End of the Patriots' Win Streak?!: Week 13 Patriots Preview

Matt Hylen
4 days ago
4 min read

Another primetime game for the New England Patriots, as they will take a 10-2 record and put the 9-game win streak on the line against the 2-10 New York Giants. With a bye on the horizon and the number one seed fully in play, a lot is at stake for the Patriots this week. However, based on the teams' records, this should be an easy game for the Pats, right? In my opinion, this game might be a bit closer than meets the eye. So, with that in mind, let's dive into it.

Injury Report

With OT Will Campbell and DT Milton Williams being placed on IR in consecutive weeks, the Patriots will suffer a big blow on both sides of the ball for the foreseeable future. As for the rest of the team, here is a look at the final report from the Patriots' official website:

OUT

S Brenden Schooler (Ankle)

G Jared Wilson (Ankle)

QUESTIONABLE

LB Harold Landry (Knee)

DT Khyiris Tonga (Chest)

C Garrett Bradbury (Illness)

As for the Giants, here is a look at their final injury report:

OUT

LB Kayvon Thibodeaux (Shoulder)

QUESTIONABLE

DB Korie Black (Biceps)

LB Swayze Bozeman (Hip)

LB Victor Dimukeje (Knee)

LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (Neck/Knee)

My 3 Keys to the Game

My first and likely most important key to this game for the Patriots is to keep the left side of the line from crumbling. With Will Campbell and Jared Wilson both out, that left side of the O-line is brand new and significantly worse than it has been all season. Ben Brown (the likely starting left guard) is not the worst option and hasn't shown signs of poor play, but it is the left tackle position I am worried about. If you are a Patriots fan, then you saw firsthand last year that Verdarian Lowe, who will likely get the start, is not the greatest of options at the left tackle spot.

I need to see the offense account for this, whether it be a running back helping on the block or creating quick-pass plays that'll get the ball out quickly. The Giants' defensive line is the bright spot of their team, so unless the Patriots account for and game plan around the holes on Drake Maye's blindside, he could get eaten alive.

My second key to the game is the Patriots need to find a way to stop the run. This was such a big issue last week, and one of the biggest reasons teams like the Jets and the Bengals were able to move the ball downfield. The Milton Williams injury is hurting the team in an even bigger way than was expected, which needs to be accounted for if you're New England.

Despite the Cam Skattebo injury, the Giants still have a fine 1-2 punch at the running back position. Jaxon Dart has also used his legs on multiple occasions, which cannot be ignored either. The hope for the Patriots is that Khyiris Tonga is able to play, which will be a big help, but if he is unable to play the defense has to step up.

Last but not least, my third key to the game is that Drake Maye needs to be better on the late downs and in the red zone. Going 5/13 on third down last week is just not going to cut it. To add to that, Maye has had multiple turnovers in the red zone, which is also unacceptable.

Do not get me wrong, Drake Maye has been fantastic and, in my eyes, should be the MVP favorite again after this week. However, the biggest hole in his game right now is converting on third down and executing on pass attempts in the red zone. If Maye can help the team clean those two aspects of the game up, New England will find themselves in a great position as the game progresses.

Who Wins?

As I suggested before, I think this game will be close throughout. The Giants have had the ability to play up against better opponents and keep games close all season long, which I think translates into this week. On the other hand, New England has been able to win most of their close games this season, whereas New York has not.

I do think injuries will hurt the Patriots this week. Not having three key pieces in Williams, Campbell, and Wilson will poke significant holes in the Patriots' strategy. I think the Giants could take advantage of this, especially with the D-line, and make this game extremely difficult for Drake Maye and the offense.

However, with all that said, the trust I have in Mike Vrabel and the team's ability to survive close games is going to prevail this week. The Patriots have shown time and time again that they have a sort of clutch gene not many teams have this year, which is why they have been able to win most of their close games. The Giants will keep things close, but I am going to go with a Patriots victory by a score of 24-17.