eagles will be relying on AJ Feeley at quarterback. Feeley may be good enough to manage the game, but it will be up to Brian Westbrook to create the offense necessary to score points for the Eagles. Westbrook has put up 849 yards on the ground, 518 receiving, and 9 touchdowns combined this season. The effort of Brian Westbrook and that of the Patriots to stop him will go a long way toward winning this game.

5) Tom Brady – Tom Brady is the best player in the NFL right now and perhaps ever. Nobody is a bigger offensive threat than him. He has around him the leagues best wide receiver corps, one of the best offensive lines, solid tight ends, and decent running backs. Right now he is just unstoppable and that should not change this week against the Eagles. Brady will be breaking records from now till the end of the year, but the only one that matters to him today is 11 and 0, the Patriots victory over the Eagles on Sunday night.

The New England Patriots seem to be on a march toward destiny. What better situation could this be for the Patriots? The Buffalo Bills best offensive weapon is banged up and is doubtful to play in this game. The Patriots are coming off a Bye week and have gotten stronger as the season has gone along. At this point, the Patriots are just plain dominant. Even the series has gone for the Patriots over this past decade, winning 13 of their last 14 against the Bills. It almost seems too perfect for the Patriots. Could we see an upset? I doubt it. We are talking about Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots here and the ultimate goal of dominating every game. There is no looking ahead, because the goal is to win by 20 or 30 or more points: Patriots 49 over the Bills 10.

1. Destiny – The Patriots for the first time in several years feel like a team of destiny. They are mad, hungry, and very good. What is the phrase? Don’t tug superman’s cape? Or the Yamamoto quote from Tora! Tora! Tora!: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Basically, the Mangini and the Jets, the NFL, and the national really messed up with their SpyGate and reaction to it. The Patriots are awake and want to inflict terrible punishment, and they will.

2. Tom Brady – Brady without a doubt is the key to the players’ reaction to SpyGate and the media’s obsession with its negativity toward Boston and its sports teams. Brady had his worse week against the Colts defense with just 255 yards through the air, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, for a 95.2 QB rating, the only game with less than a 100 QB rating of the season. Brady most assuredly will put together several scoring drives. Will he throw for 3 touchdowns again? It is probably a good bet.

3. Running the Ball – The Patriots had some difficulty in the last game running the ball early in the game. It was not till the Patriots spread the field some that they did have success. This week’s game may see the Patriots use the three wide receiver sets right from the start. The Pats have been successful all season with Welker, Moss, and Stallworth all on the field at the same time. Perhaps they will then find some more success with Maroney runs up the middle with the more spread offense. Remember last year, Maroney’s first great came against this Bills team.

4. Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel – These two are always a factor when the Patriots play against the Bills. Matt Light always seems to have a play or two that allows Schobel to get to Brady. Hopefully when it happens this week the result of the play will not hurt the Patriots too much. Kelsay should be a threat from the other side. Kaczur and O’Callaghan need to play well Sunday against him.

5. Bills Offense – The Buffalo Bills have one of the league’s worst offenses. They should be missing their biggest weapon, Marshawn Lynch. Dwayne Wright and Anthony Thomas are not the same type of threats as Lynch. The Bills should have trouble rushing even without considering the Patriots good rushing defense. At QB, JP Losman played well against the Jets and Bengals, but struggled last week against the Dolphins. The Patriots should not have much to worry about in the Bills offense.

What can you say? This is the biggest regular season game of the year and will determine the team with the best chance to win the Super Bowl. These are the two teams considered to be the league’s best teams and after this game, one team will be on track for 16 wins, home field advantage in the playoffs, and a bye. Really, this game means a lot, not everything, but still a lot. The game probably means more to the Colts than the Patriots. I doubt that the Colts can win in New England while the Patriots could certainly win anywhere. Honestly, I do not see this game as close. The Patriots will win big and get all those other advantages. Let’s have the Patriots win 48 to Colts 21.

1. New Receivers – The entire offseason for the Patriots was about how to beat the Colts. The rules over the last few years have been changed, lead of course by Bill Polian, to favor faster teams and the passing game. Brady has not had the same quality of receivers that the Colts have enjoyed, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokely, Dallas Clark, and Ben Utecht. Tomorrow, though, will be the first time that the Colts have faced a Brady led Patriots with a superior passing attack. The key, of course, is the new speed that they have. Welker, Stallworth, and Moss are all very fast, strong, quick, and frankly, very good at what they do. They should stretch out the defense and take advantage of the holes in the cover 2 defense. Ben Watson showing up would be beneficial as well.

