New England Patriots on Paper: Force feed Broncos steady diet of pigskin

“We like to win.  So, whatever we need to do to win really is good with me. Win running, win throwing, win shutting them out, win outscoring them, win in the kicking game - whatever it takes. We just have to find a way to do it this time of year. Every team we play is good. Every game is bigger than the next. We just have to try to find some way to come out on top next week. That’s really all it is.” - Bill Belichick

Well, O.k. then.

The oftentimes cryptic coach of the New England Patriots offered up that short soliloquy in response to a question about the swing of balance in the offensive play calling the past month - a move to a power-based running game that has allowed his charges to dominate their last three opponents.

A signature departure from what we've witnessed from this Patriots' team for the past decade, a period filled with high-style and aesthetically pleasing form, but sadly devoid of championship function and silver trophies.

As a result, there's nothing fancy about the New England Patriots these days, much to the chagrin of the milk and cookies crowd.

Those are the folks that want to see "Tommy Gun" in the shotgun, throwing for 350 yards and three scores, while the whiskey drinkers like the grinding, ram-it-down-their-throats physical style with quarterback Tom Brady under center, taking the snap and handing the ball to one of his power backs, already scheming the next play before the whistle blows.

That's the way it's been for the past three games, power running behind a physical offensive line bolstered by the play of two unheralded tight ends while Brady stays upright and fresh and not nearly as grumpy or schitzo as he was before offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels realized that he's got a pretty damned good running game.

It's been here the entire year, this rock 'em sock 'em ground game, just mismanaged at times, and it's no secret at all that when the Patriots run the ball effectively - and, most importantly, run it consistently - the record speaks for itself.

New England has averaged 129 yards per game on the ground this season - in their 12 wins, the average was 141, but in the 4 losses it was 94.  while the passing game stayed pretty consistent, not varying too north or too south of par with a median of 255 yards per game - overall a nice latter day balance - but the balance in the past three games has been skewed to the power running game, and the results have been devastating for the opposition.

In the past three games, the Patriots are averaging 214 yards per game on the ground while throwing for just over 150 - those are circa late-70's numbers, smashmouth numbers.  Cunningham and Grogan numbers.  The numbers that the Patriots' Erhardt/Perkins offensive concept begs for.

That said, the power running game is not going to win this championship all by itself but what it can do - and what it has been doing - is taking a lot of the heat off of Brady in the pocket and off of the receivers in the pattern - which is fortunate because, let's face it, Brady's pass catchers need all the help they can get creating space.

Julien Edelman went from an oft-injued afterthought in the offseason to putting up Welker-esque numbers, a stand-up talent that has stood tall and taken some wicked beatings to emerge as the top receiving option on the team - the rest of the cast a lesson in what can go wrong with human physiology when confronted with the game of football.

Gone are tight end Rob Gronkowski and rookie speedster Josh Boyce, while rookie deep threat Aaron Dobson has been nursing a bad foot and fellow rookie Kenbrell Thompkins has fallen off the face of the planet - leaving tough-as-nails but limited Danny Amendola, concussion prone mid-season pick up Austin Collie and butter-fingered third down back Shane Vereen to hold down the fort with Edelman.

The prognosis isn't that inspiring, but when one factors in that Brady is the one throwing the bullets and the Denver Broncos are without their top cover corner - not to mention their best pass rusher - the playing field levels out a bit.

Of course, it remains to be seen where the Broncos' defense concentrates, but with only two choices at their disposal, it's a matter of pick your poison when it comes to defending the Patriots.  The first school of thought is to try and take away the powerful two-headed rushing attack that is LeGarrette Blount and Stevan Ridley and leave their short-handed secondary to deal with the small and quick New England pass catchers...

...the second option is to try to limit the dangerous Patriots' running game without sacrificing a safety over the top, blitzing Brady at every opportunity - but given the health of his receivers, there's probably no need for anything more than a high safety, which is good for the Broncos because they could use a safety in the box to help the depleted front seven.

Gone are tackle Kevin Vickerson and end Von Miller - rookie Sylvester Williams and 10th year veteran Shaun Phillips in their stead respectively, putting greater responsibility on nose tackle Terrence Knighton and the linebacking corps of Nate Irving, Wesley Woodyard and Danny Trevathan to disrupt the running game at the line of scrimmage.

