It Looks Like Pats TE Hunter Henry Will Be Sticking Around For A Few More Seasons After All

 

    You are lying to yourself if you claim to know anything about the Patriots in 2024. They have so many gaping holes to fill on a terrible roster with a rookie head coach (Jerod Mayo) and GM (Eliot Wolf). They do have the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft but what they will do that-besides hopefully selecting a quarterback-is anybody's best guess. I sure am bored to death of mock drafts with still a month and half left to go before the actual draft begins which is why it was refreshing to see some real Patriots related news today: they are re-signing tight end Hunter Henry to a three-year deal with a base value of $27 million that can get up to $30 million with performance-based incentives. 

    On paper (and in real life) this is far from the sexiest move possible except that Henry is a solid and dependable veteran on a team that is lacking in guys that can be described with either of those positive characteristics. Sure, he is coming off his worst statistical season out of three in New England-and arguably in his seven-year NFL life-but that is understandable when you remember that he was catching passes from Mac Jones and then Bailey Zappe-arguably the worst QB situation in the league last year. After four nagging injury-filled seasons with the Chargers, Henry actually played in all 17 games in 2021 and 2022 with the Pats before missing three games last season. He has shown a durability and toughness that watching from afar, I did not think that he possessed. 

    Who knows who will be the Patriots' starting quarterback in Week 1 this September but whomever it is, needs to quickly develop some chemistry with Henry who is a legitimate red zone threat on a team that is severely lacking in those. His best season in Foxborough was in 2021 with rookie Mac Jones: 60 catches, 613 receiving yards and a career-high nine touchdown catches. Those numbers dipped the following year with bozo Matt Patricia as the offensive coordinator: 41 catches, 509 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. In 2023, Henry was limited to 42 catches and 419 yards but he did have six touchdown grabs which seems like a miracle for such a pitiful offense that was totally allergic to the end zone. 

    He will never be confused with Ben Coates or Rob Gronkowski-the two best tight ends in team history (and in Gronk's case, maybe NFL history)-but Henry is a professional and worthy of investing in while he is only 29 years old and with (fingers crossed) some productive campaigns still left ahead of him. No matter if the Pats are starting a rookie QB or a stop-gap veteran, either of those guys will desperately need someone that will get open in the middle of the field and not that far away from the line of scrimmage. Enter Henry who has good hands and sneaky athleticism for a white guy from Arkansas. 

    Henry's career-high for catches (60 in 2020 with the Chargers) and receiving yards (652 in 2019 with the Chargers) might be unattainable at this point for a variety of reasons with the Patriots but at least they are something to shoot for. Unless they sign a bunch of good wide receivers in free agency, he is likely to be their best pass catcher for at least the near future. It is also nice for once to see them rightfully pay a guy who has been a good soldier throughout some turbulent years (for the team) here. He has played on a bunch of average to bad NFL teams, therefore Henry is deserving of competing for a winner. When the Patriots will return to being a true contender and playoff team again hopefully is not that far away.

Farewell To The Ultimate Patriot-Julian Edelman-Who Announced His Retirement This Afternoon

 

    You knew that this day was coming soon but it was still a sobering moment on a chilly Monday in April when I saw the news that Patriots wide receiver 34-year-old Julian Edelman was retiring from football. Selfishly, I hoped that he would play for another season or two with the Pats but with all the injuries that he's suffered over the years from playing such a brutal sport, who could blame him for getting out while he can? When I thought about it for a little while, I came to the conclusion that not only was the three-time Super Bowl champion and one-time Super Bowl MVP (who has the second most catches and receiving yards in NFL postseason history) the best receiver in Patriots history but he's also the most relatable and fun player that they've ever had at least since I became a devoted fan in the 1990s. 

    By now, we all know the familiar story: Edelman was a quarterback at Kent State and then a completely unknown seventh-round draft pick by New England in the 2009 Draft. I'm pretty sure that for awhile he was just insurance for when Wes Welker got hurt but soon after playing special teams and even occasionally cornerback, he got his chance to make a big splash in 2013 when he recorded his first of three 1000-yard receiving seasons. With the greatest quarterback of all-time Tom Brady at the helm, slot receiver for the Patriots had become a coveted position over the years: starting with Troy Brown, then Welker and finally Edelman. They each had their own immense skills but give me Jules any day (and for the record I own a Brown jersey) for his combination of toughness, smarts, skills and propensity to make his biggest plays in the biggest games. 

     Anyone who was lucky enough to be a Pats fan when Brady was employed in New England (that still hurts to say) and winning six Super Bowls will always love him but TB12 for all his brilliance on the field is not exactly the first person you'd want to spend a few hours with at a bar or in a social situation. Not so with Edelman who famously dabbled in the night life himself and eventually had a child with a supermodel as well just like his best friend Tom. His performances at the Patriots Super Bowl parades were legendary and his occasional troubles off the field proved that he was mortal like us and not the superhumans that we think the NFL is filled with every week.

    He was super versatile too which made him a favorite of New England head coach Bill Belichick from day one. He could still throw the football once in a blue moon on a trick play and he was a huge part of three championships here: in 2015 vs. Seattle, in 2017 vs. Atlanta (when he made one of the greatest catches in NFL history) when he was fittingly named MVP and in 2019 against the Rams. When you consider that he's listed at 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds, his career numbers are remarkable: 620 catches for 6822 yards, 36 TDs and 413 yards rushing in the regular season; 118 catches for 1442 yards (only trailing Jerry Rice in both categories), five touchdown catches along with 81 yards rushing and one rushing touchdown in the playoffs. If that's not enough, he had four punt return touchdowns in the regular season; two forced fumbles and 21 tackles (16 solo tackles and five assists) in the regular season; a forced fumble and three solo tackles in the playoffs; 128 passing yards (6-for-6!) and one touchdown in the regular season; a 51-yard touchdown pass in the playoffs. 

    He's a lock to be in the Patriots Hall of Fame in four years and who knows what the next chapter holds for Edelman but whatever he ends up doing, it'll be fun to watch. He has personality for days and seems like a genuinely decent guy that loves watching many other sports plus has tons of interests outside of football and self-promoting on his top-notch social media accounts. Julian is the rare pro athlete that you can truly look at and say that hard work, dedication and effort turned him from a fringe NFL player to one of the best receivers of his era. I think it's fitting too that unlike Brady or Rob Gronkowski for instance, he never played for any other NFL team besides the Patriots. Talk about a perfect match between a player and a crazy fan base-that he both understood and respected better than most, particularly for a guy from California. For those and many other reasons, there will never be another Julian Edelman in Foxborough.

Without Further Ado, Let The Trent Brown Back With The Patriots 2021 Reunion Tour Commence

 

    For the first time in months, we woke up to positive news today involving the Patriots. They re-acquired massive offensive tackle Trent Brown from the Raiders and all it took was a fifth-round draft pick in 2022 sent to Vegas in exchange for the biggest guy in the NFL (6-foot-8, 380 pounds!) and a seventh-round draft pick in 2022. Brown only played in New England for one glorious season but it was a great one as he started every game in 2018 when the Pats won the Super Bowl against the Rams and he was named to the only Pro Bowl of his career. As anybody with half a clue could predict, he quickly bolted in free agency to the highest bidder which turned out to be the Raiders: four years, $66 million contract.

    The truth is that Brown was probably about to be straight up released by Las Vegas any day now but with that said, it's still nice to see New England make a move rather than wait for that to happen where they would have to sift through the discount rack with every other NFL team. To say that Brown's brief time (2 years) with the Raiders was bumpy would be generous. He only played in 16 games combined for the Silver and Black: 11 in 2019 and down to five in 2020 due to a variety of injuries plus multiple trips to the Covid-19 list. We all know head coach/GM Bill Belichick's obsession with a good deal and he certainly got one here with Brown's restructured one-year contract only worth up to $11 million which will likely feature a ton of incentives that he won't reach.

