Patriots Blow Out Dolphins 41-13 To Win Their 6th Straight AFC East Title

I am as guilty as anyone of not respecting the AFC East so thanks to New England's 41-13 pasting of Miami this afternoon at Gillette Stadium, I can stand my by ruling that the AFC East is a complete mess every year. The Patriots (11-3 overall, 7-0 home) captured their sixth AFC East crown in a row which is a very impressive accomplishment regardless of how poorly their division has played outside of them. New England still holds the No. 1 seed in the AFC with two regular season contests left (at Jets, vs. Bills).

New England followed their recent pattern of playing poorly in the first half and that continued today as they slogged to a 14-13 undeserved lead at the break. Just like last Sunday in San Diego, the Pats exploded in the second half by outscoring Miami (7-7 overall, 4-4 away) 27-0 including 24-0 in the third.

LeGarrette Blount started that flurry with a 3-yard touchdown run then Stephen Gostkowski had to settle for a 35-yard field goal. No problem, Ryan Tannehill (29 of 47 for 346 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs) promptly threw his second interception of the game-to Patrick Chung (10 tackles, 5 solo, 2 passes deflected). The next play was a 27-yard touchdown laser pass from Tom Brady (21 of 35 for 287 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) to Rob Gronkowski (3 catches, 96 yards). Goodnight Dolphins, hope you have a safe flight home!

A few minutes later, Julian Edelman (7 catches, 88 yards) caught a six-yard touchdown catch to make New England's lead 38-13. The only points in the fourth quarter came off a 36-yard field goal by Gostkowski. Earlier in the contest, Gostkowski became New England's all-time leader in points scored, passing Adam Vinatieri in that very exclusive club.

The first big play of the game was so Dolphins in December at Gillette that it hurt. Caleb Sturgis' field goal attempt was blocked by Jamie Collins (5 tackles, 4 solo, 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hit) and returned 62 yards for a touchdown by Kyle Arrington. Miami drove into New England's red zone but the Patriots' defense held them to a 24-yard kick by Sturgis that made it 7-3.

Tannehill's first interception was killer since Duron Harmon (yes he's still on the team) returned it 60 yards to Miami's 8-yard line. Three plays after that, Shane Vereen ran it in from three yards out for a 14-3 Patriots advantage. Miami got another field goal, a 53-yard bomb by Sturgis and then New England's bizarre play calls at the end of the first half helped the Dolphins add seven more points. Actually, Mike Wallace (5 catches, 104 yards) made it all happen with a ridiculous 50-yard touchdown catch that was originally ruled out of bounds but replay rightfully overturned it.

Chandler Jones (7 tackles, 4 solo, 1.5 sacks, 2 quarterback hits) played for the first time since Week 7 vs. Jets and he didn't show much rust at all. It was also nice to see Jonas Gray (11 carries, 62 yards) finally get out of Bill Belichick's doghouse. He's more talented than Blount and there is no reason that they couldn't at least split time between them.

The Pats hit the road for the final time this regular season with a game on Sunday afternoon (1, CBS) at MetLife Stadium vs. lowly Jets (3-11 overall, 4th in AFC East). New York beat Tennessee 16-11 in a true rock fight this afternoon. The Jets actually gave the Patriots everything they could handle in that Week 7 meeting, a Thursday Night Football 27-25 win by the Pats that was as tight as it seemed. I'm not dumb enough to say that the Jets will beat them or even make it competitive again since they are a disaster and Rex Ryan is rehearsing for his upcoming role in "Dead Man Walking."

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Patriots Stun Saints, 30-27 on Brady's Last-Second TD to Thompkins

For many reasons, tonight was a throwback to better days (yes I know we're very spoiled) for the Patriots as they beat the Saints 30-27 at Gillette Stadium. Tom Brady (25 of 43 for 269 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Kenbrell Thompkins (3 catches, 45 yards) with five seconds left as New England (5-1 overall, 3-0 home) completely stole a win from New Orleans (5-1 overall, 2-1 away) 30-27.

With no Rob Gronkowski plus injuries to Danny Amendola, Jerod Mayo, Aqib Talib and Dan Connolly, this looked like a game the Pats would lose because they simply ran out of healthy bodies and decent players. Oh and the Saints played well on the road for about 58+ minutes and they should have won but they couldn't close it out.

New Orleans went ahead 24-23 on Drew Brees' (17 of 36 for 236 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) 34-yard touchdown pass to rookie Kenny Stills with 3:29 left in regulation. After New England turned it over on downs, the Saints added a 39-yard field goal for 27-23 lead. Keenan Lewis intercepted Brady on New England's next play so by then, it had to be over. Except it wasn't. The Patriots forced the Saints to punt after a 3-and-out and Brady had one last chance starting at his own 30 with 1:13 left.

