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Five Things to Watch This Week - Week 13

By Patty O'Tool

The Patriots play their twelfth regular season game on the road against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday December 6th at 1:00 PM at Joe Robbie Stadium Pro Player Park Pro Player Stadium Dolphins Stadium Land Shark Stadium.  (Really?  "Land Shark Stadium"?)

"Hey Bill... It’s... uh ... it’s Pat.  I need you to do me a huge favor.  Can you please... uh... take your name off your phone...?  My wife went through my phone and... uh... may be calling you."

Has my love for Bill Belichick diminished?  No.  Not even a little.  But there are times when we've looked downright sloppy this season.  Monday night sucked.  Hard.  My apologies to my football buddies out of market who only get to watch the Pats when they're on nationally.

But you know what?  It's going to be OK.  We're not nearly as bad as we looked last week.  They've got a pillowy soft schedule coming up.  They're going to go 12 - 4 (11 - 5 at worst).  And there's nobody in the AFC that really scares me.

Remember when Miami almost signed Drew Brees and ended up going with Culpepper instead?  Hilarious.  Aren't you glad we don't have to face him twice a year?

See, look at that... You feel better already, don't you?


Offensive Live - Remember last week when I said I'd rather see Vollmer out there over Matt Light?  Nothing I saw last week convinced me I was wrong on that one.

Sam Aiken / Ben Watson - If defenses are going to double Welker AND Moss, one of these guys has to step up.  And how tremendous is Randy's beard right now?  Wow.  It would take me 4 years to grow that.

Randy Moss - I'm telling you, he's due for a big game (but I thought that last week, too).  You can't keep that beard out of the end zone for too much longer.

Laurence Maroney - He actually had a good first half last week.  He seems to do better later in the season.  But holy hell... HOLD ON TO THE BALL, LAURENCE.

Defense - Thankfully, Chad Henne is no Drew Brees.  The defense should look much better this week.


My prediction: Pats 27, Miami 17

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