Patriots Bounce Back (Like They Almost Always Do) With Convincing Win at Chargers 23-14

I might be the only person in the world that thought of this but I couldn't help but juxtapose the Revolution with the Patriots after they both played in big games today. While the Revs fell apart in an MLS Cup like they always do, similarly the Pats stayed true to their unique form by winning the week after a loss. It is lazy to just say one team knows how to win while the other doesn't but that's how it feels after the Patriots (10-3 overall, 4-3 away) beat the Chargers (8-5 overall, 5-2 home) 23-14 at Qualcomm Stadium.

Frankly, San Diego had no business being in this game since New England squandered numerous opportunities to put more points on the board in the first half but failed to due to a fumble, brutal interception by Tom Brady (28 of 44 for 317 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and a pair of 22-yard field goals by Stephen Gostkowski. The good news for the Pats is that unlike any edition from the past decade, they are actually built to withstand performances when Brady and the offense aren't perfect. What a concept!

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that New England's defense dominated San Diego in front of more Patriots fans than Chargers fans (at least they were more vocal so they drowned them out). The Chargers led 14-3 in the second quarter thanks to an amazing 15-yard touchdown catch by Malcolm Floyd and a 53-yard fumble return for a score by Darrell Stuckey after Brandon LaFell inexplicably fumbled. No worries, those were the last points that San Diego would score all night. New England shut them out in the second half as they recorded their 12th straight season of 10+ wins.

Philip Rivers (20 of 33 for 189 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) fell to 0-6 lifetime vs. Brady and he struggled as usual vs. New England. Akeem Ayers had an interception, New England had four sacks and Jamie Collins (9 tackles, 8 solo, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, 2 quarterback hits) was all over the place at middle linebacker with Dont'a Hightower out and Darrelle Revis erased Keenan Allen (2 catches, 3 yards) like you read about.

The numbers are stunning: the Chargers only had 13 first downs on 216 total yards with 25:27 time of possession. One of the reasons that the Patriots' defense could look so fresh is that they only had to be on the field for 56 snaps (2nd fewest of the season behind 55 vs. Bengals). Did I mention that New England also got completely jobbed out of what would have been one of the top plays of the season? Brandon Browner absolutely demolished poor Ladarius Green coming over the middle and the ball popped up to Devin McCourty who returned it for a touchdown. The incompetent refs ruled it a helmet-to-helmet hit to a defenseless receiver which was a travesty. All I can say is that at least it didn't decide this game.

Brady and the offense finally woke up late in the first half as he found Rob Gronkowski (8 catches, 87 yards) for a 14-yard touchdown that cut it to 14-13 Chargers. They got great field position after Brandon Bolden blocked a Mike Scifres punt. Once again, genius Josh McDaniels completely abandoned the run when it looked like the Pats could do it all night on the Chargers' average defense. That resulted in the rare scoreless NFL quarter (the third).

A 38-yard field goal by Gostkowski early in the fourth quarter gave the Pats their first lead since 3-0 and Julian Edelman (8 catches, 141 yards) had the biggest play of the game in front of his homestate. A simple slant went 69 yards (somewhere Gronk chuckles) as he evaded multiple sorry tackle attempts by the overmatched Chargers.

New England kept pace with Denver (10-3) and they still control their destiny in terms of gaining the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Pats now wrap up the regular season with three straight games against their Mickey Mouse Division of lightweights aka the AFC (L)East. Miami (7-6) lost 28-13 at home today vs. Baltimore so they are right on schedule for their usual December meltdown. Then the Pats host the Bills (7-6) and they conclude with the Jets (2-11). Probably at least one of those games will be close for whatever reason but I'd be shocked to see the Patriots lose any of them considering what they have to play for.

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Week 7 Injury Report: Patriots vs. Jets

Thursday Night Football is a disgrace; the games are terrible with one team usually blowing out the other that doesn't bother to show up. Having NFL teams play twice in five days is insane. Into this fray steps the Patriots (4-2) who host the Jets (1-5) tomorrow night (8:25, CBS) at Gillette Stadium. Did I mention that just like last year when they played on a Thursday night (possibly the worst football game in history), it is supposed to be pouring all night?

I'm not going to mention Jerod Mayo or Stevan Ridley (oops, I did) because they are clearly out for the rest of the season (although they haven't gone on IR, yet)after suffering injuries last Sunday in New Orleans. Other than them, offensive lineman Cameron Fleming and safety Nate Ebner remain sidelined with their finger issues (maybe they were all cut off?).

