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Outside Foxborough – Undefeated Numbers

October 11, 2007 By 2 Comments

fo.jpgBy Bill Barnwell
[email protected]

Although the Cowboys almost didn’t make it, their narrow victory on Monday does present us with a rarity coming up this week: a matchup of two teams, both 5-0. In fact, since 1983, there’s been exactly one 5-0 vs. 5-0 game, and it also involved the Patriots. In 2004, the 5-0 Patriots met the 5-0 Jets in Week 6. The end result? A 13-7 victory for the Patriots, and while both teams made the playoffs, the Patriots won the Super Bowl. So, then, if the Patriots beat the Cowboys this week, we can just pencil the Patriots in as champions and move on with our lives, right? No? Oh, statistics are annoying.

Obviously, there’s much more to the whole winning-the-Super Bowl-thing than going 6-0 and beating a 5-0 team. What we can do, though, is attempt to quantify what going 6-0 instead of 5-1 might do for the Patriots.

To do that, we’ll take the game-by-game records of every season from 1983-on, excluding the strike season of 1987. We’ll do game-by-game instead of week-by-week so that performances match up over the different bye week patterns that we’ve seen throughout the last 20+ years.

First, let’s see how likely a team is to even be 5-0 in the first place.

From this, we can see that 5.4% of teams have been 5-0 following Week 5. That means that that, on average, we could expect 1.72 teams a year to start their seasons 5-0. Now, you can understand how unlikely it is (a .28% chance, actually) that two 5-0 teams would be meeting when there’s not even a 50/50 shot of two 5-0 teams even existing come Week 5. In 2006, only Indianapolis and Chicago were 5-0, and in 2005, it was only Indy.Remember that this is based on real data, not simulations, so while there’s obviously a chance of a team going 16-0, because it hasn’t happened in the timeframe, 0.0% of the teams have won 16 games out of 16.

While it’s good to know the Patriots are one of a rare breed, what does that mean? Well, what we can do is compare those winning percentages week-by-week to a team’s end result; namely, how many wins did a team that started the year 5-0 average?

So, then, the Patriots catapulted themselves from a team that averaged 11.3 wins per season last week to one that now averages 12.2 wins per season. If they were to beat the Cowboys next week, they would go even higher and average 12.7 wins per season, but if they lose, they pretty much are back to where they were following their fourth game.

The bigger question, then, is what that means for the Patriots playoff chances. How often do teams that win 11 games make the playoffs? Or, alternately, how often does a team that starts 5-0 make the playoffs?

So, a team that wins 11 games will make the playoffs 98.1% of the time. The only 11-5 team to not make the playoffs in the course of this study were the 1985 Broncos, who missed out on a tiebreaker to two other 11-5 wild card teams, one of whom was, of course, the Eason Express.

On the other hand, a team that goes 5-0 will make the playoffs 94.1% of the time. A team that goes 6-0 will make it 96.0% of the time, but a team that’s 5-1 will only make it 85.4% of the time.

Finally, using this data, we can actually answer the age-old question. What’s the most important game a team can play? Judging by the playoff percentages, it’s actually a tie. In Week 9, a 4-4 team can really determine its destiny with its performance. If they lose, their odds of making the playoffs are a woeful 11.8%; if they win, an even 50%.

That 38.2% difference based upon the outcome of a sole game also comes up, not surprisingly, in Week 16. An 8-7 team is on the hotseat this time. Win, and you’ll make the playoffs 50.7% of the time; lose, and it’s only a 12.5% shot. Maybe some games really are more important than others.

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With:

Bill of Goods

October 10, 2007 By 11 Comments

logoby Dan Snapp
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We’re eight years along, and folks still don’t have the first clue about Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

Monday, Browns guard Eric Steinbach called Pats linebacker Mike Vrabel “classless” for hitting QB Derek Anderson at the knee on a spike play in the final seconds:   

“It was a classless act, and you can quote me on that. The play was already dead. It was long after that. You can say it was only one guy, but that reflects on the team. Everyone’s trying to emulate the New England Patriots, and everyone looks up to them in the NFL like they’re the team that does everything right.”

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. And if you’re a Patriots fan, you’ve heard it and know what’s likely coming next. Somebody says “Classless” and “Patriots” together in the same sentence, and it’s only a matter of time before LaDainian Tomlinson is in front of a camera.

So when was it again that Belichick decreed the Patriots to be the league’s moral compass? That they were all squeaky-clean Boy Scouts who loved their mamas, ate their vegetables, said their prayers and asleep by nine?

Sure, the players contend there’s a “Patriot Way”, but every team has their version of that. No doubt Bob Kraft and his PR department eats this stuff up, too (“Today, we’re all Patriots!”), but you’ll never hear such language coming from Belichick.

Listen to his press conferences. He repeats such tedious truisms (“There’s plenty of room for improvement”, “I’m just concentrating on the next opponent”, “It is what it is”), they become football mantras, soon after repeated by the players. The themes remain constant: respect for the opponent; humility; and always the plan to work harder.

Bill Belichick is a Horatio Alger story for the 21st century: achieving success through hard work, discipline and determination, and then cultivating those same principles in his team. He coached his players to place accountability, sacrifice and team above all other virtues, and then thrived because of it.

Yet somehow his national perception is the opposite: cheater, ogre, bully, lout, and famously, “arrogant, megalomaniacal, duplicitous pond scum.” You name it, he’s been called it. Obviously, “Spygate” added fuel to the fire, but the perception was there long before that.

The media rewards those who help them do their jobs, and punishes those who don’t. Belichick is being punished. Long after the league tried to shut the door on the issue, folks like Peter King, Gregg Easterbrook and Mike Florio keep trying to wedge it open. King wrote Monday:

I think what makes me not want to forget the Patriots’ Spygate story are conversations like the one I had with a club official the other day, a man I respect a lot. “From what I hear, it’s best for everyone in the league if this story just goes away,” he said.

Maybe. Or maybe it’s best for the 130 million Americans who watch some part of the Super Bowl every year to hear an explanation from Bill Belichick or the league about what was found — and whether there was something in the tapes that was a tangible benefit to a team winning any of three Super Bowls by three points apiece. I still think we’re owed an explanation that’s never been offered.

So typical. The club official gives King the wink-wink tidbit (“best for everyone in the league”, and really, what else could that mean?) and King blows it off, instead escalating the Pats’ speculation to start questioning the Super Bowls. Oh, and here’s a good rule of thumb: whenever a writer says he’s speaking for the fans, he’s not speaking for the fans.

