London Calling: My Keys To Patriots/Rams

Sorry for the cheap headline, but like most Patriots opponents, when you are a Clash fan you take any shot downfield you can. After facing rookie QB’s early on, the Rams defense was dismantled by Aaron Rodgers last week and unless BB has made a serious mistake in projecting jet lag in not crossing the pond earlier than YESTERDAY, with a healthy set of receivers Tommy Terrific should come out of this week’s matchup looking like Jack the Ripper.  

Here are this weeks Keys to the Patriots coming home 5-2 and enjoying their bye week.

Get to the QB!!! I’m done - truly done - hoping that this secondary will wake up, shape up or learn to turn its head.  The only person keeping Kyle Arrington from being the NFL’s poster boy as the worst cover corner in the league is Devin McCourty. And I’m sorry to do this but the line has to pick up the slack. The Rams O line is one of the worst in the league. The front four needs to get to Bradford early and often.

Why is the front four so important? My Second Key will explain. Someone still needs to stop the Rams running attack.  While it has looked positively pedestrian at times this season, the Rams looked pretty good running the ball last week. Love, Mayo and Spikes need to be fast to the gaps and from sideline to sideline. If the Pats have to cheat up a safety to help stop the run game the Rams rookie WR Chris Givens could become a household name.

Chanel your inner Big Tuna: RUN IT - RUN IT - RUN IT!! Run it at Chris Long. Last week, DE Chris Long played the worst game of his all pro career (yes Rams can actually make the pro bowl) and you can bet he will try to atone for that sinful showing against the Packers and make Brady’s life and wife miserable. What’s the best way to counter a DE on a mission of destruction? Run at him. Doesn’t hurt that Ridley is averaging over four yards per carry when running to the Vollmer side of the line.

Keep Brady upright and the chains moving. I realize you need to go deep once and a while, I know its fun and exciting and makes your fantasy owners oooh and aahhh - BUT STOP IT. Until Brandon Lloyd can show me he can hang onto a ball when he’s wide open or Gronk and Hernandez are healthy enough to get down field, just STOP.  Take what the defense gives you - move the chains and keep Tommy looking good for his next GQ layout.

Before the season began, I talked about how uneasy the Patriots 2012 schedule was.  This wasn’t one the weeks I was thinking of. New head coach, aging running back and a defense so porous its used as a sponge in the off season - but when you are 4-3 and staring across the line at a team trying to make a name for itself and looking as out of sync as this Patriots team has, you have to turn every key. Let’s hope the Hoodie can unlock a fifth win in London.