    Clearly signing an offensive lineman isn't going to move the needle too much for Belichick and the Pats who both desperately need some good publicity but all we can hope is that signing Brown is perhaps a sign that the Patriots are ready to fortify even more one of their few areas of strength (the offensive line) which in turn will help a new quarterback-whoever that may be. With his monstrous size, Brown is naturally great in pass protection assuming (a big if with him) that he's in better playing shape but you'll remember during that awesome postseason that New England turned into a power running team and he was instrumental in that aspect too. I won't bore you (or myself) with a deeper dive about offensive linemen but this also likely signals the end of guard Joe Thuney's time in Foxborough; he played under the franchise tag last season but they are not expected to do that again as the price would increase by three million dollars from $14.7 million to $17.7 million in 2021.

    You also wonder what this means for tackle Marcus Cannon who opted out from last season but he is expected to return to play this year and center David Andrews who will probably be signed to an extension sometime soon. Brown was never a big-time prospect coming out of the University of Florida since he was drafted in the last round (7th, 244th overall) in 2015 by the 49ers. He played in 31 games for San Francisco over three seasons before he was flipped to the Patriots along with a fifth-round pick (linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley) for a third-round pick (safety Tarvarius Moore) to San Francisco. As you can see, Brown made a boatload of money and became a household name (haha work with me on this) thanks to his one season here. Judging by his social media posts today on Twitter and Instagram, he seems excited to return but without Tom Brady as a teammate, we'll see how long that lasts for. Bottom line, it's nice to see the Patriots do something after being inactive for so long while plenty of other teams around the league make moves to improve their club-what a crazy concept after a a terrible 7-9 campaign! It's also refreshing to see a guy that's played for the Patriots in recent years want to come back when other notable guys lately (Brady and Rob Gronkowski) want nothing to do with Bill or the franchise anymore. 

Tom Brady Is Not Human But You Already Knew That Since He Just Won His Seventh Super Bowl

 

    It's oddly reassuring in a world where very few things have gone right in the last 11 months that 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady can change teams for the first time, go to a league doormat and still somehow deliver a Super Bowl title in his first year with the Buccaneers. The first team to ever host the biggest single game in sports capped off a masterful postseason with their best effort yet as they blasted the defending champion Chiefs 31-9. I can't imagine that New England head coach Bill Belichick had the stomach to watch this entire contest since Brady (21-of-29 for 201 yards, 3 TDs) threw all his touchdowns in the first half and they were all caught by other former Patriots: two to tight end Rob Gronkowski (team-leading 6 catches, 67 yards) and one to degenerate receiver Antonio Brown. From there, the Bucs cruised to a 21-6 halftime advantage and eventually their first Super Bowl crown since 2003. Brady continued to extend his own mind-boggling records with his seventh title and fifth Super Bowl MVP award to boot. Haha but is that elite though?

    Plenty of people believed that Tampa could pull out a close win but absolutely nobody saw this defensive domination coming from the home team as they forced Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes into the worst game of his brilliant pro career: 26-of-49 for 270 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs. Here's a great stat: Mahomes is 6-0 in his young postseason career vs the rest of the NFL & 0-2 vs Brady who also knocked him off in the AFC Championship Game in Kansas City two years ago. The scary part for the rest of the league is that A) Brady confirmed after the game ended that he'll be back for at least another season and B) the Buccaneers' roster is stacked and mostly pretty young so they are not going anywhere anytime soon. For all the great things that Belichick has done with the Pats, letting TB12 go is quickly tearing up the charts for one of the worst decisions in pro sports history. Did I mention that the Brady victory tour returns to Gillette Stadium next season for what should be an insanely anticipated game? Fingers crossed that fans can be safely allowed back in the stands by then.  

    Brady has long been the greatest football player in history (don't bother debating that fools) but now he's entering even more rarified air with this title that nobody could have predicted before the Bucs started rolling in the postseason and knocking off three former MVPs (Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Mahomes) along the way. He will rightfully be included in discussions with Michael Jordan for the best professional athlete that has ever lived. If you wrote a book or screen play about Tom Brady's life, it would be hard enough to believe but this new Tampa Bay chapter makes it simply incredible. If there were any stragglers left, it also settles the two pertinent questions that we always wondered about: 1) could TB12 win elsewhere?; 2) Who was more important: him or Bill? Finally, say it with me folks: he is not simply a systems quarterback. 

Deciding To Let Tom Brady Leave In Free Agency Should Forever Haunt Bill Belichick & Robert Kraft

 

    This is typically a space reserved for me to focus on the Patriots, Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox. However, given what happened today in the 2021 NFC Championship Game, I simply had to add my two cents to all the hot takes that you'll inevitably be bombarded with over the next two weeks. Quarterback Tom Brady (20-of-36 for 280 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs) helped lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-26 win over Aaron Rodgers (33-of-48 for 346 yards, 3 TDs, INT) and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. At age 43 and with a new team (that's been a joke for much of their existence), Brady has reached his record 10th Super Bowl where he'll meet superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes (29-of-38 for 325 yards, 3 TDs) and the Kansas City Chiefs who didn't have much trouble with the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, 38-24 tonight at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bucs have earned this via three consecutive playoff wins on the road and would you believe that Super Bowl 55 will take place at their home stadium-Raymond James Stadium-on Sunday, February 7 (6:30, CBS). Tampa will be the first time in NFL history to ever appear in a Super Bowl that's on their home field. 

    It was not always pretty in Brady's first season with the Bucs and how could it be given that he changed teams after being with the Patriots for 20 years plus we're still in the middle of a pandemic. After heading into their bye week with a disappointing record of 7-5, Tampa Bay hasn't lost since then as they won the last four games of the regular season and they have gotten more impressive with each playoff victory. No matter how little we knew about the real story, it was obvious the last few years in New England that TB12 was done with head coach Bill Belichick's impossible to please attitude along with the general misery that permeates around the so-called greatest coach in league history. One year into the divorce, it's clear who the true winner is: Brady of course since he's one win away from his seventh Super Bowl title while Belichick has been sitting at home for weeks now (much like the rest of us) after a utterly disastrous 7-9 campaign. 

    We had always wondered who was more important to the Patriots' dynasty: Bill or Tom? Well now we have a resounding answer since Pats owner Robert Kraft reportedly wanted to keep Brady for his entire playing career (something which I would always balk at except in this very unique case) but Belichick was done with Tom. In his place, he assumed that he could pick any veteran quarterback off the scrap heap-in this case Cam Newton-pay him basically nothing and still somehow finish with his customary winning record, AFC East title and a trip to the playoffs. The reality of life without TB12 was harsh though as Newton regressed week after week and the team went 5-9 against teams other than the hopeless Jets. Meanwhile in Florida, with a complete boob for a head coach (Bruce Arians) and a talented but flawed roster that went 7-9 last season, Brady has remarkably managed to change their whole operation in less than a year on the job. 

    After a spectacular first half this afternoon where the Buccaneers led 21-10 at the break following Brady's 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Scotty Miller with one second left, he struggled in the second half. Still, Tampa's defense did just enough to hang on as the team reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 2002. The ironic part about this whole mess for the Patriots is that while TB12 appears to have a few more good years left in his ageless body, they remain without any sort of concrete plan for what to do at quarterback moving forward and as we've seen time and again, that's always a recipe for disaster in the NFL. You are all welcome to root for whomever you want but I really don't understand the stubborn Patriots fans that refuse to cheer for Brady after all the joy that he brought to our collective lives. 

Seriously, I get the frustration with tight end Rob Gronkowski (1 catch, 29 yards) riding Brady's coattails to another Super Bowl after he weaseled his way out of here and fake retired for a year, but Tom didn't ask for this ending. New England made a fatal mistake by underestimating Brady's ability to still get the job done at a high level with new coaches and teammates not to mention in a different division and conference, etc. It goes without saying that I'll be pulling for Brady and the Bucs to finish this out on top. Not that he needs more motivation at this juncture but I feel like a Bucs Super Bowl crown would fully send Belichick into orbit and force him to finally spend more money in free agency than Bill the (terrible) GM typically prefers to do. It would be the ultimate kick in the pants to the Patriots to watch Brady make more history without them. He will be just the fourth QB to start a Super Bowl with two different clubs. Not that there's any reason to debate it but Tom is the greatest player in NFL history and for the record, this is the fourth time in the past five seasons that he's reached the Super Bowl and three of them were in his 40s (something that nobody else has ever done a single time). He was quarterback of the last team to win back-to-back Super Bowls-the 2004 and 2005 Patriots-and now he'll try to prevent KC from repeating as champions. Talk about a juicy matchup for Super Bowl 55, the league couldn't have scripted it any better if they tried. 