It only took seven plays to get the clutch score; the big plays were a 23-yard catch by Julian Edelman (5 catches, 57 yards) plus a 15-yard catch and 9-yard catch by Austin Collie (his first two receptions as a Patriot). Brady's touchdown to Thompkins was vintage stuff, the likes of which we haven't really seen for years. The Patriots picked up a clutch win against a formidable opponent facing long odds and many key injuries. Sound familiar?

New England actually built a 17-7 halftime lead thanks to two touchdown runs by Stevan Ridley (20 carries, 96 yards rushing; 14-yard catch) and the first of three Stephen Gostkowski field goals (35, 54, 23). New Orleans predictably tied it up in the third with a 28-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley and 3-yard touchdown run by Khiry Robinson. Gostkowski's last two kicks put the Pats up 23-17 midway through the fourth.

Eight Patriots caught passes today and nine were targeted. It will take that type of approach if they are going to survive another long absence from Amendola who appeared to get knocked out on a vicious hit in the second half. Aaron Dobson (6 catches, 63 yards) had a good performance and even Michael Hoomanawanui (4 catches, 57 yards) played like an NFL tight end for one game.

Kyle Arrington also had a gift interception after Brees tried to call timeout, didn't get it then was forced to chuck it up for grabs. Before he left with a hip flexor, Talib held Jimmy Graham (the NFL's best tight end, sorry Gronk) without a catch. His teammates picked up the slack too as Graham (who also was hobbled late in the contrest) had zero catches.

After playing marquee games against quality teams, it'll be tough to re-adjust to the slop of the AFC East. New England goes to the Jets (3-3 overall) on Sunday (1, CBS). New York lost 16-9 at home this afternoon to the previously winless Steelers (1-4).

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Beating The Bills Doesn't Mean Much, The Patriots Have Plenty of Work To Do

You know that as a fan base we are truly spoiled when we can look at a season-opening win on the road, against a divisional opponent that featured a last-minute drive and think, man the Patriots really played poorly. Such is the world we live in where 23-21 victories over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium fill us with more frustration and anger than joy. Stephen Gostkowski's clutch (for him) 35-yard field goal with five seconds left was the difference.

This is more than us being miserable bastards, after all of New England's recent history of being regular season heroes then losing in the postseason, these games take on a more sterile look and feel. A function of being in the AFC East (one of the worst divisions in pro sports) is that the Pats are basically a lock to win it and/or make the playoffs every season that Tom Brady (29 of 52, 288 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and Bill Belichick are employed in Foxborough.

It was a sloppy contest with both teams combining for five turnovers and Buffalo getting whistled for 10 penalties (75 yards). New England started off well, leading 10-0 after the first quarter, and ended strongly (outscoring Buffalo 6-0 in the fourth quarter) so it was the second and third quarters that were bizarre even by wacky opening day standards.

I will resist the urge to draw final conclusions off of one game but there were certainly some trends to keep an eye on. Danny Amendola (10 catches, 104 yards) might be made of glass but when he can drag himself onto the field, he has great hands and Brady already seems to have built a connection with him. Conversely, preseason All-Stars Kenbrell Thompkins (4 catches, 42 yards; 14 targets) and Zach Sudfeld (0 catches, 1 target) looked like the undrafted rookies they are rather than the preseason standouts that everyone went overboard praising.

Bills rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel (18 of 27, 150 yards, 2 TDs) was predictably up and down. He showed the ability to run (19-yard carry) and sling it (witness the beautiful 18-yard TD pass to Stevie Johnson) but he also lacked touch on some of his easier throws.

Bigger picture, three of New England's obvious storylines coming into this season only got further muddled: 1) their defense got no pass rush (0 sacks, 4 QB hits); 2) Stevan Ridley (2 fumbles, 1 lost) has a case of fumbilitis that might be fatal; 3) outside of Amendola, who can Brady confidently throw to?

Julian Edelman (7 catches, 79 yards, 2 TDs) and Shane Vereen (101 yards rushing; 58 yards receiving) were the unexpected (but not really) workhorses for the Patriots. New England's defense looked solid (albeit against the Bills and a rookie QB that nobody fears), it's not a leap to say they only really gave up seven points since the Bills got a 74-yard fumble return for a TD by Da'Norris Searcy and a gift interception (off Sudfeld's stone hands) that set them up with a short field for another 18-yard touchdown pass-this time to rookie Robert Woods. Jerod Mayo had 15 tackles (12 solo) and Kyle Arrington forced two fumbles that were recovered by Tommy Kelly and Rob Ninkovich respectively.