Moments after Steinbach’s dust-up with Vrabel Sunday, Belichick made his way across the field to greet his former defensive coordinator, Browns coach Romeo Crennel. Unlike Belichick’s relationship with Jets coach Eric Mangini, he and Crennel remain close, so you can imagine how CBS treated the moment.

Exactly. They didn’t show it.

If Belichick hugs a guy in the forest but the network doesn’t tape it, does it make a sound?

Instead, we were treated to Tom Brady rushing down the sidelines, looking pissed about his afternoon. Most likely, he was caught on the MossCam, always on the lookout for Randy yelling at a quarterback, squirting a ref, or rushing to the locker room before the game was over. Since it was Brady rushing to the locker room, well, nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

We’ll see how the same network treats the Patriots/Jets rematch in December. I’m sure they won’t show that handshake.
   
This is why the prospect of going undefeated is so compelling. Nobody expects or demands it, but it would be the ultimate defiant gesture to every self-entitled media member looking to extract their pound of flesh, to every delusional playoff opponent questioning the nature of their losses, and to the tough-guy commish, who would rather play Gary Cooper than squelch the whole affair when he had the chance.

The beauty of it is you can be certain nobody’s talking about it in Foxboro. Adalius Thomas will print up the “16-0 is a four-letter word” tee shirts, and Belichick will say, “Does anybody have any questions about Washington?”

So the media will go on billing Belichick as the evil ogre, opponents will go on telling what the Patriots are supposed to represent, and the team will block out both and just concentrate on the task at hand.

It is what it is.

Filed Under: Columns

Inside Gillette

October 9, 2007 By 3 Comments

logoby Christopher Price
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Early last season, many believed the time had come for tight end Ben Watson to become a breakout star. With Deion Branch and David Givens gone, it was believed Watson had a real shot to become the No. 1 option in the New England passing game — and some even believed he could break the franchise record for most catches by a tight end.

“He could be a really dominant player,” said quarterback Tom Brady of the 6-foot-3, 255-pound tight end before the beginning of the 2006 season. “It’s up to him and how hard he works.”

However, Watson struggled at times, ending the season with 49 receptions. While he was second on the team in catches, it was considered a lost year for Watson for several reasons, not the least of which was that missed three games due to injury and because so much more was expected of the Georgia product.

But everything changed for Watson on April 29th when the Patriots traded for Randy Moss. The arrival of Moss gave New England a legitimate threat in the vertical game, one they didn’t have the last few years and one that demands constant attention from opposing defenses. As a result, the mere presence of Moss has allowed underneath receivers to benefit — even if Moss isn’t catching balls, his constant presence demands attention, and allows tight ends and slot receivers to flourish in single coverage.

On Sunday, the Browns specifically spent much of their defensive energies in trying to stop Moss. As a result, Watson was able to pick up the slack, finishing with six catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

“A lot of times we kind of feel it out in the beginning of the game with different personnel groups in there, and see how they’re going to play us,” said Watson, who also had an 11-yard run on a reverse, the first run from scrimmage for him in his NFL career. “It just so happened they were playing a lot of split safety, and I was able to get open a little bit.”

On both of his touchdown catches, Moss was on the same side of the field as Watson, drawing the bulk of the attention from defenders who were more concerned with No. 81 than they were with No. 84.

“It’s great having the opportunity,” said Watson, who registered the first 100-yard game of his career and brought his 2007 total to a career-high five touchdown receptions, four of which have come in red-zone situations. “That’s why you always have to be ready. You never know when your time is going to come to help out this team.”

“The great thing about Ben is that he has these games where they could be breakout games, and if you stop paying attention to Ben he really hurts you,” Brady said Sunday. “I think that was the situation on both of those touchdown passes, where they’re overplaying one thing, and you forget about Ben and he’s there to make the play.

“It’s another couple of touchdown [catches] for him. He’s a threat every time he’s in the red zone because he has great hands, he’s very elusive, and he gets open on the linebackers. I thought he had another great day.”

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK

1. The matchup between Asante Samuel and Terrell Owens. The Patriots’ No. 1 cornerback against the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver should be one of the best individual matchups of not only the Patriots season, but the NFL in general.

2. How the Cowboys try to defend Randy Moss. Cleveland paid plenty of attention to Moss Sunday, rolling several coverage schemes toward Tom Brady’s No. 1 option in the passing game. It resulted in Moss’ lowest output of the season (three catches, 46 yards), but other offensive weapons like Watson and wide receiver Donte Stallworth (four catches, 65 yards, one touchdown) were able to step up and make plays. Will Dallas take the same chance, or will they use single coverage on Moss?

3. To see if anything comes of the Monday comments from Cleveland offensive lineman Eric Steinbach. The Browns’ offensive lineman told The Associated Press Monday he believes Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel should be fined for allegedly diving at the knee of Cleveland left tackle Joe Thomas on a play with 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter. If the league believes a fine is in order, it would likely be levied on either Wednesday or Thursday.

4. If the short week has an impact on the Cowboys. In the days after the Monday Night win over the Bengals earlier this month, the Patriots talked a lot about how much playing on the road on Monday night can play havoc with the following week. The Cowboys face the same predicament this week, as they’re coming off an emotionally exhausting Monday game with the Bills in Buffalo.

5. How the Patriots go about working Rodney Harrison back into the starting lineup. Harrison was eased back into action slowly in his first week back from his suspension — he was on defense for nine first-half snaps and 23 second-half snaps. Expect those numbers to increase this week against the Cowboys. (And as a side note — its no coincidence that New England’s first red zone stop of the year coincided with Harrison’s return to the field.)

STAT OF THE WEEK

17. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 2007 Patriots are the fourth team in NFL history to win each of its first five games by a margin of 17 points or more. The Patriots have won by 24, 24, 31, 21 and 17 points in their five games this season. The other teams to achieve the feat are the 1999 St. Louis Rams, the 1968 Dallas Cowboys and the 1921 Buffalo All-Americans.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Coming back was nice, but who wants to come back to a whupping?” – Cleveland linebacker Willie McGinest, who returned to New England for the first time since he departed for the Browns after the end of the 2005 season.

Christopher Price is an award-winning sportswriter who has covered the Patriots since 2001 for Boston Metro. He’s served a contributor to ESPN.com, SI.com, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post and The Miami Herald. His book “The Blueprint: How the New England Patriots Beat the System to Create the Last Great NFL Superpower” will be released Oct. 16 by Thomas Dunne Books. He can be reached at [email protected].

