5 Top AFCCG Concerns

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Patriots4ever

Patriots4ever

Running Up the Score
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Enter your own, but here's mine in order:

1. The Patriots OL
2. The Broncos Running Game
3. The Mile High HFA (this game should be in Foxboro but it is what it is)
4. The Patriots History in Denver
5. Peyton Manning


1. Obviously, it's imperative of the OL keeping Brady upright and giving him a clean pocket to throw. Yeah, I get it, we have JE11, DA, and a healthy Gronk but still, it's priority #1 in my mind. This will always be #1 for me, every day, all day, every game.

2. Stopping Denver's running attack probably could be listed as 1a, but whatever. The Patriots had trouble stopping them in the 1st meeting, and with the LB being thin, it's an issue. Tack on the fact that I think the Broncos will try to establish this 1st and foremost to open things up for Manning, and that earns itself a spot at the top of my list

3. We all know Denver is a tough place to play. The crowd noise and altitude immediately come to mind. Thank God the Patriots are battle tested and have been here before. Hopefully things go our way this time around, most specifically in the 3rd and 4th Quarters.

4. Needs no explanation. Pats history in Denver is well-known and documented, and it's not good folks. Never like seeing @Denver on the schedule. This time is no different

5. If he gets his running game going, that will open up play-action and the underneath stuff that he can hit on a regular basis. The last thing we want to see on Sunday is long, sustained, time consuming drives, especially early in the game. That will make for a tired defense for sure, and a long day for the Patriots.
 
I may not have quite enough time to finish cooking before the game starts.
 
I'd add referee's to the list, maybe switch that out with your #5 of Peyton.

Not trying to say games are fixed, or anything like that. But all it takes is a few of those phantom OPI's on Gronk or getting a terrible DPI call on a Peyton floater down the field, or like previously in Denver where the Pats got flagged for pick plays that upon review were just terrible calls and wiped out a huge gain.

I'm very concerned with stuff like that, because one or two calls like that can change momentum and the entire game.
 
My 2 main concerns (too lazy to list 5) are:

1) O-Line provides enough protection - if Brady stays clean (or clean enough) Pat's win.

unless.....

2) Turnovers - no fumble-itis to give away momentum, the lead or the game itself.

I don't care what Manning or the Bronco's run game does if the above two are in Pats favor.
 
I think the Patriots are pissed to be honest with you. I think the they're going after the knees comment by Denver was big mistake. Expect the Patriots to hit everyone in sight. This is going to be very intense football game. There's going to be a lot of anger being put out there. If we can stay healthy we will blow Denver right the f*** out of there building. But health is a big if and the great equalizer. Expect us to win and win big but if we lose Gronk or Edelman that could really make this game much closer than it should be. One good thing our offensive line is really healthy and I think Brady will have enough time the throw the ball...
 
I've got 2, turn overs and injuries (Collins). IF the Pats don't turn the ball over and the defense stays healthy the whole game I think they win this one going away. Everyone's talking about how great the Denver defense is but you don't hear much about the Pats defense because they've been so banged up. When they are healthy they are top 5 in the NFL IMO.
 
AkPatsFan said:
I've got 2, turn overs and injuries (Collins). IF the Pats don't turn the ball over and the defense stays healthy the whole game I think they win this one going away. Everyone's talking about how great the Denver defense is but you don't hear much about the Pats defense because they've been so banged up. When they are healthy they are top 5 in the NFL IMO.
Click to expand...

^^
This. The Pats can't afford injuries during the game.
 
1. Gronks knees
2.Edelmans Foot
3.Vollmer staying healthy
4.Collins health
5. HighTower health
 
Pats have to come out with a strong first drive like the KC game. Build a strong lead going into the half. Dont sit on the lead and keep the foot on the gas pedal. Defense has to get off the field on third down. Luckily they dont have a mobile quarteback who can scramble like Smith, but if they get their run game going thats bad news.
 
Thank you for this thread, because for the life of me, I don't understand why the prevailing thought is that the Patriots are going to win this in a walkover.

The game against KC was a nice start, but the offense certainly wasn't quite firing on all cylinders, like some people suggest.

1) The ability to stop the Broncos running game. "Hightower's Back, we good" isn't quite enough. Hightower played last week as well, and KC had a good amount of success on the ground. I understand the Patriots played a lot of sub packages, and did encourage the run a little bit, but they weren't encouraging it to that degree, no. Stopping the Broncos run game is the key to the entire game, IMO. They're going to run at least 30-35 times unless something crazy happens.

2) Manning wasn't terrible against Pittsburgh. He wasn't great or anything, but he wasn't terrible. I'm mostly concerned about Manny Sanders beating one-on-one coverage on comebacks and things like that. Manning can throw 10 yards. He can't throw 30, but he can throw 10, and 10 might be enough. Harmon and McCountry are going to be absolutely crucial. McCountry in run support, and Harmon making the right reads playing center field.

3) Tendency on offense. Over the last few weeks, formation and personnel has gone back to dictating tendency, which is something that Joshy had gotten away from in the first part of the season. Now it's back to "Steven Jackson in the game, 80% run, James White in the game, 95% pass" stuff. That just makes the game incredibly easy for the defense to defend, and it's a testament to Brady and the receivers that they're still able to move the ball. Joshy has to break tendencies in this one. That defense is too good. They're not the 85 Bears, but they're not the 2012 Patriots either.