About 70% of New England's designed running plays hit the line of scrimmage between the guards, where the Patriots have gouged their last two opponents for 335 yards on 50 carries, an average of 6.7 yards per carry - of course, this number is skewed due to Blout's 73 yard run against the Colts, but take that away and the Patriots run a respectable 5.4 yards per carry.

This is problematic for the Broncos in that if they have to stack the box with an extra safety, it leaves their corners on an island and the likes of Vereen or even Edelman covered with a safety - and with the Patriots possessing one of the best play-action quarterbacks in the NFL, well, it's pretty easy to see where that path leads.

The key for the Broncos is the play of Knighton, who was handled pretty well in the November matchup between the two teams, the Patriots finding success with Brandon Bolden the lead back ripping off runs at a clip of eight yards per carry striaght up the middle while Vereen joined Bolden in having good success off tackle.

But unless the Broncos commit some early turnovers and allow the Patriots to gain an early two score lead, prudence dictates that the passing game should be more involved - because while it's true that the running game has been integral in setting up the play action pass, starting off drives with an equal number of passes is going to help the running game be more efficient.

Since the inception of the power running game in Baltimore three games ago,  New England has run the ball on nearly 70% of their 1st down snaps, so switching that up to more of a balance of run/pass should also help balance the offensive play calling as a whole - and make the offense just that much more unpredictable.

Like Bill said, he just likes to win and he doesn't care how it happens, as long as it does - and with a full week to prepare for the Broncos this time, better weather and, hopefully, not the atrotious first half they suffered through in the first meeting this season, it is reasonable to assume that his game plan will be plenty good enough to win the game...

...if the players can execute the plan, the Patriots should be on their way to MetLife Stadium as the AFC's representative in the Super Bowl.

New England Patriots on Film: Stingy defense leads the way in second half

Five minutes into the second half on Sunday's Divisional Round playoff game, the Indianapolis Colts had narrowed a tenuous New England Patriots' nine-point halftime lead to six courtesy of a Adam Vinatieri 21-yard field goal...

...but the goal line stand that precipitated the try for three generated a series of events that turned an obvious momentum advantage for Indianapolis coming out of the locker room into a level playing field - but just until the physical Patriots started to wear down the Colts, turning a tight match into a rout with frightening speed and surgical precision.

Linebacker Jamie Collins receives kudos from teammates after his pick

There is a very good reason why Bill Belichick likes to defer possession of the football until the second half kickoff - it's an opportunity that makes sense to leverage junkies in all walks of life, the chance to blow your opponent out of the stadium if he can score going into the locker room for halftime, then score again coming back out.

The opportunity to double up on scoring without giving the bad guys a chance is a prospect that the afore mentioned leverage junkies find impossible to resist, and in a perfect world would administer the desired punishment and light some crooked numbers on the scoreboard in rapid succession.

However, the Patriots had already blown the front half of the daily double with a special teams gaffe that lent itself as the identity of the first half, but also had a couple of heroes step up to keep the damage of the potentially fatal mistake to a minimum.

But the energy that the Colts had drawn off of the turn of fortune - regardless of the points they left on the field - had engulfed the entire team, so it really came as no surprise that Indianapolis was able to hold New England to a three-and-out on their initial possession of the second half, and subsequently drove straight down the field...

...quarterback Andrew Luck completing passes of 40 yards - an acrobatic, finger-tip grab while going to the turf by T.Y. Hilton - and to tight end Coby Fleener for another 16 to get the Colts deep into the New England red zone, but a pair of running plays netted just one yard as defensive tackle Joe Vellano put his stamp on the game, and what started as a first and goal from the four-yard line was suddenly a third and goal from the three.

Luck took a three step drop and tried to loft one to Fleener along the right sideline of the end zone - but a lot of posturing and more than a little hand-fighting between the sophomore tight end and his rookie counterpart, linebacker Jamie Collins, ended with Fleener on his ass and the ball wobbling harmlessly on the field turf and Vinatieri's field goal cut the Patriots' lead to six rather than the desired two.

By the time the Patriots got the ball back, their lead that was once 14-0 and 21-7 was now 21-15 and the Patriots' offense had turned the ball over on a botched punt and resultant safety then gone three and out twice, but offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was sticking with his commitment to his power running game, starting every drive to that point in the game except one with a running play...

