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Matchups Of The Week – Patriots At Dolphins

October 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Dan Zeigarnik, Patriots Daily Staff

A disastrous loss to the hated New York Jets, then followed by a less-then-stellar victory against the lowly Buffalo Bills, has left Patriots fans scratching their heads. So far, all the preseason talking points are playing out just as we had feared: The offense is phenomenal but the secondary, while talented, clearly needs more seasoning and there is no real pass rush to speak of.

There has, however, always been a second part to these talking points, which was that come week eight or nine the young Patriots team will gel and mature to the point where they can win on the road against formidable opponents. Since this season’s roadmap has so far fallen into place, Patriots fans can hold out hope especially if there is a win against Miami in store. In order for that to happen, look for the Patriots to get the upper hand in these 5 matchups:

Not Allowing TD Celebrations From Marshall Is Key For Patriots

1. Brandon Marshall vs. Patriots Cornerbacks

Brandon Marshall is one of best receivers in the game, he is big, fast, runs great routes and has soft hands and is sure to dominate any corner that the Patriots throw at him. Surely New England will compensate with Safety help over the top. The hope is that the young defense can slow Marshall on key third down conversions, enough to stall Miami drives and hand the ball back over to the Patriots.

2. Miami Wildcat vs. Patriots Linebackers

Miami is considered the best in the business at the Wildcat, and two years ago infamously shredded the Patriots defense at Gillette causing fans to boo the likes of Bruschi, Seymour and Vrabel. These days, New England should be much better prepared; it’s now just a matter of execution.

3. Gronkowski and Hernandez vs. Miami Secondary

Another week has gone by, and the young pups are still producing and exciting Patriot Nation every time they touch the ball. It will be great to see them continue wrecking havoc in the secondary and breaking linebacker’s ankles.

4. Randy Moss vs. Vontae Davis

Despite his off the field gripes about not feeling loved, Randy Moss is having a pretty stellar season so far. The knock on Randy is that when the going gets tough, Randy starts to shut it down. He responded to critics by busting out of Revis Island with a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab. This week, Randy will face Vontae Davis, a good young corner and it is crucial to see that Randy takes the same serious approach to the game as he did against the Jets.

5. BenJarvis Green-Ellis vs. Miami Linebackers

Radio callers have been clamoring for the Law Firm ever since his first preseason game. Now it looks like they will get their wish.

Filed Under: Games, Opponents

First Impressions – Miami Dolphins

October 3, 2010 By 3 Comments
By Greg Doyle, Patriots Daily Staff

The 2-1 Patriots travel on their annual, difficult trip to Miami on Monday night at 8:30 PM EST to face the 2-1 Dolphins. Its an improved Dolphins team that is tough on defense and has more weapons on offense than they’ve had in awhile. They know how to beat the Patriots in Miami and will be playing desperately to avoid two home, division losses in a row. The Patriots similarly do not want to fall to 1-2 in the division when the Jets could be 3-0 after this weekend. The Dolphins have a lot of new faces and up-and-coming players.
Lets take a look at a few of the most important and a tidbit about the Patriots history in Miami.

Brandon Marshall (#19), Wide Receiver: Marshall is the supremely talented, big, fast receiver the Dolphins traded for this offseason after he wore out his welcome in Denver, the team that had drafted him in the fourth round originally. And it truly is amazing to look back and realize Marshall was a fourth-round choice given his tremendous talent. His 6’4″ 230 lb. frame is almost tight end-like, but make no mistake, Marshall’s speed and moves make him every bit a wide receiver. In fact, with twenty-one catches in a game versus the Colts stands as the single highest catch total for a single game in NFL history. The Patriots have struggled defending the pass this season so far and Marshall may be their biggest challenge so far. Ideally they would be able to match up Devin McCourty on Marshall every play, but that is likely impractical. The Dolphins will find ways to spring him and its going to be a chore for the Patriots to minimize his damage. Off the field, Marshall has proven to be a clubhouse trouble-maker at times, a distraction and he’s gotten himself into repeated legal difficulties outside of football numerous times. While so far so good with Miami, the volatile Marshall could become more of a headache for them down the road than he’s been so far, given his track record in Denver. For this week, however, that is obviously the least of the Patriots concerns given their struggles on defense and the matchup problems Marshall presents.

