Winning in a Winter Wonderland!

[Amy]

On a cold day in New England, the Pats end the season regular with Miami. Thanks to Houston losing, it's a huge game for us. If we win, we have a bye, with at least the 2 seed. If we lose, we host Cincy next week. How big is this? This year is the 10th time BB has the Pats in the playoffs. 6 of them, we were the 1 or 2 seed, and all 6 of years we made the AFC Championship, and 5 times the Super Bowl. The other three years, when we were the 3 or 4, we lost before the AFC Championship Game. So, I think it matters.

Now, I want to say some 'bye's' to NFL teams that I'm happy will be home in January:

Bye Steelers!
Bye J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!
Finally, thank you Bears for this line:

BYE GIANTS! See you next year, at your House, when we lift the Trophy! It'd be sweeter if you can play us for it.

We have Nantz and Simms doing this game for some reason. Not thrilled by that. Jerome Boger is the ref.

Pats D1: Start at the 20

1st and 10: Brady to Hernandez, 14
1st and 10: Brady to Woodhead, 24
1st and 10: Ridley, 5
2nd and 5: Ridley, 8
1st and 10: Ridley, 6
2nd and 4: Ridley, -2. He slips and is touched down by Soliai
3rd and 6: Brady to Hernandez, dropped
4th and 6: Brady to Welker, incomplete. We're going into gusty winds which is why we went for it.

Dolphins D1: Start at the 24

1st and 10: Bush, 1
2nd and 9: Tannehill to Bush, pass defended by Mayo
3rd and 9: Tannehill sacked by Francis, -4
4th and 13: Punt

Pats D2: Start at the 48. Wes with a nice return.

1st and 10: Brady to Welker, incomplete
2nd and 10: Brady to Hernandez, 8. Burnett and Smith hurt on the play. Both seem like one play injuries as they collided on tackle.
3rd and 2: Brady to Hernandez, 9
1st and 10: Brady to Lloyd, incomplete
2nd and 10: Ridley, 3
3rd and 7: Brady to Hernandez, Wilson defended the pass.
4th and 7: Punt

Dolphins D2: Start at the 7

1st and 10: Tannehill to Hartline, 15
1st and 10: Bush, 1
2nd and 9: Tannehill to Matthews, off his hands
3rd and 9: Tannehill interecpted by Gregory! Nantz called it 5 yards before the pick, it was cool.

Pats D3: Start at the Miami 28

1st and 10: Brady to Gronk, 19
1st and goal: Brady to Welker, 9 TD! 7-0 Pats.

Dolphins D3: Start at the 7, after a holding call on the return.

1st and 10: Miller, 3
2nd and 7: Tannehill to Fasano, low, incomplete
3rd and 7: Tannehill, 8, on a designed draw. Nice call.
1st and 10: Tannehill to Hartline, 21
1st and 10: Miller, 4
2nd and 6: Miller, 2
3rd and 4: Tannehill sacked by Deaderick, -7
4th and 11: Punt

Pats D4: Start at the 8, after illegal block in the back on the Pats.

1st and 10: Ridley, 2
2nd and 8: Brady to Welker, 11
1st and 10: Brady to Woodhead, 24 on a screen
1st and 10: False Start, Solder
1st and 15: Brady to Welker, 23 on a screen. Patterson of Miami hurt, looks like more than a one play injury this time.
1st and 10: Vereen, 9

End of the first.

