That Happened

Color me giddy. It’s the one right next to atomic tangerine.

 

I thought going for it on 4^th and 6 was the right call (if you're going to fail, fail fast) but when the ball slipped through Aaron Dobson’s hands I assumed the game was over. Then the defense rose up and held the Saints to a field goal and I thought, “Wait a minute! This isn’t over!” Brady had plenty of time. Then he threw that inexplicable interception and I thought the game was over again. Then the defense – already without Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly and having lost Jerod Mayo and Aqib Talib to injury during the game – rose up again and I thought, “There’s still a chance!”

And yet, when Kenbrell Thompkins came down with the football for the game-winning TD I couldn’t help but wonder…

Did that really happen? Really? Did I just see that happen?

Yeah.

That happened.

Am I the only one hearing Bill Parcells’ voice in my head saying, “You are what your record says you are?”

  

The Patriots are 5-1-0.

That shit is real.

Am I the only one thinking Bill Belichick is putting together the best year of his Hall of Fame career?

I thought the game plan for Atlanta was remarkable but what New England was able to do against New Orleans was extraordinary. Zero catches for All Galaxy TE Jimmy Graham. Drew Brees held to a slash line of 17/36/236/2/1. The Saints came into the game leading the NFL in time of possession but had the football for just 28:09 Sunday afternoon. Five times the defense held the high powered Saints offense to a 3 and out; six if you count the stand that held NOLA to a field goal after the failed 4^th and 6. I was hoping the defense would play well enough to give the Patriots a chance to win but in my wildest dreams I couldn’t imagine what I saw on the field. 30-27 doesn’t sound like a defensive battle but this game had me thinking back to the Patriots’ defense of ’03 and ’04. Also, Kenny Stills pushed off Alfonzo Dennard on that TD catch for what should’ve been offensive pass interference.

We’re all starting to think the kids are alright, aren’t we?

As Bill Belichick would say, “it’s all about the players.”

I thought the rookies were gradually starting to get it but with all the focus on the drops, I’d lost track of the catches. So I was surprised by the numbers in this post by Jeff Howe on bostonherald.com.

Thompkins and Dobson are both on pace to have years that will compare favorably to Deion Branch’s rookie season. Thompkins already has more TD catches (4) than any other rookie wide receiver to play with Brady. Dobson did drop that 4^th and 6 pass but he also caught 6 of the other 9 passes thrown his way for 63 yards. His will-not-be-denied effort to get out of bounds on the game-winning drive to stop the clock was a game saver.

He’s a good player, he’s worked real hard and he’s made some plays…

-My Inner Belichick

Got to recognize Michael Hoomanawanui for his 4 catches on 4 targets for 57 yards and a huge 19-yard catch and run on 3^rd and 18.

How about Austin Collie, all of six days on the roster, coming up with two huge receptions on the game-winning drive, including a 4^th down conversion?

Stevan Ridley was an absolute stud lugging the rock 20 times for 96 yards and 2 TDs.

Rookie punter Ryan Allen averaged 52.5 yards on 4 punts with one dropped inside the 20 and no touchbacks.

Stephen Gostkowski continues to be the next best thing to a touchdown as he converted all three FGA, including a 54-yard attempt that stopped the bleeding after New Orleans had erased the 10-point deficit to tie the game at 17. Gostkowski is now 16 of 17 on FGA and 11 of 11 on XPA.

He’s day to day…

The Patriots started the game without Wilfork and Kelly, then saw Talib, Mayo, Amendola and Dan Connolly leave the field of play and not return. Gronkowski is still day to day and Matthew Slater and Shane Vereen are still week to week.

And the Jets are up next. In New York.

Now it’s a party.