Mike Dussault

Patriots Tuesday 10 Pack: AFCCG Edition

January 17, 2017 by Mike Dussault

After reflecting upon this year’s AFC Championship game — the matchups, the history, etc — I can’t help but feel like it’s a throwback game to the early 2000’s playoffs. That both intrigues and frightens me. During those 2003 and 2004 playoff runs you knew the Pats would have to play their best games and somehow they always did.

It’s also somewhat reminiscent of the 2011 and 2012 AFC Championships against the Ravens. You knew those would be wars and both games lived up to the hype. I can’t help but feel like this game is going to be the same way. Back and forth the entire game, coming right down to the very end where whoever makes the last play will win.

So yeah, exciting, but terrifying.

Here’s a bunch of thoughts on all things Pats as I get back into the flow of the week…

Patriots Will Face Steelers In the AFC Championship

January 15, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The Patriots will host the Steelers in the AFC Championship next Sunday, after Pittsburgh unleashed LeVeon Bell (170 yards rushing) and Antonio Brown (108 yards receiving) on the Chiefs, winning 18-16.

It will be the third time the two teams have met in AFCCG (2001, 2004), both of which saw the Pats win both on the road. This will be the Steelers first chance to return the favor, travelling to Gillette Stadium where they’ve won just once with Ben Roethlisberger, in 2008 against Matt Cassell. USA betting sites have the Pats as early favorites.

The Steelers with Big Ben are 3-7 against the Pats, but they’ve got two of the best weapons in the NFL. No lead is safe, they can score quick. And they’re just the kind of physical team, with a healthy hate of the Patriots, that will

These are the two best teams in the AFC and they’ve been on a collision course for another playoff meeting for a while. They still haven’t met in the playoffs since the 2004 AFC Championship.

They’re due for another classic and we’re going to get it. This will be a sixty minute game, if it doesn’t go to overtime. So start preparing yourself for the stress of it all now.

My early thoughts on the keys for the Patriots:

Pats Posits: We’re Back in the AFCCG!

January 14, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The Patriots overcame three giveaways, pulling away late to close out the Houston Texans 34-16 in the AFC Divisional round, just as american football betting thought they would. The Pats now await the winner of the Steelers and Chiefs as they head to their record sixth-straight AFC Championship game.

The Patriots struggled to find a rhythm on offense, but Dion Lewis was a standout, setting an NFL Playoff record by scoring touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a kickoff return. The Patriots have been managing Lewis since the summer with this moment in mind. Now, when it all counted most, Lewis was the go-to playmaker out of the backfield.

The defense was every bit as suffocating as we expected it to be against an impotent Houston offense, holding the slim Patriots lead throughout the game and coming up with three interceptions of Brock Osweiler. Logan Ryan had the game of his career, recording three passes defensed, an interception, a sack, a QB hit, a tackle-for-loss and seven tackles.

There’s plenty to dissect, but most importantly, the Patriots are one game away from the Super Bowl.

Patriots Gameplan: AFCDG vs. Houston Texans

January 12, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The playoffs are here. Finally. Yes, it feels like most of what occurred in between watching the Patriots walk off the field in Denver after squandering a golden chance at another Super Bowl appearance to now was a bit of an annoying, meaningless blur. Brady’s suspension, Garoppolo, Brissett, a bunch of forgettable games, one or two good ones, losing Gronk, finishing strong and boom, January is here.

This is when things matter. This is when the legacies of Brady and Belichick can take a step forward. This is what we the fans live for. And here come the 9-7 Houston Texans, the biggest underdogs in an NFL playoff game since the turn of the century. Super Bowl betting is very much in the Patriots favor and this one isn’t all that scary.

Which is kinda scary.

It’s a far cry from the Colts in 2004 or even these same Texans in 2012. We kinda like these guys. Vrabel, Wilfork, RAC, BOB…But the Texans are standing in the Patriots’ way of a record sixth-straight conference championship game appearance, so throttle them we must.

Here’s the gameplan to survive and advance at the expense of some old pals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mN9f7oXM-U

Which Hoodie Should Bill Belichick Wear vs. Texans?

January 11, 2017 by Mike Dussault

By now you should all know about the signature stat here at PatsPropaganda.com, a metric so advanced it has immeasurable effect on every single game. I am of course talking about the Bill Belichick Hoodie Database and the vital information it contains. Each playoff season I like to take a look back and figure out what BB should wear based on his history against a particular opponent and in that round of the playoffs.

This year, Belichick continued the trend of getting away from hoodies, preferring to stick with the “Hot” Jacket that came out in 2013. This season he raised his all-time record in the Hot jacket to 24-8, just eight games behind the gray Reebok Hoodie that Belichick made famous.

What should Belichick wear against the Texans? Let’s take a look…

Pats Posits: It’s Go Time

January 9, 2017 by Mike Dussault

The Houston Texans will come to Foxborough for the second time this season for an AFC Divisional playoff game against the top-seeded Patriots. The Texans are littered with former Patriots, and the teams are now playing for the third time in two seasons. Plenty of familiarity.

I wanted to avoid having to take so many old friends out to the woodshed. But it has to be done and TFB and BB are just the two cold-hearted motherfuckers to do it.

In September it was Jacoby Brissett, who was injured and played through a thumb injury that would eventually land him on IR. The defense had their most complete game of the season, pitching their first shutout since 2009.

The playoffs are here. The opponent is set. It’s go time in the Posits…

PatsPropaganda Wild Card Weekend Rooting Guide

January 7, 2017 by Mike Dussault

This might be my favorite weekend of the football season. The Patriots are sitting at home getting a much-needed bye week (but still keeping their intensity at 10) and we the Pats fans can just sit back and enjoy some great playoff football without the heart palpitations.

Next week our butts will be on the line Saturday night against the lowest remaining AFC seed, but who do we want to win this weekend?

First, a disclaimer — I’m all about history. Wins over teams the Pats don’t have history with mean less to me and when Belichick and Brady are done I’d like it to all wrap up into a nice neat little package. Fortunately for us, there aren’t many teams the Patriots still owe.

Really, I thought 2011 would be an almost too perfect playoff run had they finished things off. They got revenge on the two teams that had ended their seasons in 2005 and 2009 (Denver and Baltimore) and had a chance to avenge the horribleness of Super Bowl 42 only to lose to Eli Manning and the Giants in similar fashion.

Yes, they still owe the Giants, but we’ll get to that. Here’s who I want to win, not necessarily who I think will win.