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MIAMI -- On a panel of ESPN analysts who've won a championship, Tedy Bruschi recalled when the New England Patriots were introduced as a team prior to Super Bowl XXVI against the St. Louis Rams.

"One of the most exhilarating experiences and NFL player has sometimes is when you hear your name, you hear your college, you hear your position when you run out of that tunnel," Bruschi said. "Multiply that by, like, a thousand and that's the Super Bowl.

"And we decided that we were going to go out as a team and put all of that aside. When we did that, and it was the first time anyone had really done that, I could feel the shock in the stadium."

Check out the video below and look at the awed expressions on the faces of Jon Gruden, Steve Young and Mark Schlereth as Bruschi talks about the decision to enter the Superdome in unity.

"The impact that had," Young said, "not just as a pro, but colleges, little kids ... I'm glad you mentioned that because I remember seeing that and thinking to myself 'That might be the most important moment we've seen in football in the last 20 years.' "

Said Schlereth: "It sent chills up my spine to watch you guys come out as a team."

ESPN analysts Mark Schlereth, Tedy Bruschi and Herm Edwards preview the AFC Championship Game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium.

ESPN analyst and former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi shares his thoughts on the best way the New York Jets can rattle Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

Bruschi, whose 2003 Patriots intercepted Manning four times in the AFC Championship Game, doesn't even mention a pass rush or Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Bruschi believes deception will make the difference and picks the Jets to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

"It's all about pre-snap versus post-snap reads," Bruschi said. "Pre-snap, you've got to show Peyton Manning one look, and post-snap you've got to give him something else. The various ways the Jets can move around -- those safeties, Kerry Rhodes, Jim Leonhard -- you think they're in the middle of the field, but they come down and blitz. Or you think they're in the middle of the field and they go help the receivers over the top of their defensive backs.

"They have to disguise and try to confuse Peyton Manning by pre- and post-snap reads."

ESPN analysts Mark Schlereth and Tedy Bruschi give their predictions for Sunday afternoon's AFC Championship Game between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts.

Bruschi, the former New England Patriots linebacker, likes the underdog.

"I am a believer in ground and pound," Bruschi says. "I think they've done a good job this year of knowing who they are. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, winning on first down, getting in manageable second-down and third-down situations and not putting the ball in Mark Sanchez's hands too many times ... Twenty-two attempts, that's got to be the maximum amount of attempts that he has.

"I think they also need a couple plays special teams-wise, but that's not out of the question because the Colts have always given up big plays, especially in the big games."

The New England Patriots' defense will evolve significantly between now and the start of the 2010 season. Even before defensive coordinator Dean Pees announced he was leaving the team for personal reasons, there were questions to answer.

For ESPNBoston, former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi addressed the team's perceived lack of defensive leadership.

"Remember, your defense is young," Bruschi explains. "Jerod Mayo's only in his second year. Gary Guyton's in his second year. Brandon Meriweather's still developing to be a leader. Yes, you can add another veteran presence that can be a good leading force in the middle there, but these leaders will develop with time. There was a time when I didn’t know how to lead, either."

ESPN analyst and former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi talks about what it was like to play for Pete Carroll, who had a reputation in New England for allowing undisciplined behavior when he took over for Bill Parcells. Carroll also was head coach of the New York Jets.

How significant was the New England Patriots' surprising decision to trade defensive end Richard Seymour before the season?

ESPN analyst and former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi thinks it might have made the difference between getting eliminated after one playoff game and still playing.

Bruschi sat down on the "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" to talk about Patriots coach Bill Belichick's controversial move.

"I really couldn't put any rhyme or reason to why he would do that," Brushi said. "Of course, yes, he got a 2011 first-round draft pick. But what I think that move did was sort of sacrifice the immediate success of the team to the future of the team."

The Patriots won the AFC East, but the Baltimore Ravens bounced them convincingly Sunday. The Ravens rushed for 234 yards.

"The constant double teams coming down on the defensive ends, Jarvis Green and Mike Wright, all the movement that they were getting, that's sort of where Seymour would have been," Bruschi said. "His presence might've made a difference.

"Within that game they actually moved Vince Wilfork from nose and over to the end position because they were having so many problems over there.

"Would those adjustments need to have been made is Seymour was there? These are the questions that are being pondered in New England right now."

Bruschi also talked about his former head coach, Pete Carroll, returning to the NFL (Bruschi is a big fan of Carroll's) and came close to predicting a New York Jets victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

"I believe in what the Jets are doing and how they're running the ball, how [offensive coordinator Brian] Schottenheimer has tempered down what they're asking of [Mark] Sanchez," Bruschi said.