To state the obvious: Brady really missed Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The good news is that the former should be back in a few weeks when the competition ramps up (sorry Jets and Bucs). Amendola's groin injury is a worry heading into Thursday's (8:25, NFL Network) home opener vs. Jets (1-0). Playing two divisional games on such a short schedule to begin the season seems cruel but I'm not Adrian Gonzalez so I won't complain.

The Jets should be 0-1 but thanks to an all-time bonehead penalty, they were able to kick a last-second field goal of their own for an 18-17 win vs. Buccaneers that they didn't deserve. Oh well, the Pats will face another rookie quarterback-Geno Smith-who started his pro career by going 24 of 38 for 256 yards, one touchdown, one interception and 47 yards rushing. The Patriots and Bills won't cross paths again until Week 17 at Gillette Stadium, you know by then that Buffalo will be playing for nothing but pride and a high draft pick.

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Patriots Sign Donald Jones, Bring Back Kyle Arrington For Four More Years

Thanks to Twitter and the fine work of tireless NFL writers, we can all feel like ESPN's Adam Schefter with all the non-stop action in terms of NFL free agency. Today, the Patriots signed former Bills wide receiver Donald Jones (terms of the contract weren't known) and re-signed cornerback Kyle Arrington to a four-year deal.

In addition to those moves, running back Danny Woodhead signed a two-year deal with San Diego and the Patriots hosted free agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders ( I like him better than Jones but he's nothing special), defensive ends John Abraham and Dwight Freeney along with safety Adrian Wilson. If you need to sit down for a second or stop looking at the computer screen, I understand. Can you say ice cream headache? Woodhead will be missed but with Leon Washington, his role was basically eliminated.

Jones won't set the world on fire but he registered career-highs in catches (43), receiving yards (443) and receiving touchdowns (4) last season in Buffalo with the erratic Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him the ball. The Pats obviously saw him up close and personal the last three years and he had two solid performances against them in 2012: he combined for eight catches, 164 receiving yards and two touchdowns (1 in each game). He set a career-long with a 68-yard catch against New England in Buffalo in Week 4. Hopefully, he can learn the playbook quickly and find a connection with Tom Brady. It could do wonders for his career, we'll have to wait and see.

Arrington fell to third on the Pats cornerback depth chart last season after they acquired Aqib Talib and the emergence of rookie Alfonzo Dennard. Now, Talib is a free agent (who knows if he'll return) and Dennard is potentially facing jail time, they had to bring Arrington back since he's young (26) and entering his fifth year in New England's system. He's durable since he's played 16 games in each of the last three seasons and versatile because he also plays on special teams. His seven interceptions in 2011 seems like a random blip since he had zero interceptions last season but I have no problem with a few more years of Arrington.

Moving forward, the Patriots need to keep bringing in talent on defense. Veterans like Abraham, Freeney and Wilson are all appealing since while they might be a bit long in the tooth, they can still make plays and most importantly, they can bring the leadership that they side of the ball desperately needs with so many young but important guys on the team (Devin McCourty, Chandler Jones, Brandon Spikes, Dont'a Hightower, etc).

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Patriots Open Up Two-Game Lead In The AFC East With Easy 34-3 Win Vs. Chiefs On MNF

It's rare that an NFL game follows a script that everybody expects, that's what makes the league the best of the four major American sports and so exciting. It is usually so unpredictable from week to week.

Well once Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel went down with a hand injury last week and it was announced that he'd sit out, with backup Tyler Palko taking his place (for his first career start), the stars began to align for the rare 2011 New England Patriots blowout. That's exactly what happened as the Pats (7-3) took advantage on Monday Night Football with a 34-3 win that didn't even seem that close.

The poor Chiefs (4-6) have seen their season slip away due to major injuries to some key players: tight end Tony Moeaki, safety Eric Berry, running back Jamaal Charles, etc. Yes I know that every team in the NFL has injuries but it's impossible to top that list (Cassel was placed on IR today).

The MNF crew tried to sell the audience on Palko's (25 of 38, 236 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs) limited abilities and for a spell, it kind of worked as Kansas City led 3-0 after the first quarter thanks to a 26-yard field goal by Ryan Succop.

It took a while for Tom Brady (15 of 27, 234 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs) to get going but once New England's offense was in gear and Palko started to give the ball away like it was on fire, this one was over quick.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis had his best game in weeks as New England racked up 157 yards rushing as a team. He had 20 carries for 81 yards and added a 25-yard catch.

