It’s no secret that the Patriots are good in the playoffs, but they are nearly unstoppable when they’ve got the support of the hometown crowd.
All-time, New England is 14-3 in home playoff games and are 11-3 in the Tom Brady era. Make no mistake about it, the playoff atmosphere in Foxboro is electric and certainly provides a boost to the team.
The defense hasn’t been spectacular this season, but there are two things that they do well: make adjustments and take away the No. 1 receiver.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals, they held AJ Green to just 61 yards on five receptions. When they played the New Orleans Saints, running back Darren Sproles led the team in receptions with six and Jimmy Garaham was held without a reception. After struggling in the first half and being down 24-0 at halftime to the Broncos, the defense came strong and helped propel them to the win, all the while holding Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker to a combined 46 yards on five receptions.
They may not be the best defense, but they have been able to step up for the Patriots when they need them to.
The two-headed rushing attack of Stevan Ridley and LeGarrette Blount has been steady and solid all season long. Ridley has carried the rock 178 times for 773 yards, while Blount rushed 153 times for 772 yards, and both scored seven touchdowns. Collectively, they have picked up 74 first downs on the ground.
Is there a better coach in the NFL today, especially in the playoffs? The dynasty that Bill Belichick has put together in Foxboro is a lean mean winning machine. His preparation trumps that of any player or coach and he only becomes more prepared in the playoffs.
All time, he’s 18-8 in the playoffs and has taken the Patriots to the AFC Championship Game at least seven times, including five Super Bowl berths and three victories in the big game.
Is there a more-clutch quarterback in the playoffs in the NFL than Tom Brady? Since his career began, Brady is 17-7 in the playoffs and has a passer rating of 87.4. With the team that New England has given him this year, he’s done a pretty remarkable job leading them to a 12-4 record. As long as Brady is under center for New England, it stands a pretty good chance of winning.
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