Pats Don't Let The World Ending Stop Them From Breaking Social Media By Signing Cam Newton

I haven't written anything on here for over a month since A) you probably didn't know this but there hasn't been any professional team sports in America from mid-March until yesterday (when the NWSL-National Women's Soccer League-kicked off their tournament in Utah) during the global pandemic and B) there really hasn't been anything worthy of a post for way too long. Thankfully, we all got a bit of respite from our collective misery as the news broke tonight that the Patriots have signed Cam Newton to a one-year deal worth a little over a million dollars (veteran's minimum) that with incentives can reach a maximum $7.5 million dollars.

If for nothing else, this was a taste of the good old days for Pats fans. You know, when talented but troubled (Randy Moss, Corey Dillon, Rodney Harrison, Darrelle Revis, etc) veterans came here and revitalized their careers through a combination of winning and Bill Belichick doing his best to gloss over all their flaws. Lately when we think of New England, we have night terrors of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski choosing to go to the Buccaneers which will never sound right while we had to grudgingly accept that the dynasty was finally over after all those unforgettable years.

Don't get it twisted though, I'm not a Cam Newton fan at all. I think that he is undoubtedly one of the biggest bozos in sports. I can't even pretend that he has much left since coming off of two shoulder injuries and a foot injury, he only appeared in two games last season for the Panthers and was unceremoniously released by the only team that he's ever played for in the NFL after being drafted No. 1 overall out of Auburn in 2011. That surprising move happened at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in America but it might as well have been 20 years ago given how the last few months have aged us all in dog years.

Hell, I'm not even convinced (who could be?) that there will be an NFL season this fall and winter. Still, this was a classic Belichick move because there is basically no risk to him or the team while the possibility of a huge reward from an ultra-motivated former NFL MVP (in 2015) who led his team to the Super Bowl that season (where he of course epically choked). He's also a three-time Pro Bowler and he was once an All-Pro. The anointing of the completely unproven Jarrett Stidham as Brady's replacement has been laughable from both local and national media alike to the many Patriots fans who lost their objectivity three or four Super Bowl wins ago.

Conversely, this should motivate Stidham as well (and don't bother mentioning the definition of a backup QB Brian Hoyer) and show him that he'll have to work extremely hard to be the Patriots starting quarterback even if they are in full rebuilding mode. It is crazy that Newton was a free agent for three and a half months before the Pats finally gave him a job. I lost count of how many Newton to the Pats rumors, stories and odds from Vegas sportsbooks that I read during quarantine before like everyone else, I rightfully moved on and focused on more pertinent subjects like you know, the world coming apart at the seams due to this horrifying epidemic and all the protests around the globe following George Floyd's tragic death.

Assuming that he ever plays a snap for the Patriots (a big if given Belichick's tendency to trade or release just about anyone in training camp), Cam will make this team way more interesting to follow. Who knows anything about Stidham or moreover, enough to make you excited to see him with far too much responsibility heaped on him in only the second year of his NFL career. Newton's press conferences are always must-see for his one-of-a-kind questionable fashion choices plus his absolutely mercurial interview style. Most importantly, you can bet that if he has any pride-or common sense-left, he will understand that this is his last/best chance to get his NFL journey back untracked. Success here would no doubt make him a star once again and not just a punch line or hey whatever happened to him type story? If he wants to be a top player in the NFL once again, the greatest head coach in the league's history and one of the best run franchises in American sports will surely find a way to get the most out of him no matter if he is here for a single season or five.

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WAIT WHAT? Gronk Comes Out of Retirement (bye bye WWE) & Gets Traded to Tampa Bay

Somehow in the crazy reality that we call 2020, the greatest tight end in NFL history (521 catches for 7861 yards and 79 TDs in 115 career regular season games; 81 catches for 1163 yards and 12 TDs in 16 career playoff games) coming out of retirement and getting traded to the Buccaneers only makes perfect sense. Yup, former Patriot superstar and future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski is leaving his brief spell in the WWE (rough week for Vince McMahon between this and the XFL folding), hawking CBD oils and hosting New Year's Eve specials along with being on "The Masked Singer" to give it one last go-around with Tampa Bay. A few years ago, Gronk famously said that he'd only play with Brady after he balked at a reported deal the Pats had in place to ship him to Siberia I mean Detroit in 2018. Now the soon-to-be 31-year-old lug gets traded to the Bucs along with a seventh-round draft pick for a fourth-round pick.

At first blush, it's alarming that all New England could get for a once in a lifetime player like Gronkowski is a fourth-round pick but then again, he last played in Super Bowl 53 (13-3 win vs. Rams). It seemed like the right time to step away from the brutal game of pro football and who would ever blame Gronk of all people because he's had countless serious injuries (concussions, knees, leg, back, arm, etc) since he was drafted by Bill Belichick in 2010 (2nd round, 42nd overall). Seeing him turn into the Shaq of football in terms of saying yes to every half-ass marketing opportunity got tiresome along with his constant hints of making what felt like an inevitable comeback like this after he waffled his way into an extended siesta.

The fact that Belichick basically ran off both the greatest quarterback and tight end will always be a painful what if for Pats fans (not that we ever have anything to complain about after 6 Super Bowl victories) especially when their eventual "Last Dance" documentary series gets put together (budding documentary directors around the country are currently writing crappy scripts as we speak). As I keep saying in these Patriots posts lately, let's just hope that there is a 2020 NFL season if only for the reason that the Bucs and Pats will each be fascinating to watch for different reasons (who does better in their first year apart-Bill or Tom). Brady joining a loaded offense with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and now Gronk is tantalizing to keep it in PG terms. Conversely, you wonder what the hell Julian Edelman is thinking right now in his lonely Beacon Hill condo on a rainy Tuesday. Likewise, there have already been rumors of Tampa trying to move on from their young tight end OJ Howard. It feels like one or both of those guys could also be flipped in the near future. Harvard alum and tight end Cameron Brate has surprisingly played better than Howard who came out of Alabama with a ton of hype but so far hasn't made much of an impact in the NFL.

At his core, there will never be another Gronk on the Pats or in the NFL in that matter in the sense that he combined singular talent with a fun-loving personality (like a human Golden Retriever). You can't help but wonder how much he has left though since at the end in New England, he was basically cooked although he did make huge catches against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship and then against the Rams. He is probably still in great shape for a normal human being but football shape is different (not to sound like your local high school hardo football coach) and he's no doubt lost a ton of weight. His act is very played out but it's impossible to hate him so therefore I'll always root for Rob (and most of all hope that he doesn't suffer anymore serious injuries). I'm too old and entrenched as a Patriots fan to ever ditch them but at least I now have an NFC team to pay close attention to for however long Brady and Gronk play there.

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After His Retirement, I Say Farewell to the Greatest Tight End Who Ever Lived-Gronk

Realistically, we all knew that this day and announcement were coming soon but it doesn't make it any easier to write down: last night on Instagram, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement after nine truly unbelievable seasons in the NFL-all in Foxborough. This is often said about athletes when they retire but in this case, it's an absolute fact: there will never be another Gronk both in terms of the Pats and in the NFL in general.

