NFL Week 17: Picks From New England Patriots Fans’ Perspective

Happy New Year, all.

Week 17 has arrived with a bang, but for some teams, it will end with a whimper. After four months of often futile efforts to predict who will do what, where, and to whom, we finally have arrived at perhaps the least predictable week of all.

Some of the possibilities in the AFC were straightened out last week, but this last round of regular season play comes with plenty of balls left in the air. Feel free to interpret that statement any way you like.

The NFC playoff seeds are almost as uncertain as in the AFC.

Here in Patriot Nation, we know our team is in, so we are sitting back to enjoy a good Sunday of football. Most of the regular crew is here to offer their insights into what shapes up to be one crazy day in the NFL: Doug Baker, Glenn Card, EA, and yours truly. We are only missing Steve Frith, who would be here if he could.

We will continue to post our selections throughout the playoffs, but I want to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have been kind enough to follow this series through the regular season.

As for the rest of the posse, it has been a pleasure collaborating with you, and I look forward to the postseason.

Now, let’s get to it.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Indianapolis @ Buffalo

DB: The Colts realized that they weren’t going to go 19-0 so they gave up a game in hopes they don’t choke like they usually do in the playoffs. They obviously are not going to be play their starters this week, or hard, so even though Buffalo is awful, I think the Colts lay down for them. And hopefully they lay down in the playoffs too. Buffalo. 

EA: I don’t care who the Colts decide to play in this one, I have a hard time believing they’ll lose.

GC: Unbelievable as it was to see the Colts sit starters and give up on the possibility of an undefeated regular season, I wonder if this tactic really does them any good in the postseason. We’ve seen the Colts do this year in and year out, as great as the team has been this decade this strategy has not served them well.

TR: Sitting starters doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but then, I’m a Patriots fan, stubborn by nature and always looking for the best possible outcome in any game. It’s a dubious tactic anyway, but Caldwell will undoubtedly do it again. He’ll play the starters until they get a good lead, which should take about five minutes. Buffalo just wants to get this mess over with, so those five minutes should be good enough for a Colts win.

New York Giants @ Minnesota

DB: Good bye Eli! And good riddance Giants. Take Minnesota to win at home. 

EA: The Giants are done for the year, while the Vikings are going to the playoffs. Their seed could be anywhere, still, so aside from playing in front of a home crowd there will be some motivation for the Vikes to play their ‘A game’ for this one.

GC: The Giants are done for the year and they can’t even play spoiler against the Vikings. The only thing that might happen is if the Giants win they could possibly help knock the Vikings down to the fourth seed and take away their bye week. Vikings win this home game. 

TR: What happened to the G-Men this year? Whatever it was, it’s still happening, and the Vikes want that coveted second seed, so Minnesota will win this one. Even if Favre sucks.

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay

DB: Wow, Atlanta sure ain’t what they were last year but they should beat Tampa Bay. Falcons will come out on top. 

EA: Both of these teams have been done for awhile, and despite pulling out a ‘W’ against the Saints last week, don’t think the Buccos will fare too well against Atlanta.

GC: The Buccaneers had some surprising wins this year against some of the NFL’s best, but the Falcons are going to be gunning for the winning season to make it back-to-back for the first time in franchise history. The Falcons will put on a show with a commanding win. 

TR: The Falcons are a more talented team than the Bucs, so even though there is nothing on the line here, I have to think Atlanta will take this one.

San Francisco @ St. Louis

DB: The 49ers are an up-and-coming team and it sounds like Steven Jackson isn’t playing this week. The 49ers have pride and are playing a really bad team. San Francisco wins the finale. 

EA: I’ll take the Niners, easy.

GC: The 49ers did a lot to help them get back to their winning ways this year, and I really liked the way they played with heart. The Rams, on the other hand, are going to need that first-round pick next year, as they can use all the help they can get. The 49ers end their season on an up note with a win. 

TR: San Francisco has come a long way toward renewed respectability, and they will just get better next season. As for St. Louis, well…I hope the draft is kind to them.

Pittsburgh @ Miami

DB: Pittsburgh still has something to play for, maybe, long shot, but still…Pittsburgh. 

EA: LaMarr Woodley just came out this week saying to reporters that he thinks the Bengals and Patriots will “lay down” against their opponents this week because they don’t want the Steelers going to the playoffs. Maybe if the Steelers wanted to go so damn bad, they would take care to beat loser teams like the Bears, Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns. They would have secured their spot by now. Hopefully the Dolphins give ’em hell in Miami and send the defending champs home without a chance to repeat.

GC: The defending champions, the Steelers, have been brought low this year, but they could still make the playoffs. Miami wins this home game convincingly, but it’s not going to do them any good either except for prides sake and to avoid a losing season. 

TR: As inconsistent as the Steelers have been this season, it’s reasonable to believe that they will end the season uninspired and on a low note, even when their hopes for a postseason gig depend on it. Miami is full of surprises, and they are playing at home with a slim chance of making the playoffs, so I’m looking for a Dolphins win. Yes, there is one unlikely scenario that would put them at the sixth seed. Can you believe it?

New Orleans @ Carolina

DB: Who knows what to make of this game? It really depends on what the Saints do with their starters. They squeak out a close one against the Panthers to end their season on a high note.  New Orleans. 

EA: This is a pretty meaningless game, although Matt Moore will probably continue showing why he deserves to be starting QB over Jake Delhomme. The surprising thing is, the Panthers, as bad as they have looked at times this year, could still end up 8-8 with a win over their division rival. They almost did it earlier this year, so I’ll take the Panthers in a home-field upset.

GC: The Saints are perfect team on the road in 2009 with a 7-0 record away from the Superdome. They will nail the Panthers to the wall and go into the playoffs on a good note. 

TR: The Saints have nothing to gain by winning at this point, and the Cats did give New Orleans a bit of a fight earlier in the season. Sean Payton will be looking to rest some starters, but if I were in his place, I would be more concerned about regaining some momentum. If Carolina has any pride left at all, and if Julius Peppers wants another fat contract somewhere next season, the Panthers will give the home crowd something to remember them by until next season.

Chicago @ Detroit

DB: Who cares? Chicago. 

EA: Pheeeeeeeeeeyew! This matchup stinks so bad I can smell it all the way over here in the Twin Cities! Jay Cutler did the unthinkable and threw more touchdowns than interceptions against a pretty stout Minnesota defense last week, so he should have a pretty easy (SHOULD being the keyword) time having his way with the Lions.

GC: These two teams are done for the year; they can’t even compete for higher draft choices. Since they are done, I’ll pick the home team. The Lions show the home crowd what they might have to look forward, too. 

TR: The coin is in the air, here it comes, tails it is. Detroit. Well, they are at home, anyway.

New England @ Houston

DB: I have no idea what Bill B will do with the starters. But I think regardless of what happens, we find a way to beat Houston. Take New England. 

EA: Bill wouldn’t give anything away on a conference call this week, but he did give a hint that the regular starters will at least be playing. For how long is the key, however. If the first-stringers stay on the field for the first two and a half quarters or so, it may be enough to win, despite going on the road to play a motivated Texans team seeking its first playoff berth in team history.

GC: The Patriots are in the playoffs either way, but I’m betting they’ll try to put this one away early before they pull any starters. Besides, the Texans have been the bane of my picks all year and I promised myself I wouldn’t pick them to win anymore. 

TR: Houston has picked up the consistency level this year, and they have a good shot at winning this one. Belichick, on the other hand, isn’t going to pull a Caldwell. He will play his starters until he figures the game is put away. He will go for it on fourth-and-two if the situation arises. He is Bill.

Jacksonville @ Cleveland

DB: Browns continue to be pretty awful. Jaguars still have a faint heartbeat left. Pick Jacksonville. 

EA: At 7-8, the Jaguars are still theoretically in the hunt, so expect them to be motivated for that win, just in case many of the other teams in the wild card hunt lose their games this week. Despite their routing at the hands of the Patriots last week, the Jags should pull out a win against a suddenly warm Cleveland Browns team.

