Is there anyone else tired of hearing the whining and crying coming out of New Orleans over Bounty Gate? If you have not heard the latest, the Louisiana Senate called the NFL and asked then to reconsider their bounty sanctions handed down citing “widespread public opinion throughout the state of Louisiana and beyond that the penalties imposed upon the Saints are too harsh and should be reconsidered.” Between this and the "Free Payton" concert delivered by Jimmy Buffett, as well as Johnathan Villma calling Peter King a glorified blogger during a Twitter battle makes me sick to my stomach. Can you imagine the backlash Bill Belichick would of received if during Spy Gate Bon Jovi held a concert to "Free Hoodie" and one of the Kennedy's came out saying the penalties are to harsh, it would be crazy. For me , the whole feel good story of Katrina and the Saints winning the Super Bowl has faded, enough is enough, take your punishment like men and move on.

With Gregory now on board with the Pats, does this mean that Landry is off their radar? We will see, obviously the past couple of years this has been a weakness, either through talent or injuries this team has suffered. Bill hopefully through the draft or possibly FA builds some quality depth so that the backend becomes a strength. I like the idea of bringing in Landry as long as we have depth, he is too injured to rely on. To be continued......

Would it be an impossible scenario to see Andrew Luck at the podium of the NFL Draft demanding to be traded if the Colts selected him? We all know what happened to Eli on the night he was drafted, so is there a possibility that Luck follows suit? Could it not be possible that the Colts have their hand forced to trade Luck after Luck sees how much of a dumpster fire the Colts turnover is going to create, with a rookie head coach, no play-makers, and having to follow the shadow of Peyton Manning? Doesn't sound like a dream scenario for the most highly touted QB since John Elway to come out of the draft to make his mark. What do you think?

Let me start with this, do I believe that a fair amount of teams have done what the Saints have done, I would say hell ya. The problem is just like the Patriots, they unfortunately were the one that got caught and now must pay for it. I believe the punishment will be harsh due to the Goodell's push for player safety and the enormous lawsuits that have been filed against the NFL the last couple of years. I find the players voice for their safety during the strike now shallow and disheartening. I decided to go back and look over the new collective bargaining agreement and post it here for everyone to see, kind of funny yet somewhat sad. I understand they get paid for a physical game, just don't cry wolf that safety is your number one goal.

PLAYER HEALTH AND SAFETY:

Immediate implementation of changes to promote player health and safety by:

Reducing the off-season program by five weeks, reducing OTAs from 14 to 10;

Limiting on-field practice time and contact;

Limiting full-contact practices in the preseason and regular season;

Increasing number of days off for players.

Opportunity for current players to remain in the player medical plan for life.

An enhanced injury protection benefit of up to $1 million of a player’s salary for the contract year after his injury and up to $500,000 in the second year after his injury.

No change to the 16-4 season format until at least 2013; any subsequent increase in the number of regular-season games must be made by agreement with the NFL Players Association.

$50 million per year joint fund for medical research, healthcare programs, and NFL Charities, including NFLPA-related charities.

1. Do you think Sexy Rexy's stomach is turning watching 3 of the 4 playoff teams left are is some way associated with him? The Pats are division champs and a team he loathes, the Ravens are his old team and have done fine without him, and the Giants who truely rule NY, not the Jets.

2. Would love to get revenge for the 2007 Super Bowl defeat, but not sure I really want to play them instead of the Niners. Eli scares me, not Alex Smith.

3. Would love to see Ted Johnson as the fourth honarary captain, with him battling concussion symptoms for years now it would be a great gesture of support for all the trouble he is going through.

Statistics are a funny thing, they can be twisted and contorted to show any result that you want, either positive or negative. Case in point: the Packers have beaten seven teams with winning records this year while the Patriots have beaten none, yet the Packers lost in the first round while the Patriots moved on to the AFC Championship game. Are the Patriots a better team? Record wise and statistically I would say no, but the fact that the Packers have beaten far more amount of quality teams means nothing. That being said, let’s not dwell on the 33-14 shellacking in 2009 that the Ravens handed out, even though that is all you are going to hear from Ravens fans. There are only three offensive and two defensive players that started from the 2009 team on the current roster. That 2009 game won’t mean a thing just as the 2010 game won’t. Not sure about you but I am tired of hearing how great this Ravens defense is, and from a simple eye ball test, I was not impressed against the Texans. Over the last four games the Ravens have only managed to sack the QB four times, that’s it, not exactly Raven like and is definitely a recipe for disaster if you don’t harass Tom Brady. This is a talented defense, but also an aging one, one that feasted on the likes of T.J. Yates who looked like a deer caught in headlights. That look will not be seen by Ed Reed or Ray Lewis from Tom Brady. I am not saying that this will be an easy game, if history tells us anything is that more than likely it will be decided probably by a field goal. For all of the statistics that can be thrown at the Patriots from that 2009 game and how it is a precursor to what is to come at Gillette this Sunday, the same can be said for Tom Brady and his winning record versus the Ravens and that 2009 was a hiccup. Bottom line, this team has a different feel and a different look than recent Playoff failures of the past; let’s just hope that statistics don’t catch up to them.

