Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
It's not do-or-die time, but Sunday's New England-Atlanta game is pretty big for the Patriots.
The Pats might be 1-1 and should be 0-2 (that Bills win should have never happened), but either way it's time for the real Tom Brady and the Patriots offense to step up.
Atlanta isn't exactly a soft team that's an easy win, either, this team is solid.
So what do the Patriots have to do to get back on the winning track?
A lot.
First, on offense, Brady and Co. must get this potentially high scoring offense in gear. Wouldn't it be nice to see the Pats pick up first down after first down to start the game, instead of finally getting in a groove late in the third quarter or the fourth?
And it all starts with Brady. We all know this hasn't been vintage Brady in the first two games -- OK enough of recovering from major knee surgery, I get it -- but he must do a better job of finding his receivers in stride, and take the checkdown throws if he has to. Protect the ball, too.
And is Wes Welker coming back this week? I hope so because he's such a valuable player and Brady's No. 1 security blanket. Rookie Julian Edelman did a nice job filling the void of Welker, but we all know he's no Welker. Plus, Randy Moss must deliver big catches, preferable into the end zone. And both Welker and Moss are questionable for the game. If they don't play, the Pats don't have a chance to win, that's the bottom line.
And that offensive line. If the Falcons blitz, the Pats must pick it up and Brady must be poised enough to stand strong in the pocket and make the big throws. The Jets exposed this offense last week with constant pressure, so why wouldn't the Falcons do the same? We'll see if the Pats have made the proper adjustments. And left tackle Matt Light better elevate his game. I've always thought he's been overrated, and now it appears his game is in a major decline. Hope he proves me wrong, however.
And where's that running game? No doubt the Pats are a pass first team, but don't give up on the run so quickly. Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris aren't chopped liver, so let them pound away and wear down the Falcons. New England has scrapped the run game too quickly, so here's to a little more balance (pass-run ratio) this week. You'd be amazed what happens when you show you want to run instead of throw all the time -- it opens up both the run and pass and puts defenses on their heels.
But defensively the Pats have the biggest challenge. This defense has been OK thus far, but OK isn't going to cut it against the Falcons.
Boston College star QB Matt Ryan leads the offense, and he's got a boatload of weapons at his disposal. In the passing game, wide receiver Roddy White is a matchup nightmare -- Shawn Springs will have his hands full -- and so is future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez. Who can cover Gonzalez? Nobody on the Pats, but they better know where he is at all times. But perhaps Atlanta's biggest strength is the power running game with Michael Turner "The Burner". Turner has the beef to plow you over and the quickness to completely run by you. He must be gang tackled, hit low and wrapped up. The Pats needs to stop the run first, and make the Falcons one-dimensional.
Plus, add in terrible weather on Sunday -- forecast calls for heavy rain Sunday morning -- and you don't know how that's going to affect the game plan.
It's a great early-season matchup between two teams that should be in the playoffs, but the pressure is squarely on the Pats to not lose two straight games.
Chad's prediction: Patriots 27-24
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