About Me:
Keith Hayes aka Sinista1 has been writing about the Patriots since 1991, and since that time he has written for several websites newspapers, BB's NG's, and has covered everything from entertainment, and video gaming to sports and professional wrestling. I
About Me:
Keith Hayes aka Sinista1 has been writing about the Patriots since 1991, and since that time he has written for several websites newspapers, BB's NG's, and has covered everything from entertainment, and video gaming to sports and professional wrestling. I
About Me:
Keith Hayes aka Sinista1 has been writing about the Patriots since 1991, and since that time he has written for several websites newspapers, BB's NG's, and has covered everything from entertainment, and video gaming to sports and professional wrestling. I
I know, I know, I know... You all just heard from me on Saturday night, but a lot of things have happened since then, and I really wanted to get them off of my chest.
The Redskins beat Tampa Bay as I said, and now they have to go out to Seattle and beat the Seahawks. The Seahawks have an uncanny way of letting their fans down in the post season, but I don't think this is going to be that game. Look for a well-rested Seahawk squad to take it to the Redskins this weekend.
Carolina Panthers advanced to take a trip to Chicago where Bears fans have been waiting a long time for a playoff game. The problem here is that the NFC competition has been a mess this season, and is an utter toss up. This game could be LB Brian Urlacher's moment to shine on a national front while WR Muhsin Muhammad looks to get the last laugh on his former team. I like the Bears.
The Pats head over to Invesco Field at Mile High for a Saturday night match up against a team that covered a lot of real estate through the air in their earlier match up this season. The big difference this weekend...
A healthier depth chart featuring a nasty defensive front seven, a ground game which is due to breakout, and the most important of all; no CB Duane Starks in the secondary. Look for the Pats to win.
In the final match of the weekend the Colts welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I'm sure everyone will remember how coach Bill Cowler lost that game for his team on Monday by going for an unnecessary onside kick. But my thoughts on the Steelers don't end there, because last week I picked the Bengals to win, and I'm 99.9 percent sure that if QB Carson (you ever notice how people always mistake themselves by saying Daly) Palmer didn't get injured on the second play of that game the Bengals would have been off to Denver and the Pats would have been off to Indy. Come Monday morning Cowler and his players will be giving the prsss the same ole' "Woulda, coulda, shoulda." Look for Manning to torch the Steelers secondary.
And since we are on the topic of the Mannings... Is this family cursed? Does not being able to win the BIG games run in the family? Eli Manning was supposed to lead the NY Giants to the Promised Land, and instead he threw three picks and fumbled the ball away.
Is it safe to say?
"Like father, like son, like son?" or would that be, "Like father, like son, like brother?"
Anyway, let's get back to that Bengals/Steelers match-up, and "The Hit". A hit that I'm sure will be debated for years to come in Cincinnati. In my opinion, I don't think the hit was deliberately or maliciously dirty, but I do think it was instinctively done, and should have drawn the flag for a late hit as did Bengals' head coach Marvin Lewis. The proof to me is the replay, which clearly contradicts the call the refs gave. The refs claim, NT Kimo von Oelhoffen was blocked into Carson, which is why no flag for a late hit was thrown. My argument here is that if he was blocked then how did he have the knowledge to wrap up Palmer's leg and lead with the side of his helmet? Maybe he didn't see that Palmer had already gotten rid of the ball, but he knew he was low. He was also well aware of the damage he caused at the end of the play as he called for help.
All of these guys can speak in his defense and say how much of a great guy he is, but we all know that emotion can change people and they proved that later in the game when Steelers' SS Troy Pomamalu shoved the football into Bengals' C Rich Braham's face. The guys in the booth all claimed how nice Troy was off the field, but how he becomes a "monster" when on the field. They even showed highlights of him taking it to QB Carson Palmer over the last couple of seasons despite the fact they were roommates and friensds while at USC.
