Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams has created many problems for the New England Patriots over the past couple of seasons.

The New England Patriots (1-2) have lost two straight in consecutive seasons for the first time since  2001-’02. They will be looking to get back to .500 with a victory over the Bills (2-1) in Buffalo.

The Patriots haven’t been below .500 since 2003 when they lost the season opener, 31-0, to the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Patriots are at the bottom of the AFC East, a division they have dominated over the past decade. The Bills are tied with the New York Jets for first place. This has turned into a critical early season division showdown between these two organizations.

Bills General Manager Buddy Nix said before the season that he was not intimidated by the Patriots or anybody else in the AFC. This Sunday, Nix’s team could take a big step forward by overcoming the Pats.

The Patriots come into this game with serious injury issues. Left guard Logan Mankins (hip) has not practiced all week and he is out. All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski (hip) is listed as questionable, but he is expected to play. The Patriots are depleted at the tight end position without Aaron Hernandez (ankle) and they released Kellen Winslow Jr. earlier this week. Visanthe Shiancoe is out for at least the first six weeks of the season. Wide receiver/punt returner Julian Edelman is out with a hand injury he suffered in the 31-30 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens last week. Defensive tackle Kyle Love (knee) is questionable while offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer continues to be hindered with the back problem that he had surgery on in the offseason.

Here are a few key matchups to watch in tomorrow’s battle:

1. Patriots’ offensive line versus Bills’ defensive line.

Bills defensive coordinator Dave Wannastedt’s defenses gave Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense fits when he was the head coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2001-’04. While Wannastedt doesn’t have Jason Taylor to rush the passer, he has a loaded defensive line led by end Mario Williams. The Bills paid a heavy fortune for Williams and ex-Patriot Mark Anderson this past March. Even though Williams struggled early, he has come into his own the past couple of weeks with 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. They already have Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus on the inside. Kyle Williams has been a pain to block for the past couple of years with his non-stop motor and ability to the quarterback. The 6-foot 1-inch, 300-pound lineman leads the team with three sacks. The Bills drafted Dareus with the 3rd overall selection out of the University of Alabama in 2011. They also rotate Chris Kelsay with Anderson because Kelsay is better at stopping the run. This line has produced nine sacks and they can be a handful for any offensive line. The Patriots’ offensive line has already allowed seven sacks this year. The running game has been controlled in the past two games against the Arizona Cardinals and the Ravens. If Mankins doesn’t play, the Patriots could switch Dan Connolly from right to left guard and use Donald Thomas on the right side. They could just insert Thomas on the left side. If the Bills can continue to get consistent pressure on Brady with their front four and the running lanes are filled by Bills’ defenders, the Patriots offense could be in for a long day against this unit.

2. Patriots’ defense versus Bills’ offense.

The entire Patriots defense is included because they were completely embarrassed by the Ravens last Sunday night. The Ravens rolled up 503 yards of total offense. Ray Rice ran for 121 yards. Joe Flacco was hit just once by Love and it came on a defensive holding penalty on Brandon Spikes. Devin McCourty played well for the majority of the game until his fourth quarter penalties allowed the Ravens’ offense to score on two late drives. Kyle Arrington did not turn around on Ravens receiver Torrey Smith’s first touchdown. This week, the Patriots will need to apply pressure on Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick likes to get rid of the ball quickly. The Patriots defensive linemen will have to read Fitzpatrick and make it hard for him to throw the ball by deflecting passes at the line of scrimmage or forcing Fitzpatrick to take his eyes off his first option. Whoever is in the Bills backfield (Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller, or Tashard Choice), the Patriots must fill the gaps. There were too many times in the loss to the Ravens when Patriots’ defenders moved to the wrong gap or did not fulfill their assignment. This allowed the Ravens to accumulate chunks of yards on the ground. If Spiller plays (he did practice earlier this week), he brings a more explosive option who can  make a home run type play with his speed. Jackson is a tough runner and will get yards either inside or outside. Wide receiver Stevie Johnson is great at exploiting man coverage. The Patriots will need to double Johnson with a safety over the top or jam him at the line of scrimmage. The Bills like to run a spread offense and use a variety of formations, including the pistol when a quarterback lines up in the shotgun closer to the center with the running back right behind him. Overall, the Patriots’ defense needs to show up because they made the Ravens look like they were running seven-on-seven drills.