GC: The Jaguars have a chance to make it into the playoffs with some help. The only thing they can do to help themselves is win this game. They’re not going to let the Browns get in the way. 

TR: I can’t imagine Jax letting this one get away, even if they are on the road.

Philadelphia @ Dallas

DB: This is going to be the game of the week: A showdown in Dallas for the NFC East.  These two teams have at times, over the past few years, put on a very entertaining game. I find this one hard to call because I think the Eagles are playing well, and Dallas usually goes into a swoon at this point in the season. But I just have a gut feeling that Dallas is going to pull this one out at home. Take the Cowboys. 

EA: I’ll take the Eagles, but this should be a heck of a game.

GC: It’s possible that these two teams could play each other two weeks in a row. If all the stars align Dallas could end up with a bye week. I think the Cowboys help their cause with a home win. 

TR: The Eagles could wind up with any seed from two through six, and unless my vision (and math) is worse than I thought, so could the Cowboys. Every time I predict a “great game,” it isn’t, but this sure looks like a good one to me. The Eagles are playing like winners, so I see a close win for them on the road.

Tennessee @ Seattle

DB: It’s funny how many times this year that I’ve picked the Seahawks to win only because it’s a ho-hum game with no significance. That’s true again this week, and I’ll take the Seahawks again only because they are playing at home. 

EA: Tennessee’s season is all but over after a heartbreaker in San Diego last week, and Seattle didn’t have much of a chance this year to begin with. I’ll take the Titans, though, as they are a far better team than the Seahawks.

GC: It’s funny how many times this year that I’ve picked the Seahawks to win only because it’s a ho-hum game with no significance. That’s true again this week. The Seahawks only because they are playing at home. 

TR: It doesn’t matter who wins this game, but I believe Vince Young still has something to prove. And then there is Chris Johnson, who should run all over the Seahawks, winding up at the top of the Space Needle. I have to go with the Titans.

Washington @ San Diego

DB: The Chargers could start their cheerleaders in this game and still win. Take San Diego. 

EA: The Chargers secured the No. 2 seed with a win over the Titans, so don’t expect their starters to come out for more than a little over a half in this one. If they don’t open a big enough lead before yanking.  

GC: The Redskins have nothing to play for except pride. It’s not going to be enough against this Charger team at home. 

TR: With that two seed firmly in their grasp, the Bolts won’t play their starters for much more than the time it takes the Skins to realize that they are hopelessly overmatched. Oh, wait, they already know.

Baltimore @ Oakland

DB: Will the Ravens finally stick the gun in their mouth and end their misery? Will they find another stupid way to lose a football game? They have a lot to play for but they are playing the Raiders. I think Baltimore pulls this one out and heads to the playoffs.  Baltimore. 

EA: The Ravens are still in the playoffs, but they have a lot of competition. On paper, this looks like an easy win for the Ravens, but the Raiders have done such a good job at playing spoiler this year, I won’t rule anything out.

GC: The Ravens’ only possible way into the playoffs is through the Raiders with a lot of help from other teams. Baltimore keeps its playoff hopes alive with a win. 

TR: Anything can happen in Oakland, but the Ravens will be playing with a lot of heart and praying for a playoff shot. I can’t pick against them, and I don’t want to.

Kansas City @ Denver

DB: The Chiefs would love nothing more than to knock off their rival Broncos, but it won’t happen this week in the Mile High city. Take Denver. 

EA: The Broncos are still in the playoffs after a tough loss to the Eagles, but they could use another win here for extra measure. Should be an easy one at home against Kansas City.

GC:  The Chiefs could play spoiler in this game against the Broncos and knock them right out of the playoffs. Because they are playing in mile high I’ll give this win to the Broncos and keeping their playoff picture clear. 

TR: I don’t see how the Chiefs will put up much of a fight, not at Denver.

Green Bay @ Arizona

DB: What a weird feeling for teams to be playing each other going into the playoffs and really only seeding might be at issue. I like Green Bay in this one, just because I never know what Arizona team is going to show up. Take the Packers. 

EA: As the standings are right now, these two teams are scheduled to play each other  on Wild Card Weekend. With the entire NFC playoff picture in place, do not be surprised if we see the starters play about a quarter or so before getting yanked so as to avoid giving away too much intel to the team they’ll face a week later. The Cards are deadly at home, so I’ll take them, even matched up against a white-hot Packers team.

GC:  This should be a good game and it is possible that these two teams will also be playing each other again next as well depending on the results of the rest of the NFL games. I’m giving the Cardinals the home win in this one. 

TR: The Cardinals could still snatch that second seed in the NFC if they win here and both Minnesota and Philadelphia lose. I don’t see all that happening, but the Cardinals should come to play. Green Bay is looking at a the fifth or sixth seed and have less to lose. Arizona shows up.

Cincinnati @ New York Jets

DB: This will be a close game and it will depend on what the Bengals do with their starters. I just don’t see Cincinnati starting everyone the entire game. Like last week, the Jets will be given the game, and given a playoff berth. That’s not how it’s supposed to be in the NFL, but that’s how it is for the Jets. Take New York. 

EA: As a Patriots fan, my eyes are on this game. As it stands right now, the Pats and Jets are matched up for Wild Card Weekend. If the Jets win, it will stay that way. If the Bengals win, our foe would probably become the Ravens. Despite having a very tough defense, I am more comfortable hosting Mark Sanchez and the Jets for the playoffs than Joe Flacco and the Ravens. So, unfortunately, I find myself having to cheer for the Jets for the second straight week. Yippie.

GC: The Bengals are in but the Jets have to win this one to go to the show. I believe the Jets have enough gas in their tank to make it to the playoffs, but we’ll see where they go from there. 

TR: The Jets need this game to have a shot at the playoffs, and the Bengals don’t. Unfortunately for a couple of other teams, including the Patriots, the outcome of this game has potentially important ramifications in the postseason scenario. The short story is that the Jets must win to stay alive, and the worst that could happen to Cincy is a drop from three seed to four. A motivated Jets should defeat cruise-controlled Bengals.

And that, my friends, is the view from New England.

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Trolls and Tribulations: The Price Patriots Fans Pay For Their Loyalty

I first ran across Bleacher Report in February of 2008. At the time, the Patriots had just been stunned by the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. I don’t recall how I  stumbled onto the site, but I do remember that it was a very different place then.

My best description would have to be that it was a free-for-all where any Tom, Dick, and Mary could post anonymous comments that often included language that was, um, not exactly kosher. Unnamed people, including myself, I’m not going to lie, called each other every name in the book.

There were vicious arguments. It was ugly. Kind of like what you might run across on NFL.com today, only more so.

And there were no consequences unless somebody felt sufficiently offended to flag a comment, in which case the comment would be deleted.

Nobody had to have an actual account, so there was no concern about getting kicked off the site. And if a foul comment was deleted, it would often reappear the next day.

The other thing I remember from that time was the realization that the New England Patriots were universally despised. Looking back, I have to laugh at my naivete.

Oh, I knew that other fans didn’t like us or our team, but I never understood the depth of their loathing until then. I had never really thought about it.

It was a pretty awful time for me to have discovered the site, considering the year that the Patriots had experienced. Fredo-Gate, 16-0, the Super Bowl loss; we were ripe for the picking, and it seemed that every unnamed troll in the galaxy was on Bleacher Report, spewing their contempt.

I found it repugnant but compelling—a deadly combination.

It got stupid. If you were around at the time, you know that B/R is a better place for wasting our time now than it was then. Sure, anybody can still dummy up a membership using aliases and alter egos. But if your language becomes offensive, poof! You’re gone.

Time and time again, I have seen members disappear, only to resurface a few days later under a different name. You read the articles, you read the comments, you recognize the syntax, you put two and two together, and you know. You just know.

But all things considered, I have to say that the site is more civilized today. At least it is now necessary to establish a membership and give yourself a name, any name.

There is one exception to which I take offense, albeit pointless. That would be the inevitable, inescapable, and really annoying presence of the ignorant Internet bully we know as the troll.

These people have to be a little bit crazy to write the things they write. They hide behind a laptop in order to post nasty remarks about teams and people they hate. Half the time, they don’t even know what they are talking about.

