Nobody Makes You Feel Worse About A Win Than These Patriots

I thought I had run out of ways to describe a terrible win a few weeks ago when the Patriots were handed a 29-26 overtime win against the Jets in Week 7. New England (6-3, 3-1 home) outdid themselves this afternoon at Gillette Stadium with a 37-31 "victory" over the Buffalo Bills (3-6, 2-4 away).

I hate repeating myself but in this case, it's totally necessary. Once again, New England's defense couldn't get off the field or stop one of the worst teams in the NFL. Also, their offense similarly couldn't get their job done either since they had a chance to ice it with a long drive and TD but they had to settle for a field goal.

Therefore, we had to sweat out a two-minute drive by Ryan Fitzpatrick (27 of 40, 337 yards, 2 TDs, INT, fumble) that looked destined to end with a touchdown. That is until the Harvard product remembered who he is and what he does in that type of situation: Devin McCourty (8 tackles, 4 solo, forced fumble, pass defensed) picked him off in the end zone to finish it.

Exhale. Buffalo hasn't won in Foxborough since 1999 (hello Doug Flutie) and they probably would have done it today if they didn't continuously shoot themselves in the foot with penalties (14 for 148 yards) and costly turnovers (3). Tom Brady (23 of 38, 237 yards, 2 TDs) improved to 20-2 in his career against the Bills and the Patriots swept the season series against Buffalo in 2012.

It's hard to explain how a team that had an extra week to prepare, against a divisional opponent that they know very well, could still struggle so badly on defense. I guess the best we can muster for an explanation is that the Bills' skill players are a matchup nightmare for the Patriots.

Buffalo easily could have scored 45 points if Fitzpatrick had thrown a touchdown at the end and Fred Jackson (80 yards rushing, 2 TDs; 35 yards receiving) hadn't fumbled at the 1-yard line. C.J. Spiller (70 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving), Steve Johnson (6 catches, 86 yards), Donald Jones (6 catches, 74 yards, TD) and Scott Chandler (5 catches, 65 yards, TD) made their fantasy owners happy.

On the positive side, when the Pats had the ball, they toasted Buffalo's defense. Stevan Ridley had 98 yards rushing and a touchdown, Wes Welker had six catches for 74 yards while Danny Woodhead had two touchdowns and Rob Gronkowski caught a touchdown (something he's done in all six games against his hometown team).

Stephen Gostkowski's 43-yard field goal and a 1-yard touchdown run by Ridley were the only points in the first quarter. Rian Lindell got Buffalo on the board with a 41-yard field goal before Woodhead's 15-yard TD run made it 17-3. Jackson answered with a 14-yard TD run and the teams traded scores as neither defense could get off the field. Gronk had a pretty diving 2-yard TD catch but Chandler had a 3-yard TD catch with 31 seconds left in the 1st half.

Woodhead's 18-yard catch and run increased New England's lead to 31-17 in the third quarter but Jackson's 1-yard run showed the Bills weren't going away. Gostkowski had a 48-yard field goal in the fourth before Jones caught a 2-yard touchdown. Gostkowski's 27-yard field goal provided the final points.

With the Dolphins (4-5) loss and the predictable Jets (3-6) no-show in Seattle, the AFC East is the same graveyard it has been for much of the last decade. More importantly for the Patriots, who have won three in a row, they can find out where they stand against some real teams beginning next Sunday. The Colts (6-3) led by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck come to Gillette (4:25 p.m., CBS) riding a four-game win streak.

UPDATE 11/12: Linebacker Jeff Tarpinian was released (he still has practice squad eligibility left) with cornerback/savior Aqib Talib taking his place on the 53-man roster.

UPDATE 11/13: The Pats signed free agent guard Mitch Petrus (a former Giant) to the roster and released linebacker Jerrell Harris from the practice squad. Additionally, Tarpinian was re-signed to the practice squad.

