The Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility: One Thing

Monday, August 13, 2012

One Thing

To Plax or not to Plax? That is the question. For Monday, anyway. Plaxico Burress coming in for a workout and Chad Johnson on ~~the market~~ bail has Patriots Nation thinking. Granted, it has most of us thinking we’d rather hear about a solid veteran offensive lineman coming in for a workout than a 35-year old ex-con wide receiver but solid veteran offensive lineman are apparently a lot harder to come by than 35-year old ex-con wide receivers.

Schadenfreude Update

Speaking of former Jets wide receivers, I saw the Braylon Edwards highlight over the weekend, as he went jump ball for a TD catch for the Seahawks in preseason. With Santonio Holmes shelved with a not broken rib injury, I’m hard pressed to name a Jets wide receiver. It could be argued that with quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow wide receivers are irrelevant. Should opposing defenses be able to play 11 in the box, however, it will present a challenge for Gang Green’s vaunted “Ground and Pound” offense.

I’m still standing by my earlier prediction that Tebow will be the Jets starting QB by Week 6. Looking over their schedule, 5-11-0 looks like one possible future.

I know what you’re thinking. “You’re a Patriots’ fan. Your team is an early Super Bowl favorite, a mortal lock for the AFC East (again) and national pundits have already written about the possibility of another perfect 16-0-0 regular season. Do you really need to hate on the Jets?”

Yes. Yes I do.

An Embarrassment of Riches

The Plaxico Burress workout had citizens of Patriots Nation debating the relative roster value of Plax, Donte Stallworth and Deion Branch. The consensus amongst New England’s Pigskin Pundits and Bobbleheads is that Stallworth and Branch are battling for the final WR spot on the roster, with Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Julian Edelman and Matthew Slater (the latter two for their special teams value) mortal locks for the final 53.

It’s been fashionable to dismiss Branch of late. He’s had a hard time getting onto the practice field and as Stallworth has gotten more reps – and lined up for kick-off returns to bolster his value – it’s starting to look like Tom Brady’s BFF might be playing for Kansas City in 2012. The Burress workout led me to look at those 2011 numbers and I have to admit, I was surprised by what I found…