Chad Henne (#7), Quarterback: Henne had some good games against the Patriots last year and proved he was a capable quarterback. Now he has a year of experience under his belt and is thought to be better. Like Tom Brady, Henne went to the University of Michigan and played for Coach Lloyd Carr. He has a strong arm and big frame and has improved consistently the more he has played. He really isn’t much throwing or moving on the run so the Patriots getting some pressure up the middle would go a long way towards making Henne more ineffective. Henne has shown in his short career he doesn’t throw many interception and only has 1 thru 3 games this season. He only threw 1 in 2 games against the Patriots last year. The first two games of this season, while avoiding mistakes, he didn’t make many big plays throwing for 182 and 114 while leading the offense to games of 15 and 14 points. Last week, Henne broke out with 363 yards versus the Jets and the offense got untracked for 23 points. He has been hit a bit this year, getting sack 7 times in 3 games so that is worth keeping an eye on. Henne is a quarterback who struggles at times, but when he gets on a roll he can really turn it on and start to light it up. That worries this observer of the Patriots as with their struggles on defense, its likely at some point Henne is going to get hot and stopping the momentum with his confidence high, the crowd into it and the Patriots defense still a work in progress could get to be very tough to do.

Cameron Wake (#91), Outside Linebacker: Wake is a pass rusher who played in the CFL before migrating south to the Dolphins last season. The 28 year old Wake played college football at Penn State but was largely overlooked by the NFL when he came out of college in 2005. After a brief look from the Giants, he was released and sat out of football for a year. In 2007, he came back in Canada and won Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the CFL. In 2008, he won league MVP awards. That’s when the Dolphins came calling and as a part-timer last year he showed he can play in the NFL by chipping in 5.5 sacks. This year he’s moved into a starting role and has 2 sacks thru 3 games. His pass rushing ability is undeniable, but in watching some of the Dolphins defense this season it seems Wake does have some growing to do as a run defender. He gets sucked inside on outside runs way too often and appears out of position a lot. When dropping back to pass, the Patriots will have to possibly double team this natural pass rusher, but in the running game he may be a player they can exploit.

Karlos Dansby (#58), Inside Linebacker: Dansby was a highly sought after free agent this season, despite never having been an All-Pro or Pro Bowler in his six previous seasons in Arizona. The Dolphins came calling despite that and broke open the bank with a 5 year $43 million dollar contract that included $22 million guaranteed. Make no mistake, Dansby is a very good inside linebacker. He is a premium run stuffer and occasionally makes eye popping stops in a backfield on running plays. But he is prone to make mistakes thru over aggressiveness that can lead to some running lanes. He is not that great in coverage and a decent, but not to be used often, pass rusher. He is a playmaker, however. He didn’t seem to present much of a problem for the Patriots offense whenever they saw him with Arizona. And he does bring a different attitude than the out-of-control Joey Porter he essentially replaces in the Dolphins linebacking crew. While Porter usually was outside, he did come inside and similarly Dansby can move around too. The real difference is attitude. Out-of-control rage in Porter’s case, professionalism and consistent, if not spectacular, play from Dansby.

Can Vontae Davis Cover Michael Vick? Vontae Davis (#21), Cornerback: Davis is quickly becoming one of the better corners in the league and has presented problems for the Patriots. While occasionally getting beaten by Randy Moss, he’s held his own at times too and picked Tom Brady a couple times. This year he looks on his way to becoming an All-Pro type player. The younger brother of San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end Vernon Davis, Vontae may actually have the potential to be better at his position than Vernon is at his. And that is saying something because Vernon has become a top-notch tightend. Davis will likely match up on Moss frequently and it’ll be interesting to see who gets the better of it now in year 2 of their matchups.