2. Adalius Thomas – AD was acquired to help the Patriots beat this team. He is of course versatile, capable of doing many things well like cover, rush the passer, and stop the run, but he is also smart enough to capably mask his assigned role during a play and a threat enough at everything to be paid attention to. Against the Colts, he should be a factor as a pass rusher. It is conceivable that the Patriots will use a lot of nickel coverages. In a 2-4-5 or 1-5-5 nickel package, Thomas will rush Manning often.

3. Dallas Clark – Clark beat us last year, but that should not be the case this year. Both Seau and Adalius Thomas are upgrades over what we had then in all aspects of the game including coverage. James Sanders and Rodney Harrison are a better duo than whatever we had last year. Meriweather, Gay, or Wilson, there is someone that can cover him. The Patriots will find different ways to take Clark out of the game.

4. Rodney Harrison – The Patriots have lost three times in a row to the Colts, but injuries to Harrison have been as much a reason as any for the losses. Harrison is healthy and will be playing hard for the Patriots in this game. Harrison should be a factor for the Patriots and I expect that we will see a good showing from him in this game and an improved overall defense as a result.

5. Maroney & Faulk – You do not need to be faster than the Colts to beat them, but a little bit of speed does not hurt. Both Maroney and Faulk should have prominent roles in this game. The passing attack will be vital for the Patriots success so these two will need to effectively run the ball out of 3 wide receiver formations in the first half and provide support in the passing game, picking up pass rushers and in catching passes. Later in the game, their rushing will be important to killing the clock.

Do not expect the Patriots to let up at all in the fourth quarter. They will not allow themselves to be beaten late in the game and if it is a blowout, either way they will need the practice for the AFC Championship Game.

The sad thing about being a Patriots fan is that our team and us as fans are hated. With an undefeated team coming up to face us, it is worse than ever since everyone now wants us to lose. This game will drop one of two teams from being undefeated so by the end of the weekend. Will it be our Patriots or to what some refer to as America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys? Many people either think that Dallas was the same level as our team or wish that it was so. I don’t see it and certainly don’t believe it. The Patriots win this game handily, 41 Patriots to 6 Cowboys.

1. Early Proof of Dominance – The Patriots need to come out quickly, dominate the game, and create a big lead. Not only is it to take a lead early because you have a lead, but also you dictate the type of game played, limit what your opponents can do, and demoralizes the competition. A quick strike of dominance, demoralizing the Cowboys team, will make everyone know for sure that the Patriots are not the equal of the Cowboys or the Colts. The Patriots are a far superior team and nothing that opponents try to do can defeat the league’s best team.

2. Our Running Game – We need the running game to be successful if we are to control the flow of the game. Laurence Maroney is a game time decision. Sammie Morris will once again be crucial for the Patriots to have success. The difference between Morris and Maroney is Maroney can give you the explosiveness and big play ability that you can’t get from Morris. The threat of a Maroney forces the opponents up towards the line and with Anthony Henry out for Dallas that means Randy Moss will get single coverage by someone who truly cannot cover him, Jacques Reeves, Nathan Jones, or Terence Newman. Without Maroney, the Patriots need to use the passing game to set up the running game.

3. Pass Early and Often – Early in downs look for easy yards to the running backs, tight ends, and Welker from the slot. First it puts the Patriots in good shape on the next play either with a gain of 5 to 7 yards and second and relatively short or it gives you a first down so that you can do it all over again. Second, the short passes sets up the running game. By getting the ball to second short, running the ball becomes a natural way to get the first down. It also wears down the opposing team. Finally, it moves the safeties up and spreads the defense. With Henry out for the Cowboys, sending Randy Moss and/or Donte’ Stallworth on a long pattern is a natural big play waiting to happen.

4. Contain and Get After Romo – Dallas has a great group of receivers and a very capable offensive line, both of which show Romo to be better than he is actually. Romo cannot have enough time to allow those receivers to get open. Blitzing will decrease the amount of time Romo will have to make a throw. Containment, though, is just as important, because if Romo gets out of the pocket he can get a few extra seconds and hit a veteran receiver for a big play.

