What To Watch For: Patriots vs. Dolphins
Friday, September 05, 2014
Although many in New England are already talking about winning the AFC and whether the 2014 season is a wasted season if the Patriots are not hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February, the game this Sunday is extremely important.
The Dolphins have been a challenge for the Patriots, defeating them in Week 15 of the 2013 season. That challenge is magnified when the Patriots travel to Miami, as they will this Sunday. With a number of potential story lines set for Sunday, here is what Go Local is looking for:
Tom Brady's Health:
Tom Brady was listed on the Patriots' injury report on Thursday with a calf injury. Although reports from Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston indicate the Patriots signal-caller is not seriously injured and expected to play Sunday, the level of concern around New England is very high.
Not only are fans in New England worried about Brady's health, they are worried about what the team would be with rookie Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm. It is imperative to keep an eye on the Friday injury report and the Sunday inactive list to get the final word on Brady.
Darrelle Revis vs. Mike Wallace:
The top Miami receiver is likely to be shadowed by the new Patriots cornerback. Wallace is known for being one of the faster receivers in the NFL while Revis is widely considered to be one of the best coverage cornerbacks in the NFL. While Wallace uses his quickness and speed, Revis uses physical play and speed to blanket opposing receivers.
Revis was also provided with some "bulletin board material" from the wife of Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes, Miko Grimes. Miko started a new weekly article for the Palm Beach Post, where she gives her take on the upcoming Dolphins game. Her "bulletin board" quote was as followed, "Did Revis look a little slower last year, or was it just me? If I were the Dolphins, I’d send Mike Wallace on back-to-back go routes, just to see if Darrelle has lost a step or two."
Although Revis likely did not need any extra motivation when facing a receiver such as Wallace, this could give him the little extra edge going into Sunday.
Offensive Line Combinations:
Last week saw the departure of Logan Mankins, causing obvious questions on the offensive line. Since then, rumors of Sebastian Vollmer moving to guard have dominated the sports talk landscape in New England.
The offensive line has seen multiple combinations throughout the preseason, but now the games matter and Tom Brady will be standing behind the line. Does Vollmer make the move? Or is Marcus Cannon, Josh Kline or Jordan Devey a better option?
Where's Gronk?:
Rob Gronkowski told the world on Monday that he was "Good to go" for Sunday's game. On Tuesday, Bill Belichick told the world that decision had not yet been made. Which is telling the truth?
Gronkowski has been listed as limited in both days of Patriots practice this week with his recovering knee. So where will Gronkowski be? Will he be on the field for the Patriots? Will we have to wait another week to see "Gronk"?
Creating Matchup Nightmares:
The Patriots offense is layered with depth and talent. Across the board, the offense has multiple options at nearly every position. That is the ideal offense for Josh McDaniels' offensive system, allowing him to get creative and get players open.
Expect to see creative formations such as a split-back offense with Shane Vereen and James White, moving tight ends Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui and Tim Wright all over the field and stacking players with similar skill sets [Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola] at the line of scrimmage.
When the Patriots are able to get creative, they create matchup problems for nearly any team.
There will be many other story lines developing over the weekend, and throughout the game. The weather is expected to be hot and humid, but there is a chance of thunder storms that could alter the game plan.
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