3. Patriots in the Red Zone.

The Pats have won in the past because they have capitalized on their chances in the red zone. This season, the Patriots have not been very good once they reach the opponents’ 20-yard line. They are just 6-of-12 after reaching the end zone at a 65.1 percent clip in 2011. The Patriots’ losses are by a combined three points so if the Patriots were able to score touchdowns instead of settling for field goals, they could be 3-0 right now. Hernandez’s absence hurts the Patriots because he can cause trouble for opponents with his versatility. The offensive line has been a shaky unit early in the season with injuries to their best linemen in Mankins and Vollmer. Gronkowski has been used more to protect Brady and this means there is one less option for the Patriots to attack opponents who are not equipped to cover Gronkowski.

Prediction: The Patriots’ defense will continue to struggle because the Bills provide a variety of different looks. This will be a close game because the Bills have improved, but the Patriots can never be counted out as long as Bill Belichick is on the sidelines with Brady running the offense. The Patriots will win 31-28.

The replacement officials were more confused than anybody else in the stadium on the rules of the NFL.

Perhaps the Green Bay Packers will go onto Super Bowl XVII and everyone forgets what took place on September 24th, 2012 in the last play of the Packers game in Seattle against the Seahawks when the replacement officials botched a touchdown call.

The replacement referees will be remembered for making numerous mistakes that will cost most organizations in the NFL a chance at winning the Lombardi trophy in February or a player failing to receive a bonus in their contract based on an incentive when the fill-in zebras misplaced the football.

The regular officials’ contract expired in June, which prompted the NFL to find officials in the lower collegiate levels and the Lingerie League to call games in the NFL. Most of these men also work as Athletic Directors in high schools. To work in the NFL requires keeping up with faster players and this means referees must be well-conditioned to keep up with the rigors as well as operate with knowledge of the NFL rules. It is impossible for referees to just pick up the rules in a matter of a month. These egotistical as well as greedy owners and the NFL front office believed that anybody can just step in and do the job. They did not want to give up part of the billions they make to pay for the product of the game to not be questioned.

While all of this will harm a team in the grand scheme of the 2012 season, it will not hurt anyone associated with the NFL in their pockets. The NFL will continue to make billions of dollars just like what they did when they put people who were inadequately prepared to be an official in the NFL. Millions of people will continue to tune in to watch the brutal, violent, yet entertaining sport of football because of it’s fast pace and extreme contact. There will also be no more 10-minute discussion of rules that the replacement referees do not know, which will decrease the time of the games.

Teams like the Packers, New England Patriots, and New Orleans Saints who have some of the top players in the game, especially at quarterback, are in a hole with part of the blame going to poor calls. This whole fiasco reflected poorly on the NFL. Roger Goodell and the owners got away with the lockout last year because the only game that was cancelled was the Hall-of-Fame game (sorry to the fans who bought tickets for that game in Canton, Ohio). These first three weeks were painful to watch. The preseason contests are horrible to view anyway because teams rarely play their starters. The NFL should issue an apology to all the fans who paid exorbitant costs to watch these refs repeatedly make major errors that had an affect on the outcome of some these games. From giving teams extra timeouts to handing teams extra yards on penalties, the replacements were not qualified to fulfill their duties.

If the Packers miss the playoffs by a game or God forbid, they have to travel to Seattle for a postseason encounter with the Seahawks, Packers’ fans will spew hatred towards Goodell and the league in the same way that the Saints fans are throwing darts at pictures of Goodell’s face right now. By the way, the Packers and Saints play on Sunday in what Glenn Ordway of WEEI has dubbed, “The Roger Goodell Appreciation Bowl.”

