All Three Phases

Say it with me now. Situational. Football.

Sometimes that situation is starting your 3rd string quarterback on a short week against a team with coaches that know you better than anyone else because they all worked or played for you.

Tailgating in my Living Room

I’ve had some variation of Mexican food for the first two games, both wins, so you know what I’m firing up for tonight. Enchiladas, jalapeno poppers, salsa, guac and chips. Guacamole isn’t just for the Super Bowl, you know.

Best Season Ever

I know it didn’t feel like it when Jimmy Garoppolo was falling to one knee, blinded by pain.

I know it didn’t feel like it in the second half when the Dolphins were roaming freely in the Patriots secondary.

I know it didn’t feel like it when Stephen Gostkowski’s potential game-clinching field goal attempt went wide right.

But trust me.

This is how the movie “Best Season Ever” starts.

The Next One

The Patriots were 9.5 point underdogs on the road last week and won. Now the Dolphins come to Foxborough as 6.5 point underdogs.

That probably doesn’t mean anything, right?

Right?

The Encore

The second start of Jimmy Garoppolo’s career was going to be the biggest. Of course, that was because we thought it would be coming off a loss. And because it’s a divisional game. At home. You can’t lose a divisional home game. Well, unless you’re the Buffalo Bills. Then you absolutely can do that. If we’re being honest, we all thought 3-1-0 was the best case scenario for Jimmy G. 3-1-0? We were going to be happy with 2-2-0. The Pats would lose in Arizona and they’d lose on a short week to the Texans. But they had to win the divisional games against Miami and Buffalo. They had to. That’s why Week 2 was going to be so important.

It still is.

The Quarterback Non-Controversy

Maybe it’s just that everyone has been so jealous of Tom Brady for so long they’d like to believe he’s actually jealous of someone else.

I’m looking at you Jimmy G!

Perfect Sunday

No Gronk. No Nate Solder or Sebastian Vollmer. No Ninkovich. No Dion Lewis.

No Tom Brady.

On the road, playing a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

Hey, everybody’s got their problems. All anyone ever cares about is results.

New England 23, Arizona 21.

W.

This was the game they were supposed to lose. Even with Brady this was supposed to be a tough game to win. The most optimistic of Jimmy G boosters conceded a 3-1-0 record would be pretty much the best case scenario. All of us felt a 2-2-0 start would be good enough, especially if those two wins were against Miami and Buffalo.

Now?

Now we’re on to Miami.