Rob Gronkowski (4 catches, 96 yards, 2 TDs) woke up his team and the Gillette Stadium crowd from their collective slumber with a 52-yard catch and run touchdown with 4:18 left in the first half. Stephen Gostkowski's PAT made it 7-3 and he added a 21-yard kick with 10 seconds left in the half after Brady and Co. couldn't punch it in.

Things started to get silly in third quarter as Gronk scored a 19-yard touchdown which ended with him hurdling a guy and then falling right on his neck. No worries though, the cyborg was fine. I'd worry about a concussion with him but could you really tell if he had one or not?

Gronk set a record by getting to 20 career touchdowns (in 26 games) faster than any tight end in NFL history. Also, Bill Belichick jumped ahead of former Patriots head coach Bill Parcells for ninth all-time on the NFL win list with 118 career victories.

It was time for nearly every player on the roster to make a contribution as Kyle Arrington picked off two passes (he leads the NFL with 7); along with extensive time on defense in the secondary, Julian Edelman returned a punt 72 yards for a score (his second career punt return TD); Philip Adams had his first career interception while Mark Anderson (1.5 sacks) and Andre Carter (.5 sack) continued to wreak havoc on mediocre quarterbacks (hi Sanchez!).

Gostkowski's 19-yard field goal closed out the third quarter and then even rookie running back Shane Vereen (8 carries, 39 yards) made a cameo appearance in the fourth. Vereen scored his first career touchdown with a four-yard jaunt. Those were the first carries of the regular season for the mysterious 2011 second-round draft pick out of Cal.

It kind of felt like 2008 (old times) as no doubt the national media will be whining about the Patriots running up the score.

New England started off slow tonight but nobody will remember that since they woke up in time to pummel an awful team. With the Jets and Bills tied at 5-5 and meeting next Sunday, the Patriots are sitting pretty with their two-game advantage. In addition, New England is tied with Houston and Pittsburgh for the best record in the AFC.

The Pats will travel to Philadelphia (4-6) on Sunday to meet the desperate Eagles. Philly pretty much has to win out to have a shot at the playoffs and we shall see if Vince Young or Mike Vick gets the start at quarterback for a team which is loaded with talent but has really struggled to find consistency and/or close out wins in the fourth.

Matt Light left late in the game after getting rolled up on by Tamba Hali. Rookie Marcus Cannon got his first snaps as a pro at right tackle. That situation will be something to monitor as this short week goes on.

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Wait, So Kyle Arrington, Sergio Brown And No. 26 (Philip Adams) AREN'T Championship Quality Defenders?

Admit it. When Eli Manning and the Giants got the ball with a minute in change left in the game, you already knew. You knew that this defense wasn't going to step up when it mattered most.

On balance, they did a decent job versus the Giants, but thanks to a perfect combination of below average talent, bizarre personel decisions and poor coaching, the Patriots defense was not able to stop the Giants on their final possession on Sunday in Foxboro.

Barely protecting a lead after a Tom Brady touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots defense wilted. A tough 30-yard pass interference penalty by Kyle Arrington put the Giants in great position to tie the game at 20. Sergio Brown then had an inexcusable pass interference penalty in the end zone on his only snap of the game. Brown was surprised to get flagged. I'm surprised that he is on an NFL roster. Manning connected on the game-winning touchdown pass over the head of, you guessed it, Arrington.

With regards to the last few editions of this defense, there has been more than enough blame to go around. As with most franchises, success and failures start from the top. If we praise Bill Belichick for the unparalleled level of success from 2001-2004, we must also question some of his personnel moves over the past few years.

With the exception of Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo (and possibly Patrick Chung one day) the Patriots have failed to acquire any impact players through the draft, even though they stockpile draft picks like the football version or A&E's Hoarders. Rather than use their first rounders on proven collegiate talent, the Patriots regularly trade down to get more "value" from their picks.

Using this philosophy, they have failed in drafting players (the terrible cornerback trio of Terence Wheatley, Jonathan Wilhite, Darius Butler) and have replaced them with more mid-level draft picks to make up for their failures. Thing is, these replacement players quite frankly, suck.

The Patriots have also failed in free agency (Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs, Duane Starks) and thus have been unable to actually develop talent on defense. I find it maddening that the Patriots feel that the best team they can roll out there features special teams staple Tracy White, Brown and Arrington. Releasing Brandon Meriweather amd James Sanders earlier this year looks like the worst move ever right now.

I don't blame the players for being out there, it's not like it this is an injury ravaged unit either. Yet I can blame them for the way they have defended in the passing game, especially over the middle of the field. Pittsburgh tight end Heath Miller looked unstoppable on the Steelers first drive two weeks ago and they could not get off the field.