5. The “A” Game – I may be wrong and Dallas really could be as good as or maybe better than the Patriots, but the only way to make sure the Patriots win this game is to come out with their best game. The Patriots need to come out with a solid game plan on offense and defense. The players need to execute it. They play their game and have a good game plan, they won’t lose.

The New England Patriots will face a tough opponent on Sunday, the 2 and 2 Cleveland Browns. The Browns can score, games of 51 points, 24 points, and 27 points, and do so against decent defenses, the Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens. I do expect that the Patriots will come and play hard in this game. As a result, the better team will win and will win big, but I do not expect that it will be easy. The Patriots will beat the Browns 38 to 9.

1. Belichick Disciple – Do not underestimate the abilities of a Belichick disciple. We watched Romeo Crennel lead our defense for years. He was a great coach, but came to an impossible situation in Cleveland. Since then he has dealt with injuries and limited resources to gain talent, but has shown had his team shown instance of pure brilliance. The Browns appear to be on the edge between bad team and a contender for a playoff spot. Which team will we see Sunday?

2. Will Harrison Play? – What impact will Rodney Harrison have if he plays? For the Patriots future success this season, it will be important to have a playmaking Rodney Harrison. In preseason, he looked better than he had ever been before while a member of the Patriots. Will we see this on Sunday? Will it come back later in the season or in the playoffs or ever again? Great players are necessary for great success. For the Patriots to have a chance to go 16 and 0 or win the Super Bowl, they will need Rodney and Richard Seymour and all the other stars on the defense healthy and playing at their best.

3. Overwhelming Talent – The New England Patriots are a much, much better team than the Cleveland Browns. They need to go out and show that they are better in every part of the game. Brady is the better quarterback. Morris and Maroney are the better running backs. The Patriots offensive line, wide receiver and tight end corps, defensive Front Seven, secondary, and special teams are superior in every single way. Go out and show it!!

4. Run the Ball – I will likely keep this as a required part of the 5 KeyZ of the Week. Frankly, being able to run the ball well opens up so much for the offense. It pulls the secondary closer to the line. The corners are forced into man-on-man coverage of wide receivers. The Patriots are able to control the clock and force their game on the other team. The long ball gets opened up. Nobody can stop Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Dante’ Stallworth, and Benjamin Watson if all there is no help over the top or if the safeties are out of position.

5. Trap Game – Next week, we play the Dallas Cowboys. Frankly, I see this as the tougher game. Do not have a letdown against a perceived weaker team. The Browns are not a bad team and will not merely be brushed aside because of the name New England Patriots. I don’t see the Patriots having a letdown, especially against a Belichick disciple, but this is a game to worry about, because without great effort, they can lose to the Browns.

The Patriots are 3-0 and should be 4-0 after Monday’s game. The Bengals are not a good team and will be missing Rudi Johnson and likely their running game. At 1-2, they have given up at least 20 points every game including 51 to Cleveland. Repeat: 51 to CLEVELAND!! The Bengals defense is known for being porous, but also for getting after the quarterback. Regardless, Patriots 38 and Bengals 7, repeat score of last week. This should be the second of three relatively easy games.

1. Bengals Passing Game – The Bengals may be weak on defense and will be at a disadvantage with Rudi Johnson not being a part of the running game, the Bengals passing game can beat any team. The Bengals wide receivers, TJ Houshmanzadez and Chad Johnson, are the best in the league. The Patriots will need to limit them because they certainly cannot stop them. As for Carson Palmer, get at him and give him as little time to throw as possible. Give him too much time and he will find a receiver.

2. Quick Start – This is one of those games that you need to get out quickly and win it early. If you let them stay close, it could turn into a slugging match where either team can win. With Palmer throwing for Cincinnati, he very well could be the one that gets hot and then we will have a tough time gaining momentum. The Patriots are the better team, so just get it done quickly.

3. No Let Down – Week 4 of the season should be another win for the Patriots. They are as bad a team as the Bills or Browns so beating them is so important. If the can come out and play smart for the first half, this should be a good win for the Pats. Every game is important when it comes down to the final standings.

