Tag Archives: Indianapolis Colts

New England Patriots: Is The “New” AFC East To Be Feared?

For the last few seasons in the NFL the AFC East has been the New England Patriots and a bunch of other guys.  Right now they are the only NFL conference without a loss. Yup, 4-0 while beating some formidable foes to get things started.  Many were predicting the Steelers were back, but the Patriots took care of that notion. The Colts had Luck on their side, but that was all as the rejuvenated Bills put them in their place.

The Dolphins didn’t exactly impress in their 17-10 win over the clueless Washington Redskins and the Jets…well, they destroying the Browns, who haven’t won an opener in about 320 years!  Both still have a lot to prove to the skeptics.

Last year the Jets (Raiders), Bills (Bears) & Fins won their openers while the Pats lost (to Miami). One of the few times the Patriots have been on the bottom of the pack!

After game one in 2014
After game one in 2014

While the NFC South has been an embarrassment, the teams in the AFC East have slid under the radar.  2015 could be different! While the beasts in the east are nowhere near the NFC West (Seattle, St.Louis, Arizona & SF), Miami, NY & Buffalo have all taken a step up, while the Patriots remain the favorite.

Strength Of Schedule

Here’s where I throw out a bunch of mean nothing statistics. You can browse over this paragraph in the reading room when you have nothing else to do (well, you’ve got something to do, but you know what I mean). It can certainly be misleading, but, based on strength of schedule, courtesy of CBSSports.com,  the Patriots (#22*), Buffalo (#19*), Jets (#18*) and Miami (#17*) all have relatively easy schedules. (* represents strength of schedule with #1 [Pittsburgh] hardest and #32 [Atlanta] easiest) Yes, they do play each other twice so, theoretically, with the division stronger it could mean more in-conference losses for each and that will be important if tie-breakers decide who’s in and who’s out at the end of the regular season.

Whew, now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at the match-ups.

This year’s common opponents:

The AFC East matches up with the relatively weak AFC South (Tennessee, Indy, Jacksonville & Houston) and, with Indianapolis’ poor/soft showing in their opening loss to the Bills, they all could run the table. The Colts looked incredibly soft in Buffalo, but you know they’ll play better with Andrew Luck at QB. Look for a lot of shootouts in their games as they still can’t stop anyone.

Eli Manning - I pooped my pants

It’s another story when the AFC East plays the NFC East, with possible powerhouses Dallas and Philly (yeah, I know, they didn’t look good on the road in their opening loss to the Falcons), the always tough Giants (Eli doesn’t make those same “dumb” decisions against the Pats)  and the helpless Redskins.

If all goes well, that schedule might give the AFC East teams as many as 6-8 wins. If they split games against each other their win total climbs to 9-11. Now, I know that’s a big leap after one game, but, hey it could happen and no one would be shocked…except Patriot and Colt fans.

Uncommon opponents

  • The Patriots beat the Steelers (whatever happened to the Steel Curtain? It’s turned to tin) and have the always tough Broncos in Denver coming up. Manning’s arm still looks dead, but playing the game at home is definitely to their advantage. The Bronco’s offense will be different under Head Coach Gary Kubiak and Peyton will have to adjust to the short, clock killing style Kubiak likes.
  • Miami faces Baltimore’s tough defense at home and the enigmatic Chargers on the road
  • The Jets have it easy beating Cleveland at home and the Raiders (who have no home advantage) on the road
  • Buffalo has the most difficult twosome, pairing off with Cincinnati at home and the powerful Chiefs in KC (my sleeper team this year).

Let’s face it, after one game no one knows what will shake out down the road. The only thing that seems certain is its great to have football back and lawsuits set aside for a while.

Please, don’t bet the family jewels (if you have any) on what I write, ’cause basically I’m just like you…A longtime fan who thinks he knows more than he does!

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

New England Patriots: Get Used To It

After watching the Patriots win the 1st game of the 2015 season, and listening to all the whining after the game, I started thinking of various things Patriots fans need to get used to.

Some are good and some are a pain in the arse (early English phraseology), but they all come with being a fan of the most dominant franchise now playing in the NFL. I know that will be referred to by the naysayers as an arrogant statement, but it’s a fact!

That said, here’s my short list:

  • Get used to winning football games in the NFL (Check that off under the good category)
  • Get used to going to the playoffs every season and having a legitimate chance to go to the Super Bowl.