The scary part about the NFL and the referees coming to an agreement this week is the replacement officials would have stayed if  DeMaurice Smith of the NFL Players Association did not send a letter saying the players’ safety was in jeopardy or Packers tackle T.J.  Lang did not threaten the Packers would strike by taking a knee.

For a league that has more money than some nations’ Gross Domestic Product,  they screwed up the integrity of the game. Sorry to all the fans who will not be able to witness their favorite teams playing into January because the league did not take the proper measures in not letting this come to the forefront of their issues.

New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (left) will need to harass Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (right) just like he did in last year’s AFC Championship game.

The New England Patriots (1-1) will be limping into M&T Bank Stadium after suffering an inexcusable 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in their home opener and without versatile tight end Aaron Hernandez (ankle). Their opponents, the Baltimore Ravens (1-1), are looking to exact revenge after the Patriots escaped in the AFC Championship game with a 23-20 victory.

Both squads have turned weaknesses into strengths in the early portion of the 2012 season. The Pats’ defense is second in the league in total defense. They have allowed just 404 passing yards. They have yet to face a strong quarterback through two games this year. Meanwhile, the Ravens have installed a no-huddle offense and they feature big-play weapons at the wide receiver/tight end position. Their first play of the season was a 52-yard pass from Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith against the Cincinnati Bengals.

These two organizations have played well after a loss in recent years. The Patriots are 27-3 since 2003. Meanwhile, the Ravens are 13-0 since 2009. The Ravens also have 11 consecutive victories at home. The Pats are 6-0 against the Ravens in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason. This will be only the second time the Patriots will travel to Baltimore in the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era.

These are two of the best franchises in the league and they always seem to play close contests.

Here are some of the key matchups:

1. Patriots’ offensive line versus the Ravens’ front seven.

The Ravens’ defense has been among the most feared in the league since Ray Lewis was drafted in the first round (26th overall)  in 1996.  Despite not having Defensive Player of the Year in outside linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs, the Ravens also have defensive lineman Haloti Ngata, free safety Ed Reed, and emerging cornerback Ladarius Webb. The Patriots’ offensive line has been embattled throughout the preseason and in the first two games. Tom Brady was sacked four times against the Cardinals. The 340-pound Ngata can be a disruptive presence on the line with his ability to create pressure, stop the run, and have more than one blocker come at him. Lewis shed  25 pounds in the off-season that has allowed him to cover running backs out of the backfield. He was able to make a tackle on Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis in the open field that had the chance to break for a long gain if Lewis had been unable to stay with Green-Ellis. Patriots guard Donald Thomas struggled last week against the Cardinals. Four offensive linemen, including three starters are questionable for tomorrow night. Dan Connolly (concussion), guard Logan Mankins (hip), tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back), and reserve lineman Nick McDonald (shoulder) have all been limited in practice this week. Brady has struggled in the past against the Ravens when the Patriots had a better offensive line.  The Patriots’ line will need to play much better on Sunday, especially since the Ravens are better than the Cardinals.

2. Patriots’ defensive backs versus Ravens’ receivers.

With the news that Smith’s brother, Tevin, died in a motorcycle accident could leave the Ravens without one of their most dynamic playmakers. Smith is the Ravens’ top deep threat. The Patriots pass defense is much improved, but they have faced a second-year unproven quarterback in Jake Locker of the Tennessee Titans and  Cardinals’ Kevin Kolb.  Flacco is a better quarterback and this offense will challenge the Patriots. Devin McCourty is showing signs that he is primed to bounce back. He made a play last week on Larry Fitzgerald in one-on-one coverage where he forced Fitzgerald towards the sidelines in the end zone on a fade pass. Fitzgerald was unable to make the catch. The Ravens also have Jacoby Jones, who has outstanding quickness on the outside. Anquan Boldin is not as fast as Jones or Smith, but he can use his experience to separate from defensive backs. Tight end Dennis Pitta has been Flacco’s go-to receiver with 13 receptions. He has emerged as a weapon in the Ravens’ offense after being drafted in 2010. The Patriots defensive backs will have to keep these receivers in front of them. Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner were drafted to display their versatility. Ras-I Dowling will have to use his size against the Ravens’ bigger receivers.

