Category Archives: New England Patriots

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Studs And Duds From Patriots Victory Over Cowboys

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The New England Patriots continued their undefeated season on Sunday when they rolled over the Dallas Cowboys 30-6, lead by a ferocious second half run. Using the NFL Game Pass coaches film application, I was able to re-watch the game and break down the, “All 22” and get a better glimpse of each players performance. Here are three studs and duds from my film evaluations.

Studs:

Jamie Collins: Through the first few games of the season, Jamie Collins was very unimpressive. He was slow to the ball in the run game, and was sucked up by offensive lineman on multiple occasions. This past Sunday, Collins was all over the field. He was constantly in the backfield and all over the check downs that Brandon Weeden was dishing out. On one play in the first half that was called back on a defensive holding call on  Jabaal Sheard, Jamie Collins just barreled through Darren McFaden for the sack in under two seconds. His coverage was also very good as he and Devin McCourty blanketed Jason Witten, who had a very quiet afternoon.

Hightower sacks Weeden in Patriots 30-6 blowout of Dallas (Photo: USA/Today)
Hightower sacks Weeden in Patriots 30-6 blowout of Dallas (Photo: USA/Today)
Patriots.com
Patriots.com

Dion Lewis: Without a doubt, the biggest surprise of the Patriots season thus far has been Dion Lewis, and that was never more evident than on Sunday. He finished the game with eight receptions, for fifty-nine yards, and one touchdown. He did have trouble pass blocking in the game which has been his only flaw thus far, but his ability to come out of the backfield and and get yards after the catch, is unreal.

The most obvious example of this was on Sunday, when Lewis made a one handed grab inside the red zone and proceeded to make five defenders miss on his way to the end zone. Also, the biggest play of the game came late in the second quarter on third and one, with the game tied at three. Lewis was wrapped up by his leg in the backfield, broke off the tackle and scurried down to the one-yard line.

Malcolm Butler: On Sunday, Malcolm Butler shadowed his side of the field giving up very little yardage. On many different occasions, Butler got his hand on passes intended for Terrence Williams. Also, he is continuing to come up on run plays and show his physicality. By far, Sunday was his best performance, even though it was against a very sub par quarterback with average wide receivers. This week will be more of a test.

Duds:

LeGarrette Blount: Without a doubt, Dion Lewis has taken over the number one running back role. It has much to do with Blount’s ineptitude and Lewis’s performance. On Sunday LeGarrette Blount had a solid game on paper, but from just watching the game it was obvious that he did not perform all that well. On two separate plays, Blount had the chance to convert a first down on short yardage situations. He failed on both. For such a big back, he should be able to use his size to power through, however he tries to run like a Dion Lewis type of back.

David Andrews: After a hot start, David Andrews has slowed down over the past couple of weeks. On Sunday there was not many bad performances, but Andrews had a less than stellar day. The Patriots were virtually never able to run the ball through the interior. Even though Blount is much to blame for not converting on short yardage situations, Andrews played a big part as well. Again, not an awful day for Andrews, but he could use some improvement.

Patriots Offensive Tackles: The worst group on the Patriots by far came from the offensive tackles. Particularly, Nate Solder who left with injury, Marcus Cannon, and Sebastian Vollmer. Throughout the week heading into the game, everyone talked about how can Dallas get to Brady. The general consensus was that they would have to go through the interior. Wrong, all of the pressure the Cowboys created came from the edges.

Greg Hardy absolutely destroyed and overpowered Nate Solder early on sacking Brady, and also getting hits on him after he got rid of the ball. Vollmer and Cannon were also just overpowered on different plays and it lead to Brady being sacked five times. It was their worst performance of the year, and they can’t expect to play like that against teams such as the Jets and the Broncos and expect to win and keep Tom Brady healthy.

New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Top Excuses For Losing To The Patriots

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Let’s face it, no team likes to lose (breaking news – how’s that for a major announcement)…but most teams seem to hate it more when they lose to the despised New England Patriots. It seems every time someone loses to the Pats, and it happens pretty often, there is an excuse other than they just got beat by a better team.

Hightower sacks Weeden in Patriots 30-6 blowout of Dallas (Photo: USA/Today)
Hightower sacks Weeden in Patriots 30-6 blowout of Dallas (Photo: USA/Today)

After Sunday’s blowout in Dallas (yeah, I know, everyone in Texas is hurt or the Cowboys would have won) I got to wondering about the top excuses teams have used, and, some that we may hear before the season ends. So here goes:

Top Excuses For Losing To The Patriots

  1. Number one is obvious (Used by the Colts/Ravens) – The Patriots played with their balls. By now we know this to be a fact because, hell, the NFL said so and they wouldn’t lie…it must be true if Commissioner Roger Goodell says it is. The only reason Tom Brady keeps winning is because of this. After all, he’s an “old” man now, so he just can’t be this good without some help. Oh yeah, almost forgot this one, they don’t fumble enough because of this.
  2. They didn’t give us time to adjust to a formation that, although legal, shouldn’t be (This one belongs to the Steelers/Ravens). The league needs to revise the rules (and has) so we are playing on a level playing field.
  3. The officials picked on us by calling too many penalties against our players just because we weren’t intimidated by Bill Belichick’s team. (Welcome aboard Rex Ryan and the Bills). To quote Rex, the Patriots are no Saints ya know (Thank God, the Saints are really bad this year).
  4. The Patriots knew what we were going to call before the plays were run. Their coaching and preparation just couldn’t be that good, (Rams/Eagles) – therefore they MUST have cheated.
  5. New England’s defense was too physical (I love this one) and our poor receivers were being beat up so they couldn’t get open (St. Louis again). After all, we were (Rams) the greatest show on turf and it just isn’t right. Result: Rules change.

