Patriots Need Some Home Cookin' Against Carolina

Overview:  The Patriots are in the midst of adversity. The team has lost three out of four. Their lead in the AFC East, which was once comfortable, has shrunk to one game. Players are showing up late for meetings and being sent home. An underachieving and overpaid linebacker is calling out Bill Belichick.

Can you say distraction?

The Panthers aren’t having an easy run at it either. Their starting quarterback, Jake Delhomme is out for a second straight week. D’Angelo Williams is banged up but will play. Carolina is on the outside and looking in when it comes to the NFC playoff picture.

Both teams NEED this game.

Last Week:  New England imploded yet again on the road, this time against Miami. The Patriots raced out to leads of 14-0 and 21-10 only to see them melt away. Chad Henne capitalized on the lack of pressure and passed all over the Patriots for 300 yards plus.

The Dolphins came back to win, 22-21. They only trail the Patriots by one game.

Carolina and backup quarterback, Matt Moore beat a lowly Tampa Bay Bucs team, 16-6 for their fifth win of the season. Jonathan Stewart picked up the running game with DeAngelo Williams out with an injury. He ran for 120 yards and a score.

All-Time Series:  Carolina and New England will meet for only the fourth time in the regular season. The Panthers defeated the Patriots, 27-17 in 2005.

Both teams met in Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Patriots winning their second championship on an Adam Vinatieri field goal, 32-29. Some argue this Super Bowl was one of the most exciting in history.

Key Questions Entering Week Eleven:

New England: Can the Patriots stop the bleeding and put together a complete game?

The Patriots need to right the ship on and off the field. They have fallen to 7-5 after a 6-2 start. They have a slim lead in the AFC east.

Players are showing up late. Adalius Thomas is badmouthing Bill Belichick.

How will the Patriots handle the first case of locker room turmoil since Lawyer Milloy was cut?

The Patriots need to put a COMPLETE team effort together.

It’s pretty simple. Win, all is right in the world. Lose, the off the field distractions will be added to a long list of excuses for an underachieving team.

Carolina: Can Carolina pull a major upset on the road?

The Patriots are ripe for the picking if you are the Carolina Panthers. New England may not be focused and the Panthers need to pounce on them early. A heavy dose of Williams and Stewart in the running attack will be key. Moore can not make “Sanchez” like mistakes in the passing game.

Players To Watch:

New England Patriots: Adalius Thomas, Tom Brady, Randy Moss

Has Adalius Thomas talked his way out of New England?

Will he play Sunday? If he doesn’t, it will hurt the defense. Even though he is a major underachiever, he still has more talent than most of the members of the linebacking corps.

Tom Brady can not throw interceptions in the red zone. The team must get touchdowns even field goals, but can not come away with zero points. Good teams will make you pay for such mistakes. The Dolphins and Saints did.

Which Randy Moss will show up? He was sent home along with three others for showing up late for a team meeting. Will he dog it and sulk or burn the Panthers secondary? I guess we will have to wait and see.

Carolina Panthers:  Matt Moore, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart

Backup quarterback, Matt Moore must manage the game and not make mistakes in the passing game. Without pressure, he may even look like Chad Henne.

Williams and Stewart must run down hill and punish the Patriots front seven. If they are shut down, the Patriots will prevail.

Predictions: Patriots by 14

The Patriots need to respond to Tom Brady and Wes Welker calling them to the mat. New England is running out of games to turn their season around.

They must have a COMPLETE game on all sides of the ball. New England must unite and rally starting with this game against Carolina, if they don’t the season is O-V-E-R.

I feel that desperation and frustration will fuel the Patriots fire. They need some home cookin’ and continue their dominate play at the Razor.  They need to play angry and make Carolina pay for it.

Final Score: Patriots 34, Panthers 20

Joe Gill is a featured blogger for Boston Sports Then and Now, Rootzoo.com and Trufan.com