Thoughts after the NFL Playoffs Divisional Round, Jets vs. Patriots

The Jets ran their mouths all week and it kills me that they backed it up. The Patriots struggled in all 3 phases of the game and picked the worst time of the year to do it. The Pats played from behind most of the game and were eliminated from the playoffs by the Jets, 28-21.

Offense

The offense came out without Welker who was benched for making several foot/toe references in a press conference alluding to the Jets' coach Rex Ryan's foot fetish. Though I think the punishment was a bit harsh considering it was a playoff game, I understand that Belichick had to make it clear that he does not approve of his players getting into personal attacks and providing bulletin board material for the other team. At the end of the day, the benching of Welker did not affect the final outcome in any way.

The Pats were able to move the ball well on their first two drives by mixing up formations and using several runs to the outside. However the first drive ended with an INT resulting from a horrible overthrow by Brady trying to set up a screen play to BJGE. The Pats were able to get a stop on defense and the Jets missed a FG keeping the score tied at 0.

The offense was able to march back down the field on their 2nd drive into the red zone. However the Pats had to settle for a FG after Crumpler had a bad drop in the end-zone. The Pats had two possessions deep into Jets territory and only 3 points to show for it.

The Pats struggled for most of the game after that. The Jets had a great defensive game-plan of rushing only 3, leaving CBs Revis and Cromartie to handle the WRs on the outside, and then putting the remaining defenders in the middle of the field to limit Welker and the TEs. Brady was sacked 5 times with many of them coverage sacks where he had to hold the ball longer than he normally would because he could not find many open receivers. Even when receivers were open, it looked like Brady was a little gun-shy after the INT on the first drive. It seemed like he was afraid of causing another turnover.

One problem that I've noticed with recent Patriots teams is their inability to make game-time adjustments. With single coverage to the outside, the Pats lack of an explosive WR really hurt them in this game. Branch was blanketed by Revis so he was a non-factor for most of the game. There wasn't another WR on the other side of the field that the Jets had to respect.

With the Jets only sending 3 rushers, the obvious way to beat that is to run the ball. Unfortunately the Pats took 3 quarters to figure that out. The Pats were finally able to move the ball but there was no sense of urgency from the offense! They wasted more than 7 minutes and ended up turning the ball over on downs. Such poor clock management reminded me of McNabb in the Super Bowl many years ago.

Defense

Overall I think the play of the defense was just okay. They got several stops throughout the game but were unable to make any game changing plays when it mattered most.

The main problem was that the Pats could not get any pressure on Sanchez. Even an average QB like Sanchez can make plays when given enough time to throw and he did just. He threw for 3 TDs on 16 of 25 throws for 194 yards.

The Pats did not commit enough to stop the running game. The Jets were able to rush for 120 yards at over 4 yards/carry. The Pats should have loaded up the box to stop the run and forced Sanchez to throw more. Instead, Sanchez was able to take advantage of play-action and play efficiently.

After allowing a long return by Cromartie on a failed onside kick attempt, the defense HAD to make a stop from their own 20 to keep it a 1 TD game. However they gave up a long TD run which pretty sealed the deal.

I think Meriweather had a horrible game. He attempted to make too many shoulder tackles instead of wrapping up which allowed the ball carriers to gain extra yards. He definitely took a step back this year.

In the 2Q, CB Butler got beat deep again yielding a 37-yard completion to Edwards. I had such high hopes for him considering how fast he is but he cannot make the play. Hopefully Leigh Bodden will be healthy and ready to go next year.

Special Teams

The special teams play that stands out is the fake punt late in the 2Q. It seemed like a bit of a panic move with the Jets only leading by 7-3. It was a gutsy call and unfortunately, it was horribly executed. Chung fumbled the snap and could not pick up the first down after recovering the ball. This play left the Jets with a short field and they capitalized and extended their lead, 14-3 heading into the half.

After the Pats kicked a FG to make the score 21-14 late in the 4Q, the Pats lined for an onside kick. They were not able to recover the onside kick and then compounded the poor execution by allowing Cromartie to pick up the ball and rumble all of the way down to the NE 25-yard line. The Jets proceeded to score another TD 2 plays later, 28-14. The last glimmer of hope that the Pats could miraculously come back was extinguished on that play.

Other Thoughts

I can't stand the Jets. There are so many hate-able guys on that team: Rex Ryan, LT, Edwards, Revis, Cromartie, and Bart Scott just to name a few. It kills me that the Jets dashed our Super Bowl dreams this year but I'm relieved that they were beaten the following week by the Steelers.

The Pats did not play very Patriot-like in this game. Welker was benched. The offense struggled for most of the game. Belichick made a mistake challenging a completed pass early in the game. The Pats were unable to make the necessary adjustments in-game until it was too late. There were bad penalties like the Mankins' unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that killed a drive at the end of the 1st half. When the Patriots were finally able to move the ball late in the game, there was no sense of urgency and lots of time ticked off the clock. At the end of the day, the Jets played well and the Patriots didn't and the final score showed that.

It was a great run this year but unfortunately the Patriots came up short again. The Patriots have several holes to fill but here is my wish-list:

1. Passrusher. Other teams' QBs are too comfortable and too many average QBs look like superstars. The Pats need a passrusher to force the other QBs into rushing their throws and making poor decisions. This should help the young secondary as well.
2. Game-changing running back. I love BJGE's quiet workmanlike attitude but other teams won't game-plan around him because he's not a homerun threat. The Pats need someone who can break tackles, make people miss, and potentially break off a long TD here or there. If the Pats could get a talent like this, other teams will have to respect the running game which should open up the field for the receivers and enhance the play-action.
3. A legit deep threat. The Pats don't have another solid WR to line up opposite of Branch to help stretch the field. Tate is a nice special teams player but he doesn't command any respect when he streaks down the field. The Pats dink-and-dunk too much and other teams have figured this out. It's time to get a speed-burner and to send someone deep every once in a while.

Thoughts after Week 17, Dolphins vs. Patriots

The Pats took care of business in a meaningless season finale and won big 38-7 over the visiting Miami Dolphins.

Offense

Brady continues to play mistake-free and tossed 2 more TDs. Most importantly Brady escaped injury while playing early into the 3rd quarter.

It was good to see both starting WRs Welker and Branch inactive for this game. We don't want to risk a repeat of last year. This also gave opportunities for other players. For example, Tate made a great diving catch in the end-zone from Hoyer. Taylor Price also made some good plays in his first NFL action.

