The New England Patriots owned the Miami Dolphins. Whether it was home or away, Tom Brady and his team would rarely lose to the Dolphins, so much so that the Patriots were expected to win by more than a touchdown each time.
Then there was last week. The Dolphins outgained the Patriots 360-315 en route to the 33-20 win Sunday. The Patriots allowed Knowshon Moreno to rush for 134 yards and touchdown in the loss, something Head Coach Bill Belichick will shake his head at.
The road doesn’t get easier, as they travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings, a team that dominated the St. Louis Rams (which isn’t hard to do) in Week 1 of the regular season. In fact, the Vikings held the Rams to just six points in the win.
The Vikings defense is nothing to look past, with rookie Anthony Barr joining a crew that already features Chad Greenway and Captain Munnerlyn. This team showed that it is ready to play with any NFL.
With the confidence of a Week 1 win and the first home game, the Vikings will come out looking for a win over the once intimidating Patriots.
Not anymore. Brady finished 29-for-56 (51.8 percent) in the loss to Dolphins, the lowest completion percentage he’s had since a loss to the Jets in week 7 of last year. He probably won’t repeat this performance, but against a Vikings defense that allowed 246 yards passing and no touchdowns to the Rams, it has to be a concern.
It’s not that Brady doesn’t have the weapons to get the job done. He has Rob Gronkowski back, along with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Shane Vereen to work with.
Brady will need to step up against the Vikings or face questions that his age is catching up to him.
But let’s not just focus on the Patriots offense. The Vikings put up 34 points on a strong Rams defense, which deserves a look at.
Matt Cassel was as efficient as quarterbacks can, going 17-for-25 for 170 yards and two touchdowns. He found Cordarrelle Patterson and Greg Jennings early and often, leading to 84 yards and a touchdown between the two.
These three are developing chemistry, which is extremely promising for Vikings fans. Not to mention, the rushing is as strong as they come.
Adrian Peterson seems ready for another Pro Bowl season and added 75 yards on the ground against the Rams. Patterson also factor in the rushing game, getting three carries for 102 yards and a touchdown. The reserves and trick plays will be more powerful with Patterson in the fold.
This game certainly presents a challenge to the Patriots, who are not accustomed to being 0-2. They have aspirations much higher than struggling to make the playoffs, so this game is as close to a must-win as the Patriots have had early in a season in a while.
However, the Vikings could go 2-0 in the ultra-competitive NFC North, giving them a shot at a possible wild card berth. It certainly will be an intriguing game however it ends.
My pick: Patriots 31, Vikings 24.