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With:

Brown Out

October 8, 2007 By 3 Comments

logoby Scott Benson
[email protected]

The old dog had some old tricks for the Patriots yesterday.

Former Pats defensive chief Romeo Crennel and the Cleveland Browns managed to do what no one had done yet – extricate Randy Moss from the center of an explosive New England offense – but in the end, they couldn’t cover everybody, or cover for their own mistakes. 

The Patriots defense forced four Cleveland turnovers and Tom Brady teamed with Ben Watson and Sammy Morris to get by the Browns, 34-17, for a win that was not nearly as comfortable as the final score would indicate.

For the first time this season, the Patriots offense stumbled – converting just 2 of 12 third downs and scoring just 1 touchdown in 4 red zone tries on a frustrating afternoon  – as Crennel and the Browns blanketed Moss (just 3 catches) and forced Brady to look elsewhere for help.

Ultimately, that help was there for the deep Patriots, as Watson gathered in 100 yards and two scores and Morris piled up his second straight 100 yard game in relief of Laurence Maroney, allowing Brady to overcome the partial loss of power and throw for at least three scores for the fifth consecutive week.

The New England defense intercepted Derek Anderson three times on deflected first half passes and Randall Gay stripped Kellen Winslow and returned the fumble for a touchdown to mask a pedestrian afternoon in which Anderson and the Browns totaled 22 first downs and 350 yards of net offense on the formerly top-rated Patriots D.

The turnovers kept the Pats comfortably in front through the first half, but Anderson came back to lead the Browns to 17 points over the final 30 minutes and force the Patriots to play for keeps well into the late afternoon.

It might have been worse, had Anderson not bounced an end zone pass off Asante Samuel into the arms of Junior Seau after driving the Browns 60 yards on their first possession, which would have given them an early lead in the Pats’ own park. Instead, the ill-advised pass (Samuel was the only one open on the play, though he muffed it straight in the air) kicked off a series of events that left the Browns trailing by 20 at the half.

The Pats caught more than one break on that drive: after an impressive 11 yard run on the first play, ace runner Jamal Lewis limped off with an ankle injury, never to return.

After the Patriots could do nothing with the turnover, Anderson took over and again went back to pass, this time to the right flat. There waited the Ali-like wingspan of Adalius Thomas, and this time it was Samuel on the other end of the tipped ball near the Cleveland 30.

Brady, who on the opening possession had been held to a field goal after a long drive was stunted in the red zone, immediately went to the air himself. There, safely behind impregnable protection (ouch – no pun intended), he scanned a series of options before deciding on Donte Stallworth, who gathered it in at the Browns 25 and outweaved everyone to the end zone, and a 10-0 lead.

Stallworth had his second straight strong game – he’s quickly becoming the Pat most likely to do something interesting after the catch. He slithers more than he runs. He was surrounded by Browns on the touchdown, but was always just out of their reach. With Moss limited to two first-half catches (both on the opening drive), Stallworth emerged to retain the Pats’ outside game.

Everything started, as it should, with the superlative play of the New England offensive line. It’s like future politician Brady has already been assigned a Secret Service detail. He’s getting all the time on the rope line he needs, and the backs continue to find creases in which they can square up and plow ahead.

Morris is nothing if not the living definition of solid, a physical back that almost always is able to lean forward for three and four yards. With the official designation of Maroney as “Injury Prone” now but a formality, Morris is increasingly becoming an indispensible player for the Patriots.

As is Russ Hochstein, who moved to center for the ailing Dan Koppen after filling in for the previously-ailing – and now returning – Stephen Neal at right guard. The Patriots have suffered two injuries to the core of their line and haven’t skipped a beat, thanks to the long-time standby who’s often as effective as any starter.  

The two turnovers slowed the Browns, who kept it close to the vest for a bit, content to distract the Pats with Scott Player’s ridiculous moustache. If you are going to make a facemask choice like that, why add the friggin’ handlebar moustache? A blond handlebar moustache? Player, please. I think he even spooked Brady, who again drove New England inside Cleveland’s 10 only to be turned aside with only another field goal. Despite two long drives and two turnovers by their opponent, the Patriots still led by less than two touchdowns.

Emboldened by their (relatively) good fortune, Cleveland began to drive again, and three first downs brought them to midfield. But at the two minute warning, Mike Vrabel’s bull rush from Anderson’s right put him on the quarterback’s hip as he tried to throw. The ball was free in the air again, and again it was a Patriot – Seau, for the second time – that was waiting.

Seau just about gave everybody a heart attack by stopping in the middle of his return – perfectly positioned in the center of the field, where everybody could see – to wave the ball wildly in the air as angry Browns approached. He was mercifully tackled before he could pitch the ball to Bill Belichick or something equally as puzzling as his mid-return brainfart.

The interception gave Brady the ball at the Browns 25, and Watson stepped forward for the first of his two touchdown catches, an easy flip and run to the left side flag from the Cleveland 7. Watson later beat single coverage to race down the right hash and pull in a perfectly thrown Brady pass for a 25 yard, fourth quarter score, his fifth of the season. His development into a reliable contributor this year has been a quiet success story for the highly-touted Pats.

With a 20-0 lead to start the third quarter, the biggest concern for New England was how quickly the game clock could tick off the final 30 minutes. It felt that way anyway, as the offense stalled for its first scoreless third quarter of the season and the defense striggled to get off the field. Cleveland seemed to hold the ball for most of the period, as the Patriots offense could only muster two first downs. Here Moss’s absence was most deeply felt, as for the first time his year, his connection with Brady seemed ill-timed. Brady’s forced attempts flew wildly past a blanketed Moss again and again, leaving all due credit to Crennel and his staff, who offered the league’s first answer to the dynamic duo. Did the three-time champion coordinator start a book on Moss yesterday by showing the rest of the league how to dim New England’s brightest light? We’ll find out.

Just as we’ll find out about the Patriots defense, who started the day at the top of the league’s statistical rankings but ended it by getting backpedaled by Anderson, who directed two fourth quarter touchdown drives to keep the game close. Backup tailback Jason Wright (100 total yards of offense) proved problematic for New England, as did Braylon Edwards (100 receiving), Tim Carter (a 21 yard TD pass from Anderson) and Kellen Winslow (a 15 yard score to complete a bang-bang two-play drive). The Patriots couldn’t cover anybody and couldn’t get off the field, despite a season-best effort from Tedy Bruschi (two sacks on wide open blitzes).