Edelman made the most of his opportunities with a nice 40-yard scamper after catching a pass in the flat on a fake reverse. He later added a 94-yard punt return for a TD as well.

I'm proud of BJGE who reached the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. He quietly goes about his business and I like his no-nonsense approach.

Defense

The defense played great in this game. It all started with a beast-like performance from Wilfork wreaking havoc in the middle and recording a pair of sacks. It was good to see his intensity but he was flagged on a questionable helmet-to-helmet collision on one of his sacks.

Rookie DB McCourty recorded his 7th INT of the year. He definitely deserves consideration for ROY honors though Suh will probably win it.

The only player who struggled was Butler who continues to get beat all over the field. He is fast and always seems to be around the ball but he can NEVER make the play. I wonder if he's just not physical enough to want to get in there to break up passes.

Special Teams

The special team’s play was highlighted by Edelman's 94-yard punt return for TD as I mentioned earlier.

Other Thoughts

The Pats managed to rest several key players and escape major injuries while winning this game. Woodhead's head injury is an area of concern and hopefully he'll be cleared to play come playoff time.

The Pats played with a lot of pride on a meaningless game. It shows you how much winning means to this franchise. I love this team!

Thoughts after Week 16, Patriots vs. Bills

(Ugh, the Pats have just been eliminated from the NFL Playoffs and I'm a few weeks behind on my football analysis. I have to try to write this for completeness and pretend that this game just recently happened.)

The Patriots dominated this game and easily won 34-4 thanks to the sloppy play of their division opponent, the Buffalo Bills.

Offense

Brady set the all-time record for most consecutive passes thrown without an INT. The TV showed a graphic with Brady and two other former players who previously held the record, Brady's numbers were far more impressive because Brady threw for nearly twice as many TDs. Those other players were more game-managers. Ironically in this game, Brady finished with game-manager-like stats, 15 of 27 passing for 140 yards, 3 TDs.

Rookie TE Gronkowski caught a pair of short TDs in his homecoming to the state of NY.

The Pats did a great job running the ball finishing with 217 yards and a TD.

Defense

The Pats' run defense was not good and is possibly a result of all of the injuries on the front line. Wilfork had shifted to DE in this game for matchup reasons but Kyle Love seemed to struggle filling in at NT.

However, the Pats did a great job creating turnovers finishing with 7! The Bills were sloppy and the Pats were able to capitalize each time. Bills QB Fitzpatrick threw 3 INTs to Chung, Page, and Fletcher. The Bills also fumbled 4 times and the Pats were able to recover all 4.

Mayo did a great job of patrolling the middle of the field. He delivered some devastating hits though some looked much worse at first because he left his feet a few times to hit the receivers. However, all of the hard-hitting seemed to have its effect because the Bills started to get timid across the middle.

Special Teams

The Pats did a good job corralling dangerous return man C.J. Spiller.

Other Thoughts

With this win the Patriots have clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The road to the Super Bowl will go through Foxborough, MA.

Thoughts after Week 15, Packers vs. Patriots

I'm not very superstitious but I can't deny the recent success of the Patriots when I do certain things.

Watch the game at home. Check.
Wear my Patriots sweatshirt. Check.
Eat a meal before, not during the game. Check.

Even with everything in place, the outcome was certainly anything but automatic. The journey was rough but the Patriots ultimately prevailed in a nail-biter. This 31-27 victory reaffirmed my superstitions theory.

Offense
Brady looked uncomfortable for most of the night. The pass protection broke down a few times and allowed Brady to be sacked 3 times, especially on stunts. Brady was outplayed for most of the game by Matt Flynn, a 3rd-year backup QB making his first NFL start for the injured Aaron Rodgers. Brady finished 15-24 passing for only 163 yards but added 2 TDs and 0 INTs. Brady's streak of most-passes-without-an-INT almost nearly ended on two separate occasions but the Packers could not hang on.

Generally speaking the offense struggled to sustain drives to help bail out the depleted defense which was gassed. The Pats offense put up only 24 points, with 7 of those set up by a 71-yard return by 313-lbs OL Dan Connolly on a squib kick.

On a good note, the Pats running backs both played pretty well in limited opportunities. BJGE capped their first drive with a long TD run. Branch had a great downfield block knocking over a DB on that play. Woodhead also added some tough yards to keep the chains moving.

Hernandez also had a good game after battling the flu all week. He finished with a pair of TDs, one while scrambling along the goal-line, and the other on an out-pattern.

Edelman once again dropped another pass near the end-zone. He was only targeted once and that number will continue to decrease with that kind of effort each Sunday. When Welker was hurt and everyone rushed to compare Edelman to Welker, the main difference between the two players is Welker is fearless in traffic while Edelman gets alligator-arms when he hears footsteps.

Defense
The defense played horribly. They couldn't stop the run. They couldn't stop the pass. They couldn't get off of the field on 3rd down. They stunk.

The lack of healthy bodies on the defensive line really hurt the team this week and they allowed 143 rushing yards. I don't know what it is about big RBs but no one wanted a piece of FB John Kuhn, especially when he was catching out of the backfield.

The defense allowed Matt Flynn to throw for 251 yards, 3 TDs (1 INT) and amass a 100.2 passer rating in his first NFL start! The Patriots were lucky to come away with a victory thanks in part to Flynn's lack of experience with managing the clock on their final drive.

The Pats continue to struggle on 3rd downs and had trouble getting off of the field. The time of possession was heavily skewed in the Packers favor, 41 minutes to only 19 minutes.

Banta-Cain has seen limited playing time lately and he is clearly the 3rd OLB on the depth chart. He failed to set the edge several times which resulted in long runs.  However, he got a timely sack on Flynn which caused a fumble to end the game.

Another player with a reduced role has been S Meriweather. He didn't help himself by taking a horrible angle on a 66-yard TD to James Jones and knocked his own teammate McCourty down in the process.

Despite how poorly the unit played, two player's performances stood out to me. Arrington returned an INT 32-yards for a TD after breaking several tackles. Wilfork had to play extended minutes due to injuries on the defensive line and continued to be a disruptive force in the middle.

Special Teams
The Pats displayed horrible situational awareness by allowing the Packers to recover an onside kick to start the game. This is the second time this has happened this year and they need to be more prepared for that.

