PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Mike Dussault

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https://www.patspropaganda.com/8014/

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk-ijVsIqIA

Colts @ Patriots 2003 (AFC Championship Playoff) – David Givens TD (by Musclebelt)

Taking a look at some Pats-Colts playoff flashbacks today. It’s kinda strange, those old matchups in 03 and 04 were really defined by Peyton Manning. Now it doesn’t quite seem the same, at least for Patriots fans.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/colts-patriots-2003-afc-championship-playoff/

After the spikes injury what will our base starting defense even look like? Will ninkovich move back to LB? will jamie collins role be forced to be bigger as a LB?

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They played more sub last year against the Colts and I expect that to be the case again this weekend, so it’s got to be Hightower and Collins most likely, with some Fletcher sprinkled in.

Collins is the storyline as I see it. They could protect him a bit with Spikes in the fold, but now he and Fletcher are going to see their snaps increase.

If/when they do go to base you’re looking at Hightower (SLB), Fletcher (MLB), Collins (WLB). 34 personnel becomes interesting as well, Spikes is a prototypical SILB in the 34, and without him they’d like have to put Hightower there.

I don’t know, they’ll just have to figure it out for a max of three games. The big problem would be against the Chargers in AFCCG or Seahawks/Panthers/49ers in the Super Bowl, but we’ll analyze those problems if/when we get there. They’d be high class problems to have anyway.

I feel like the Pats will need someone other than Edelman and Amendola to step up in the passing game to win a tough play off game. I’m hopeful that either Thompson or Dobson can recapture some of the ability they flashed earlier in the season. Even Vereen had a pretty quiet December, and I feel like the Pats will need more than 2 receivers to put up enough points to win one of these games. Thoughts?

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I agree 100 percent. If the offense becomes the Edelman with a sprinkling of Amendola show, they’re probably not going very far. Has to be the running backs that step up – Vereen, Ridley, Blount.

Who knows if Dobson will even dress after re-injuring his foot, and Thompkins was little more than a decoy against the Bills. He hasn’t caught a pass since Week 12 against the Texans. 

So I’m not expecting much out of Dobson or Thompkins, and it’s hard to think Hooman, Mulligan or Develin are going to have a breakout offensive performance either. Maybe Austin Collie suddenly emerges, he’s made a few clutch catches in limited time and stints with the team this year. He could be an X-factor.

So it comes down to Blount, Vereen and Ridley. They’ve all shown elements of explosiveness at various times and in various combinations. All three of them have to be lights out for the entire playoff run.