As it is so often in Week 17, things couldn't be simpler for the
Patriots. There's no mystery here, fellas. Beat the Dolphins.
That's it.
The Patriots are careening into the playoffs, held together by scotch
tape and bits of string. They're playing more subs than starters on offense.
I'm not sure they have five healthy offensive linemen. The defense has fared a
little better though it seems like they've been missing at least one of their
playmakers – Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty – each and every
week. The normally reliable special teams unit has struggled, giving up the
football and big returns.
And they're in the playoffs with a first round bye and the #1 seed
theirs with a win in Miami.
It's been fascinating to watch.
Don't get me wrong. I'd much rather be rooting for a Patriots team
with LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis in the backfield, with Nate Solder and
Sebastian Vollmer at left and right tackle, with Julian Edelman and Danny
Amendola catching passes, with Dominique Easley, Hightower, Patrick Chung and
McCourty starting on defense. That team might still be undefeated.
Is there another team that deals with adversity like the Patriots?
Despite the injuries, they're 12-3-0, with two of those loses
coming in overtime (one when Gronkowski couldn't finish due to injury and the
other played without Jules or Amendola). Bryan Stork, their 2014 starting
center, has played right tackle. They have three rookies – Shaq Mason, David
Andrews and Tre Jackson – starting on the offensive line. They found Steven
Jackson on a Used RB Lot and after a quick check of the brakes and an oil
change put him on the field after just two practices. Tom Brady is throwing
passes with playoff implications to Keshawn Martin, a guy who started the
season with the Houston Texans.
Thinking of Martin reminds me of the game-winning TD pass against
the Falcons a couple of years ago. It was an exhilarating moment made all the
more incredible because that pass was caught by Kenbrell Thompkins.
Somehow, they put on a Patriots uniform and we all wonder – at
least for one game – how every other GM in the league missed this guy.
Brady has already called "all hands on deck"
for this Sunday so what will the Patriots do to beat the Dolphins?
Cobble Together an Offensive Line
Move behemoth tight end Michael Williams to tackle or just play
him as a sixth offensive lineman? Shift Stork to tackle and start Andrews at
center? How badly was LaAdrian Waddle hurt? How is Josh Kline feeling? Is there
anyone on the practice squad that
could help out at tackle (if we're typecasting Keavon Milton is 6'4" and
324 pounds)? Somehow, some way, the Patriots need to find seven (because eight
is probably impossible) semi-healthy offensive lineman for Sunday.
Somehow, some way, those seven semi-healthy offensive linemen need
to keep Brady clean and give Steven Jackson a chance to get to the second level.
Steven Jackson, New England Folk Hero
It looked like Jackson has a quarter inch of tread on the tires
and a couple of gallons left in the tank in his cameo against the Jets. If he
can handle 20 carries and produce 80 yards against the Dolphins, the Patriots
should win. A credible running game will help keep the pressure off Brady and
set up play action. Throwing a screen pass to Jackson on 1st down isn't exactly
a terrible idea, either.
Amendola and/or Edelman Will Be Needed
Even with defenses focused on Rob Gronkowski, the wide receiving
duo of Brandon LaFell and Keshawn Martin have not been producing; they miss
Edelman and Amendola as much as Brady does. Instead of drawing CB3 or CB4
coverage, they have to take on CB1 and CB2. There was talk of Jules playing
Week 17 to get him some snaps before the playoffs and I get the feeling that if
last Sunday had been a playoff game that Amendola would've played (probably
with a brace on his knee) so it wouldn't be a total shock to see both of them
on the field in Miami. I'll be happy if just one of them can go on Sunday.
The Defense Stones the Dolphins Offense
A shutout means the Pats would only need the best kicker in the
NFL to hit a field goal for the win. If Chung returns and Hightower can
continue to play on one and a half knees, shutting down Miami's 27th ranked
offense is a real and perhaps necessary possibility. New England's defense
should still bring their "A" game though as Ryan Tannehill will be
playing to improve his trade value in hopes he'll be playing for the Cleveland
Browns, Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles or San Francisco
49ers next year.
Special Teams Needs to Make a Play
I have a personal preference for the blocked punt but I wouldn't
say no to a Keshawn Martin kickoff return for a TD, either.
No More Injuries Please
Okay, not even Bill Belichick has this level of control over the
pigskin universe. Football players will get hurt. It's part of the deal. There
is no law of averages here, no regressing to the mean. Each game is an
independent event. Then there's the unfortunate circumstances where the next
man up blows an assignment putting one of his teammates at risk. If the odds
favor anything, it's more injuries.
Sorry. I need a minute. I just really bummed myself out there…
Almost.
Okay.
Moving along.
Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels and Matt
Patricia Will Think of Something
If there's anything these three guys don't know about football I
can't imagine what it is.
They showed their willingness to dig deep into their bag of tricks
against the Jets with a flea-flicker, a reverse and even some Wildcat action.
I'm not a big fan of the Wildcat as long as Brady is upright and I'd rather see
James White or Keshawn Martin than Brandon Bolden taking the snap but just
showing the Wildcat gave the Dolphins one more thing to think about as the prep
for the Patriots.
A jet sweep option toss from Martin to a trailing James White? The
swinging door? Hook and lateral? Double reverse pass? A deep ball to Matthew
Slater? Okay, scratch that; the deep ball to Slater never works.
Go For Two
In the wake of the brouhaha over the decision to kick off in OT (a
good call that just didn't work out), I haven't seen any pigskin pundits or
bobbleheads ask why Belichick didn't go for two and the win rather than kick
the extra point to tie the game in regulation.
Hind sight is 20/20, of course. In real time I remember wondering
if Belichick would go for two but I had no problem with it when Gostkowski
jogged out for the XPA. Now I can't help thinking that Brady was rolling on
that game-tying drive. He'd converted two crucial 4th downs with completions to
Gronkowski. But TB12's tying TD pass to James White would be the last time he
touched the ball.
Suffice to say this will be one of my stops after I finish the
time machine I'm building in the basement, right after checking out how
Stonehenge was built. I'm guessing that building a functional time machine will
prove to be easier than convincing Belichick to change his mind.
Let's hope this is a blowout and a the question of going for two
is simply moot.
Brady Being Brady
Tom has been terrific in 2015 and if he can put an exclamation
point on the season (300+ yards, 3+ TD) the Patriots should secure the #1 seed
this Sunday.
Keshawn Martin had his best game of the season last week against
the Jets. Can he and Brady ace the Chem 401 final? Are Gronk, James White,
Martin and LaFell enough?
Hey, this is Tom Brady we're talking about.
I can hardly wait till Sunday. It should be fascinating.
Let's gooooooooo!
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