A freak of nature (6-foot-6, 245 pounds), he won three Super Bowls with New England since he was drafted in the second round (42nd overall!) in 2010 out of the University of Arizona. Along the way, the human Golden Retriever managed to be the most likable star pro athlete that I can ever remember. The fact that he was able to do this for a franchise that basically extracts personality and anything remotely interesting from its players and coaches as soon as they come aboard makes it all the more incredible. The countless painful surgeries to his back, arms and legs (not to mention multiple concussions) had understandably taken their toll on Gronkowski who still put up insane statistics in his career: 521 catches, 7861 yards and 79 touchdowns. As the years went on, the Pats did their best to limit his touches during the regular season to keep him fresh for the playoffs and it made a difference: in 16 career postseason games, he put up 81 catches, 1163 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was named to five Pro Bowls & most importantly was a four-time first team All-Pro (the highest individual honor in the sport).

Taking my Patriots honkdom out of the equation, I think it's pretty simple what made Rob the greatest tight end that we've ever seen: unlike most modern tight ends (think Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jason Witten or Travis Kelce), he didn't mind pitching in as a hellacious blocker (think of him throwing poor Sergio Brown out of the club). In fact, coupled with being an unstoppable receiver, he was also the best blocking tight end as well. Like any long and meaningful relationship, Gronk's once-in-a-lifetime run with the Patriots had its ups and downs. Things got a bit wonky the last few years as he held out for a little more money (New England famously underpays even its best players) yet when it came time to play, there he was helping them take home the franchise's sixth Super Bowl title in February vs. the Rams with the biggest catch of the game.

What's refreshing about this whole situation is that Gronk is going out on his own terms. I'm sure I wasn't the only person who always winced when he took a million huge hits in every game (being well aware of his brutal injury history). He turns 30 on May 14 and at this point, what else did he really have to prove in football? He'll be a Patriots Hall of Famer and a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer so it doesn't get any better than that. Unlike most players, he's also set himself up for a great life after his NFL career ended: he famously has saved most of the money that he's earned as a Patriot and there will be an endless amount of things he can do in his newfound free time. Gronk isn't nearly as dumb as he seems and he has a great sense of humor so it's easy to picture him starring in a reality show about his wild life (with or without his goofy brothers) perhaps going to the WWE or maybe starring in a host of crappy action movies.

He actually seems like he's settled down a bit the last few years (RIP to the Gronk Bus and hanging out with gross porn stars) since he started dating a former Patriots cheerleader (haha storybook romance right?). It's hard to imagine how much pain that he's battled through for much of his life so this mature decision to walk away while his body and mind are still ok is the correct one. He owes nothing to the game, the Patriots or their endlessly loyal fans around the world. If this is the beginning of the end of New England's amazing dynasty, all we can say is thank you to Rob Gronkowski for all the fun memories that we'll cherish for the rest of our lives.

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Until Further Notice, The AFC East Continues to Run Through Foxborough, MA

If the Bills are the biggest threat in the AFC East to the Patriots in 2015, it should be another cakewalk to a meaningless division title. Poor Buffalo (1-1 overall, 1-1 home) was all geared up for the annual Rex Ryan (who is now 4-10 against the Patriots in his career as a head coach) Week 2 Super Bowl vs. New England (2-0 overall, 1-0 away). In fact, the Bills looked the part of a true contender for the opening drive of the game and then in the fourth quarter which was mostly garbage time until they made it interesting in an eventual 40-32 loss at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Tom Brady (38 of 59, 466 yards, 3 TDs), Julian Edelman (11 catches, 97 yards, 2 TDs), Rob Gronkowski (7 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD) and Dion Lewis (98 yards receiving, 40 yards rushing, 1 TD) shredded what is supposedly one of the top defenses in the NFL. Other than Rex Ryan's crazy lack of discipline (14 penalties, 140 yards) and attention to detail, the biggest tangible question surrounding the Bills is whether Tyrod Taylor (23 of 30, 242 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs; 43 yards rushing) can be a starting quarterback on a playoff contender. Throwing mostly short yardage passes might work in the regular season against garbage defenses (hi Indy) but that's not how you get to the postseason.

Buffalo received the opening drive and went 80 yards in 10 plays: rookie Karlos Williams capped off the 5-minute drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. New England bounced back with an 8-yard touchdown catch by Edelman. The Pats then took advantage of two very short fields to go ahead 21-7 on Lewis' 6-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter and Gronk's 2-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter. Former Dolphin Charles Clay's 9-yard touchdown catch cut it to 21-13 but Dan Carpenter missed the extra point. Those were Buffalo's last points until the fourth quarter when the Patriots had expanded their lead to 37-13.

New England's defense combined for eight sacks (their most since 2003) and three interceptions (by Duron Harmon, Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler). The Bills have much higher paid defensive players like Marcell Dareus and Mario Williams but there was no question that Chandler Jones (6 tackles, 3 sacks) and Jamie Collins (11 tackles, 2.5 sacks) were the most dangerous guys on that side of the ball at least on Sunday. Stephen Gostkowski's 46-yard field goal made it 24-13 heading into halftime for the visitors. LeSean McCoy (89 yards rushing, 27 yards receiving) doesn't seem to be Rex's favored type of physical running back despite his superior talent.

Gostkowski opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 21-yard field goal followed by a 22-yard touchdown catch by Edelman and a 50-yard field goal. After getting blanked in the third, the Bills showed some fight in the fourth on Robert Woods' 32-yard touchdown catch (that went right over Butler's hands). New England outsmarted themselves trying to run up the score when they just could have burned the clock and gotten out of Buffalo smoothly. Instead, they turned it over on downs and the Bills inched closer on Taylor's 7-yard touchdown run then truly made things interesting on a 24-yard touchdown catch by Sammy Watkins (who had burned Bradley Fletcher) following a fumble by Brady.

New England drove 72 yards in seven plays (3:01) and made it 40-32 on Gostkowski's 25-yard field goal with 1:15 remaining. Ryan iced it with his game-ending interception on an overthrow by Taylor. In the first two games this season, Lewis has been a revelation that looks like he'll be a very useful weapon if he can just hang onto the ball (he fumbled for the second week in a row). Today, the pleasant surprise was provided by Aaron Dobson (7 catches, 87 yards) who actually looked like an NFL player. New England only dressed three wide receivers and while Edelman can come close (tying his career-high with 19 targets), they need other guys to turn to once in a while. Danny Amendola had his customary one catch but at least it was a great one: a sweet diving 29-yard grab on the final drive.

So much changes from week to week in the NFL that is really silly to draw any type of conclusions from results between other teams, particularly this early in the season. With that said, the fact that Miami struggled so much in their Week 1 victory at Washington then followed that up with a 23-20 loss at Jacksonville (1-1) this afternoon shows that they seem to be their usual mediocre selves. How is Joe Philbin still employed there? If the Jets (1-0) lose tomorrow night in Indy (0-1) as expected, the Patriots will be up one game already on the rest of the soft AFC East.

New England's Week 3 meeting with the Jaguars next Sunday (1, CBS) has all the makings of a trap game: they are going into a bye week after that and they know that they can sleepwalk and still beat lowly (but improving!) Jacksonville. That's why I can picture the Pats looking terrible but still beating the Jags by a few scores. They always have a game like this, especially early in the regular season when they are getting the kinks out and some useless team (think Oakland last season) comes to Gillette for their beating. Prepare to be frustrated since I know that the Patriots will be double-digit favorites at home.

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It's a New Season (2015) but The Patriots Still Own the Steelers

Our long national nightmare is over: that debacle which shall not be named has passed and the 2015 NFL regular season finally began tonight at Gillette Stadium as the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots beat the Steelers 28-21. Typical of an opener, there were plenty of highlights for both teams but also a boatload of mistakes and things to correct in the weeks to come. New England (1-0) used a near flawless performance by Tom Brady (25 of 32 for 288 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) to propel them past Ben Roethlisberger (26 of 38 for 351 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and Pittsburgh (0-1).