...setting up the beautifully executed play action pass from quarterback Tom Brady to a wide open Danny Amendola for 53 yards on the first play of the ensuing possession, every player on the field biting on the play action fake to running back Stevan Ridley - the play allowing New England to escape from deep in their own territory to the Colt's 35 - Ridley blasting into the end zone five plays later, a successful two-point conversion increasing the Patriots' lead to 14 points once again at 29-15.

Which lasted all of 1:10 in game time, Luck hitting Hilton deep for 46 yards and then LaVonn Brazill in the end zone for 35 and a seven point deficit, and when the Patriots went three and out again Indianapolis was in prime position to tie the game, provided they could drive the field once again...

...but a Collins sack stymied one drive and a Vellano "trip" sack on the ensuing Colts' possession stoned another - the Patriots getting the football back at their own 27 yard line and just into the final quarter - and one LeGarrette Blount 73-yard burst off right guard later the Patriots had their 14-point lead back at 36-22.

The Colts would get no closer, never really threatened to score, Blount's run and several wasted opportunities serving as back-breakers, interceptions by Collins and Alfonzo Dennard ending potential drives before they could evolve into any points.

Much will be made of the power running game in the second half - and for good reason - but it was the Patriots' defense clamping down after giving up the easy touchdown pass that was the difference in this game, forcing three punts - two of them the three-and-out variety - and picked off Luck twice, allowing only 51 yards from midway through the third quarter on.

So now a defense that had lost three veteran starters and was breaking in no less than five rookies will have the Patriots playing for an AFC title next Sunday - and if they play as well against the Denver Broncos as they have the last three games leading up to the title tilt, that defense will be in the Super Bowl.

Welcome back to the Patriots' Bandwagon

"The Patriot Way is in itself a self-fulfilling prophesy, a set of standards and clichés conceived by the media to explain how a franchise that had been downtrodden and the doormat of the NFL for many years suddenly became the organization to which all other organizations were compared - a set of coattails created for fans and journalists to ride as far as the good times last, and then a springboard from which to jump as far overboard as they can when they perceive the ship is about to sink." - Foxborough Free Press July 18, 2013

Skip Bayless is an unrepentant fan of the human experience in sports.  Steven A. Smith is a reluctant sounding board to most anything that Bayless says.

Brady and the Patriots have proven all detractors wrong

But together on their ESPN show "First Take" on Monday morning the odd couple found middle ground as it pertains to the New England Patriots - and at the same time recanted a story being told over and over around the country this morning, much to the chagrin of Patriots' haters and Broncos' supporters alike:

The New England Patriots are the scariest team in the final four.

The Patriots have evolved into a mid-70's power running team that has first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to fall back on in these playoffs, a notable departure from the past decade where the Patriots rode Brady's arm.

This is a New England team that relies on depth, builds it's team from the inside out and has the best game planning and on-the-fly-tactician in the game of football as their head coach.  They are dynasts, overlords of the AFC and are one win away from reaching the Super Bowl for the sixth time since Bill Belichick assumed the throne 13 years ago.

In making the trip to Denver for Sunday's title tilt, The Patriots will be playing in their eighth AFC Championship game in that span and their tenth overall - trailing only the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders for the most appearances all-time, and can tie the fabled Steelers' franchise for the most championships by winning their eighth.

But history means nothing in this game - not their first appearance following the 1985 season nor their last appearance last season - not even New England's epic comeback victory over the Broncos less than two months ago means a damned thing, because destiny chooses it's own heroes and doesn't rely on legend or lore.

This New England Patriots' team has an identity now.  They didn't have one in October, and that's important to remember going forward - even as Bayless boasted and Smith conceded on Monday morning, and to see and hear Steven A. Smith issuing a concession speech to Skip Bayless made for powerful, must see TV...

And, yes.  Smith capitulates to no one, so his actions should signal that the Patriots' bandwagon - which journalist and fan alike was jumping from this past summer and well into the season like rats fleeing a sinking ship - is filling up again.

Even Ron Borges, the notoriously grimy Belichick hater has slithered back on board, though reduced to childish dribble about the impending "Brady vs. Manning" matchup, which followed the "Brady vs. Luck" blather - which is actually far and away better than that evil piece he helped write for Rolling Stone Magazine that should have finished him as a writer.