The Patriots have been a favorite target. From the day I posted my first anonymous comment, right up to the present, these bullies have come from every kind of absurd perspective to run us down.

Tedious, just tedious. The same crock of bull they have used from the beginning. No imagination at all.

We got last year off for good behavior. Funny how when Tom Brady is not on the active roster, the ZAQ become quiet.

But now he is back and putting up better numbers than anyone had expected after all that he has endured. Hatred has ensued.

It was one thing to read these inane comments to the articles on the Patriots page. Now these bullies take it upon themselves to publish articles here.

Sure, we are all entitled to publish on any page we choose. I get that.

But I recently took a look, strictly curious in nature, to see how many Patriots fans were publishing evil articles on other teams’ pages.

I came up with nothing. I’m willing to admit that I could have missed one or two. But that would be irrelevant considering the number of people who visit our page in order to stir up trouble.

Why do they do it? Motivated by Brady envy or simply feeling badly about their own crappy teams? Something else?

I don’t know, but my point is that we don’t do it to them. No, I’m not playing victim here, just pointing out that these very people who accuse us of being classless are, in fact, the ones who have a thing or two to learn about class.

But my REAL point, Patriot Nation, is that we need to stop commenting on these articles. In fact, we need to stop reading them altogether.

Why pad the read and comment counts of people who hate you without even knowing you? Why argue with them when they are only recounting the same garbage we were reading two years ago?

Why give them the time of day? I know you have better things to do.

Why even acknowledge their existence?

We need to wise up, people, because these trolls are not our friends. Don’t click on that headline, don’t get into it with these people.

They are trolls, and they only want to mess with our heads.

Don’t let them.

 

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Strange Days In Patriots Nation

It never fails. Just when I think I’ve seen every possible twist of fate the New England Patriots have to weather, something else happens that leaves me wondering whether to laugh, or simply sigh and shake my head.

The past few days have been filled with a whole new series of indications of yet another rift in the space-time continuum. The universe as we know it has shifted again.

It isn’t bad enough that the team has lost three of its last four games, including last Sunday’s loss to Miami that could have been won.

We haven’t hit a stretch like this in a few years, and people are jumping off the bandwagon so fast, I can hear the axles creaking with relief.

On the plus side, we are getting better gas mileage out of this thing.

The team is done with the AFL legacy games and will not have to wear throwbacks again for at least another 25 years. Those things are just bad luck , I don’t care what anybody says.

Now we have a whole new series of off-field events that range from “nice, but probably none of our business” to “what a bummer, but probably none of our business” to just plain, “huh?”

So Tom Brady is a father again, and the press loves it. Congratulations to the happy parents, but what does this have to do with football? Talk to me when the little guy is ready to take over the QB spot for our Patriots.

Seriously, name me another player in the entire NFL whose fatherhood is a topic of discussion. If Brady were married to his college sweetheart instead of Gisele Bundchen, they could have 30 rug rats and we wouldn’t know anything about them.

None of our business.

Four players were a little late for a team meeting during a snowstorm Wednesday morning, and Belichick sent them home so fast, their engines hadn’t even cooled down yet.

In years past, this sort of thing would have gone unnoticed, but once again the press made a mountain out of a molehill by beating the subject into the ground.

On Thursday, reporters swarmed around the locker of Adalius Thomas, already a  beleaguered player, and one of the four who was sent home, and they would not let the incident go.

I have read enough to realize that the specific language Thomas used, made it clear that he didn’t really want to talk about the incident, but the reporters finally got enough out of him to put a negative spin on it.

Like a dog with a prized bone, they ran with it, and now Thomas is the one in the doghouse.

Not to mention that fans are calling for Belichick’s head for enforcing some discipline in the matter. 

Do you remember a time when such matters were handled internally? We would have read a blurb in the Sunday Globe and chuckled over coffee.

Or, if you wish, the Herald would have made a big deal out of it for the knuckleheads amongst us. You know who you are.

It is a debatable point as to whether or not we should care, and I welcome such discussion. Everybody has an opinion.

Meanwhile, two of the other offenders, Randy Moss and Gary Guyton, have kept a low profile. And Derrick Burgess, he of the non-existent pass rush who just wants to hold onto his job, has publicly taken responsibility for his tardiness.

I understand his situation. I would be sucking up too.

But the whole thing is a non-story. None of our business.

Now comes the news out of Providence that one of the people that plays Pat Patriot has been arrested as part of a prostitution sting. 

According to the Associated Press, Robert Sormanti, one of a rotation of individuals who dons that ridiculous costume from week to week, was one of 10 to 14 people picked up as part of an effort to thwart the practice of the world’s oldest profession.

The Patriots organization has suspended him, and that will be the end of that. I hope.

In itself, this is not a sports story either. It is just another story about a guy who is willing to look ridiculous for money, getting into trouble away from the field. Pee-Wee Herman already did that, so there’s nothing new here.

What I found interesting, was a Fox Sports explanation that Sormanti was charged with a relatively new Rhode Island law prohibiting “indoor prostitution.”

As opposed to what exactly? They should do it in somebody’s garden perhaps? Or right there on the Patriots bench, in the middle of a game?

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by anything that goes on in Rhode Island. But still, huh?

Meanwhile, the team is preparing for an important home game against the apparently de-clawed Carolina Panthers tomorrow. We can only hope that they have managed to get some meaningful work in as this chaos swirls about them.

The Patriots can ill afford to show up with anything less than their best game. The Panthers have been fairly successful against the pass, and pretty bad against the run.

So run the ball, right? Let us pray. I need the old universe back.

Considering numerous reports of players texting Richard Seymour in Oakland during the week to tell him how much he is missed, I am not sure about the collective mentality in that locker room. I haven’t had any concern about that for a good while now. 

Note to Patriots: just win the game. That, my friends, is our business.

 

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Hard-Won Lessons Of 2007: It’s Never Too Soon To Peak Late

As the New England Patriots face yet another undefeated team in the New Orleans Saints tonight, it is almost impossible to avoid thinking about the 2007 Patriots.

No, I’m not parroting the article in Sunday’s Boston Globe comparing the 2009 Saints to the 2007 Patriots. It was an interesting read, but I did not find it that relevant. 

Despite the fact that tonight’s game has been hyped to the point of utter absurdity, it represents a pivotal point in the season for each of these teams.

The Pats have been criticized enough, and they need to prove to the rest of the NFL that they are for real. They are playing for some respect.

This game is also an opportunity for the Patriots to create some real separation between themselves and the rest of the AFC East.

For the 10-0 Saints, home field advantage throughout the playoffs is plenty of incentive, and they understandably want the respect that comes with an undefeated season.

Respect that comes unless you are the 2007 New England Patriots.

The Belichick-Mangini-Walsh-Goodell-Specter drama that unfolded in the wake of game one in ’07 is well documented elsewhere, and frankly, the whole thing was such a tempest in a teapot, and I couldn’t be bothered recounting it anyway.

What is far more interesting is a look at how that drama affected Bill Belichick and his team.

Regardless of how unclear the memo might have been, it was intended to clarify a league rule that was full of loopholes big enough to accommodate rush hour on the Southeast Expressway.  The real point is that punishment was handed out, the NFL microscope landing squarely on Belichick, his staff, and his players, who motored forward.

End of story, right?

“Not so quick,” said Belichick. “Does anybody really believe that my team needs to cheat to win games? Watch this.”

Belichick’s Patriots ignored the criticism spewed at them everywhere they went, leaving host fans seething at venues all over the country. Nobody wanted to lose to a team that they had been led to believe could only win by cheating.

Under the glare of that microscope, Belichick became Captain Ahab. Perfection became his white whale.

He worked his team relentlessly. They responded with the same intensity; they didn’t like the idea of being labeled as cheaters, either.

Yes, they embarrassed some teams. Until the Colts in Week Eight, a 24-20 victory for the Pats, their opponents were completely overwhelmed. The Patriots were putting up numbers so gaudy, I almost felt sorry for some of these teams. Almost, but not quite.