Brady passed Brett Favre for the most wins as the QB of one team (161). Rob Gronkowski tied his career-high with three touchdown catches as he picked up where he left off: he's scored in seven straight games (including playoffs) dating back to last season. For whatever reason, New England typically shreds Pittsburgh's defense and this was no different despite the fact that Dick LeBeau left and former assistant Keith Butler took over as the defensive coordinator. Cheech (LeVeon Bell) & Chong (LeGarrette Blount) each missed the game for their weed infraction last season while Martavis Bryant sat for the first of his four-game suspension for a similar sticky icky icky offense. DeAngelo Williams surprisingly was very effective, gaining 127 yards on 21 carries for Pittsburgh. Each club was also shorthanded on the offensive line since centers Maurkice Pouncey and Bryan Stork were out with injuries.

One of the newest Patriots Dion Lewis (15 carries, 69 yards; 4 catches, 51 yards) took advantage of his temporarily expanded role with Blount out. James White never saw the field and Brandon Bolden (5 carries, 1 yard; 1 catch, 12 yards) might as well have stayed home too because this game belonged to Lewis when it came to the patchwork running backs for the Pats. He is listed at 5-foot-8 but he's probably closer to 5-foot-6, regardless he looks shifty and hard to take down despite his small size. He won't get nearly the same touches with Blount back next week at Buffalo but he could become Shane Vereen's replacement at least when it comes to the short passing game that Brady loves to utilize. Lewis even fumbled in the fourth quarter near the goal-line after making a 19-yard catch but head coach Bill Belichick didn't put him in the doghouse like you'd expect (his hand might have been forced by the lack of depth).

The biggest weakness of New England this season figures to be their secondary. Malcolm Butler theoretically looks ready to be a No. 1 corner but it is scary with no real dependable guy beside him (veteran castoffs Tarell Brown and Bradley Fletcher could have sizable roles). Antonio Brown is perhaps the toughest wide receiver to cover in the NFL so Butler had a real test right out of the gate. Brown had nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown but those numbers are slightly misleading since he caught an 11-yard touchdown with two seconds left in the contest. You know that the Patriots offense will put points on the board so all they need from the defense is the occasional stop and timely turnovers. Tonight they had three sacks and an interception by Duron Harmon after Roethlisberger threw into double coverage in the fourth quarter when the Steelers trailed by 14 points.

After a scoreless first quarter, New England went up 14-0 in the second quarter on a pair of touchdown catches by Gronk (16 yards and 6 yards respectively). Josh Scobee had a rough first half in his Pittsburgh debut: he missed two field goals before hitting a 44-yard kick with three seconds left in the second quarter. Scott Chandler's first catch as a Patriot was a 1-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter making it 21-3. Pittsburgh cut it to a two-score game with a 1-yard run by something named Will Johnson while Markus Wheaton caught the two-point conversion. The Steelers got stuffed in the red zone early in the fourth quarter and settled for a 24-yard field goal which cut it to 21-14. Gronk's hat trick was completed with a one-yard touchdown catch on the ensuing drive.

The Patriots get a few extra days to rest and prepare for the Bills next Sunday (1, CBS) in Orchard Park, NY. Buffalo hosts Indianapolis this Sunday in what should be an interesting matchup. Say what you will about Rex Ryan but he always seemed to get the most out of the Jets and they usually gave the Patriots tough games. On the other side, the Steelers will host the 49ers next Sunday in their home opener. Unless their defense improves drastically (which I can't see happening), I don't think that the Pats will see Pittsburgh again this season. Actually, I hope that they meet in the playoffs since I think I know how that will turn out (in New England's favor of course).

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Super Bowl XLIX Instant Classic: Patriots Hang On For Crazy 28-24 Win vs. Seahawks

David Tyree. Mario Manningham. These names of Giants wide receivers that made miraculous catches have haunted the Patriots ever since New York knocked off New England in both the 2008 Super Bowl and 2012 Super Bowl. Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse appeared ready to add his name to that cringe-inducing list as he made an absurd juggling 33-yard grab in the dying moments of Super Bowl XLIX tonight in Glendale, Arizona at University of Phoenix Stadium. Fortunately for the Pats and their fans around the world suffering PTSD, they got a major break this time around as Seattle made one of the worst calls in Super Bowl history: to throw the ball at the New England 1-yard line instead of running it in.

Patriots rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler made his first career interception count as he picked off Russell Wilson (12 for 21, 247 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 39 yards rushing) in the end zone to clinch a thrilling 28-24 victory for New England. It is the fourth Super Bowl title for the Patriots and their first since 2005. Tom Brady (37 for 50, 328 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs) earned his record tying third Super Bowl MVP in a game that will truly be talked about for as long as we live. Perhaps the best part is that this is one that should leave the many Patriots haters shut up for a quick second. I mean really, what can they possibly say now?

It was a bizarre game to say the least that felt like 2012 when Julian Edelman (9 catches, 109 yards) caught a 3-yard touchdown with 2:02 left in the fourth quarter that put the Pats up 28-24. The Seahawks had gone 80 yards in 29 seconds at the end of the first half to score on a gift 11-yard touchdown catch by something named Chris Matthews (4 catches, 109 yards) that tied it at 14 with two seconds left. We worried that Seattle had too much time left on the clock and another heart-breaking loss looked guaranteed after that circus catch by Kearse.

Nobody even scored a point until Brandon LaFell's 11-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. That opened things up as Marshawn Lynch (24 carries, 102 yards) answered with a 3-yard touchdown run. The Patriots took a 14-7 lead with 31 seconds left in the half when Rob Gronkowski (6 catches, 68 yards) caught a beautiful 22-yard pass from Brady.

Brady was far from perfect, he threw a truly awful red-zone interception to Jeremy Lane (who gruesomely broke his arms on the return) in the first quarter then Bobby Wagner jumped in front of a pass intended for Gronk in the third quarter. It got bleak since the Seahawks outscored the Patriots 10-0 in the third on a 27-yard field goal by Needham's Steven Hauschka and 3-yard touchdown catch by Doug Baldwin (his only target of the game, thanks Darrelle Revis).

That just set the stage for the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history as the Pats rallied from 10 points down with a 14-0 fourth quarter against the defending champs. New England's defense finally stepped up and pitched a shutout. Danny Amendola (5 catches, 48 yards) cut it to 24-21 with 7:55 left thanks to a 4-yard touchdown catch. Shane Vereen also deserves plenty of praise after he caught 11 of 12 targets for 64 yards. The Patriots were forced to basically abandon the run and they eventually found success with some old school dinking and dunking.

This was billed as a legacy game for Brady and New England head coach Bill Belichick (who tied Chuck Noll with his 4th Super Bowl title) so they certainly delivered the goods. Seattle is a fantastic team and it wouldn't be a shock (sorry rest of the NFL) to see them meet again in next season's Super Bowl. At least we know that they are pretty much guaranteed to play each other in regular season, hopefully at Gillette Stadium after the Pats went to Seattle in 2012.

As Boston sports fans, we ran out of things to legitimately complain about since this is our ninth champion since 2002: Patriots (4), Red Sox (3), Celtics (1) and Bruins (1). However, I also realize that the older I get, the more I appreciate these since I understand more and more how difficult it is to do this time and again.

This never gets old; it also doesn't get any better in sports than this to see an unselfish team struggle in the beginning of the season, tune out the critics, listen to their coaches, steadily improve and then peak at the end when it matters most.

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Pats Book Their Trip to Super Bowl 49 vs. Seahawks With Easy 45-7 Blowout of Colts

I can't ever recall being so confident heading into a big playoff game for the Patriots as I was this week for the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium vs. the Colts. It turns out that I was giving Indianapolis way too much credit as they got run out of town 45-7. The Pats will take on the Seahawks a week from Sunday in Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl 49.

Indy was so helpless and overmatched that this contest doesn't even deserve that many details of the one-sided carnage. Believe it or not, it was only 17-7 Patriots at halftime. Who knew that they'd go on to the second-biggest margin of victory in AFC Championship Game history? Tom Brady (23 of 25 for 226 yards, 3 TDs) threw an interception at the goal-line when he tried to force a throw to Rob Gronkowski but that was his only real mistake of the game and it didn't matter one bit. He became the first QB with 20 postseason wins as he advances to his record sixth Super Bowl.