    Ty Law with his
    Ty Law with his “too physical” play against the Rams (Photo: WEEI)
  6. They picked on us because we had so many players injured…but we showed them by keeping it close for a quarter (Dallas). It was a moral victory for us, not a true win by that team from back east.
  7. They didn’t win, we played better and “gave” them the game (too many teams to list).

Still To Come

  • Pat Patriot took our mascot out drinking the night before the game and got some “insider” information. This will be reported to the league for further investigation. Heck, they even went to the bathroom together…and you know that’s suspicious.
    Who, me????
    Who, me????
  • The 3rd string offensive guard went to high school with the Head Linesman’s wife’s 3rd cousin and therefore wasn’t called for holding when New England scored their 6th touchdown in the 4th quarter, costing us the game.
  • Our fans weren’t loud enough, so our players were not motivated. On top of that the media had them favored to win despite the fact we were playing at home…so it just wasn’t fair.

So, there you have it – 10 excuses to start you thinking. I’ll bet you can come up with more, so let’s hear them in the comments section. Odds are we’ll hear one of the above or something unique thought up by the Colts ownership after Sunday’s revenge game in Indy.

Remember, the game is supposed to be fun…so enjoy it, no matter what excuse the opposing team gives for losing. Hey, the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots are your team, and it has been a great ride.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

NFL: Week Six Power Rankings

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Any fan in the New England region circled this this Sunday on the calendar, the second the schedule was released. The drug addict owner, the scumbag general manager, and a fan base whom is planning on flying a blimp over the stadium (which has a closed roof might I add), have to face their demons in a just a few days. Will Mr. Kraft be giving some sort of motivational speech during the pregame? I wouldn’t doubt it. Is Brady going to be playing with the fire of a thousand suns in Lucas Oil Stadium? That isn’t even a legitimate question. Will the Patriots punch the Colts in the mouth and take their lunch money again? I sure hope so. We’ve beaten them by a million the last four times we’ve played, so history is on the Patriots side. I don’t want to get too caught up in this and start flying the homer flag too much, so I’m going right into the rankings.

1) New England Patriots – The champs are still undefeated and are about to commit murder in Indianapolis on Sunday night.

2) Green Bay Packers – The Packers defense won them a game on Sunday. The Denim King threw her first two interceptions of the season, but they came out on top.

3) Cincinnati Bengals – OK Cincy, you have my interest now. You beat a solid team at home.

#PrayForIndy via gillettesgallerygods.wordpress.com
#PrayForIndy
via gillettesgallerygods.wordpress.com

4) Denver Broncos – Manning’s arm still looks dead, but the defense in Denver is very much alive.

5) Atlanta Falcons – Devonta Freeman has been an absolute monster, and picked up the slack for an ailing Julio Jones.

6) Arizona Cardinals – Arizona is getting far too much hype. They are feasting on TERRIBLE quarterbacks and offenses. However, they are still 4-1.

7) Carolina Panthers – Coming off bye week.

8) New Jersey Jets – Coming off bye week.

9) New Jersey Giants – The Giants could very well be 5-0 right now.

10) Buffalo Bills – This Bills team reminds me a lot of the 2010 team that went to the AFC Championship. However, their secondary is 100 times worse.

11) Seattle Seahawks – Seattle blew it and I’m still wondering why they can’t get the ball to Jimmy Graham.

12) Pittsburgh Steelers – Steeler fans can’t wait for Big Ben to come back. However, knowing him he may rush back too quickly and do further damage. It was a big win for the Steelers on the west coast in primetime though.

13) San Diego Chargers – San Diego lost to a team led by Mike Vick. Plain and simple.

14) Indianapolis Colts – The day of reckoning is upon you Indianapolis.

Neck Beard may get a Stone Cold Stunner from multiple Patriots defenders
Neck Beard may get a Stone Cold Stunner from multiple Patriots defenders

15) Philadelphia Eagles – Sam Bradford better learn to protect the football in the red zone, regardless of how much Philly won by.

16) Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys need a quarterback, and quickly.

17) Chicago Bears – I’m happy for John Fox. The guy has been to hell and back and has his team playing hard again.

18) Kansas City Chiefs – Jamaal Charles’ injury ended his season and most likely the Chiefs as well.

19) Cleveland Browns – McCown threw for a billion yards and the Browns won a game in a tough place to play. They get Denver this coming Sunday at home.

20) St. Louis Rams – Nick Foles had one of the worst games I’ve seen a quarterback play in quite some time.

21) Oakland Raiders – The Raiders continue to make Raiders type plays in crunch time.

22) Minnesota Vikings – Coming off bye week.

23) Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jaguars need to improve in the secondary before they can become somewhat relevant.

24) Baltimore Ravens – Nothing brings me more joy than seeing Baltimore 1-4.