To paraphrase John Madden as he commented on one of the Patriots’ Monday night massacres: If your defense isn’t good enough to stop them, that’s on you. Some of these teams need to look at that.

The New England Patriots were on a mission, plain and simple. And I defy anyone to suggest that they were cheating or even bending a rule in 2007.

After the Colts game, the Patriots followed up with a 56-10 humiliation of the Buffalo Bills before heading into the bye week.

Injuries were piling up, Belichick had his players redefining the word “versatility,” and the team just rambled on.

After the bye week, the margins of victory became smaller and smaller. The team was tired, and the injuries had taken their toll. By the end of the regular season, it was easy to see that the team had simply peaked too soon. They were running out of gas.

My apologies for resorting to such cliche, but there really are not many other ways of saying it.

During the playoffs, they faced some tough opponents, and had to dig really deep to win those games.

And Super Bowl XLII? They were toast. I don’t want to take anything away from the Giants. They played well enough to win, and the Patriots did not.

Fast forward to 2009. We are all aware of everything that has happened since that Super Bowl loss, so I won’t repeat it here.

The bottom line is the sum total of everything that has happened during the past 21 months and the New England Patriots are a new and improved team that started out this season with a lot of question marks.

I am not going to suggest that all the questions have been answered. What matters here is that this team has become better over the course of the season.

They began the season with a reliable core, surrounded by a number of players who had a lot to learn. And I believe that, for the most part, they have learned their lessons well.

Yes, there are injuries and other issues, but the 2009 edition of the New England Patriots has not peaked yet.

The Saints are a great team, but in my opinion, they have yet to be challenged. They have very precisely carved up the likes of the St. Louis Rams, the Buffalo Bills, and the Carolina Panthers.

A case could be made that their destruction of the New York Giants was significant, but in all honesty, we know that the Giants have lost several games they should have won. I can’t put them on the list with the Rams and the Bills, but they have not played well.

So who wins this game?

Two great teams take to the Superdome field tonight, and one comes out with a lot of pride. The other team gets to say, we played a great team, and we lost.

The Patriots will win this game by the skin of their teeth.

 

 

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NFL Week Five Picks: From New England Patriots Fans’ Perpective

The first quarter of the NFL regular season has come to a close, and some questions have been answered while others have been raised. Some teams are playing far better than we expected, while others have disappointed.

We continue our weekly series of picks without Glenn Card on the menu. After his perfect record in week four, he has been voted off the island. He was just plain making the rest of us look bad.

Steve Frith is along for the ride, along with Eric Annett, and I think we actually disagree on a pick or two.

The Bears, Packers, Saints, Chargers all have byes this week, and I’m sure San Diego is grateful for theirs.

 

Sunday, October 11

Cincinnati @ Baltimore

TR: Bengals’ QB Carson Palmer seems to be settling into a groove, surprising skeptics who wondered if he would be effective in rebounding from his 2008 injury. Ochocinco’s mouth hasn’t got him in any trouble yet and with Cedric Benson chewing up some yards on the ground, the Bengals are on a roll. HOWEVER, the Ravens are coming off a painful loss to the Patriots, and they are too good a team not to be fired up now, especially at home, with first place in the AFC North on the line. Joe Flacco continues to improve, Ray Rice has an amazing six yards per carry, and Willis McGahee is not far behind. Derrick Mason is iffy with a neck injury, but fear not; the Ravens pin Cincy’s ears back in this hard fought game.

SF: Ummm…where to start? The Ravens have a great defense, and Flacco is no slouch. Last week, the Patriots handed the Ravens their first loss. The Ravens will be looking for a bit of redemption, and proving to the rest of the NFL that they are indeed one of the top teams in the NFL. Sadly enough, they’ll be making an example out of the Bengals, who have more games decided at the last minute than they can care to remember. Ravens pull this one out with ease.

EA: I’ve got the Ravens winning here because of their defense. Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense were for the most part shut down last week against a soft team in the Browns, I find it hard to imagine them being able to keep up with the Ravens in this week five matchup. With Flacco and McGahee getting off to very good starts, I think the Ravens will be in control all game long. Look for this to be one of the more lopsided games of the week.

 

Cleveland @ Buffalo

TR: For two teams who have one win between them and are both last in their divisions, it is hard to say who is worse. Terrell Owens hasn’t done much for Buffalo, but the Bills do have RB Fred Jackson going for them. And now the Browns are without the services of Braylon Edwards, which might not mean much anyway. Statistically, there is not much to separate these teams, though the Browns have a slight defensive edge. I don’t think that will mean much in the end, as Buffalo sends the Browns home still looking for a win.

SF: Shouldn’t be much of a game. The Browns are still defeated (0-4), and the Bills are 1-3. Not much to say here. The Browns are playing musical QB, and T.O. hasn’t made much of an impact for the Bills (maybe he should give the key to the city back?). I’ll give this one to the Bills, who desperately want to win, despite that the Browns are still looking for their first win. Bills in the fourth quarter.

EA: Neither of these teams is very good if you ask me, but still, one of them has to win. With a mess of a quarterback situation, the loss of Braylon Edwards, and a very bad overall team, I have a very hard time imagining the Browns winning a game in the near future if at all this year.

Washington @ Carolina

TR: The Panthers’ problems run deep. They have diehard fans scratching their heads at their 0-3 record. The one thing they have done well is to defend against the pass. But the Redskins have done that even better, and with Jake Delhomme leading the NFC in turnovers, I don’t see much hope in this one. Clinton Portis is unlikely for the Skins, but I don’t think it will matter. Sad day for the Cats, as they remain winless.

SF: The Panthers are yet another defeated team. Look for them to stay that way. The Skins are only 2-2, but Campbell is looking to keep his starting job by getting a win this Sunday. Delhomme on the other hand, is the lowest rated QB in the NFL. Man, that’s gotta suck. And hurt, too. Look for the Skins to pull this off in the second half thanks to their defense.

EA: Woe is the Carolina Panthers in this young 2009-’10 NFL season. Nothing has gone right for this team—whose playoff run was halted in its tracks by the Arizona Cardinals last January—as they have picked up right where they left off in their divisional round playoff game. Jake Delhomme is committing turnover after turnover, neither DeAngelo Williams nor Jonathan Stewart have had standout performances from the backfield, and the defense isn’t boasting the same kind of roar it seemed to in years past. While this Redskins team isn’t very good either, they’ll be good enough to eke out the win in Charlotte this Sunday.

 

Pittsburgh @ Detroit

TR: What is there to say? Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford will in all likelihood miss this game, and it doesn’t matter anyway. I can’t find one area in which Detroit has the advantage. Rashad Mendenhall will run all over the Lions, Ben Roethsliberger will do…whatever, it doesn’t matter. Poor Lions.

SF: The Steelers are hoping to stop sucking. I hope they keep sucking. However, this week they might get Polamalu back, which will make a HUGE difference for them (last I read, it’ll be a gametime decision). On the flipside, the Lions don’t look half bad. Stafford has done a good job with the team thus far, and even earned them a single win, which is more than they had last season. I’m going to give this game to the Lions (yes, the Lions) because the Steelers have had a rough time thus far into the season, and haven’t looked good in the fourth quarter. If the Steelers wobble in the second half, Stafford will take advantage of it and lead his team to another victory.

EA: It’s a shame that this game has to be played. Obviously the Steelers are going to win this matchup, but the real questions are regarding the standout performers. Will Hines Ward, who has been Big Ben’s number one target, finally break out with a touchdown or two against this weak Lions secondary? Will Rashard Mendenhall have another huge game, or will it be Willie Parker’s time to shine? I just hope their defense doesn’t go too hard on Detroit, for Matt Stafford’s sake. Nevertheless, it’s going to be a long day for Detroit fans.

 

Dallas @ Kansas City

TR: It should be a lock that winless KC goes down here. Matt Cassel is averaging a pathetic 4.5 yards per pass attempt, and who can be sure about his health? Then again, Tony Romo isn’t setting the league on fire, having thrown three picks and one TD in the past three games. But the Dallas ground game has been effective, and KC doesn’t have one. After last week’s loss to Denver, the Cowboys will be looking for some respect, which they will find.