"You've got respect a coaching staff that realizes 'This is who we are. These are strengths we have to play to.' "

Make it a point to check out Tedy Bruschi's preview of Sunday's playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium.

"Bruschi's Breakdown" is a must-read every week at ESPNBoston.com, even if you're not a Patriots fan. His analysis and the way Patriots reporter Mike Reiss presents it make you feel smarter for reading.

Bruschi offered this take on how the Patriots' victory over the Ravens in Week 4 foretells what might happen Sunday:

I think we have a very good idea of how this game is going to go if you look back at that first game. Even though it was a long time ago, I think you can take some of the key indicators from the first game and anticipate some of them having a good chance to repeat themselves.

One thing I noticed was that the Patriots really started to attempt to establish a running game, and it helped set up favorable second- and third-down situations. The best example of that came at the end of the first quarter, when it was fourth-and-1 at the Ravens' 3-yard line. Sammy Morris met Ray Lewis in the hole, head to head, and got the first down. The quarter ended and after recovering from a false-start penalty, Tom Brady scored on a sneak through the middle of the defense from the 1. I believe that was a message not only to the Ravens but to themselves -- they were not only establishing the run and able to pick up a yard in critical situations, but they were also telling the Baltimore Ravens, one of the toughest teams in the league, that we can play that game also.

But the Patriots won't have Wes Welker for the rematch. Here's what Bruschi had to say about that:

Offensively, I don't think you count on Edelman like you counted on Welker. If your order of importance was Randy Moss/Wes Welker, or Wes Welker/Randy Moss, I think now that order changes to Randy Moss, Kevin Faulk and coming in tied for third would be Edelman and Benjamin Watson. Other players must be utilized.

[Offensive coordinator] Billy O'Brien has to find ways to get Faulk out of the backfield. They've shown they can get Faulk in empty formations or through various check-downs or the screen game. Watson will run his usual routes but possibly will be targeted more than in the past. I'm still hoping for that infamous tight end screen.

Now go read the whole thing.

Go.

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ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi previews the wild-card playoff round, including the New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday and the Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots on Sunday.

If Tedy Bruschi were running the New England Patriots, then undrafted rookie quarterback Brian Hoyer would make his first NFL start Sunday against the Houston Texans.

In this week's edition of "Bruschi's Breakdown" with ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss, the former Patriots linebacker explains that with so little to play for, there's not much to gain by using Tom Brady.

The club would benefit greatly, however, by giving Hoyer a look.

Says Bruschi:

So if you're Brian Hoyer, and you know Brady isn't going to play, you can go into this saying "This is my week and I have to be ready." That's different than a coach telling him "We'll see how it goes. When we feel like we're going to pull him out, then you're in." An approach like that takes a sense of urgency away from a player. Let Hoyer have an entire week to prepare like a starting quarterback.

The other part of this is that it can give the Patriots some answers as to what Hoyer will be for them. He's had a whole year of development but hasn't had a lot of playing time in games. The Patriots value practice time, but now this is a chance to see what he can do in a game.

If he goes out and looks like the Colts' Curtis Painter last week, you know you have some problems and maybe he's not ready for the big time, so you might think about bringing in another quarterback. But if Hoyer plays well, the coaching staff can come out of that saying "We might have something here. This backup quarterback might be even better than we thought."

Hoyer, a rookie free agent from Michigan State, surprisingly became the lone backup when the Patriots waived Kevin O'Connell and cut Matt Gutierrez and Andrew Walter before the season.

Hoyer has played in four games, completing 11 of his 15 attempts for 71 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He has one rushing touchdown.

ESPN analysts Matthew Berry, Tedy Bruschi and Mark Schlereth preview Sunday night's crucial matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets in the final game at Giants Stadium.

ESPN's Tedy Bruschi takes the Indianapolis Colts to task for not making a run at history. Bruschi says "You only can go 19-0 if you go 16-0 first, and 19-0 trumps every single team record that there's ever been made. It trumps the '72 Dolphins. ... When you compare the '09 Colts to the '07 Patriots -- I'm going to say something that a lot of people are thinking,but won't say it -- at least the '07 Patriots had the guts to go for it. That's what the Indianapolis Colts didn't do, and that's their problem."

ESPN analysts Mark Schlereth and Tedy Bruschi are split in predicting the winners of Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins in Land Shark Stadium.

ESPN analysts Mark Schlereth and Tedy Bruschi preview Sunday night's mammoth matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets at the Meadowlands.

Former Patriots linebacker and current ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi believes that if the Jets want to win this week and in the playoffs, they need to run the ball with Thomas Jones. They can't allow Mark Sanchez to throw all over the field.