3. Wilfork versus Matt Birk

Wilfork got the best of this showdown in the AFC Championship game. He had one of the best games in his career. The 6-foot-2-inch, 325-pound defensive lineman had six tackles, including a sack. Ray Rice had 21 carries for 67 yards. Even though the Ravens are running a n-huddle offense with the emergence of Flacco, Rice is one of the best tailbacks in the league. The Ravens will need their strong running game against better defenses. Birk remains among one of the elite centers in the league. The 36-year-old is a powerful blocker. He will have his hands full trying to contain Wilfork.

 Prediction: This will be a typical close brawl between these rivals. The game will be physical, dirty, and exciting. The Patriots will come away with a close 28-24 victory. While the Ravens have been tough after a loss and are at home, the Patriots seem to thrive in this type of atmosphere. They have a young defense, but they will be hungry to prove themselves because they are still being questioned as a quality unit.

Problems on the horizon for the Bears …

Well, after a crazy week two, I finished 8-6-1. If you bet with me you would have won some money. Not the best effort that is for certain but any positive income helps. My upset alert was correct but my lock of the week was no good as the ‘Skins faltered.

Upset Alert: Cincinnati Bengals defeat the Washington Redskins 24-21

Lock of the Week: San Francisco 49ers defeat the Minnesota Vikings 27-14.

Here are my week three picks …

Deion Branch is back with the Patriots after a 3-week absence due to his release.

Deion Branch’s locker remained intact ever since his release from the New England Patriots back on August 31. Many believed this to be the ultimate sign that once an injury occured, Branch would be back immediately. When tight end Aaron Herndandez sprained his ankle Sunday in the 20-18 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, this proved to be the reason to bring back Branch.

Herndandez served as one of the most versatile players in the league as he could line up at running back, fullback, wide receiver and tight end. This type of flexibility cannot be duplicated by adding just Branch alone so the Patriots also signed former Pro Bowl tight end, Kellen Winslow Jr. on Tuesday. Winslow Jr. was a free agent after his release by the Seattle Seahawks due to concerns about his knees and also carries along some character questions. He has been in the league since he was drafted 6th overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2004. Of course his father, Kellen, played tight end in the 1980′s for Don Coryell and the San Diego Chargers.

These two offensive additions should help ease the loss of Hernandez. Branch and Winslow have combined for 939 receptions, 11,335 yards, and 62 touchdowns in their careers.  Tom Brady’s familiarity with Branch will provide a reliable weapon and Winslow Jr. if healthy, is a nightmare matchup for linebackers. The Patriots like to use the two tight end offense and it will be interesting to see how much they use Winslow in Hernandez’s absence. Expect to see both players in Sunday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens  in limited roles most likely.

Devin McCourty and the New England Patriots secondary have a challenge awaiting them in Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

The New England Patriots (1-0) enter their home opener at Gillette Stadium after a convincing 34-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans last week. They will face the Arizona Cardinals (1-0), who have won eight of their last 10 games dating back to the 2011 season.

The Cardinals were able to prevent the Seattle Seahawks from scoring a touchdown on their final possession. The Cardinals held the Seahawks on four plays from the 5-yard line to escape in their home opener, 20-16.

On Sunday, the crowd will be buzzing with former Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown being  honored at halftime as a new member of  the Patriots’ Hall of Fame this weekend. Brown held the franchise record in receptions with 557 until Wes Welker tied the mark last week. Welker needs just one more catch to break Brown’s record of 557 on Sunday.  In addition, Brown helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls in four years last decade.