Other owners, coaches, players and fans may hate the Patriots for consistently beating up on their team, but hey, it’s a fact they need to get used to (you’d think they would already be there, wouldn’t you).

  • Get used to someone finding something in every game to claim the Patriots cheated and their team would have won if the game was played on an even playing field (Pick one: Coach, Owner, ESPN, Sportswriter of opposing team).

There are hundreds of examples available to choose from, but here are the most laughable:

  1. The always whining Colts complaining about deflated footballs after losing to New England 45-7 in the AFC Championship game last January. I’m sure they would have been more competitive if the Patriot’s hadn’t deflated their balls (pun intended).
  2. This week’s “two fer” special: Pittsburgh’s multiple excuses for losing the opener despite trailing the entire game.

(A) Head Coach Mike “The Tripper” Tomlin going off after the game about the headset issues in Foxboro

(B) Ben (I don’t know the rules, but this has to be illegal) Roethlisberger complaining because the nasty Patriots shifted while he was calling cadence on the 1-yard line causing his teammates to jump offside. We all know quarterback’s never try to draw teams offside with their cadence, right!

Don’t you just love Big Ben’s intelligent, well thought out, quotes after the game

C'mon guys, you all know the Patriots are cheating again (Photo: CBSSports.com)
C’mon guys, you all know the Patriots are cheating again (Photo: CBSSports.com)

“I thought that there was a rule against that,” “Maybe there’s not. Maybe it’s just an unwritten rule. … We saw it on film, that the Patriots do that. They shift and slide and do stuff on the goal line, knowing that it’s an itchy trigger finger-type down there.”

So, let me get this straight, the Steelers watched it on film prior to the game, knew it was coming…yet still fell for it. Damn those “cheating” Patriots.

So, did this respected franchise apologize for their lack of knowledge about who controls game time communications (the NFL) and their QB’s lack of knowledge on NFL rules…hell no! This is all they said:

“We have provided information to NFL representatives regarding issues that occurred Thursday night at Gillette Stadium with our coach-to-coach headset communications system,”  “The problem was addressed during the game and we did not have further problems in the second half. We did not file a formal complaint, nor do we plan to do so.”

3. Philadelphia owner Jeffrey Lurie’s statement that the Patriot’s 24-21 Super Bowl XXXIX victory over his inept team was “suspect.”

You know, he’s right, about that. His QB, Donovan McNabb, barfing during the game was obviously because the Patriots injected him with “sick stuff” prior to the game. And his Eagle coach’s terrible clock management at the end of the game just had to have something to do with the Patriots filming them…right!

Lurie’s comment, “there’s always been talk about (cheating) from the time the game finished and continued on until now. But I’ve moved way on since then.” Moved on? Moved on? Sure doesn’t sound like anyone’s moved on to me.

Raven's Coach John Harbaugh outcoached by Bill Belichick (Photo: turtleboysports.com)
Raven’s Coach John Harbaugh outcoached by Bill Belichick (Photo: turtleboysports.com)

I’m sure you readers can come up with many more. John Harbaugh’s lack of knowledge of the NFL Rule Book immediately comes to mind when he accused the Patriots (inaccurately) of using illegal formations in last years Raven’s playoff loss to New England. Tom Brady hit the nail on the head when he replied “Maybe those guys gotta study the rule book and figure it out…”

This is just a small sampling of the ridiculous ones, I’d like to hear your favorites. Drop them in the comments box and I’ll be sure to check them out.

So, Patriot’s fans, the excuses will continue as long as New England wins and other teams lose. GET USED TO IT. The big question is, would you rather have no complaints and the Patriots lose (you’ll notice none of these complaints arise when the Pats lose) or continue to win-win-win and just shrug it off when the losers whine and complain about how they didn’t really lose?

To me, that’s a no brainer. I’ll always be happier with a win, despite all the sore loser’s comments.

Disclaimer: This article is written by a lifetime Patriot fan, through the good years and the bad. Please hold off on the hate mail. Thanks

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

Five Reasons Seeing Brady in Court is a Good Thing

Top 5 Things to Look Forward to when Brady takes the NFL to Court

I for one think Brady had some knowledge about what was going on.  Information came to light today that didn’t look good for our hero .  However, I’ve yet to see cold hard facts that state he tampered with footballs before we gave the Colts an ass kicking.  Here are a few things we should all be looking forward to when 12 takes on the NFL in federal court.

