Dec

23

Patriots One Away From Perfection Beat Dolphins 28-7

Posted by Jeff Sack under Miami Dolphins, NFL, New England Patriots 

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They might just make it after all! Things continue to break the right way for the New England Patriots this magical season of 2007. Sunday they became the first team in NFL history, to start a season 15-0, the previous record was held by the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who had a perfect season back when the NFL played only a 14 game regular season. Miami of course went on to win the Super Bowl becoming the only team in NFL history to have a perfect season. Now 35 years later, the Patriots are not only in the position to run the table, they would actually attain more wins than the vaunted 1972 Dolphins. Their latest victims were the present incarnation of the Dolphins, who they routed Sunday in Foxborough 28-7.

As I wrote at the top, things have been breaking all season long in New England’s favor, this game was just another example. I started predicting before New England faced Pittsburgh, that the Patriots would lose to the Dolphins in week 16 ending their perfect season. At the time Miami had yet to win a game. I have always been a very strong believer in karma, I could see the scenario playing out that the winless Dolphins would come in to Foxborough and be totally pumped for this contest. I imagined Don Shula sitting at home with his Bill Belichick voodoo doll, sticking pins in it, as he watched the game in his living room. I imagined, former Dolphins like Larry Csonka, and Nick Buoniconti, showing up at practice all week inspiring the present Miami players. But that all changed last Sunday, the Dolphins were no longer winless, they beat the Baltimore Ravens 22-16 in overtime. The scenario was now different, the motivation factor was no longer the same. In my picks column this week I made the following prediction:

Miami @ New England: New England 42 Miami 9: Every thing changed when Miami got the monkey off their backs last week. Up until then I thought this would be New England’s “Waterloo” Now the Dolphins have relaxed, and taken the pressure off themselves, it will be a far different result.

And although the score was not as high, it was still a shellacking by the Patriots. New England did all their scoring in the first half. They struck first at the 8:47 mark of the first quarter, as Pats QB Tom Brady hit BFF Randy Moss with the first of two touchdown passes. This one was for 11 yards up the middle, and after Steve Gostkowski’s extra point New England led 7-0. Brady and Moss connected again, in the second quarter at the 13:32 mark as Moss completed a 1 yard touchdown. Patriots running back Laurence Maroney who had a great game 14 carries for 156 yards scored next on a 59 yard run for a TD. Brady completed his third and final touchdown of the game as he hit Jabar Gaffney at the 3:33 mark for a 48 yard touchdown. Gostkowski’s extra point made it 21-0 New England.

The immortal Cleo Lemon who was at QB for the Dolphins on Sunday(another factor in New England’s factor) finally got Miami on the board, with 1:13 left in the third quarter hitting Greg Camarillo on the left side of the field for a 21 yard touchdown. Jay Feeley kicked the point after, and that is how the score would remain 21-7 New England. Brady did not not have a stellar game despite the 3 touchdowns, he also threw 2 interceptions. Brady went 18/33 for 215 yards, far below what he has averaged this season. He has the chance to tie Peyton Manning next week for the season record, with 1 touchdown 2 to break the mark.  Brady currently has 48 touchdowns for the campaign, Manning’s mark is 49. Randy Moss also has the chance to set a record next week, he has the chance to tie former San Francisco 49ers Jerry Rice for most TD receptions in a season with 1 or 2 to break the record. Moss is at 21 for the season Rice reached 22 in 1987. Lemon completed 18/41 passes for 171 yards, 1 TD, no interceptions.

The Patriots will be traveling to the Garden state next Sunday to take on the Giants, and again things are breaking New England’s way. The G-Men clinched a playoff spot Sunday by defeating the Buffalo Bills 38-21, so the game will be meaningless for them. To be a true “Team of Destiny” you have to be good, but you also have to get the breaks, through 15 games the Patriots have.

© Copyright 2007 thesackattack.com 


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