OL Dan Connolly made the play of the game returning a squib kick 71-yards all the way to the Packer's 4-yard line late in the first half. After catching the ball, Connolly started running while shielding the ball with both arms. Then he picked up a few blocks and saw some daylight so he started racing down the left sideline while holding the ball in a headlock. He stiff-armed a defender and even tried a cut-back move. It was probably one of the funniest plays I have ever seen.

Other Thoughts
The officiating by Ed Hochuli and crew was notably bad in this game. I felt they bailed out the Packers a few times which extended a few scoring drives. Wilfork was flagged for a horrible facemask penalty but the refs missed that Wilfork was held on the play. McCourty was penalized for a bogus helmet-to-helmet hit though he actually hit the receiver's chest with his arm and shoulder before their helmets made contact. Also, the refs did not initially throw the flag as the play happened but only threw the flag after delaying the game to huddle up and watch the replays on the Jumbotron. Late in the game, Banta-Cain was flagged for illegal-hands-to-the-face which negated the game-sealing INT. Again the refs missed the OL also holding Banta-Cain's facemask.

Thoughts after Week 14, Patriots vs. Bears

For the second straight week, the Pats have embarrassed another 9-win team in their 36-7 victory over the Bears. The Pats have shown that they can handle any kind of weather conditions and the snow did little to slow them down. This game was even more enjoyable because Tary has family in Chicago and it was fun teasing one of her cousins each time the score changed.

Offense
The Brady-led offense put on a clinic with nearly 500 yards of total offense. Brady finished with 369 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. Brady had some accuracy issues and had some passes deflected, but I think some of that was due to the snow.

The skill position players handled the elements pretty well. Everyone held onto the ball and had 0 turnovers. Hernandez almost lost a fumble as he was hit as he was trying to catch a pass.

Branch and Welker are both playing at such a high level. They each finished with 8 catches and over 100 yards receiving. Welker claims to be almost 100% back from his devastating knee injury last year. If he continues to get stronger as his knee recovers, this is going to be one scary team during the playoffs.

Gronkowski is starting to really learn how to use his body to take advantage of his size. On one play in particular, he sealed off the defender with his body and caught a short TD in the 1st quarter.

I absolutely loved the cut-throat mentality of the Pats at the end of the 1st half. The coaches were yelling to take a knee as the Pats were at their own 41-yard line with a comfortable 27-0 lead. It looked like the Pats were content to let the clock run out but instead, Brady called a play and chucked the ball down hitting Branch in stride on a hitch-and-go pattern for a TD. I couldn't believe what happened but that was one of my favorite plays of the year.

Defense
The defense played great in this game allowing only 7 points. They limited the Bears to only 33 net yards in the first half and the Bears finished with only 185 yards total. The Pats' DBs were able to handle the snow pretty well and were able to knock several balls away from their intended receivers.

McCourty made a great individual play by ripping the ball out after a short reception early in the 2nd quarter. The loose ball was picked up by Guyton and returned for a TD.

Speaking of Guyton, he had a great game replacing Spikes who was suspended for violating the league's PED policy. In addition to the fumble recovery for a TD, Guyton also added another INT late in the 3rd quarter.

Newcomer Eric Moore who was playing for the UFL earlier in the year chipped in with a forced fumble as he sacked Cutler. The ball was recovered by Mayo and led to another FG.

Meriweather made a solid INT in the end-zone when Cutler reverted to his usual form when the Bears were down big and were forced to throw the ball.

Special Teams
Edelman is so much fun to watch on punt returns. He had an awesome 42-yard return which he almost took to the house but a teammate got in the way. He had another 71-yard punt return for a TD negated by a holding penalty on the play.

The Pats struggled a bit in kickoff coverage. After the unit gave up a long return to Hester, the Bears would go onto score their lone TD of the game.

Shayne Graham was perfect on 3 FGs but missed another extra point. I always feel nervous watching games and it's not a good feeling having to worry about whether your kicker can convert on something as routine as an extra point.

Other Thoughts
The only real concern is the status of McCourty's rib injury. I'm not sure how serious the injury is but it would be a tough blow to the defense if he is out for any extend period of time.

After the Jets were exposed last week, they lost again 10-6 at home to the Dolphins. Sanchez again showed why he shouldn't be trusted to handle the ball; he fumbled 4 times, completed only 17 passes out of 44 attempts, and threw 0 TDs and 1 INT. To add to the embarrassment, the Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi stuck out his knee and tripped a Miami player running along the sideline. Alosi has since been suspended indefinitely and has been fined for this incident. It's so easy to hate the Jets.

Thoughts after Week 13, Jets vs. Patriots

It was suppose to be the game of the year. It still was for me. The Pats completely dominated and humiliated the loud-mouth, trash-talking, haven't-done-a-single-thing-yet Jets to a 45-3 beat-down. No one hates Rex Ryan and the Jets more than I do so it was so satisfying watching them lay an egg in front of a national audience. After the game, I stayed up and watched all of the postgame press conferences just to revel in this victory.

What does this game mean? The Pats have a game lead over the Jets and share the top record in the league. The Pats have the inside track to the #1 seed in the AFC which means if they win their remaining games, they would have a bye week followed by two home games to reach the Super Bowl.

Offense

As well as Brady played last week against the Lions where he amassed a perfect passer rating, he played even better this week against one of the best defenses in the league. Brady threw for 326 yards, 4 TDs to 4 different receivers (Branch, Welker, Tate, and Hernandez), and most importantly, no INTs again.

The running game did a good enough job to make play-action work. After a pass interference against the Jets on a pass intended for Gronkowski which set the Pats up at the 1 yard line, I loved that the Pats decided to punch it in with BJGE instead of passing the ball in that situation.

Woodhead was explosive coming out of the backfield. The Jets didn't have any answers for him because he would sometimes stay in the block. Sometimes he would chip on a block and release out to catch a pass. At other times, he would line up outside and force the Jets to try to match up.

The Pats play-calling was great in this game. It felt like everything worked because they put up 45 points! They did a great job of mixing up formations and personnel and the Jets were guessing all night long. It was hilarious watching Revis and Cromartie try to figure where their assignments were going on any given play.

Defense

The defense simply played great allowing only 3 points! They seemed to have a good week of preparation and were ready for plays that Sanchez likes to run such as bootleg throws to the right side. Once the Pats got up big and the Jets had to throw to catch up, the Pats dropped more guys into coverage and came away with 3 INTs.

