Tag: NFL

Patriots vs. Bengals Preview and Keys to the Game

by Brian Murray, posted in Uncategorized

It’s game day. Week 15 and we’re on to Cincinnati. Even though the match-up looks extremely lopsided on paper, I’m expecting a hard fought game between a hungry Bengals team and a Pats team that is desperately trying to get it into gear. Here are my thoughts for today’s game:

Are the Bengals that bad?

While the Bengals speed ahead towards picking newly minted Heisman awardee, Joe Burrow, number one overall, they’ve actually shown signs of improvement.

On the offensive side, Andy Dalton, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon have come on as of late. Boyd has quietly put together an outstanding season with 73 receptions (t-12th in the NFL), 833 receiving yards (27th) and 3 TDs. He’s a versatile, quick, and trustworthy receiver the likes of which the Pats are missing right now.

Since his return from being benched, Dalton has put up respectable numbers, and led the Bengals to their first win. He’s a veteran that does a good job managing the game and protecting the ball. I expect him to land somewhere next year as a well paid backup.

In his last 5 games, Mixon has scored once in three of them, and had two games over 100 yards rushing, including 146 last week against the Browns. He hasn’t been close to his top ten fantasy RB rating that most gave him, but nonetheless, he’s a dangerous offensive weapon.

On the offensive side of the ball, I don’t really expect much out of the Bengals. They’re without number two WR, Auden Tate, who was placed on IR this week, so outside of Boyd and Mixon – there’s not much to worry about. I think this could be another dominant game for a Pats D that has slowed down lately.

The Bengals defense has actually been pretty impressive in their last four games. They haven’t given up more than 21 points, and had their two best performances at home vs. the Jets and Steelers holding them to six and sixteen points, respectively.

I think this is a defense that is comfortable and excited playing at home, and without a doubt is relishing the chance to host a struggling Patriots offense. Former Buckeye Sam Hubbard has been playing well as of late, Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap have also been effective pass rushers progressing in the right direction. I’m expecting this Bengals defense to treat this as their Super Bowl and play with their hair on fire all day.

Can the Patriots Figure it out?

If there was an entry for “get right game” in the dictionary, they’d probably put this game as the definition. The Pats have dropped two in a row (they’ve never dropped three in a row during the Belichick era) and they’re on the road against the worst team in the league. Here’s what I’m looking for today:

Offensive Line

Last week against the Chiefs was a really bad outing for the line as a whole. Minus the performance of Joe Thuney, who earned an 88 grade from Pro Football Focus, Chiefs defenders were penetrating the Pats line all night. Brady was literally under siege on most of his drop backs. The o-line has been hampered by injuries all year, and starting center Ted Karras is questionable today after not playing last week. He’d be a big upgrade over his replacement, James Ferrentz, who got his first NFL start last week and was a big step down from Karras.

If the offensive line can put a good game together today, it will not only be huge for their own confidence, but the whole offense as a whole. Everything starts up front, it’s a huge reason why the offense rolled at the end of the year last year and into the playoffs. The big men up front dominated, the run game followed, and Brady had time to throw the ball. If the big guys play well today, Brady will have more time to throw, which could be huge for building trust with receivers, and the run game will have more of an opportunity to hit its stride.

Throwing the ball

As it has seemed to be every week, the pressure is on Phillip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu, and N’Keal Harry to make an impact. Harry barely played last week, and since his mishap in Houston, hasn’t been given much of a chance. However, in his only reception last week, he showed a flash of greatness with his now infamous touchdown that was ruled “out of bounds”. I’m still not over that one, fire those refs.

Anyways, I think this receiving core is more talented than they have shown. I truly believe Harry can be an impact player, and all throughout his tenure in Foxborough, Dorsett has been an ultra reliable receiver. Sanu has been disappointing thus far, and if we had to do the trade deadline over again, I wish the Pats went and got Emmanuel Sanders. Having said that, I still think Sanu can be great on this team.

