Simple Doesn't Mean Easy

It's really simple for the Patriots. Win in Miami and they'll have the #1 seed in the AFC bracket and home field throughout the playoffs.

That doesn't mean it will be easy.

If there's a road venue that rivals Denver for the New England Patriots, it's got to be Miami.

Both head coaches are saying they'll be playing their starters this Sunday.

With almost nothing at stake (Miami could conceivably move up from #6 to #5), Adam Gase has declared this to be a dick measuring game for his streaking Dolphins. No, wait, a "measuring stick" game. I think that's what he said. The 'Phins have continued to win despite losing starting QB Ryan Tannehill (who could be back for the playoffs) but they are rarely mentioned in the "Team Nobody Wants To See In The Playoffs" discussion. Make no mistake, though; they're still the "Team New England Doesn't Want To See in South Beach in January."

If the Patriots do win this Sunday, they will break a 3-game losing streak in Miami.

The Patriots are playing for that #1 seed; they've made it to the Super Bowl 4 out of the 5 times they've held that #1 seed in the past. That may be a small data sample but it is compelling. Well, until you remember Tom Brady wins 77% of the time, anyway.

I'd guess there's a lot of chatter about respect in the Patriots' meeting rooms. They're 13-2-0, tied for the best record in the NFL with the Cowboys. They have the #1 scoring defense in the league. Tom Brady and the offense are playing at an elite level without their best player, Rob Gronkowski. Thanks to Stephen Gostkowski and their special teams, opponents have the worst starting position in the NFL.

And nobody is talking about them.

Pigskin pundits and bobbleheads are talking about those Cowboys and Dak and Zeke. They're talking about Aaron Rodgers and the resurgent Packers, Matt Ryan's Flying Circus in the ATL and even the New York Giants who just backed their Escalade into the playoffs. They're talking about Pittsburgh and Kansas City; how Ben Roethlisberger and Alex Smith ain't afraid of no Foxborough ghosts. The gridiron cognoscenti mention the Patriots only in that "Who Can Beat Them?" context.

I get the feeling the Patriots don't just want to win this Sunday. I think they want to dominate this game. I think the defense knows they need a shutout to become the best scoring defense of the Belichick era. I think special teams wants to win field position all day and score a TD. I think the offense wants to give their prospective playoff opponents a thing or two to think about.

I think Miami HC Adam Gase was right about one thing. This is one of those big brother-little brother kind of games. Trash will be talked. Punches will be thrown. There won't be anything easy in this one.

I just hope it will be Tom Brady and the Patriots landing the haymakers.