McCourty made another great play staying along Braylon Edwards' hip and then turning at the right moment to grab the first INT. You can't get more textbook than that.

Spikes came up with the 2nd INT just in front of the goal-line. That was a poor decision by Sanchez to force that throw. That kind of decision-making highlights the difference between just an average QB like Sanchez and a great one like Brady.

And Sanders came away with the last INT on an underthrown ball. I'm not sure what the Jets were thinking keeping Sanchez in that late in the game but it doesn't bode well for them if they get down early in games and are forced to throw to try to catch up.

The only negative things I noticed was that the defense did not do a great job defending the run. However, the pass defense played well enough to make the Jets one-dimensional.

Special Teams

It seemed like everything went wrong for the Jets and that included their special teams. Folk missed an early FG which would have tied the game. Conversely, Graham was successful on his lone attempt of the game.

The Jets' punter shanked a couple of punts which gave the Pats great field position.

The Pats did a great job containing the dangerous kickoff returner Brad Smith.

Other Thoughts

Ryan was clearly outcoached by Belichick in this game. He had a panic moment challenging the spot of a QB rush early on their first drive. It cost him because he couldn't afford to challenge a questionable TD reception by Tate along the sideline.

As for Belichick, how much more genius-like does he look now? He trades away Randy Moss and the offense actually gets better! He trots out the youngest defense in the league and somehow coaches them up to an opportunistic, play-making unit. Then in the midst of a blowout, he huddles the team together along the sideline and delivers a speech about playing hard for 60 minutes and that he doesn't give an [expletive] what the score is!

Regarding LT, how did one of the most likeable and marketable guys in the NFL become one of the most hated? Go ahead and ask him; he'll tell you how much of a classy guy he is. He is clearly embracing his new role as a villain. I haven't seen this kind of 180 degree turnaround since Hulk Hogan became a bad guy and joined the nWo. Anyways, I started to hate LT as his time ran out in SD. I hate him more now that he's a member of the Jets. And I hate him even more because every single time he rushes for a decent gain, we have to watch him pop up bobbing his head, yapping his mouth, and pounding his chest. Yeah, real class act...

NY Jets coach Rex Ryan said in a speech shown on Hard Knocks that he wanted to eat a [GD] snack. How did that slice of humble pie taste?

Thoughts after Week 12, Patriots vs. Lions

This game was a lot closer than the final score indicated. The Pats could not get a stop for nearly 3 quarters and were down by as many as 11 points in the 2nd quarter. Fortunately the Pats were able to pull away in the 4th quarter to a 45-24 victory over the Lions.

Offense
Brady played perfectly as his 158.3 perfect passer rating would attest. He surgically passed for 341 yards, 4 2nd-half TDs with no picks. The OL was shaky early on and Brady took some nasty shots. But Brady stayed cool and continued to deliver accurate strikes while the OL made adjustments. Brady for MVP? Definite possibility.

Welker finally looks like he is back to his pre-injury form. He looks explosive again and he finished with 2 TDs.

Branch also looks explosive again too. His hamstring must be feeling a lot better because he also caught 2 TDs. Probably the play of the year was on an awesome "fake-in, go" route which badly fooled CB Alphonso Smith. Brady threw a perfect strike to Branch streaking down the left sideline. Branch then got Smith turned around several times before racing into the end-zone.

The running game was pretty good adding 2 rushing TDs as well. One notable play was when BJGE plowed over this game's whipping-boy, Alphonso Smith, on his way to a score.

Defense
The defense played pretty poorly for 3 full quarters. They couldn't stop the run and they couldn't get off the field on 3rd downs. It felt like the Lions were able to just methodically march up and down the field for most of this game and score almost at will until...

...rookie CB Devin McCourty made a great play going underneath to pick off a pass intended for the much taller WR Calvin Johnson. This was the stop the Pats were desperately searching for all game and you could feel the momentum finally swing in New England's favor. McCourty added another INT later in the game on an overthrow.

After the Pats' offense started pouring on the points after repeatedly abusing Alphonso Smith, it was great seeing the intensity continue from the defense. They delivered some punishing hits and I love this smash-mouth style of football.

Special Teams
The only noticeable negative from this unit was that the Lions used directional kickoffs to pin Tate deep in the corner and limit his return yardage. It's a minor concern in the grand scheme of things but something that other teams may start to emulate.

Other Thoughts
The offense is carrying this team while the young defense continues to learn on the fly. It was great seeing the Pats make 2nd-half adjustments which the Pats during the dynasty era were known for and outscore the Lions 35-7 in the 2nd half.

Thoughts after Week 11, Colts vs. Patriots

The Patriots continue to find ways to win against quality AFC opponents (Chargers, Ravens, Steelers) and hang on to win 31-28 in another nail-biter against the Colts.

Offense
Brady was quietly efficient in this game and finished with about 180 yards passing and 2 TDs. He was accurate on most of his throws and continued to make good decisions other than the near INT at the end of the game. He continues to play near mistake-free football and the Pats will remain tough to beat as long as they don't beat themselves.

The rushing game was great for most of this game with 168 yards and a pair of TDs. The Pats offense had a good rhythm and balance to it. The Pats did a reasonably good job of controlling the clock early on to limit Manning's touches.

Speaking of the running game, I can't say enough good things about Danny Woodhead. His 36-yard TD scamper along the right sideline was one of the most exciting plays of the year. It was made possible by great downfield blocking by Branch and then Welker. This play definitely wouldn't have happened if Moss was still here.

The offense did a great for 3 quarters but failed to do much in the 4th quarter to close out the game. The play-calling was predictable so the results were not surprising. 1st down, run for no gain. 2nd down, run again for no gain. 3rd and long, short dump-off. Punt. I wish the Pats would just continue doing what got them the big 4th quarter lead in the first place instead of trying not to lose the game.

On one notable play, Edelman must have heard footsteps as he let a perfect pass zip through his hands in the end-zone. The Pats had to settle for a FG there and those 4 points could have been costly.

And for the 2nd straight week, Hernandez was the 3rd TE in the game-plan. Well, at least he made the most of limited opportunities catching and running in for a TD.

Defense
The Pats played great run defense for most of the game. It forced Manning to have to throw more often and they were able to capitalize when he made mistakes.

