"Yeah, Tom? We're going to need you to be pretty much perfect from here on out."
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
With the way football fans are talking around Boston today, you’d think the Patriots were on a five game losing streak or something.
The fact is, the Patriots aren’t going to blow every team out and they came away with a seven point
road victory. Was it a perfect game? Far from it, but a win is a win.
Here are my six keys for victory:
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
That one was really scary.
Still though, it was a win and this is a team heading into the last three games of the season at 10-3 hoping to seal up a first round bye. There are plenty of things you’ll see me complain about, but before we get into that, let’s be happy with the win.
Rob Gronkowski was certainly helpful in building a 31-3 lead. (Photo: ICON SMI)
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
I get it, the fourth quarter was bad… But let’s consider who was playing on defense and all take a collective deep breath.
Rob Gronkowski may already be the best tight end ever to don a Patriots uniform. (Photo: ICON SMI)
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
This win was pretty typical 2011 Patriots game: dominant performances from Brady, Gronkowski and Welker, a slow start for the Patriots offense and a whole bunch of garbage time yards let up by the pass defense. The only thing we were missing was the fourth down Mark Anderson sack.
Here are some things that were different in the Patriots win over the Colts:
Tom Brady wants to put a ring on it. (Photo: ICON SMI)
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
I came away from Sunday’s victory with one very important lesson: stop worrying about the Patriots run defense! All season I’ve worried about when the Patriots are going to have to face a scrambling QB, or when they’ll have to face a competent speedy RB. After seeing the Patriots shut down Lesean McCoy and Vince Young in the running game like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, I’m not afraid anymore.
I’m not trying to be too big of a homer after this game, but I’m feeling pretty confident in this team right now. Brady’s looking good, he’s spreading the ball around and they’ve got a multi-headed running attack. The defense is coming around, they can stop the run, they can limit the pass, they’ve been great against third downs and most importantly, they force turnovers and the offense doesn’t turn the ball over.
Here are my six keys to victory this week over the Eagles:
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
With a night to register last night’s home victory, one thought resonates with me, has a team ever scored 34 points and looked less impressive on offense?
Trust me, I’m not being negative, if anything it’s impressive that his team can win 34-3 without a top notch offensive effort and especially without a prototypical Wes Welker game. Coming into the year, everyone talked about how many weapons Brady had on this offense. That’s come true to a certain extent, but he tends to key in on the targets he knows best: Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Deion Branch.
Everyone would like to see another wide receiver break out, but frankly, if this team can run as well as they did last night, they won’t need breakout roles from Chad Ochocinco or Taylor Price.
Without further ado, here are my six keys to victory over the Chiefs:
Rob Gronkowski is good at football. (Photo: ICON SMI)
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
With the toughest part of the schedule down, the Patriots have a funfetti flavored cakewalk left. The next team with a winning record that the Patriots face is week 17 against the Bills at home.
And even with that lone “tough” game, the Bills could have a losing record by that point, or the Patriots could have already clinched the division. I’m getting ahead of myself, but a victory like last night’s will do that to you.
Much has been made all season about the Patriots defensive troubles. By my count, the Patriots have thrown together four strong defensive performances in their last five games: The Jets twice, the Giants (other than the last drive) and the Cowboys. Last night’s was perhaps their best.
Here are my six keys to victory…
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