Do you think the Pats will win tonight?

[DarrylStingley]

My sense from Pats fans is that the level of negativity about this game is very high.

The defense is not good, Miami is tough at home, the Pats haven't won much there, the Pats haven't won much of anywhere on the road and they had to work hard to beat a Bills team that the Jets just lambasted.

Sure, one could put on Pats happy glasses and say that the Pats are due, that we still have the better QB and HC, that the Pats are just sick and tired of losing on the road and that the defense is bound to jell at some point.

And to be honest, I'm actually feeling pretty optimistic about tonight. The defense DOES concern me. A lot. But I don't buy the road thing or the Miami hex. That's all an outgrowth of the more fundamental problems, and maybe, just maybe, Bill can find a way to correct them.

In any event, what do you think will happen tonight?

 

[Oswlek]

I'm not all that optimistic, but a high ranking Pats offensive player all but guaranteed a win to Tom Curran.

And the fact that NE is the Vegas favorite has me

 

[HomelessJoe]

I'm hoping for a win but expecting at least improvements from their past road problems. Better second half adjustments, smarter second half play from the offense, and really the defense has nowhere to go but up...I think. If they lose but can do these things, I'll be satisfied.

 

[taltos]

With a young defense going through on the job training, and keeping history in mind, my heart goes with the Pats but my mind picks the fish.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Long, sustained TD scoring drives will go a long way towards curing the ills of the Defense.

A must return of the Death-By-A-Thousand-Paper-Cuts Offense, with 3-4 deep shots to Moss sprinkled in to keep 'em honest.

The Miami D-Line is in a bad way right now, so a true balance pass/throw with the LawFirm running hard between the Tackles is in order.

And unveil the GD screen, particularly to Woodhead/Edelman.

 

[O.Z.O.]

work hard to beat a Bills team that the Jets just lambasted.

out of everything you wrote in this post, this is the one statement that is meaningless. Scores from one week to the next mean nothing.

Jacksonville got destroyed in back-to-back games before beating Indy yesterday.

New Orleans struggled against Carolina

Washington got stomped in St. Louis and then went into Philly, knocked Vick out of the game and won.

a win in the NFL is just that, a win. Sometimes it's pretty, sometimes it isn't.

 

[jayShomp]

out of everything you wrote in this post, this is the one statement that is meaningless. Scores from one week to the next mean nothing.

Jacksonville got destroyed in back-to-back games before beating Indy yesterday.

New Orleans struggled against Carolina

Washington got stomped in St. Louis and then went into Philly, knocked Vick out of the game and won.

a win in the NFL is just that, a win. Sometimes it's pretty, sometimes it isn't.

And omg we beat the Bengals who beat the Ravens who beat the Jets who beat us. Which of course means, what does it mean?

 

[O.Z.O.]

And omg we beat the Bengals who beat the Ravens who beat the Jets who beat us. Which of course means, what does it mean?

it means the Dolphins beat the Bills and the Vikings.

 

[Sucka Micok]

The Pats have a chance with their high powered offense. The defense played decent in the first week.

 

[Annihilus]

And omg we beat the Bengals who beat the Ravens who beat the Jets who beat us. Which of course means, what does it mean?

It means the Patriots beat themselves?

 

[IUCPF]

I have no idea who will win tonight but I do know I need Gronkowski to score more FF points than my opponent's Ronnie Brown tonight.

 

[HSanders]

I am never optimistic about their chances of winning vs Mia, especially IN Mia this early in the year, and regardless of the strength of each team.

 

[Steve1]

I hope to wake up to find the Patriots won, but I don't think they will. They are fresh for a good slapping at the hands of the Dolphins. Brady usually does a good 'bledsoe gone bad' imitation in Miami against the Dolphins. A fumble lost here. A key int there.

I'm hoping for a big game from the punter Zoltok, Tate the kickoff returner, and....hopefully Belichick with a key challange won.

Then, two weeks to get ready for the invasion of the Baltimore Ravens. Another tough game.

Hate to see the Patriots 2-3 in the conference after the Baltimore game. 4-1 would be so much better. 3-2, not so much better. For long-term playoff possibility purposes.

 

[TheBostonJay]

Mind says no. Low expectations, ability to make meh QBs look decent, Brandon Marshall versus the defense that sometimes doesn't tackle, in Miami, etc.

