Word to your mother ...

The 2003 patriots joined the mile-high club. No not that one (not that i know of at least). They became one of the few Patriots teams that actually went to Denver and WON. Of course it helps when the other team is starting a 3rd string QB. Now, I was going to be biased about this MNF game. It was probably going to be interesting to me anyways because it was the Pats. However I think this game turned out to be one of the best MNF games in recent memory. It was a tight game right down to the last few plays. It is definintly better than the Cowboys/Reskins stinker they had on last year or the year before. I should check the ratings and see if the good game resulted in better ratings.
I was watching the game in a bar and when the fumble on the punt return happened everyoen was groaning. Everyone except me. I was confident that we would be getting the play reversed. Belicheck throws the red hankie, we get the ball back on a correctly ruled ground-caused fumble. Of course the play of the gaem was the intentional safety. If you punt out of the end zone there, they probably get the ball at your 40 (best case scenario), which leaves them close to field goal range. However if Belicheck knew what was going to happen on the ensuing free kick he wouldn't have even had a tough decision. On the ensuing free kick, Denver decided to not catch the punt. they let it dribble down to the 15 yard line when they easily should've had it at their own 40. That was the play of the game right there. That mental block by the Broncos.
Now the Pats are 7-2 heading into their bye week. They have a 2 win cushion over the 5-3 dolphins and of course beat them in their only head-to-head matchup so far this year. The surprising part is that they are able to do this without a very good offense, or defense. injuries have hit this team hard and yet they have come to play every week. Will this continue? Not if they keep losing players. Have Richard Seymour out this monday killed the Pats pass rush, and against a more able offense(i.e. not Dany Kanell) they would've been destroyed. If they get the defense solidified and the offense starts kicking in (bench antowain smith) we could cause srious trouble and make a little run into the playoffs.
- posted by Doug @ 12:05:00 PM