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Got Your Patriots-Bills Injury Report Right Here

We are 36 hours from the opening kickoff of Patriots-Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, NY. Today the injury report was released for both teams with some interesting inclusions.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez (ankle) and wide receiver Julian Edelman (hand) are both out for New England. Just like last week, 10 Patriots are listed as questionable: defensive end Brandon Deaderick (ankle), cornerback Alfonzo Dennard (hamstring), defensive tackle Justin Francis (ankle), tight end Rob Gronkowski (hip), defensive tackle Kyle Love (knee), guard Logan Mankins (hip), offensive lineman Nick McDonald (shoulder), cornerback Sterling Moore (knee), running back Shane Vereen (foot) and offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back).

Most of those same players were questionable last week for New England against Baltimore and/or they are irrelevant and wouldn't play or contribute anyway. However, Gronk, Love, Mankins and Vollmer are the names to keep an eye on. Gronk and Love weren't on there before and they are very instrumental players; Mankins and Vollmer were questionable vs. the Ravens but they suited up because they are offensive linemen (toughest guys in football).

As usual, New England's opponent's injury report is much more brief. For Buffalo, only wide receiver Ruvell Martin (ankle) has been ruled out. Running backs Fred Jackson (knee) and C.J. Spiller (shoulder) are both questionable and it sounds like at least one of them will play. If for some reason they both don't, the Bills would be forced to start Tashard Choice. Major advantage Patriots in that case.

Stay tuned tomorrow night and before 1 p.m. on Sunday as I update who else will sit this one out.

UPDATE 9/29: Mankins didn't make the trip to Buffalo. Donald Thomas will start at guard in his place and also, the Patriots re-signed center/guard Matt Tennant. He was on the Pats for a few days before the season started and went to BC. Everyone is saying that Gronk will play, which is what we all expect.

Dennard, Deaderick and Francis are also out for New England. With Hernandez and Edelman already out, the Pats will need to sit one more guy tomorrow.

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Stop The Presses: The Buffalo Bills Might Actually Be Good in 2011

When you've beaten a divisional rival 15 straight times, you are basically working on borrowed time in the NFL. No sport has the same level of parity (which is what makes it the best professional league) so in that sense, today's 34-31 win by the Buffalo Bills (3-0) over the New England Patriots (2-1) at Ralph Wilson Stadium shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

However, New England was up 21-0 early in the second quarter and seemed headed to a laugher in Upstate New York. However, just like a week earlier against Oakland (down 21-3), Buffalo rallied to get it within 21-10 at halftime and then they proceeded to outscore the Pats 24-10 in the second half.

Led by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's (my favorite Harvard alum) big game (27 of 40, 369 passing yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs), the host Bills vaulted to one of the most important victories in franchise history over the past forgettable decade.

It also put Buffalo atop the AFC East, ahead of New England and the New York Jets (2-1), who lost later in the day in Oakland. The Miami Dolphins (0-3) are already on the clock for Stanford QB Andrew Luck as far as I'm concerned.

It's easy to make fun of the Bills and their fans for celebrating their September Super Bowl like the Jets always do but in many ways, that fan base more than almost any other in the NFL deserves success. They're so loyal and year after year, they've had to watch a terrible onfield product.

No Patriots game would be complete without the usual video game numbers from quarterback Tom Brady (30 of 45, 387 yards, 4 TDs) but a wrench was thrown in the standard plot as TB12 was picked off four times. Those interceptions, coupled with the lack of desire to run the ball and the defense's inability to get off the field equaled a win that could turn around things for Buffalo.

No Aaron Hernandez but Wes Welker (career-high 16 catches and 217 yards, 2 TDs) and Rob Gronkowski (7 catches, 109 yards, 2 TDs) were still unstoppable. The problem was that without Hernandez, the Patriots lacked a viable third option. Deion Branch was held without a catch and Chad Ochocinco (2 catches, 28 yards) failed to capitalize on way more playing time. He dropped an easy touchdown that didn't come back to bite the Patriots but it would have been a big boost for his fragile confidence.