Last week they looked a little better, but their inexperience showed in the biggest point of the game. I shudder to think what will happen if this team makes the playoffs with the defense the way it is. The trade deadline has came and went and there isn't much out there for free agents. This is our defense, Pats fans get used to it.

Tom Brady will not be here forever and if the defense keeps playing like this, Belichick will have his toughest test to date.

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The Patriots Mystique Is Over, They've Become Just Another Team In The NFL

One of the best parts about sports in the modern era is that there are very few dominant teams, meaning that theoretically (unless it's MLB), your favorite team has a chance every season to do something special.

Gone are the days of John Wooden's UCLA Bruins in the 1960s and 70s or the Boston Celtics of the 1960s. From 2001-2008, the New England Patriots were the closest thing to a dynasty that the NFL had seen since the Dallas Cowboys in the 90s.

Eventually, the star players get older and the championship winning coaches begin to lose their touch. Well how else would you describe the current edition of the Pats? Tom Brady is no longer the best quarterback in the NFL and head coach Bill Belichick cannot simply outsmart everyone from week to week and make up for his roster's many shortcomings.

For those reasons and many others, New England (5-3) fell 24-20 to the New York Giants (6-2) this afternoon at Gillette Stadium. This is the first time since 2009 that the Patriots have lost consecutive games and it also snapped a 20-game home win streak (regular season) that dated back to 2008.

It was a strange one, look no further than the halftime score: 0-0 (the first time that's happened this season in the NFL). The Patriots' defense held up their end of the bargain (for once) throughout much of this contest but predictably crumbled when it mattered most (in the fourth quarter). It's hard to single out a single person or even group for blame since Brady (28 for 49, 342 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, fumble) as much as anyone, made his share of miscues.

If you want to say that Julian Edelman, Tracy White, Sergio Brown, etc. cost New England the game, be my guest. However, keep in mind that they were all backup plans for draft picks (Brandon Tate, Brandon Meriweather, Chad Jackson) that Belichick and Co. have completely bungled in the last few years. Or in White's case, they were forced to play when a thin position (linebacker) was stretched even more due to injuries suffered by Gary Guyton and Brandon Spikes.

Through all the mistakes, Brady and his team looked like they would somehow pull it out when he hit Rob Gronkowski (8 catches, 101 yards) for a 14-yard TD on 4th-and-9 with 1:36. Wes Welker (9 catches, 136 yards) had another outstanding performance but it's clear that him and Gronk are the only two receivers that Brady can really trust. Chad Ochocinco had five targets, each more painful than the last, but he couldn't make one grab. Pathetic.

In a plot that was eerily similar to Super Bowl 42, the Pats left too much time on the clock for Giants quarterback Eli Manning (20 of 39, 250 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT). Thanks to some big plays and costly penalties-one very shaky pass interference call on Kyle Arrington and also an inexcusable pass interference on Brown placed the ball on the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Manning hit Jake Ballard (4 catches, 67 yards) for the deciding score with only 15 seconds on the clock.

The first quarter was completely devoid of anything notable: three punts for New York, two for New England. Spikes crushed Ballard on a key third-down stop.

Brady began the second quarter with a bad pass that was intended for Deion Branch but ended up in the hands of Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka (12 tackles, 6 solo). The Pats defense stood tall and forced a punt rather than allow any points on the short field.

The teams traded punts twice more before the Pats finally moved the ball on offense. Stephen Gostkowski is one of the NFL's top kickers but for whatever reason, not a bad snap or hold, he pushed a 27-yard kick wide. The Giants took a knee to go into halftime scoreless.

Two plays into the first drive of the second half, Brady topped himself with an even worse interception-this time to Deon Grant. The Giants used that momentum swing to get on the board with a 22-yard kick by Lawrence Tynes.

Three plays later, New York linebacker Michael Boley forced a Brady fumble deep in New England territory. Brandon Jacobs (18 carries, 72 yards) scored on a 10-yard TD run on the following play, 10-0 New York.

The Pats moved the ball on the next drive but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Gostkowski. Thankfully, this time he made the chippy.

New England's defense kept the momentum on their side by forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing drive. Obviously, Edelman screwed it up by fumbling the punt. However, Arrington covered for him by making his fifth interception of the season. It was a spectacular play as he baited Eli to throw it to Mario Manningham in the corner of the end zone.

The third quarter ended with the Giants ahead 10-3 but the Patriots were driving. Brady tied it by connecting with Aaron Hernandez for a 5-yard catch and run.

New York couldn't do anything on the next drive and had to punt. The Pats went ahead with a 45-yard field goal by Gostkowski.

