Pre-Playoff Picture

The Patriots did it!! The Patriots' future was not always clear in the beginning and it certainly has been a rough month and things have not always looked promising for the playoffs, but it has happened. It feels great to be back in the playoff picture. Last year was so disappointing, but luckily this season has been drastically different.

But we can't celebrate just yet. Making the playoffs is one thing, but that is just the start. No team wants their season to end in the wildcard round of the playoffs. But how can the Patriots advance especially after a rather difficult past few weeks? The answer is all in the execution. The Patriots are not a team that is lacking talent at all. For a rookie quarterback, Mac Jones has done an incredible job. For one, he has done significantly better than Cam Newton, who was a seasoned quarterback. Furthermore, he has done a great job owning his mistakes especially after last week's game against the Dolphins which was rather embarrassing. However, after being down by 13 points at the half Mac and the offense didn't give up and they ended up putting up 17 points in the second half. But it was too little, too late.

The first necessary adjustment that needs to be made against the Bills is to score first and to continue to score. It is significantly harder to try and win when you are down several scores at the end of the half. I am not saying that it is impossible, but it is significantly harder especially for a rookie quarter. The other very important change that needs to be made is the accuracy. Mac Jones has the ability to make the big plays and to hit his man. However, in order for him to be able to make those plays and for those to count, he can't make the dumb mistakes that he has made the past few weeks. Mac Jones has said the same in several interviews. It does not matter who is at the center, you get the ball and you make the play. The other thing from an offensive standpoint that needs to be improved is interceptions. Mac has had more interceptions in the last month than he had had in the last 14 games combined. Mac has the ability to throw with accuracy. It just needs to be present once again against the Bills today.

If these adjustments can be made by Mac and the offense tomorrow, then the defense will be in a significantly better position and the whole team will be better off. The defense needs to be on top of their plays. When you go to make a tackle you have to commit and actually wrap the man up. The other key change that needs to be implemented in today’s game is the catching of interceptions. The defense needs to force turnovers, through interceptions and through putting pressure on Josh Allen. The last time we played the Bills we lost, in part because Josh Allen had all day in the pocket and that cannot be the case today.

As for the special teams, their job is simple. They just need to catch the return punt and successfully punt the ball to the Bills. They arguably have one of the easiest jobs on the team. As long as no one does anything fancy or dumb for that matter, everything should be okay on their side.

I am a believer. Despite their poor performance over the last few games, I have confidence that with a few simple but key changes they can definitely win today’s game against the Bills. Sure the Bills have played well over the past month, but the Patriots have beat them before and they can do it again. The playoffs are a whole different ball game than the regular season. The typical game-winning factors are heightened, such as healthy players, game-plays, drive, and accuracy.

However, there are a few things that are of greater significance during the playoffs. The first is momentum. Momentum is the most intangible thing in sports; however, it is a crucial player. When momentum is on your side, you, the quarterback can't miss your receivers and the team marches down the field play after play regardless of any defensive attempts to stop the offense. With momentum on the Patriots' side, the Bills would have a hard time trying to win. Another crucial factor is drive and want. Everyone has seen the teams that are burnt out, tired, and don't care about the game. Not only is it painful to watch, but it also makes it impossible to win if there is no desire. I do not, however, see this being the case with the Patriots. This team wants to win. They still have so much they want to prove this season. With their recent loss to the Bills, the Patriots will have even more to prove and more drive, to portray that they are not the same team that they were when they last played the Bills. Today is their chance to show the NFL what kind of team they really are.

His Face Says it All -- Google Images