4. Bengals Runners can still Hurt – Do not underestimate how good the Bengals backup running backs will do Monday. They still have the same offensive line for Kenny Watson that they did for Rudi Johnson. Kenny Watson is still a very good running back. He can hurt us so shutting him down early should be a priority.

5. Win, No injuries – No kidding around with this game. The Patriots need to win and do it quickly and without losing anyone to injury. We have been lucky so far so it would be a shame to lose someone in a game that we really should win. Harrison will be back next week. All of the players on the PUP list will become available two weeks after that. Let’s keep these guys healthy and continue winning.

We have had two weeks in a row of blowouts against teams that we played in the playoffs last year. They were supposed to be tough teams but it turned out that they just rolled over. Now, we face the 0-2 Bills who are supposed to be bad, even worse than they were last year, and the Pats are supposed to win. The Pats are favored by Vegas to win by more than two scores so the Pats must not be complacent. If they come in hungry, they win or otherwise, it may be a game, much closer than it should be. I don’t see this team getting complacent anytime soon, 42-6 Patriots. It’ll be another blowout.

1. No Let Down Game – The Patriots just need to keep their concentration, play hard, and win like this game matters. Well, it does matter. A win over the Bills gives a 3 game advantage over them and a 3 game advantage over the loser of the Dolphins-Jets game. A loss would put the Bills and the winner of the Dolphins-Jets game a game behind the Patriots. At this point in the season, the Patriots just need to keep the winning going. Every win puts them in better shape for the playoffs.

2. Run the Ball – Buffalo has one of the worst front sevens in the NFL. Keep attacking them with a strong running game and the Bills will roll over. The Bills will only be dangerous if the Pats let them stay in the game. Play to the Bills weaknesses and dominate with a steady dose of power runs to go with some cutbacks and off-tackle plays. It would be nice to see O’Callaghan play all day at tight end.

3. Buffalo Defensive Ends – Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay are the two players that constitute the Bills defensive strength. Do not let them be a factor on game day! Attacking the defense with short passes and many runs will keep Brady in control of the game and keep Schobel and Kelsay from getting to him. Schobel and Brady know each other too well, even if Brady has only lost 1 game to the Bills during his tenure as Patriots QB.

4. Marshawn Lynch – Lynch seems to be the one player to be concerned about on the Bills. The rookie has looked terrific so far with 154 yards and 1 touchdown this season. He is the one offensive player to shut down right away. Get after and beat Losman, of course, but Lynch seems to be the one guy who could truly cause damage. The Bills offensive line has been one of the worst so perhaps a solid performance for the Patriots defensive line is all that is necessary to stop Lynch.

5. Keep the Winning Going – No trap games. The Patriots need to ride the wave of winning, beat the Bills and go on from there. The goal is to win every game, 16 regular season and then 3 more playoff games. If any team in the salary cap era could go undefeated, it would be this year’s Patriots, but the only way to do it is to take one game at a time. This week, that one game is the Bills.

We have had a very eventful last couple of days with the video tape debacle. It could of course come back and hurt us for this next Patriots game against the Chargers. The Chargers should be a tough opponent. They are one of those teams that winning games against are doubly important because of the loss they get. The game will be close and likely low scoring, but I expect that the Patriots will come through, 16-13 Pats.

1. Overcome and Use Current Negative Publicity – The Patriots have had a tough week with this video tape scandal and all this negative publicity. LT and Phillip Rivers have both made puerile statements attacking the integrity of the Patriots, their players, and the coaching staff. Once again, it seems that the league, national media, and opponents are disrespecting our team. Can our Patriots use this as motivation to beat the Chargers this week?

2. Check LT and Gates – LT and Gates accounted for 183 yards of Chargers offense last week. By limiting their effectiveness, the Patriots would be in good shape to stop the San Diego offense. Forcing Philip Rivers, Michael Turner, Vincent Jackson, and Craig Davis to shoulder the offense should improve the Patriots chances.

3. Similar Offensive Gameplan – Throw short early mixed in with off tackle runs. Jets and Chargers both use the 3-4 base defense and blitz often. Dictating tempo, playing short to move the safeties up, will allow for long and successful early drives and set up the bomb later. San Diego’s defense is designed to take away the long threat and the running game, so taking the short throws that the Pats will be given are important. I suspect that Welker, Gaffney, the running backs, and tight ends will be very important for the Patriots to be successful.

