Pats-Dolphins Week 1 Pre-Game Discussion/News/Analysis

RG33

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I’m irrationally excited about this team, and that was before the announcement of QB1.

I think the defense will be lights out (at least when Gilmore returns), the running game will be damaging, and this team will score. If they can avoid turnovers, they should be in almost every game that they play.

My one concern this year is we are living in a rental house while we get work done, and for the first time in 20 years I do not have the NFL Sunday Ticket package. I’m having much anxiety over this.
 

Zedia

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I’m irrationally excited about this team, and that was before the announcement of QB1.

I think the defense will be lights out (at least when Gilmore returns), the running game will be damaging, and this team will score. If they can avoid turnovers, they should be in almost every game that they play.

My one concern this year is we are living in a rental house while we get work done, and for the first time in 20 years I do not have the NFL Sunday Ticket package. I’m having much anxiety over this.
Got this last year, and will get again later in the week. The app doesn‘t work on Roku or smart tv, but I hooked up my old PS3 and was able to watch on that.

https://nflst.directv.com/?source=ECnf2500000nfl00P&WT.srch=1&wtExtndSource=sunday+ticket+without+directv&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-NaJBhDsARIsAAja6dMq7ZWQ97BAIQxf_gqEP5FGpBGgURBsuz0CT6DC8TxaBhzFWT6vijMaArW-EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

edit - looks like they added some devices, including Roku:

CONNECTED DEVICES
  • XBOX One, XBOX Series S, XBOX Series X
  • Apple TV (4th generation and above, tvOS 12.x and above)
  • Google Chromecast
  • PlayStation® 4, PlayStation 5
  • Amazon Fire TV devices with OS 5 and above
  • Roku devices (7th generation, OS 9.4 and above)
  • Roku TV
  • Samsung Smart TV (Updated Tizen OS, 2016+)
  • Android TV (OS 5.0 and above)
    • AT&T TV device
  • Apple Watch Series 3 and above (no live games)
 

RG33

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Got this last year, and will get again later in the week. The app doesn‘t work on Roku or smart tv, but I hooked up my old PS3 and was able to watch on that.

https://nflst.directv.com/?source=ECnf2500000nfl00P&WT.srch=1&wtExtndSource=sunday+ticket+without+directv&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-NaJBhDsARIsAAja6dMq7ZWQ97BAIQxf_gqEP5FGpBGgURBsuz0CT6DC8TxaBhzFWT6vijMaArW-EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

edit - looks like they added some devices, including Roku:

CONNECTED DEVICES
  • XBOX One, XBOX Series S, XBOX Series X
  • Apple TV (4th generation and above, tvOS 12.x and above)
  • Google Chromecast
  • PlayStation® 4, PlayStation 5
  • Amazon Fire TV devices with OS 5 and above
  • Roku devices (7th generation, OS 9.4 and above)
  • Roku TV
  • Samsung Smart TV (Updated Tizen OS, 2016+)
  • Android TV (OS 5.0 and above)
    • AT&T TV device
  • Apple Watch Series 3 and above (no live games)
I don’t see the Sunday Ticket Package offered under the DirectTV stream option? I had looked into that — but it only shows for the satellite deal with the 2-year contract.
 

Zedia

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I don’t see the Sunday Ticket Package offered under the DirectTV stream option? I had looked into that — but it only shows for the satellite deal with the 2-year contract.
My link above should take you to a page that looks like the below. If it doesn‘t, the site might be recognizing you as a DTV customer. You can clear cookies or go incognito to get the eligibility page. Put in the address of your rental house, and create a new account. Don’t use your existing DTV account.

77F5E91B-AEDD-45B5-8968-5B1349947227.png
 

sodenj5

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Early story is Miami will likely be missing Adam Shaheen and Austin Jackson for this game. Just recently came out the Jackson as well as Shaheen tested positive for COVID, so its highly unlikely either will be available Sunday.

Miami will likely be playing a bit of musical chairs. Greg Little got a decent amount of 2nd team reps at LT this preseason, but he missed practice today with a non-COVID illness. It might end up being Liam Eichenberg and Jesse Davis at LT and RT this week.
 

chilidawg

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Early story is Miami will likely be missing Adam Shaheen and Austin Jackson for this game. Just recently came out the Jackson as well as Shaheen tested positive for COVID, so its highly unlikely either will be available Sunday.