That left the Pats with a ten point lead and six minutes to play, and as has been their custom, the offense launched a clock killing ball control drive behind Morris and Kyle ‘The Kloser’ Eckel, who provided late game relief for the second straight week. But again, Cleveland closed the Pats down inside the red zone, and Belichick eschewed a field goal for a failed 4th down pass to Kyle Brady, which had no chance of succeeding from the snap. This confused me almost as much as Seau’s premature celebration; why not take the sure three and a thirteen point lead, forcing Cleveland to score two touchdowns in one minute to win, rather than just a touchdown and a field goal to tie? 

Maybe it was because it left the Browns backed up to their own goal line, and when Winslow was stripped by Gay (who finished with a neat cross-country return for TD), it didn’t end up mattering. The Pats left the field with another three-score margin of victory, though they had to know just how slim that margin really was.

Filed Under: Games

Patriots Buffet Table 10/7/07 Patriots vs. Browns

October 8, 2007 By Leave a Comment

Patriots Buffet Table 10/7/07 Patriots vs. Browns
by Patriots Daily Kitchen Staff

This week we’re getting ready for Pats-Browns. Cleveland – the only city I know that managed to set a river on fire. A burning river is almost as bad an idea as firing Belichick and they did both. On the Buffet Table, we’re looking towards the German ancestry of many Clevelanders and making Schwenkbraten.

Don’t worry it is easier to make that it is to pronounce. Schwenkbraten is a German grilled pork. Usually cooked over a beechwood fire, if you have a smoker go for it, it’s still great when cooked on a gas grill.

Ingredients:
Schwenkbraten – German grilled pork
serves 4
4 onions
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup (2 nip bottles) gin
1 tablespoon mustard (german stoneground will be best, but brown will do)
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt (kosher will be best)
2 pound pork loin, you can use boneless pork chops, but the loin is more tender
8 bulkie or kaiser rolls

Prep:
Almost all of the work for this recipe occurs a day before.
Slice the onions and put the rings into a large ziplock bag, add everything but the pork and salt, mix it all together. Cut the loin into 16 chops, cutting on the diagonal will give you thinner chops with more surface area. They’ll soak up more marinade and grill faster, both good things. Sprinkle the salt over your cut chops. After 15 minutes, put the chops into the ziplock, mix it up, push the air out of the bag and close. By adding the salt and allowing the meat to sit salted, we drew some of the moisture out of the pork. That will allow the marinade to soak in faster. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Cooking:
Take the chops out of the ziplock. Pour the onion and marinade mixture into a large aluminum foil pouch. Put the pouch on your grill, after 10 minutes put your chops onto the grill. The oil used in the marinade may flame up, so be careful when you put them on. 4 minutes later flip the chops, and after another 3 minutes check to make sure the pork is no longer pink and the juices run clear and you’re done. If you cut the chops thick you will need to cook them longer.

Layer the chops and onions onto the rolls, 2 chops per roll. You could use some more German mustard if desired, but you won’t need it. Mix some cayenne pepper into brown mustard and you’re pretty close to the secret recipe stadium mustard served in Cleveland.

Time for a drink!

With grilled meat one of my favorite beers is Porter. Porter is a dark beer full of roasted, chocolate, caramel and coffee flavors from the dark malts used to make it. The signature malt in a Porter is Black Patent. Patent in this case refers to a sort of license sold to maltsters (the people that turn barley into barley malt) back in the day in England. The sugars in the grains are highly carmelized and come close to being charred, just like what happens to meat that hits a hot grill.

Other beers may match up with the Schwenkbraten, but Porter can stand up to the spices we used in our marinade, and not many beers can pair so well with the char from a hot grill.

Cleveland has a number of smaller breweries, Crooked River even produced ‘Expansion Draft’ in honor of the Browns return to Cleveland. The most notable is the Great Lakes Brewing Company (http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/).
We can’t get their award winning Edmund Fitzgerald Porter in New England, but that won’t stop us from finding a great one.

We have no shortage of Porters from New England breweries. Smuttynose Robust Porter is one of the best in the country. Smuttynose Robust Porter is very similar to Cleveland’s Edmund Fitzgerald with strong chocolate and orange-citrus flavor from the hops. Berkshire Brewing Drayman’s Porter is very good. Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter is available inside Gilette at the Beers of New England stand in 22 ounce ‘bomber’ bottles. Atlantic Brewing from Maine contributes Coal Porter. The reborn Narragansett Brewing has started selling one. This isn’t a complete list, and your local brewpubs may have their own outstanding version. The larger craft breweries such as Anchor and Sierra Nevada put out their own porters.

You should have no trouble finding a good one in most stores.

Filed Under: Buffet Table, Uncategorized

The Sunday Links – October 7, 2007

October 7, 2007 By 5 Comments

logoby Scott Benson
[email protected]

Two men who played essential roles in bringing three world championships to Foxboro return to Gillette Stadium this afternoon as Romeo Crennel and Willie McGinest lead their 2-2 Cleveland Browns into a conference battle with the undefeated Patriots. 

Let’s see what the home team papers have to say about the homecoming:

The 17 Percenters are kind of distracted with other business today, but they manage to free up a few bodies from the Jeffrey Maier beat for a cursory look at the Pats. The always estimable Mike Reiss leads the coverage with his weekly notes column, a hilarious rebuttal to Bloggin’ Borges’s famous Bed and Breakfast hatchet job on Randy Moss from earlier this spring. Reiss talks with two of Moss’s old coaches, including his Marshall coach Bob Pruett, who minces no words when it comes to Art Shell and Tom Walsh. He gets off two beauties:

“In Oakland, that was the worst offense in the country,” says Pruett, adding “the problem in Oakland was that they couldn’t get the ball to anybody.”

Hee. OWNED!

Shell and Walsh were apparently unavailable for comment – Walsh was special ordering a case of apricot jelly for some finicky guests, and Shell was off telling anybody who would listen (hello again, Ron) that, from 1989-1994, he was 54-38 as Raiders head coach BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Reiss also checks in with former Pats Roman Phifer (the Documentarian), Andre Davis (the Deep Threat) and Daniel Graham (the Dependable One).

Elsewhere, Christopher Gasper looks at how the quick actions of the Patriots personnel team brought leading rusher Sammy Morris to New England.  In his weekly scouting report, Jim McBride likes the high scoring Pats over the Browns by two touchdowns. Reiss and Gasper team up on a notebook entry that has Rodney Harrison returning to action today.

John Tomase of the Herald also got me laughing this morning by crank calling the 1972 Dolphins and getting them all wound up with talk of an undefeated season for the Patriots. We learn that Jim Kiick is probably a decent guy and that Bob Kuechenberg is probably yelling at some kids to get off his lawn right now.

