Last week the New England Patriots (4-1) rebounded from week four’s disastrous home loss to the Buffalo Bills by decimating the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. This week, the Pats again take on a AFC North opponent when the Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) come to New England for Tom Brady‘s home opener.
To say that Brady was back in a big way last week is an understatement. He completed 28 passes on 40 attempts for 406 yards and 3 touchdowns. Last week’s game was only the fifth 400yd/3td game in Brady’s career. The Patriots defense also rebounded from their abysmal performance the week prior allowing only two touchdowns (one in the first quarter and one in the 4th during garbage time) and knocking out the Browns starting qb, Cody Kessler. The game was completely over by halftime and with a listless Bengals team heading to town, this week should be more of the same which spells doom for the Cincinnati Bengals as the Pats send a message to the rest of the NFL.
New England Patriots Week Six Keys to Victory
1. Score Early, Score Often
Last week in Cleveland, Brady and company came roaring out the gate and the Browns were never able to recover. They did that on the road in hostile territory. By half time, the Pats, had scored 23 of their 33 game points with 16 of those points coming in the first quarter. The result? The Browns were so defeated by halftime that audible “Brady, Brady” chants could be heard in the second half of the game because Browns fans had simply given up and gone home.
The Bengals struggled last week on the road against the Dallas Cowboys (4-1) especially in the first half. Cincinnati was scoreless through the first half and gave up 21 points by halftime. The Bengals 14 points came in the fourth quarter when the game was largely over. Like the Browns, the Bengals saw a team collapse during the first half of their game that led to the inevitable result. It is a stark difference from the week prior when the Bengals stuffed the Dolphins. If the Patriots can put the Bengals on the ropes right out the gate, the game could be over by halftime.
2. Dominate on Defense
For the first three games of the year, the Pats defense looked dominating. They were causing havoc in the backfield and creating turnovers. Two weeks ago, their defense became exposed by a Buffalo team that ran the ball well and varied their plays and formations enough that the Patriots were confused and gassed early in the game. Last week we saw life on the Pats defense once more as they made 34 tackles, two sacks, caused an interception and a fumble and gave up less than 300 total yards against a hapless Browns offense.
The Bengals were equally inept against the Dallas defensive front. Dallas gave up only 249 yards in the air and 96 yards on the ground but those are the only bright spots for Cincinnati. The Cowboys defense racked up 39 tackles, four sacks and pitched a shut out for three full quarters before giving up only 14 garbage time points. The loss of Hue Jackson as Offensive Coordinator seems to have caused some decline for the Bengals and if the Pats defense can stand, it will give Brady and company all the time they want to shut embarrass the Bengals in Foxborough.
3. The Stars Must Come Out to Shine
Hellooo, Gronk? Are you there? Lets be honest, Tight End Rob Gronkowski, is not playing at the level that we are used to seeing. His hamstring injury clearly has effected his limited play through the first few weeks. Thus far the star TE has had only 6 catches for 120 yards and no touchdowns with five of those catches and 109 of those yards coming last week against the Browns. Gronk is simply not Gronk yet and as he slowly makes his way back from injury, he needs to start showing that he is the force we’ve known him to be. Last week was a positive sign but this week, Gronk must show further improvement or worry will set in.
It is not just Gronk that has been limited, the four games without Brady has affected every consistent playmaker that the Pats have. Danny Amendola – 11 catches for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns, Julian Edelman – 24 catches for 230 yards and no touchdowns with only Tight End, Martellus Bennett, and his 21 catches for 314 yards and 4 touchdowns being the bright spot for the Pats skill positions. It is understandable given what the Patriots have had to work through without Brady. The limitations are quarterback has had the Pats being forced to pound the rock far more than they typically have, but with Brady back and a suspect Bengals defense on the field, it is time to air it out and show the league that the New England Patriots are the owners of the best offense in the NFL.
Last Word
Many were eyeing this week’s match-up as a potential AFC Playoff preview and it still may be. But, with the Bengals in a sudden free fall, and the Patriots showing dominance under Brady’s return (a return that he called “rusty”) this game could get out of hand quickly. That scenario is exactly what the New England Patriots fans want to see after sweating out the first month of the NFL season and seeing a glimmer of hope of how dominant this team can be last week.
With a possible AFC Championship preview in store next week in Pittsburgh, it is imperative that the Patriots come out firing with all four cylinders from the start of this game. If they do so and easily take care of the defending AFC North Champions, the league…and Roger Goodell…will take notice which is all the motivation that Patriot Nation needs.
Prediction: New England – 30, Cincinnati – 13