Even though the defense gave up 4 TDs and nearly 400 yards through the air, they were able to come down with 3 INTs. The first INT was an overthrow which fell into Meriweather's hands. McCourty came down with an INT along the sideline on a disguised Cover-4 scheme. And finally, Sanders made a great leaping play to grab the last INT to seal the game as Manning's throw was altered.

The lack of a pass rush continues to really hurt this team though. Manning was not sacked all game and he was able to pick apart the defense for most of the game. It felt like deja vu watching the game slip away. Good thing Manning got greedy at the end and threw that costly INT.

Special Teams
It was a solid effort across the board with no negative plays standing out.

Other Thoughts
I almost had an ulcer watching this game but I'm glad the Pats came out on top. Peyton Manning is an amazing player and he is basically his own offensive coordinator. He is the ONLY player in the league that makes me feel like no lead is safe. I've watched him on too many occasions march his team down the field in seconds and score TDs to win the game. He makes you do the craziest things like going for it on 4th-and-2 from your own 20!

Thoughts after Week 10, Patriots vs. Steelers

As poorly as the Pats played in their loss to the Browns last week, they looked equally impressive in their 39-26 win over the Steelers this week. It's not every day that you see a team out-physical the Steelers but the Patriots did just that. Some of the hits may not be textbook legal but it was good for the Pats to show that they would not be intimidated.

Offense
Brady played great in this game. He threw for over 300 yards, 3 TDs, no INTs, and rushed for another TD on a QB sneak. His throws were accurate and on-time.

It was so good to finally see some long passes. Hopefully other teams will start to respect Tate a little bit more down the field. And it was good to see Welker get out on deeper routes. I've felt that opposing defenses have started to jam him more at the line and cheat up on the short stuff so he may continue to have success on some deeper patterns.

No one said that rushing the ball would be easy against the Steelers but the Pats rushed the ball effectively and ran often enough to open up play-action plays. It seems like the Steelers are always rushing toward the line to stuff the run and it leaves them very vulnerable on play-action.

The pass protection was great in not allowing a single sack. The hardest shot that Brady took all game was when BJGE accidentally ran into him on a botched hand-off.

Gronkowski rebounded from his worst game with a stellar effort this week. He was the featured TE in this game and he finished with 3 TD grabs. He made a great athletic catch on the first TD on a skinny post up the right seam.

Speaking of TEs, where was Aaron Hernandez? Let's hope he just not part of the overall game-plan and not sitting in Belichick's dog house.

Defense
The defense played aggressively all night and it showed! I don't remember the last time I've seen the Pats blitz this often but I was glad to see the team bring the heat. They rushed defenders from all angles with inside stunts and LB and CB blitzes. It definitely tested the make-shift offensive line of the Steelers and the Pats were able to sack Roethlisberger 5 times. The Pats would have gotten at least a half-dozen more sacks but the Steelers got away with holding all night long! There is such a double-standard with the refs.

The game got a little ugly toward the end as the Pats went into their prevent defense. Roethlisberger padded his stats by passing mostly to speedy WR, Mike Wallace and ended up passing for 3 TDs in the 4th quarter. In addition to soft coverage, the Pats also didn't help their cause with poor tackling late in the game. They allowed 23 4th quarter points and need to do a better job of closing out games.

Another thing I wanted to mention was it was a great play by Chung to tip a pass and Sanders to gather the INT and return it for a TD. However, the group celebration afterward was stupid and resulted in a penalty on the following kickoff. This allowed Pittsburgh to start with great field position and they quickly drove down the field to score a TD of their own.

Special Teams
As I foreshadowed last week, long snapper Jake Ingram was replaced by Matt Katula. Hopefully he continues to go unnoticed.

The same can't completely be said of Gostkowski's replacement, Shayne Graham. He missed an extra point which forced the Pats to go for 2 late in the game to make up for it. In the end, the Pats could have put up 41 points against the Steelers. Graham was perfect on his 2 FG attempts but his 2nd attempt knuckle-balled its way through the uprights. Graham did okay on kickoffs but did not get any touchbacks.

Other Thoughts
I find it ironic that WR Hines Ward, one of the dirtiest players on a team full of head-hunters and cheap-shot artists, had to be taken out with a concussion.

Another observation was the Pats seemed to have Polamalu guessing all night. He would rush to one side of the line as the ball was snapped just to either overrun the play or watch it go to the opposite direction. He is a tremendous instinctive player but you can see how his freelancing sometimes leaves a huge hole in their pass coverage.

Thoughts after Week 9, Patriots vs. Browns

This game had "let-down" written all over and "let-down" is definitely what I felt after an embarrassing 34-14 defeat by the Browns. What was interesting was Adam Schefter, an NFL insider and writer for ESPN, predicted on the Friday before the game that the Browns would upset the Pats on his weekly appearance on the Dennis and Callahan show on WEEI sports radio. Fans killed him for it but the man sure knows his football. Anyways, onto my thoughts...

Offense

Brady was awful in this game. His trademark accuracy has been MIA for several weeks and he was wildly inaccurate. With all of these balls landing at the feet of his receivers, Brady has looked more like McNabb than he has himself.

This post-Moss offense has looked horrible. There is no explosiveness. Not only are there no big plays, the Pats don't even try to throw it deep anymore to at least keep the other team's defense honest. Without Moss bringing an extra defender down the field with him, there has been noticeable less operating space for the other WRs. Welker's production has taken the biggest hit.

The Pats could not establish any kind of running game either. BJGE was ineffective with only 14 rushing yards. I wonder if Fred Taylor can ever stay healthy.

Last but not least, Gronkowski had a horrible game and looked like...well, a rookie. On a short kickoff to open the game, he signaled for a fair catch but ducked out of the way at the last second. The Browns were able to recover the loose ball and resulted in great field position for them. When the Pats finally got the ball back, Gronkowski had at least 3 drops. It felt like Brady kept trying to force the ball back to him to get him back mentally but only resulted in more bad things happening. Just when the Pats looked like they were finally able to move the ball at the end of the first half, Gronkowski fumbled along the goal-line while fighting for extra yards. It was a forgettable performance.

Defense

As bad as the offense played, things looked even worse on defense. The Pats wanted nothing to do with RB Peyton Hillis and seemed afraid to tackle him. He scored 2 TDs while racking up a ridiculous total of 184 yards rushing and 36 yards receiving.