Also in the NFL, several coaches were hired and fired with some acts of brutal coldness. New Orleans dumped HC Jim Haslett after his team's season was turned upside down from Katrina. Granted his coaching record wasn't that hot, but come on I think the guy and his team deserves a pass for this year. In St. Louis the Rams fired Mike Martz after coming back from heart issues, and it was rumored the dismissal came from his beef with the front office during his tenure. If this firing was done as the ultimate FU to Martz from the owners then he should grab a lawyer and file a lawsuit against the Rams ownership for violation of the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act). Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones logged Bill Parcells on for two more seasons, which means my dreams of a Patriots/Cowboys Super Bowl are still alive.
In other NFL ponders, the league dumped their advertising relationship with Levitra. Levitra was Viagra's competition, and was dumped because the makers of Levitra changed their advertising tactics. When their sponsorship began the Levitra ads featured Mike Ditkta in a tone down one on one fashion, but didn't ring up sales to their liking. Instead they switched to ads with sexual overtones like the guy trying to throw the football through the tire in his backyard. Is this a good move by the NFL? Who cares because the deal only cost the NFL about 6 million per season, and I'm sure some other company can fill that void.
Well, before I go I want to touch base on college football because this week Texas Longhorns QB Vince Young announced he was headed for the NFL draft this spring. Now I'm not going to knock this kid because he did have one hell of a performance during his win over USC in last week's Rose Bowl, but there is no way he will be able to do that in the NFL. LB's are just too fast and the NFL is a different monster, and to be brutally honest, scrambling QB's IMO are a dying breed that risk injuries, seasons and team revenue every time they try to rack up rushing yardage.
So... What is up with these "Stupid is as stupid does." players? How dumb can two people possibly be? I'm talking about Ohio State's former RB Maurice Clarett and Virgina Tech's QB Marcus Vick. These are guys with a boatload of talent, but just don't get it. Clarett had his NFL chance, blew it, then months later he's turning himself in for robbery charges after the Fiesta Bowl. Now instead of keeping his mouth shut and waiting for his case to begin he does a magazine interview with ESPN and spouts off about the special treatment he received while in college. If all of these accusations are true why spout about it now? I guess it's a case of "If I'm going down we're all going down." Then there's Marcus Vick, brother of NFL QB Michael Vick. This guy has a track record that would make Tony Soprano envious. Wild parties, sex with minors, assaults, reckless driving and now gun charges. What a waste, and utter disgrace to the Afro American community. These guys got scholarships to college, and had a chance to write their own tickets to the NFL, but instead they chose to flush everything down the toilet while two other young students (any race) may have missed out.
It must be December because my favorite team is headed into that time of year where everything seems to fall into place for them.
First off all, let me just say this... Tampa Bay is above .500, and beating this team may prove just where this team is headed in the next few weeks. If the Pats come out of this game with a decisive victory then you can payoff those playoff invoices due December 20th.
But now there is another part to this story involving sports karma... For most of the season the Patriots have been riddled with injuries, allowed teams to run, pass and convert third downs, and at times played downright lousy, flat and sans emotion. Bus as I said this is December and these guys know what is up for grabs, and to get guys back like Bruschi, Seymour, Givens, Dillon, and Faulk there has to be plenty of smiles in the locker room and coaching offices. These guys aren't just players these guys are some of the cogs needed that turn the machine we call Super Bowl Champions. But you can't take the cogs for granted because those cogs need support, and with guys like Wilfork finally stepping up, and this team is finding a groove with the offense moving the ball, the defense keeping teams from converting third downs, out or from scoring in the red zone, and getting pressure on opposing QB's.
Tampa will arrive here on Saturday, and the forecast will be cold, Tampa's record for cold games isn't much to be desired and after the Jets next week the Pats close out the regular home season against the Dolphins who have a history of blowing it late in the season. After upsetting the Chargers last week, I'm sure my Dolphins motto for December still sticks...
"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride."
