You Can Take Sam Darnold Off The Jets But You Cannot Take The Stench Of The Jets Out Of Him

 

    All around the NFL today, weird things happened in Week 9. Tons of upsets occured but not at Bank of America Stadium this afternoon in Charlotte, NC as the Patriots (5-4 overall, 4-0 road) dominated the Panthers (4-5 overall, 2-3 home) 24-6 to win their third straight game for the first time in two years. After it looked for most of the week like backup quarterback P.J. Walker would get the start at quarterback for Carolina, head coach Matt Rhule decided to go with former Jets bust Sam Darnold (16-of-33 for 0 TDs, 3 INTs) and boy oh boy it did not turn out well. In fact, it was a good reminder that Pats head coach Bill Belichick vs. Darnold is one of the locks of the century in the league as New England improved to 4-0 against him while Sam has managed just one touchdown and nine interceptions combined in those four losses.

    This was like a very early Tom Brady game with the Patriots (hear me out) in the sense that our favorite rookie quarterback Mac Jones (12-of-18 for 139 yards, TD, INT) could not have done much less to get the win. Instead, New England relied on a stiff defense and a solid running game that combined for 151 yards. Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey (54 yards receiving, 52 yards rushing) returned for the first time since Week 3 but he did most of his damage in garbage time when the game had long since been decided. Pats rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson (62 yards rushing, 44 yards receiving) was having his best performance as a pro before he left with a possible concussion. Another New England running back-Damien Harris-also departed with a head injury in the fourth quarter which meant that good old Brandon Bolden (54 yards rushing, 27 yards receiving) was left to grind the win away. 

    This was far from the most exciting football game that I have ever seen since it was 0-0 after the first quarter and neither team scored in the fourth quarter either. Carolina's kicker Zane Gonzalez hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter (from 39 yards and 49 yards) but those were sandwiched around a three-yard touchdown run by Harris and a five-yard touchdown pass from Jones to tight end Hunter Henry (his 5th game in a row with a TD catch) along with a pair of point afters by kicker Nick Folk. New England led 14-6 at halftime and that became 21-6 midway through the third quarter as Darnold made a horrific mistake by throwing a pick-six (that went 88 yards!), the first of Jackson's career. The free-agent-to-be earned some more money thanks entirely to Darnold who forced another pass into the end zone where Jackson was able to snag it. Linebacker Jamie Collins also made a spectacular interception by jumping up at the line of scrimmage right as Darnold tried to fire the ball over the middle and linebacker Matthew Judon added yet another sack to his impressive total. Folk's 37-yard field goal late in the third quarter turned out to be the last points of the contest. 

    The Patriots will host the Browns (5-4) next Sunday afternoon (1, CBS) at Gillette Stadium where New England has surprisingly struggled in 2021 by going 1-4. Cleveland embarrassed the Bengals (5-4) 41-16 today in Cincinnati. Former Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. goes on waivers tomorrow and if he goes unclaimed, he would be a free agent on Tuesday. I mention that because I would not be shocked to see Belichick take a chance on him for the rest of the season. The Pats are far from a great team and they still have many needs but you wonder what adding such a volatile personality would do to the mix. Still, their receiver group is pretty weak and guys with Beckham's talent (assuming that he's not completely washed up at this juncture of his career) are hard to come by particularly when Bill cannot draft them to save his life. I mention all of this because it should be a competitive game to begin with and adding Odell to the situation would make it even more fascinating. We shall see what happens over the next few days but thankfully, the Patriots should be a playoff team this season and who knows, maybe they could even push the Bills (5-3) for the AFC East title after Buffalo somehow fell 9-6 at Jacksonville (2-6) today. New England still has both meetings with the Bills left to play. 

The Patriots Traded Cornerback Stephon Gilmore To The Panthers For A Sixth-Round Pick In 2023

 

    The Stephon Gilmore era as a Patriot came to a predictable but nonetheless disappointing end this morning. At first, reports said that New England was about to release him but a few hours later, he was flipped to Carolina for a sixth-round draft pick in 2023. That makes a huge difference, not! (Borat voice). Ugh, look we all knew that his days were numbered here last year once he held out and suffering a season-ending quad injury did not help matters. He began this season on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list so he never actually played a game in 2021. Still, he just turned 31 years old a few weeks ago and this is a guy who was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 so the fact that Pats head coach/GM Bill Belichick basically gave him away for nothing is a joke. 

