Key To Patriots Playoff Success?

Key To Patriots Playoff Success?

Here’s three mini football columns for the price of one:

PATRIOTS – They’re 0-3 in their last 3 playoff games dating back to Super Bowl 42. And, despite a terrific 13-3 regular season, they will be judged only on how they fare in the postseason. So what has to happen Saturday night for the Patriots to beat the Broncos? Simply put, Tom Brady must play well. Like it or not, Bill Belichick has built this team in such a fashion that it relies heavily on their superstar quarterback. When he plays well, they win. When he doesn’t, they lose. There are, of course, many factors that go into Brady playing well. Beyond the simple fact that he must be sharp with his passes and, more importantly, not turn the ball over, Brady will need protection from his offensive line to throw the ball. He will need his receivers to get open down field. And he will need the occasional 5-yard run from his running game to keep Denver’s defense honest.

But there is also a common denominator in all of New England’s playoff losses the past few years. The Giants, Ravens and Jets were all able to put pressure on Brady quickly making him uncomfortable in the pocket. If the Broncos can do that tomorrow night, they may have a punchers’ chance at pulling off the upset. But, if Brady has the time to operate in the pocket and the Patriots do not turn the ball over, Denver has no shot of beating the top-seed in the AFC.

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JETS – What a mess! But this is what happens when you talk the talk but fail to walk the walk in the Big Apple. The New York media and fans want answers and will go to any lengths to get them. And given the loose ship that Rex Ryan runs with the Jets, it’s no wonder that “unnamed sources” within the organization are chirping.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez seems to be taking a bulk of the shots which is and isn’t fair at the same time. Sanchez did not come through down the stretch this season for New York throwing 7 interceptions in their final three games of the season (all losses). However, in fairness to him, he may not be the franchise-type quarterback they thought he was when they moved up to draft him a few years ago. Sanchez would be much better served with the dominant running game the Jets had in his rookie season instead of being asked to make lots of plays like the league’s elite signal-callers.

It may be out of character for Ryan, but he needs to spend less time talking and more time coaching his team if they are to turn that ship around.

FISHER – So what’s it gonna be? Miami or St. Louis? That’s what everyone wants to know when it comes to former Tennessee Titans’ coach Jeff Fisher. By far the hottest coaching candidate available, most people assumed that Fisher was leaning towards taking the Rams’ job because they have a potential franchise quarterback in Sam Bradford and they own the #2 pick in April’s NFL Draft. But that may not be the case.

Living in south Florida isn’t such a bad thing. And who knows how much longer Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will be at it here in New England. The problem with the Miami job is Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross. Ross seems to be someone who is more concerned about rubbing elbows with celebrities than he is about building a championship team. Who’s his GM? And exactly what role is former Chiefs’ GM Carl Petterson serving for the Dolphins. These questions have to weigh heavily on Fisher’s mind.

It is possible that Fisher doesn’t see either job as the right fit for him. In which case he could certainly take another year off and get back in the game in 2013.