Wait - What Just Happened?

When the Patriots traded Chandler Jones I thought - and hoped - that would mean New England could keep both Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins.

So, yeah.

Great Expectations

There are times when I’m confused by all the hating on the Patriots and Patriots’ fans. Then there are times like this last week when I totally get it.

What was that offensive game plan against the Steelers, anyway? Where’s the pass rush? Or the pass protection? Those fumbles! What happened to special teams and the kickoff coverage? Speaking of kicking, has Stephen Gostkowski lost it? Was that missed extra point in Denver his “wide right” moment?

Do you really think they could’ve won that game if Big Ben had been available?

Yeah. Just how much better than 6-1-0 can you get? Oh, right. 7-0-0.

Cleveland Brown’s fans can only dream of having such problems. Jacksonville Jaguars’ fans have no idea what I’m talking about. (If the Patriots had beaten the Jags like the Titans did the post-game narrative would’ve been all about what we should make of those garbage time touchdowns the Jaguars scored; you’d have to play better than that to close out a quality opponent!) Minnesota Vikings fans are pinching themselves even after that junk punch game in Philly last week. Bears fans...

Well, I could go on but it would just be cruel.

Anyway, I guess this is all just my way of saying…

They're All Big Games

In this case, Rex Ryan ain’t wrong. This Sunday’s Patriots-Bills game is big.

Or as Rex’s candidate for President might say, it’s bigly.

Easterlies

Hard not to think the Patriots may have taken the Steelers a little bit for granted with Ben Roethlisberger on the sidelines. Still, despite the fumbles, the drops, the poor play on special teams, the Patriots did what other teams were supposed to do with Tom Brady on the sideline in September (only they didn’t). They won.

Deflategate Karma

I promised myself I’d leave Deflategate in the rear view. Like Tom Brady, I wasn’t going to worry about the past; I was moving on but that’s been easier said than done. Maybe it’s all the chatter from pigskin pundits and bobbleheads about Brady’s “Revenge Tour.” Maybe it’s that Colts owner Jim Irsay just refuses to shut up. Maybe it’s simply the siren call of schadenfreude (so delicious). Whatever the reason or reasons, I hope you’ll indulge my bitter inner child just this once.

Return of the King

I’m just rolling around the internet, reliving the literally triumphant return of Tom Brady. Tom Terrific. The Blueprint. Perfect Tommy. Young Odin. The Icy Commander. The G.O.A.T.

If this is shaking off the rust, I can hardly wait till Brady gets loose.

Tense and Nervous

It hasn’t helped the collective pigskin psyche of Patriots Nation to see “Julian Edelman, foot” show up on the injury report. Or “LeGarrette Blount, hip.” Not to mention the rumors about Gronk’s balky hamstring. Who would’ve thought “Marcus Cannon, calf” would’ve been a cause for concern? Maybe after losing at home, getting shut out by a division rival coached by Rex Ryan, everything is a cause for concern.

Pigskin Perspective

I wasn’t always a Patriots fan. I was an Army brat and rooted for the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills before I moved to New Hampshire to finish off an unnecessarily overwrought BA degree in English Literature. Naturally, I got a job in information technology by converting a work study position into a programming position. The rest is history, as they say.

Turning the Page

So...

...that's how that feels.

Maybe we need to be reminded of how that feeling feels every now and then.

Like once every 23 years.

Well...

We're on to Buffalo!

Everyone Gets Paid Back

The Patriots have announced Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting QB for this Sunday’s game against Buffalo Bills. You can go ahead and tick the box next to Toughness on Jimmy G’s curriculum vitae.

Okay, the game still needs to be played but assuming Garoppolo can be 80% of what he was in the first half of the Dolphins game, GMs in half the NFL’s franchises will start putting together back of the napkin trade offers while they watch the 4:00pm games.

Here’s a hint: The bidding starts at a 1st and a 4th. That’s the floor. Now tell me what you got that’s better than that. Can you hold? I’ve got Chicago on the other line.