    Many of us have started to question Bill's ability to coach in today's modern NFL but don't get me started on his numerous shortcomings as a GM. The scary part is that Gilmore was the team's best player and the closest thing they currently have to a No. 1 cornerback is J.C. Jackson who is going to be a free agent after this season so is there any doubt that he will soon be gone too? Gilmore had four mostly great seasons as a Patriot: he made 13 interceptions (11 in the regular season & 2 in the playoffs) and scored two touchdowns, he went to three Pro Bowls, was named an All-Pro twice and most importantly was a key part of their last Super Bowl title in 2019 vs. the Rams. Not only does he basically get to go home now (he grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina) but he will supposedly return in Week 7 when he's eligible to get back on the field and he wants to play out the year on his current deal-something that he had no interest in doing here. 

    This is yet another star player for the Pats that got run out of town for having the audacity to want to be paid what he is actually worth. Haha the nerve of that guy! The problem now is that without Tom Brady the greatest quarterback in NFL history on his side, Belichick is going to have a hard time attracting top free agents like Gilmore (who was signed after spending his first five NFL seasons with Buffalo). New England was a mess last season and finished 7-9 as they missed the playoffs. This season, rookie quarterback Mac Jones has looked promising but the fact is that they have started 1-3 so it is going to be an uphill battle to get into playoff contention. If the team continues to slide into mediocrity, what will be the draw to come here? Our crappy weather or mediocre home stadium and facilities? Bill completely bungled one of his few really valuable assets that he had left. He should have traded Gilmore before last season, instead he is left with almost nothing in return for a guy who pretty recently was a top player in the league. 

The Cam Newton Era Is Thankfully Over Now For The Pats With Mac Jones Being Named The Starter

 

    The 2021 NFL regular season hasn't even begun yet but the Patriots made a huge decision this morning that hopefully brings many more wins and excitement to the franchise both this year and in the near future after last year's complete flop in our first taste of life after Tom Brady. Out of nowhere, quarterback Cam Newton (who had started all three preseason games this summer) was released meaning that rookie Mac Jones will be the starter when the team opens the season a week from Sunday (September 12) at Gillette Stadium vs. the Dolphins at 4:25 p.m. New England head coach Bill Belichick proved that he can still be as ruthless as an old school mob boss since we thought that he was Cam's biggest fan left in the world. It turns out, not so much as the 15th overall pick from Alabama will become the first rookie quarterback to start for the Pats since Drew Bledsoe many moons ago in 1993. 

    Ultimiately, Newton's time here was short and pretty bizarre from start to finish. He was a late addition in free agency last summer and he started every game but one (when he had Covid-19) as New England sputtered to a 7-9 record. In the offseason, the Pats spent a ton of money to upgrade many parts of their mediocre team including two new high-priced tight ends (Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith) with the purpose of breathing some life into New England's predictable high school style offense. By all accounts, at 32 years old Cam seems like a great guy but the basic observation that quickly appeared last season-that he simply cannot throw the ball anymore-did not magically change in 2021. The fact that he is still not vaccinated yet and recently missed five days of practice after not following protocol for Covid-19 did not help his cause either in my humble opinion. We wish him well in his future endeavors but we are also extremely thankful not to have to watch him slog through another miserable year of turning the ball over and making critical mistakes that led to more losses for the Patriots. 

    Mac Jones should serve as a breath of fresh air in many ways for a fanbase that wants something to be positive about: he's only 22 years old (!!!) and he comes with Nick Saban-one of Belichick's best friends and most trusted allies-seal of approval. There were five quarterbacks drafted in the first round this year and while nobody would consider Jones to be the most electrifying or talented of that potentially special group, his main attributes (being smart, well prepared and making the correct reads) should mesh well with Belichick's club. He might never be an NFL MVP like Newton was in 2016 but at this moment, it was clear to everyone that Jones should give them a better chance to succeed from day one than Cam. In turn, it also gives fans a little boost of faith that Belichick has not competely lost his mind and he was not stubborn enough to keep running Newton out there again and again for some silly reason. 