The Bills lack the marquee names of the Patriots but Steve Johnson (8 catches, 94 yards, TD), Donald Jones (5 catches, 101 yards), David Nelson (6 catches, 84 yards) and running back Fred Jackson (87 yards receiving; 74 yards rushing, 1 TD) are combining to give Fitzpatrick and Buffalo one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL this season.

Rookie running back Stevan Ridley (7 carries, 44 yards; 1 catch, 8 yards) showed some nice burst in his most extensive workday in his pro infancy. He's deserving of some more touches starting next week I say. I love them both but I think at this point, opponents know what to expect from Danny Woodhead (21 yards rushing; 20 yards receiving) and BenJarvus Green-Ellis (16 yards rushing).

Kyle Arrington was the only Patriots defensive player worthy of a mention. He had two interceptions, both in the first half. Fellow cornerback Devin McCourty had 11 tackles (8 solos) but he looks shakier by the week as teams appear to be going right at him all the time now.

New England received the opening kickoff and they proceeded to reel off maybe their most impressive drive of the contest. In nine plays covering 84 yards (5:15 elapsed), Brady found Welker with a short pass that Welker turned into a 14-yard touchdown. Stephen Gostkowski's PAT made it 7-0 and two plays into Buffalo's first drive, the Pats got the ball back when Arrington made his first pick.

Brady used the short field and the omnipresent no-huddle attack to quickly cash in. Brady hit Gronkowski (an Amherst, NY native) for a 1-yard TD pass after a six play, 30-yard drive. Gostskowski's second PAT made it 14-0.

Fitzpatrick and the Bills offense started to click on their next possession but once again, Arrington ended it with an interception (this time in New England's end of the field). The Pats had a cushy 14-0 lead after one misleading quarter.

The teams punted back and forth twice before Brady and Co. put it all together once more. A 26-yard touchdown to Gronk and Gostkowski kick put the Patriots ahead 21-0. For most teams, that would be more than enough but when you don't want to/can't run the ball to bleed the clock and your defense can never get stops in crunch time, no lead is truly safe against a worthy foe.

Fitzpatrick and Johnson got the Bills on the board with an 11-yard touchdown strike. Rian Lindell's PAT cut it to 21-7.

New England looked poised to grab another touchdown (or at least field goal) before halftime but Brady's pass went off Woodhead's hands and it was intercepted by Bryan Scott at the Buffalo 11-yard line. Credit to the Bills as they went 66 yards in 10 plays (1:02 elapsed) to set up Lindell for a 42-yard kick. That gave Buffalo a boost, down a manageable 21-10 at halftime with the second half kickoff coming to them.

It's hard to remember it but New England's beleagured defense actually forced a 3-and-out on Buffalo's first possession of the second half. The problem was that Brady threw his second interception (Leodis McKelvin) on the following play. It was intended for Ochocinco but Brady tried to fit it into too tight of a space for a guy that still doesn't seem comfortable in the system.

After a nice 21-yard return, the Bills used the short field to their advantage as Fitzpatrick found Scott Chandler for a 3-yard touchdown pass after a 7-play, 37-yard drive.

New England's next drive stalled in the red zone and they settled for a 23-yard Gostkowski field goal and a 24-17 lead.

Buffalo punted twice, sandwiched around a New England punt, before George Wilson recorded the Bills' third interception of Brady. A 48-yard pass to Jones and a costly penalty to Sergio Brown (31 yards) placed the ball at the Patriots' 1-yard line and Jackson punched it in for the tying score with help from Lindell's PAT.

For the second time, Brady was intercepted on the first play of a drive (which is killer) but even worse, Drayton Florence returned it for a 27-yard touchdown and the go-ahead score at 31-24.

The crisis was averted as New England went on a nice long drive (15 plays, 74 yards, 6:57) with Welker getting the money catch (6-yard TD on 4th-and-6). Gostkowski's kick tied it at 31. All the Pats needed was a stop and it would get the ball back or worse case, it would go to overtime.