25) New Orleans Saints – It is a short week for the Saints, but the game is in primetime and at home. Typically Drew Brees plays out of his mind in games like this.

26) Miami Dolphins – Coming off bye week. *Editors note: at least they didn’t lose, however they can’t blame losses on Philbin anymore.

27) Washington Redskins – Just like the Skins found a way to win a game last week, they found a way to lose one this week.

28) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Winston didn’t turn the ball over for the first time in his short professional career.

29) Houston Texans – Houston may not win another game the rest of the season.

Hoyer SHOULD be the starter, but Billy may overthink this for the 3,494th time
Hoyer SHOULD be the starter, but Billy may overthink this for the 3,494th time

30) Tennessee Titans – Tennessee did all in their power to let Buffalo win that game on Sunday.

31) San Francisco 49ers – Too little, too late for the Niners. They can build off of that loss, but still have a long way to go.

32) Detroit Lions – Fat Face got benched for Dan Orlovsky. Enough said…

AFC, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, NFL

New England vs. Dallas: Patriots Defensive Line against Dallas Offensive Line

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A big focus on this week’s game between the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys will be the Patriots defensive line vs. the Cowboys offensive line. Both are amongst the best in the league for their position groups and a key to victory for New England will be to beat the Cowboys offensive line consistently.

The Patriots defense currently ranks 5th in team sacks, behind the Broncos, Packers, Rams and Steelers who have all played one more game than New England. The Patriots are led by defensive ends Chandler Jones and Jabaal Sheard and linebacker Jamie Collins who make up 8.5 of the teams 13 sacks on the year. Though getting after Brandon Weeden wont be as crucial to the game as it would if Tony Romo was healthy and playing, you don’t want to give any quarterback time in the pocket to make plays and to allow his receivers to get open. The Cowboys had the leagues best offensive line last year headlined by left tackle Tyron Smith and rookie guard Zach Martin and still are the leagues most talented offensive line in the views of most people, despite being amongst one of the leagues most penalized offensive lines early in the season. With that being said, it is a good reason why the Patriots should bring the blitz at Weeden, get after him, and sack him, or be held and move them back and try making Weeden beat you, which lets face it he can’t do.

via cowboysblog.dallasnews.com
via cowboysblog.dallasnews.com

A key will be stopping the Cowboys running game. The Patriots have struggled this year defending the run, they improved vs. Jacksonville but that was in a blowout game where the Jaguars had to throw the ball because they were down by so many points. The Cowboys o-line and running backs are also a lot better than the Jaguars, though Joseph Randle has had fumbling problems as of late and Darren McFadden has looked like he has his whole NFL career, a bust. Travis Frederick and Zach Martin are strong interior blockers and could provide room for whoever is in Dallas’ backfield.

via twitter.com
via twitter.com

In a game that should be an easy win for the Patriots, especially coming off a bye, watching how the defensive line plays will be something of interest to see. The Cowboys offensive line is one of, if not the best in the league and seeing how the Patriots perform against them will be a good test to see if they are as good as they’ve looked so far, and a good test for the defense.

AFC, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

NFL Week Five Power Rankings

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It was the bye week here in New England, and a few things became crystal clear that were a bit hazy previously. The gap in the AFC East was supposed to be closed and the division was going to be competitive again. Sadly, the gap now resembles a washed up porn star waiting to be “back on top again”, no pun intended. The Dolphins fired their coach, the Bills have committed half a billion penalties and jumped back into the mediocre pool, and the jury is still out on the Jets. It is a week into October, but they are still 3-1. Time will tell how this will all shake out, but the AFC East could be clinched by Thanksgiving again. Another mind blowing situation over the weekend was the lack of quality in kicking, punting, or special teams in general. People want to crucify Papa Bill on franchising his kicker, and then giving him “crazy money”. Our squad has had two kickers in two decades. And both of them have nuts of steel. The Scorched Earth tour continues this weekend against Plastic Face’s Reverse Cowgirls and then off to the league mandated pharmacists’ Indianapolis Colts. I won’t look past Dallas, but I’ve had 10/18 circled on my calendar since the schedule came out this spring.

1) New England Patriots – Even Brady’s kid is setting new fashion trends. Did you see the photos from his sister’s wedding?

TB12 still on top, unless Super G wants to take control.
TB12 still on top, unless Super G wants to take control.

2) Green Bay Packers – The Denim King is playing at an MVP type level, but what was more surprising is how well his defense played on the road.

3) Denver Broncos – 75% of The Forehead’s passes look like they are going to be picked off. Regardless, the Broncos are 4-0.

4) Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals still don’t have me buying what they are selling. However, they have my interest.

5) Atlanta Falcons – Overrated. The Falcons have beaten up on teams that have either been decimated by injury or just terrible to begin with.

6) Carolina Panthers – Carolina is on the same overrated train with the Falcons. One of them will have to win the piss poor NFC South.

7) Arizona Cardinals – Well so much for Arizona being the most complete team in the conference. The defense got lambasted by Nick F’ing Foles.

8) Seattle Seahawks – The offensive line better improve in Seattle, or Mr. Ciara is going to be carried out on a stretcher.

9) Dallas Cowboys – Amy Schumer’s twin brother has to beat Tom Brady on two weeks rest. Good luck.