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5) Kraft on the Stand (Again) – The last time we saw Krafty Bob take the witness stand was during the Aaron Hernandez trial.  He looked nervous, but also gave that power stare to the prosecution that just screamed, “I know the exact location of your season tickets counselor.”

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4) That Rat Bastard Jim Irsay Getting Subpoenaed – Chances are fairly high that someone will have to wake Irsay out of an oxy induced coma the morning he is to be questioned.  He and his scumbag GM were the catalysts for this entire debacle.  I said it before and I’ll say it again, “Pray for Indy”.

of the 2015 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

3) Walt Anderson’s Testimony – This has been suspect since day one.  Anderson and his crew had ONE JOB, the day of the AFC Championship Game, and that was to keep an eye on the footballs.  For the first time in nineteen years, according to Anderson, the balls disappeared prior to kickoff.  Does that seem the least bit questionable to anyone but me?

2) Brady’s Testimony – In New England, everything Brady says is typically gospel.  However, he does have some explaining to do.  Why did he order his phone destroyed the day he met with Wells?  What in fact were those conversations about with the ball boys?  All of this is going to come out in the wash.  I do hope they ask him what exactly was on his phone and he answers with homemade videos of him and Super G.

Suit game, casual version
Suit game, casual version

1) Brady’s Suit Game – His suit game is going to be so on point, and you know it.  Does he go double breasted?  Will he rock a pocket square that just screams four titles?  Maybe he goes with the Mr. Kraft power shirt?  Anything he does, will INSTANTLY become to go-to for late summer/fall Men’s fashion.  I’m maxing out my Amex and buying the entire get up the second he takes the stand.

#FreeBrady

Still think Brady isn't going for five?
Still think Brady isn’t going for five?

BOSTON - APRIL 13: Clutching the franchise's four Vince Lombardi Trophies, New England Patriots owners Robert Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady were part of the pre-game ceremonies. The Boston Red Sox hosted the Washington Nationals in their home opener at Fenway Park. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

In the NFL, Success Breeds Contempt

Professional football is a fickle beast. When you’re at the bottom of the competitive ladder, any move you make is scrutinized by your fan base and lambasted by the media. Championship success of course is the ultimate goal, giving way to universal respect among your colleagues, fans, and critics. Sadly there is such a thing as too much success.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers in the 70’s, the San Francisco 49ers in the eighties, the Dallas Cowboys in the nineties, and the New England Patriots in the 2000s, have all gone from plucky underdogs to beloved winners and ultimately to the team all other fan bases love to hate. The NFL survives on the concept that any of the 32 teams, if comprised properly, can win the Lombardi Trophy. When one team gets a little too successful it breeds contempt amongst their rival fan bases and of course it ruins the concept in which the NFL is built upon, one in which anybody can win.

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The New England Patriots are currently the team that all others love to hate. It started long before Spygate and Deflategate were part of public conscience, after creating the NFL’s most recent dynasty, the Patriot’s winning ways were examined a bit closer. In 2004, the NFL’s competition committee severely altered the amount of clutching and grabbing a defensive player could administer due to the unbridled success of Belichick’s gritty defense. The change in defensive rules once again gave way to a more even playing field. Despite a ten year drought of Super Bowl championships, the Patriots continued to be a dominant force in both the regular season and the playoffs. In today’s NFL the Patriots current level of success cannot be. Last season’s incredible run by New England has once again given way to rule changes and unprecedented decision making by the NFL.

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After the 2014 divisional championship was determined and the Patriots had used a variety of trick plays to defeat the Baltimore Ravens, the latter team cried foul and once again the rules have been altered in the interest of “competitive fairness.” We are all aware of the current bucket of overreaction that is Deflategate and the amount of crying that is come from Colt’s owner Jim Irsay despite his team being handedly defeated regardless of ball air pressure. Were the footballs under-inflated in the AFC Championship Game? Yes. We’re both sides using under inflated footballs? Yes. In fairness, New England’s footballs were of course (shown to be) far more under inflated than the Colt’s balls but given the situation both teams should have been penalized to some degree.  The intercepted pass from Brady in the AFC Championship game was checked for psi. on the sidelines by Colts personel. (Documented in Wells Report). Indianapolis Colts are not as successful currently as the New England Patriots so that was not the case at all. At the time of this writing, Indianapolis still has all their draft picks next year, no fine, and their star quarterback for the first 4 weeks of play. I’m not saying the punishment should be the same for both teams but at the very least the Colts should have been fined for an equipment violation.