While the Cardinals have issues on their offense with their line and the quarterback, they do have one of the best receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, 29,  has 697 receptions for his career and he helped bring the Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII in 2009. In addition, the Cardinals have a solid defense with playmakers such as Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson, and Patrick Peterson.

Here is a look at the key match-ups for Sunday’s contest:

1. Patriots’ offensive line versus Cardinals’ front seven.

The Patriots’ offensive line performed reasonably well last Sunday against the Titans. Besides the sack by Kamerion Wimbley on Tom Brady, there was not much pressure on Brady. This week presents a different challenge with the Cardinals’ defensive line. Dockett is 6-feet, 4-inches and 290 pounds.  He was a disruptive force last week against the Seahawks and he could pose problems for the Patriots with his non-stop motor. The 31-year-old is small for a 3-4 end, but he is quick. On the other end is Calais Campbell. Campbell is 6-8, 300 pounds. Bill Belichick was comparing Campbell to former Patriot and current Oakland Raiders defensive lineman, Richard Seymour. His size and long arms give him the ability to bat passes at the line of scrimmage. Campbell picked off a Russell Wilson pass last week. Dan Williams is the defensive tackle. The first-round pick in 2010 is tough to move with his 327-pound frame. Inside linebacker Daryl Washington is a sure tackler in the middle of the defense. The Cardinals run a similar scheme to the Pittsburgh Steelers with less talent. They utilize the zone-blitz with Ray Horton as the defensive coordinator, who spent seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brady had success with the Steelers’ zone blitz throughout his career, but he will need the offensive line to give him time to survey the field. The Patriots might use more screens and quick throws to limit the Cardinals’ attack. Wilson plays a Troy Polamalu-like role in this defense as he lines up all over the field. Peterson is one of the top cover corners in the league. They will not be able to stay with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez throughout the game.

 2. Patriots’ defensive backs versus Fitzgerald.

One of the biggest questions all week has been how the Patriots will defend Fitzgerald. Other than Kurt Warner,  Fitzgerald has not played with an above-average quarterback throughout his career. Yet the 6-3, 218-pounder remains among the top pass-catchers in the league. The ninth-year veteran can catch any ball thrown near him with his size and leap. Belichick said Fitzgerald is one of the best receivers of all time. In order to prevent Fitzgerald from breaking out, Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia might use a corner and a safety to cover Fitzgerald while playing Devin McCourty against the other outside receiver (either Andre Roberts, Early Doucet, or rookie Michael Floyd). The corners who would stay on Fitzgerald would be either Kyle Arrington or the taller Ras-I Dowling. The key is for the corners to keep Fitzgerald in front of them.

3. Special Teams

Peterson is one of the top returners in the league. The second-year cornerback returned four punts for touchdowns last year. He is always a threat to break loose. The Patriots must make sure they fill the gaps and do not let Peterson explode for a big play. Cardinals’ kicker Jay Feely does not get much air on his kicks, which could provide for some big returns for the Patriots. In a battle between these two teams, special teams could provide a huge swing on either side.

Prediction: The Patriots will come out fired up in front of their home crowd. They are 15-1 at Gillette over the past two seasons and they should add another to the win column this week. While the Cardinals’ defense could pose problems early, the Patriots will make the proper adjustments. Fitzgerald is tough to defend, but the Cardinals’ offensive line is so weak, it might not matter. Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich could have their way with the Cardinals’ tackles. Cardinals’ left tackle D’Anthony Batiste started his first ever game at tackle last week and before that he started in four games for the Atlanta Falcons in 2007. The Patriots will win 31-10.

Andrew Luck still in search of his first NFL victory. No worries Andrew, It should come this Sunday.

Football is back in action after a long hot summer. We missed Week One, but that might have been a good thing as there was uncertainty with many teams. We’ve got most of our answers, but as you can tell from the Thursday night game, teams will show their true colors in the coming weeks.