I’ll agree with the surly Kuechenberg that it’s too early to talk about such foolishness, but I’ll give credit to Tomase for having the stones to wake the old bastard up from his nap. He probably also asked him if his refrigerator was running, because Kuechenberg then launches into a diatribe about Charlie Weis, calling him an “ogre” for not kissing the asses of some blazer-wearing hanger-on friends of the former Notre Damer.

I have no idea what’s going on under the Golden Dome, but when Bob Kuechenberg, the world’s reigning Mr. Miserable, questions your people skills, some change might be in order.

Or maybe not. Turns out Kuechenberg has never met Weis. But he’s hearing very bad things. YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!

Tomase turns his attention back to this afternoon’s game, and says Romeo Crennel will try to defend an offense that the coach compares to the Colts with a unit that ranks in the bottom three of nearly every meaningful defensive statistic. In her notebook, Karen Guregian talks with Harrison about how to stop Browns threat Kellen Winslow Jr. I think he means besides putting curbing around your parking lot.

Down in Providence, Jim Donaldson of the ProJo looks at Crennel’s challenge of putting the Browns on the right track. I laughed yet again when Crennel talked about all the responsibilities that go with the head coaching position, and you know the first thing he listed off?

Video. Hoo boy!

Anyway, Shalise Manza Young writes up the scout team players that help the Pats regulars prepare for their next opponent. Kelley Washington and Ray Ventrone talk about the coveted black jerseys that denote the Pats practice players of the week. SMY also goes up close with Tedy Bruschi, and gives the Pats the decided edge in her weekly game analysis.

In Hartford, David Heuschkel of the Courant says the .500 Browns bring a bit of swagger and a bit of talent to Foxboro today.

Up in Portland, we welcome the Press Herald to the Sunday Links. Mike Lowe has Crennel and McGinest returning to the scene of their Glory Days, as well as a brief Q&A with kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who would like to be an invisible superhero. I don’t know what the point of being a superhero is when nobody can see you. There’s no “Look…..up in the sky!” when you’re toiling in that sort of anonymity.

A couple of nice 4 PM games today, with Denver hosting San Diego on CBS and Tampa visiting Indy on Fox, that is if you’re not watching something else. For now, you can get more Pats news at patriotslinks.com, and visit Boston Sports Media Watch for news of the Red Sox 2-0 ALDS lead, and wins by both the Bruins and Celtics.

See you after the game.

Filed Under: Media

College Scout, 10/6/07

October 6, 2007 By Leave a Comment

logoby Greg Doyle
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The best weekend of college football matchups so far this year is upon us. Some very good duels between ranked teams that will decide a lot in terms of the BCS going forward. Let’s take a look at some of the most attractive matchups.

Wisconsin at Illinois (Noon ESPN): The 5-0 and 5th ranked Wisconin Badgers travel to the upstart Illinois Fighting Illini, who stand at 4-1. Should be a hard fought game and Illinois has been targeting this one for awhile hoping to put themselves on the map with a signature win.

Wisconsin WR Luke Swan (#1): Starting receiver who has shown a lot of improvement this year. Average size and speed, but good hands. Averaging nearly 77 yards receiving per game. Was a former walk-on who has made himself a good college player through hard work. Probably a late-round pick at best and may be undrafted, but his improvement and hard work give him a shot.
 
Wisconsin DT Nick Hayden (#96): Three year starter and run stuffer who has the size (6’5″ 300 lbs.) to play in the Patriots system. Has 2 sacks through 5 games, but has been taken out a lot in passing situations throughout his career. Had a disappointing junior year after a very promising sophomore year and his attitude became an issue. Seems to have turned it around this year and his play has been better. Has done better as a two-gapper, which the Patriots run.
 
Illinois DT Chris Norwell (#96): Hard working kid not blessed with great ability. Been decent his entire career but not great. Probably an undrafted type who could stick with hard work.

Illinois LB J Leman (#47): Team leader on defense who goes by “J” but whose real first name is Jeremy. Put up an amazing 152 tackles last year and added 4 sacks. Leading the Big 10 in tackles again this year. Good size and amazing production make him a definite Patriots possibility. Reportedly has good character. Butkus Award candidate. Watch him closely, as the Patriots certainly will.

Illinois S Kevin Mitchell (#42): Another hard-working team leader for the Illini. More of a free safety type. Has made a lot of tackles and been a very solid college player. Chance to be drafted.

Cincinnati at Rutgers (8:00 PM ESPN2): #20 Cincinnati visits #21 Rutgers in this Big East matchup. Undefeated Cincinnati can move up with a win here.

Cincinnati RB Greg Moore (#48): A big 6’2″ 225 lb. runner who is averaging 7.2 per carry this season. Splits time with Butler Benton. His size, shiftiness and decent production give him a shot in the NFL. His combine times will determine a lot, but there is some potential there. Could possibly convert to fullback if he bulks up a bit. Good character and hard worker.

Cincinnati DE Anthony Hoke (#12): Plays defensive end, but can stand up too. Will be an NFL conversion to linebacker if he makes it. Can rush the passer and decent quickness. The Patriots will take a look to see if he can convert.

Rutgers T Jeremy Zuttah (#71): 290 lb. All-Big East tackle could convert to a guard in the NFL.

Rutgers LB Brandon Renkart (#47): Solid college player who has some size to work with (6’3″ 230) Plays outside for the Scarlet Knights. Hasn’t shown great coverage ability, which he’ll need to play at the next level. Originally walked on as a quarterback.

Rutgers S Ron Girault (#43): Good, but not great, safety who has not taken it to next college level, which raises questions if he can play in NFL. Smallish safety size doesn’t help either (5’11″ 200), but has played a lot and been solid to good. Has made some plays. Has a chance, but will have to be a special teams star.

Florida at LSU (8:00 PM CBS): A classic matchup between last year’s champs (Florida) and possibly the best team in the country this year (LSU). Florida won the matchup last year, but LSU won the two prior to that. We’ve looked at both these teams before, but this matchup has to be highlighted as it may be the game of the year so far. Take a look at the September 15th College Scout for information on Florida and August 30th and September 8th for information on LSU’s top players.