Three long plays later (29-yard catch by Jones, 12-yard catch by Jackson and 39-yard catch by Jackson) and the Bills had the ball down at the 1. At first, it was ruled a TD but it was just semantics since no kicker will ever miss a kick that short. Buffalo did its best to get some dumb penalties and move it back but Lindell split the uprights from 28 yards out with no time left.

Well this was painful to recap and relieve for the second time today. New England travels to Oakland next Sunday afternoon (4:15 p.m.) for a game that promises to be much harder than originally expected. The Raiders (2-1) actually have their act together and they could beat the Patriots if their defense is the same sieve it was today. Brady can't carry them forever, this team needs balance offensively and it needs the defense to show some progress from week to week.

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Brady's back bitches

For 3+ quarters last night, Tom Brady's triumphant return to the NFL was anything but by the script.

Everyone assumed that the Buffalo Bills would come into Gillette Stadium and get rolled. A team that had just fired its offensive coordinator, cut its starting left tackle and brought Terrell Owens aboard with a lame duck coach (Dick Jauron) did not seem to be a team destined to upset the Patriots.

Yet there they were, up 24-13 with 5:32 left in the fourth quarter after Trent Edwards (212 yards, 2 TDs) found Fred Jackson (140 total yards) for a 10-yard touchdown on a screen pass.

True to the form of a team that had lost 11 straight games (and 16 out of 17) to the Patriots, Buffalo completely folded.

Brady (378 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and the offense finally got on the same page and Ben Watson (6 catches, 77 yards) snagged an 18-yard pass to cut it to 24-19 Bills with 2:06 remaining.

The two-point conversion, a pass to Watson, was picked off which seemed like a big deal. The Pats needed to get the ball back fast, and they needed a touchdown to save this poor performance. With three timeouts and the two-minute warning, it looked like if they could force a three-and-out, they'd be in good shape.

Bills returner Leodis McKelvin had other plans though as he tried to be a hero and took the ensuing kickoff out of his own end zone. Wouldn't you know that he fumbled at the 31-yard line after Brandon Meriweather stood him up and Pierre Woods stripped him of the ball. Pats kicker Stephen Gostkowski improbably fell on the ball and the Patriots were in business.

Brady found Watson with an eerily similar pass (16 yards) and New England took a 25-24 lead with 50 seconds left. Once again, they failed to convert the two-point conversion.

Buffalo got the ball back and drove down the field but they couldn't get in field goal range and were forced to try a million laterals, which ultimately failed.

Whew.

Where to begin? Even though, the statistics were dominated by the Patriots, this was a game they had no business winning. No doubt, Dennis Green was spinning in his grave saying "the Bills let them off the hook!"

Randy Moss (12 catches, 141 yards) and Wes Welker (12 catches, 93 yards) had great games but too often, the offense seemed out of sync.

On the other side, the Pats defense lost its best player to a knee injury-Jerod Mayo in the first quarter; he never returned-and they couldn't stop Edwards or Jackson. The secondary apparently held up as Owens was held to 45 yards on two catches and Lee Evans only had 25 yards on three catches.

Clearly Jauron was up to his vanilla play-calling best with the assortment of screens, short passes and counter plays.

Only time will tell if the Bills are as bad as most think they'll be and if the Patriots turn out to be as great as most (myself included) believe.

Shawn Nelson put Buffalo up 7-0 in the first quarter on an 11-yard catch from Edwards.

New Patriot Fred Taylor tied it in the second quarter with a 1-yard run.

Aaron Schobel (who Matt Light makes look like Reggie White) turned in the individual play of the game when he made a one-handed interception of a Brady pass in the second quarter and rumbled 26 yards for the score.

