New England Patriots Preview: Five Non-Player Factors for 2011 NFL Playoffs

We're now down to just nine days until the New England Patriots host their first 2011 NFL playoff game, facing the lowest-seeded winner of the Wild Card round.

In that time, we'll hear plenty about all the players that can impact the game (in fact, you've already heard about it). But we all know that it won't come down to just the players. We've all seen plenty of fluky things happen in the playoffs, and we've all heard that any given Sunday talk retread time and time again.

But what, exactly, could impact the game outside the players on the field?

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Fast Starters

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FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 12: Wes Welker #83 of the New England Patriots celebrates his touchdown with teammate Rob Gronkowski #87 in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals during the NFL season opener on September 12, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in

In six of New England's games this year, the Patriots have scored a touchdown on their opening drive. All of those games were wins.

In 12 games, the Patriots had at least one touchdown on the board by the end of the first quarter. All of those games were also wins. More importantly, in New England's only two losses this year, they had no points at the end of one quarter of regulation.

But this goes beyond the offense. Ron Borges wrote an article awhile ago on how differently the Patriots play when they have a lead, and he's right in some regards. Mainly, though, the defense has complemented the offense well in this regard, by forcing opponents to play catch-up early.

Only twice have the Patriots yielded more than three points in the opening quarter. The first was against the Browns, when they had two consecutive possessions due to a muffed kick by Rob Gronkowski. The second was against the Lions, a game in which the Patriots had to rally in the third and fourth quarter to come out with a very thankful win.

Getting on the scoreboard early and keeping the opponent down early may seem obvious, but it's especially important for the Patriots to do so in the playoffs. We saw the results of the opposite happening to them last year against the Ravens...

Special Teams

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CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 12: Shayne Graham #5 of the New England Patriots kicks a field goal against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Patriots beat the Bears 36-7. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

OK, so this one is technically player-oriented. It comes down to discipline, something the Patriots have shown a lot of this season.

Blocked punts, blocked kicks, punt returns and kick returns for touchdowns can all swing the momentum so heavily, so quickly, that you might get whiplash if you tried to follow the pendulum.

Although the kicking and punting game haven't been the strongest points of this team, they haven't burned the Patriots yet. Shayne Graham's yet to miss a field goal, and the Patriots have yet to yield a punt return for a touchdown. Their lone kickoff return for a touchdown was allowed to the Buffalo Bills' CJ Spiller in Week 3.

They have also used the return game to their advantage, with Julian Edelman scoring his first punt return for a touchdown last week against the Dolphins.

Over the course of the season, Brandon Tate returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Both came at key points, at the start of the second half of games against the Bengals and Dolphins. The Week 4 game at Miami was a one-point game that quickly turned into a 41-14 blowout.

You do the math.

Preparation

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FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 19: Bill Belichick, head coach of the New England Patriots, looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Imag

If Bill Belichick is good at one thing, it's winning one game. Whatever game that may be. Especially if it's important, and especially if it's in the playoffs.

He is the ultimate master of preparation. He has multiple defensive game plans that are enshrined in Canton at the Hall of Fame, and he'll need three of his best products to date if the Patriots want to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for a fourth time in 10 years.

Turnovers

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FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 21: Devin McCourty #32 of the New England Patriots celebrates with teammates Kyle Love #74 and James Sanders #36 after McCourty intercepted a pass from the Indianapolis Colts on November 21, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Ma

This is another one that could fall under the player category, but it relates more to the entire team. Why is this an x-factor?

Because the Patriots have made a living off turnovers this year, both getting them off their opponents and not giving them up on offense. Ball security goes a long way in the playoffs, but it's hard to count on ball hawking and turnovers in the postseason, especially when every team is prepared for them and playing some of their most disciplined football of the year.

Weather

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CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 12: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks for a receiver against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Patriots defeated the Bears 36-7. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

If one of these x-factors favors the Patriots more than any other, it's the weather. The Patriots are the rulers of their own domain, as evidenced by Tom Brady's 11-0 record in the snow. We all know what January brings to Foxboro—snow.

We've seen Foxboro become a house of horrors for opposing teams in the frosty conditions. Look no further than the 59-0 blowout of the Tennessee Titans last year, or the 45-3 demolition of the New York Jets earlier this season.

The weather will affect how opposing teams tackle the Patriots both offensively and defensively. But one person it won't affect, at least from what we've seen for so many years, is Brady.