Key Matchups for the Patriots' 2009-2010 Season

Expectations are clearly high for the Patriots this coming season. They have their franchise quarterback, Tom Brady, back to 100 percent health and ready for a full season. The defense is younger and improved in several areas. Plus, they provided Brady with a few more potent weapons.

Needless to say, it's going to be tough for any opponent against New England this season. However, there's a reason that any team can win on any given day.

What follows are each of the games the Patriots play this season, as well as what matchup will be the key to the game.

Obviously these are subject to change as almost every team in the NFL is forced to deal with injury issues from week to week, not to mention the fact that some players will have breakout years, while others will take a step or two back.

Week One vs. Buffalo: Stop the T.O Show

The Bills have been a pleasant punching bag for the Patriots the better part of this decade. Since dominating New England way back in week one of the 2003 regular season, Buffalo is 0 for their last 11 against the Pats.

The big shakeup with the Bills this season is the addition of notorious loudmouth and still-talented WR Terrell Owens. Most critics will tell you that despite the high profile signing, Buffalo doesn't have the horses to compete with an elite team like the Patriots.

Those critics would be correct. However, here's where Owens does make a difference. He, along with Lee Evans, provide an extremely dangerous one-two punch in the passing game. Last year, New England's secondary was by far its biggest weakness.

They weren't helped much by an injury plagued front seven that couldn't rush the passer, but that doesn't change the fact that they were constantly picked apart by even mediocre QBs.

Plus, let's not forget what Owens did to New England with his career on the line in the Super Bowl (9 catches, 122 yards).

In order for the Patriots to avoid the upset, they'll need to limit Owens touches and get him frustrated early. It's a big test at the beginning of the season for a remodeled secondary, and they need to step up for a New England win.

Week Two @NY Jets: Protect Tom Brady

Rex Ryan might have been the best coaching hire of the offseason. He immediately endeared himself to Jets fans saying that he's not going to "kiss Bill Belichick's rings."

He doesn't have to kiss the rings, but he does need to gameplan against the best coaching mind in the game. With that said, Ryan's probably going to try and make a statement in this matchup.

He and his 46 defense will try to wreak havoc on Tom Brady, which is why its paramount that the offensive line keep him on his feet instead of on his back, or worse, on the sidelines.

I won't outright accuse Ryan and the Jets defense of trying to hurt Brady, but let's just say I won't be shocked if they try to sneak in a few extra bumps and shoves.

Week Three vs. Atlanta: Turn Off the Burner

For all the success Matt Ryan was credited with for the Falcons turnaround last season, Michael Turner and his 1700 rushing yards were the real reason Atlanta became a playoff team.

That's why in order to stop the Falcons, the Patriots will need to load the line and be able to counter Turner's unique combination of size and speed.

Ryan's certainly a great talent, but he's not surrounded by great wideouts and back in the area where he rose to national prominence at Boston College, he could be feeling a little bit of extra nerves.

Not to mention Bill Belichick has a pretty good track record against young, risk-taking quarterbacks.

Week Four vs. Baltimore: 2007 Revisited

What I mean by the headline above is that in order to knock off the Ravens, the Patriots will need to do exactly what they did to beat Baltimore back in 2007.

Then, an underacheiving team played the best game of its season. They utilized their defensive strength to bother New England all game long and came within a hair of knocking them off the undefeated path.

The reason the Pats prevailed is because of their depth. While the Ravens were able to bother Wes Welker and Randy Moss, fourth wideout Jabar Gaffney thrived against the Baltimore's weak backup corners, collecting the winning TD.

This time around it could be Greg Lewis' chance to make a name for himself, or Julian Edelman, or even Chris Baker. One thing's for sure, Baltimore's defense will make its opponents use every weapon in the bag.

Thankfully for Pats fans, New England has enough.

Week Five @Denver: Don't Believe the Hype

This one will be billed the same way the first meeting between Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini was after the latter was hired by the Jets. I can see the headlines now: STUDENT VS. TEACHER, APPRENTICE MEETS HIS MASTER, and every other cliche you can come up with.

The way the Patriots will win this game is to do what they've done so successfully over the course of their dynasty: ignore those headlines.

It's become painfully clear throughout the offseason that Josh McDaniels still doesn't have complete control of his players, and the Broncos could very easily be headed for a major fall.

Even if things flip the other way, the talent on the field is only good enough to win the AFC West, which isn't saying much. All the Pats have to do is stay focused, ignore the hype and take advantage of the numerous mismatches they should have.

Week Six vs. Tennessee: Hold the Line

With all due respect to Albert Haynesworth, there's no way anyone should think the Titans are somehow soft on the defensive line. After all, they still have Jeff Fisher as their head coach.

They may be weaker this season without Haynesworth, but one man doesn't hold teams to less than 100 yards rushing per game. One man can't rack up 44 sacks in a season.

Needless to say, the Titans still possess a very formidable defense, especially the front four. This will be yet another test for the Patriots offensive line.

They'll not only need to protect Tom Brady, but they'll need to be especially good if they want to be productive on the ground. As we've said before, the weapons New England has are excellent, but like any weapon, they need the time to fire.

Week Seven @Tampa Bay (in London): Nothing's Different

Fans pack Gillette Stadium for the Patriots every time they're at home. Fans will pack Wembley Stadium to get a look at what they call "American Football."

The easiest reference for the key to winning this game is the famous scene in "Hoosiers". Gene Hackman takes his crew into the huge gym where they're to play the championship game and busts out a tape measure. The rim's still 10 feet high, just like every other dimension on the court.