10) New Jersey Jets – I give credit where credit is due. The Jets won a big bounce back game across the pond in London. Granted it was against a team that just fired its coach. But they are 3-1.

11) San Diego Chargers – We are four weeks into the season and have seen Good Phillip and Bad Phillip twice. Do the math.

12) Buffalo Bills – A loud mouth coach, a team that commits a billion and one penalties, and a defensive backfield with zero stones. This is your #BillsMafia

"We will be the most penalized team on the planet." - Rex Ryan
“We will be the most penalized team on the planet.” – Rex Ryan

13) Pittsburgh Steelers – I was in Pittsburgh this past week, and the loyalty and excitement of their fan base puts anything else I’ve seen in my travels to shame. However, that doesn’t win you football games.

14) Indianapolis Colts – Indianapolis have squeaked by the Titans and Jaguars in consecutive weeks. 10/8 Colts fans. 10/18.

15) New Jersey Giants – I didn’t give the G-Strings a shot in Orchard Park. Eli went back to being Eli late in the fourth quarter with the bonehead interception, but the Giants look solid.

16) Kansas City Chiefs – The Chiefs better get their offensive line fixed and in a hurry.

17) St. Louis Rams – St. Louis beats Seattle and Arizona, and will most likely lose to every crap team in the league going forward.

18) Oakland Raiders – Oakland had the Bears on the ropes while looking to win three straight. They have a date with The Forehead on Sunday at home.

19) Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings played a hell of a game in Denver. If Bridgewater had a ¼ of a brain, they most likely win that game.

20) Philadelphia Eagles – My good friend Darren probably had four and a half heart attacks watching that dumpster fire on Sunday.

21) Baltimore Ravens – Baltimore went ahead and used the “illegal formations” the Patriots finger blasted them with in the AFC divisional round. God, do I hate Baltimore.

22) Jacksonville Jaguars – Gus had his shot at taking over first place in the AFC South. His kicker single handedly blew that.

23) Cleveland Browns – Cleveland fans are probably itching for Johnny Manziel to get some playing time. However, McCown played a damn good football game in a loss.

24) New Orleans Saints – A week off may have been what Drew Brees needed. The Saints won a must win game in primetime. However, the run defense is still suspect.

25) Miami Dolphins – Trouble in South Beach.

"I hope you enjoy your practice squad checks."
“I hope you enjoy your practice squad checks.”

26) Chicago Bears – I’m not sure if the Bears were supposed to win that game on Sunday, but hey Foxy got his first win as the Bears head coach.

27) Washington Redskins – The Skins found a way to win on Sunday. However, Chip Kelly made that pretty easy on them.

28) Houston Texans – The Texans got their doors blown off by Matt Ryan. They may be facing the neck beard at home on short rest come Thursday night.

29) Tennessee Titans – It was a bye week for Mr. Personality.

30) Detroit Lions – The Lions were on the short end of the stick in Seattle. Maybe Fat Face can turn it around at home against Arizona this week.

31) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I said Winston was going to be brutal, and he has been every bit of it since his first snap.

32) San Francisco 49ers – San Francisco is slowing melting back into that puddle of mess they were before Harbaugh came long.

AFC, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

Injures Galore, Does Dallas Stand A Chance Against The Patriots?

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On Sunday fans will eagerly pack into the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas to witness a week five match up of epic proportions. Coach Jason Garrett’s Dallas Cowboys will welcome Coach Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots in what is sure to be an epic nail biter. Future Hall of fame Quarterback Tom Brady will need everything in his arsenal to take down Quarterback Brandon Weeden and the vaunted Dallas Cowboys offense. Wait….what?

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 4, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For those looking for a battle between highly touted gunslingers Tom Brady and Tony Romo on Sunday accompanied by an all star cast, might I suggest reviewing their match up from October 17th ,2011.  On October 11th, 2015 former Browns’ quarterback Brandon Weeden will be under center in a matchup which many feel has lost some of the shine which was promised when the NFL schedule was initially released. Brandon Weeden  had little success in Cleveland and is in no way an all star but will do his best to keep the game under control. Sadly for Dallas fans, Romo’s broken clavicle is not the only injury to disappoint those looking for a more heated match up. Cowboys’ star wide receiver Dez Bryant who injured his foot earlier in the season, has yet to return to the field, leaving Weeden  to throw to the likes of ester while receivers,  Lucky Whitehead and Devin Street.

In other areas of discontent, Dallas can’t rely on star running back Demarco Murray as they traded that particular Eagles free agency disappointment months ago.  Running back Lance Dunbar could have been a formidable option to run a tear through what is seemingly a Patriot’s defensive line that has trouble stopping runs, but sadly he went down with a knee injury. The offensive line has not looked as good as it had during last season either but let’s be fair it isn’t solely to blame for Dallas’ recent poor play, although it surely hasn’t helped. One apparent bright spot on the offense for Dallas however, is that all-pro Tight End Jason Witten seems to be in top form this season and will require some efficient game planning to upend.

