If you’ve been following the blog this NFL season you know that yesterday’s Pats/Eagles game was an easy pick for me. Because I said a while back that I would never take the Eagles for the rest of the season. The “Dream Team” screwed my picks on so many occasions, I swore, never again.
Tell them Jericho…
So back to the Patriots squeaking out a win. I’ll be brief.
I was really getting upset when they team went down 10-0 and gave up huge yardage plays to Vince Young. Yes, that Vince Young. The same Vince Young that I said to coworkers after the USC/Texas National Championship game that he wouldn’t be a good NFL quarterback. Well, he was tossing bombs like he was John Elway. Notice how I didn’t say “touchdown bombs”…
That was an interesting stat they threw out there near the end of the game. The Pats give up the most yards to opponents but the stat that really counts, points allowed, they’re ranked 10th in the league. Not too shabby. Of course only letting KC put up three on you helps that stat. And if you didn’t let Vince Young have that garbage time TD, that’s another seven in your favor. Just saying.
So what did I like in the game? Well, I liked that I didn’t see Kevin Faulk. That I saw very little Danny Woodhead. That they decided to put Wes Welker back into the offensive game plan after a week off last week. I liked that we got to see the rookie running backs. Sure it was after the game was in the bag but I was getting worried that Green-Ellis was developing Sandyvagititus tendencies as he’s pussy footing behind the line. I want the running back to take the ball and plow through the hole.
The Pats defense came out very shaky but then calmed it down. They were able to pick off Young and swing the game heavily in their favor heading into the half knowing they were receiving to start the second half.
Overall it was a pretty boring game. There were a couple great plays (Welker’s TD, Brady getting them out of their own end zone) but overall it was kind of a sleeper. Unfortunately I think that’s how the rest of the season has the potential to go.
Left on the schedule the Pats have the Colts, Redskins, Broncos, Miami, and Buffalo. The Colts haven’t played a competitive game this season, the Redskins started strong and went south quick, Miami has shown some signs of life and played the Pats tough the first time through but they’re both way different teams. Buffalo has shown their true colors as a team that starts strong and fades. That leaves the Broncos. The Broncos that apparently have God on their side with Tebow under center. He may be awful to watch but he wins and did so yesterday.
So the Bronco game really is the only blip I see on the radar down the stretch. I want to see this team win in the playoffs though. It’s been a while. 2007 was the last time the Pats won a playoff game. That was four years ago. Let’s hope the defense keeps getting better and healthier (Chung, McCourty you listening) so we’re not sitting here talking about how the #1 or #2 seeded Pats lost again.