Others To Watch: Miami LB Tavares Gooden (#52) is the Hurricane’s leading tackler. They take on North Carolina at Noon on ESPN2. Fast and instinctive, Gooden is the kind of great athlete that is typical of the Hurricanes. Good size too at 6’2″ 238, such that he could probably put on a few pounds and fit in the Patriots 3-4 system. Can cover backs and tight ends. Next Friday, October 12th, you can have a lot of fun watching Hawaii play offense. They really light it up and will be at San Jose State at 8:00 PM on ESPN2. Tune in to see highly rated QB Colt Brennan (#15) throw the ball all over the field. Brennan is a bit slight of size, but has a good arm, is very accurate and plays with fire. Only plays in the shotgun, however, so that will be an NFL adjustment for him.

Filed Under: The Draft

Patriots Roundtable, October 5, 2007

October 5, 2007 By 15 Comments

logogby the Patriots Daily Staff
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Can I confess something?

I’m kind of nervous about pictures of the Patriots wearing t-shirts that say “I Eat It” kicking around the various nooks and crannies of the World Wide Interwebs.

They didn’t get pictures of that, did they? Because if they did, we could be in serious trouble. What if these images fall into enemy hands? By that I mean those vicious bastards on rival team message boards. Those pricks were desperate to begin with, and there’s no telling what they’ll do now.

You know as well as I do that the balance of power in the NFL is ultimately determined by how much one team’s fans can mock the others with clever photoshops and cruel taunts. Don’t kid yourself – this league isn’t built on parity, it’s built on parody. 

We thought the goat pictures were bad. This may be enough to bring down the whole enterprise. Bring me back to my happy place, Men of the Roundtable!

The Patriots dispatched a fourth straight opponent by at least a three-touchdown margin. To which offensive juggernaut of the past 25 years do they best compare?

Greg Doyle: That is a tough question. I guess I would say the old 49ers teams under Montana. They could run the ball, had one dominant receivers and a bunch of other good ones they spread the ball around to. A very accurate QB. That would probably fit the best.

Kevin Thomas: Strangely enough, they remind me a little bit of the recent Colts teams. It’s not perfectly analagous, but everything they do on offense seems to be based off of the downfield passing game, and more specifically the Brady-Moss connection. This is night and day from the slant and screen-heavy offense in Brady’s early days. It’s also very different from the “clock-killin” offense in ’04, which may have actually been just as dominant as this year’s offense, but in a very different way. I find it remarkable how this team has been able to continually reinvent itself on offense, all with the same guy at quarterback and essentially the same coaching staff. I’m not sure there is a precedent. Denver in the 80s and 90s comes to mind, but they basically went in the opposite direction–from an explosive, gun-slinging offense in Elway’s early years to a ball-control team built around Terrell Davis. The Patriots in Brady’s seventh year have now decided to open up the passing game like never before–and so far it’s working better than anyone could have predicted.

Tim Jordan: It makes you wonder if the offense was built with Indy in mind. Not to emulate their offense, but to attack their defense. In Indy’s three straight wins against NE, they had success in sending Sanders to the line of scrimmage to stop the running game and short passing routes. A passing oriented offense creates challenges for that approach. What makes this offense so daunting is their ability to methodically dominate the time of possession. By midway through the 3rd quarter it was obvious that each of their first four opponents were exhausted and demoralized. It is a thing of beauty to watch. Surgical.

Dan Snapp: That’s a damn good point. Not only molded with Indy in mind, but probably the Jets as well with Kerry Rhodes storming the line of scrimmage. I love how this offense can play any style they please. Early in the game Monday, when they were having trouble getting started against the Cinci pass rush, they changed it up and handed off to Sammy Morris nine times to get things started. That was quite the encouraging drive. When you think about it, it wasn’t just the receiver talent that handcuffed the team last year. Corey Dillon could only go so many plays before calling to be removed, and Laurence Maroney never fully came back to health. This year, every offensive position they replaced – WR, RB, and I’m starting to think even tight end with Kyle Brady’s contribution to the running game – they’ve improved. The team has had a balanced offense before, 2004 most notably, but never before have they had such balance coupled with such supremacy.

Kevin: The great thing about Sammy Morris is you can run almost anything in the playbook when he’s on the field, since he is I think the more effective pass blocker. One of the problems with Maroney is that defenses seem to key on the run when he’s on the field. With Morris, they can’t do that, because the Patriots are just as likely to throw downfield as run inside. Partly for this reason, I’m starting to come around to the view that Morris is the better every down back for this system.

Greg: I think he is a pretty good as a pass receiver too and they really haven’t utilized him that way yet. But they will and that will become even one more additional weapon.

The team rarely had blowouts in the three championship seasons. Do they make the game any less enjoyable?

Greg: Well I’m not sure I agree with that. Their first championship season they had wins of 44-13, 38-17, 34-17 and 38-6. Their last included wins of 40-22, 29-6, 24-3, 42-15, 23-7, 21-7 and 20-3. Perhaps their second championship you could say that of with only wins of 31-10 and 31-0 being true blowouts. But all three of those years they were among the league leaders in point differential. Even the best teams in the NFL don’t regularly get blowouts. This year’s team has started out with 4 straight. But then again, I remember the 2002 and 1997 teams with a lot of early blowouts and those teams eventually failed. So I’m not sure we can be positive it’ll continue. As for enjoying them? Sure, I love to see the Pats blow a team out.

Dan: OK, “rarely” was the wrong word. They had their share. But it wasn’t every game, like this team seems capable of doing.

Travis Graham: Less enjoyable? No. But it has felt different this year. Almost surreal, like you aren’t really watching the Patriots, you’re watching some Madden dream team in “franchise mode”. In past seasons, each week I usually scour the injury reports and match-ups for the upcoming game, but it almost doesn’t even matter this year. You know they’re going to win. I’ve lost almost all of my pre-game anxiety that they might lose. This probably will change when they play Dallas and Indy, but for now it’s like cloud nine.

Given their degree of dominance, is it too early to talk about 16-0? What are the obstacles on the path?

Greg: Yes, it’s too early. There are 12 obstacles on the path, including some very tough ones (Indy, Dallas). Talk to me if they hit 10-0.

Kevin: I agree with Greg. It’s almost pointless to talk about a perfect season until maybe the final month of the season. From a practical standpoint, the most important thing a team can accomplish during the regular season is to lock up the #1 seed in the conference, and its not too early to start thinking about that. Stepping into the “hyperbolic chamber” (thanks, Felgie) I will now posit that the Patriots-Colts game at Indy on November 4th is “the only regular season game that matters” this year in the NFL. Well, not really, but there is a kernel of truth to that. The way things look today, you’ve got to figure that the Patriots and Colts are probably going to finish within a game or two of one another at season’s end. Thus, the Indy game is basically worth a two game swing in the conference standings, and will probably ultimately determine the #1 seed in the AFC. If the Patriots want to make it back to the Super Bowl this year, it seems almost inevitable that they will need to knock off the Colts in Indianapolis–either in four weeks to help secure home field advantage for the post-season, or failing that, in January for the AFC Championship.