Upset Alert: Seattle Seahawks defeat the Dallas Cowboys 20-17

Lock of the Week: Washington Redskins defeat the St. Louis Rams 31-13.

Without any further adieu here are the first picks against the spread for the 2012-13 season …

Wes Welker’s limited role in Sunday’s 34-13 win over the Tennessee Titans leads to questions of whether Welker will be with the New England Patriots for the full season.

Everything is wonderful in New England (unless you’re a Red Sox fan) after the Patriots’ 34-13 season-opening victory over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville. This was a complete team win with a mix of the youth (rookies Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower) and veterans (Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork). It was as Bill Belichick said, “We got contributions from everyone.”

There is one thing that stands out after the convincing win: Wes Welker’s limited snaps. According to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, Welker was on the field for only 43 of 67  plays. This was behind the tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who played all 67  snaps. Brandon Lloyd, the prized offseason acquisition played more than Welker. Welker split time with Julian Edelman. He only had three receptions for 14 yards and he tied the record for most receptions as a Patriot with 557. There was even one play early where a Brady pass went off the helmet of Welker. This caused Patriots fans to have flashbacks of the missed opportunity in the Super Bowl XLVI loss to the New York Giants.

Whether Welker’s decrease in play has any significance down the road is yet to be seen. He could’ve been a focal point of the Titans’ defense or the Patriots might have wanted to rely on the tight ends to establish a balanced attack on the ground with the two tight ends making the offense more versatile. How come Welker split time with Edelman? Perhaps the Patriots are giving Edelman a chance to become the slot receiver since Welker might not be back after this season and they want to see how Edelman will perform. The Patriots are getting younger on both sides of the ball evidenced by their primary playmakers on Sunday.

This brings one thing to mind with Welker playing on a one-year franchise tag. In 2010, the Patriots came off a huge 41-14 win over the Miami Dolphins on the road on Monday Night Football. Randy Moss was only thrown to on one play and he did not have a catch On Wednesday, the Patriots shipped Moss and a 7th-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round choice.

Welker is not like Moss because they are both different type of receivers and personalities. He has not criticized the organization through the media like Moss did before and during the season. Unlike Logan Mankins, Welker did not have a lengthy holdout when the team franchised him. Welker signed his franchise tender in May as opposed to Mankins missing the first seven games.

On Sunday, Welker had his fewest receiving yards as a Patriot since he tore his ACL in the 2010 season finale against the Houston Texans when he suffered the injury on his only catch in the first quarter. It was a far contrast from last year’s opener in Miami when Welker caught eight passes, including a 99-yarder that clinched the game for the Patriots.

Now, Welker could have a huge game next week and he could go on to catch 100 balls again this year. This offseason, the Patriots extended both Gronkowski and Hernandez. They brought in Lloyd to provide an outside threat for the Patriots who can make catches in traffic. The Patriots might feel that Welker’s time has run out in New England and they may want to get something for him so Welker does not leave without a significant return.

Look for this storyline to continue if Welker remains an under-used player on offense. With the NFL extending the trade deadline to Week 8, the Patriots have more time to bring depth to another position if they felt the need through a trade. Welker could be expendable at that point.

New England Patriots wide receiver Brandon Lloyd had a less than stellar preseason.

The New England Patriots open their 2012 campaign on the road for just the third time in the past nine seasons. The Patriots will travel to Nashville to take on Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans.

This year, the Patriots will be looking to get back to the Super Bowl for the sixth time in the last 12 seasons. Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and Vince Wilfork are the only members from the last Super Bowl winning team in the 2004 season. Matt Light retired and Kevin Faulk was not resigned. Deion Branch and Dan Koppen did not make the final roster cuts on August 31st.