Recent news has both Jim Irsay and Raven’s owner Steve Bisciotti chief among a handful of influential owners attempting to swing Roger Goodell’s decision making skills in their favor, in regards to Tom Brady’s appeal of his four-game suspension. Only in the wacky world of the NFL does this type of behavior get both reported and tolerated. Why is this madness tolerated? The NFL wants the New England Patriot’s success to come to an end, as it’s best for business.

At the end of the day the New England Patriots are currently the victims of their own success just as they are the victims of their own wrong doings. In a football world where rules are changed to suit your opponent’s needs and punishments are handed out based on unqualified suspicions, the Patriots are still a successful franchise. The question isn’t if but when the NFL Will win the war and restore parity among their league.

New England Patriots: Reggie Wayne? Thanks, But No Thanks

Every year, just as training camp nears, Patriot fans lose track of reality and decide another wide receiver, preferably one who can stretch the field, is just what the team needs. This year it’s Reggie Wayne. Despite the fact that, at 36, he is a shell of the receiver who was feared throughout the league, the Foxboro faithful have that gleam in their eyes once again. Please, forget it. Close those eyes…stop salivating…slap your face a few times so the hallucination goes away…and, most of all, stop smoking those funny cigarettes.

Don’t get me wrong, in his prime Wayne was one of the best clutch receivers in the NFL. But now he’s just another player trying to get one more paycheck while his body rebels. The Patriots would be crazy to even think about it for a number of reasons.

  • He’s old, slow & susceptible to another injury after years of punishment
  • He would have to learn the Patriots offensive system, which isn’t easy (check the Pats history with older free agent wide receivers not named Randy Moss)
  • The roster spot he would take, if he even made the team, would take time away from the development of younger players who are much faster and in position to actually stretch-the-field

2014 Colts

Reggie Wayne disappeared at crucial times last season. Yes, he ended the regular season with respectable numbers (15 GP/64 Receptions/779 yards but just 2 TDs) for the Indianapolis Colts.  He was, however, a non-entity in the playoffs (3 GP/1 Reception/12 Yards) and was completely shut down by the Bengals and Patriots.

In his prime Reggie Wayne was among the best
In his prime Reggie Wayne was among the best

Yes, he did have 5 receptions for 91 yards against the Patriots during the regular season (11/16/14 – known as the Jonas Gray game) when the Colts lost 42-20 in Indy. If you think back to that game he was thought to be dogging it after getting hit while the game was still close. Pats fans were literally mocking him as the game came to an end.

The Patriots do still have a lot of holes to fill, but Reggie Wayne isn’t the answer to anything. He probably will sign with a team in need of senior leadership, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he decided to retire when the contact starts.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

EDITORS NOTE:

With the Patriots injuries piling up it now seems that the signing of Reggie Wayne to the roster has become official. The Pats have signed him to a one year deal, they were kind of over a barrel because with Jordy Nelson being out with an ACL tear, Green bay would have surely signed him today.

The NFL Offseason in Context: A Look at Life In the Absence of Football

Apparently it is a big deal that a spaceship floating billions of miles away, took a few snapshots of a planet (which we already knew existed) and sent it back to Earth.  Bruce Jenner now wants to be called Caitlyn, and Russell Wilson refuses to lay the pipe to Ciara, because God told him so.  If this isn’t proof the world needs the NFL to function on the appropriate axis, I don’t know what is.  Let’s start at the top.

By the time we do anything of remote importance on any other planet but the one I am on right now, I will be checked out with my ashes spread out somewhere exotic.  Maybe Revere Beach? I constantly say I’m not living a super long life, so I will straighten that all out sooner rather than later.

I don’t care about Pluto.  I never have and never will.  I’m happy for the dudes at NASA though.  Can you imagine the pants tent they got over the photos?  The NASA guys were probably all huddled up around their laptops with Hot Pockets and Mountain Dew, waiting for the first image to stream through.  I would compare this to how the rest of the world is waiting for the NFL to rule on Brady’s appeal, which will be any day now.