Rookie QB Colt McCoy outplayed Brady. That's right, a rookie! The pass-rush was non-existent and McCoy was never touched.

Once again, the Pats showed why they are last in the league in 3rd-down defense. They could not get any stops to get off of the field. If the Pats play this poorly against a rookie-led offense, how can they stop QBs like Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers?

Special Teams

Gronkowski's miscommunication which led to fumbling the opening kickoff set the tone for the day.

Ingram skipped another snap at the feet of punter Zoltan Mesko. It's not a good thing when a long snapper gets noticed and his job may be in jeopardy. Speaking of punts, another punt was almost blocked this week as well.

And when it rains, it pours and Gostkowski's leg injury was just icing on the cake. Let's hope it's not something more serious. Losing him would be devastating on kickoffs and field position. Also, the coverage of Gostkowski's injury was horrible and I only found out about it while catching up on Twitter.

Other Thoughts

The Pats were out-played, out-coached, and were dominated in all 3 phases of the game. The Pats hold a share of the best record in the league but it doesn't feel that way. I know we can't get too high after a win or too low after a loss but this loss was embarrassing. Things don't get any easier next week with a road game against the Steelers.

Thoughts after Week 8, Vikings vs. Patriots

After a solid 28-18 win over the Vikings, the Patriots now hold the best record in the NFL. It may not always be pretty but I'll keep taking wins like this.

Offense
First off, I do not like the post-Moss offense at all. It's incredibly ugly and there are no big plays. 3-and-outs happen way too often which puts a lot of pressure on the young defense. It would be better if the Pats could at least move the chains a bit to change field position if they had to punt on 4th down.

In the first half, the Pats had difficulty rushing against the Vikings' front. The Williams pair is always difficult to move. However, BJGE was able to bounce back in the 2nd half and finished with 112 yards on the ground and a pair of TDs thanks to some great blocking by Crumpler.

As I mentioned before, the offense was ugly for most of the game. Tate had a long TD but it was the result of staying alive in a scramble drill and Brady finding him streaking down the left sideline.

The offensive line played pretty well in this game and did not allow a sack.

Defense
The defense is still a work in progress but they seem to be holding to the bend-but-don't-break philosophy. They gave up a ton of yards but at the end of the day, they only allowed 18 points.

Peterson is a beast and he was picking up 8 and 9 yards at a time. However, the Pats defense tightened up in the red zone when it mattered most. Mayo had a great stop on a leaping Peterson at the goal line but the refs upheld the TD call. There was another great goal-line stand at the end of the first half when Childress gambled on 4th down instead of kicking the short FG.

Speaking of Mayo, I may have been quick to judge him in the past. He's been playing solid football and he added 14 more tackles.

It kills me to say this but Favre actually played pretty well. He took what was available on the short throws and made pretty good decisions before getting hit under the chin. His lone INT came when McCourty made a great play to rip the ball away from Harvin.

Special Teams
Gostkowski and Mesko struggled on this windy day. Gostkowski also sent a kickoff out of bounds.

Other Thoughts
The Pats did a good job of containing Randy Moss with pressure at the line and having a safety over the top. He was limited to only 1 catch for 8 yards. Perhaps Moss regrets leaving NE now because he still isn't getting the ball enough in a contract year and now he's playing for a losing team. To add to the drama, he held another strange postgame press conference. Oh Randy...

Thoughts after Week 7, Patriots vs. Chargers

The Pats capitalized on some early blunders by the Chargers to get out in front for most of this game. However, lack some situational awareness and a soft defense allowed the Chargers to climb their way back into this game and make it a nail-biter. In the end, the Pats did just enough and hung on to win, 23-20.

Offense
Tom Brady did not look sharp for the 2nd straight week and had accuracy issues. Part of that may have resulted from poor pass protection and not being able to step into his throws. There were a few occasions where his throws landed at the feet of his receivers.

The left side of the offensive line appeared to struggle in this game. Light once again got victimized by speedy edge rushers. Brady seemed to be pressured all game long and did not have much time make his reads.

In addition to not being to pass block very well, the offensive line also struggled in creating holes in the run game. The Pats only rushed for about 50 yards.

Considering the lack of success running the ball all game, it was horrible execution on the 4th and 1 attempt at the end of the game. That play had no chance. I respect Belichick's aggressiveness in certain situations and I understand that a conversion there would essentially end the game. But at some point, you're going to have to punt the ball one day and trust that your young defense can come up with a stop.

Defense
After the Pats failed to convert on 4th down, the Chargers were left with a short field to get into FG range. However, the young defense was up to the task and did just enough to force the Chargers to try a 45-yard FG. Thankfully, a false start penalty pushed them back another 5 yards and the rest is history.

The defense was very opportunistic in this game. Early in the game, they forced a fumble and gathered two additional fumbles from mental lapses by the Chargers. It was a heads-up play by Sanders to dive on the ball left behind by an untouched WR.

The Pats also did a good job of containing Gates for most of the game. He was pretty much a non-factor until the coverage started to soften up late in the game. I hate seeing soft zone coverages late in games but I know it's designed to prevent giving up long plays.

Speaking of containing, the Pats did a good job in limiting the Chargers to only 38 rush yards. It forced the Chargers to be one dimensional. However, Rivers made the most of his opportunities and threw for a ton of yards. He was able to drive his team down the field way too easily, especially late in the game. The Pats need to tighten up their defense and not allow as many 4th quarter points (17).

McCourty continues to impress in his rookie year and came down with a textbook interception. He had great position on his man, turned back at the right time to locate the ball, and made an athletic play to snatch the ball at its highest point. What a great pick in this year's draft! Dez, who?

Special Teams
Gostkowski had another good game on a very windy day. He was perfect on his 3 FG tries and he added another touchback.

It's a bad thing when long snappers get noticed and this was no exception. Jake Ingram had several low snaps which could have been disastrous. It was a good thing that Mesko was able to handle them and still get his punts off.

The Pats had a huge mental lapse allowing the Chargers to recover an onside-kick late in the game. The lack of situational awareness was not typical for a Belichick-coached team. Hopefully these young guys will learn from this and not repeat these types of mistakes in future games.

Other Thoughts
Overall, it was an ugly game but I'll take the W. The offense struggled badly for most of this game but they did enough to score against a very stingy defense. The defense was opportunistic and made the required plays on the Chargers' miscues.