The injury report is not lengthy this week as it was for the majority of last year. Running back Shane Vereen is out with a foot problem. Offensive linemen Nick McDonald (shoulder) and Sebastian Vollmer (back), tight end Daniel Fells (shin), and cornerbacks Alfonzo Dennard (hamstring) and Sterling Moore (knee) are all listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Safety Patrick Chung is back from a shoulder issue he received in the preseason loss against the Philadelphia Eagles on August 20th.

Last year, the Titans finished 9-7 despite having the fourth-youngest defense and a less than spectacular season from Johnson, who held out all of training camp due to a contract holdout. Jake Locker, their 2011 first round pick, will be the starting signal caller in his second year.

Here are the key matchups to watch in the opener:

1. Patriots’ front seven versus Titans’ offensive line:

The Patriots struggled on defense last season, particularly their pass defense. In 2012, the Patriots will be starting two rookies in their front seven in first round selections, defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont’a Hightower. The Patriots’ defense will need to contain the explosive Johnson from getting to the outside or hitting cutback lanes. Johnson is a home run threat every time he touches the ball. For the Patriots to stop Johnson, they will need multiple defenders to clog the lanes and wrap him up. If they stop Johnson, they can make things difficult for the Titans’ offense and force them to become one-dimensional. Locker was a very talented quarterback at the University of Washington who could run and throw. Locker will not have his top wideout in Kenny Britt, who is suspended for another DUI arrest this offseason. The Titans will have veteran Nate Washington and rookie Kendall Wright, who was seen by many experts as a possible choice for the Patriots. The 6-foot 1-inch, 198-pound Washington led the Titans with 74 receptions for 1023 yards in 2011. Wright, the 20th overall pick, led the team with nine receptions in the exhibition season. The Patriots’ secondary could not stop college receivers last year, let alone professional ones. The front seven will need to keep Locker in the pocket and force him to get rid of the ball sooner than he wants to. The Patriots’ defense gave up too many big plays last year and they will need to avoid Locker and the Titans’ offense from finding a groove, especially early in the contest. While the Titans allowed only 24 sacks, which was tied for second-fewest in the league, they could be tested this week. Jones looks like he could be a real star, but he will have his hands full with Michaeel Roos, who is 6-feet-7-inches and 320 pounds at left tackle. Roos is one of the premier left tackles in the league. Meanwhile the Titans are already without reserve tackle Mike Otto and the status of guard Steve Hutchinson is in question with a none-injury related reason.

2. Patriots’ offensive line versus Titans’ defensive line:

The Patriots’ offensive line was shaky throughout the preseason. Reserve tackle Marcus Cannon really struggled with his technique and allowed opposing pass rushers to get to Brady, Ryan Mallett, and Brian Hoyer like there was no tomorrow. Guard Logan Mankins is coming back from ACL surgery in February and tackle Vollmer continues to deal with back pain that kept him out for the majority of last year.  Nate Solder is trying to replace Light and he is switching from right tackle, where he played for most of 2011. The Brian Waters saga continues to evolve as the Patriots gave Waters’ jersey number (54) to Hightower and they removed his nameplate from his locker this week, which are two indications that he will not return to the team. If the offensive line gives Brady protection and opens lanes for running backs Stevan Ridley, Danny Woodhead, and Branden Bolden, then the offense will be as good as they have been. Judging by the preseason, the Patriots’ offense could have rough times with a lack of protection from their line. Meanwhile, the Titans brought in Kamerion Wimbley, who has endured a disappointing career after being taken in the first round by the Cleveland Browns in the 2006 NFL Draft. Wimbley will be used primarily as a defensive end instead of an outside linebacker which is what he was used as in Cleveland and with the Oakland Raiders. The Titans are already without defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks (knee). Defensive linemen Scott Solomon (knee) and Jurrell Casey(elbow) are questionable on the depth chart. This Titans’ defense is young and they are looking to prove themselves against one of the top offenses in the NFL.