I'll be in the game thread doing the usual bipolar sportsfan thing tonight though.

 

[Sucka Micok]

I have no idea who will win tonight but I do know I need Hernandez and Moss to both score multiple touch downs for my fantasy football team.

Fixed

 

[Sucka Micok]

I hope to wake up to find the Patriots won, but I don't think they will. They are fresh for a good slapping at the hands of the Dolphins. Brady usually does a good 'bledsoe gone bad' imitation in Miami against the Dolphins. A fumble lost here. A key int there.

I'm hoping for a big game from the punter Zoltok, Tate the kickoff returner, and....hopefully Belichick with a key challange won.

Then, two weeks to get ready for the invasion of the Baltimore Ravens. Another tough game.

Hate to see the Patriots 2-3 in the conference after the Baltimore game. 4-1 would be so much better. 3-2, not so much better. For long-term playoff possibility purposes.

Miami's defense sucks against the tight ends. Go Hernandez!

 

[midgar8784]

Pats win....the pats are not nearly has bad as you all think they are. You all need to look around the league, watch other games and then come back and watch the pats. WOW

 

[cadmonkey]

Miami will win tonight. Tom Brady has a losing record down there. Brandon Marshall vs. our DBs will be a nightmare all night. Ricky Williams usually runs pretty well against the Patriots.

Miami 35, Patriots 17

 

[chevss454]

I posted this last week in the other 'Miami' thread and it still seems pertinent.

Looking at the game logically:

Ricky Williams has fumbled uncharacteristically and hasn't really factored much in their running game. 2 fumbles vs the Jets, none lost, however.

Ronnie Brown gained 4.9/carry vs the Jets so he was the Phins workhorse vs the Jets.

The Phins OL wasn't as terrific in run blocking as they were the previous 2 games. I don't expect a lot of wildcat formations since it has become ineffective for the Phins recently but they try it vs the Pats just the same.

Henne was sacked twice by the Jets' blitzing attack so the Pats may be able to get pressure on Henne. I hope so. If they run vs our sub packages, we could be in trouble. Henne had a very solid game passing the ball and should have great success vs our DBs if our Buffalo game is a clue. Henne and Marshall seem to be finding each other.

Brandon Marshall had his best game since arriving in Miami vs the Jets and if he has this kind of performance, the Pats could be in trouble. Davone Bess and Brian Hartline were also good, and tight end Anthony Fasano was able to get in the end zone on a play in which he basically boxed out his defender.

With Jared Odrick and Philip Merling out the Phins DL wore down as the game wore on. Lack of depth is a weak spot. Our OL should be able to give TB plenty of time to throw.

The Phins LB play, while good, put no pressure on Sanchez and allowed the Jets to run outside for some big plays. Carpenter simply couldn't stay with Jets TE Dustin Keller. Gronk should have a field day vs Carpenter. I see some good running success with 2 TE sets for added power in the run game.

Vontae Davis is a good CB so I expect the Pats to target Jason Allen all night long with our TE's exploiting the middle between their LBs and Safeties. If Sanchez can do it, TB damn sure can. Hernandez and Gronk should have good days and WW is a matchup nightmare for the Phins.

The Phins gave up a lot of ground in special teams to the Jets who had run backs of 30+ and 50+ yards. The Dolphins also had a punt blocked and a KO go out of bounds. The Pats should win the ST battle.


After this exercise, believe it or not, I actually feel much better about the Pats' chances to win this game, barring turnover and penalty issues.

But Miami is always a tough out for the Pats in Miami.

 

[DarrylStingley]

Pats win....the pats are not nearly has bad as you all think they are. You all need to look around the league, watch other games and then come back and watch the pats. WOW

Middy, do you really think that you're the only person here who comments on the Pats D (and the Pats in general) without a broader perspective on the NFL?

I mean, damn, isn't it possible that we all look around the NFL a lot and that the Pats' deficiencies come into even sharper focus when we do?

Could anyone watch that Bears-Giants game and not contrast the stifling defense we saw with what the Pats have been doing on D?

OZO, I hear you. Games week to week are weird science. But I think ignoring that the Pats D had trouble getting off the field against Ryan Fitzpatrick's offense in the context of the Jets repeatedly stopping them would be a mistake.

Said differently, the Bills suck big time (based on yesterday's game and in general) yet our Pats didn't really school them. That concerns me a bit.