The Upcoming NE Game

[WMH]

Yes it's Monday, but dammit, I am excited.......

From PFT regarding some info on Brady's approach to next weekend.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/rumor-mill.php

Brady wants to "carry over" strong week
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on December 28, 2009 11:38 AM ET
Tom Brady says the Patriots are coming off their best week of practice of the season and "one of" the team's best games. He wants to keep that momentum going next week in Houston.

"You don't want to make it seem like one week we're a team that looks like we did yesterday, and the next week we're a team that looks like we played against the Bills," Brady said on WEEI Monday morning, as transcribed by Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.

"I'd love to see us go down there and put together the same type of effort," Brady said.

We wouldn't be surprised to see the Patriots play Brady all four quarters. Bill Belichick faced nearly the exact same decision in Week Seventeen of the 2005 and 2006 season. In both cases, the Patriots had the division clinched but no chance at bye. There was little at stake.

In 2005, Matt Cassel replaced Brady in the first half of a narrow loss to the Dolphins.

In 2006, Brady played until the game was decided in a win over a streaking Titans team. The difference in approach may have had to do with how the Patriots were playing.

The 2005 team was on a four-game winning streak. The 2006 team had won two straight, but had lost to Miami 21-0 in Week Fourteen.

It's just an educated guess, but we suspect Belichick feels similar to Brady. The 2009 team looks like one that needs to improve on Sundays before sitting anyone. Injured players like Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren will clearly rest up for the playoffs, but Brady may just get his wish.

That doesn't mean the Patriots will prevail -- their best road win thus far is Buffalo -- but it certainly wouldn't help Houston's playoff hopes.

[NBT]

Which means the Patriots are trying to get on a peak to last out the season. The Texans, in order to have a chance to beat the Patriots, will have to have the same type of 'A' game they did in the first half against Miami, but they will have to play that way for a full game to have a chance to stay with NE. The defense will have to attack more also, against the Patriots than they have been.

[Keith]

My guess is the Texans will come out like world beaters in the first half like they appeared in the Seahawks and Dolphins games. The difference this time will be that the Patriots will fight back sooner.

Hopefully this keeps the team's interest beyond halftime. I wouldn't be too surprised if 60+ points were scored in this one.

Hmmm... over/under talk reminds me we haven't had an official O/U contest yet this year. Maybe I'll post one later tonight.

[HPF Bob]

I think with all the flack Caldwell has received, Belichick will be less inclined to rest his starters early. The Texans will make those two predictable turnovers they almost always make and will have no answer for the combination of Welker and Moss.

If the Texans are going to win, they will need to jump on the Patriots early and get them disinterested in giving 100%. They won't know if the Bengals will win or lose so the Patriots are unlikely to just go through the motions but nothing will do it more than a quick 2-TD deficit.

If it comes down to the end, though, expect the Patriots to make the plays and the Texans to choke. It's what we always expect from both of them.

[nero THE zero]

The more I think about it, the more I think this is a bad match-up.

These teams are pretty similiar in that they both have weaknesses in their pass defenses and strengths in their pass offenses. I think the key to a Texans victory is the pass rush. If they can get after Brady and disrupt the pass attack, they will have an opportunity to win. If they give Brady time to sit back and pick apart the depleted secondary, it will be tough to keep up.

[Mike]

Preliminary report is roof closed, due to 40% chance of rain. This is a pseudo playoff game. I hope all the folks that did not show up for the Seattle game have climbed back on the bandwagon.

I am planning on being loud and cheering my lungs out. Let's really try to be the "best fans in the National Football League."