SF: Chiefs. You heard it here first. Call it an upset if you want to. Romo and the rest of the offense won’t view the Chiefs 28th ranked pass defense as a threat. Well, as inaccurate as Romo has been, they probably should. Romo has been horrible this year, and all of the critics are hounding him. The Chiefs are still looking for their first win, and an overrated Cowboys team might just be their first victim. Casell will be looking to improve all aspects of his game, and the Chiefs will be looking to improve their game overall. This game will be a turning point for the Chiefs. I’ve been wrong so far about them so far all season, but I’m right this time. I think. Chiefs late in the fourth quarter.

EA: Because of their recent performance, I almost wanted to pick the Chiefs in this one. However, my better judgment tells me the Boys will prevail, as they boast the most successful rushing attack in the league, but have other offensive weapons in Roy Williams and Jason Witten in case the ground game can’t work out. Matt Cassel is good, but nothing is going in his favor here. The Chiefs don’t have a good enough defense to keep them in this game, and Cassel doesn’t have enough offensive weapons to keep them close in a shootout with Tony Romo. Expect the Cowboys to win, but don’t give up on Kansas City if it’s close and late.

Oakland @ New York Giants

TR: I don’t think there is much to be said here, either. Even with Eli’s foot injury, even if he doesn’t play, the Raiders don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. Agreed?

SF: Crap. Freakin’ Giants take this one. Unless the Raiders play like they played in week one. Then it’s the Raiders. I’m going to pull for the Raiders…if I pick the Giants, I’ll throw up in my mouth.

 

Jacksonville @ Seattle

TR: Jaguar QB David Garrard has played well of late, and then, of course, there is Maurice Jones-Drew. Matt Hasselbeck looks ready to return for the Seahawks, and he has a guy or two who can make a catch. I even heard a rumor that sell-out Deion Branch has caught a few passes without getting injured. Bottom line: Seattle just doesn’t have the horses on either side of the ball.

SF: I’ll keep this one short, too. Jaguars continue their winning streak. Everyone saw this coming.

EA: Coming off a blowout of the Titans, I’m looking for Jacksonville to keep on rolling in Seattle against a very weak Seahawks team. Maurice Jones-Drew should have a big game in particular, as Seattle has allowed 5.1 yards per play against the rush, while quarterback David Garrard should follow suit and have big numbers through the air.

 

Indianapolis @ Tennessee

TR: Tennessee has turned in perhaps the most disappointing performance in the NFL this year. Peyton Manning and the Colts have played impressive football, some of the best in the league. Wouldn’t this be a fun upset? Too bad it isn’t going to happen that way. Colts win big.

SF: Another 4-0 vs. 0-4 game. I’m going to give this one to the underdogs. Titans take this one late in the fourth quarter. The Titans have looked bad as a whole, and hopefully they’ll be able to come together as a team and beat Peyton and the Colts.

EA: With their backs up against the wall, the Titans matchup against the Colts this week can either make or break their season. After this Sunday’s showdown, they’ll be best off folding, or their hopes will stay alive another week. Tennessee’s stock will be placed in Chris Johnson, who has had a great start to the season. Meanwhile, the Colts will be counting on the recently-on-fire Reggie Wayne to keep up his high rate of play to do their division rival in early on the season. I say the Colts will jump on the chance to get the Titans that far out of playoff contention and take control of the game from opening kickoff and win by a mile.

 

Monday, September 12

New York Jets @ Miami

TR: This one is pretty easy, so for once, I’ll keep it brief. The Jets got some game, the Fish got figured out. And with the addition of Braylon Edwards to the Jets’ receiving corps, I go with yet another visitor.

SF: I hope they both lose. Ok, so that won’t happen. Then I’ll settle for a tie. It should actually be a good game, because the Dolphins are hoping that Sanchez will be shaky from last week’s loss, allowing them to keep their momentum of their first win sneak another one. If the Phins can handle the Jets’ blitzing attack, then they’ll pull this one out. If not, then the Jets will take this one. I’m going to give this one to the Fish at home. Not that I want to, but I guess I have to pick someone, because a tie is to unlikely.

EA: While I’d honestly like the Dolphins to win this one for the AFC East implications, I don’t see it happening. Despite coming off a rough game, I like Mark Sanchez’ chances to at least be good enough to win against the Dolphins, who aren’t even near playing on the level they were on last year. New addition Braylon Edwards should complement Jerricho Cotchery well, adding another offensive weapon for Sanchez to use. Since Chad Pennington is done for the year, I don’t see Miami faring too well the rest of the way, either, especially against a physical and dominating defense like New York’s.

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NFL Week Two Picks: From New England Patriots Fans’ Perspectives

Here we are at Week Two, with the second installment of NFL game picks from the occasionally warped perspective of some otherwise rational New England Patriots fans. Last week, intrepid compatriots Glenn Card and TR each went a straight up 12-4. This week, our fellow fan Steve Frith weighs in with his selections.

Now, for your enjoyment, we present our Week Two picks. Be assured, any agreement among us is entirely coincidental. Well, almost.

 

Sunday, September 20, 2009

 

Carolina at Atlanta

GC: There is no doubt now that Falcons QB Matt Ryan is picking up right where he left off last season. You would like to think that the Panthers will fix some of the turnover problems that they experienced in their last game. Even if they do fix their giveaway bug, they will be hard pressed to beat the Falcons at home. In this game, the Falcons will be dominant by making a statement and nearly keep the Panthers from scoring at all.

TR: The Falcons didn’t have much trouble with Miami last week and Ryan indeed showed that he belongs in the NFL. The Panthers, meanwhile, were about as embarrassed by the Eagles last week as they were by the Cardinals in the playoffs last year, and as a native Charlottean, it pains me to say that. Delhomme can throw the ball all right, but not always to the right player. He will have a better time of it this outing, but the Panthers signed A.J. Feeley midweek, so if Jake starts out badly, who knows? Any way you look at it, Atlanta should have no trouble putting this one away at home.

SF: I’ve got Carolina winning this one, if anything because no team in the NFL wants to lose its first two games. Delhomme had better pull his head out from his backside if he wants to keep his starting job.

 

New Orleans @ Philadelphia

GC: The Saints and Drew Brees were hitting on all cylinders in their last game, but this is an entirely different defense they will see from the Eagles. The injury to Donavan McNabb severely affects the Eagles offense whether he is able to play or not. We’ve seen Kevin Kolb before and he is a suitable place holder, but I don’t think he can keep up with the Saints’ production. I’m picking the Saints for a win in this matchup.

TR: As much as I respect the Eagles’ defense, the Saints aren’t going to be intimidated. They just have too many ways to hurt you. McNabb’s injury puts Philadelphia behind the eight ball, so I’m going with New Orleans even if they are on the road.

SF: This should be a good game. While Brees and the Saints have a top-notch passing game, the Eagles’ defense is no slouch either. Last week, Brees had outstanding numbers.  On the flip side, the Eagles’ defense had a terrific game stopping the pass.  Unless McNabb comes back from his fractured rib (as of Wednesday, he’s listed as “did not participate in practice”), I don’t see the Eagles taking the win.

 

New England @ NY Jets

GC: The Jets have found a starting quarterback with Mark Sanchez and he had a great first outing. Good for them. Despite the Patriots’ loss of veteran players on defense, the schemes that the Patriots will put together are going to sorely test the rookie QB. The Jets’ defense looked to be a huge upgrade from last year, but the Patriots’ offense just passed a big test that found Tom Brady and the rest of the boys having a hard time in the red zone. New England will fix its scoring problems and will hand the Jets their first loss of the season.

TR: With a game under his belt, Tom Brady will come out with great confidence in this one. Yes, the defense was soft against Buffalo, but this is the re-tooled defense we have been looking for; it will come out with confidence too, a Bill Belichick work-in-progress. The Patriots’ biggest problem will be the absence of injured linebacker and freshly appointed defensive leader Jerod Mayo. Sanchez made a good show against Houston, but that was…Houston. Even at home, I believe the Jets will struggle as the Patriots will not be playing catch-up. Best of all, nobody will be wearing funny-looking uniforms.