Poor Andrew Luck can't do anything but get smoked by the Patriots, this is the fourth time (out of 4) in his young career that he's lost by over 20 points to New England. In many ways, it was a carbon copy of last season's blowout win by New England a round earlier. Like that, LeGarrette Blount (30 carries, 148 yards, 3 TDs) was unstoppable or should I say that nobody on the Colts wanted a piece of him when it came to tackling in space.

Indianapolis was extremely fortunate to make it this far after they upset Denver at home last Sunday. I'm not saying that crippled Peyton would have done much better but it's hard to think of a more one-sided affair than this was. Andrew Luck (12 of 33 for 126 yards, 2 INTs) was a disaster, not that his fraud teammates could get anything going as well to help him out.

The Pats continued to try and take advantage of the chaos with their cute ineligible receivers but Indy was there to stop most of them. In addition, Brady managed to hit James Develin for a 1-yard touchdown catch and offensive lineman Nate Solder caught a 16-yard touchdown to get the second half going in the right direction. New England exploded for 21 points in that frame. Gronk caught a 5-yard touchdown and Julian Edelman (9 catches, 98 yards) seamlessly replaces Wes Welker.

Darrelle Revis and Jamie Collins each had an interception for New England's defense (that looked like themselves again after last week's debacle vs. Baltimore) who pitched a shutout in the second half. It's hard to really evaluate Luck since everything around him is so average (at best). T.Y. Hilton was held to one catch and Reggie Wayne didn't have any, leading me to wonder if that was it and he'll retire this offseason since he's a ghost of his former Hall of Fame self.

The Packers had one of the great choke jobs in modern sports history against the Seahawks this afternoon in Seattle, allowing the home team to escape 28-22 in overtime. No matter how you evaluate it, the Seahawks are a scary matchup for the Patriots. Their only real noticeable weakness is at receiver but still guys like Jermaine Kearse (who caught the game-winner) and Doug Baldwin are good enough to make a couple big plays a game.

This is a dream matchup for the NFL and football fans (yes, I'd say that even if I didn't root for the Pats): it should get a record rating as the new dynasty goes vs. the old one, Belichick vs. Carroll, Brandon Browner vs. his former team, Brady vs. Wilson, Sherman vs. Revis and leftover feelings from Seattle's win a few years back vs. New England (when Sherman popularized "U Mad Bro?}. The two weeks between Championship Weekend and the Super Bowl always feel like they last forever but for once, I won't complain about it. If ever a game deserved that ungodly amount of hype, it's this one. I expect it to be an instant classic.

PS it'll be nice that unlike three years ago vs. the Giants when Gronk's ankle was hurt that we won't have to hear about blind injury speculation regarding him. Instead it will focus on Earl Thomas (shoulder) and Sherman (elbow) who are both getting MRIs on Monday. As Belichick, now the most winningest head coach in postseason history, said in the joyous post-game: "I've only got one thing to say-we're on to Seattle."

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Patriots Outlast Ravens 35-31 in Instant Classic to Reach 4th Straight AFC Championship Game

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How rare is it for a game to not only exceed expectations but immediately vault into the realm of instant classic? Tonight was one of those such gifts as the Patriots erased a pair of 14-point deficits (something they'd never done in franchise history) to beat the Ravens 35-31 at Gillette Stadium. New England advances to next Sunday's (6:40, CBS) AFC Championship Game back at Gillette vs. either the Colts or Broncos who meet tomorrow (4:40, CBS) in Denver.

It was a milestone performance for Tom Brady (33 of 50 for 367 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) as he set the new all-time mark for playoff TD passes (46) passing Joe Montana. Bill Belichick won his 20th playoff game which tied Tom Landry for the most all-time and Julian Edelman (8 catches, 74 yards) threw the longest touchdown in playoff history by a non-quarterback (51 yards to Danny Amendola). You could make a good case that Amendola had not only his best game as a Patriot (not too tough in his underachieving time here) but he was their player of the game with two clutch touchdowns. Then again, it was a typical Pats playoff win with numerous guys making big plays.

Things couldn't have started out any better for the Ravens as they marched right down the field on their first two drives for an early 14-0 lead. Joe Flacco (28 of 45 for 292 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs) was playing like Mr. January once again as he found Kamar Aiken for an easy 19-yard catch and run then the ageless but still batshit insane Steve Smith for a juggling 9-yard catch when Darrelle Revis was trying to cover him.

This was all Brady's game on offense since New England abandoned the run, would you blame them with a total of 14 yards gained on 13 rushing attempts? Jonas Gray was a surprise addition to the inactive list after being probable with an ankle injury. He'll never be Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson in terms of scrambling ability but it is still pretty remarkable how much Brady has improved in that area at the ripe old age of 37. He got the Patriots on the board with a 4-yard run.

Amendola tied it at 14 with a sick 15-yard touchdown grab that ended with him flying through the air to the pylon. Somehow, it looked like the Pats would be at least tied or possibly leading at halftime after they were so outplayed. That's when Brady threw his bi-annual brutal interception (to Daryl Smith) and Flacco took advantage by throwing a beautiful 11-yard touchdown to Owen Daniels who was barely open between three defenders with 10 seconds left in the half.

New England's defense was run over in the first half and that continued early in the third quarter as Justin Forsett (24 carries, 129 yards) made it 28-14 Ravens with a simple 16-yard touchdown catch on a swing pass. As is usually the case, Rob Gronkowski (7 catches, 108 yards) was the best receiver on the field/freak of nature and Brady hit him for a five-yard score. The Patriots forced a Ravens punt and that's when Josh McDaniels dialed up probably his best play as New England's offensive coordinator: the double throw from Brady to Edelman to a streaking Amendola. Devin McCourty intercepted Flacco on the following drive but the Pats couldn't cash that in for more points.

Baltimore took a 31-28 lead on Justin Tucker's 25-yard field goal but the Patriots did their job by holding strong in the red zone and forcing the kick. Brady saved his magic for the end: his game-winning 23-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell (5 catches, 62 yards) was perfect. You can't make a better throw and at the same time run a better route than that.

The Ravens are so resilient though and they never gave up. Duron Harmon picked off Flacco in the end zone and on the final play of the game, McCourty knocked the ball away from danger in a hail mary situation. New England improved to 2-2 vs. Baltimore in the playoffs the last few seasons while also avenging that bitter defeat in the 2013 AFC Championship Game at Gillette.

It might seem silly to want to play the Broncos next week since they are clearly better than the Colts (well at least going into tomorrow) but I think it would be so much sweeter to go through Denver than pushover Indy. Plus the storylines are way too juicy to pass up (Brady vs. Manning, Patriots handing out some payback for losing in that game last year not to mention facing Talib and Welker). We all need some rest after today's exhausting game but I'm sure we'll be ready to go for next Sunday.

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Patriots Do Just Enough to Squeak By Jets 17-16, Clinch 1st Round Bye

As usual, today's Patriots-Jets game at MetLife Stadium was ugly. Offense was at a premium and neither team could separate from the other but as is usually the case in this rivalry, New England (12-3 overall, 5-3 away) came out on top 17-16 over New York (3-12 overall, 2-6 home). Vince Wilfork helped to block what would have been the go-ahead field goal by Nick Folk in the fourth quarter and the Pats survived what was surely Rex Ryan's last home game as the Jets head coach.

With no Dan Connolly, New England's shaky offensive line was a mess as Tom Brady (23 of 35 for 182 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) was constantly hurried which resulted in one of his worst games of the season. This is what you expect against Rex, his defense almost always shows up particularly when they play New England. In the right situation (with a good quarterback!), Ryan could be a good NFL head coach. Otherwise, he needs plenty of help since he can't coach offense at all. It doesn't help that New York has one of the worst rosters in the league, largely devoid of talent or any game-breakers.

Julian Edelman and LeGarrette Blount were also out with injuries so New England really struggled to move the ball (231 total yards) against New York's solid defense. Danny Amendola (8 catches, 63 yards; 5 kick returns, 91 yards; 3 punt returns, 63 yards) finally started to earn some of the money from that ridiculous contract. Brandon LaFell (7 catches, 64 yards) was the only other Patriot offensive player that could move the sticks.