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboy’s defense looked awfully weak during their encounter with the New Orleans Saints. In yet another unfortunate injury, linebacker Sean Lee was forced out of the game during the first half with a concussion. If Lee is unable to play on Sunday it will be an exceptional loss as he was currently the Cowboys leading tackler. On the bright side, two suspended players should be making their return to the NFL, and their presence should be able to beef up the defense a bit. Defensive End Greg Hardy will be making his debut for Dallas after serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Hardy, who last played for the Carolina Panthers, originally had a 10 game suspension for knocking around his girlfriend and slamming her on to a bed full of semi automatic weapons, but the NFL dropped his suspension to four games in an appeal. Linebacker Rolondo McClain will be returning from a four game substance abuse suspension and like Hardy is expected to make an immediate impact lifting this defense up and making them a force to be reckoned with.

jerry-jones

Perhaps the largest case of unfortunate situations to ravage Dallas is the fact that Tom Brady is not suspended and will in fact be playing. Dallas owner Jerry Jones was one of a handful of influential owners pushing Roger Goodell to uphold Tom Brady’s suspension for being generally aware of footballs being deflated during last year’s Deflategate debacle.  The fact that Jerry Jones pushed for Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft to be a man and accept his ridiculous and overblown punishment for the “good of the NFL”, will not be lost on the New England Patriots or their fabled Bulletin Board.

Tom Brady, with the help of offensive juggernauts such as Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and rising star Dion Lewis have been on an absolute mean streak as of late destroying their first three opposing teams in epic fashion .On paper, Dallas looks to have very little that can put a stop to the New England Patriots and their “Scorched Earth Tour”. Don’t throw a “W” in the win column just yet, if the NFL has taught us anything over the years it’s that players facing the most adversity often rise to the occasion. Sunday may just prove to be one of those odd occasions where David beats Goliath.

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NFL: Week 4 Picks

Last night the Ravens finally got off the hook, beating the Steelers in overtime 23-20, and more importantly covering the three point spread. That game wasn’t really about the Ravens. Let’s admit it, they’re not a good team. They finally were able to run the ball in the fourth quarter, but their offensive line is terrible, and their only reliable receiver is Steve Smith, who’s health is now something to watch. And above all, they’re 1-3.

The important thing from last night’s game was this: the Steelers NEED Big Ben back as soon as possible. Michael Vick is a nice story. I really like how he came back from his jail stint and really rehabilitated himself as a person. But he’s not the same guy he was five years ago. Last night he seemed very indecisive, held onto the ball too long, got sacked a lot, and missed a lot of throws. The consensus report is that Roethlisberger will miss six weeks. That means that counting last night, he will miss at San Diego, Arizona, at Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Oakland. If they win two of those games they’ll be doing good, and that would put them at 4-5. Who knows how far behind the Bengals that puts them. And even if they get Big Ben back with a 4-5 or 5-4 record, they’ll still have games remaining at Seattle, Cincy, and Baltimore, along with home games against the Broncos and Colts. All winable games, but loseable also. I think 9-7 is a realistic goal for the Steelers this year, assuming Big Ben doesn’t come back for another five weeks, and that’s too bad, because I think this is a really good team. 9-7 won’t win that division, and may not get a wild card. Maybe I’m wrong. I’m wrong a lot. I was wrong seven times last week, let’s take a look at this week. Home teams are in all caps.

Jets (-1.5) over DOLPHINS

This game isn’t actually in Miami, it’s in London. Maybe more Dolphins fans will show up. The Dolphins are definitely the biggest disappointment through three weeks. A lot of people, myself included, liked them as a possible playoff team. Shame on us for not knowing they quit on Joe Philbin in August. It wouldn’t surprise me if he “accidentally” get’s the wrong flight information on the way home and they just leave him in London. That would probably be the best way the Dolphins have handled a situation since the way they handled their offensive line in 2013. Moving on…

Jaguars (+9.5) over COLTS

Andrew Luck has to carry this Colts team, and now he’s “legitimately questionable” for this game. That sounds like BS, he’s going to play, but a compromised Luck means a compromised Colts. And the Colts aren’t very good to begin with. The days of them running through this division might be over. I think they’ll still go 5-1 or even 6-0 in division, but they’re not all going to be blowouts like the last few years. I’ll take the Jaguars getting that many points.

Giants (+5) over BILLS

Buffalo is for real, but the Giants getting five points coming off of a long week sounds good to me. The Bills had a big win last week, so Rex Ryan will again have them think they’re winning the Super Bowl. But make no mistake about it, the Bills are for real. Their defensive personnel is scary good. And Tyrod Taylor is a perfect fit for them. They don’t need him to go carry the team. They just need him to manage the game, not turn the ball over, and occasionally make some plays. Is Taylor the last quarterback to sit and learn for a few years and then step in and play instead of getting thrown into the fire as a rookie? That’s kind of a lost art, but he’s got a big arm and is very mobile. He might be good. But Buffalo is due for a let down, and the Giants are flying under the radar. Their offense is legit and keeps getting better each week. I’ll take the points in a close game.

BUCCANEERS (+3) over Panthers

Carolina is a pretty weak 3-0 team. I think the Bucs are going to be ok. Jameis Winston doesn’t look overwhelmed, and he’s getting more comfortable with Mike Evans. A lot of people are jumping on the Panthers because they’re 3-0. The teams they’ve beaten are a combined 2-7 and they’ve won by an average of about 7.5 points. That’s not great. I’ll take the Bucs getting points at home.