The Chargers must be one of the dumbest teams in the league. They are routinely beating themselves with unforced fumbles and untimely penalties. They definitely deserve their 2-5 record.

Thoughts after Week 6, Ravens vs. Patriots

Once again the Patriots continued to play well late in games and showed us a lot of determination by coming back from a 10-point 4th quarter deficit to pull out a 23-20 win in OT against the Ravens.

Offense
Overall, I think the play-calling this week was a little more creative than we've seen in several years. It was good to seeing end-arounds to offset the aggressiveness of the Ravens' defense.

Brady's performance was a little uneven. He seemed to struggle at first with the Ravens dropping more players into coverage. His first INT came as a result of an overthrow into this added coverage. He also seemed to be struggling a bit with his mechanics as he short-hopped a few throws.

However, Brady is a winner and he was at his best when it mattered most. He surgically marched his team down the field to score 10 points to tie the game in the 4th quarter. Then he orchestrated the final drive to get into FG range to win the game.

Admittedly, I was not initially sold on having an older, often-injured former WR back with the Pats. But I stand corrected and it was great seeing the legendary "chemistry" that Brady and Branch seem to have. Branch had a great game and he looked very smooth coming in and out of his breaks. He fought hard to hang onto certain catches which I'm sure Moss wouldn't have done.

Woodhead continues to produce in his role as a 3rd-down back. The Ravens seemed to have difficulty locating him on several occasions and he was able to squirt forward for chunks of yardage late in the game. His lack of size concerns me in pass protection but he is so much more dynamic than Faulk.

The only real negative from this game was there were a lot of drops. In particular, Hernandez had two horrible drops in OT which could have cost the Patriots the game. I'm really hoping that he bounces back from this and learns to keep his nerves in check.

Defense
The defense appears to be getting better at game-planning and making adjustments. In particular, the Pats loaded 8 or 9 guys in the box to stuff the run and dare Flacco to beat them. Ray Rice had to fight hard for every yard he gained.
However, Flacco looked pretty good for most of the game taking what was given to him. He was able to move the ball rather easily with short dump-offs and intermediate throws.

The Pats did a good job of stuffing runs on early downs and putting the Ravens into long 3rd down situations. However, the Pats continued to struggle in getting off of the field for most of the game.

I think toward the end of the game though, the Ravens got conservative and continued to try to run against the loaded front. I guess they still don't trust Flacco late in games. The Pats were able to close on RBs coming out of the backfield and force the Ravens to punt. As a result, the Ravens struggled to score late in the game.

I really enjoyed the increased physicality of the Patriots players and I think it rivals teams like the Ravens and Steelers. However, Meriweather needs to be smarter because these illegal hits will not only get flagged, but someone could get seriously hurt.

Special Teams
The Patriots' special teams were solid all-around in this game. Gostkowski hit on all 3 FG attempts which included the game-winner in OT. He was also got good distance on kickoffs and got a fair share of touchbacks.

Mesko was a beast! The Patriots had to punt from deep within their own territory and it was all but assumed that the Ravens would get the ball back in great field position. Then out of nowhere, Mesko kicks a monster 65-yard punt which flipped the field and took the Ravens all the way back to their own 19-yard line. The Patriots were able to force a punt after that and the rest is history.

Other Thoughts
This game shows how much difference a great QB can have on the outcome of a game. Flacco was badly stuffed on a QB sneak because he tried to sneak it right into the teeth of the defense. Flacco was not trusted to throw the ball late in the game so they ran the ball a lot. In contrast, Brady was able to calmly lead his team from 10 points down to tie the game and eventually win it in OT.

Randy Moss Trade

The Patriots have just completed two trades involving WRs during this past bye week which has caused quite a stir in Patriots Nation. The timing of the Randy Moss trade seems fishy. Here are my thoughts:

On its surface, I really hate this trade. The Pats are significantly less dangerous without Moss because his mere presence stretched opposing defenses. Without Moss, opposing safeties no longer have to respect the deep ball and cheat up against the run and underneath throws.

It was unlikely for the Pats to extend Moss during the regular season. Moss was in a contract year and he typically produces in contract years (e.g., 2007). It was likely Moss would walk after this year and the Pats would have been awarded a 3rd round compensatory pick in the NFL 2012 draft.

So why trade your best downfield receiver? Why would you significantly downgrade your team in the short-term for an unknown return in the long-term? Why would you trade a highly productive player who was motivated to earn his last big pay day for only a 3rd round pick in the NFL 2011 draft when you could have used his services for the rest of the season and received a 3rd round pick anyways?

The Pats got a 3rd round pick in next year's draft as opposed to 2 years from now. It's a year sooner but that's not a good enough reason...

The only logical reason is the Pats had to. Moss demanded a trade after the first game of the season. This makes sense considering the odd timing of his press conference. Moss was unhappy and he was becoming a distraction. He had to put up numbers to get a lucrative deal after this season and he knew he wouldn't get those numbers in this system. He was unhappy being a decoy. He was unhappy that the offense did not revolve around him.

Reports came out that Moss got into an argument with the offensive coordinator, Bill O'Brien, and that there were tense moments on the flight back from Miami. There may have been other incidents but the Pats rarely let things like that out.

So the Pats had no choice but to move him and to do it quickly. The Pats only got a 3rd round pick in return so I think either there weren't many teams interested in Moss or the Pats needed to just get the deal done quickly before Moss drove down his trade value with more diva antics. It was the bye week so the Pats were also probably motivated to get more practices in to adjust to life without Randy.

Moss is officially gone now. I won't miss him alligator-arming passes over the middle and his pathetic attempts at run-blocking. Even though he's lost a step and no longer gets separation from defenders, he still has the unique ability to catch deep balls and make them look routine. Oh Randy...we could have been great together.

Thoughts after Week 4, Patriots vs. Dolphins

It was great to see the Patriots put up some points in the 2nd half of a game. It was even better seeing them win a meaningful road game. Finally, it was great to see them embarrass a division rival on national TV, 41-14. It was a crazy game and it goes to show how much of an impact special teams can have on a game. Everybody Patrick Chung tonight!

Offense
Overall, I think the offense was efficient. Brady spread the ball well. I don't think he had to force any throws during the game. He only finished with about 150 passing yards but that was all the team needed.

The offensive line struggled a bit with Miami's pass rushers. I get a little jealous when what a great pass rusher can do for a team. The offensive line allowed a few sacks so they'll need to get that resolved quickly.