Filed Under: Games, Media, Opponents, Roster Tagged With:

Inside Gillette

October 4, 2007 By 2 Comments

logoby Christopher Price
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On Wednesdays in the Patriots’ locker room, quarterback Tom Brady usually draws the most media attention. A crowd of cameras three-deep surround his locker, creating a mob scene as reporters fight for a quote or two.

But yesterday, it was veteran safety Rodney Harrison who drew the bulk of the attention. He spoke to the media for the first time since his return from a four-week suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, reportedly for using human growth hormone.

Harrison was quiet, explaining himself and his actions in a calm and dispassionate manner in a session with the media that lasted approximately 10 minutes. He said he was a “better man” for having gone through the process.

“I’m a better man because of it, and a better person. Hopefully, I can be a better football player,” he said. “I look forward to getting my life and getting everything back on track and moving forward.”

Harrison spent his time away on a variety of things, including spending time with his family and on the golf course. He did work out twice a day, engaging in his usual routine of yoga, pilates, on-field work and time in the weight room. While he was away, he kept in touch with “several” players, and told them to keep their eyes on the prize.

“I told them to continue to focus on football,” he said. “Don’t worry about me, because I’m fine.”

Since he returned at the start of the week, he said his teammates have been supportive, but he doesn’t feel the need to prove anything to anyone in the locker room.

“Everyone may have different opinions — and everyone may not share them with you — but like I said, I can’t go out of my way to try and change everyone’s opinion of me,” he said quietly. “I know what kind of person I am, and I know the people close to me who I have contact with know and understand who I am and what I’m about.”

Running back Sammy Morris says that’s the attitude you have to take. Morris was suspended for four games last season for being found in violation of the league’s steroid penalty after taking Sudafed. No matter how difficult it might be, you can’t let whispers get to you.

“That was initially the toughest thing for me, having to deal with the knowing that people are going to draw conclusions with or without the information,” Morris said. “So in the end, it’s really no business of mine what other people think of it. They’re just going to draw their own conclusions, regardless of what they hear.”

According to his teammates, Harrison doesn’t have anything to worry about, at least in his own locker room. Several teammates said both on and off the record yesterday that they would welcome Harrison back, no questions asked. Not only that, but Brady said Harrison’s words would still carry the same weight in the locker room as they did before his suspension.

“He’s one of the most respected players in here, and one of the most respected players that’s ever been in this organization,” Brady said. “I think he’s everything that you look for in a football player. He’s great and I look up to him. I admire everything that he’s done. He’s great.

“The experience that he has, the way that he performs and what he expects from himself is second to none. We’re all lucky to have him. He’s everything this team is all about.”

“Whenever you’re not allowed to play, whether it’s injuries or whatever it may be, I think your emotions are definitely higher when you come back and you get a chance to do what the team brought you here for,” Morris said. “I know it’s frustrating being away. I know he’ll be relieved to get back out there.”

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK

1. Pressure from the Cleveland linebackers. The Browns have just four sacks this season, one of the worst totals in the league, but three of those sacks have come from the linebackers. Last year, according to Pro Football Prospectus, Cleveland had 71 percent of their sacks come from their linebacking corps, the highest such percentage in the league.

2. The Patriots level of familiarity with the Browns’ defense. Cleveland Head Coach Romeo Crennel uses the same base defense he ran when he was the New England defensive coordinator, and the Patriots know it. “It’s pretty much our defense,” Brady said of Cleveland. That doesn’t bode well for the Browns, who, despite being a field goal from starting the season 3-1, have allowed an average of 427.5 yards per game, the 31st in the league.

3. Tom Brady’s continued pursuit of Ken Anderson. Through four games, the New England quarterback has completed 79.2 percent of his passes, and is well on his way to breaking Anderson’s mark of 70.55, set in 1982. (The Cleveland pass defense has held opponents to a 61.2 completion percentage this season.)

4. How things shake out at safety for the Patriots. Rodney Harrison says he’s ready to go, but it’s likely that they’ll still lean heavily on James Sanders. Because of injuries and his recently completed suspension, Sanders has taken virtually the same amount of defensive snaps as Harrison over the last year and a half, so it’s reasonable to think that the coaching staff would be comfortable sticking with Sanders as they ease Harrison back into the mix.

5. How many people at Gillette Stadium are going to be looking for a television set at 3:30 or so on Sunday. The last time there was such a high-level conflict came four years ago this week when the Titans and Patriots were playing opposite a Sox-A’s playoff game. Both the Patriots and Sox won, and the victory was the first of 21 straight for the Patriots.

STAT OF THE WEEK

30. Through the first four games, the Patriots’ defense is holding opposing offenses to just a 30 percent conversion rate on third-down opportunities. It’s the lowest percentage on the league.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Those guys (New England) are a bunch of grown men. They are a mature football team, and we have to figure out how to get to that level. We are constantly trying to figure out how to play like that.” –Bengals offensive lineman Willie Anderson, speaking with reporters after Monday’s game.

Christopher Price is an award-winning sportswriter who has covered the Patriots since 2001 for Boston Metro. He’s served a contributor to ESPN.com, SI.com, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post and The Miami Herald. His book “The Blueprint: How the New England Patriots Beat the System to Create the Last Great NFL Superpower” will be released in October by Thomas Dunne Books. He can be reached at [email protected].

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With:

David Thomas Is Lost For The Year

October 3, 2007 By Leave a Comment

by Scott Benson
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Aw, shit.

I don’t know that losing David Thomas at this point and time qualifies as a major blow, but even so, its a big disappointment. Thomas showed at the end of the 06 regular season what kind of player he can be, running the gamut from spectacular touchdown catches to anonymous but effective run blocking. Now he’s lost a year to a training injury, and the thought of Thomas running with Moss, Welker, Watson and Stallworth may never come to fruition.

Ben Watson is having the best season of his career. He’s not immune to injury either, but he’s taken such a step as both a blocker and receiver that anything, even a full season, seems possible. Kyle Brady has settled in as the second tight end/third tackle, and he’s been on the field for 70% of the team’s offensive snaps over the last three games. 

I don’t know about you, but I kind of like Marcellus Rivers, the third tight end who was resigned today. We know he’s a competent blocker, and I thought he showed a little something as a receiver during the pre-season. As third tight ends go, it seems like you could do worse.