Eagles (-3) over REDSKINS

The Eagles seemed to solve a lot of their running game issues last week. Now they need to get DeMarco Murray going this week. I don’t think that’ll be much of an issue, he’s a special talent. An improved running game will help out Sam Bradford, who really needs to build confidence right now. And something vastly overlooked with this Eagles team is how good their defense is. They should feast on a turnover-prone Kirk Cousins.

Raiders (-3) over BEARS

Call me crazy, but I think the Raiders might have the best chance to dethrone the Broncos in the AFC West. Seriously, which quarterback has played the best in the division thus far? You could make a real argument for Derek Carr. He continues to develop a great connection with Amari Cooper, and they have one of the best young pass rushers in the league in Khalil Mack. Plus they play a last-place schedule, and the Bears are a grease fire. I think the Raiders should win this one easy.

FALCONS (-6.5) over Texans

I’m a little nervous considering the Falcons gave up 28 points to Brandon Weeden last week, but they did figure it out in the 2nd half. Devonta Freeman ran wild, and while the Texans have a much better run defense than the Cowboys, the Falcons have a very balanced offense. Kyle Shannahan has been very good as their offensive coordinator. He keeps finding ways to get Julio Jones open, and that guy might be the best receiver in the NFL. Also this team is very well coached, and their defense has improved. Plus the Texans have scored 20 points, 17, and 19 respectively so far this year. That’s not going to cover against Atlanta. I’ll swallow the points here.

Chiefs (+4) over BENGALS

Beware the Monday night loser. Everyone saw the Chiefs get embarrassed in Lambeau, and teams that get embarrassed on a national stage usually play well the following week. And seriously, how long can Andy Dalton go before he just has one of those bad Andy Dalton games where he throws like four interceptions? I’ll take the points.

CHARGERS (-7) over Browns

San Diego has not looked good at all this year. Their only win was against an even more unimpressive Lions team, and they still needed a big comeback to win that one. All that being said, I look for them to have a big game this week at home against the Browns, a team that’s not very good and has to fly out west. The Browns locker room is slowly starting to divide, because believe it or not they once again mishandled a big decision and benched Johnny Manziel despite playing well in Josh McCown’s absence. Cleveland, as always, is a dumpster fire.

49ers (+9) over PACKERS

The Packers are on a short week and have to make a west coast flight. The 49ers were embarrassed last week, and like I said before, teams that were embarrassed the week before usually play well the following week. Everyone’s beginning to realize how much Jim Harbaugh elevated Colin Kaepernick, but he should play better this week. The Packers don’t have as opportunistic of a defense as Arizona. Their run defense has been excellent so far this year, however, but it’ll be interesting to see how the 49ers run game which goes around the edges a lot more fairs against it. I’ll take the points in this one.

CARDINALS (-7) over Rams

Everyone overreacted to the Rams after Week 1, and now we’re seeing what they really are. They scored six points against the Steelers last week. Six. That’s like a high school game. And the Steelers don’t even have a great defense. Arizona’s aggressive defense should eat up Nick Foles, and Carson Palmer is playing as well as any quarterback in the league not named Rodgers or Brady. I’ll take the home team in this one.

Vikings (+7) over BRONCOS

Denver is the weakest 3-0 team in the league. Their defense is legit, but defense doesn’t win in this league anymore. The reason they didn’t put Peyton in the shotgun/pistol to begin the year is because they know that’s not going to win in November, December, and January, but they found out quickly that they can’t do what they need to do to win in cold weather. The Vikings are also looking very good. Throw out Week 1, because that late Monday night game to open the season is typically a terrible representation of how good teams are. Just look at how the Vikings and 49ers have faired since. I love Minnesota getting this many points.

SAINTS (Even) over Cowboys

Luke McCown vs. Brandon Weeden on Sunday Night Football. I can’t wait. Actually it looks like Brees will at least try to play, but in all honesty it doesn’t make much of a difference. The Saints are a rebuilding team, and the difference between 2015 Drew Brees and 2015 Luke McCown isn’t as much as you might think. The Cowboys defense is atrocious, shame on whoever said they’d carry the team without Romo. That being said, this is one of the most winnable games Dallas has without Romo, but I’ll take the Saints at home.

SEAHAWKS (-9.5) over Lions

There’s a lot of question marks with this Seahawks team, but don’t bet against Seattle at home in a primetime game. Detroit has been a major disappointment this year. Their offensive line has been crap, and it’s unclear whether or not Calvin Johnson just isn’t what he once was or if they’re just not using him the right way. Jim Caldwell might be Joe Philbin’s biggest competitor for the first-coach-fired-competition. Seattle honestly didn’t look that great against the Bears, but of course still won 26-0 because it was the Bears. I see them improving a little with Kam Chancellor having another week of practice under his belt. I’ll swallow the points and take the 12th man on Monday night.

For college football fans or just degenerate gamblers who will bet on anything, I’m in a weekly college football pick ’em. Here’s my picks for this week: Air Force (+5.5), Michigan State (-21.5), Northwestern (-4), Arizona State (+13.5), Michigan (-16), Georgia, South Carolina, and Notre Dame straight up.

NFL Record Last Week: 9-7-0

NFL Record Overall: 26-23-2

College Football Record Last Week: 7-1-0

College Football Record Overall: 14-10-0

AFC, New England Patriots

Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Chandler Jones: Who’s Got To Go?