I’m looking for Josh McDaniels and the offensive staff to finally put together the ‘re-make’ of the offense. Last year they reset the offense to rely heavily on the run, this year the offensive identity is still not set. It’s a con because we’re losing games to good teams now because the offense isn’t in sync. But it’s a pro going forward into the playoffs because teams might not know what to expect.

Pats 24 – Bengals 9

I’m expecting this to be another hard fought game with offensive hiccups, defensive dominance, and in the end a Patriots playoff clinching victory.

I think Brady will begin to get it right with some receivers not named Edelman (let’s hope he stays healthy) and I think Harry is primed to take the next step in this category.

I’ve got the defensive scoring at least one touchdown today – if not I wouldn’t be surprised to see multiple takeaways.

Here’s to a good ‘get it right’ game, and marking 12/15/2019 as the second “we’re onto Cincinnati” game that reignites the dynasty.

Keep the faith.

LFG

The 6 NFL Teams You Do Not Want to Face in the Playoffs

by colewest86, posted in NFL

The National Football League just concluded it 14th week of the season meaning its almost time for playoffs. With only a few more weeks, NFL fans have a pretty good idea who will make a deep run in the playoffs. Here are the 6 NFL teams you do not want to face in the playoffs in order:

1.Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens do three things exceptionally well: run the ball, time of possession, and defense. They are #1 in the league in rushing with 200 rushing yards per game, #1 in time of possession, and have held teams to less than 18 points in 5 straight games. That is a great formula to win a Superbowl. They wear and tear defenses, keep the ball out of the opposing offenses’ hands, and play defense. Not to mention, they have the most versatile QB in the game right now continues to confuse defenses week in and week out.

2. New England Patriots

The two reasons to fear the New England Patriots have been the reasons that have been constant for the past two decades: Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, arguably the best NFL coach and QB in history. Regardless that the Patriots lost last week, they are still one of the top-2 teams to be feared in the playoffs. Each year, the Patriots are a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs as long as they have Belichick and Brady who by far have the most playoff experience in the NFL. Additionally, they have the best defense and special teams the Patriots have had this decade. They are averaging 2.76 combined interceptions and forced fumbles a game.

3. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are another team to be feared. For starters, they are a team that is hungry for a Super Bowl. Being snubbed the past two years (regardless of reason) has made this team out for blood this post season. Regardless of losing this past weekend, the Saints are to be feared because they got experience and an offense that can compete with any team in the league. They got an experienced coach in Sean Payton, and QB in Drews Brees. Experience goes a long way in the playoffs. That is why you hardly ever see QB’s win the superbowl on their first playoff run. Their offense has also put up 26+ points in six straight games showing they can compete with anyone in the league.

4. San Fransisco 49ers

The 49ers are an interesting team. While they do not have a flashy offense like some of the other teams on this list, they just find ways to win games. They just beat the Saints in a thriller on the road in their best offensive performance yet. They also have one of the best defenses in the league behind DE, Joey Bosa, and CB, Richard Sherman. The one question mark is the inexperience in their QB, Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo has been nothing exciting this season until this past few games. However, he still lacks experience, which could show come postseason.

5. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are another interesting group. Last weekend, they lost to the Rams where they did not look good at all scoring only 12 points to a division rival. This seems to be more of a fluke game than a patter though. Before this game, the Seahawks 6 out of 7 of their previous games by a TD or a less showing that they win close games. That will be huge come the postseason. Additionally they have a great run game averaging 140+ yards rushing a game along with an experienced QB in Russell Wilson who has won a Super Bowl. This is a team with an experienced coach and QB that knows how to win close games.

6. Kansas City Chiefs

This team may be a little bit more obvious as no team wants to play Mahomes and their high powered offense. Coming off a 23-16 win over the Patriots, the Chiefs are gearing up for a playoff run. This team can put up 28 points in a single quarter behind the league’s reigning MVP. While the Chief’s offense is one of the best in the league, their defense has been playing significantly better allowing 17 or less points in 3 straight games, and having 7 interceptions over the last 3 games. The Chiefs could become a whole different monster if their defense keeps this type of play up.