1.       As bad as the offense is now without Peyton Manning, what excuse can the defense use?  Texans were up 34-0 at half.

2.       After watching most of the Jets game last night one thing surprised me.  The Jets came out throwing; using empty backfields on some occasions and mostly abandoned their ground and pound mentality.

3.       Nice debut by Cam Newton, but it is one game and it was against a pitiful Cardinals defense.  After the horrendous preseason where rumbles that Jimmy Clausen could start, I believe this may calm the skeptics for at least one week.

4.       If Matthew Stafford can stay upright for most of the season look for the Loins to take that next step.  I know that this is no surprise but Loins could make some noise this year and make life hard on a lot of teams.

5.       Eli Manning looked lost and was running for his life against an improved Redskins team.  Rex was patient with his throws and made good decisions as the defense was harassing Eli all day.  If this productivity continues on both sides of the ball, is it possible to include them in winning the division race?

6.       2007 was the last time the Bengals won a season opener and that was against the Ravens, good to see after all of the offseason distractions; Palmer retires, Benson’s run in with the law, and trading Ocho Cinco they get off on the right foot

7.       Two powerhouse teams got manhandled and that was the Falcons and the Steelers. These were nice statement games by Flacco who can never beat Big Ben and Culter whose manhood was questioned since last year’s playoff loss.

8.       Ryan Fitzpatrick may be the least talked about QB in the league but is really coming into his own.  Need a starter fantasy junkies, hurry because he will not be around to pick up very long.

9.       Matt Cassel looked like a 7th round pick yesterday.

10.   Nice to see 9-11-01 remembered by all throughout the league, it was a great show of support.

Since 2004, Peyton Manning has been a real pain in the neck when it comes to bringing home a fourth Lombardi trophy. This time around it looks like the pain in his neck will dash the Colts dreams of playing and hosting one. When looking up the word "Quarterback" in Webster’s dictionary, you could easily place Peyton’s face there as a symbol of dedication and commitment to a position that is both cerebral and enduring. But I am not here to create rainbows or paint a happy picture for Colts fans saying everything is going to be alright, cause truthfully, no one knows what the future holds for him in terms of recovery. What I am here to say is that this opens a wormhole, a great opportunity that we have never seen before. As much as I would love to go through number 18 for a possible fourth championship, this feels like a blessing in disguise. It has been a very, very, long time since Peyton was not under center and as much as I don’t like seeing any player get hurt, especially something that may be career threatening, I can’t help but smile about the things to come. Trust me, no one shed a tear when Brady went down, hobbling off the field with trainers on each arm. I was at the bar with my wife that day as fans from different teams cheered and high fived that the NFL’s pretty boy was injured. It was disheartening, yet at the same time I understood. As Jeff Bebe, the lead singer of Stillwater said about William Miller in the movie Almost Famous, "He is the enemy". For as much as Peyton is a symbol of the NFL, bottom line Pats fans he is the enemy. How many times have we gone to bed or driven to work to see those lasting images of Peyton guiding the Colts back to victory days after the game was over? How many times have you come across the NFL Network or ESPN when those games were being replayed to only quickly change the channel? There is nothing more devastating than a gut wrenching loss to a rival. We only need to turn on last years game against the Jets to remember that awful feeling. I don’t recall anyone shedding a tear for LT when he was unable to play in the Championship game for the Chargers while he pouted on the sideline with his helmet on. Was anybody hoping that T.O. and his hyperbaric chamber would help heal his wounds and guide the Eagles to victory? Hell no, the NFL is a dog eat dog world and I see it as an opportunity for the Patriots to attain a long and enduring goal. Sorry if I do not share the same sentiment as other people around the league; after 208 games poor old Peyton Manning and spoiled Colts fans will have to deal with him not being under center. Feel free to can call me a fan, a homer or just plain old insensitive. So please pass me a tissue to wipe my crocodile tears, the truth is all I care about is that fourth Lombardi trophy hoisted in Indianapolis while the enemy looks on.