    With all the rosters around the league being cut down to 53 active players today, there were a few other notable moves made by the Patriots: star cornerback Stephon Gilmore will start the season on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list as he continues to rehab from quad surgery meaning that he is out for at least the first six weeks while undrafted rookie kicker Quinn Nordin beat veteran Nick Folk for the starting job. New England has more than a full week of practice left before the season-opener and you know that Belichick will make good use of all that extra time to get guys like Jones and Nordin up to speed. Don't forget that beginning with this season, there is an additional game in the regular season making a winning record like 11-6 or 10-7 something that the Pats should be realistically aiming for along with a playoff spot after missing the postseason in the cursed year of 2020. 

The Inevitable Is Now Official: For The First Time Since 2008, The Pats Will Not Reach The Playoffs

 

    If you've spent any of your plentiful pandemic spare time watching this sad-sack version of the Patriots (6-8 overall, 2-6 away), you knew that at some point soon this day was coming. At no point in this waste of a season (for them at least), have they consistently looked like a playoff team. Sure, they've had a few nice moments and unexpected wins along the way but as a wise man-Bill Parcells-once said, "you are what your record says you are." Indeed, that's a bit of a dated reference but probably fitting as this afternoon New England lost 22-12 to the Dolphins (9-5 overall, 5-3 home) at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. For the second straight game, the Pats failed to score a single touchdown which is about all you need to know about another pathetic offensive effort from this deeply flawed team. As a result of today's completely predictable outcome, New England won't be in the postseason for the first time since 2008 (the year that Tom Brady blew out his knee in the opener) and it is also their first non-winning campaign since way back in 2000. 

    Last week's wretched loss to the Rams (who somehow lost today to the Jets!) basically sealed the coffin shut on New England's unlikely path to the playoffs. Instead, they get two more meaningless contests to hopefully tank to get the best possible draft pick (not that I have any faith in Bill Belichick to select the right player in the first round). In a related topic, for the love of God, can he finally bench quarterback Cam Newton (17-of-27 for 209 yards; 38 yards rushing) and give Jarrett Stidham his first career NFL start? Even if he plays for free, there is no logical justification to bring Newton back next season and why is Bill so reluctant to put Stidham in any situation but a blowout? Few think he'll be the answer for the next Pats quarterback but why not throw him out there next Monday night (8:15, ESPN) against the high-flying AFC East champion (for the 1st time since 1995!) Buffalo Bills (11-3) who are suddenly one of the best teams in football?

    If you ever doubted the importance of a quality QB in the NFL, this ill-fated season by the Patriots could serve as a case study in how not to address the fallout from the best quarterback in NFL history leaving for another team. There is a reason why Newton was still available this summer: he's absolutely cooked. He simply can't throw anymore (which was never his biggest strength anyway) and like any running quarterback, the wear and tear has caught up to him so he's not the battering ram like he used to be. The only pleasant surprise with him is that it turns out he's actually a really good guy that teammates love to play with. The Pats have no choice but to use a draft pick (preferably one of their first ones) on a new quarterback while simultaneously signing an experienced veteran signal-caller (in the Ryan Fitzpatrick or Matthew Stafford mold) while serving as a bridge to the next guy. 

    The scary part about the Patriots' rebuild is that they appear nowhere close to being good again since years of awful drafts coupled with being super cheap in free agency coupled with not hitting on many trades has left them with a mediocre at best roster. With their quarterback Josh Allen a legitimate MVP candidate, the Bills are in great shape (not to mention a loaded roster) and meanwhile former Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores is building something in Miami with rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (20-of-26 for 145 yards, INT; 2 rushing TDs) showing signs that he could be a nice player at this level as the Dolphins make a push for the playoffs. The Jets' (1-13) mind-numbingly stupid victory today means that if the draft happened tomorrow, the Jaguars (1-13) would get the top pick which will be Clemson's incredible quarterback Trevor Lawrence. If New York can acquire him, they would have a better QB than New England as well, yikes.

