No matter where he lines up, Devin McCourty needs to have a great game against the Broncos.
NEPD Staff: Doug Kyed
The season flew by, last weekend dragged on, but it’s finally here, it’s playoff time!
Saturday night, we’ll find out if the Patriots are one and done again, or if this is the year they’ll make it past round two, past the Broncos and on to the AFC Championship game.
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
So raise your hands if you were freaking out about that first quarter for the Patriots?
You should all know better by now that that’s just how this team operates. We’ll see how it goes come playoff time, but for now the Patriots used their “start off slow and end fantastically” to clinch home field throughout.
Here are some things I noticed today:
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
Can you believe it’s already week 17? It seems like just yesterday we were all excited about last year’s defense with the addition of Leigh Bodden and Ty Warren coming back from injury. That didn’t go so well, but the season has so far.
A lot has changed since the last time the Bills and Patriots faced each other. The aforementioned Bodden actually started in that game at RCB. Some other interesting names that participated in that game: Brandon Spikes, Josh Barrett, Landon Cohen and Jermaine Cunningham.
There’s a lot of talk about Tom Brady’s shoulder injury and getting out of this game without any more major injuries, I’m more concerned about getting players back from injury in this game.
Here are some things I’m looking for in Sunday’s rematch against the Bills:
An in-form Devin McCourty would be an additional Christmas present for Patriots fans. (Photo: ICON SMI)
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
What we saw on Saturday was enough to convince me that this team will be good enough to compete for a Super Bowl. I’m a natural optimist, but when a team can come back from as many issues as the Dolphins game presented the Patriots with, that might mean we have a special team on our hands.
Here are my six keys to victory over the Dolphins on Christmas Eve:
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
It was no Christmas Carol, but if Charles Dickens wrote this game, it would be called “A Tale of Two Halves.”
At this point, we’re used to the Patriots starting off slow, but we’re not exactly used to the Patriots starting out slow for an entire half. That first half was by far the worst we’ve seen the Patriots offense play. I put very little blame on the Patriots defense. They didn’t have time to get off the field with all the three and outs Brady and co. were supplying.
Here’s some observations I made during the game:
Tom Brady dropped a monster spike on the Broncos - and he was just getting started. (Photo: ICON SMI)
NEPD Staff Writer: Doug Kyed
So was it worth all the hype? Did this game change anyone’s perspective on Tim Tebow?
The answer to both questions is probably no, but it was a fun game to watch as a Patriots fan.
"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:
2012 Draft: Patriots Pick by Pick Breakdown
2012 NFL Draft: Value Draft Grades
2012 Patriots Undrafted Free Agent Signings
2012 NFL Draft: Patriots 3rd Day Aftermath
2012 NFL Draft: Patriots Select Jeremy Ebert (WR, Northwestern)
2012 NFL Draft: Patriots Select Alfonzo Dennard (CB, Nebraska)
2012 NFL Draft: Patriots Select Nate Ebner (DB, Ohio State)
2012 NFL Draft: Patriots Trade Down in 5th Round