With NFL camps now running and no more talk of Labor Wars, lets get to some early season predictions that I believe might happen when it comes to the AFC East.  Lets have some fun:

1. If healthy,Albert Haynesworth and Vince Wilfork team to give Bill his best run defense since he became HE of the NEP. Bill's best year was in 2003 allowing 3.6 Y/A with Seymour and big Ted Washington, see any similarities?  
2. If Chad Henne and Matt Moore remain at the top of the depth chart for the Dolphins, look for the Phins to be in the hunt for the Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley sweepstakes in next years draft.  Can't win in this league without a good QB, which neither is.
3. Look for Mark Sanchez to take a step back with a revamped receiving core.  Brady had trouble in 2006 with the likes of Caldwell, Gabriel and Gaffney and it may take time for the adjustment.
4. Shawne Merriman has bounce back year with the Bills and records 8+ sacks.
5. Look for the wealth to be spread. Pats will have 6 players with at least 50 + catches: Chad, Wes, Deion, Gronk, Woodhead and Hernandez.
6. With Nick Folk back in the fold for the Jets, look for them to lose 2 extra games because of his accuracy issues.
7. Look for Ryan Fitzpatrick to pass for 4000 yards if he is up-right for a full season, he is smart and can sling the football.
8. Someone finally catches a pass against Revis
9. Rex guarantees Super Bowl victory, Woops that already happened.
10. Dolphins miss on the Favre sweepstakes and ask Marino to come out of retirement to QB the team.

In case you missed it, Pro Football Focus broke down the top 101 players based on game film and Tom Brady came in at............Wait for it................Wait for it..................33rd.  Not sure what the hell that means or how you go about breaking down game film to rank who is the best.  But there you have it, any ideas on how this is based I would love to hear it from everybody because it seems a little bit crazy to rank players in such a way.

 

The past two decades the Patriots have had the classic stay in the pocket, shuffle their feet to avoid pressure throw it QB, starting with Drew Bledsoe and eventually ending with Tom Brady.  With how defenses are structured to pressure the QB and force him to make quick decisions, the landscape of the pure pocket passing QB has been replaced with the elusive, running, and stretch the play out QB.  Even though Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are considered 1 and 1A when speaking of elite QB’s, it is the new up and coming QB’s that posses something that they do not have, the ability to make a play with their feet or plain and simple the ability to run.  When Tom finally hangs up his cleats, would you rather someone in the mold of an Aaron Rodgers or Big Ben mold or would you rather stay with the classic pure pocket passer that the Patriots have had for years?

1.       Don’t know why the Jets did not spread the field and attach through the air from the beginning.  Didn’t they learn anything from the Patriots? 

2.       I like Tomlin’s call to win the game at the end, it reminded me of Belichick’s 4th and 2 and Sean Payton’s onside kick in the Super Bowl.  They each played to win the game!

3.       Deion Sanders needs to relax when questioning someone’s heart; this is a man who never tackled anyone in his life including Pop Warner.  Didn’t he miss multiple games with a turf toe?

4.       For all of the bluster that came out of Bart Scott’s mouth managing only 4 tackles was pitiful, as well as the classless act that he showed by leaping over the pile when the Steelers were in a victory formation at the end of the game.

5.       Packers coach Mike McCarthy deserves Coach of the Year for getting this team to the Super Bowl with a million starts on both sides of the ball on IR.

6.       Aaron Rodgers played against the Bears as if he believed in all the headlines that were written about him.

7.       With all of the talk about the Patriots needing to upgrade their offensive line maybe that just need to change their attitude.  The Steelers moved the ball at will yesterday in the first half and I would be hard-pressed to say their line is much better than the Pats, they just seemed nastier.

8.       So much for the overtime rule controversy, not one single playoff game had one.  Glad that the committee jumped all over that, talk about an overreaction to Peyton Manning not getting the ball in an overtime game.

9.       If LT does not come back to the Jets next year, do you think he regrets getting the Jets tattoo?

10.   Not enough credit was given to Packers punter Tim Masthay for eliminating Chicago’s greatest advantage by executing perfect coffin corner kicks.  Devin Hester never once threatened to take it to the house.

Andy Benoit who is the founder of NFL Touchdown.com and a writer for CBSSports.com's NFL Blog has a lovely preview of the 2010 Patriots way back in July.  Now he is not the only one that had questions with this team leading up to the 2010 season, especially with the way that the 2009 season ended.  With the different projections around the country as seen on T.V. and heard on talk radio, it is funny to look back and see what people thought of this team and where they are at now. Be it from their great decade of success or how they were thrown to the wolves during the whole Spygate incident, the Patriots are the team that people love to hate. Anyway, take a look at this link and tell me what you guys think.  Was he accurate with his assumptions to far of base or was he simply warmongering by being a player hater?

http://www.nfltouchdown.com/new-england-patriots-2010-preview/

I compiled some trivia questions to see how people could do to kick off 2011.  Some of the questions are off the wall and some are not,  have fun and no peaking below at the answers until you have tried to take a guess.  Good Luck!

1.       There are only 4 coaches who have averaged over 10+ wins for their entire career. 

2.       There are only 7 teams that have an all-time team rushing, passing, catching and coaching leaders for the same decade.  Can you name them? 

3.       There is only one player that has averaged over 100+ a game for his career.  Was it Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Chris Johnson, or Adrian Peterson? 

4.       The first 9 player who had the most All-time Games played were offensive players, who was the first defensive player coming in at number 10 on that list? 

