Edelman did not travel to Miami

[Shemp]

They need to come out and punch the Dolphins in the nose... make them quit quick.

 

[TommyD420]

do they really need JE to beat the Dolphins?

No.

Depends who else is not playing

It doesn't. You should be able to start Garoppolo and Chris Harper and win that game.

 

[TommyD420]

Nink didn't make the trip, either.

Well, now it's a lock. Place your bets. Patriots win.

Sheard the whole game? Yes, please.

 

[PatsFanLisa]

Well, now it's a lock. Place your bets. Patriots win.

Sheard the whole game? Yes, please.

And Grissom. Let's not forget the vaunted Ish'maaly Kitchen.

 

[TommyD420]

And Grissom. Let's not forget the vaunted Ish'maaly Kitchen.

I really think no Ninkovich is a positive. :shrug:

 

[bideau]

Personally, I think this is a huge mistake. Edelman has been practicing for two weeks, this week in pads. He'll be rusty as hell by the divisional game and probably should have taken a few series on Sunday. Hightower will get two weeks of rest and could likely play some, too.

If this is a "rest them" for the playoffs situation, HFA is huge, and everyone that could get on the field for however many plays should be on the field.

I'd rather have him healthy and rusty than not healthy and unavailable. I'll trust the medical staff to know the right thing to do. Health is far more important than #1. If the Pats are afraid to play in any stadium, they don't deserve to win.

 

[TommyD420]

I'd rather have him healthy and rusty than not healthy and unavailable. I'll trust the medical staff to know the right thing to do. Health is far more important than #1. If the Pats are afraid to play in any stadium, they don't deserve to win.

Not to mention he'll have practiced for over a month by the time the playoff game rolls around.

 

[king of kings]

Pats did this with Gronk. While he was still recovering from his forearm surgery . He was practicing for 6 weeks . To knock off some of the rust from not playing in games

 

[305patriotfan]

Pats did this with Gronk. While he was still recovering from his forearm surgery . He was practicing for 6 weeks . To knock off some of the rust from not playing in games

He came back rusty though. I think JE will come back healthy

 

[imapig]

To be honest if we get our guys back healthy and ready to rock and roll we will win Game one of the playoffs.. and then if we stay healthy after game 1 I don't care where we be playing game two because we will win that game also even if it's in Denver. I have not one shred of doubt in my mind a healthy Patriots team can win anywhere except maybe Arizona. If we face Arizona in the Super Bowl that defense is ferocious and could give Tom Brady fits and I'm not worried about the Panthers because their quarterback Mr dapper is overrated and you heard it here right out of the pigs mouth.

 

[mikiemo83]

one thing i heard pointed out this week on
nflta i believe is that getting treatment for injuries is much more challenging on the road and flying can aggravate them. couple that with traveling there 2 days early and i get it.

this is true, I was not to fly for an extended period of time after surgery. I did fly just prior to surgery and it felt like I was being stabbed the whole time.

I'd rather have him healthy and rusty than not healthy and unavailable. I'll trust the medical staff to know the right thing to do. Health is far more important than #1. If the Pats are afraid to play in any stadium, they don't deserve to win.

this 100 times and something Tom said this week is telling. He told WEEI that he has thrown so many ball to Julian there will be no loss of connection, Same with Amendola.

To be honest if we get our guys back healthy and ready to rock and roll we will win Game one of the playoffs.. and then if we stay healthy after game 1 I don't care where we be playing game two because we will win that game also even if it's in Denver. I have not one shred of doubt in my mind a healthy Patriots team can win anywhere except maybe Arizona. If we face Arizona in the Super Bowl that defense is ferocious and could give Tom Brady fits and I'm not worried about the Panthers because their quarterback Mr dapper is overrated and you heard it here right out of the pigs mouth.

And Bill said before the Jets game that "it may be time to rest players" to IGIG. He told us his plans, we just refused to actually listen.

 

[bmooney54]

They need to come out and punch the Dolphins in the nose... make them quit quick.

I thought that was for sharks? :shrug_n:

 

[Giant Octopodes]

I thought that was for sharks? :shrug_n:

Nah, Dolphins need a good punch in the nose too.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/dolphin_punch

 

[Mazz22]

Apparently Tannenhill is banged up. He was peeing blood last week and hurt his leg vs the Colts on Sunday. He is expected to start. The Phins are a complete mess. We should be able to handle them with our JV team.

I also think Bill is playing this smart. With the bye locked in, you have to be ready for the post-season and given how many injuries we have had we can't play injured guys. We are probably fortunate this last game is against a team with 5 wins as it makes the decision to rest guys easier. It is also probably good this game is in sunny FL so the guys playing are loose and hopefully we avoid any further damage.

 

[TommyD420]

Apparently Tannenhill is banged up. He was peeing blood last week and hurt his leg vs the Colts on Sunday. He is expected to start. The Phins are a complete mess. We should be able to handle them with our JV team.

We should, although I really hope Tannehill's playing. If it's Matt Moore, he's going to do things like "try" and "give a shit".

Also, I think he's a better QB, but I'm not their GM.