SF: This is yet another divisional game for the Pats and they don’t want a repeat of last season (win or lose the division decided by a tie breaker). Look for the Pats to improve every week and for Brady to become more and more comfortable and start tossing long bombs with three and four WRs spreading the offense. The Jets’ rookie QB Sanchez looks good, but I’m still waiting for a defense to stomp him. I don’t think that it’ll be the Pats’ defense knocking him on his tail repeatedly, although it’d be nice!

Oakland @ Kansas City

GC: The Chiefs get to show off their new starting QB, Matt Cassel, in this home opener. Oakland showed me that it has hugely improved both on offense and defense. They will go into Arrowhead stadium and steal a win from the Chiefs. The Raiders win this by running their touchdowns and outscore the Chiefs by 10 points.

TR: Can Cassel succeed anywhere outside New England? Does he have the tools he needs to win? Can the Chiefs’ defense stop anybody? A lot of questions in KC, but the big question for Oakland was answered last week. The Raiders showed that they are a much improved team from last year, giving San Diego almost more than they could handle. I see a close one here with the Raiders coming out just slightly ahead.

SF: Last week, the Raiders surprised everyone and punched the Chargers right in the mouth. They dominated most of the game, losing in the fourth quarter when they gave up an 80+ yard run. Seymour stepped up on the defense and made an immediate impact assuming a leadership role, which I believe was part of why they were as dominating as they were. The Chiefs still have a ways to go with the season, especially with the run defense. They’ll stand a better chance if Cassel plays, but his status is still up in the air.

 

Arizona @ Jacksonville

GC: The Cardinals got a wake up call last week; you can’t keep acting like Super Bowl contenders unless you win games. On the other hand, the Jaguars will be playing a softer defense this week than they did last and the Cardinals are notorious for not playing well on the road. This will be the set up for an upset; Jaguars beat the Cardinals at home even if no one is watching.

TR: Good teams wake up after games like the one the Cards played last week. Of course, great teams don’t have games like that one. Arizona isn’t great, but good enough to wake up on the road in this one as Jacksonville takes a snooze.

SF: I can’t see the Jaguars stopping Kurt Warner and the Cards. Of course, Anquan Boldin’s hamstring plays a big role. If he’s back to 100 percent, then it’s an easy win. If he plays, but is somewhat ineffective like last week, then it’ll be closer, but the Cards still come out on top.

Cincinnati @ Green Bay

GC: The Packers’ Aaron Rodgers spent a lot of time on the ground last week and his receivers dropped a lot of balls. I predict that he will be standing tall and throwing strikes in this game. He won’t have to put on any game-winning heroics this time as they will have the win wrapped up early; Packers by 10.

TR: The Bengals make a game of this one as Cedric Benson chews it up on the ground and Carson Palmer rebounds from a bad game last week. I see a close one to the end with Green Bay coming out ahead.

SF: I can see Aaron Rodgers and the Packers winning this one; not by much, but I have them pulling it out in the second half. Look for the Packers to improve little by little. There are whispers of Green Bay being the sleepers of the NFC. The Bengals’ defense should help to keep this close.

 

St. Louis @ Washington

GC: The Rams make a road trip to the east coast just to have their heads handed to them again. The Redskins get a win in their home opener, winning by 14 points.

TR: The Redskins couldn’t handle the G-Men in Week One, and St. Louis was simply pathetic on the road. Can both teams lose? Guess not, so I say Washington picks up a home win.

SF: Honestly, I could care less. I’ll pick the ‘Skins to win, just because.

Minnesota @ Detroit

GC: By having Favre taking the snaps, Adrian Peterson doesn’t have to face eight men in the box each and every play. Every defense has to respect the pass, which gives Adrian running room. Detroit won’t have an answer for the Vikings’ offensive attack. The Lions lose by 10–14 points.

TR: Minnesota did not disappoint last week against the Browns, although the defense gave up more points than I expected. In their loss to New Orleans, the Lions did manage to put some points up. They’re going to lose this one anyway because the Vikings will have the answer for whatever they do.

SF: Brett and the Vikings will take this one easily. Most of the Vikings’ workload will be handled by Adrian Peterson. I don’t see the Lions stopping his runs. I know it’s early, but the Lions are already showing signs of weakness in the run; they’re ranked 30th already!

 

Houston @ Tennessee

GC: Despite the score of last week’s game, the Texans showed me that they are a better team this year. Unfortunately, they are going up against the Titans’ defense that almost held the defending champions back from a win last week. The Texans don’t have enough firepower to make this an upset. The Titans will win this home game by a touchdown.

TR: Houston let me down last week and I am already beginning to wonder about them again. Schaub simply has never shown that he can excel at this level and he will struggle here miserably. Houston, we have a problem.

SF: I don’t see the Texans rolling over the Titans in this one. The Titans are just more powerful overall on both offense and defense.  Titans take this one easily, which really sucks for me because Matt Schaub is my starting QB in my fantasy league. Yes, I’m in last place.

 

Tampa Bay @ Buffalo

GC: The Buccaneers seem to have a promising offense, but even that might not be enough if the defense is giving up points as fast as the offense can score them. The Bills have Trent Edwards running a no-huddle offense that gave the Patriots fits and I think they fine tune the system against the Bucs and get some shots down the field to TO. Plus, they are playing at home. The Bills will win their home opener by 14 points or more.

TR: Buffalo played a good game Monday night and almost won in Foxborough—almost. Tampa Bay at home gave Dallas a game, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, they also gave up 14 fourth quarter points. I don’t believe the Bucs can stop the much-improved Bills at Buffalo; there might be a lot of points on the board at the end of the game and most of them will belong to Buffalo.

SF: This one could go either way. If the Bills start off strong and then start to fade in the fourth quarter, it may be a sign of things to come for the rest of the season for them. It’s a home game for Buffalo, so that might just give them the edge. The Bucs’ defense will need to shut down T.O. if they’re to remain in this game. Some would say that the Bucs’ defense failed to show up last week.

 

Seattle @ San Francisco

GC: The Niners pulled an upset win last week that few would have given them credit for. I know I didn’t. The same goes for the Seahawks; I didn’t give them credit for revamping their offense and last week, they exploded offensively and shut down their opponent defensively. I’ll call this the game of the week to watch as San Francisco wins two in a row and gives their fanbase reason to celebrate at home.

TR: San Francisco stumped me, too and the Seahawks did show a lot of offense last week, albeit against St. Louis. This game will almost certainly tell us which of these teams is the real thing, if either. I think it’s the Seahawks. I also think we need a rule for contributors to this series that we each get one “I just don’t care” per week.

SF: I’m going to give this one to the Seahawks.  They had a great game defensively last week and I don’t think that the 49ers can overcome the great defense and Matt Hasselbeck and RB Edgerrin James. However, Hasselbeck is known to take chances and make stupid throws resulting in INTs, so if the 49ers can get a few picks at opportune times, they might just pull it out.

Baltimore @ San Diego

GC: The Ravens really looked good last week and their second-year QB, Joe Flacco, looked a whole lot more comfortable. I don’t think the Chargers have it in them to hold the Ravens back. I’m picking the Ravens to win by three points.

TR: San Diego could barely hold off the Raiders, an improved team that the Bolts nevertheless should have handled more effectively. The Ravens are a team to watch this season and this is my game of the week as Baltimore wins going away.

SF: This one could go either way. I’m going to give the edge to the Chargers, only because I think that their offense can wear down the opposing defense. Expect a lot of running in this game from both teams.

 

Cleveland @ Denver

GC: The Broncos had a heart attack win last week in a really tough game. The Browns defense is softer, so the Broncos should build their confidence on this home field win.

TR: This game is interesting if only because it is a battle of former Belichick employees. McDaniels’ Broncos made a mediocre showing while winning last week and I think that this is another team to watch as new acquisitions get their legs under them. The Mangini-coached Browns managed to put up 20 against Minnesota and the Denver defense might give up more. Nevertheless, Denver will play a better game offensively and win another one.