5.       There have been many players that change teams but only one who has done it 8 times, who am I? 

6.       With the BJGE having not fumbled in 309 career carries, who holds the all-time record at 708? 

7.       With the NFL draft being around since 1936, and the first punter was drafted 1964, can you name the first and only pure punter drafted in the first round?

8.       There are three players in the Hall of fame that started out in the USFL, who are they? 

9.       Since Belichick has taken over in 2000, there have been 11 people arrested for the Patriots, can you name them?

10.   Of the active coaches in the league, who has the most pre-season wins and who has the least amount of wins? 

 

 

 

Answers Below:

 

 

 

1. John Madden, Bill Belichick, Tony Dungy, and George Seifert
2. Bills, Texans, Redskins, Ravens, Denver, Colts, Panthers
3. Jim Brown
4. Darrell Green
5. Mark Royals – Tampa, Pitt, Detriot, Miami, New Orleans,  Jacksonville, Philadelphia, St. Louis.
6.  LT
7. Ray Guy
8. Reggie White, Steve Young, and Jim Kelly
9. Bret Lockett, Willie Andrews, Nick Kaczur, Kevin Faulk, Jonathan Sullivan, Marquise, Walker, Ty Law, Kenyatta Jones, Bobbie Hamilton, Terry Glenn, Adrian Klemm. Willie Andrews was the only repeat offender.
10. Mike Shanahan has 43 wins and Todd Haley has 1 win.

1.       I will sign Logan Mankins even if it means I have to use the Franchise Tag on him.

2.       I will actually use one of my first round draft choices this year instead of trading it for next year, and invest in a Defensive End who can rush the QB.

3.       I will never invest in a diva Wide Receiver again and will always trust the system know as the “Patriot Way” because it works.

4.       I will invest in youth instead of over-aged veterans when it comes to building this team back to the top of the mountain.

5.       I will give Bill Belichick an open check when his contract comes back up.  Not many legendary Hall of Fame coaches out in the open market.

6.       I will let Tom Brady train in California or where ever he wants and never question his determination towards this team after this year’s performance.   For all I care he can have 100’s of commercials, 10 more kids, and 20 appointments to have hair extensions, while running for the senate, as long as he is under center when the season starts.

7.       I will continue to dismiss fools such as Terrell Suggs and Channing Crowder who insist that Brady is not as good as Ryan Fitzpatrick and Michael Vick.  When a fool continues to speak, it just sounds like white noise after awhile.  I notice that they did not mention Joe Flacco or Chad Henne as being better than Brady, very interesting!

8.       I will continue to let Sexy Rexy speak his mind about being the best and winning the Super Bowl back in August.  The Patriots keep their mouths shut and continue to win, as the Jets slide back to the pack as Rex inserts his foot into his mouth.

9.       I will never trust what Mel Kipper says when it comes to selecting a draft choice.

10.   I will lock up the Law Firm because he is everything you want in a back.  A tough, downhill runner who can catch out of the backfield and NEVER fumbles. 

Check out this game that is up on games-now.com  It is very interesting how much noise one man can make for an organization in only two years time, guess they really needed to sell those PSL's.  I guess Jet's fans can't take cracks anymore about Brady's hair plugs when they have Sexy Rexy and his foot fetish footage.

http://games-now.com/funny-games/Goddamn-Snack-Time.html#Play_Now?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The same day that the Jets suspended strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi indefinitely after the team got “new information” that Alosi “instructed” five players to stand in a wall before he tripped a Dolphins player on Sunday, New York special teams coach Mike Westhoff hinted that the Patriots engage in many of the same tactics.

Appearing on the Waddle & Silvy Show on ESPN 1000 in Chicago, Westhoff said “a number of teams do it,” including “a pretty good team up north.”

Asked by one of the hosts if he was talking about the Patriots, Westhoff added, “Well, if you watch them, their defense when the opponents’ punt team is out there ...  they’re up there pretty close to the line so it looks like they are trying to do it. Now are they doing anything illegal? Are they tripping anybody, heck no. I’m not saying that. That’s not the point. But, yeah, they’re lined up there. Is it making a difference? I don’t know. I really don’t know, because to tell you the truth before this happened I never really looked at anybody’s sideline in all my years.”

1.       Belichick’s beat down of the Jets last week looks like it took more than a psychological toll on the Jets and has them in a freefall.

2.       If the NFL truly cares about the players and their injuries, Aaron Rodgers should not be allowed to play next week after sustaining his second concussion.

3.       If I remember correct, at the beginning of the year the Patriots had the league’s top 3 hardest schedules, after Bill’s performance so far this season with Rookies contributing more than ever, you have to give him coach of the year. 

4.       So much for Brian Urlacher’s guarantee that the Bears are going to win.  Only one time I can remember that someone’s prediction was correct in beating the Patriots and that was Plaxico for the Super Bowl.

5.       Who would of that that Sal Alosi the Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Jets would of made the best tackle of the day for them. 