Once again, Moss was not the focal point of the offense and he was held catchless. He seemed to get consistently double-teamed so that opened up things underneath for the other receivers. I'm sure he's not happy being just a decoy and occasionally run-blocking. In fact, he whiffed badly on his defender on a screen pass on his side.

Welker still doesn't look as explosive as he was prior to his injury. However, he was elusive enough to get open and move the chains.

Woodhead scored his second TD in as many weeks. So far, he's impressed me as a replacement for some of what Faulk did. He seems to use his lack of size well to hide behind blockers and then burst through holes when they appear.

Defense

I have mixed feelings about the defense. Miami finished with over 400 yards of offense and Henne had over 300 yards passing. There didn't appear to be much of a pass rush. Time after time, the Patriots gave up long 3rd down conversions and seemed like they could not get off of the field. After Miami drove down the field easily on their first drive to score a TD, all I could think about was, "Oh no! Here it goes again!" But it seemed that after the first drive, the Patriots made some adjustments and limited the Dolphins to only 7 more points the rest of the way.

This game reminded me of the old, bend-but-don't-break defense of the dynasty years. It's kind of maddening to watch as other teams dink-and-dunk their way down the field but it is designed to prevent the long ball and quick scores. Since offenses have to run more plays to score TDs, it gives the defense more opportunities to make a big play such as an INT.

Speaking of INTs, the defense came away with 4 INTs with 2 of them coming from OLB Rob Ninkovich. Chung returned another one for a TD.

Mayo finished with 16 tackles so he seems to be returning to pre-injury form. However, most of the tackles seemed to come after long gains so that's something to keep an eye on. I'd like for him to diagnose the play sooner and aggressively go after the ball.

Special Teams
The special teams were just that, special. Gostkowski had a very solid game. He hit both of his early FG attempts. He also got great distance on his kickoffs and 5 out of 7 of them were touchbacks. This is huge because the opposing team can't score on kickoffs if they don't even have the opportunity to bring it out of the endzone.

Speaking of kickoffs, Tate scored another kickoff TD which is his second of the year. He's been close on a number of attempts and it was fun watching him break another one. It's great knowing that on any kickoff, he has the potential of instantly turning the tide of the game.

Last but not least, Patrick Chung was a beast! He blocked a punt which resulted in a TD. He later blocked a long FG attempt which was picked up by Arrington and returned for a TD. To round out his night, he also returned an INT for another TD.

Other Thoughts
The Patriots are now tied in the division with a 3-1 record heading into the bye. The Jets still hold the tie-breaker but the season is still young. The season only gets tougher from here on out so hopefully the defense can build off this win and continue to improve.

Thoughts after Week 3, Bills vs. Patriots

First off, I'm glad the Patriots won this game, 38-30. However, I was disappointed that the defense once again played awful and made one of the worst offenses look like offensive juggernauts. I understand we have one of the youngest defensive units in the league but I'm starting to question how much of a "defensive genius" Belichick really is with the lack of production he is getting out of that side of the ball for the past several years. Anyways, on to my analysis...

Offense
Losing Faulk to injury last week was a blow to this team but I honestly think the team is more dynamic without him. Faulk is a solid 3rd-down back and he is skilled at keeping the chains moving. However, he is not explosive and cannot get large chunks of yardage and make those game-changing plays. So without him in the game, Brady had to utilize his other weapons and I thought he did a good job of mixing things up. Hernandez appeared to benefit the most with Faulk's absence. Once again, he had a pretty solid outing. If he can stay clean off of the field, he would be the biggest steal in the 2010 NFL draft.

The running game was very good with over 200 yards of rushing. It was probably the quietest 200 yards I have ever seen. It was effective and blended well with the passing game. BJGE definitely made the most of his opportunities and reminded us why Maroney was replaceable. Fred Taylor saw very limited action as it appears his toe injury was continuing to bother him. This situation is definitely something to be concerned about.

The passing attack was also very good. The ball was spread around more and it looked like vintage Brady hitting open receivers. When it comes to Moss, less is definitely more. He was only targeted a few times and still finished with 2 TDs. Welker had a relatively quiet game and I wonder if he is still trying to recover some of his quickness to get more separation.

Once again the offensive line did its job with keeping Brady relatively untouched. Brady seemed to have plenty of time in the pocket to make his reads and when given time, he can absolutely shred a defense. It was masterful the way he drove his team down the field to kick a FG with only with 40 seconds left in the first half.

Defense
There's no other way to describe the defense other than they absolutely stink right now. For the second week in a row, they have made a below average QB and make them look like Pro Bowlers. Fitzpatrick had all day to throw and there was very little pressure on the passer. There was no containment and when plays broke down, he was able to tuck the ball and easily rush up the middle.

The Patriots played too soft and gave up way too many yards on first down. They couldn't stop the short throws underneath. When they got into their sub packages, they couldn't stop the run. When they were in position to make plays, horrible tackling allowed for additional yards.

Darius Butler took my advice about tweeting less but apparently missed the part about watching more film. He lost his starting spot to Arrington who performed adequately in his place. Butler finally saw the field later in the game. He promptly gave up a reception, took a bad angle on a run to his side which allowed for a long gain, and was immediately benched again. Not a good sign for the youngster.

Speaking of benchings, Banta-Cain and Meriweather also did not start. I think Banta-Cain has been cheating too much on snap counts and has been too eager to get after the QBs and forgetting to set the edge in the run game. And I think Meriweather's problem is he thinks he's better than he really is. He can be a dynamic player but he is overly aggressive sometimes and freelances a bit too much. He ran underneath a block instead of staying to the outside which allowed for a really easy TD.

The INTs late in the game were gifts for Chung and Meriweather. But to their credit, they made the most of their opportunities and held onto the ball.

Special Teams
Mesko struggled badly in this game. He shanked most of his punts and he left a relatively short field for the other team. He has such a powerful leg so I hope he can just boom it next week.

The special teams also played poorly by allowing a 97-yard kickoff TD. Once again, Meriweather took a bad angle on Spiller and basically took out his own man.

Other Thoughts
Overall I give the offense and A and the defense a F. The game was way closer than it needed to be. Belichick-coached teams tend to get better as the year goes on so hopefully he can make the appropriate adjustments on defense. Otherwise, it looks like we're in for a long season.