But, if his little bout with plagiarism seven years ago didn't stop him, then his behavior this season certainly shouldn't - and there were enough fans and journalists riding the wave of negativity, blinded as they were by the allure of their own twisted agendas, that he will ultimately be forgiven and, eventually, forgotten.

Except, that is, by anyone keeping score, which includes Patriots fans who know the difference between practicing due diligence and hiding behind unnamed sources.

And there are many keeping score, but as long as the Patriots continue winning all will be welcomed back aboard the express - but it's gone beyond the point of no return, the point wherein a journalist or fan can say "I told you so", because the New England Patriots are playing for a title on Sunday - and win or lose, they've already proven their detractors wrong.

The New England Patriots are five point underdogs to the Denver Broncos going into this Sunday's AFC Championship game, and the initial betting line provides us with everything we need to know about how the Patriots are viewed in the minds of the true experts.

When referencing the old axiom that home field advantage is worth three points, that says that the experts think that the Broncos are only two points better than the Patriots - and by game time, particularly with news that the Broncos' already shaky pass defense lost starting cornerback Chris Harris to a torn ACL, the point spread should probably be down to that three point advantage.

But the Patriots are the better team in this matchup, which is a far cry from what was predicted of them in mid-July, and in the days leading up to the showdown at Invesco Field, every two-bit journalist in New England is going to tell you why...

...including this scribe, starting on Tuesday when we take a look at the Patriots secondary's matchup against the high-flying Denver passing attack.

"The Patriot Way doesn't mean perfection.  The Patriot Way means doing your best, striving to realize the zenith of their profession - along the way affording opportunity to players who may have lost their way - if it doesn't work, then it didn't work.  Not every idea does, but every once in a while a gem emerges as a result of the given opportunity that no other team could absorb without falling apart.. "  Foxborough Free Press July 18, 2013

New England Patriots on Film: Lady Luck, Andrew Luck (no relation) and the Ghost save Pats' bacon in first half

When the football flew over Ryan Allen's head, time stood still.

Eyes fixated, no exhaling - Long snapper Danny Aiken's play this season has been flawless, solid to the point that Patriots' fans were lamenting the fact that their team couldn't pick up a first down at midfield with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half...

Indy's Pendleton (61) couldn't handle the ball, denying the Colts a TD

...not even pondering that a routine play, a connection that Aiken and Allen had made without issue 76 times in the regular season, would prove to be a pivotal play in the Divisional round playoff game between the Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts.

The ball sailed so far over Allen's head that he hardly made an effort to jump for it, instead turning and running after the ball, which had hit the ground and was now skittering toward the end zone - the Colts' punt return unit in hot pursuit.  Allen fielded the ball cleanly at the Patriots' two yard line and turned his focus upfield, looking for a way to get the ball as far away from the end zone as he could.

Out of the corner of his eye, Allen spotted teammate Tavon Wilson, who was trying to keep a trio of Colts' defenders from reaching the rookie punter, and attempted to lateral the ball to the reserve safety - but the ball never got there, Colts' linebacker Kelvin Sheppard blowing up the attempt by nailing Allen squarely in the chest, defensive tackle Jeris Pendleton reaching for the ball that was suspended in mid-air...

Of course, Pendleton never did get a grip on the ball, his forward momentum causing him to strike the ball instead, slapping it cleanly through the back of the end zone - thus starting a series of plays that ultimately helped the New England Patriots beat the Colts on Saturday night in rainy Foxborough.

What Allen should have done was to kick the ball through the back of the end zone - which is where the ball ended up anyway, fortunately for the Patriots - and the Colts were awarded a safety on a play that could have very well ended up as a touchdown instead.

Leading 21-10 at the time and with 2:28 remaining in the first half, the Patriots had a 4th and 2 at their own 48 and were content to punt the ball and try to pin the Colts deep in their own territory - and why not?  The defense had been playing well and the Patriots had the ball first to open the second half, just stop the Colts on a long field and get into the locker room with an 11 point lead.

But instead it was now 21-12 and, by rule, the Colts would get the ball after Allen's free kick from the 20 yard line - which he boomed nearly 70 yards, but came off the field in pain, grasping his right shoulder, the result of getting steamrolled on the punt that went awry.