6.       Jerod Mayo is playing like Adam Sandler’s character Bobby Bouche.

7.       Where are my conspiracy theorists out there?   Did Brett Favre somehow cause the roof at the Metrodome to collapse so that his shoulder can get an extra day of rest to extend his streak?  I believe I saw Ed Werder and Chris Mortensen on top of the roof!

8.       Forget drafting a running back next year, BJGE is proving to be a rock.  He rarely loses yards, never fumbles and does his job.

9.       You know what Chris Carter, you can take Randy Moss and his 0 Super Bowl rings and I will take Deion Branch with his two.  Even with his 2007 season, Moss never had the chemistry that Branch and Brady is showing, even after missing a couple of years.

10.   I was wrong about Shayne Graham.  Those were the type of kicks that may be needed and he proved that he can do it.  Pick confidence boost for the team and his psych.  Now let’s work on the extra point attempts.

1. No more stealing 5-6 bases a night against whatever weak armed throwing catcher the Red Sox would start.
2. No more playing on artificial turf. By sitting out in the short left field on Fenway, his legs will be saved by not playing on 81 home games of artificial turf as well as tracking down deep fly balls.  The wear and tear would normally kill him in the later years of the contract.
3. Weakens division rivals on both ends of the candle.  We no longer face him when we play the Rays, and will terrorize the Yankees with his base-running.
4. No fall back plan now for the Yankees if Lee stays in Texas unless they trade away some valuable kids in the farm for a layed back Greinke.Oh and by the way, will not come cheep.
5. He is the anti-Manny being Manny.  Rarely misses games, stays injury free, and usually gets 600+ at bats.

There are many times when certain teams have other teams’ number, they simply have figured out what to do to win and usually match up very well in terms of personnel.  Same can be said for Head Coaches.  From 2000-2008 while Mike Martz was either a Head Coach or Offensive Coordinator; Bill Belichick has fared rather well versus Mike Martz’s complex offensive schemes.  In 6 games, Bill’s defenses have allowed 22/24/17/21/21 points respectively while creating 17 turnovers in compiling a 5-1 record.  Bottom line, Bill’s bend but don’t break defense has been effective throughout the years while creating many turnovers.  In fact, this is Bill’s third best year in terms of the teams Takeaway/Giveaway Differential at +14, and there are still four games remaining.  If there is anything that we do know is that Jay Cutler can be a turnover machine.  Jay Cutler has had only three spans in his entire career where he has not thrown an interception in back to back games.  And to expand on that, it has never been more than two games in the 64 that he has played for his career. Ouch!  As of late Jay Cutler has been good, but if history tells us anything, it is doomed to repeat.  Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, Jay Cutler is bound to be exposed.  Is this defense really supposed to be scared of the receivers Martz will throw out on to Soldiers Field Sunday afternoon?  Let’s see, there is a punt returner slash wide receiver named Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox? Not what you would call “The Greatest Show on Turf”, but Truth be told, their best asset may be Matt Forte at running back.  He has the speed to get around the edge, a Patriot Defensive weakness, and great hands when coming out of the backfield as Jay Cutler’s check down.  To be fair, this is a very good defense that is playing at a high level, I believe that it is the offense that will doom Mike Martz.  Overall, Bill has played a Mike Martz coached team in Foxboro, Louisiana, St. Louis, Detroit, and San Francisco with having only one hiccup along the way back in 2001, and we all know that Bill got sweet revenge for that loss.  Now we know that the weather is going to play a big part in this game, it just seems that this game could be played on the Moon and Bill would still figure out some way to win, so why not add Chicago to the list of Bill’s resume?

1. Red Zone efficiency was phenomenal last night going 5 for 5 and never settled for field goal.
2. Great kicking by Mesko and Graham in the swirling winds. It’s weather like last night that Graham will be counted on to make field goals if the Patriots have home field advantage.
3. Can’t recall in all the years of watching the Patriots so many personal changes from play to play. With as much diversity O’Brien now has on offense, he had Rex’s defense off balance all night.
4. Cheer up Rex, the Jets did win one facet of the game and that was the coin toss. Damn you Belichick!!!
5. Sanchez looked like a deer in headlights.
6. This was Cromartie’s Tweet in the beginning of camp “alCROtraz will be the name next to revis island. Lol I would like all the Fans for coming up wit ALCROTRAZ it was Brilliant I appreciate it. Great name before camp starts up”. After his performance last night, he should return his nickname.
7. Jets fans are acting like the loss of Jim Leonhard was a big reason to Brady’s success. I didn’t realize we were mentioning his name with the likes of Ronnie Lott and Rodney Harrison.
8. For a Jets team that has won nothing, it is amazing how many nicknames they have for themselves. Let’s see there is Sanchize, Alcrotraz, Flight Boys, Revis Island, The Terminator, and LT that I can think of off the top of my head. Start by winning the division first before giving out nicknames,
9. That was the biggest piece of humble pie dished out since the Pats debacle against the Ravens last year.
10. The Bears do not scare me for one reason, Jay Culter.

