Wow is all can be said regarding the Patriots 20 to 3 win over the Colts on Sunday. Although each side was quick to give the other side credit it was really a combination of both the Patriot offensive and defensive units dominance that was responsible for the win.
The defensive club set the tone by sending the Colts off the field in three downs on their first possession. Then the offense came in and provided power ball control football. It was apparent in the first half that Corey Dillon would be a key component in the game. The running game punished the Colts in the first half and then put them in a coma in the second half. So the game went. The defense stopped them short,the offense then basically held the ball on long drives and scored.
The impressiveness of the win is almost a concern. All the conditions favored the Patriots. The snow started to fall before game time. The wind was whipping and the field was slow but it seemed unimaginable that the Patriot defensive backs would render the Colt's pass catching core largely irrelevant. The key statistic was Manning having 60 plus throws of 20 or more yards during the season yet he only managed an 18 yarder yesterday. The Patriot cornerbacks who have been thought a weakness certainly didn't seem that way yesterday. The names of Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison were barely heard during the broadcast.
Either Bill Belichik and the game plans of his coordinators are impeccable and the team is a finely tuned and mentally prepared juggernaut or the Colt's just plain stunk up the place yesterday.
Next week will be a different story. The Patriots will be playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh against a team that is an outdoor team and has a reputation for physical play which is appropriate for a steel workers town.
The Patriots have already seen the Steelers this year in Pittsburgh. It was only one of two losses for the Patriots and broke their historic win streak. The only caveat is that the Patriots played the game without Dillon and only garnered 5 yards rushing. This will be a different Patriot team.
The contrast between the two clubs coming into the game is quite dramatic. The Patriots fresh of a conquest and Pittsburgh backing into the game by virtue of the Jets inability to accept a gift. The Jets Missed two field goals one in regular time and one in over time.
Pittsburgh will want to run the ball with Bettis and Staley. The Patriots will stop that first and force the outstanding rookie quarterback to throw into the maze of Crennel's secondary coverage. Although Rothlisberger has had a great year he is still a rookie and at times he looked like one in the Jets game. Bettis has had a great year but again he is no stranger to us in a big game and the defense has stopped the run cold and forced the pass.
On offense the Patriots will throw a bit more against Pittsburgh out of necessity. As always in the passing game Brady will be short and precise however the key is as always is protection. Can the Steelers get to Brady? My guess is not enough. Can the Steelers stop Dillon? No one else has.
Pittsburgh has had a great season and is a team in ascendancy however the Patriots have an undeniable string of near perfection in planning and performance over the past two years. It is hard to imagine that a rookie quarterback will prevail in a game of this magnitude against our club. Patriots by 7