Sun Life Stadium: The Dolphins Stadium has gone thru many names since opening in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium. But one thing has remained the same, the Patriots have had a pretty rough time of it visiting the Stadium. And that would hold true to an even greater degree regarding the Dolphins earlier home of The Orange Bowl. Miami has just not been kind to the Patriots and its a trip their fans are often leery of, knowing the history. The Patriots have faired just 8-15 in Joe Robbie Stadium and were 3-18 in The Orange Bowl. That is a miserable 11-33 in visiting their Dolphin division rivals. Even during the Bill Belichick era in which the Patriots have been as successful as any team in the NFL, he has only managed an 11-9 record versus Miami. In fact, since the team began winning Super Bowls, Bill Belichick has still lost 7 games to Miami, which matches the other 7 division losses he has against Buffalo and the Jets combined. Tom Brady too has struggled against Miami, particularly down there, and only has an 85.5 QB rating against them for his career, significantly lower than his 93.7 career rating otherwise. There have been some highlights. In 2003 a 81 yard pass to Troy Brown in overtime to win in Miami stands out. As does a thrashing the Patriots gave them in 2007, a game that stands out as one of Randy Moss’ (and Tom Brady’s) best. The Patriots have not been a good road team the past two years. They’ve often struggled in Miami, even during the Belichick years. That sounds like a recipe for disaster no? Well, maybe. If there is one thing you can expect about the NFL is just when you think you have it figured out where everything stands, something changes. And while a struggling road team going into a historically difficult place for them may sound like a no-brainer, it also offers the ultimate chance to the Patriots. If they’re going anywhere, they have to start to win road games. Tough road games. Why not start turning it around with your toughest venue? It would go a long way towards changing things.

Filed Under: Opponents

College Scout – Offensive Line

October 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

By Greg Doyle, Patriots Daily Staff

Offensive line is tough to rate from casual viewing. But even us lay people and fans of the draft can get some idea of a guy’s quality if you actually take the time to watch. You don’t need to watch the lineman literally every single play. We all know its more fun and natural to just follow the ball. But I sometimes make a point to check out some guys on the o-line and will watch. If a play is coming up for replay and isn’t something spectacular I really want to study, I sometimes then will say…..okay, lets see how such and such a guard did. Replays are actually a great time to see how the blocking held up that sprung a play or caused it to fail. In any event, here is our rankings of the best offensive linemen in college right now.

Clint Boling

1.) Clint Boling (#60), Offensive Tackle, Georgia: Boling has been rated anywhere from the 5th best player in next year’s draft and best lineman, to further down the list and a late first rounder. Georgia’s poor season does have potential to damage Boling, but this kid is as complete a lineman as you’ll find. He’s a technician and very good in many areas, but not outstanding in any. He can be versatile, having played left and right tackle and right guard. He is tough, physical and competitive. He’s never missed significant time with injuries and been a 4 year starter. He did have ankle surgery in the offseason, but it was minor. Boling will be a steady, starting tackle in the NFL for a long time. Its conceivable a better athlete will wow teams prior to the draft, leaving Boling to be chosen behind them. But for my money, Boling is as much a can’t miss, will-be-good prospect as there is along the offensive line.

2.) Anthony Castonzo (#74), Offensive Tackle, Boston College: Local product Castonzo has manned BC’s offensive line virtually from the moment he stepped on campus as a freshman. A physical and tough kid with an attitude, Castonzo plays left tackle for BC. Many have him rated as the best lineman in the draft and a top 10 pick. Watch him tonight pave holes on the left side and protect a freshman quarterback, Chase Rettig, making his first college start. BC will be on ABC at 8PM EST playing Notre Dame at home.

3.) DeMarcus Love (#65), Offensive Tackle, Arkansas: Antother former guard who has made the switch to tackle. Love is a better athlete than the above two, but probably not as good a football player overall right now. Still, his natural physical ability points to a big upside. He could switch back inside to guard in the NFL, but given his talent to be a top tackle that would seem to be a waste. Right now, Love plays right tackle but he has the talent to switch to left. His upside could vault him to be taken ahead of the above two. He also shows weight room strength, benching 415 regularly. Given that he’s a right tackle and the Patriots prefer a different style lineman, they probably won’t be interested in Love. But many teams will be.