    Today was a microcosm of this entire frustrating season for the Patriots as their best players were kicker Nick Folk (who made 4 FGs) and punter Jake Bailey who hit a 56-yard punt that was downed at the two-yard line. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (7 catches, 111 yards on 10 targets) re-emerged, with Damien Harris (ankle) out, running back Sony Michel (10 carries, 74 yards) had fresh legs and cornerback J.C. Jackson picked off Tua at the goal-line for his eighth interception of the season. After a scoreless first quarter, Folk hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter and the Pats took a 6-0 lead into halftime. Even with their best receiver (DeVante Parker) and a good tight end (Mike Gesicki) both out with injuries, you knew that the Patriots' crappy defense could only hold down Miami for so long. Seeing cornerback Stephon Gilmore leave with a non-contact leg injury in the second quarter probably puts a cap on a bizarre and disappointing 2020 for him. You have to wonder if he'll ever play another game for the Pats after all the drama he caused this year. 

    The Dolphins running game is not known as a powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination but you wouldn't know that the way that a no-name undrafted rookie named Salvon Ahmed (23 carries, 122 yards, TD) and veteran Matt Breida (12 carries, 86 yards) both ran over the Patriots particularly in the second half. Ahmed's one-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the third quarter put the Dolphins ahead 7-6. Another 45-yard field goal by Folk gave New England their last lead at 9-7 late in the frame. Tua ran for a three-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and added a two-point conversion pass to Ahmed which gave Miami a 15-9 lead. Folk's last field goal cut it to 15-12 Miami but Tua's one-yard touchdown run iced it late for the home team.

The 72-game NBA regular season starts on Tuesday with the Celtics opening on Wednesday as they host the Bucks then the NHL just confirmed that their 56-game regular season will start on January 13 with some different divisions (including an All-Canada one since they have strict travel restrictions during the pandemic). There won't be any Patriots playoff action but it's not like they deserved to be anywhere near that. At least we aren't some one team podunk place, this holiday season among many other way more important things (the health of my family, friends and myself), I am thankful to have the Celts and B's to get us through our first and hopefully last Covid-19 winter.

UPDATE 12/21/20: There was some good news on the Gilmore injury front as he tore a quad muscle which will require surgery but at least it wasn't a serious knee or leg injury that would take a much longer recovery period. Tonight, Gilmore, punter Jake Bailey and special teams captain Matthew Slater were all named to the Pro Bowl for the Patriots this season, their only three representatives. 

The 2020 NFL Season Is Doomed As Another Pats Star-Stephon Gilmore-Tests Positive For Covid-19

 

    I am not a doctor but it did not take a medical expert to think that the Patriots (2-2) and Chiefs (4-0) playing on Monday night was extremely reckless just a few days after quarterback Cam Newton was the first player for New England to test positive for Coronavirus. Yesterday, a practice squad defensive lineman for the Pats named Bill Murray (haha yep, that's his actual name) who nobody had ever heard of was put on their Reserve/Covid-19 list (a grim new necessity for 2020). Of course every life matters as much as any other but again, we were treated to more nightmare fuel this morning as we woke up to the news that cornerback Stephon Gilmore-last season's NFL Defensive Player of the Year-had also tested positive for Covid-19.

    In a tweet posted later this morning, Cam wrote "WEAR YOUR MASK. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE" along with a picture of him wearing a mask. Reports have noted that he is asymptomatic while Gilmore's tweet said the same thing coupled with the details that "I've followed every protocol, yet it happened to me. Please be sure to take this seriously." This is not the proper time to debate whether Gilmore is being truthful or not. It's up to each individual person to choose to follow the correct procedures during this living nightmare or like our disgrace of a President, be prepared to suffer the possibly fatal consequences if you don't. There have been pictures on social media lately of Newton shopping in Boston last week without a mask on his face so there is that. These are grown, well-compensated men who should be smart enough to take this seriously however this all comes back to the NFL's unwillingness to do anything drastic in terms of safety measures (since they absolutely have to play this season, right now!) like employ a bubble. 