1.       Going to be interesting how effective the “Ground and Pound” of the Jets is going to be if LT is the feature back as the cold weather starts to set in.  Last time I looked, LT played in sunny California for his entire career and was never a cold weather game runner.  Thomas Jones who the Jets let go this year, was perfect for December and January games but now resides in Kansas City.

2.        I don’t want to hear any more about the Colts problems stem from a lack of a running game.  The Patriots have BJEG carrying the rock and of I am correct, he was somewhere around fourth or fifth on the depth chart at the beginning of the year.  Maybe Polian should be taking a bigger hit than Peyton Manning for the lack of quality depth at the Offensive line and Running back position. 

3.       Last year Mark Sanchez was efficient on the big stage going to Cincy, San Diego and Indy, where two of the three games were warm and controlled climate stadiums.  If the Jets get home field advantage throughout the playoffs, can a USC product thrive in a cold-weather stadium in New Jersey?

4.       What is up with 4th and 2?  Last year Colts and Pats we all know what happened, last night Ravens pass on field goal and throw incomplete pass to lose game, and finally the Bengals get an infraction call against the Saints that allows a new set of downs for Brees to throw the winning TD.

5.       With Carolina owning the worst record in the league, having the first pick in the second round is almost like having 3 picks in the first round if you include the Raiders and their own.

1.       Chargers own the Colts just as the Patriots own the Steelers.  So much for Indy’s steak of winning 12 games a year for eight years.  Great run!

2.       The Jets have gone 6 straight weeks of committing a turnover on offense, not good when facing the Patriots who have been running like an oiled machine.

3.       Sign Andre Johnson up for UFC, there were some nice punches thrown.

4.       Thank you Cleveland and Miami for helping out our draft selections in next year’s draft.

5.       I can see T.O.’s tweet to Steve Johnson of the Bill’s, “Why So Serious Now”?

6.       Has Dwayne Bowe transformed into Randy Moss of old?  Who would have thought Matt Cassel would have a go-to receiver that leads the league with 14 TD’s? At this pace he might eclipse Moss’s TD record in 2007.

7.       Rams definitely made the right selection in drafting Sam Bradford and should be set for years to come. 

8.       Can we please take a deep breath and relax when it comes to Michael Vick and MVP talk?  I can’t take him serious while only playing in half of the Eagles snaps this year.

9.       How’s this for time of possession: Miami 14:38 and the Raiders 18:22, talk about a tired Defense.

10.   7 Interceptions in the last two games, you can throw Peyton Manning’s MVP chances right out the window.

1. I believe that the Patriots will come out with a similar game plan that they used in Pittsburgh. They will continue to use the run to keep the defense honest, but in the end, it will be the arm of Brady that is going to have to win this game. The Jets passing defense is not as good as last year and can be thrown upon without hesitation.

2. The Pats offensive line held Blitzkrieg in check, contained Freeney and Mathis to only one sack, and after a first half adjustment against Detroit, made Suh and company seem like they were moving in mud. If the Pats line continues to excel from game to game, I don’t care what Rex Ryan throws at the Pats, Brady will have plenty of time to throw the ball.

3. It will be interesting to see who mans up against Branch and Welker. Both pose a different dimension than the man Revis called a slouch. With such agility and great route running, I believe that both Branch and Welker will find open space against Revis and Cromartie.

4. Nick Folk is 6 for 10 in field goal attempts his last three games. With the game possibly on the line or if in a crucial spot, will Rex Ryan gamble with his offense instead of relying on Folk’s leg?

5. If the Pats continue to play smart and mistake free football as they have, you can count on 26 victories at home in a row. 199 passes and counting for Brady without throwing an interception means that he is seeing the entire field and making great decisions.

6. Kyle Orton, Matt Stafford/Drew Stanton, Colt McCoy, Matt Schaub, and Carson Palmer have been the Jets QB competition lately versus Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Colt McCoy, Big Ben, and Shaun Hill for the Pats.  The Patriots Defense has been tested the last couple weeks by big name QB’s and has grown to make the big play. Can they versus Mark Sanchez who has had a fantastic year but has looked pedestrian the last game?

7. Jets fans can take solace that they beat the Pats in week 2, but this is a different team that had a meltdown in the second half. The defense is starting to gel and is creating turnovers lead by McCourty and Chung, Logan Mankins is back adding more toughness to the offensive line, the once predictable offensive play calling that included Randy Moss is gone and has thrived with an old flame named Deion Branch and two outstanding rookie tight ends.

8. Dustin Keller is no longer Mark Sanchez’s favorite target that belongs to Mr. Holmes. Over the last three weeks, Santanio Holmes has been explosive, who will provide a better match up?  McCourty or Arrington, only time will tell.

