New England
New England
Keys to the game:
Challenge JJ Watt at the point of attack. They did a very good job with this in their first meeting. To neutralize him, they went low, and ran away from him, and blocked at him as opposed to letting him impose his will.
Don't let Arian Foster get going. The run defense has been a strength of the Patriots defense...although it's not the '85 Bears, they've come a long way since last year, and have improved significantly this year. Look for Brandon Spikes to play closer to the line and play almost laterally. Not so much as a spy, but more to let Foster know that the big hit potential that he's known for is there. (I do respect Arian Foster as a football player, and a person...love that guy actually....I also don't think he cowers if Spikes takes his hat off a couple times, like an LT).
Watch out for Garret Graham to have a big game. The Patriots tend to play...I don't like to call it "bend but don't break" but essentially that's what it is. Very telling in an interview I heard with former CB Leigh Bodden was that he basically admitted that as long as the receivers don't get behind them, the staff is okay with it, and the goal is essentially to force mistakes down that path. Graham did not play in the first tilt between these two teams, but will be a crucial part to this offense.
Get the offense going early, and often. Part of the reason the Texans had one foot on the bus by half time of the last game was the quick scoring by New England. The Patriots have the firepower to do so, and Brady certainly is quite the conductor at QB. He'll need to be sharp, but can expose Houston's "second level." Once they get past the front line, Houston becomes slightly above average. Look for Brady to test the deep ball early, and then just stay in the groove with the dink and dunk garbage the NFL has come to hate him for.
Play No-huddle. The last game was at breakneck speed, and Houston did not like it at all. I was about 10 rows up for the last game behind the Houston sideline, and these guys would have just assumed be on the couch. It was 55 degrees that night, so the cold weather/snow was no factor. Sunday looks to be mid 50s.
With Aqib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard (an unlikely starter beginning of the season) at CB, Devin McCourty may shift between CB and Safety. He has played extremely well at Safety and it is a more natural position, since he is physical, and can cover a lot of ground. He may be the X factor in the secondary.