Now for Ms. Jenner and this big revelation of transitioning and the courage that goes along with it.  According to the GM of the Red Sox, courage is playing left field for $20,000,000/year, ESPN is awarding him with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.   Courage seems to have a completely different definition than the one I was taught in say second or third grade.  I have to pump the brakes on going into this anymore or I’ll have the activists after me again.  One thing that is fact here is everything Bruce/Caitlyn and the tribe of misfits he considers family does, stems from the almighty dollar.  If you don’t think this entire transition, Diane Sawyer interview, and new reality show isn’t triggered by the cash cow that was created once Kim’s sex tape was released, you’re a bit delusional.  Speaking of Kim, for someone who has the biggest self-image issues on the planet, along with her fraud husband, her sex tape performance was beyond amateur.

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You’re Move Roger

Want to know something that is far from amateur?  It is how our shining star Thomas Edward Patrick Brady has handled this suspension/appeal process.  The guy is just continuing to ooze greatness in every facet of life.  National writers and former players whom he repeatedly torched and then pissed on during their playing careers are casting rocks in glass houses.  What does Tom do when this happens?  He just posts angelic photos of him in the middle of a fairway (where else would he be but the middle of the fairway) with his baby girl Vivian crushing it in his bucket hat.  Bucket hats are without a doubt the summer fashion trend and I’m going out and buying a dozen of them right now.

Speaking of amateur moves, let’s look at what Jason Pierre-Paul did over the fourth of July.  I have ZERO sympathy for him or that other knucklehead from Tampa Bay.  Not only did JPP decide to imitate Fire Marshall Bill and blow his damn hand up, but he had a U-Haul Van full of fireworks.  For starters, why have a full van of fireworks?  Do you really need to be “that guy” who outdoes everyone else on the block?  You’re making millions of dollars a year, the dick measuring has to stop at some point right?  Piggybacking on the fact that you’re making million dollars a year, shouldn’t you have “a guy” who lights them for you.  Ninety-nine percent of these NFL players have entourages who designate a “Turtle” to do bonehead acts like this.  Good luck playing with your hand in the dirt this year.  I hope Bryan Stork bites your nub just because he is an animal like that.

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Odds on which Seahawk hits that before Russell Wilson? Bruce Irvin – 5:1 Earl Thomas – 8:1 Doug Baldwin – 3:1 Pete Carroll – 2:5

God told Russell Wilson to “put the other stuff aside” for now. The “other stuff” he is referring to, is him and his girlfriend Ciara banging.  I’m over the Russell Wilson act.  I’ve been over it for a while, but now we are getting to the point I’m worried for his mental health.  Do yourself a favor and go Google some of her lyrics and tell me she isn’t pissed about this.  Hey Russell, did God tell you not to check out of the quick slant at the end of the Super Bowl?  Buddy, you’ve been married before and your wife was NOWHERE near the dime that Ciara is.   Explain to me how this all works and what good this is doing anyone else on Earth?  You remember what happened with Percy Harvin and Doug Baldwin before the Super Bowl right?  My money is on Earl Thomas or Bruce Irvin destroying that behind your back while you’re channeling your inner Tim Tebow in the ice tub.

There will be plenty more to talk about and this whole Brady ordeal will finally come to a head.  I bet Kessler and Brady kicked Goodell around like the big bully on the playground during recess.  Roger’s ass kicking lasted about ten hours though and same goes for that fraud Ted Wells.  I, unlike most, actual read through the entire piece of crap Wells Report and was even more confused than before I started.  Schefter, whom also swings a massive stick for posting medical records of JPP, stated Brady shined with an A+ performance.  Guys like Brady who have wives like Super G, don’t cower into a ball when the pressure is on. What did you expect?  Him to go in there like Geno Smith and completely hand it over to the witch hunters?   Want to see the complete opposite of a witch hunt?  I present week six of the NFL season to you.  The Patriots head to Indianapolis for an all-out bloodbath against the Colts.  I fear for Andrew Luck, I fear for Chuck Pagano, and mostly fear for the drug addict owner and GM.  Start lighting candles now for the Colts in your church, temple, mosque, or community center.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots hang eighty points on them.  Training camps starts in just over two weeks.

Representing all the way in Bora Bora.
Representing the Stool all the way in Bora Bora.