4.) Stephen Schilling (#52), Guard, Michigan: Schilling is a captain for the University of Michigan football team that is off to a pretty good start this season after some down years. The Patriots always like to see players who display leadership. He also is versatile, having started his first two years at right tackle and now playing left guard for this last two years in college. As a left guard, it could be he’s a match for the Patriots as they may be looking for a player at that position next offseason given the Logan Mankins situation. Schilling fits the Patriots typical lists of requirements of strong, tough, physical, loves the game, versatile, smart and a leader. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they look in this direction next year at the draft.

5.) Gabe Carimi (#68), Tackle, Wisconsin: Carimi is rated higher by some, including as high as the best tackle in the draft. He is a typical Wisconsin road grader. Big, strong as an ox and excels in run blocking over pass blocking. Carimi actually took over left tackle for Joe Thomas after he graduated. Thomas has gone on to become one of the best tackles in football playing for the Cleveland Browns. Carimi has a massive frame and a lot of talent. His rawness as a pass blocker could scare away the Patriots, but given how Thomas adjusted and excelled that is unlikely.

6.) Nate Solder (#78), Tackle, Colorado: This guy has tons of talent. Runs fast with a 4.88/40 time but also puts up great strength numbers such that those in the Colorado football program have taken to calling him “The Freak.” Came to Colorado a tight end, which is a biography the Patriots like for their tackles. They like guys who are not just maulers, but also have some foot speed and quickness. They have repeatedly brought in former tight ends who have converted to tackle. Solder is a guy who maintains the speed he had as a tight end and is a good athlete. But now he is packing it on a 6’9″ 315 lb. frame. Solder is a guy the Patriots will likely have an interest in. The day after Thanksgiving he’ll be on with his Colorado teammates taking on a tough Nebraska squad on ABC at 3:30 PM EST.

7.) Mike Pouncey (#52), Florida, Center: The twin brother of Steelers first round choice Maurkice Pouncey, who has won the starting center job in Pittsburgh. Mike Pouncey himself is now a center taking over after converting from guard for his brother Maurkice. The reason one twin is in the NFL while the other, Mike, isn’t is that Maurkice came out early to the NFL Draft while Mike decided to wait. Mike has shown some versatility in his ability to play guard and center and that could interest the Patriots. Like his brother, Mike is likely to be the top center in next year’s draft.

8.) Derek Sherrod (#79), Mississippi State, Tackle: If you’re noticing a trend of tackles you are absolutely correct. The best linemen in this draft are at that position. And Sherrod is another good one with left tackle ability. He consistently grades out as one of the best Mississippi State linemen. Slower and less athletic than Solder, but still not a slouch. Has good power and is a run blocker.

9.) Kristopher O’Dowd (#61), USC, Center: The second best center in the draft, he has plenty of experience in the shotgun and pass blocking. He’s had a few injuries, but is another line captain who can be physical, tough and strong but also has the intelligence and leadership you look for from a center. USC takes on Stanford October 9th at 8PM EST on ABC.

10.) Danny Watkins (#59), Baylor, Tackle: Another big, strong tackle who can play on the left side and has plenty of experience pass blocking. May end up being one of the strongest players at the Combine. Watkins has an interesting back story as well. He turns 26 years old this football season and will be 27 midway thru his rookie year in the NFL. Additionally, he never played football until 2007 and played only hockey in high school. Tried out for football team on a whim when he enrolled in some classes at Butte Junior College to study firefighting. Eventually that led to a spot at Baylor and here he is, being talked about as one of the better linemen in college football just years after he first tried the game. His age and inexperience will likely hurt him at draft time. But its important to remember how talented and strong he is and how far he’s come. He proved in college he could leap in and contribute right away and any team drafting him high will have to feel comfortable he could make the leap in competition quickly again.