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Image: bleacherreport.net
Image: bleacherreport.net

In the 2012 NFL Draft, Bill Belichick drafted two players in the first round in Chandler Jones out of Syracuse, (21st overall) and Dont’a Hightower out of Alabama, (25th overall). One year later Belichick drafted Jamie Collins out of Southern Mississippi in the second round, (52nd overall). Those three players have now become the heart and soul of the Patriots front seven, and really the defense as a whole.

Image: nepatriotsdraft.com
Image: nepatriotsdraft.com

You can easily go back and fourth as to who is the most important, or who is the best out of the three. Collins brings ridiculous athleticism and solid coverage skills for an outside linebacker. Hightower is a physical presence and is the true, “thumper” on the Patriots defense, he can come off the edge and plug up the middle in the run game. Chandler Jones has been the Patriots best edge rusher since he was drafted by the team in 2012.

The three have been a very valuable trio the past two seasons, but of course all good things must come to an end at some point. After this season Dont’a Hightower and Chandler Jones have options both around 7.8 million dollars for the 2016 season. The team exercised the their fifth year options at the end of April, which now gives them the option as to whether or not they want them to become free agents in 2016. Jamie Collins’s contract is up after 2016.

It is very obvious that the team will not be able to hold onto all three players. That begs the question, which ones are going to go? You can make the case for any of the three, but the obvious choice is Chandler Jones. It is not entirely because he is the least effective of the three, but because he cannot bring to the table what Hightower and Collins can.

It is largely due in part to Chandler Jones not being able to adjust to Bill Belichick’s ever changing defensive scheme. When used in a 4-3 defense, Jones has been effective at getting to the quarterback off the edge. However, he has struggled to stay healthy at that spot in the past. When asked to play with his hand in the turf in a 3-4 scheme, Jones has been pushed around because of his lack of size. This season he has gotten significantly bigger in his upper body and has been able to hold his ground. Nevertheless, we will see how long that holds up.

Image: bleacherreport
Image: bleacherreport

Furthermore, pass rushing defensive ends are a rarer commodity in the National Football League in today’s game, and when there is a decent one available, desperate teams will throw all sorts of money at them. The Patriots are not one of those desperate teams. Bill Belichick has proven that he can get by without that elite pass rusher that Patriots fans have been craving for.

An elite linebacker, which Dont’a Hightower is, and what Jamie Collins could be, are a slightly cheaper commodity than pass rushers. Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia have built Collins and Hightower into the centerpieces of the Patriots defense, because they compliment each other so perfectly. They can’t risk losing either of them, but they can survive without the couple of sacks and missed games that Chandler Jones has each year.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots player spotlight: Taking a look at Jamie Collins

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Image: Boston Herald
Image: Boston Herald

Bill Belichick has worked with some pretty dynamic defensive players: Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, and Willie McGinnest to name a few. But none might be as dynamic as Jamie Collins. Collins is the ultimate chess piece; the player that can literally play every defensive position and play it well. In 2014, his first as a starter, he recorded 116 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions. Already this year, he has 22 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles…IN THREE GAMES. Barring injury, Collins is ready to not only cement his position as the best LB on the Patriots, but the best LB in the league.

At Southern Mississippi, the school that famously gave the world Brett Favre, Collins played defensive back (both corner and safety), linebacker and defensive end. The fact that he excelled at defensive back, standing at 6’3, 250 pounds is a test to show how freakish of an athlete Collins truly is. Also a standout track & field athlete, Collins was a state track qualifier. At the 2009 3A South State Meet, he earned first-place finishes in the shot put (51-6) and discus throw (156-0 or 47.80m), while also placing second in both the high jump (6-4 or 1.93m) and triple jump (43-10.5) events.* While at the 2013 Combine, he ran a 4.59 40 and had a broad jump of 11 feet, 7 inches, which was a combine record; Not just for linebackers or defensive players, but for EVERY player that has ever participated in the NFL Scouting Combine (this was recently beat this year by CB Byron Jones, but Collins’ record still stands for linebacker).

Image: NE Patriots draft
Image: NE Patriots draft

The interesting thing about Collins is where he lines up along the Patriots front. Teaming with fellow stud LB’s Donta’ Hightower and Jerod Mayo, the Patriots can make an argument for the best LB corps in the league. But again, he has lined up at defensive end, defensive tackle and some deep safety this year already. He joined in the effort against Buffalo with 8 sacks of Bills QB Tyrod Taylor. As the season goes on, expect Collins to start taking more of a dominant role and other teams will have to know where #91 is.

Belichick has tried before to add a player similar to Collins’ skill set (Adalius Thomas anyone?) but he struck gold here. Seeing Collins all over the field shows the amount of respect Belichick and Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia have for his ability and they will work to put him in the best position. His ability to cover TE’s (having to guard the best TE in the league in practice doesn’t hurt things) has made him indispensable and now is increasing his pass rush. His ability softens the blow of the loss of CB Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. Creating an intense pass rush helps average CB’s look like Pro-Bowlers. After all, the Giants won two Super Bowls with this philosophy.