SF: I’m hoping that the Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels will win this matchup. He’s looking to establish himself this year as a legitimate head coach and collecting “W’s” is a sure fire way to gain recognition. I’ve got nothing against the Browns…aside from the fact that Mangini is their new head coach.

 

Pittsburgh @ Chicago

GC: The Steelers started out right with a tough win at home last week. The Bears and Cutler have to regroup. I’m putting the blame for last week’s loss on the WRs. If these guys catch half the balls they dropped last week, the Bears could pull off a win. I just don’t think the Steelers’ defense is going to let that happen this time and the Bears have to absorb another loss before they get the offense repaired for the rest of the season. Steelers win this by 10.

TR: I never have been a big Cutler fan and I think it’s just a matter of time before fans of “Da Bears” become disillusioned with him if they haven’t already. The Steelers’ defense, even without Polamalu, will eat him and his receivers for lunch and take home a doggy bag.

SF: The Steelers are without their precious Troy Polamalu, who is an outstanding player with his ball hawking skills…but I don’t like him. Or the Steelers. I hope the Steelers lose. Badly. I doubt they’ll lose because the Bears are without Urlacher, who is out for the season with a dislocated wrist and is a playmaker and field presence for the Bears. I just can’t see them overpowering the Steelers. One could always hope, though.

 

NY Giants @ Dallas

GC: Damn, the Giants looked good; damn, the Cowboys looked good. Damn, this should be another good game. It will be the Cowboys showing off their new digs and scrape by with a three-point win in this first game in their new stadium.

TR: I love these historic rivalries when both sides actually have good teams. This will be a fun game to watch, especially for Dallas fans, who will be celebrating after the game. Did they fix that scoreboard, by the way?

SF: I don’t like the Cowboys. I like the Giants even less. I might even like the Giants less than the Steelers. I do like Romo, though. If the Giants win this one, it’ll be because of their running game. If the Cowboys win, it’ll be because of the Cowboys’ defense making plays when it’s most needed. If I were a betting man, I’d bet on the Cowboys.

 

Monday, September 21, 2009

 

Indianapolis @ Miami

GC: The Dolphins need to get a handle on ball control and quickly. The Colts are the Colts and are always the popular pick. This is my upset of the week as the Dolphins figure a way to stay in Manning’s face and their offense won’t be as tricky as it will be true. This will be a big five point win for the Fins.

TR: If this game were being played in Indianapolis, I would be expecting the Colts to blow the Fish away. In less friendly Miami, however, Manning will have to work harder to find his receivers, especially since he will be missing the injured Gonzalez. Indy’s running game will need to step up as well and I think it will. Colts in a tight one.

SF: I’m easily giving this one to the Colts. I don’t believe that the Dolphins can stop Peyton Manning. I’ll say it—the Dolphins got lucky last year with their 11-5 record.  I’d be surprised if they won 10 games this season. Look for Peyton to hand the Dolphins their second loss this Monday.

 

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New England Patriots: The Committee Has Found a Chairman

Benjarvus Green-Ellis does NOT rest his case. The Patriots’ third-string running back made it clear Thursday night that he will not rest anything, least of all opposing defenses.

“The Law Firm” scored three touchdowns in New England’s 38-27 victory over the New York Giants, impressively powering into the end zone, shaking off, dragging along, or outrunning every defender who tried to get in his way.

He carried the ball 29 times for 125 yards. He had Tom Brady dancing on the sidelines. Bill Belichick actually smiled. I almost forgot this was a preseason game.

The Firm got game, and it is exactly the game this team needs. It seems certain that Bill Belichick will want to rely on the running game more than ever this season, at least until he knows just what to expect from the passing game. The running-back-by-committee concept could be the key to the season.

I mean no offense to Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, or anybody else who has lined up in the Patriots’ backfield during this preseason. Anyone who makes the 53-man roster this year has earned his spot.

The final version of the committee was somewhat in question until this last game of the preseason, but Green-Ellis has claimed his seat at the table.

Sammy Morris, who is listed as the Patriots’ No. 1 running back, has played his heart out for this team over the past two seasons. He came back last year from a 2007 chest injury and picked up where he had left off. He isn’t an every-down kind of running back, but he has been effective when he gets the ball.

We have yet to see everything that Fred Taylor can do for this team, but I have no doubt that he will contribute in a big way. He was a team captain in Jacksonville, and his leadership qualities alone are worth his spot on the team. Plus, he still has a little something in the tank.

I can’t even count all the ways Kevin Faulk earns his paycheck. One of the few players on the team who has been around for all three Super Bowl wins, Faulk does a little bit of everything. There is a reason why the Pats organization recently named him number two on the list of all-time great Patriots role players.

(Troy Brown was first on the list, of course.)

And then there is Laurence Maroney. When the Patriots made him a first round draft pick in 2006, he looked really promising. He played in 14 games that year, gaining 745 yards rushing with quite a respectable 4.3 yards per carry.

The following year, he played in 13 games and improved to 835 yards with a solid 4.5 yards per carry. He caught some passes out of the backfield as well.

He was pathetically ineffective in Super Bowl XLII, but so was most of the team. He is, um, excused.

Then came 2008, and Maroney went down early in the season, landing on injured reserve in October. Only then did we learn that his shoulder actually had been injured toward the end of the previous season.

And since his injury? What have we seen, really? No, I’m serious, what have we seen? This is not a rhetorical question.

Somebody tell me, please, because I missed it. He lost something along the way, and I’m not sure what it is.

I believe that No. 39 might have become a little gun shy—not a good situation for a player of his potential caliber.

The Law Firm, on the other hand, has become the player Maroney was supposed to be.

Bill Belichick will do the right thing because he always does. And I would not be stunned if Laurence Maroney became a casualty of the coach’s acute decision-making.

Whatever happens, I wish Maroney well… somewhere else. I just don’t see him contributing to this team.

Thursday night’s game was a powerful display of what this season could become. Coming back from a 21-0 deficit with hard-nosed, energetic defense, an effective running game, and the work of an unknown, undrafted free agent quarterback in Brian Hoyer, they reminded me of a certain 2001 team.

Yes, it was a preseason game, but nobody on the field at The Razor seemed to approach it as one. Too many jobs were on the line.

All I know for sure is that The Law Firm is here to stay.

 

This and other articles by TR can be found at Boston Sports Then and Now.

New England Patriots: The Committee Has Found a Chairman

Benjarvus Green-Ellis does NOT rest his case. The Patriots’ third-string running back made it clear Thursday night that he will not rest anything, least of all opposing defenses.

“The Law Firm” scored three touchdowns in New England’s 38-27 victory over the New York Giants, impressively powering into the end zone, shaking off, dragging along or outrunning every defender who tried to get in his way.

He carried the ball 29 times for 125 yards. He had Tom Brady dancing on the sidelines. Bill Belichick actually smiled. I almost forgot this was a preseason game.

The Firm got game, and it is exactly the game this team needs. It seems certain that Bill Belichick will want to rely on the running game more than ever this season, at least until he knows just what to expect from the passing game. The running-back-by-committee concept could be the key to the season.

I mean no offense to Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, or anybody else who has lined up in the Patriots’ backfield during this preseason. Anyone who makes the 53-man roster this year has earned his spot.

The final version of the committee was somewhat in question until this last game of the preseason, but Green-Ellis has claimed his seat at the table.

Sammy Morris, who is listed as the Patriots’ number one running back, has played his heart out for this team over the past two seasons. He came back last year from a 2007 chest injury and picked up where he had left off. He isn’t an every-down kind of running back, but he has been effective when he gets the ball.

We have yet to see everything that Fred Taylor can do for this team, but I have no doubt that he will contribute in a big way. He was a team captain in Jacksonville, and his leadership qualities alone are worth his spot on the team. Plus, he still has a little something in the tank.

I can’t even count all the ways Kevin Faulk earns his paycheck. One of the few players on the team who have been around for all three Super Bowl wins, Faulk does a little bit of everything. There is a reason why the Pats organization recently named him number two on the list of all-time great Patriots role players.