9. With 10 days to prepare edge goes to Belichick, he will find their weakness and exploit it.

10. 3rd down will be key, containing LT coming out of the backfield where Sanchez loves to check down.  Limit the missed tackles on him and get off the field.

Where is the signature victory or the statement game that’s been won by the 2010 N.Y. Jets?  By simply scratching the surface and looking underneath their bravado and puffed out chests, their schedule clearly shows not a single game.  If they want to call Week 2 a signature or statement game than I feel sorry for them.  It sounds like the Jets last year when they proclaimed their Week 2 battle against the Patriots as their Super Bowl.  Was it important, yes, anytime you win a division game it's magnified because of the ramifications it plays.  Looking up and down their schedule I see three playoff teams or what we might call statement games that they have played so far: Patriots, Ravens, and Packers, where they lost two of them.  Both the Ravens and Packers shut down the Jets offense and if it wasn’t for some great second half adjustments by Ryan, or a total meltdown by the Patriots, it would have been a clean sweep.  The Patriots have played a total of five: Jets, Ravens, Chargers, Steelers, and Colts where they have won four out of five.  Along the way the Patriots have had their share of bumps and have had the ball bounce their way in those games, but all teams have, including the Jets. It’s the fact that they were able to pull out the victory against such tough competition, the Jets so far have failed.  If Jets fans want to say Week 1 was not indicative of how their team plays than the same can be said for the Patriots in Week 2.  The Jets have been a very resilient team and week after week, especially the last month or so, have found ways to win when all hope seems lost.  They are a very sound team and coached well in all phases of the game, but this is a different team than the one that went to the Championship game last year, a team that has not been tested yet.  8 days and counting before the Jets first statement game, welcome to the Razor.

1.       It is amazing that Favre, Marino, and Manning have all thrown for over 4,500 completions, what is more amazing is that combined they have only two Super Bowl wins.

2.       With all of the talk surrounding Vick, Manning, and Brady for MVP, at some point Philip Rivers needs to be mentioned in the same breath.  He is on pace to break Marino’s single season passing record and has done it without Vincent Jackson.

3.       With concussions running rampant throughout the NFL, do you think the reason why Big Ben got slapped in the face by Seymour is because he was confused and thought he was back at the bar harassing another college girl?

4.       Talk about parity.  Except for the AFC East, all division leaders are either tied or have only a one game lead.  Because the schedule has been changed so that teams play their division opponents at the end of the season, this will lead to an exciting finish in most divisions.

5.       With Brady wanting to play until he is 40 and the team averaging 10 wins a year, Belichick could move past Paul Brown and slip into the top 5 of coaching wins.

1.       If the Patriots do not win today against the Colts and their Mash unit, it will be a severe blow to the psych.  The Patriots are coming off an impressive win versus the Steelers who they have owned, but the Colts have dominated the Pats the last couple of years. If they can't win now than when? 

2.       The Colts Defense has only allowed one team this year to pass for over 300 yards yet have only stopped two teams from cracking the century mark.  Look for Bill to line up the two-Tight End formations and ram the ball down their throat.

3.       Where have you gone Mike VanderJerk?

4.       Speaking of kickers it is still weird to see Vinatieri dawn the Blue and White.

5.       Kelvin Hayden has been playing at a high level and has two interceptions this year and both have been taken to the house.  With the familiarity of both teams, look for Hayden to jump his routes and possibly take it for six.

6.       As much as Wayne has been killed the Patriots, look for Jacob Tamme to do his best Dallas Clark imitation across the middle.

7.       You can almost guarantee that when the Colts get into the Red-Zone you will see their infamous slant pick play to free up Collie for a TD. Take it to the bank!

8.       Strange to have not heard from Polian this year.  Maybe he has a new rule up his sleeve to have other teams use their 3rd & 4th string players when they have too.

9.       I think the reason why the Patriots have not done well lately against the Colts is that the Colts have just been better.  No magic, just better.

10.   The 5 times combined that these two teams have lost was because the other team ran the ball effectively.  Here are the totals: 136,230,257,174, and 195.  If ball control and keeping each teams HOF QB on the sideline is key, the Patriots should have a big edge.

 

1.       Glad to repay back the favor when it comes to breaking streaks.  I don’t like to see anyone get hurt but nice of the Patriots to return the favor and snap Hines Ward’s streak of 186 games with one reception, especially when they broke the Patriots winning streak at 21.

2.       Gostkowski has missed only on XPAT in almost five years and it takes Shayne Graham just over three quarters in his Patriot start to miss his. Shayne does not seem to have the strongest and most accurate leg which at some point, will cost this team. There has to be a better option out there.

3.       Good to see the Patriots Defense blitz and put the pressure on Big Ben to make quicker decisions.  I would rather die a quick death by living with the blitz than a slow torture when our DB’s are 15 yards back in coverage.

