The Patriots need a win against the Dolphins to have any chance of earning a first round bye. Tom E. Curran checks in with his three keys to making sure the Patriots uphold their end of the bargain.
1) Keep Cameron Wake off Tom Brady. Tom Terrific is a little banged up after taking some tough shots the last couple weeks. The Patriots can do their QB a solid by keeping Cameron Wake off his case. It's important for the Patriots to win this game, and to do that, Brady must remain upright.
2) Hold down Reggie Bush. The Miami offense flows through Bush and if the Patriots can disrupt that, they will force the Dolphins to go to some of their less impressive options. It won't be easy, Bush has been on a roll recently.
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3) Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Pats must manage their key players. Yes, they need to win the game, but it's more important their big weapons remain healthy and come out of the game healthy for the playoffs.