Today at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox the New England Patriots (8-2) will host the Detroit Lions (7-3) in what might be the NFL's premier early slate matchup of Week 12. Live stream the game by clicking this link; Patriots fans can listen to the radio broadcast on 98.5 The Sports Hub, while Lions fans may do the same on WXYT 1270.
The New England Patriots offense has been rolling along lately, but may hit a bump in the road against the Lions' top-ranked defense. Per FootballOutsiders.com, the Lions rank third against the pass and first against the run, leaving no obvious weaknesses for the Pats to attack.
Luckily for New England, they run as balanced an attack as any in the NFL. "We always try to stay balanced," quarterback Tom Brady said. "You never go in saying we're going to run it this much or throw it this much. You try to get the runs on your terms, and if they're going to load up and stop it, you've got to throw it, but if they're not going to respect the running game, you've got to keep giving it to him."
Regarding runs, running back Jonas Gray stole the show on Sunday Night Football by rushing for 199 yards and four touchdowns. The 32 carries didn't leave him sore, Gray said. "Surprisingly, I feel great. I actually just did some extra conditioning. I'm feeling good, ready for a big week against Detroit."
The matchup everyone's eyes will be on, however, is Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson vs. Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis. Johnson has been severely limited by injuries this season, and was uncharacteristically ineffective last week vs. Arizona. He hauled in just five passes for 59 yards despite being targeted 12 times.
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