Mike Dussault

We’re just two hours from the kick off of the 2011 Patriots season and the excitement here in the Ministry of PatsPropaganda is palpable.

We’ve been somewhat in a cocoon of Pats analysis the last week or so. You can go back and look at stats from last year, or try and guess what BB has up his sleeve, but personally I think it’s all a waste of time.

Just like this is a new year and a new team we try to attack analysis the same way. So let’s just sit back, see how the Patriots of 2011 look in a game that actually counts and then we’ll get back to figuring out what they got.

Some final quick hit thoughts prior to kickoff tonight:

– I think both teams will have surprises for one another. All signs are especially pointing to the Dolphins busting out some trickeration, but I think a great way for the Pats to combat that will be to fight fire with fire and do some trickeration themselves.

– As we saw in the Jets-Cowboys game last night the team that wins tonight will be the team that plays the closest to 60 minutes.

– Very curious to see how the Pats use their two new runningbacks. This is one area Miami might not quite have a handle on yet. My instinct tells me that the Pats are really going to exploit the screen and short passing game.

– Looking for the Pats to try and use speed rushers on the edges, that’s why I am not overly concerned with Jermaine Cunningham being out.