Miami will likely be playing a bit of musical chairs. Greg Little got a decent amount of 2nd team reps at LT this preseason, but he missed practice today with a non-COVID illness. It might end up being Liam Eichenberg and Jesse Davis at LT and RT this week.
Matt Judon and Josh Uche approve of this message.
 

SMU_Sox

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I am looking at some matchups:

1) How will the Patriots secondary fare against the Miami receivers? I think they stick Jon Jones on Waddle if he plays slot. JCJ on Parker. Williams seems like will be one of Wade/JJW/Mills and since Mills is going to start at outside corner maybe it's him. I like Jon Jones on Waddle but I have some concerns about the other two matchups. If they go 11 with Gesicki as the TE I suppose Dugger takes him. Without Gilmore the corner room is nothing special as a group (Jon Jones and JCJ are both very good though).

2) Mitigating factor: how bad is the Fins OL going to be? My answer to that in week 1 is bad. I expect the front 7 to harass Tua all day. I expect 3+ sacks and a pressure rate of close to 40%+ if not higher.

3) How will Mac Jones look against a formidable secondary? Miami's secondary is a big test for anyone let alone a rookie - I am skeptical that the Patriots pass catchers are going to get much separation. Will Mac turn the ball over? My guess for his stat line: Mac has a game like 16/25 180 yards 1 TD 1 INT and a few crucial third downs.

4) How bad is the Fins run D? This is where I think the Patriots have an advantage. They should be able to run the ball on Miami. It's also a mitigating factor for Mac vs that secondary when/if his line and RB can get him 5+ yards a carry which is what I expect their run rate to be.

5) How will Tua look under fire? Tua is going to be under pressure a lot so how will he respond to that? My guess is he won't step up and be Superman so it will lead to sacks, incompletes, and potentially turnovers.

I think this is going to be a close game where both defenses hold their own but the Patriots OL and running game is going to be enough to push them to a W. 23-17 score, Patriots is where I am at now.
 

Captaincoop

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I don’t see the Sunday Ticket Package offered under the DirectTV stream option? I had looked into that — but it only shows for the satellite deal with the 2-year contract.
You need to identify a college student in your family and establish a deal to get Sunday Ticket U. Or sign up for a class at the local community college :)
 

SMU_Sox

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Instead of editing it I’ll add another post but we haven’t seen a lot of the Patriots offense with Agholor/Henry/Smith on the field at once. I’d like to see what they look like at full strength. I think Agholor’s presence is going to influence what Miami does with their safeties which could help open up some digs.
 

johnmd20

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I don’t see the Sunday Ticket Package offered under the DirectTV stream option? I had looked into that — but it only shows for the satellite deal with the 2-year contract.
Sunday Ticket Online can be purchased by people who live in places where you cannot get the satellite service. I am not sure if rentals fall under that, but most apartment buildings do.
 

RG33

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Sunday Ticket Online can be purchased by people who live in places where you cannot get the satellite service. I am not sure if rentals fall under that, but most apartment buildings do.
Yeah, we are in a house so that wouldn’t work. I bit the bullet and ordered the base package at $64.99 a month which comes with the Sunday Ticket Max for free. I’ll have to pay $20 per month when I cancel, but it will be cheaper than the $395 I usually pay for the package anyways. I think we will be here for another 9 months until our house is done, so it should work out okay. My only concern will be getting the damn satellite off the roof when we leave. . .
 

Bongorific

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Any clue about networks rotating the 4:25 games? Most years there are 3 games on network TV. Generally, 2 at 1:00 and 1 at 4:25 unless the in-market teams throw it off. CBS and FOX would rotate who got the late game.

For week 1, my TV guide is showing CBS and FOX both airing 2 games. Is that new for 2021? A week 1 anomaly?
 

RedOctober3829

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Any clue about networks rotating the 4:25 games? Most years there are 3 games on network TV. Generally, 2 at 1:00 and 1 at 4:25 unless the in-market teams throw it off. CBS and FOX would rotate who got the late game.

For week 1, my TV guide is showing CBS and FOX both airing 2 games. Is that new for 2021? A week 1 anomaly?
It's a Week 1 thing now that CBS doesn't have the U.S. Open. The national game at 4:25 on CBS is going to be KC/Cleveland.
 