4) Ryan Allen. For ****'s sake, get your head out of your ass. You were a pro-bowl-level punter for most of your career, but for some reason, this year you morphed into Ken ****ing Walter. You're in Denver. You're going to get distance. Get the punts in the mother****ing air, and angle them for the love of god. You've been brutal with this line-drive shit. It cost you the Philly game, and cost you the Dolphins game, IMO. You've got not good, but great coverage teams to help you. Get the ball in the air. No returns. With Bolden out, Manny Sanders will be seeing even more time at PR. That's not a good thing.

5) Tom. Please. Throw to the open guy. If you spend the afternoon forcing the ball to Gronk and Edelman, you will lose. LaFell will have some opportunities. Amendola. Keyshawn Martin could be drawing LB coverage. Chandler (who will be playing, finally) and White/Jackson will be drawing no coverage at all. Checkdowns are your friend. Matchups are your friend. Protect the ball, especially in the red zone. The Chris Harris injury is total :BS: and I assume everyone knows it at this point. Don't "test" him. Protect the ball (I said that already). Don't hold the ball forever, Bledsoe-style. You've done that too much, waiting for Amendola or Gronkowski to clear. Checkdown, checkdown, checkdown. You will wear that defense out.

--

I think the Patriots have a really good chance to win, but again, I don't understand the "walkover" mentality. It makes no sense to me.
 
TommyD420 said:
Thank you for this thread, because for the life of me, I don't understand why the prevailing thought is that the Patriots are going to win this in a walkover.

The game against KC was a nice start, but the offense certainly wasn't quite firing on all cylinders, like some people suggest.

1) The ability to stop the Broncos running game. "Hightower's Back, we good" isn't quite enough. Hightower played last week as well, and KC had a good amount of success on the ground. I understand the Patriots played a lot of sub packages, and did encourage the run a little bit, but they weren't encouraging it to that degree, no. Stopping the Broncos run game is the key to the entire game, IMO. They're going to run at least 30-35 times unless something crazy happens.

2) Manning wasn't terrible against Pittsburgh. He wasn't great or anything, but he wasn't terrible. I'm mostly concerned about Manny Sanders beating one-on-one coverage on comebacks and things like that. Manning can throw 10 yards. He can't throw 30, but he can throw 10, and 10 might be enough. Harmon and McCountry are going to be absolutely crucial. McCountry in run support, and Harmon making the right reads playing center field.

3) Tendency on offense. Over the last few weeks, formation and personnel has gone back to dictating tendency, which is something that Joshy had gotten away from in the first part of the season. Now it's back to "Steven Jackson in the game, 80% run, James White in the game, 95% pass" stuff. That just makes the game incredibly easy for the defense to defend, and it's a testament to Brady and the receivers that they're still able to move the ball. Joshy has to break tendencies in this one. That defense is too good. They're not the 85 Bears, but they're not the 2012 Patriots either.

4) Ryan Allen. For ****'s sake, get your head out of your ass. You were a pro-bowl-level punter for most of your career, but for some reason, this year you morphed into Ken ****ing Walter. You're in Denver. You're going to get distance. Get the punts in the mother****ing air, and angle them for the love of god. You've been brutal with this line-drive shit. It cost you the Philly game, and cost you the Dolphins game, IMO. You've got not good, but great coverage teams to help you. Get the ball in the air. No returns. With Bolden out, Manny Sanders will be seeing even more time at PR. That's not a good thing.

5) Tom. Please. Throw to the open guy. If you spend the afternoon forcing the ball to Gronk and Edelman, you will lose. LaFell will have some opportunities. Amendola. Keyshawn Martin could be drawing LB coverage. Chandler (who will be playing, finally) and White/Jackson will be drawing no coverage at all. Checkdowns are your friend. Matchups are your friend. Protect the ball, especially in the red zone. The Chris Harris injury is total :BS: and I assume everyone knows it at this point. Don't "test" him. Protect the ball (I said that already). Don't hold the ball forever, Bledsoe-style. You've done that too much, waiting for Amendola or Gronkowski to clear. Checkdown, checkdown, checkdown. You will wear that defense out.

--

I think the Patriots have a really good chance to win, but again, I don't understand the "walkover" mentality. It makes no sense to me.
Click to expand...

Not to nit pick but how much of that run yardage was Smith scrambling out of the pocket?
 
AkPatsFan said:
Not to nit pick but how much of that run yardage was Smith scrambling out of the pocket?
Click to expand...

Smith had 9 carries, 44 yards.

The rest of the KC runners had 23 carries, 91 yards and a TD. Knile Davis had 6 for 30, and West was 17 for 61.

7 of those carries (by the RBs) came in the 2nd half (26 yds). 3 of those carries were when the Patriots were able to sub in their goalline package. So when KC was in the game, they had plenty of success in the running game. This was at a point of the game where the Patriots should have been keying run.

This is the 3rd game in a row when the defense has been gashed by the run, especially in the 1st quarter, because the offense "showed them something new". Part of that's on Matty, of course, but part of that's also on the front 7. You can't just pray that Chung will always be in position to clean up mistakes.
 
The best way to describe how the Pats will do on offense is watch the first drive in the November game when Right before Edelman broke his foot. Brady picked that Defense apart. I expect the same barring injury.
Patriots 44 Donks 19
 
imapig said:
The best way to describe how the Pats will do on offense is watch the first drive in the November game when Right before Edelman broke his foot. Brady picked that Defense apart. I expect the same barring injury.
Patriots 44 Donks 19
Click to expand...

I don't get this score. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I don't see that kind of blowout, especially if Denver can run the ball.
 
TommyD420 said:
I don't get this score. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I don't see that kind of blowout, especially if Denver can run the ball.
Click to expand...


Ok, what if Denver can't run the ball against the Pats?

IMO, this is the key to the whole game, if the Pats stop the run then Denver doesn't have a chance, less turnovers of course.
 
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