48 Hours Later: The State of the Patriots 12/10/19

by Brian Murray, posted in NFL

Well.. the Pats lost. It was an excruciatingly frustrating game to watch. Ugly offense, abominable officiating, and a disappointing performance all around for a Pats team that has now dropped two in a row to division leaders. Sure, the Pats have struggled in years past, just last year for example, they were at one point 9-5 and written off by the masses. But this time around it just feels different. The frustration from Brady is palpable, nobody seems capable of stepping up, but then again.. the real season hasn’t started yet. So, all frustration aside, let’s dive into the game a little bit.

The Offense

First and foremost, I want to come right out and say – boy was I wrong about how the game would go. I predicted an optimistic 31-24 victory.. wrong. I predicted that Sony Michel would be relied on throughout the game.. he had 9 carries. I predicted that this could be the game that Mohammed Sanu finally stepped up and established himself as the number two receiver.. wrong again.

I saw two main problems with the Pats offensive attack yesterday and they aren’t new problems. The offensive line allowed rushers to disrupt Brady all night long, and there was no reliable second option for Brady to target.

On the offensive line, I have to say it was just disappointing all night long. Shaq Mason has not had a good year after putting together a great season last year and getting paid, and Isiah Wynn, while an upgrade from Marshall Newhouse (no idea how that guy lasted as many weeks as he did) has not lived up to the 1st round draft pick we used on him. To top it off, we’re on our third string center, who unfortunately had to go up against Chris Jones, one of the premier defensive linemen in the NFL. All in all, not a great performance, and it certainly affected Brady’s ability to throw.

On the receiver side, Edelman continues to be an absolute stud. The dude is 33 years old, constantly takes big hits, but somehow continues to put up huge numbers. He’s currently on a streak of 43 games in a row with at least 3 receptions for 25 yards or more. Unreal is the only way to put it. Other than that though, there are zero positives to speak of. Our first round draft pick, N’Keal Harry, was a non-factor. Our de-facto 2020 2nd round draft pick, Mohammed Sanu, whom everyone said was an “ideal fit” in New England, was a non-factor. And our rookie UDFA, Jakobi Meyers, who has admirably worked so hard to put himself in this situation, cannot catch a ball. I mean Brady threw him a perfect back hip ball in the end zone, Meyers turns to catch it, the ball hits him square in the chest and drops straight to the ground. I don’t catch many balls anymore, but when I do, I like to use my hands. I guess the only thing we can do from here on out is pray that someone puts it together and steps up.

It’s simply too easy for competent defenses right now. Blitz Brady, double Edelman, and you’ve got at least a 75% chance that the Pats do nothing.

The Defense

I was 0-3 on offensive predictions, and I was 0-1 on my defensive predictions as Jason McCourty hardly played in his return to the lineup.

I think the defense played great minus the busted coverage play in which Mecole Hardman scored the TD. This is the second week in a row Johnathan Jones has gotten beat deep, but other than that he played well and did a good job containing Tyreek Hill.

It was a tough first half to watch as the Chiefs held the ball for much of the half and had long methodical drives down the field. However, the Pats regrouped after the break, and held the Chiefs to three points, 97 yards, and allowed Mahomes a measly 57 yards through the air in the 2nd half. That second half performance alone deserves a football version of the Bronze Star or something.

The Officials

Name one other profession in the world (other than commissioner of the NFL and NCAA) where you can make so many blatant mistakes and keep your job. These dudes shouldn’t even be allowed to ref Pop-Warner football.

A Look Ahead

We’re onto Cincinnati. Which is eerily similar to the 2014 blowout in Kansas City.

It’ll be interesting to see if the offense can handle a 1-12 Bengals team. I’m sure the defense will ball out, but if the offense can’t get it done again the panic button will definitely be out from the garage and placed right in the living room.

Keep the faith.

LFG

Pats vs. Chiefs Preview and Keys to the Game

by Brian Murray, posted in NFL

Everyone knows about the recent struggles of the New England Patriots. Tom Brady is “deteriorating”, his receivers struggle to get open, and the run game is inconsistent at best.

Despite the national narrative that the Pats are out-manned, untalented, and stand no chance against the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill, there is just cause for optimism.