Zedia

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Sunday Ticket Online can be purchased by people who live in places where you cannot get the satellite service. I am not sure if rentals fall under that, but most apartment buildings do.
Yeah, we are in a house so that wouldn’t work. I bit the bullet and ordered the base package at $64.99 a month which comes with the Sunday Ticket Max for free. I’ll have to pay $20 per month when I cancel, but it will be cheaper than the $395 I usually pay for the package anyways. I think we will be here for another 9 months until our house is done, so it should work out okay. My only concern will be getting the damn satellite off the roof when we leave. . .
Weird, I don’t get this at all. I live in an area where I CAN get DTV. I use to have it. I still have the stupid dish on my roof from 10 years ago.

The whole point of the Sundayticket app is that you don’t need DTV.
 

johnmd20

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Weird, I don’t get this at all. I live in an area where I CAN get DTV. I use to have it. I still have the stupid dish on my roof from 10 years ago.

The whole point of the Sundayticket app is that you don’t need DTV.
Well, Direct TV would argue that the whole point of paying all the money for The Sunday Ticket exclusive was to force people to subscribe to Direct TV.

And, believe me, I am with you. It is absolute garbage that DTV has a monopoly on the Ticket. It should be available via every cable company. That said, you can try to sign up with your address and maybe it will go through.
 

Captaincoop

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Well, Direct TV would argue that the whole point of paying all the money for The Sunday Ticket exclusive was to force people to subscribe to Direct TV.

And, believe me, I am with you. It is absolute garbage that DTV has a monopoly on the Ticket. It should be available via every cable company. That said, you can try to sign up with your address and maybe it will go through.
Yes, the story above is why they pay billions for that deal. Hopefully it's over after the '22 season. Sounds like there will be a streaming-only option for all Sunday Ticket customers after that.
 

Harry Hooper

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Any clue about networks rotating the 4:25 games? Most years there are 3 games on network TV. Generally, 2 at 1:00 and 1 at 4:25 unless the in-market teams throw it off. CBS and FOX would rotate who got the late game.

For week 1, my TV guide is showing CBS and FOX both airing 2 games. Is that new for 2021? A week 1 anomaly?
From Peter King's latest:

• This is the first season of what the NFL is calling double-doubleheader weeks, something the NFL is starting this year and carrying through the remainder of the new TV contracts signed earlier this year. Each year in Week 1 and Week 18, the league, instead of focusing on one network with a mega-game in the late doubleheader window, will put a big game on both FOX and CBS in the late window. This year, the schedule was set up this way next Sunday: Cleveland-Kansas City at 4:25 p.m. on CBS, and Green Bay-New Orleans at 4:25 p.m. on FOX. (CBS gets the added benefit of Steelers-Bills at 1 p.m. ET, which would be worthy of a prime-time slot itself.) The NFL needed Saints-Packers in that slot because the other FOX games that day (Seattle-Indy or Denver-Giants) wouldn’t have delivered near the audience that Packers/Aaron Rodgers/first Saints game post-Brees will deliver.

• A good doubleheader game might draw 24 million viewers (Green Bay-Indy last year, Week 11) or 23 million (Kansas City-New Orleans in Week 15). The NFL is hoping that two games with four fan bases with big TV followings can generate a total audience of 36-38 million viewers. Losing Green Bay-New Orleans would have scuttled that plan. So there was never any serious thought of postponing the game so it could be played in New Orleans later in the year.
 

wilked

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Jul 17, 2005
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I think we get official coverage maps tomorrow, but…. NYC not likely to get this game, instead getting the Chiefs game?
 

Zedia

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Well, Direct TV would argue that the whole point of paying all the money for The Sunday Ticket exclusive was to force people to subscribe to Direct TV.

And, believe me, I am with you. It is absolute garbage that DTV has a monopoly on the Ticket. It should be available via every cable company. That said, you can try to sign up with your address and maybe it will go through.
Well I guess I'm just lucky because I don't have DirectTV and it works for me. Just re-upped for the year.
 

johnmd20

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Well I guess I'm just lucky because I don't have DirectTV and it works for me. Just re-upped for the year.
I've had the Sunday Ticket online since it was offered a few years ago. And I don't subscribe to Direct TV. But I also live in an apartment building.
 

Willie Clay's Big Play

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The accuracy of their (DTV) lookup tool can be hit or miss. Their database certainly does not account for rentals that may be able to receive satellite but are prohibited from placing a dish on the house/building. We went through this a few years ago and while we were talking to the DTV rep on the phone he said all we needed to do was get a prepaid card, list the billing address as an address that we confirmed was good via the DTV tool and then just call in to sign up. Sadly, we never followed through on this wise old man's advice. Maybe this year.
 