When it came to winning time, Eli got it done twice while Brady only got one chance to put it away. New York went eight plays for 85 yards and Manning hit Manningham for a pretty 10-yard TD past Arrington.

With 3:03 left, three timeouts and the two-minute warning, it turned out that the Pats had too much time left on the clock. They got it down to the 15 by the time the two-minute warning took effect. After misfiring twice to Gronk, once was his fault and another one was a tough catch, Brady found him with 1:36 left.

Looking often to UMass product Victor Cruz (6 catches, 91 yards), Manning coolly went 80 yards in eight plays. New England got the ball back with 15 seconds left and no timeouts so it was basically over.

The New York Jets (5-3) pasted the Buffalo Bills (5-3) 27-11 earlier today, meaning that there's a three-way tie atop the AFC East. Wouldn't you know, Patriots at Jets is the Sunday Night game next weekend?

So much can change in the NFL in a few short weeks; the Jets looked dead a few weeks back but as always, they've found themselves and are playing better as the season progresses. Conversely, the Pats started out hot but lately, their offense isn't making nearly as many plays while the defense can't be counted on for anything positive.

I don't know why the Patriots abandoned the run so quickly when the Giants have the worst run defense in the league. BenJarvus Green-Ellis (12 carries, 52 yards) looked good and Danny Woodhead (7 carries, 26 yards) finally showed glimpses of the burst he had last season. Good luck figuring out what's happened to rookie Stevan Ridley (3 carries, 10 yards), who was playing so well at the beginning of the season.

Watching Steelers-Ravens tonight made me think even more about New England's utter lack of a defensive playmaker. Vince Wilfork is great but a defensive tackle will never make plays on the same level as a defensive end, linebacker, safety or cornerback. Who can the Patriots count on to do something defensively that's above average? Jerod Mayo is probably still playing through a knee injury but regardless, he hasn't made the leap we expected. Furthermore, Patrick Chung has shown the ability but never consistently from week to week. Lastly, what has happened to the Devin McCourty that was so damn good last season?

The second-guessing of Belichick and the Pats front office that occurred last week, should only intensify this week since the team is coming off another brutal loss that makes you the fan question everything about this house of cards that we so dearly love.

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Cowboys Fall To The Patriots And It's Not Even Tony Romo's Fault

I will be the first to admit that in the past week, I never once was scared of the Dallas Cowboys or particularly their bipolar quarterback Tony Romo.

I'm not enough of a honk to say I could never imagine Dallas beating New England but can we all admit that the Cowboys are the NFL equivalent of Notre Dame football? Just a completely delusional team and fanbase that think they're championship bound every season.

The Patriots (5-1) had to sweat it out at Gillette Stadium this afternoon against the Cowboys (2-3) but as usual Tom Brady (27 of 41, 289 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) came through with a two-minute drive to clinch it, 20-16 thanks to an 8-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez (8 catches, 68 yards) with 22 seconds remaining.

With its third straight victory, New England has now won 20 straight regular season home games while Brady and Bill Belichick tied Dan Marino/Don Shula's NFL record of 116 wins for a QB/coach combo.

Rob Gronkowski (7 catches, 74 yards), Deion Branch (3 catches, 69 yards) and Wes Welker (6 catches, 45 yards) made up for a lackluster running game (101 total yards) that had performed very well the last two weeks.

Ironically, Romo (27 of 41, 317 yards, TD, INT) makes a living of blowing all varieties of games in every way possible but this time, you couldn't really blame Jessica Simpson's ex. Wide receivers Dez Bryant (4 catches, 78 yards) and Miles Austin (7 catches, 74 yards) along with tight end Jason Witten (4 catches, 48 yards) are a formidable trio of weapons in the Cowboys passing game.

I mean if you want to get specific, the Dallas offensive coordinator and head coach Jason Garrett are most to blame as they got the ball back (up 16-13) at their own 28 with 3:36 left in the fourth quarter but they proceeded to run three safe and predictable runs. They knew Romo's late game problems so they basically took it out of his hands; I can't say I blame them but giving Brady the ball at his own 20 with 2:31 left is a recipe for disaster.

Penalty problems didn't help the Cowboys either as they were flagged 10 times for 77 yards. The Patriots only were called for five penalties totaling 35 yards.

Nevermind that New England's offense was sloppy all day (2 interceptions and a fumble, plus a fumbled kickoff), when they had to produce they did: 10 plays, 80 yards and not enough time for Dallas to do anything but have Romo end the game by throwing a hail mary out of bounds (short of the end zone).

The Cowboys defense came in with a good reputation, thanks to new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan (Rex's brother). It's way too easy to make fun of the Ryans but you have to admit that they know how to coach defense, especially against Belichick. Rob's Browns team last season was the last one before today's effort that held the Patriots under 30 points.

