Patriots Blog: Final Thoughts Before Kickoff
FOXBORO (CBS) - Here are some final thoughts before the Patriots hit the field in their divisional playoff matchup against the Broncos.
- The Pats have talked about it for two weeks now: when they start this game, they want to start fast. This is the postseason and getting down early will get them sunk. The Patriots need to start quickly on both sides of the ball and take care of business on third down situations. They cannot afford to find themselves in a hole. The crowd will get restless and though they have said they don't think about it, those past playoff losses will start to creep into their thoughts.
Read: 13 Players Questionable For Patriots
- Protecting Tom Brady is a must. You can cancel Christmas if Tom gets hurt. Last time they played the Broncos, Elvis Dumervil got a clean shot on Brady and he suffered a big sack. Luckily he came away uninjured. That cannot happen tonight. Tom needs to stay healthy for this game and hopefully for the rest of the postseason. He's been sacked 13 times the last three playoff games, and we know how those ended...
- If, and this a big if, Logan Mankins plays, he better be good to go. If he is out there, the Broncos are going to immediately load up on his side and test him to see if he ready to play. The Pats have to make sure that Logan can pull his weight. Tonight could be the night the running game gets going, and Logan is a big part of that.
- Tim Tebow has been out there, sleeveless, throwing the football for a while now. He's throwing fastballs, and likely catching a cold. Whatever it takes to "warm up" I guess...
- Check back for updates during the game. I'll be sending in my highs and lows at the end of each quarter.
Read: Levan Reid's Patriots Blog
Tune in to the Patriots-Broncos playoff game Saturday night at 8pm on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV. Pregame coverage begins Saturday at 5pm with Patriots Preview on 98.5, with a special edition of Patriots GameDay on WBZ-TV at 7pm. After the game, stay tuned for Patriots Postgame on The Hub, and Patriots 5th Quarter on WBZ-TV.