Allen was taken immediately to the locker room, missing Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck trying to hit receiver LaVonn Brazill on a deep pass that was nearly picked off by Alfonzo Dennard, and the short pass over the middle that was intercepted by linebacker Donta' Hightower, ending a promising-looking Colts' drive that seemed destined for 3 points at the very least...

"Ghost" scared up a great punt

...giving the Patriots decent field position on their own 36 with over a minute left to play in the half - but two straight running plays yielded but four yards, and between the Colts stopping the clock and Shane Vereen dropping a sure first down on a wheel route down the left sideline, the Patriots were forced to have to punt the ball back to the Colts with just under a minute left.

Which was an issue, given that, with Allen in the locker room, the Patriots were fresh out of punters.

In the past, Patriots fans have seen quarterback Tom Brady quick-kick for 30 or so yards, but there was no way that coach Bill Belichick was going to expose his franchise quarterback to what figured to be an all-out Colts' rush, so he instead sent place kicker Stephen Gostkowski out to field the snap from Aiken...

...this one on the money and Gostkowski nailed it for 53 yards, Colt's returner Griff Whalen unable to get much of a return due to the remarkable height on Gostkowski's boot and special team's demon Matt Slater's excellent coverage - forcing the Colts to play it safe and run the clock out, preserving New England's nine-point cushion going into the intermission that could have been much smaller...

Up next: Part 2 - Running to daylight

Patriots' punk Colts; punch ticket to AFC Title tilt

Blount ran for 166 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday night (David Silverman/NEP)

Three yards and a cloud of dust.

That weird black dust that erupts from the field turf at Gillette Stadium when a ball carrier makes a cut, the rain falling all over New England on a gloomy Saturday night having little effect on the tiny rubber tire pellets that form the base for the synthetic turf.

The New England Patriots came into their Divisional round playoff game with the Indianapolis Colts with the mindset to run the ball, counting on their new found power running game to carry the load - and it didn't really seem to matter if it wasn't picking up huge chunks of yardage, just so long as it was moving forward...

...and it was a certainty that if quarterback Tom Brady kept turning and giving the ball to LeGarrette Blount, the big man was going to break one - and that happened with just under 13 minutes remaining in the game, a 73 yard burst off right guard that Blount took to the house to blow open a close game, the Patriots eventually winning going away, 43-22.

With the victory, the Patriots advance to the AFC Championship Game for the third consecutive season, and await the winner between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Denver.

A Chargers' win would bring the Title tilt to Foxborough for the third strait year, while a Broncos' victory would set up a a match between the top two seeds in the AFC next Sunday at Invesco Field in Denver.

The Patriots' 235 rushing yards were 37 more than what Tom Brady would reap through the air, and the 45 rushing attempts 20 more than came out of Brady's hand - following a recipe that has earned New England three decisive victories in a row.

For their part, the Colts were game, their defense limiting New England's running game to just 3.1 yards per carry through the first three quarters, but completely wilted in the face of New England's physical run blocking in the final frame, eventually giving up 5.2 yards per carry while being shoved around like playground sissies.

Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 331 yards on a 20 for 41, two-touchdown performance but was also picked off four times, interceptions by Dont'a Hightower and rookie Jamie Collins sandwiched between a pair of Alfonzo Dennard thefts.

Dennard started the onslaught on the third play of the game, picking off Luck at the Indianapolis 30 yard line and returning it all the way to the two, where Blount hammered his way into the end zone for the first of his four scores on the night to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead just 1:15 into the game.

After the New England defense held the Colts to a three-and-out on the ensuing series, Blount finished off a 10 play, 74 yard drive walking into the end zone from two yards out for his second score of the game and a 14-0 Patriots' lead.

Luck got the Colts on the board on their next possession, hitting receiver LaVonn Brazill for 38 yards to get Indianapolis within seven, but New England responded with another long drive, Blount taking a page out of legendary Patriots' running back Sam "Bam" Cunningham's book with a 2 yard leap over the middle of the Colts' defense to build their cushion back to 14 points.

An Adam Vinitieri field goal and a safety on an airmailed snap on a punt formation gave the Colts the final points of the half and a little momentum headed into the locker room at the break, trailing just 21-12 - but when the Patriots came back out for the second half it did so without punter Ryan Allen, who suffered a shoulder injury while attempting to make a play on the botched punt snap...

...placekicker Stephen Gostkowski handling the punting duties for the remainder of the contest and Brady assuming the role of holder on kicks - and both would be tested as the Colts asserted their will and made a run at New England in the third quarter.