         It was only a matter of time before an outbreak happened in the league and we can thank the Titans' utter stupidity for that distinction. They already had their Week 4 game vs. Pittsburgh moved because of so many positive tests and despite not being in their facilities last week, more guys on Tennessee are still catching Coronavirus. One of the craziest things to come out of Cam's initial diagnosis was everyone rushing to say well no other Patriots tested positive so they were fit to fly to Kansas City early Monday morning (on two planes, one for the guys that had closest contact to Newton) then back home that same night. Any quarterback of an NFL team is going to interact face-to-face with numerous people every day let alone every week during his professional playing career especially during the regular season. 

    For now, New England's Week 5 meeting with the Broncos (1-3) on Sunday afternoon (4:25, CBS) at Gillette Stadium is still on, because why wouldn't it be? The Patriots' facilities are closed today and tomorrow so they'll be working remotely like so many others around this country. What a joke, clearly the NFL could care less about the health of its players, coaches and others who are employed by all of their teams not to mention the families, friends and co-workers of said people. It's doubtful that either Newton or Gilmore will be available to play by Sunday against Denver but that hardly seems important at a time of national crisis like this.

UPDATE 10/8/20: There will be no in-person practice tomorrow for the third straight day for the Pats. As a result, for the second week in a row the Patriots have seen their Sunday afternoon game moved to Monday. Now they'll tentatively host the Broncos in the first game (5, ESPN) of a doubleheader.  

UPDATE 10/11/20: You're not going to believe this but after another positive Covid-19 test for a Patriots player-defensive tackle Byron Cowart-was revealed this morning (after testing last night), their game tomorrow vs Denver has been postponed. Both teams will now have a bye this week (Week 5) and they'll try to play next Sunday afternoon at 1 pm. What a disaster, I guess we'll have to wait and see if the game ever happens at this point since it's already been delayed twice.

UPDATE 10/12/20: Reports from yesterday that Cowart had tested positive for Covid-19 turned out to be true as today the Pats made him the fourth player to be placed on their Reserve/Covid-19 list. The Patriots didn't practice today and they won't tomorrow either, hopefully they can get things back and running on Wednesday but we shall see. 

UPDATE 10/13/20: Now there is no practice scheduled tomorrow for the Pats, just a workout. 

UPDATE 10/16/20: The Patriots simply cannot have nice things anymore: after their first practice of the week happened yesterday with Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore back on the field, today's practice was cancelled after another positive Covid-19 test. Offensive lineman James Farentz is reportedly the latest Patriot to catch the Coronavirus. Will this ever end? Probably not since they are also waiting for confirmation on another positive Covid-19 test. 

UPDATE 10/17/20: ESPN's Field Yates just reported that the Patriots put three more guys (!!!) on the Reserve/Covid-19 list: running back Sony Michel (currently on IR anyway), guard Shaq Mason and defensive end Derek Rivers. Oh but don't worry folks, the Pats-Broncos game is still on for tomorrow. In other non-Coronavirus news, two of Denver's best players (running back Melvin Gordon and tight end Noah Fant) didn't even make the trip to Massachusetts as they remained in Colorado with injuries.  

Led By Cam Newton, The Patriots Smother The Dolphins 21-11 In A Bizarre 2020 Season Opener

 

    With Tom Brady in Tampa Bay (that will never stop being weird) not to mention six months into a unfathomable global pandemic, we are just happy to have the NFL back to take our minds off of the constant nightmares going on daily all around us. With no preseason, today was the first time we saw Cam Newton (15-for-19, 155 yards; 15 carries, 75 yards, 2 TDs) in game action as a Patriot and it was a major success. In front of an empty Gillette Stadium, New England (1-0) beat Miami (0-1) 21-11 to begin the 2020 campaign. Showing off their totally revamped offense, the Pats ran the ball a whopping 42 times to control the clock for nearly 35 minutes (34:49). 