Every single time something bad happen to the Patriots, they'd zoom in on some yahoo fan with the look of someone that had just seen their team lose in the Super Bowl. Relax idiots. It's a long season and as far as a I know, we still have Bill Belichick (patrolling the sidelines in his customary cut-off hoodie) and Brady.

Gostkowski's 20-yard field goal at the end of the first half made it 14-10 Bills but the Patriots were lucky it was that close since they didn't convert on fourth down during their first drive and Gostkowski missed a 41-yard field goal.

Rian Lindell's 40-yard kick put the Bills up 17-10 in the third quarter and Gostkowski answered early in the fourth with a 28-yard kick which set the stage for the ridiculous ending.

If Mayo is out for an extended period of time, that's a big problem. For a defense that lost Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison in the offseason, its unclear who will be a playmaker for that defense. Especially one not named Mayo.

It should be another tight divisional game on Sunday afternoon as the Patriots travel to the Meadowlands to play the Jets. New York looked great in week 1, winning at Houston in Mark Sanchez's NFL debut. The Jets defense is good enough to shut New England down if they're offense doesn't work out the kinks this week in practice.

And that's a wrap: the 11-5 Patriots sit out January

I promise not to whine, too much. The New England Patriots finished 11-5 with their 13-0 shutout of the Bills yesterday and yet they didn't advance to the playoffs. They are the first team since the playoffs expanded to 12 teams to miss out with 11 wins.

Since the loss to the Steelers, the Patriots' playoff fate was partially out of their hands. They won their last four games (and were playing their best football of the season) but they still needed the Ravens to lose to the Jaguars or the Jets to beat the Dolphins. As expected, neither scenario came through.

I could go on (and on and on) about how pathetic Brett Favre is (retire already) or that Eric Mangini is a terrible coach (he was fired this morning) but I'll leave that to everyone else in New England. This was the first season in a while that the AFC East was competitive and the fact that the AFC West and NFC West were terrible is irrelevant. Division strength is cyclical in football and there were two losses you can point to (Colts, Jets) that if the Pats had pulled out, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

For the third week in a row, the Patriots had to play in ridiculous weather. They won in the pouring rain in Oakland. They dominated in a snowstorm last weekend at Gillette against the disinterested Cardinals and finally yesterday they won in god-forsaken Upstate New York where the winds were 30-40 m.p.h with gusts up to 50.

In likely his last game for New England, Matt Cassel only attempted eight passes but he still was outstanding and showed just how far he's come since September. He finished 6 of 8 for 78 yards with 19 yards rushing on three attempts (including two fourth-down conversions).

I've never seen a game where it mattered so much if you had the wind at your back. Stephen Gostkowski made a 33-yard kick in the first quarter and the Patriots led 3-0 at the half.

The Bills' miserable end to the season was best summed up by their last possession of the second quarter. With time running out (and no timeouts left), they ran the ball in the Patriots' red zone then took too much time to get back to the line before the clock showed zeros. Dick Jauron is from Swampscott, two towns over from my hometown, but he's clearly over his head.

Sammy Morris (20 carries, 84 yards) and LaMont Jordan (20 carries, 64 yards) continued their fine late-season play. If they could both stay healthy consistently (a huge if), I'd much rather prefer them over the more talented but enigmatic Laurence Maroney.

Jordan plunged in from two-yards out in the third quarter. It turned out to be the game's only touchdown as the inept Bills couldn't get out of their own way.

Marshawn Lynch sat out but backup running back Fred Jackson (27 carries, 136 yards) was great.

Gostkowski added a 23-yard kick in the fourth. He had a solid day even though he missed a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter and almost missed an extra point. The missed field goal was right down the middle then the wind hooked it wide right. During the extra point, the wind almost completely knocked it down as it barely went over the crossbar.

You're only kidding yourself if you think the Patriots would have won the Super Bowl this season with all their injuries and obvious flaws but with the way they'd been playing over the last month, it would have been interesting to see what Cassel would have done in the playoffs. Especially if they won the AFC East and hosted a home game or two.