Gostokowski punted after a three-and-out and Indianapolis responded with a field goal to cut the Patriots lead to one possession, then the teams traded touchdowns to close out the third, New England nursing a seven point lead heading into the final frame.

That's when Blount and the Patriots' offensive line took over the game.

Blount followed a Michael Hoomanawanui surge and a kick out block by Logan Mankins and rumbled for 73 yards for a score just into the fourth quarter, then Ridley followed up Collins' first NFL interception with the dagger, a one-yard blast that accounted for the final points.

The New England defense was as stout as one could want, holding the Colts to 69 yards in 21 carries on the ground and although the pass defense gave up over 300 yards to Luck, his absurd accuracy on the deep ball on full display, fitting balls into tight man coverage, then picking apart the zone looks...

...and the pass rush managed to sack Luck three times, and he routinely took nasty hits releasing the balls that he did manage to get away - building a close relationship with Patriots' linebacker Jamie Collins who sacked him once, nailed him as he released three other times in addition to his 4th quarter pick that left no doubt as to the outcome of the game.

New England's offensive line enjoyed another stellar performance - despite giving up two sacks and the suddenly nimble-of-foot Brady squirming out of a couple of others, the pass protection was generally workman-like, but the run blocking was nothing short of dominant, particularly down the stretch as the Patriots ran right into the teeth of the Colts' weary run defense.

The Patriots are asserting their will on both sides of the ball, their physical play overwhelming their opponents- beating them down and taking away their will, and one more effort like that will find them at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey early in February with a chance to win their fourth trophy...

Sadly, Landry "embodies the culture" of Colts

"Since high school, I've been writing 'Suicide Mission' on my chest. I don't know how I'm going to come out. I don't know. I'm going to lay my body on the line - right on my chest. Right over my tatts. In black Sharpie."

LaRon Landry knows a lot about concussions.  After all, he's dished out enough of them.

So many would consider it poetic justice that the player known to his fans as "Dirty 30", a play on his jersey number mixed with his history of cheap shots and even cheaper talk, suffered a concussion during the Indianapolis Colts' come-from-behind win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Saturday.

Nothing calculated, nothing premeditated - just an inadvertent knee to the helmet that staggered the seventh year strong safety as he made a tackle.

Landry practiced for the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, one step closer to being cleared to play on Saturday night against the New England Patriots in the divisional round of these 2013 playoffs - a team with which his has a sordid history...

...particularly on a Thanksgiving Day game in 2012, a game known more for The New York Jets' Mark Sanchez' "Butt Fumble" in an embarrassing loss to the Patriots - Safety Steve Gregory had picked up Sanchez' fumble and returned it for a touchdown as part of a five touchdown second quarter blitzkrieg that left the Jets stunned and Fireman Ed turning in his shield.

And with the score 28-0 and the Patriots on their own 44 yard line with a little over three minutes left in the first half, quarterback Tom Brady dropped back to pass, spotted receiver Julien Edelman wide open down the field after shaking Landry - then a Jet - and launched a 56 yard scoring strike to finish out the Patriots scoring for the half and driving a dagger into the Jets' chances of victory.

On the Patriots' first possession of the second half and with a first down at the Jets' 46, Brady pitched the ball to Edelman on a reverse, the demure receiver turning the corner already at full speed - when in came Landry, his helmet-to-helmet shot knocking Edelman out cold, a filthy display of vengeance for Edelman burning Landry just one possession earlier.

Now Landry is a Colt, the result of a four-year, $24 million investment that General Manager Ryan Grigson felt was absolutely necessary to change the culture of the Indianapolis defense:

We’re ecstatic about this signing. We feel LaRon is an absolute game changer and a true impact player. We’re talking about a 220-pound safety that runs 4.3 and plays to that speed. His approach to the game and his style of play are lights out and embody the culture we’re building on the defense and this team in general.” - Grigson

And, yes.  That statement says all you need to know about how this Indianapolis defense is constructed - a centerpeice that hasn't played a full season in four years, missing time with injury and suspension, his 2013 season an encapsulation of his career.  Landry played just 12 games, logging an impressive tackle total of 95 but with only two passes defended.

For his part, Landry insists that he is not a dirty player, that he plays within the rules that the NFL sets in order to insure player safety.