    After beating them in the 2019 regular season finale (which cost the Patriots the No. 2 seed and a bye), Ryan Fitzpatrick (20-for-30, 191 yards, 3 INTs) turned back into a pumpkin well before Halloween. With no Brady to lean on anymore, this season will be all about head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels doing everything they can to get the most out of a limited roster. Let's remember though, that the Pats still reside in the AFC East where the Jets (0-1) and Phins are basically rebuilding for life while the Bills (1-0) look like their one legitimate threat. As much as those guys have to prove, Newton is in the same boat when it comes to his on-the-field production. At 31 and after only playing in two games last season with Carolina, his career is at a serious crossroads (shoutout to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony!) and he figures to make an absurd amount of money if he can regain some of his 2015 MVP form.

    It should come as no surprise given Cam's incredible running skills and New England's lack of dangerous receivers other than Julian Edelman (5 catches, 57 yards; 1 rush, 23 yards) that the playbook was essentially whittled down to a Massachusetts high school style run-heavy attack. Outside of Newton-who set a Patriots record for most rushing attempts by a QB-four other Patriots had at least four carries: Sony Michel (10 carries, 37 yards, TD) was followed closely by Rex Burkhead (7 catches, 32 yards) while tiny (5-foot-6) rookie J.J. Taylor (4 carries, 28 yards) and James White (3 catches, 30 yards; 5 catches, 22 yards) had over 50 combined yards on just eight touches. 

    When the Patriots face a true No. 1 cornerback that can cover Edelman, they are going to be in trouble at least in terms of their shaky passing game. Ditto for any high-scoring opponent that will force them to speed things up and match them touchdown for touchdown. N'Keal Harry (5 catches, 39 yards) showed flashes but he fumbled right on the goal-line when New England could have put the game away at 21-3 late in the third quarter. If only they had a real tight end and not Ryan Izzo (1 catch, 25 yards). Miami used three different running backs but none of them could gain much traction as they combined for only 87 yards on 27 carries (3.2 yards per carry). The Pats also had some good fortune when the Dolphins only above average wide receiver-DeVante Parker (4 catches, 47 yards)-left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury that had been bugging him lately. 

    After a scoreless first quarter, Newton put the Patriots in front with a four-yard touchdown run to cap off an 11-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 6:11. In the first half, New England didn't make Fitzpatrick pay for his mistakes since they went three-and-out and punted after Gilmore picked him off. Jason Sanders cut it to 7-3 Patriots with a 46-yard field goal that was tipped but still somehow had enough power to make it over the crossbar. New Patriots safety Adrian Phillips intercepted Fitzpatrick near midfield with time running down in the half. Six plays later, New England was in field goal range (45 yards) but Nick Folk missed it wide right so it was 7-3 Patriots at halftime. 

    Like the good old days with Brady, the Pats began the third quarter with the ball and marched right down the field (8 plays, 75 yards, 4:46) and ended it with another TD run by Cam-this time from 11 yards out. New England's defense forced a three-and-out and after another long drive, it looked like they would go up 21-3 but then Harry was crushed by linebacker Jerome Baker (13 solo tackles, 3 assists, sack) and the football went out of the end zone for a touchback. That pumped up Miami as they put together their only real drive (11 plays, 80 yards, 5:23) of the entire day. Jordan Howard ran it in from one-yard and Fitzpatrick followed with a run of his own for the two-point conversion that made it 14-11 Patriots. New England responded as they went 75 yards in 10 plays and 5:18. Michel ended it with a one-yard touchdown run and on the ensuing drive for the Dolphins, Fitzpatrick lobbed up one more grenade-this time to J.C. Jackson to clinch the victory for the home team.

    All and all, it was a fun day as the Pats proved right off the bat that this season shouldn't be a total waste of our precious time. They still have the best coach ever in the NFL and if Newton can play like this, there's no reason they can't win the AFC East and make the playoffs. With that said, next week's Sunday night (8:20, NBC) showdown in Seattle (1-0) could be a sobering reality check. Russell Wilson is one of the top quarterbacks in the league and they will definitely have their hands full trying to stop him. Let the record show that 43-year-old Brady (23-for-36, 239 yards,  2 TDs, 2 INTs; rushing TD) looked his age in a clunky 34-23 loss at New Orleans this afternoon. It sucks that it had to end like that for the greatest athlete in Boston sports history but at least if properly managed, New England seems to have found a bargain basement steal in Newton.