Filed Under: The Draft Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Tonight on Patriots All Access

October 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Patriots All Access airs tonight at 7 p.m. on WBZ-TV in Boston and immediately afterward on www.Patriots.com.

Tonight on All Access:

  • Sights and Sounds from the Patriots’ 38-30 victory over Buffalo, including a look inside the Patriots’ post game locker room.
  • Scott Zolak sits down with head coach Bill Belichick and finds out why the Patriots claimed RB Danny Woodhead off waivers.
  • Coach Belichick introduces fans to new faces on the Dolphins defense on “The Belestrator.”
  • Steve Burton talks to Woodhead about his first game as a Patriot.
  • Long before his season-ending injury, RB Kevin Faulk was preparing for life after football. All Access takes viewers inside a unique business in which Faulk is involved.
  • Zolak and Christian Fauria target T Jake Long as a key game-planning target in T.U.R.F
  • Patriots Football Weekly’s Paul Perillo and ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss share opinion and analysis about the Monday night matchup in Miami.

Video Preview:

Filed Under: Media

Around The League – Week Three Recap

October 1, 2010 By 1 Comment

By Jeremy Gottlieb, Patriots Daily Staff

Since Sunday, I’m pretty sure I’ve read at least four columns that have listed the Atlanta Falcons as one of the three or four best teams in the league through the season’s first three weeks. Atlanta is 2-1.

Sorry, Mike Smith, But We're Challenging The Idea That The Falcons Are An Elite Team Right Now.

There are three teams at 3-0 and a whole host of others with the same record as the Falcons. Last week, they beat the defending champion Saints, 27-24 in overtime on the road and to read about the game, you’d think some writers felt they were attending the Super Bowl. The Falcons were very impressive in rolling up 417 total yards, including 202 on the ground, and dominating the time of possession battle in holding the ball for 45:50.

Where they were not remotely impressive was everywhere else. Their defense allowed the Saints 400 yards while also letting the Saints go down the field unencumbered twice with the game on the line, first at the end of regulation when embattled Saints kicker Garrett Hartley booted a 32-yard field goal to tie the game with four seconds left, and then again on New Orleans’ first possession of overtime after taking the OT kickoff and going three-and-out, before Hartley’s 29-yard shank job. Only then, after dodging such a huge bullet through little doing of their own, did Atlanta sack up and put together a drive that resulted in kicker Matt Bryant winning the game with a 46-yarder. Better still, right before the Saints’ game-tying march with a three-point lead and facing fourth-and-six from the Saints 37-yard line with 3:36 left. instead of trying a pooch punt to pin New Orleans back and make them really have to work to tie things up, by coach Mike Smith’s decree, they went for it, didn’t make the first down and gave the Saints a a wide open door through which to tie or win the game. The only thing more inexplicable than this boneheaded decision was Sports Illustrated’s Peter King using it as an example of how gutsy the Falcons are in his Monday column before ranking them at No. 3 on his list of the league’s best 15 teams.

Look, the Falcons are pretty good. They have a great running game, a good quarterback in Matt Ryan who is still learning and improving and a star receiver in Roddy White. In the NFC, where beyond the Packers, Bears and Saints mediocrity reigns, they may even make the playoffs. But let’s not anoint them as championship contenders just yet. They lost in Week 1. They blew out the woeful Cardinals, who have no quarterback and a lousy defense, at home in Week 2, then did everything they could to give away the game against New Orleans. This week, the Falcons get the terrible 49ers at home in a game they should win. Still, before anyone coronates them as one of the best teams in the league, let’s try to have just a little perspective, OK?

This Week’s Five Best Teams

1. Pittsburgh: Everyone knows what an amazing defense the Steelers have but how about that offense, eh? 86-year old Charlie Batch threw three TD passes in Pittsburgh’s 38-13 rout of previously unbeaten Tampa last week and bruiser Rashard Mendenhall racked up 134 yards on just 19 carries. It was thought that 2-2 would be sufficient for these guys in the four games until Ben Roethlisberger came back from his suspension. OK well what about a potential 4-0?