Seven Patriots are questionable: Brandon Browner (ankle), Jamie Collins (thigh), Dan Connolly (concussion), Dominique Easley (shoulder/knee), Dont'a Hightower (knee), Matthew Slater (shoulder) and Bryan Stork (concussion). Browner is looking to make his Patriots debut and he hinted the last few days that he'll play. Connolly and Stork are vital since New England had just started to sort out their horrible offensive line.

It is much more cut and dry with the Jets who have only one guy that is doubtful-safety Josh Bush (quadriceps). They don't list anyone as questionable while linebacker Trevor Reilly (knee) and former Patriots great-wide receiver Greg Salas (wrist/ankle) are out.

If I get a chance, or more likely if I remember, I'll be sure to update this tomorrow night before the opening kickoff.

UPDATE 10/16: Mayo and Ridley went on IR today while RB Jonas Gray and OL Chris Barker were activated from the practice squad. The Pats inactives are Ebner, Fleming, Stork, Connolly, RB James White, WR Aaron Dobson and CB Malcolm Butler. The Jets inactives are Reilly, Salas, DL T.J. Barnes, OG Dakota Dozier, OL Wesley Johnson, WR Chris Owusu and DB Josh Thomas.

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Honestly, What the Hell is Happening in Foxborough?

A bizarre week for the Patriots got even weirder as word came out this afternoon that they had surprisingly released second-year wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins. From a production standpoint, this move makes sense since he's only caught six passes for 53 yards this season and been inactive for two of the last three games but not injured as far as we know.

Still, this former undrafted rookie was a guy that was hyped up last season by everyone in the organization and now they're deserting him? It's not like the Pats are loaded at wide receiver. Without him, they are left with only Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Brandon LaFell, Aaron Dobson and Matthew Slater (primarily a special teamer).

I read that this could be temporary and they could re-sign him next week (to save money I'm sure) but if he's on waivers, you'd have to think that somebody would claim him. He also has practice squad eligibility for what that's worth. I really don't understand this. He's not a star by any means and we haven't heard rumblings of drama with him (like Dobson) plus Brady supposedly enjoyed working with him. Last season he started eight games and had 32 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns.

The final aspect of this that's unexplainable is that wide receiver Brian Tyms is eligible to be activated for tomorrow's do-or-die game vs. Bengals but New England won't do it. They're also leaving cornerback Brandon Browner inactive since they have the option to do that for a week coming off suspensions before they have to make a real decision. For Thompkins' roster spot, they promoted linebacker Ja'Gared Davis from the practice squad (to cover for Nate Ebner on special teams while he's out).

Needless to say, the Patriots could use a win in the worst way vs. Cincinnati. It certainly wouldn't cure all their problems but at least it would give them some type of positivity to rally around. There hasn't been any of that around them for weeks.

UPDATE 10/6: Thompkins was reportedly claimed off waivers by Oakland so there goes the idea that he'd be back here. Nice going Patriots. Browner and Tyms were both activated while the Pats released DL Joe Vellano and put DL Michael Buchanan on IR.

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Patriots Back Up the PED Truck, Get Brandon Browner

I didn't think we'd be saying this anytime soon but suddenly the Patriots might have the best pair of cornerbacks in the NFL: Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. The latter was signed to a three-year deal tonight worth $17 million. The former Seahawk is suspended for the first four games of the regular season but who cares since as the Pats have proven over the last decade, the AFC East is a joke and almost always a foregone conclusion that they can use as an extended preseason before the playoffs.

Browner played in eight games last season with Seattle (his third in the league) and put up 19 tackles and one interception. He was a Pro Bowler in 2011, his rookie season out of Oregon State where he had 51 solo tackles, six interceptions and two touchdowns. He played in all 16 games that year but received his first drug suspension for performance enhancers in 2012 and then he was hit with the nine-game suspension (last two regular season games, playoffs and four in 2014) for his second offense. He'll be eligible to attend training camp and play in the preseason games.

Like Revis, this is another great move by New England since Browner is clearly trying to rehab his image (no pun intended). He has to prove worthy of a long-term deal and I'm sure the Patriots will have countless clauses and incentives written in his contract should he screw up again. The good news is that the PEDs don't flow quite around here as freely as they do with Pete Carroll's boys in the Pacific Northwest.

Browner turns 30 in August (not sure why he entered the NFL that old) so he's in the prime of his career. His best asset is his size: 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He has to be the biggest cornerback in the NFL but he's not a freak though since he totaled 10 interceptions and 123 combined tackles in just 38 career NFL games. Teams around the league better enjoy Weeks 1-4 vs. New England in 2014 since by Week 5, passing outside is going to be very difficult against these two studs.

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