Where would one find this optimism you ask? Well simply press the home button on your dopamine delivery device, I mean your phone, and open up the calendar.

It should say December 7. Key word here being December. Historically, the Patriots dominate in December. And yes, they lost last week on December 1 to the Texans, but it was only the first day of the month so it wasn’t really December yet. Plus with half the team battling the flu, I’ll give them a pass for that ugly loss, but that’s a conversation for another day.

In all seriousness though, the month of December has been good for Patriots fans (and so have a lot of other months -ie. early February). Since Tom Brady became the Patriots starter in 2001, the team is 54-10 in the month of December. Sure, this doesn’t really mean much for the X’s and O’s of tomorrow’s game, but it’s important to remember that the Patriots of years past really started to get it together during this month.

Cause number two for optimism is where the Pats will play this game. Foxborough, Massachusetts to be exact. The Pats undoubtedly play better at home, the defense and the offense are more comfortable, and Gillette stadium has not been kind to young QBs. During the Belichick era, QBs under the age of 25 have never won on the road in New England.

Similarly to my first point, this has nothing to do with the game plan tomorrow. I just hope you can think about these facts as you wake up from your nightmare of Tyreek hill streaking down the sideline for a 75 yard touchdown.

Keys to the game:

This season has been a defensively driven year for the Pats, so I’ll start there.

Containing Patrick Mahomes

Obviously, Mahomes is a generational talent and nobody has quite cracked the code to slowing him down. His numbers have slowed down a bit in his return from his knee injury (less than 200 yards passing in his last two games) but I’m sure Mr. Mahomes has had this one circled on his calendar for awhile and is itching to upend the whole “young QB’s don’t win in New England” narrative. I think the Pats need to put pressure on Mahomes, but on top of that they need to do their best to not allow him to scramble. When number 15 is outside of the pocket, there’s arguably nobody as good at extending plays and improvising. With the Ferrari level speed of the Chiefs receivers, Mahomes can afford to run around and wait for someone to get open. So, put pressure on Mahomes, but keep him in the pocket.

Pats DBs vs. Chiefs WRs

Last week against the Texans I think the Pats secondary had one of its worst games. Aside from Stephon Gilmore (Gilmore for DPOY), the Texan’s WRs, TEs and Deshaun Watson had a good day. They were effective down the field, especially in the middle, and had a long touchdown pass against one on one coverage with Johnathan Jones. Jones has been a top ten DB this year so I’ve got nothing against him, but what I’m hoping for is the return of Jason McCourty. Out the past couple weeks with a groin injury, his absence has left the Pats with a bit less depth, versatility, and speed. If McCourty is able to go this Sunday, he’ll play an instrumental role in containing Mecole Hardman and some of the other Chiefs WRs.

Brady’s trust and communication with his WRs

It’s been a revolving door at the position of wide receiver for the Pats this year. At week two it looked like they’d assembled a QB’s dream of pass catchers. Now in week thirteen, we’ve got two rookies playing substantial snaps, and a banged up veteran in only his 5th game with the team. Last week the receivers struggled to create separation, and seemed to miss some audible signals from Brady. It may take more than a week to iron out these issues, so I’m expecting to see a healthy dose of Sony Michel in this one. But, you never know what you’re gonna see when it comes to the genius in the hoodie.

If the Pats are going to succeed in the air this week, it’s going to be from the slot. The Chiefs D has not been good against slot receivers this year, and that lends itself well to a Pats offense who loves some speedy slot guys. Obviously, Julian Edelman will be a focal point of the passing attack, but that means he’ll also be a focal point of the defensive game-plan. I expect to him doubled for much of the game until somebody else can step up. Hopefully, Sanu is healthy enough to take the next step in his development with Brady (maybe get some new receiver gloves as well) and Dorsett doesn’t miss anymore signals from 12.

Prediction:

This is a big week for the AFC playoff picture. If both the Pats and Bills pull out wins, the Pats will be back in first place for the AFC, and retain the top spot in the division.

Pats 31 – Chiefs 24

LFG