 

[Mazz22]

We should, although I really hope Tannehill's playing. If it's Matt Moore, he's going to do things like "try" and "give a shit".

Also, I think he's a better QB, but I'm not their GM.

Yes, I don't want Moore. Tanny has lost whatever little confidence he had between the scout team picking him off and his teammates wife saying he stinks this past week. I guess Dan the Man did not have the answers after all. Where are our all our Fin fans this week?? Probably watching re-runs of the 72 season ...

 

[TommyD420]

Yes, I don't want Moore. Tanny has lost whatever little confidence he had between the scout team picking him off and his teammates wife saying he stinks this past week. I guess Dan the Man did not have the answers after all. Where are our all our Fin fans this week?? Probably watching re-runs of the 72 season ...

Yeah, all those Dolphins trolls, even the ones that pretended to be here to "just talk football", mysteriously disappeared after getting their shit pushed in.

Fun Fact: Miami has two (2) wins since October 25th. 20-19 @ Philly, and 15-13 vs. Baltimore. They are 2-5 at home.

And the "enjoy your practice squad paychecks" and Philbin telling the PS not to pick off Tannehill, is one of the most uproariously funny stories I've heard in a long time.

 

[chevss454]

No.



It doesn't. You should be able to start Garoppolo and Chris Harper and win that game.

Harper would be better than LaFell was last week.

Well, now it's a lock. Place your bets. Patriots win.

Sheard the whole game? Yes, please.

I've been waiting to see this all year. Tannehill will be pissing tomato juice by the end of the game.

And Grissom. Let's not forget the vaunted Ish'maaly Kitchen.

I'm hearing Grissom will play a lot. About time he's healthy.

this is true, I was not to fly for an extended period of time after surgery. I did fly just prior to surgery and it felt like I was being stabbed the whole time.

this 100 times and something Tom said this week is telling. He told WEEI that he has thrown so many balls to Julian there will be no loss of connection, Same with Amendola.

And Bill said before the Jets game that "it may be time to rest players" to IGIG. He told us his plans, we just refused to actually listen.

Tonytoes said "No chance" when I said he'd rest players 2 wks ago, so that can't be true.

Good for IGIG that BB tells him stuff like that. He's climbed quickly.

 

[TommyD420]

Tonytoes said "No chance" when I said he'd rest players 2 wks ago, so that can't be true.

Good for IGIG that BB tells him stuff like that. He's climbed quickly.

It makes sense, really.

Once they secured the playoff spot, it would be pretty pragmatic to watch players go down week after week and just say '**** this, sit em all'.

He may not have any other choice at this point.

 

[chevss454]

That so many key Patriots will not take part in Sunday's regular-season finale at Miami shows just how battered Bill Belichick considers his team to be – and how much more important he considers health than playoff seeding.​

Star wide receiver Julian Edelman as well as defensive stalwarts Dont'a Hightower, Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich all were limited in practice this week – meaning they conceivably could have played Sunday – but will not. All have stayed off injured reserve because they were candidates to return once the playoffs start.​

That the Patriots have secured a first-round bye means those players can rest until at least Jan. 16, the first day of the NFL's divisional-round weekend. Before departing for Florida on Thursday afternoon, Belichick said he wasn't thinking that far ahead.​

"We're in a one-week season right now," he said.​

And, unlike some past seasons, that one-week season holds significance for the Patriots.​

It’s not as though Denver will take its foot off the gas pedal. The Broncos haven’t even clinched a division title and a first-round bye. If they lose to San Diego and Kansas City wins at home against Oakland, the Chiefs would win the AFC West – and the Cincinnati Bengals would earn themselves a first-round bye.​

That gives the Broncos every incentive to go all-out on Sunday in a game that won’t begin until after New England’s game at Miami has finished. The Patriots won’t be able to rest easy on Sunday evening unless they’ve taken care of business against the Dolphins.

“We’ve got to win,” linebacker Jamie Collins said.” That’s the main goal – to win, not to lose. You’ve got to win.”

“We’re just worried about the Miami Dolphins, going out there, playing together and getting that ‘W,’” tight end Rob Gronkowski said.​

Three of the Patriots' seven inactives on Sunday will be players who are defensive starters when healthy – Hightower, Jones and Ninkovich. That puts even more pressure on those starters who will be active, even if several are themselves listed as questionable with injuries.​

"Everybody goes through it," said Collins, who last week was named to his first career Pro Bowl. "It's the National Football League. It's a long season. Everybody gets bumps and bruises. It's just something you have to fight through. That's where it really shows – when you fight through it."​

"It's been difficult putting pieces of the puzzle together, but we're doing it," Hightower said.​

Safety Devin McCourty has missed each of the Patriots’ last two games with an ankle injury, but the number of players ruled out on Friday’s injury report suggests McCourty will be on the field Sunday.​

“I’m rehabbing hard but feeling better each day,” he said this week. “I’ll just see how I feel and when the trainers and everybody say it’s OK. … For me, it’s just tough not being able to be out there competing with these guys and playing with these guys.”

Brian MacPherson writes for the Providence Journal
​

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20160101/SPORTS/160109373/?Start=2
​