"I read the critics and all the hate. I feel some way towards it, but certain things you can't disclose to the public about how you really feel about it. But I take it to heart, because I'm really not a dirty player at all. I'm a passionate player and I do anything to win." - Landry

When he's not delivering crushing blows to turn an opponent's brain to oatmeal, he jawing about Head-hunting and taking guys out at the knee - something that has had him at odds with just about every opponent he's ever faced since being the #6 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft for the Washingto Redskins.

"I could just make a great tackle. But me, I'm full-speed all the time. I only know one way to get it done. That's my style. I don't understand when it comes across that I'm trying to injure guys, trying to blow their knees out and do this or that. Man, that's a legal hit. Don't blame me. I'm playing within the NFL's system." - again, Landry

Seems that we heard that line from a certain Cleveland Browns' safety named T. J. Ward when he ended Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski's season a little over a month ago with a "legal hit" to Gronkowski's knee.

Players like Landry - they are football's equivalent of a goon in Hockey.  Prized for their aggression, intimidators are typically less gifted at skill areas of the game than their teammates, and tend to bounce around from team to team. - Landry is on his third team in as many years, his abrasive nature leading to a mutually agreed-upon divorce from the Redskins, then scoffed at the New York Jets' offer to keep him after last season. 

"Anything that happens on the field. If you need a big play, I love that. I mean, please throw it my way. Please do that. Even if the outcome is bad, I love a challenge, I love competition." 

Hear that, Brady?  Edelman?  Don't get suckered in to Landry's ploy, but by all means go after him when the time is right.  Not after his head, but over his head - burn him deep when the opportunity presents itself - and it will, because Landry isn't a football player, he's a goon, a self-professed head-hunter who is perpetually on a "Suicide Mission"...

...but watch out for your knees, and for God's sake don't duck your head - because as long as Landry is healthy and in the game, he's on his Suicide Mission, and he won't think twice about taking you with him.

And for the Colts, apparently that's worth six million dollars a year.

Heavy rain, strong winds on tap for Saturday night at Gillette

Rob Ninkovich says he'd rather play in snow than in the rain, but rain - heavy, cold, and wind-driven - is what he and the rest of his New England Patriots will have to face this Saturday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Oh yeah, the Indianapolis Colts will cause a few issues, too.

Blount and the running game will be at a premium in the rain and wind

The Colts and the Hometown Pats will kick off their divisional round playoff game in conditions much the same as what the Patriots' experienced in their season-finale against Buffalo two weeks ago, something that doesn't sit well with Ninkovich.

"When you're in the rain, you're like 10 pounds heavier when your shoes are full of whatever," Ninkovich said. "The snow obviously has some challenges in itself with footing and being on the field and stuff like that, but when it's wet, you're wet from head to toe."

Rain is one thing, but when combined with sustained winds close to 20 miles per hour and gusting to over 30, it places a premium on the running game - as well as for getting a fast start and an early lead, as being forced to throw the ball to get back into a game is not an ideal scenario for conditions likely to be seen most of the day and into the nighttime hours.

Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady braved strong winds and much colder temperatures in late November when he staged perhaps the greatest comeback in franchise history, throwing two touchdown passes into the force of a driving, icy wind that Broncos' signal caller Peyton Manning couldn't handle.

It remains to be seen how Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck deals with the adverse weather conditions, but the volatility of the New England winter give the Patriots one of the best home field advantages in the league.

"We've played in it all, so it just helps us for whatever we're in, we're in. If it's snowing, if it's raining, we've experienced it all." Ninkovich said.

The forecast from the National Weather Service is calling for temperatures in the low 40's at gametime, with heavy rain and the afore mentioned gusty winds that will take the wind chill factor into the mid-20's by the 4th quarter.

The probability for poor throwing conditions puts a premium on the running game, where the Patriots have enjoyed a boon in recent weeks with running back LeGarrette Blount rumbling through the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills in successive weeks, while the Colts have relied on Donald Brown to carry the load.

But the key is how Luck and his receivers handle the wind and the rain. 

The football world already knows how Brady and the Patriots handle the conditions, so the pressure is all on Luck and the Colts' coaching staff to somehow level the playing field - but they have their work cut out for them as they are all about to find out why Gillette Stadium is such a tremendous homefield advantage for the Patriots.