4.       DeSean Jackson has to find a better description to find when comparing his team’s effort against the Redskins to that of  “caged pit-bulls”.  I am sure the PR reps for the Eagles could not of been to happy. 

5.       Good to see Matt Cassel grow at his position.  I know they are probably asking him to manage football games up there with the type of running game they have led by Charles and Jones, but a 16-4 TD to interception ratio is very good.

6.       Do we need to know the severity of Brett Favre’s injury every single weekend and the possibility of him not playing?  There are plenty of players out there playing hurt and don’t go running to the media.  Brady hurts his foot and you hear nothing, Favre hurts his shoulder and he is having a press conference that he might go to Dr. James Andrews.  Enough of the drama please.

7.       The Jet’s don’t seem to win by much or lose by much; they do just enough to win the game.  I would like to see a dominating performance on both sides of the ball or a more complete game before I pronounce them the best. 

8.       From 1944 to 1948 there was a football team called the Boston Yanks. For any Red Sox lovers out there, that's as good a autoantonym if I ever saw it.

9.      If the Patriots remind Terrell Suggs of the Cheerleaders in the movie “Bring It On”, is it safe to call the Ravens after the movie “The Crying Game”.

10.  If I hear another report about Brady’s hair I am going to shoot myself.  It’s like Brady is the first player ever in the NFL with long hair.  Bottom line guys, if Gisele asks you to grow your hair long, you grow it long.

 

1.       What are the chances that DeSean Jackson will go over the middle anytime soon?  Will he be able to bounce back like Anquan Boldin did in 2008 after getting his head removed by Eric Smith?  Boldin responded by catching 9 passes for 63 yards and 2 TD’s, only time will tell.

2.       From 2003-till now, Reggie Wayne has not missed one football game.  So let’s stop how great Peyton Manning is and how he continues to amaze while throwing to no names.  As long as Wayne is lined up to one side, he demands a safety over the top.  Go check out Phillip Rivers this year without Vincent Jackson and the All-Star cast he has been throwing to besides Gates.

3.       2008 had one hell of a Running Back class:  Darren McFadden, Johnathan Stewart, Felix Jones, Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, Ray Rice, Jamaal Charles, Tim Hightower, and Peyton Hillis.  Can’t think of a better year that had this much talent.

4.       For as much hype as LT has received for finding the fountain of youth in New York, the Jets were just as good last year if not better with Thomas Jones carrying the rock at this point of the year: 122 attempts for 602 yards and 7 touchdowns compared to LT’s 108 carries for 544 yards and 5 touchdowns.   Sounds like a marketing move by the Jets to sell more PSL’s to me.

5.       There is a lot of possible Super Bowl talk on the TV now that Randy Moss has landed with the Titans.  But can anyone tell me how this team does not compare with the Vikings?  Both have strong armed QB’s in Favre and Young/Collins, premier running backs with Johnson and Peterson, and at times a defense that can make you one dimensional.  If the Vikings could not excel with Randy while having impact players such as Harvin, Schiancoe, and Peterson next to him, why now would the Titans who have similar and possibly less talent jump to the Super Bowl?

6.       When Shawn Merriman was last seen doing his “Lights Out Dance”, was he talking about his own career?

7.       It is talked a lot about how a elite receiver draws double coverage and opens up the entire field.  We have seen this happen since Randy Moss arrived.  But can someone explain what is going on in San Diego and Denver that debunks this myth.  Obviously there receivers can never be mistaken for Jerry Rice and Cris Carter yet here they are ranked 1 and 2 in passing offense.

8.       Have to give Tom Cable all the credit in the world for turning this Raiders team around.  At this point they are ranked number 2 in total offense and number 1 in rushing offense behind an offensive line I am sure nobody can name. 

9.       Josh McDaniels has done a hell of a job with Kyle Orton and fitting him into a system that has made him very productive.  Unfortunaltly, after starting 6-0 last year, Josh’s record is 4-14 leading up to this point.  Not sure how much longer he can survive if this keeps up.

10.   Who would of guessed that the other New York team not run by Rex Ryan would lead the league in defense against the pass: Giants are ranked number 1, Jets are ranked number 15.

 

1.       Anybody want Kyle Wilson over Devin McCourty now?

2.       At 6-1, I hear no more talk around the league that the Patriots don’t have a defensive and offensive coordinator named, and how Bill has taken on too much.

3.       Can’t think of a better mid-season pickup that can help this team than Mankins signing his tender.  Let’s hope he is ready in time for the Steelers aggressive defense or the annual affair with Peyton and the Colts.

4.       Anybody would have thought that LT, Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, Ray Rice, Ryan Mathews or Adrian Peterson would not eclipse the 100 yard mark yet against the Patriots especially with Ty Warren and Leigh Bodden out for the year?

5.       Danny Woodhead has transformed himself into Kevin Faulk right before our very eyes.  He always has a knack for where the first down marker is and is very elusive in open space.  Thanks Rex for your impeccable talent evaluation.