2. Chicago: The Bears just as easily could have lost Monday night’s slugfest against their arch rivals from Green Bay but they used the Packers self-destruction, as well as fantastic special teams play (Devin Hester’s punt return TD, Julius Peppers’ field goal block) and some vintage defense, to their advantage in a 20-17 win that put them on top of the NFC North

3. Indianapolis: Looks like Week 1’s loss in Houston was just a blip on the screen for these guys, who are now looking much more like their old selves. Through three games, Peyton Manning is not surprisingly completing 69 percent of his passes and has nine TDs against zero picks (only the best statistical start of his career). What is surprising is that his favorite target isn’t Reggie Wayne, but Austin Collie, who leads the league in catches (27) and yards (359) and caught 12 for 171 and two scores in last week’s win at Denver.

4. Green Bay: The Packers are still really good, still maybe even the best team in the NFC, regardless of their ugly loss in Chicago. And they still have Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 316 yards and a score and ran for another one in the loss. But if they want to go anywhere, 18 penalties for 152 yards and two turnovers, including a key fumble while driving for the winning score late in the fourth quarter, just won’t do.

5. (tie) New Orleans/Kansas City: The Saints aren’t making things too easy on themselves through the first three games of their title defense, though they should have beaten the Falcons last week (see above). Drew Brees is still at the helm, though, and as his 30-of-38 for 365 yards and three TDs against Atlanta will attest, they’re still just fine, thank you. As for the Chiefs, they’re 3-0 for the first time since 2003 and are already halfway to their win total from the past two seasons combined. Matt Cassel looked Patriot-esque in passing for 250 yards and three TDs with a 111.7 passer rating in their wipeout of the hapless 49ers last week.

This Week’s Five Worst Teams

1. Carolina: If John Fox knew he wasn’t in his last year for the Panthers, by his own choice or not, would he really have panicked and given the ball to a quarterback as ill-prepared as rookie Jimmy Clausen form last week’s brutal home loss to the Bengals? I say no. This week, the poor kid gets the defending champs, angry after a tough loss, on the road. If Fox is really on his way out (and he is), here’s hoping he doesn’t ruin the kid in the process.

2. Cleveland: Hey, give the Browns credit. They led Baltimore on the road in the fourth quarter before their woeful defense gave it up. And bruiser Peyton Hillis, throw-in from the Brady Quinn to Denver trade, rolled for 144 yards and two TDs on just 22 carries. All this and a bump from the worst team in the league to the second worst? Good work, coach Mangenius.

3. Detroit: Damn, is it unfair to be the Lions. The only guy on the team who has shown any life for them, rookie back Jahvid Best, left last week’s loss to the Vikings with an injury and probably won’t play this week. Oh yeah and they’ve now lost 17 straight NFC North games and 22 consecutive on the road.

4. Jacksonville: If the Jack Del Rio watch wasn’t already on for the Jags (and it should have been as far back as two years ago), it definitely is now after last week’s no-show at home against the Eagles. Del Rio’s guy, David Garrard, was 13-of-30 for 105 yards (3.5 yards per attempt) and his fifth pick in his last two games in the 28-3 defeat, good for a nauseating 38.9 passer rating. It will be interesting to see if Garrard is still on the roster in a couple years when the the Jags are the L.A. Jaguars and Del Rio is the linebacker coach in Arizona or Cleveland or somewhere.

5. (tie) Buffalo/San Francisco: The Bills deserve positive marks for putting 30 points up on the Pats and getting a big game out of Ryan Fitzpatrick. They also deserve negative marks for cutting Trent Edwards, who was only their starter and QB of the future two weeks ago, and proving that they have exactly zero organizational plan in doing so. As for the Niners, I read some Bay Area columnist write something to the effect that its not the offensive coordinator, who was mercifully shitcanned after last week’s hideous effort against the Chiefs, who needs to go. It’s coach Mike Singletary, and the team should “replace him with a real coach, not a motivational speaker.” Damn…

What’s Trendy

-Anquan Boldin, Ravens: In the process of catching eight balls for 142 yards and three TDs in Baltimore’s 24-17 win over Cleveland, Boldin surpassed the 600 career catch mark in just his 98th game, the fewest to the 600 catch milestone in NFL history. As good as the Ravens have been the past couple years, they’ve never had a receiver as good as Boldin.