2nd and 1: Vereen for 7
1st and 10: Brady to Lloyd, high
2nd and 10: Vereen, 2
3rd and 8: False Start, Hernandez
3rd and 13: Brady to Branch, 16. Before the play, Nantz tells us Patterson is questionable to return with an ankle injury.
1st and goal: Vereen, 5
2nd and goal: Vereen, 3
3rd and goal: Woodhead, 1
4th and goal: Ridely, 1, TD! 14-0 Pats

Dolphins D4: Start at the 20

1st and 10: Tannehill to Mathews, 12
1st and 10: Tannehill to Fasano, 9
2nd and 1: Bush, -2
3rd and 3: Tannehill to Bush, overthrow. However, Hightower is called for roughing the passer. It's a terrbile call. He hit him clean, chest high, about the same time the ball was thrown.
1st and 10: Miller, 3
2nd and 7: Tannehill to Mathews, 20. Tannehill did a great job of escaping Ninkovitch.
1st and 10: Tannehill to Bends, dropped
2nd and 10: Bush, 0
3rd and 10: Tannehill to Fasano, overthrown. Ninkovitch is down. He needs to be helped off the field. Not good.
4th and 10: 41 yard fg: missed. They went for the FG into the wind, at about the same spot we went for it on 4th down in the first.

Pats D5: Start at the 31.

1st and 10: Brady to Lloyd, deep, dropped. So close...
2nd and 10: Brady to Hernandez, 9
3rd and 1: Direct snap to Ridley, 3
1st and 10: Brady to Hernandez, through Aaron's hands
2nd and 10: Woodhead, 11
1st and 10: Vereen, 2
2nd and 8: Brady to Woodhead, 15 on a screen
1st and 10: Brady to Hernandez, 5
2nd and 5: Ridley, 0.
3rd and 5: Brady to Welker, 9
1st and 10: False Start, Mankins
1st and 15: Vereen, 8. Miami timeout 1
2nd and 7: Vereen, 4, Miami timeout 2
3rd and 3: Woodhead, 6. Pats timeout 1, after running the playclock to :01
1st and goal: Ridley, 2, TD! 21-0 Pats!

We're at 550 points scored this season. 6 behind the '98 Vikings for 3rd alltime.

Miami D5: Start at the 21, 1 timeout left, 0:55 seconds in the half.

1st and 10: Tannehill to Hartline, 8
2nd and 2: Tannehill to Miller, 2. Negated by holding on Garner, Ninkovitch is questionable to return with a hip injury.
2nd and 12: Miller, 2. Pats timeout 2
3rd and 10: Tannehill to Miller, 10. Nice conversion

Halftime

We are 6 of 10 on 3rd and 4th down. They are 3 of 7 on 3rd, with no 4th down attempts. B+ for the refs, and not a bad job for Nantz and Simms. In the second half, I want to see a lot of Mallet and running. We've got a very very good chance at the 2, let's not get Brady hurt.

[Amy]

Miami D6: Start at the 6, Thigpen had a terrible return

1st and 10: Tannehill to Fasano, incomplete, tipped by Jones
2nd and 10: Tannehill to Fasano, 9
3rd and 1: Bush, 1, barely.
1st and 10: Bush, -3
2nd and 13: Tannehill to Bush, 19
1st and 10: Tannehill to Bush, incomplete
2nd and 10: Tannehill sacked by Wilfork, -2
3rd and 12: Tannehill sacked by Scott, -6. Tannehill might have been shaken up. Trevor Scott has 3 sacks on the season, all 3 against Tannehill.
4th and 18: Punt

Pats D6: Start at the 18

1st and 10: Brady to Lloyd, 9. Tannehill may have a concussion, Moore warming up
2nd and 1: Ridley, 1
3rd and inches: Ridley, 3
1st and 10: Brady, 0, after all day to throw. Great coverage, however some of it was illegal, and holding is called on Smith of Miami
1st and 10: Ridley, 0
2nd and 10: Brady to Lloyd, incomplete
3rd and 10: Brady sacked by McCann, -8
4th and 18: Punt.

Nantz and Simms are starting to mail it in. Can they both be replaced?

Miami D7: Start at the 31.

1st and 10: Tannehill is back in the game. Nantz, Simms, and I are all surprised. Tannehill to Lane, 8
2nd and 2: Tannehill to Matthews, defended by Arrington!
3rd and 2: Tannehill to Binns, 21
1st and 10: Tannehill to Binns, 9
2nd and 1: Bush, 9
1st and 10: Tannehill to Fasano, 13. Gregory hit him a little late, and Fasano is down. I'm surpised there was no flag on Gregory, it would have been warranted.
1st and goal: Tannehill to Lane, 5
2nd and goal: Bush fumbles cleanly! Pats ball! Hightower with the recovery at the 1.