After a scoreless first quarter, that we'll agree to never mention again, the Pats got on the board first with a 3-yard touchdown catch by Rob Gronkowski in the second quarter. The Jets responded with a 20-yard touchdown grab by their tight end-Jeff Cumberland from Geno Smith (17 of 27 for 210 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). With 52 seconds left in the first half, Folk hit a 26-yard field goal to hand New York a 10-7 halftime lead.

New England's defense stood tall again in the red zone as they held Folk to a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter that made it 13-7. The Patriots cut it to 13-10 on Stephen Gostkowski's 24-yard field goal. Jonas Gray put the Patriots back ahead for good with a 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Of course New York's last points came on Folk's 37-yard kick.

Jamie Collins (11 tackles, 6 solo, pass deflected) had the interception for New England while rookie cornerback Marcus Williams (not the former UConn point guard) can always tell his grandkids about the time he picked off Tom Brady. Dont'a Hightower and Sealver Siliga each had a sack for the Pats. New York combined for four sacks of Brady.

Depending on how Denver does tomorrow night in Monday Night Football at Cincinnati, the Pats would earn the No. 1 seed if the Broncos lose. If Denver wins, New England probably has to beat Buffalo (8-7) next Sunday (1, CBS) at Gillette Stadium in the regular season finale. The Bills pulled off a classic Buffalo sports moment this afternoon as they lost 26-24 at Oakland, thereby crushing their playoff hopes. For our interests, that means I can basically guarantee that Buffalo will have already mailed it in well before they take the field on Sunday.

UPDATE 12/23: Denver lost on Monday Night Football to Cincinnati which handed New England the No. 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

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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 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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Patriots Fall Just Short in Green Bay, Losing 26-21 to Packers In Possible Super Bowl Preview

I will never complain about wins, especially when it comes to the Patriots given how difficult it is to do in the NFL (way harder than any other professional sports league). Therefore, even though New England (9-3 overall, 3-3 away) lost 26-21 tonight at Lambeau Field to Green Bay (9-3 overall, 6-0 home) I think that there was plenty to build on and be confident about should these teams meet again for the Super Bowl in February. More than anything, it was just nice to have a competitive game against a worthy opponent after the Pats had been blowing teams out left and right during their seven-game win streak.

There were no turnovers in the contest (when does that ever happen?) so it was a game dominated by the two iconic quarterbacks. Aaron Rodgers (24 of 38 for 368 yards, 2 TDs) played like the MVP he will probably be this season while Tom Brady (22 of 35 for 245 yards, 2 TDs) wasn't far behind. The Packers got more out of their passing game and the running game played a surprisingly big part as well. More specifically, it felt like the Pats were too slow to get LeGarrette Blount (10 carries, 58 yards) involved and recognize that Green Bay would have trouble stopping him.

In the first half, it seemed that New England was fortunate to only trail 23-14 at halftime. Mason Crosby had kicked three field goals from the red zone meaning that the Patriots' defense did their job down there. Of course spotting Rodgers and the Packers a 13-0 lead at home in the first quarter was a death wish that came true. St. John's of Shrewsbury alum Richard Rodgers (no relation) caught a 32-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers with eight seconds left in the first quarter to make it 13-0.

Jonas Gray is a forgotten man in the span of two weeks but it was still bizarre to see Brandon Bolden come off the bench and get New England on the board with a 6-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to cut it to 13-7. Following Crosby's third field goal, the Pats trimmed Green Bay's lead to 16-13 on Brandon LaFell's first of two touchdown grabs, this one from two yards out. However, the Packers punched right back at Jordy Nelson shook loose from Darrelle Revis for the dagger 45-yard touchdown catch on a slant with 14 seconds left in the half.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Patriots were in business with a pretty 15-yard strike from Brady to LaFell with 13:51 left in the fourth. Rob Gronkowski (7 catches, 98 yards) started to heat up and LaFell set a new career-high for touchdowns (7) in a season. The final points of the game were on a 26-yard field goal by Crosby. Both teams had a couple more chances to score but neither could do it. Finally, the Packers just needed to get a first down and they were able to in order to run out the clock.

Davante Adams (6 catches, 121 yards) and Eddie Lacy (21 carries, 98 yards; 2 catches, 17 yards) were other weapons at Rodgers' disposal that he took full advantage of. Revis did a good job on Nelson but like the Pats, the Packers have so many weapons and best of all a top-notch quarterback that knows how to use them all.

Another aspect that really hindered the Patriots' ability to win at Green Bay was the lack of a pass rush. They only sacked Rodgers once and basically every time he dropped back to pass, he had as much time as he wanted. You'd have to think that Chandler Jones would make a big impact in that regard. He hasn't played for a while due to his hip injury but he was listed as questionable this week and made the trip so you'd have to think he's getting close to returning.

In a wise move, the Pats chose to stay on the road as they'll travel to San Diego ahead of their Sunday Night Football (8:25, NBC) meeting with the Chargers (8-4). There are only four weeks left in the regular season and New England still controls their destiny as the top seed in the AFC. Furthermore, they could very well see San Diego in the playoffs so this will be a good indication if they have anything to fear should that matchup occur in January.

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This Is Getting Silly: Patriots Crush Another So-Called Contender-the Lions-34-9

At some point soon, maybe next Sunday in Green Bay, a team is going to challenge the Patriots. Until then, we can only bask in the glow of another beating. New England (9-2 overall, 6-0 home) destroyed Detroit (7-4 overall, 3-3 away) 34-9 this afternoon at Gillette Stadium. The Lions came in with the top-ranked defense in the league but they honestly didn't stand a chance as the Patriots picked up their seventh straight win. You'd have a hard time objectively arguing that the Pats are not the best team in the NFL at the moment for what it's worth (nothing).

Sock puppet Lions head coach Jim Caldwell and his penchant for kicking field goals down three touchdowns in the second half or even better, taking a timeout then choosing to punt on fourth down never stood a chance. It takes a little more balls and creativity to beat the Patriots at Gillette. We should have known that he was not the guy to get it done.

Tom Brady (38 of 53 for 349 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) spread it around to five different receivers who all had at least five catches, led by Brandon LaFell (9 catches, 98 yards), Julian Edelman (11 catches, 98 yards) and Rob Gronkowski (5 catches, 78 yards). The two unexpected x-factors on offense that came through today were their goal-line weapon Tim Wright who caught two more touchdowns and LeGarrette Blount (12 rushes, 78 yards) who ran for two scores in his return to New England. Last week's hero Jonas Gray never got off the bench as he served his punishment for showing up late to practice. As if you didn't know this already, Blount proved that they literally can put any bum off the street in there and odds are they will produce.

New England's defense continued to excel, holding the Lions to three measly field goals by disgraced ex-Broncos kicker Jason Prater. Logan Ryan picked off Matthew Stafford (18 of 46 for 264 yards, 1 INT) while Rob Ninkovich and Akeem Ayers each notched a sack. Reggie Bush didn't play for Detroit and Golden Tate (4 catches, 97 yards) was the only Lion to have any real success on offense. The normally unstoppable Calvin Johnson (4 catches, 58 yards) took a trip to Brandon Browner Island and he wasn't really heard from as you can tell.

Two Stephen Gostkowski field goals accounted for the other New England points. The scary part for opponents is that the Patriots weren't flawless: they punted five times (a 66-yard bomb by Ryan Allen was a key play in the first half) and Brady threw an interception. What I'm trying to say is that they could potentially play even better than this which sounds ridiculous. Granted it was 24-6 at halftime so you never thought they could lose. Danny Amendola had an 81-yard kick return for the Pats so you knew it was their day.

New England will go for the sweep of the NFC North next Sunday (4:25, CBS) at historic Lambeau Field in what should be the biggest game in the NFL this regular season. You know everyone will be calling it a Super Bowl preview so I might as well get that out of the way too. Similar to the Patriots, the Packers (8-3 overall, 1st in NFC North) have been on fire (7-1) since a shaky start (1-2). Aaron Rodgers is probably the leading candidate for NFL MVP so you have to enjoy it because games like this don't come around that often. Now all we need is a little snow and there potentially could be record ratings.