Barring further injury, the Pats should absorb the loss of Thomas, though I wouldn’t hold my breath on the further injury thing. Until then (God forbid), the loss of Thomas is felt most keenly from the perspective of what might have been. Another playmaker on the field would have only driven the Patriots’ opponents further to distraction.

Filed Under: News

Hump Day Grab Bag

October 3, 2007 By 4 Comments

by Scott Benson
[email protected]

I’ve got to work on my headlines. That one sounds kind of nasty.

Rodney Harrison returned to Gillette Stadium yesterday for the first time since he was suspended by the NFL in August for purchasing and using a performance enhancing drug.

The former defensive captain was enthusiastically welcomed back by teammates. It remains to be seen whether this welcome will spread to the stands and the press box, or whether Harrison’s return will touch off another tedious debate about PED’s, or cheating, or whatever else might get traction in the tedious debate department. 

Those aren’t the big issues for the Patriots, as Christopher Gasper of the Globe points out in our Feature of the Day. The pressing question for New England is how to integrate Harrison back into a defense that has been the NFL’s best during his absence.

The team of James Sanders and Eugene Wilson has been an effective backline during the season’s first month, as evidenced by the lack of big plays against them. Harrison’s role in past successes is unquestioned; what remains to be seen is how smoothly he can make his mark on the current team.

The Patriots have until next Monday to make a roster decision on the veteran.

Damn, Vince Wilfork is pissed. He’s not comfortable with any of us thinking he took a cheap shot at Buffalo’s JP Losman a couple of weeks ago, and he sure isn’t at peace with thefine he received for his trouble. So yesterday he revealed his intention to appeal the NFL’s decision. Far be it from me to tell an angry 300 lb. guy to “let it go.” But he would assuredly be best served by keeping in mind the biggest challenges lie before, and not behind, him.

Did you have any idea that David Thomas (leg) was hurt on Monday night? Me neither, until Mike Reiss mentioned it in his notebook this morning. How the hell did that happen?  I don’t even remember seeing him on the field. Don’t sign with the Dolphins, Marcellus Rivers. You may still have a chance at a ring.

Reiss also reminded us that Donte Stallworth had his best game as a Patriot on Monday night. No less of an expert than Tom Brady says so. If I had the GDRV to do over, I would have pointed out his impressive 23 yard gain off a screen pass from Brady, which converted a 2nd and 19 with some nifty run after the catch action. I don’t know what kind of new world I’m living in when Donte Stallworth can play receiver for the Patriots and barely get noticed.

For more morning news, check patriotslinks.com.

Filed Under: News

Defense Rests

October 2, 2007 By 3 Comments

gdrv102by Scott Benson
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Score one for the Patriots defense.

Their offensive teammates have been the NFL’s big story over the first month, but last night, the Patriots defense led the way as New England ran their record to 4-0 with a 34-13 win over the Bengals in Cincinnati.

Carson Palmer and the Cincinnati offense were held to 280 total yards and only one touchdown, and the Patriots forced two turnovers, including Asante Samuel’s game changing interception as the first half closed.

With the Bengals driving to cut a 17-7 deficit to just three points before halftime, Samuel stepped in front of a Palmer misread at the Patriots goal line, preserving the two score lead and cutting off what turned out to be Cincinnati’s last real chance to be competitive on the night.

The Pats had just one sack, but they kept steady pressure throughout with a four man rush (led by Ty Warren), as the New England secondary blanketed all-world receiver Chad Johnson (the only man alive having a better year than Randy Moss), holding him to just 53 yards on 3 catches. Running mate TJ Houshmandzadeh had 100 yards and Cincinnati’s only touchdown, but it took him 10 catches (several in garbage time) to do it. When it mattered most, the Bengals vaunted passing game was held in check. 

After some early success, backup running back Kenny Watson was eventually sat on by the New England front, who held the Bengals to just 15 rushing attempts. With nowhere to turn, Cincinnati did not convert a single third down opportunity, going 0-7.

Though they are one of the top statistical defenses in the league, most observers remained skeptical about a New England unit that had struggled in the red zone and had yielded a few extended drives under the cover of three blow out wins to start the season.

But last night the Patriots defense stepped forward against one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses and shut them down in their own ballpark.

But yeah, the offense wasn’t bad either.

Tom Brady and Randy Moss continued their blistering pace, as Moss piled up another 100 yard, two touchdown game. He was never more impressive than on his first touchdown, which capped off a seven-minute, 62 yd second quarter drive as the Pats nursed a precarious 10-7 lead.

The Bengals had just driven 65 yards in about two minutes to swing momentum to their side and bring them within three. Brady and the Pats took over again at their own 40, and a ball control drive featuring Sammy Morris brought the ball inside the Bengals 10. Yet Cincinnati stiffened, and Moss took cornerback Jonathan Joseph on a third down route into the end zone that left him well covered and pinned against the sideline to Brady’s left.

Brady threw it anyway, a bullet to Moss’s back shoulder, and the veteran muscled Joseph out of the way to gain possession and tap both feet before being driven out of the end zone. A sensational play by perhaps the most sensational Patriot ever, and New England had a two-score lead for the first time on the night.

Samuel’s interception followed, and the Patriots were in full control. Without Moss’s brilliance, they may have been turned away with only a field goal, and who knows what could have happened then.

Brady was tremendous again, in full command of the vast arsenal at his disposal. With the ESPN Monday Night Football crew fawning at his every move, the telecast eventually devolved into a full-on “Brady for MVP” rally, led by Tony Kornheiser, who is just plain awful.

Morris was fantastic in relief of Laurence Maroney, who missed the game with a groin injury. The Patriots came out with a spread pass-first offense, but when the Bengals suffered more injuries to their already decimated linebacker corps, the Pats went to Morris, who finished with 117 yards in 21 carries (and a third quarter touchdown). His bruising lean-forward style furthered battered the Bengals and allowed the Pats to control the game and stunt an early Cincinnati pass rush that had Brady moving around the pocket with urgency.

The Pats offensive line had another top performance, opening holes for Morris and the other running backs (173 yards rushing) while keeping the Bengals speed rushers at arm’s length from their quarterback.

Mike Vrabel caught his seventh career touchdown pass (on seven receptions) from a first quarter goal line set, leaving us to wonder: why the hell doesn’t anybody ever cover him in that situation? 

That’s a question for another day.  The answers came on the other side of the ball last night.

Filed Under: Games
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