Today is a must win. Bottom line is that in order to remain a top contender for the playoffs, the Patriots cannot afford to drop to 2-3 in the division. This is definitely easier said than done, however, as the Dolphins are coming off of a 4-game winning streak and tied for 2nd with the Patriots.
November has always been a month of nothing but success for the Patriots. Their overall record, including playoff wins, dating from November 1, 2001 to today is 65-16. Coach Belichick has always wanted his team to be playing their best in the bitter cold November and December months in order to continue playing in January and February. This month hasn't been the picture of perfection that it has been in past seasons based on their 1-2 record so far, but the two heart-crushing losses were both games that came down to a mere field goal. While the Dolphins' are coming into this game with a high level of confidence, their last two wins have only been won by a combined 4 points, while the Patriots' last two losses were only lost by a combined 6 points, leaving these two teams very evenly matched for today's game in Miami.
As long as Cassel keeps playing like he has been, and the defense can play a full 60-minute game, I think the Pats have every chance of beating Miami. Already this season, Cassel has thrown for 2,200 yards compared to Tom Brady's 2,843 yards for the entire 2001 season.
November has always been a month of nothing but success for the Patriots. Their overall record, including playoff wins, dating from November 1, 2001 to today is 65-16. Coach Belichick has always wanted his team to be playing their best in the bitter cold November and December months in order to continue playing in January and February. This month hasn't been the picture of perfection that it has been in past seasons based on their 1-2 record so far, but the two heart-crushing losses were both games that came down to a mere field goal. While the Dolphins' are coming into this game with a high level of confidence, their last two wins have only been won by a combined 4 points, while the Patriots' last two losses were only lost by a combined 6 points, leaving these two teams very evenly matched for today's game in Miami.