4. Rivers Comfort Zone – Rivers had a very mediocre game last week against Chicago. Put pressure on him, hit him a few times, and the Patriots can stop the Chargers passing game. So far, most of Rivers success has come from throwing to Gates and LT. Those two targets must be covered for the Pats to stop the Chargers passing game.

5. Creative Running – Shawn Merriman is of course an impact player, but he is not the most important guy on the San Diego Chargers defense. Jamal Williams should be the one that the Patriots are worried about. The San Diego nose tackle is an immovable object and no amount of force from the Patriots will be able to move him. The Patriots will still need a running game so Belichick and the staff will need to get creative. Perhaps some screens, runs off-tackle further to the outside, and some other plays designed for short yardage will help overcome the Jamal Williams threat. Meanwhile, control Williams; he cannot be forcibly moved, but perhaps he can be kept in place.

Playing the Jets is never easy, but beating them is so important for the Patriots to win the division and to hurt the Jets potential for a playoff run. Every regular season game is important, but games against Miami, Buffalo, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Baltimore, and Indianapolis are doubly as important because a loss for us also means a win for them. I expect that the Patriots will beat the Jets, but it won’t be easy. 24 - 10 Patriots over the Jets.

1. Exploit Jets Weak Running Offense and Defense – the Jets are weak in their rushing offense and defense. Control the Jets offensive line and force the Jets into third and long situations. On offense, exploit one of the worst lines against the run. Taking over the game, time of possession, dictating style, success will come through the running game.

2. Jarvis Green verse D’Brickashaw Ferguson – With Seymour injured, Jarvis Green will have to make up for Seymour control the line. Ferguson is the Jets best offensive lineman and Green is perhaps the Patriots greatest weakness on the offensive line. Green winning this match up will go a long way toward helping the Patriots win this game.

3. Patriots Safeties – In the preseason, Harrison was terrific, all over the field, making all kind of plays. He is not going to be playing for more than a month so it will be up to his replacements, Brandon Meriweather, Eugene Wilson, and James Sanders to cover for him. Solid tackling and smart play from these guys will minimize the effect of losing Harrison.

4. Pass Rushing – The offseason moves, Brandon Meriweather, Kareem Brown, and Adalius Thomas, on defense were designed to improve the Patriots pass rushing and pass defense. With Green starting at right end and Le Kevin Smith’s pass rushing display at left end during the preseason, we may see an improvement in the pass rush, sacks, and hurried throws. Moving Pennington out of his comfort zone should be the main objective of the Patriots defense. Pennington could beat the Patriots if he has all day to throw.

5. Move the Chains – No team in the NFL has more offensive weapons than the Patriots. Use the receivers, Maroney, Watson, and the backup running backs to gain first downs, spread the defense, and pick them apart. A touchdown that takes 15 plays to finish brings in the same number of points as that of a touchdown that takes 3 plays to finish. Smart short passes, effective runs, and the occasional bomb should be very possible for the Brady led offense.

Thank you God, Sports Illustrated for not printing your stupid cover of "Who's the Number One Quarterback".  I'm so sick of the debate, and not because Brady is our quarterback.  The numbers speak for themselves.  Manning 0/3 AFC Championship.  Brady 3/3.  Manning 0 Super Bowls, Brady 3/3.  This matchup has become the Russell vs. Chamberlain, Williams vs. Dimaggio, Bird vs. Magic, Pedro vs. Roger.....but this matchup is so one sided, it'll have much more legs when both these guys careers are over.  But here are the 5 keys to the game:

1. RUN THE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!  I hope you're not buying into this "Eraser" Bob Sanders nonsense.  It is what it is, and the Colts are not a good run defense.  Keep grinding it out, but Maroney is possible to spring one for over 75 yds, but keep Manning off the field.

2. Defensive Line:  Good upfield rush like Rivers.  Force Manning to dance, the audibles (as we've come to know so well........mean nothing.)  It's a chess match vs. Manning, so confuse him with loops and stunts on the defensive front.

