IT’S HAMMER TIME AT LAST
Pats’ next crack at extending division reign begins vs. Miami
FOXBORO — Because of an odd scheduling twist, it’s Week 12, and the Patriots are only now getting to square off with a second AFC East rival. With a victory over the Jets already in the bank, today’s matchup with Miami kicks off three straight division games.
Consider it a Dolphins Oreo, with the Bills serving as the stuffing between the two Miami games. Better still, by the time the Patriots are done devouring the Oreo, they have a chance at knocking out all of their floundering AFC East competition and claiming what would be their ninth straight division crown, and 15th of the last 17 years.
Not a bad trick for them to pull off, having one mission settled so early in the campaign. Checking off that AFC East title would give Bill Belichick a little more flexibility down the stretch.
Otherwise the division would still be weighing in the balance after those three games, they get to finish with the Bills and Jets on either side of the much anticipated meeting with the Steelers in Pittsburgh. So life might be a bit more difficult if they don’t take care of business.
“When you have all these division games at the end it kind of leaves the division still up for grabs because the games just mean more,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. “You win and you put another team in the division down a game if you beat them. I think it’s going to be pressure across the board and all of these games will be key to end the season.”
It’s doubtful the Patriots, winners of six straight and holders of a three-game division lead will take any of these teams for granted based on how everyone is struggling right now. But just the same, this could be a runaway. Technically, they could have the division locked up after their Monday night game with the Dolphins at the back end of this trio of games in Week 14.
They’d be 11-2 at that point, and out of reach of the Dolphins, Bills or Jets. That would assure the defending Super Bowl champs a return ticket to the postseason before locking horns with the Steelers Week 15, and continuing their battle for the top seed.
Naturally, the Patriots aren’t doing the math or calculating their playoff possibilities.
“You can’t look ahead right now. You have to live day by day, game by game, and this week, the focus is on the Dolphins,” Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore said. “We know they have good talent. Any given Sunday is any given Sunday, so you have to be ready to play, or that team will get you.”
To that end, the Patriots did their best during the week to pump up the Dolphins, who at 4-6 enter the game having lost four straight. The defense has struggled, but the offense has been even worse, as coach Adam Gase’s team is down at the bottom in just about every meaningful category.
The Bills, sitting on deck next week, haven’t been much better. After a terrific start, they’ve been sinking like a stone. First-year coach Sean McDermott had them going early with a 5-2 start but they’ve since lost three straight. McDermott is being criticized for making a panic move at quarterback, benching Tyrod Taylor in favor of Nathan Peterman.
The latter threw five interceptions on his first 14 passes last week. It’s not the type of move a playoff-bound team would make.
So the bottom line against both teams is having the Pats guard against complacency, although the players sounded pretty confident that wouldn’t happen.
Defensive captain Duron Harmon knows what he sees of the Dolphins on film, and he recognizes the talent they have. The last thing the Patriots want to do is give Miami, or any team below them, any life.
“We know they’re going to come ready to play. We have to come ready to play,” Harmon said Wednesday. “We know they’re talented. It might not have looked like it at times on the film, but we know what they’re capable of doing. We don’t want to be the team that gets them going.”
Cornerback Jonathan Jones said the Patriots usually get the best from whoever they play, so the Dolphins shouldn’t be an exception today at Gillette Stadium.
“They’re a talented group from top to bottom. They have some excellent receivers, some good backs, some skilled players all around,” he said. “In the NFL, you can’t take anybody lightly. You know they’re going to come with their best, so we have to match it.”
While Tom Brady missed some practice time this week with what was listed as an Achilles problem, it was considered minor, so there’s no need to panic. The quarterback, in the midst of an MVP-type season, is expected to play today.
Dolphins quarterback Cutler, meanwhile, was placed in concussion protocol a hit against the Bucca So backup Matt Moore, played pretty well last after coming on in relief be the starter if Cutler can't go
“Their backs are again wall,” Harmon said of the phins. “They want to come out here ready to win, and we’re go do the same. We’re try build toward something now, and we’ve got to building. We can’t let co cency or anything get i way of what we want t complish.” Another AFC East c would be good for starte