Dallas cornerback Terence Newman had an interception and a fumble recovery while linebacker Sean Lee had 12 tackles, six solo and an interception. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh added a fumble recovery on special teams.

The Patriots much-maligned defense earned some praise with this effort since they showed that they can survive a non-perfect outing from Brady and the offense (unlike Week 3's meltdown in Buffalo). Kyle Arrington (11 tackles, 7 solo) made his fourth interception of the season while Gerard Warren recovered a fumble. Hell, Andre Carter (5 tackles, 4 solo) even provided a semblance of a pass rush with two sacks.

You had to think Romo was in for a long day when he threw a bad interception on the first Dallas drive. New England brought it to the red zone but DeMarcus Ware (5 tackles, 2 sacks) sacked Brady on third down so the Pats had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski.

The Patriots forced a punt on Dallas' next drive but Brady gave it right back as his pass intended for Branch was picked off by Newman. New England's defense was faced with a short field (at their own 23) but they pushed the Cowboys back as they had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by Dan Bailey.

On the ensuing kickoff, Matthew Slater fumbled. Luckily, Tashard Choice fumbled it right back to the Pats five plays later as the teams were tied 3-3 after one quarter.

New England's first drive of the second quarter stalled again in the red zone as Gostkowski hit a 26-yard field goal. After forcing a Dallas punt, the Patriots got the ball back and made it 13-3 with Brady's 5-yard touchdown pass to Welker. On the field he was ruled out but it was clear that was the wrong call so Belichick challenged it and it was reversed.

Romo answered with his best drive of the game, finding his boy Witten for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds left in the half.

New England got the ball first to start the second half but they couldn't do much so they punted to Dallas.

Romo got the Cowboys down to the 7-yard line but Carter's 11-yard sack on second down forced Dallas to get more conservative (foreshadowing!) as Choice took a dump pass to the 4-yard line. Bailey tied it with a 22-yard field goal.

A 12-play drive seemed promising for Brady and Co. but they were forced to punt yet again. However, Dallas bailed them out by running into Zoltan Mesko. Four plays later, Hernandez fumbled after a hit by Bradie James.

The Cowboys couldn't take advantage of that as they eventually punted on the ensuing drive. The Patriots weren't content with three turnovers as Lee picked off Brady in Dallas territory.

The red zone proved to be a major issue as Dallas couldn't punch it in again. A shovel pass (really?) to Choice on 3rd-and-Goal from the 5-yard line shockingly enough didn't work. Pats linebacker Brandon Spikes (8 tackles, 6 solo) made the play in what was one of his best performances as a pro. Bailey's 26-yard field goal still put the Cowboys up 16-13 and in position to pull off a major upset.

New England went three-and-out on their next possession but no worries since Dallas wouldn't dare let Romo throw the ball no matter what.

You always want a bye week later in the season when injuries have really mounted but at 5-1 and sitting in first place in the AFC East, I can't complain too much about the Patriots having next week off. Their next game is Sunday, October 30 at Pittsburgh and who knows, maybe Jerod Mayo will be back by then. The Steelers are always one of the AFC's top teams but in the last decade, I feel like the Patriots usually find a way to beat them home or away.

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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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Patriots Say Goodbye To Ty Warren, Alge Crumpler, Nick Kaczur And Others

It is basically impossible to keep up with all the moves the New England Patriots are making this week. I realize that's how it is with all NFL teams right now but it's hard to compare the last 36 hours in Pats history to any other time.

Yesterday, they added Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco. Today, they cut seven players including Ty Warren, Alge Crumpler and Nick Kazcur. CB Tony Carter, DL Marcus Stroud, undrafted rookie LB Ryan Coulson and LB Tully Banta-Cain (which we already knew) were also given their pink slips.

Warren is the most shocking loss since he missed all of the 2010 season with a hip injury but he was back in camp yesterday ready to go. I guess visions of a 4-3 with him, Vince Wilfork, Haynesworth and Mike Wright will never materialize.

Warren was a first-round pick in 2003 who played a key role on both the 2003 and 2004 Super Bowl teams. He started 92 of 105 games. A consummate pro, he was well respected on and off the field and he should have a few more good seasons left in him.

Kaczur spent six seasons with the Pats after being drafted in the third round of the 2005 draft. After starting 62 of 68 games, he also missed the bulk of last season with injuries. He's most famous for getting busted for drugs a few years ago.