3. Ellis Hobbs/Asante Samuel:  You had it easy last week boys.  Bring your absolute best game.  Harrison & Wayne are dangerous.  Clark can run a nice seam route and is often flexed out as a WR instead of a TE, so Artrell Hawkins be ready.  The Colts will be trying to force the safety into picking the coverage, run and help the DB's down the center of the field or watch for Clark and Utecht running up the middle with patterns.

4. Contain RB's:  Hey, Addai is much better than I thought.  Not a threat like last week's (I won't even mention his name I'm still disgusted with his crying).  Addai is very good receiving out of the backfield.  Bruschi and Vrabel have to watch him leaking out of the backfield and watch the tight ends in the curl zones.  Rhodes is an adequate receiver as well, so no break for the LB's of New England.

5.  Peyton they are saying "Boooooooooo not Moooovers":  The NFL tried to gift wrap you the Lombardi Trophy last year and you didn't come through.  Again, if you don't win, it's over.  You will be Dan Marino and Marino will have a leg up because he at least played in one.  That doesn't excuse you will be one of the greatest passing quarterbacks in NFL history.......however you're a p*ss poor actor.  You turned the ball over 6 times in the last two games vs. two teams that had no idea what to do wit the football.  Not the Patriots, they will hurt you.

 

Pats in a blow out and on their way to Lombardi #4.....31-19.

 

I've been having a hot week, I came pretty close to predicting the score of last Sunday's contest, I told our CEO that Florida would not only beat Ohio State, but blow them out.  So here are my 5 keys for  a 27-17 Patriots win over the best team in the NFL:

1. The obvious (control not contain) LT:  You ever have a drunk friend that acts like Stifler from American Pie?  You can control him by only allowing him to make about 5 rude comments to women instead of his usual 10.  LT will gain about 133yds on 22 carries & about 51 on 4 catches.  A great game, almost 200 yds of total offense.  HOWEVER, you can only allow him to score once.  Let LT rack up his yards, it's going to happen, but keep him away from pay dirt and force Kaeding to kick or Rivers to throw.

2. Secondary, beat the living sh*t out of the receivers.  San Diego's receivers are not that good, in fact they're almost non existent.  Keenan McCardell?  A great receiver, but didn't he line up in the huddle with Lance Alworth (some of you may need to ask your father about that one).  Shut down the outside threats and force errant throws by Rivers.  Then you can focus on LT once the outside threat is gone and put more guys in the box.

3. Gap control on the D-line.  Is there a better front 3 than the Patriots?  Only 1 Pro-Bowler, Seymour (I think you'll see Warren added as the usual "injury replacement" for the Pro-Bowl.......but he does deserve it). 

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Remember the Tuna Bowls......Carroll vs. The Tuna more importantly it was the Patriots vs. Jets in a bitter "Border War".  They took Bill and then Curtis Martin ran for the border....there was some others as well Ray Lucas and even Scott Zolak (oooo.......forgot about that one didn't you).  Well here we are the 2006 season and we are in the middle of:

1. Another era of the Border War.
2. Mentor vs. Student
3. The most important, the playoffs. 

Anyone else find the "aura" of the playoffs is different this year in New England.  First, the game is Sunday at 1, second game time temp for Sunday......over 50 degrees and sunny........What no snow?

Well here are some keys to this Sunday's matchup for the Patriots:

1. Secondary come to play.  Levon Washington cannot carry the load for the Jets, so it almost eliminates 1/2 of the offense.  However, NYJ's receivers are talented and very physical.  Pennington is also very good improvising when flushed out of the pocket, not a great arm, but can think on the run.  Asante and Co. need to set the tone early with a big hit, even though #37 will be missed.

2.  Composure.  The coaches hate each other.  So don't buy into this nonsense of them not aware of the heightened emotions.  These coaches have informed their players how much it means to beat the sh*t out of the other team.   The "Respect Card" will be played on both sides.  So expect plenty of pushing, shoving, jawing, borderline hits etc......we just can't accept 3 straight personal fouls and 45 yds.  An underdog team will take advantage of any opportunity like that.

3. Protection.  This is the easiest key.  Like Brady stated, "3 wins. 3 games without turnovers."  Now is not the time for the ball to start landing on the ground.  The Jets ball hawk, Vilma and Co. will pounce on any opportunity given.

4. Rotation.