McBride11

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Jul 15, 2005
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The accuracy of their (DTV) lookup tool can be hit or miss. Their database certainly does not account for rentals that may be able to receive satellite but are prohibited from placing a dish on the house/building. We went through this a few years ago and while we were talking to the DTV rep on the phone he said all we needed to do was get a prepaid card, list the billing address as an address that we confirmed was good via the DTV tool and then just call in to sign up. Sadly, we never followed through on this wise old man's advice. Maybe this year.
Ya I lived in apt many years ago that qualified. I still 'live' at that address in their system. I don't touch it and just have it auto renew.
 

reggiecleveland

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Not sure if this is Canadian networks thinking the Pats have declined, or the Toronto area jumpin gon the Bills bandwagon. But, for the first time in many years the Pats games are not TSN or Sportsnet in my part of Canada. Seems to be a lack of NESN, where many Sox, Bruins games were available in Canada, but not this year.
 

Soxy

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Jaylen Waddle kinda scares the crap out of me, but I'm not real certain what to expect from this Miami offense. The rebuilt Pats front seven vs. the shaky looking Fins O-line is the obvious matchup to watch, but there's a lot of good stuff to watch on both sides of the ball.

If Miami can keep Tua upright, he can probably make some things happen against a Pats secondary that was inconsistent last season, and won't have Gilmore until the end of October. I don't have a lot of confidence that this line will be able to do that, at least not for very long. I don't have much faith in their ability to run the ball either. Could be tough sledding depending how Tua and the line perform.

I'll be watching for any communication issues with so many new faces in the Pats front, but there are loads of bodies there to send after the QB, and the run defense should be substantially improved from last season's disaster.

When the Pats have the ball, the chess match of Flores/Boyer vs. McDaniels/Mac should be a great trial by fire for the rookie QB. Miami led the NFL in takeaways last year and blitzed a bunch, so I'm sure they'll be aggressive in trying to force mistakes from the kid. If I'm Mac/McDaniels, I fight aggression with aggression and try to take some shots against Miami's cover-0.

The late start is going to be agonizing. Can't remember the last time the Pats opened with a 4:30 Sunday game. I just checked p-ref and apparently it hasn't happened since.... 1996?!?

Damn. It really has been a long time.
 

Cotillion

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I just mentioned this in the Mac thread, but I really will be interested to see how the Pats attack the new rule about no below the knee blocking in the screen game. There will be some opportunities there to exploit some size differentials with lineman on defensive backs.
 

RIrooter09

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Jul 31, 2008
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In Stratford, where I am, Optimum gives us both CBS affiliates, NYC (which always shows Jets) and Hartford (which always shows Pats)
I had the same thing when I lived in Shelton, which is also on the Fairfield/New Haven county line. I don’t think I’ll be as lucky deeper into Fairfield county where I am now.
 

wilked

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My guide here in nyc area has Jets/Panthers snd Eagles/Falcons at 1 and Browns/KC and Broncos/Giants at 4:25.
I get on an Acela in Penn St at 6pm headed to Boston, and have YouTube TV which is configured to allow local broadcasts. Hopefully once I’m past Hartford I get to see the end…
 

Saints Rest

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In my limited experience (i.e. once) a dislocated digit (for me it was my middle finger), although ugly looking and painful in the moment, got better MUCH faster than a sprained/popped finger (which I've done many, many times). The latter seems to linger for weeks and weeks, getting aggravated in some very innocuous ways, while the former felt better almost as soon as I got it back in place.
 

DJnVa

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I dislocated my finger earlier this year playing keeper in soccer. They "fixed" it the next day and I played that night.
 

reggiecleveland

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A thumb for a running back can be a big deal. A finger can be braced to other fingers, while a thumb is half of the grip by itself. I expect it has more of an effect on catching the ball.
 

RedOctober3829

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It's a bit different for a running back or a WR since they have to be able to take a handoff or a pass without discomfort(or very limited discomfort) before they can play. With a dislocation, the AT's will pop it back into place and it will still be pretty painful for a few days.
 

Jimbodandy

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I would imagine that it depends on which joint dislocated. If it's the distal/proximal phalanx, that's nothing. If it's lower, it would probably affect his grip on the ball somewhat.
 

Ferm Sheller

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So does that effectively indicate that if the game was today Stevenson would be able to play? Or am I overthinking it?