Doing Some Other Guy's Job

As it is so often in Week 17, things couldn't be simpler for the Patriots. There's no mystery here, fellas. Beat the Dolphins.

That's it.

We're All Week-to-Week

Just like that, the team nobody wanted to face in the playoffs isn't in the playoffs any more.

Of course that could change again next week.

Southside Story

The Patriots will be without two starting wide receivers, both starting safeties, their offensive line is still a work in progress and their leading rusher is on IR.

The Jets playoff existence is on the line. And they're playing at home.

The pigskin math is pretty in this one, isn't it?

Christmas in New England will be Played on the Road

Watching a little bit of Bill Belichick's press conference Wednesday morning on ESPN. As usual, Belichick was effusive and detailed in his praise of the Jets and their players while being guarded if not downright stingy in his assessment of his own players (with a variation on "they're all good" in response to Chandler Jones' career high 12.5 sacks). In his responses to questions about the newest Patriot, Steven Jackson, Belichick did not disappoint. 

"We'll see."

Yes, yes we will.

This One's Optimistic

We could start with the obvious. 12-2-0. The #1 seed in the AFC is theirs to lose. Tom Brady. Rob Gronkowski. That defense. They can rest Devin McCourty, Julian Edelman, Dont'a Hightower, Danny Amendola and Patrick Chung (five starters!) until the playoffs and still win out because Bill Belichick is always roster building.

I mean… Akiem Hicks? Joey Iosefa? Who? What? I'm already looking forward to Leonard Hankerson's first TD catch. And Steven Jackson's first 100-yard rushing game.

This Given Sunday

The last time we (okay, maybe it was just me) were irresponsibly confident in a Patriots victory over a stumbling opponent at home, well, we know what happened, don't we?

Okay, I realize the things I say or the clothes I wear don't really have any impact on the outcome of a football game. Then again, there's that Butterfly Effect thing so yeah, I'll be wearing the gray hoodie at 1:00pm this Sunday.

Big game.

The Titans are coming to town!

Another Next Man Up

If this is Tuesday, the Patriots must be putting another player on the Injured Reserve list.

Okay, it hasn't been quite that bad.

Still. Dominique Easley. I'm gonna miss him.

The Man With The Big White Gloves

I'm watching the Giants-Dolphins Monday night game to remind myself how lucky I am to be a Patriots fan.

So That Happened

First there was the miraculous on-side kick recovery. Then there was the miracle of the forced fumble recovery. And then... All out of miracles. Alas.

So, that happened. Is there anything good to take away from the Patriots 35-28 loss to the alleged football team from Philadelphia. Well, nobody got hurt. There's that. Maybe the Patriots just made every possible bad play they could possibly make in all three phases of the game and now they're all behind them. 

Yeah, okay, probably not. What else can I say?

We're on to Houston!

The Tough Are About To Get Going

I would not want to be the Philadelphia Eagles coming to play in the Big Razor this Sunday.

Somebody's got to pay.