Doesn’t it feel like I wrote this column last year for week two? Instead of me recapping the preview column, check out the aftermath. Click here to see the column after the week two loss.
My favorite part was this:
Stop giving Maroney chances. He’s burned all those up. From now on he returns kicks and plays in garbage time. You start Fred Taylor, give him a majority of the carries, spell him with Sammy Morris and use Faulk on third downs. I’m trying to figure out how Green-Ellis hasn’t played a down after leading the NFL in total yardage all preseason.
Well it took a year and now Maroney is gone. Taylor is the starter, Morris and Green-Ellis will spell him, and Faulk is your third down back.
Onto this week against Jabba Rex, Dirty Sanchez, and the Jets.
To take a page out of Da Guy’s book. I’m not worried.
Once upon a time I was worried that pressuring Brady would result in the team imploding (like in the Giants Super Bowl). But when the Jets won against the Pats last year in week two there was no Wes Welker. There was Julian Edelman in his second career game, brick handed tight ends, and a shitty wideout in Joey Galloway trying to fill the Stallworth/Gaffney void. Fast forward to their second match up last season and the Pats defense beat the snot out of Sanchez and Speedy White Guy ended the game with 15 catched for 192 yards. Ouch.
The Pats offense is so much better than it was a year ago. They have incredible tight ends, better wide outs, and they’ve gotten rid of Maroney. So I’m not worried about the offense at all.
Now, on the other side of the ball…it’s a little dicier. No Ty Warren, no Leigh Bodden, a little scary but this defensive unit had a first half lead of 24-3 against a good Bengals offense and made Carson Palmer (who’s a whole lot better than Sanchez) look silly.
So this week the over/under is 39 and the Pats are a road favorite by 2. I’m taking the Pats and the over. Even if it comes down to a field goal as time is running out, Pats will cover.
Back Monday with a recap.