A Pro Bowler from 2003-06 with Atlanta, Crumpler played one season with the Patriots and even served as a captain, making six catches for 52 yards and two touchdowns although he caught a possible touchdown in the playoff loss against the Jets. He was a great veteran leader for rookies Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski to follow last season. My guess is they'll pick up another older tight end since those aren't too hard to come by especially at this time of year.

Stroud was signed in March after playing in Buffalo so never played with the Patriots. He was a Pro Bowler from 2003-05 with the Jaguars.

Carter played in two games last season, while Coulson was an undrafted free agent rookie out of Nevada.

In addition to those subtractions, the Patriots signed rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett (third-round pick) and rookie offensive lineman Marcus Cannon (fifth-round pick). Terms were not disclosed for both who are intriguing prospects long-term. If nothing else, the Pats can build up their value and eventually trade them away to a needy team.

Mallett set a school record with 3,869 passing yards in 2010 for Arkansas. He had 69 TD passes and 24 interception in a college career split between Michigan and Arkansas.

Cannon played left tackle as a senior at TCU after playing on the right side. He didn't allow a sack in his final two seasons in college.

Finally, Kyle Arrington agreed to a 2-year deal worth up to $3.275 million. A minor deal for a guy that's decent depth help for the Patriots secondary.

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Patriots play like garbage but still win, gotta be a good sign

Every season in the NFL, your favorite team will undoubtedly have a what the fuck type of game. Last night, it was the New England Patriots' time to play terrible yet still limp away with a bizarre 31-27 win over the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium.

Who could have predicted that with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers out and Matt Flynn starting that Green Bay (8-6) would give the Patriots (12-2) everything they could handle? That is before the third-year backup predictably choked when it mattered most.

Without question, no play summed up this strange game more than a 71-yard (NFL record) kickoff return by Patriots offensive lineman Dan Connolly. Yeah the Dan Connolly that is like 315 pounds and a nondescript backup lineman. That play (which is unlike anything we'll ever see again, even if we figure out how to live forever) fired up the Pats and helped them cut it to a 17-14 deficit at halftime.

In truth, this was a game that the Packers deserved to win. They had a nearly flawless gameplan, controlling the clock for 40:48 and keeping Tom Brady (15 for 24, 163 yards, 2 touchdowns) off the field. Where they failed is that they had to depend on Flynn (24 for 37, 251 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception) to thrive in situations he hasn't faced in a real game since his college days at LSU.

You knew Green Bay was playing for keeps when they attempted and recovered an onsides kick to start the game. New England held them to a 31-yard field goal by Mason Crosby but that showed the Packers wouldn't be deterred with their leader on the sidelines in one of those ugly camo team jackets.

On New England's first drive, BenJarvus Green-Ellis broke loose for a career-long 33-yard touchdown run.

Brandon Meriweather did what he does best - screwing up plays - as he ran into Devin McCourty (10 tackles) in coverage and allowed James Jones (5 catches, 95 yards) to catch a 66-yard touchdown to start the second quarter.

Greg Jennings' 1-yard touchdown catch gave the Packers a 17-7 lead with 2:17 left in the second quarter but that's when Connolly struck. If the Patrots win the Super Bowl, you know that improbable play will be front and center. It was insane. Not only did he throw a stiff arm, he also found the edge on the sideline and went all the way down to the 4-yard line.

Brady hit Aaron Hernandez for a 2-yard touchdown with 1:08 left in the half.

Another invisible player made a game-changing play for the Patriots early in the third quarter as Kyle Arrington picked off a terrible pass by Flynn, broke four tackles and returned it 36 yards for the score.

Down 21-17, you had to think maybe Flynn and the Pack would start to fold then but to their credit they didn't. They left that to the more epic moment.

John Kuhn's 6-yard touchdown catch gave Green Bay a 24-21 lead in the third quarter then Crosby added a 19-yard kick early in the fourth quarter (not going for it on fourth-and-1 proved costly).

Shayne Graham hit a 38-yard kick to cut it to a 27-24 Green Bay advantage. Then the Patriots defense finally got a three and out Brady hit Hernandez for another touchdown (10 yards).

The ending was ugly (how else would it be?) but a Dane Fletcher sack and a Tully Banta-Cain sack and forced fumble (recovered by Vince Wilfork) ended it.

Brandon Jackson had 22 carries for 99 yards as the Packers ran much better than they should with the bums they used.

Danny Woodhead led New England with 59 yards rushing on just nine carries. Green Bay was the first team to shut down both Wes Welker (3 catches, 42 yards) and Deion Branch (2 catches, 33 yards).

Jerod Mayo led the Patriots defense with 16 tackles.

With two games left (at Buffalo and vs. Miami), the Patriots just need one more win to clinch the AFC East and home-field throughout the playoffs.