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What a Turnaround: Pats are the Best Team in the AFC & Maybe the NFL After Pounding Colts 42-20 on Sunday Night Football

Jonas Gray. Who knows where he'll be in a few years but for one night at least, he was the talk of the NFL after an insane performance on Sunday Night Football. In only his fourth career game, he had 38 carries for 199 yards and four touchdowns (setting a new team record) as New England (8-2 overall, 3-2 road) absolutely destroyed Indianapolis (6-4 overall, 3-2 home) 42-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Patriots' sixth win in a row put them firmly in control of the AFC (and two games ahead of the Dolphins in the AFC East) after the Broncos surprisingly fell in St. Louis 22-7 earlier today.

There are many ways to view this victory but for my (lack of) money, the real story for New England is that they can now win on the road against a good (but not great) team even when Tom Brady (19 of 30 for 257 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) is average at best. The Patriots' defense won't put up incredible numbers but the bottom line is that they are getting the job done. Andrew Luck (23 of 39 for 303 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) does everything for the Colts so when he's off, like he was tonight, they are going nowhere fast. Did I mention that Indy's defense is an utter disaster?

The first half was misleading in the sense that the Patriots dominated but yet they were only up by four points (14-10). On their opening drive (11 plays, 89 yards, 4:14), Gray finished it with a 4-yard touchdown run. Indianapolis put together a good drive but they got stopped in the red zone and had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by the incomparable Adam Vinatieri.

Both of Brady's ugly interceptions came in the first half but the Patriots still managed to go up 14-3 late in the second quarter on Gray's 2-yard touchdown run. The second pick (both by Mike Adams) happened when Brady apparently audibled on a 3rd and 1 play and was forced to throw the ball up for grabs Eli Manning-style. The Colts took advantage to cash in a 10-yard touchdown catch by Hakeem Nicks (remember him?) to cut it to 14-10.

New England had 501 total yards and 33 first downs so when they received the opening kickoff of the second half, they went right back to work. That goal-line machine Tim Wright caught a 2-yard touchdown from Brady after another long drive (8 plays, 80 yards, 3:50). Vinatieri rescued Indy on the next stalled drive with a 53-yard kick (that would have been good from 63) but Gray's 2-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter put the Pats up two touchdowns (28-13).

The Colts cut it to 28-20 on a clever 1-yard touchdown pass to former BC offensive lineman Anthony Costanzo. Gray answered with his last score, a 1-yard touchdown, then Rob Gronkowski (4 catches, 71 yards) took time away from his unstoppable run blocking to catch a 26-yard touchdown where he basically broke Indy's will. Seriously, what an incredible catch and run complete with the dive into the end zone through two guys. If you didn't know before, now it's official: the real Gronk is back and more dangerous than ever.

It didn't help Indianapolis when Dwayne Allen or Ahmad Bradshaw went down with injuries and never returned. Only Coby Fleener (7 catches, 144 yards) really showed up for them. Reggie Wayne (5 catches, 91 yards) got most of his yardage on a one busted coverage that resulted in a 46-yard catch while T.Y. Hilton (3 catches, 24 yards) was completely shut down by a combination of Kyle Arrington and Darrelle Revis. Speaking of Revis, he helped Devin McCourty secure an interception by tipping the ball up the air. Jamie Collins (8 tackles, 5 solo, 2 tackles for loss) and Rob Ninkovich (5 tackles, 4 solo, 1 sack) were also stellar as they helped hold the Colts to 19 rushing yards on 17 carries, haha how is that possible?

New England returns to Gillette Stadium next Sunday (1, Fox) as they host the Lions (7-3, 1st in NFC North) who lost 14-6 this afternoon at Arizona. The Patriots are 6-0 at home this season and the way things are rolling, it's hard to see Detroit winning that game because they typically are mediocre outside of Ford Field.

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Well That Was Unexpectedly Easy: Patriots Blow Out Broncos 43-21 to Grab AFC's Top Seed

Even in the wildest dreams of the biggest Patriots honk (and they are everywhere), I find it hard to believe that anyone could have predicted that New England would handle big bad Denver frankly so easily on Sunday afternoon. The Patriots (7-2 overall, 5-0 home) trailed 7-3 in the first quarter but then scored 24 unanswered points en route to a 43-21 victory over the Broncos (6-2 overall, 1-2 away).

The snow that covered the ground this morning had melted away by gametime but Peyton Manning's (34 of 57 for 438 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) same old problems vs. Tom Brady (he fell to 5-11 against him) continued along with the fact that he needs so many different factors to be nearly perfect (weather, wind, temperature, etc.) to break all these records that ultimately mean absolutely nothing. It was the fifth straight win for the Patriots since their debacle on Monday Night Football in Kansas City a month ago.

The win really meant something for the Pats since this was their chance to go ahead of the Broncos in the all-important race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Tom Brady (33 of 53 for 333 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT) continues to play at an MVP-level, a far cry from before this win streak when we all thought the world was ending (starting with him being an average quarterback).

Rob Gronkowski (9 catches, 105 yards, TD) is playing some of the best football of his career while Julian Edelman (9 catches, 89 yards, TD; 84-yard punt return for a TD) had one of the best games as a Patriot. Anytime you can hold a Peyton-led team to 21 points, your defense is doing something right. New England's offseason plan of acquiring Darrelle Revis (5 tackles, 1 pass defensed) and Brandon Browner (interception) sure looked like money well spent.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call Denver soft but much like Manning, when things don't seem to go there way, they appear to let it get to them rather quickly. Emmanuel Sanders (10 catches, 151 yards) had a huge performance but New England kept him out of the end zone after he scored three times in the week before vs. San Diego. Demaryius Thomas (7 catches, 127 yards) is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL but again, the Patriots didn't allow him to score.

The first quarter wasn't exactly an instant classic as Stephen Gostkowski hit a 49-yard field goal and Ronnie Hillman had a one-yard touchdown run for the short-lived 7-3 Broncos lead. Gostkowski opened the second quarter with a 29-yard field goal and then it was the Edelman Show as he caught a five-yard touchdown pass then returned that punt (his 4th career punt return TD, a new Patriots record) 84 yards for the electrifying moment.

The Pats have made it a habit of scoring right before halftime this season and today was no exception as Shane Vereen caught a five-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left in the second quarter. New England leading 27-7 at the break was a dream but the sobering memory from last year (the Patriots rallied from a 24-point halftime deficit to win in overtime vs. Denver) made us not get too ahead of ourselves, well at least a few of us.

Julius Thomas showed up for a minute in the third quarter, catching an 18-yard touchdown pass that cut it to 27-14. The Patriots continued to shred Denver's supposedly great defense with a 45-yard field goal by Gostkowski then Browner picked off Manning (who hung poor Wes Welker out to dry) and returned it for 30 yards down to the Broncos' 10-yard line. Brandon LaFell caught a touchdown on the next play and the rout was on.

Hillman made a nice play to dive around the pylon for a score after a 15-yard catch and run later in the third quarter. Gronk closed out the scoring with a one-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth. Rob Ninkovich had a key interception in the first half when it was still competitive and New England's defense held Denver to 3-for-11 on third down and 0-for-4 on fourth down.

The bye week comes at a good time (I know everyone always says that)-halfway through the regular season. The Patriots earned some rest and a little time away from football before they reconvene to start work on the Colts (5-3 overall, 1st in AFC South) who they meet for Sunday Night Football (8:25, NBC) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

You try not to read too much into one game since as we see every week in the NFL: things change rapidly and good teams lose to bad teams all the time. Still, as a Pats fan you couldn't have asked for a better showing from your favorite team against their biggest rival/threat in the AFC. Should these teams meet again in January (most likely in the AFC Championship Game), and you know the NFL wants nothing more than that, you'd have to like New England's chances if it was in Gillette again.

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