That's the key to a victory not just for the Patriots, but for any team that travels for this showcase game during the regular season. Whichever team can focus on the task at hand better will win, plain and simple.

So if Bill Belichick and company worry more about which QB the Bucs will play instead of visiting the Queen, the Pats should head into the bye week with another victory.

Week Nine vs. Miami: Speak Softly and Throw the Deep Ball

When I think about the Dolphins, the first thing that comes to mind is what idiotic statement is going to come out of the mouth of Joey Porter that week.

Forget the Wildcat offense. Miami's not catching anyone off guard with that, despite the addition of college athletics sensation Pat White. In this game, the Patriots will have a vastly more talented team on the field.

So the gameplan for New England's very simple: don't get into a war of words or say anything to rile up the Dolphins. Also, do what you did to them back when Tom Brady was still on the field, test them deep.

In the first matchup of 2007, Brady torched the Dolphins for six TDs in that game, three of them for 30 yards or longer. There's no reason he can't do that again.

Week 10 @Indianapolis: Kasparov vs. Fischer

In honor of two of the greatest ever to play chess, anyone who's anyone knows what this game will be decided by. Peyton Manning is quite possibly the greatest reader of defenses to play the quarterback position in history.

His greatest test year in and year out comes in the form of one of the greatest coaches in history, Bill Belichick.

It's probably fair to say that Belichick wins more often than not, but these games are always close and come down to a few key plays. Whoever makes the correct adjustment or read in those situations is going to help lead his team to victory.

Week 11: vs. NY Jets: Playing For Tomorrow

Even if Mark Sanchez doesn't win the starting job out of training camp, he should be the Jets starter by this point in the season. He's clearly better than Kellen Clemens and New York may very likely be playing for next year by this time.

If that's the case, the Patriots still can't take the Jets lightly. New England should look at it as an opportunity. Brand the Patriot logo into the rookie's head and make sure that for the rest of his NFL career, he'll remember the time he got smacked around by New England.

It'll be great fun for Pats fans now, and will play major dividends in the future.

Week 12 @New Orleans: Cool the Brees

Not too hard to figure out what the key to beating the Saints is, stop Drew Brees. In fact, it's so tough to stop him, all you can do is try to contain him.

At this point in the season, the Patriots will have a good feel for what their secondary is in terms of personnel and ability. They had better hope that that group is good enough to hold Brees under the 300 yard mark that he hit in so many games a year ago.

Even if Brees isn't going down the field on them, it'll be vital for the secondary to make open field tackles against the likes of Reggie Bush and other New Orleans speedsters coming out of the backfield.

Week 13 @Miami: Hold the Line (Part 2)

At this point in the season the Patriots should be well on their way to locking up yet another AFC East crown. On the other side the Dolphins will be lucky to still be mathematically in the playoff race.

That's why it's imperative that the Patriots offensive line step up their play in this game. There's no doubt they will be affected by the heat and humidity down in Miami.

Nick Kazcur and company will need to survive that as well as a frequently blitzing Joey Porter not only to win the game, but to keep their goal for the future intact.

If the Dolphins are out of it, make no mistake, Porter and that defense will do whatever it takes to derail New England's hopes for another Super Bowl, and it's up to the O-Line to stop them.

Week 14 vs. Carolina: Springs-time?

Steve Smith is THE most dangerous wide receiver in the NFL. He's not very tall, but he can jump out of the gym and can make a mediocre quarterback like Jake Delhomme look good.

That's why in order to win this game, the Patriots need to have someone limit the effect Steve Smith has. As of right now, that job would likely fall on veteran Shawn Springs.

He'll probably be the man to draw Terrell Owens week One against Buffalo, and if his body holds up, he could be New England's number one cornerback. If Springs can't hold that job and no one else rises to take it, the only solution is to double or triple team Smith, exactly the scenario Carolina wants.

Week 15 @Buffalo: Play It Safe

I hope I didn't jinx anything by putting that photo up, but it's a good reminder of what can happen any given Sunday. While I said the game between the Pats and Dolphins in Week 13 COULD be a matchup of a playoff team against a non-playoff team, this game WILL be that scenario.

Facts are facts, the Bills have a horrible coach and are the weakest team in the AFC East by far. This should just serve as another demonstration as to the talent disparity between these two squads.

With that said, there's no key matchup to look at in this game. The only issue Pats fans should be concerned about is injuries. That's the only thing New England needs to be worried about, staying healthy.

Week 16: vs. Jacksonville: Solve the Mystery

Aside from the little bowling ball of a running back pictured above, the Jaguars were a very underwhelming team a year ago. For some reason they decided to bring back Jack Del Rio, despite rumors of his having lost control in the locker room.

Despite those troubling signs, no one's really paying any attention to the Jags heading into 2009, which makes them dangerous in my eyes. They still have a talented QB in David Garrard, and the defensive pieces are still in place to be great.

Because the Jags have yet to make known what type of team they are and what their overall strengths and weaknesses will be this season, it's up to Bill Belichick and his notoriously detailed preparation to carry the Patriots to a win in this game.

Week 17 @Houston: Finish Strong

Let's be honest for a second, there's no way that this game is going to be important to either of these teams come season's end. The Patriots, in all likelihood, will have already wrapped up a division title and, quite possibly, a first-round bye.

The Texans, on the other hand, will have collapsed under the weight of being every analyst's "sleeper" team once again. Houston will be playing out the string with some random young player getting the hometown crowd excited, like Steve Slaton (pictured above) a year ago.

All New England needs to do is stay healthy and keep the positive momentum moving towards the postseason, regardless of the score of the game.