Collins, with all his ability and skill, has to prove going forward that he can sustain the level of success he needs to become an All-Pro. With good coaching and strong leadership around him, Collins has the ability to step up and be the best at his position. By giving arguably the best defensive mind in the last 20 years an invaluable addition shows how far ahead the Patriots are of other teams and how they are still the team to beat in the NFL in 2015.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

NFL: Week Four Power Rankings

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Super Bowls aren’t won in September, but you don’t do yourself any favors by starting 0-3. We have seven teams undefeated three weeks into the season, and a lot of franchises that resemble a healthy dumpster fire. One marquee quarterback is on a personal vengeance tour against the league, while another is looking every bit of the league MVP he was named in 2014. We’ve had surprises from teams in the NFC South, as massive injuries hit the faces of multiple franchises with championship pedigree. My beloved Patriots were given the earliest bye week in recent memory (no conspiracy theory here). So what do champions do during the bye week you may ask? Remember the scene in Billy Madison that required a pitching wedge, ice cubes, and a stuffed buffalo? It most likely plays out like this in the Brady household. TB12 sends the kids off to the grandma’s house and is having a week long slosh fest with Super G in his Brookline mansion. He dresses up, most likely as Gandhi (because all superheroes don’t wear capes) and boom, Brady baby number four gets dumped into Super G during the bye week. I’d bet my mortgage on it.

1) New England Patriots – #PrayforTheByeWeek

2) Green Bay Packers – The Denim King looks every bit of the MVP he was named last season. Health at the skill position is going to be something to watch in Green Bay.

3) Denver Broncos – “Keep, me, in, the, shotgun, please.” – The Forehead

Manning Praying He Stays In The Shotgun
Manning Praying He Stays In The Shotgun

4) Arizona Cardinals – Arizona looks like the most complete team in the conference, but can they stay healthy? The Kangol is doing a great job in the desert.

5) Cincinnati Bengals – AJ Green single handedly made someone very rich in daily fantasy football pools. I just can’t buy into The Ginger just yet.

6) Atlanta Falcons – Getting torched by a Brandon Weeden led Cowboys team isn’t what you expect from a Dan Quinn built defense. However, Julio Jones is playing like an absolute monster.

7) Dallas Cowboys – Dez and Tony Underwood-Simpson are both gone for the foreseeable future. Can Dallas’ defense allow them to tread water in maybe the worst division in football?

8) Buffalo Bills – Buffalo went back to being the Buffalo we saw in week one. Let’s see who shows up against the G-Strings this weekend.

9) Seattle Seahawks – Peter Rabbit decided to get Jimmy Graham involved in the offense. Smart move.

10) Carolina Panthers – The Panthers are one of the biggest surprises in the league thus far.

11) Pittsburgh Steelers – That scary Pittsburgh offense I spoke about last week is now even scarier….. For Pittsburgh fans. You are stuck with Mike Vick as your quarterback until around Halloween or later.

12) Kansas City Chiefs – Boy is Andy Reid one of the dumbest smart guys on the planet.

13) New Jersey Jets – Brandon Marshall made what he called the worst play in the history of the NFL. The Jets went back to being the Jets.

14) Indianapolis Colts – Chuck Pagano said a week three win against the Tennessee Titans was one he would remember for the rest of his life. That’s all you need to know about Indy.

Does this look like the face of the NFL's Designated Pharmacist?
Does this look like the face of the NFL’s Designated Pharmacist?

15) San Diego Chargers – The Chargers got their asses handed to them in Minnesota and Phillip Rivers went back to being Mr. Inconsistent.

16) New Jersey Giants – We’ll see what the Giants are made of when they head to Buffalo this weekend. Elijah played a decent game against a weak Redskins team.

17) Oakland Raiders – The Raiders won in the Eastern Time zone for the first time in 242 years.

18) Miami Dolphins – The Doppelganger stepdad from Step Brothers won’t be the coach of the Dolphins by Halloween.

19) Minnesota Vikings – AP is back, the defense is a bunch of ball hawks, and Teddy B is doing his best at taking care of the football.

20) Philadelphia Eagles – Chip Kelly has made some highly questionable roster moves since he has arrived in Philadelphia. Most of them haven’t worked out so well. Perhaps Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles should be getting more touches going forward?

21) St. Louis Rams – Nick Foles needs to improve in every facet of the game. These losses are falling on him not taking care of the football.

22) Baltimore Ravens – “The Ravens and Harbaugh are sweethearts.” – Jonathan Kraft

23) Detroit Lions – Fat Face has either really regressed or is hurt more than we know. The Lions looked terrible at home against Denver.

24) Jacksonville Jaguars – Jacksonville returned to being Jacksonville after kickoff on Sunday.

25) Cleveland Browns – I’m still perplexed why Johnny Manziel isn’t playing over Josh McCown?

26) Houston Texans – I’m happy for Houston to get their first win. Granted it was over King Crab and the Bucs, but a win is a win. The AFC South could be the worst division in football.

27) Tennessee Titans – If the Titans had an ounce of experience, they send the Colts to 0-3.

28) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs need to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers. The offense is as vanilla as I’ve seen in a long time. It resembles a preseason offense.

29) Washington Redskins – The Redskins may jump into the tankapalooza pool shortly.

30) San Francisco 49ers – Ebola Head threw four interceptions and had nine completions. Tough times in San Francisco.

31) New Orleans Saints – Drew Brees better get his shoulder fixed, and quickly.

32) Chicago Bears – It is a fire sale in Chicago.