(Troy Brown was first on the list, of course.)

And then there is Laurence Maroney. When the Patriots made him a first round draft pick in 2006, he looked really promising. He played in 14 games that year, gaining 745 yards rushing, with quite a respectable 4.3 yards per carry.

The following year, he played in 13 games and improved to 835 yards, with a solid 4.5 yards per carry. He caught some passes out of the backfield as well.

He was pathetically ineffective in Super Bowl XLII, but so was most of the team. He is, um, excused.

Then came 2008, and Maroney went down early in the season, landing on injured reserve in October. Only then did we learn that his shoulder actually been injured toward the end of the previous season.

And since his injury? What have we seen, really? No, I’m serious, what have we seen? This is not a rhetorical question.

Somebody tell me, please, because I missed it. He lost something along the way, and I’m not sure what it is.

I believe that No. 39 might have become a little gun-shy, not a good situation for a player of his potential caliber.

The Law Firm, on the other hand, has become the player Maroney was supposed to be.

Bill Belichick will do the right thing because he always does. And I would not be stunned if Laurence Maroney became a casualty of the coach’s acute decision- making.

Whatever happens, I wish Maroney well… somewhere else. I just don’t see him contributing to this team.

Thursday night’s game was a powerful display of what this season could become. Coming back from a 21-0 deficit with hard-nosed, energetic defense, an effective running game, and the work of an unknown, undrafted free agent quarterback in Brian Hoyer, they reminded me of a certain 2001 team.

Yes, it was a preseason game, but nobody on the field at The Razor seemed to approach it as one. Too many jobs were on the line.

All I know for sure is that The Law Firm is here to stay.

“Brady Ate Dirt,” Tweets Bengal Chinedum Ndukwe

New England Patriots: “In Bill We Trust” Not Just a Slogan

The enigma we know as Bill Belichick understands football in the same way Albert Einstein understood E=mc².

What many people do not understand is that he also has a really firm grasp of some other fine points that he just doesn’t choose to talk about.

For that matter, he rarely speaks publicly about anything unless he absolutely has to do so. Not that I blame him; no matter what the man says or does, somebody is going to find fault with it.

Like most really smart people, he would rather be criticized for what he doesn’t say than for what he does say. He doesn’t often have to worry about prying his foot out of his mouth.

And despite all the cute little nicknames coined for him and his team by rival fans over the past two years, one fact is indisputable: The man knows how to win football games.

Yes, his methods sometimes have been called into question, and he has paid the price for the mistakes he might have made along the way.

He continues to pay a price, or he would be if he paid attention to anything besides winning games.

The cute little nicknames do not go away. And then there is all that nonsense about asterisks, as if Illegally-Placed-Camera-Gate (IPCG) was such a damnably egregious offense.

Here in New England, we knew that we and our team were hated before IPCG happened; that overblown pile of Mangini-generated revenge-dung, completely mishandled by Roger Goodell, just gave Those Who Hate an excuse to go on a rampage. Their irrational (read: jealous) diatribes suddenly had meaning, at least in their minds.

They write articles and post profane comments all over the Web, and speak to us as if they expect us to jump ship just because our coach is under perpetual fire.

There’s no winning with Those Who Hate.

When we stick by our team, we are arrogant scum. If we don’t stand by our team, we become the fair weather fans the haters always expected us to be.

Bandwagoners. Right.

But enough about Those Who Hate.

Through it all, Bill Belichick remains the best coach in the NFL for reasons that go far beyond X’s and O’s.

Psychology: the study of human thought processes as they relate to and influence behavior.

Bill Belichick understands psychology as well as he understands X’s and O’s. This is perhaps his greatest strength.

Different coaches have different ways of getting the most out of their teams. Some want to be buddies with their players. It worked for Raymond Berry, up to a point.

Others get results by terrorizing their players. I’m not naming names.

Of course, some coaches get no results at all because they are entirely clueless. We have seen our share of those in New England.

But Bill Belichick is a breed apart, an intelligent man and diligent student of the game who has an uncanny insight into the mind of the player.

He understands that different players become motivated by different means. 

He gets that he’s not working in a one-size-fits-all kind of profession. The method that gets optimal results from one player will be absolutely ineffective with another.

As such, he does some things that don’t make sense at first glance.

Here in Patriot Nation, when we don’t understand what, in the name of all that is holy, Bill Belichick is doing, we say simply: IN BILL WE TRUST.

We say it because it’s true.

And yes, we do have our own Nation.

How many times have we dropped our jaws after The Hooded One did something that defied all logic, only to give the man a standing ovation when his choice proved to be BBrilliant?

In retrospect, some of the answers are easy.

For example, who among us thought Corey Dillon was somebody we needed in New England? An unhappy running back in what looked like the downside of his career, a two-time Pro Bowler playing for a losing team and getting fewer and fewer carries every season? A guy with a massive chip on his shoulder, a rap sheet and a reputation as a head case?

What was Bill thinking?

Maybe he was thinking about winning another Super Bowl with a rejuvenated player who only needed to be given the ball and respected as a man in order to return to Pro Bowl form.

That’s exactly what he got: A workhorse of a running back who benefited tremendously from playing for a great team, returned to the Pro Bowl, and won himself a ring before retiring.

And then there is the case of one Deion Branch, MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX, who decided to hold out in the final year of his rookie contract because he wanted the same kind of money Reggie Wayne was getting in Indianapolis.

Many of us shouted, “Show him the money!”

As Branch’s holdout continued, Belichick and Scott Pioli could see that the wide receiver was a lost cause and dealt him to Seattle in a trade that indirectly netted them one Randy Moss.

And what has Mr. Branch done in Seattle besides collect paychecks?

On to Moss. He was another head case, another player who thought only of himself, wouldn’t practice hard, wouldn’t even play hard.

What was Bill thinking?

Maybe he was thinking of an extraordinarily talented player who needed little more than a clean slate and no rush to judgment. A player who was capable of establishing instant chemistry with the best quarterback in the game, breaking records, winning games, becoming the team player no one thought he could be. 

That’s what he got. That’s what we got.

A few months ago, Belichick had to make a difficult decision about his quarterbacks.

Is Tom Brady going to recover sufficiently from his devastating injury? Should the team hold on to Matt Cassel following his heroic efforts in relief last season?

Belichick couldn’t afford to keep them both, so he had to roll the dice and do what he felt was for the good of the team.

Trading Cassel was no mystery move, but the Patriots threw in linebacker Mike Vrabel, a valuable team leader and fan favorite. It’s a crap shoot, no doubt, and we won’t see the outcome of it immediately. One thing is certain: Matt Cassel at 100 percent will never be Tom Brady.

Tom Brady may or may not be the man we have seen in the past, but this is the chance Belichick had to take.

And what about Vrabel? Is he irreplaceable? Time will tell, but I doubt it.

Now Belichick is at it again. Last week he picked up two players from New England’s newest farm club, the Oakland Raiders, and his judgment is again being called into question.

Quarterback Andrew Walter’s stats in Oakland have not exactly been the stuff of legend. The fact is that he probably qualifies for a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of the nonsensical way he was used there.

But he’s a big guy with a good arm, and he’s smart. Besides, Moss practiced with him in Oakland, and he likes him.

Works for me.

Derrick Burgess has the stat sheet of a defensive player in a downward spiral of injuries and underachievement. Why bring him on board?

Maybe for the hard work and good attitude he has already shown in camp.

Ask yourself: When is the last time either one of these guys played in a winning program?

They are both perfect Bill Belichick projects. This is what he does best. He understands the inside of a player’s head and knows how to work with it in order to get the results he wants, the player wants, we as fans want.

He takes players who have been labelled as losers and turns them into winners.

He uses their years of experience to help him bring along young players, and winds up with one of the most balanced teams in the NFL.

Thursday night, the Patriots will begin their preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles, and Belichick will start to see the results of some of his decisions.

And soon he will be making more decisions, and some of them are going to leave people scratching their heads.

I don’t ask questions anymore. I just say: IN BILL WE TRUST.

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