Pats D7: Start at the 1

1st and 10: Brady to 47, incomplete.
2nd and 10: Ridley, 13.
1st and 10: Rdiley, 8, Fasano headed to the locker room.
2nd and 2: Ridley, -1
3rd and 3: Brady to Welker, 20
1st and 10: Brady to Welker, 20, fumble?? Picked up by Clemons, returned for a TD. It's going to be reviewed. It's overtrurned since the ball was incomplete.
2nd and 10: Brady to Gronk, off his hands. Get Gronk out of there. I say that because he has a cast on his arm, still, and I want him closer to 100 percent for the playoffs.
3rd and 10: Brady to Welker, 9. Timeout #1 Miami
4th and 1: Punt

Dolphins D8: Start at the 15

1st and 10: Tannehill sacked by Francis and Jones, -1
2nd and 11: Tannehill to Binns, Chung defends
3rd and 11: Tannehill to Hartline, off his hands
4th and 11: Punt

Pats D8: Start at the Miami 45

1st and 10: Ridley, 4. Negated by holding on Wendell
End of the Third. Time to play Mallet. Please BB?
1st and 20: Brady pass batted down by Odrick
2nd and 20: Brady to Woodhead, 8. We find out Burnette is out with a concussion
3rd and 12: Brady to Woodhead, 8
4th and 4: Punt

Miami D9: Start at the 10

1st and 10: Tannehill to Hartline, 22
1st and 10: Tannehill to Miller, caught after two bobbles, 12
1st and 10: Tannehill to Binns, incomplete
2nd and 10: Tannehill to Hartline, 3
3rd and 7: Tannehill to Hartline, incomplete
4th and 7: Tannehill to Binns, dropped

Pats D9: Start at the Miami 47. Mallet??

1st and 10: Welker, 11, on an end around
1st and 10: Ridley, 6
2nd and 4: Ridley, 0
3rd and 4: Brady to Gronk, low.
4th and 4: Pats Timeout #1
4th and 4: Brady to Welker, 7
1st and 10: Brady to Gronk, 27, TD! 28-0. Now get Brady out of there. We've won!

Miami D10: Start at the 20

1st and 10: Tannehill to Matthews, 4
2nd and 6: Tannehill to Bush, 4
3rd and 2: Tannehill to Binns, 8. Incognito shaken up
1st and 10: Tannehill to Bush, drop
2nd and 10: Tannehill sacked by Martin, -4
3rd and 14: Tannehill sacked by Francis, -3
4th and 17: Punt

Pats D10: Start at the 16

1st and 10: Ridley, 11. Brady is still in. Why???
1st and 10: Bolden, 0
2nd and 10: Bolden, 24
1st and 10: Bolden, 2
2nd and 8: Bolden, 1
3rd and 7: Brady to Welker, 8
1st and 10: Ridley, 4
2nd and 6: Bolden, -1
3rd and 7: Bolden, -2
4th and 9: Punt

Miami D11: Start at the 3. 32 seconds to play

1st and 10: Bush, 19. Nice run, but it leaves Bush 13 yards shy of 1000.

Game over! We're the #2 seed.

We end at 11 of 19 on 3rd and 4th. Miami ends at 5 of 15 on 3rd and 4th.

Amy's projected next 4 weeks. Subject to change:

Wildcard round: Bye!
Divisional Round: Pats vs Texans @ Foxboro
Championship Weekend: Pats vs Colts @ Foxboro
Super Bowl: Pats vs 49ers @ New Orleans

[wxwax]

I'm not so sure the Texans beat Cincinnati. And I don't see the Broncos losing before the AFC champ game.

I'm thinking the Broncos beat New England in a game that will be more interesting than the Super Bowl.