3. Brandon Lloyd versus Jason McCourty:

Lloyd was the biggest prize for the Patriots in the offseason. He seems to be a paackage deal with new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the two have been paired together since 2009 when McDaniels was hired as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. They were reunited in St. Louis last year when the Broncos traded Lloyd to the Rams. The 31-year-old veteran receiver could become the outside threat that the Patriots have been missing since they shipped Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings in October 2010. He is quick and has a large catch radius with his ability to jump for high throws. Lloyd has enjoyed his best years with McDaniels calling the plays over the past couple of seasons. During training camp, it was unclear how well Brady and Lloyd meshed. Of course, Moss sat out the entire preseason in 2007 and then enjoyed a record-setting season. McCourty is the twin brother of Patriots’ corner, Devin. Jason McCourty is a fourth-year veteran, who is very similar to Devin. Jason is taller at 6 feet and he has become the Titans’ top corner after Cortland Finnegan signed with the Rams in March. McCourty just agreed to an extension with the Titans and he has emerged as one of the leaders of this young defense. He is athletic, smart, and a sure tackler. Whoever gets the best of this matchup could have a big impact in how this game goes.

Prediction:

The Patriots will come out sluggish at the start. As the game wears on, the Patriots make the correct adjustments and win 31-21. The young defense for the Patriots will have trouble early as the Titans come out with some fireworks. After the early fall, the veteran offense led by Brady and Aaron Hernandez will exploit the holes in the Titans’ defense to win 31-21.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wants to capture that elusive fourth Super Bowl title to match his boyhood idol, Joe Montana.

The NFL’s first Sunday of regular season games begins tomorrow. The New England Patriots will play the Tennessee Titans in Nashville at 1pm. The Patriots have an extremely young, but talented team. A team that was a few plays away last season from winning their fourth Super Bowl in 12 years. This upcoming season holds high potential for this Patriots’ team and here are five things I expect to happen.

1) The Patriots will win 14 games – The Patriots won 14 games in 2010 and 13 games in 2011. This 2012 squad offers the most talented offense as well as possibly the most talented defense in years. The Pats chose basically all defenders in April’s draft, most notably  DE Chandler Jones and LB Dont’a Hightower.

2) Brandon Lloyd will be a Pro Bowl receiver – Lloyd was brought in  to replace the role Chad Ochocinco was supposed to serve. The Pats have been in need of a deep threat and Lloyd is the perfect solution. Ochocino was a complete bust and also didn’t have the downfield catching ability of a player like Lloyd. Preseason hasn’t shown the Brady-Lloyd connection much, but expect big things from these two in the regular season.

3) Tom Brady will throw more than 40 Touchdowns – Last year, Brady threw 39 touchdown passes. This year, he could toss more with the addition of Lloyd. Wes Welker is playing for a contract as the team placed the franchise tag on him in the offseason. Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski received long-term extensions. Hernandez was really impressive in training camp and he looks primed for a breakout year. The offense is loaded with young running backs such as Stevan Ridley, Danny Woodhead, and Brandon Bolden.

4) The defense, led by Jones, will be a top 10 defense – The defense is young, but they are fast. The linebackers, especially Brandon Spikes, will need to be healthy because there is not much depth. On the defensive line, the Patriots are loaded with pass rushers such as Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, and Jermaine Cunningham. Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love will anchor the middle of the defense as well as Spikes and Jerod Mayo. They are incredibly versatile in the secondary with Devin McCourty able to play either corner or safety. Patrick Chung will also need to stay healthy as he could be a star in this defense. Marquice Cole has impressed the coaching staff as a nickel corner and he could push Ras-I Dowling. Rookies Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner could provide the coverage the Patriots need against bigger wide receivers/tight ends.

5) The Patriots will appear in the Super Bowl – With a soft schedule, the Patriots play only four teams who made the playoffs last year and coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots are looking to get back to where they were last year. Their main competition in the AFC are the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and Denver Broncos, who are all flawed. The Patriots look like they could win the AFC East and with their schedule, they could gain a bye in the postseason.