-Leon Washington, Seahawks: It was defense that did it in last week’s home win over the Chargers with five turnovers (as well as San Diego’s 11 penalties). But don’t discount former Jet Washington, who returned two kickoffs, one 99 yards, the other 101, for TDs, tying a league record.

-The Cowboys defense: Finally, these guys show up. Against Houston and its explosive offense, Dallas’s big D had three turnovers and four sacks while holding the Texans to 340 total yards and keeping them out of the end zone until the game’s final two minutes in a 27-13 win. It must have been Jerry Jones’s anger, frustration and disappointment that did the trick.

What’s Not

-The Giants: Wow, are the Giants bad. They were humiliated for the second straight week, this time at home, in a 29-10 loss to the Titans, in which they outgained Tennessee by 200 yards but committed 11 penalties (including a whopping five 15-yard personal fouls), turned the ball over twice inside the Tennessee 5-yard line and gave up a safety on an illegal block in their own end zone that wiped out a 50+ yard pass play. While being hauled down in the Titans red zone, Eli Manning’s left-handed, shotput throw that was picked off easily, said it all.

-Garrett Harley, Saints and Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders: Both kickers saw their team’s offense drive the ball into more than reasonable field goal range in the final minutes and both missed absolute chippies (Janikowski from 32 yards and Hartley from an astonishing 29). Even though he missed two others in Oakland’s 24-23 loss to Arizona, Janikowski’s job is likely safe. Can’t say the same for Hartley what with New Orleans holding kicker tryouts the day after its OT loss to Atlanta and then signing 46-year old John Carney.

-The Broncos offense: Why would a team that blasted off for 519 total yards, with a career-high 476 for quarterback Kyle Orton, make the not trendy list? Because Denver managed just six points in five red zone trips and lost to the Colts, 27-13. It’s points that matter, not yards, not that our old friend Laurence Maroney would know the difference after he failed to score on three separate carries from the 2 or closer. Hey, at least he didn’t fumble.

And finally…

When the Rams beat the Redskins 30-16 in St. Louis last Sunday, it marked their first win in the month of September since 2006. Think about that for a second. This team was 0-for the first month of the season over the course of three straight seasons. 2006 was also the last season in which the Rams won more than three games. They went a cumulative 6-42 from 2007-2009 and lost their first two games of this season before finally posting that elusive early season victory.

It’s been written in this space before that the Rams are my favorite shitty team, mostly because no matter how bad or hapless or overmatched they’ve been since the dawn of this dark era, they’ve always managed to look like they care, like they’re still playing hard, like they try, regardless of how minuscule their chances are. Second year coach Steve Spagnuolo may have presided over a 1-15 campaign last year, the worst of the Rams miserable last three seasons, but he’s got my respect, if for no other reason than that he ran the defense that dominated the Patriots and cost them a perfect season in Super Bowl XLII for the Giants. Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in last spring’s draft out of Oklahoma, has completed 59 percent of his passes for 655 yards and four TDs, not bad numbers at all for a) a rookie, and b) someone who’s offense has just one weapon (veteran running back Steven Jackson). And the defense, Spagnuolo’s specialty, held the ‘Skins offense (run by noted genius of all things football Mike Shanahan) to just three second half points in last week’s win.

It’s going to take a fair amount more for the Rams to be relevant again – they haven’t had too much luck in their past couple of drafts outside of Bradford in the way, say, the Chiefs have. But it’s nice to see my favorite lousy team make some strides. Pretty soon, I’m guessing I’ll have to find a new one.

By Jeremy Gottlieb
Patriots Daily Staff
Filed Under: News
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