I guess the same could be said for Chiefs and Steelers fans also.
Lastly karma makes for excitement, and if karma plays it's hand the AFC championship game will be played in the RCA Dome against an undefeated Colts team. Trust me... the Colts won't punch it in against Arizona as a matter of fact it will probably be their best performance and biggest win of the season that way they can go into the bye on a media hype explosion. Hype that will follow the Pats all the way to the dome. Hype talking about how the Colts beat them on Monday night, and how this Colts team is the best NFL team ever...
"BUZZ!"
Stop right there, the Pats won't lose to this team twice especially after being beat in their own house with a lackluster roster. This coaching staff will have this team ready to eat rocks if this day happens, and the cameras will be taping when Manning has to leave the field once again without his shot at a ring.
You can't have all that money (contract) and a ring... Karma doesn't allow it.
Batten down the hatches because it's that time of the year where I hit you all off with my , "Top Ten Things to do During the Bye Week" V.2K5.
Once again...
For those of you who are new to this, I drop this little piece every year for the Patriot's bye week, and usually it goes over pretty well. Some parts of the list are new, some of the best move up, while some of the least favorites move down or completely off the list.
10. Find Religion: Head to church, confess all of those sins and impure thoughts you've committed while attending and watching football games the past seven weeks... Oh yes, the sins you committed during the preseason count.
9. Tailgate at Home: Go to you son's pee wee or mighty mites game done up in grease paint armed with air horns and noisemakers. Then, break out the grill, cook hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids while getting a sugar high from drinking gallons of Teenie Weenie juices.
8. Drain the Basement: Your basement has become a personal swimming hole since the 9 days of straight rain, and it's time to get your mancave back to normal.
7. Change of Scenery: Betting on the Eagles in their match up with the Cowboys a few weeks back has put you so deep in the red with the local bookies, you decide to turn rat and enlist the entire family into the Federal Witness Protection Program.
6. Wreak havoc on Halo 2: Guys with XBOX live gamertags like me aka Sinista1, Ir2much4U, Berto187 and Havok1 are doing some serious damage to others with our Master Chiefs.
5. Be a Father to Your Child: Reintroduce yourself to the kids as the father they knew before week one. This way they can forget all about the terrorizing lunatic who has been screaming obscenities at the TV for the past two weekends.
4. Get in Touch With Your Sensitive Side: Spend time with the wifey/girlfriend/significant other doing the things they like... Renting movies, watching Lifetime or the Oxygen network. For bonus points, take a trip to Christmas Tree Shops with her. Better yet, take her to go see In her Shoes or Elizabethtown.
3. Cash in Your Frequent Flyer Mileage: Turn in your rewards and spend time with your illegitimate children from East to West. (Note: This one may pertain to some pro football players.)
2. Become a Redneck: Run out, grab a Nextel phone, some chewin' tobacca', Coors beer, a Confederate flag, and practice your best south of the border southern drawl so you can spend the weekend as a NASCAR fan watching drivers make 4 left turns. Remember... It's Chase for the Cup time so try not to disrespect anyone by rooting for someone who is out of the standings.
1. Study up on how to play cornerback: I don't care how it gets done... Practice with the kids in the park down the street, play Madden 2K6, or spend the week reading "Cornerback for Dummies Vol. 1"... You know who you are, so get it done before Bills QB Kelly Holcomb serves you up as hot buttered, breakfast toast on ESPN Sunday after next.
"Is it me or did anyone else think of the original 'The Longest Yard' with Burt Reynolds when Flutie "pooch" kicked the extra point?"
As I left the stadium early Sunday evening I realized the feeling was very upbeat amongst the fans.
In my eyes I had just watched a game that had to have been the second most promising losses in the Patriots history and what a way for them to start out 2006. Getting to the playoffs this season wasn't easy for the Pats, but it was an accomplishment after the team lost Offensive guru Charlie Weis to Notre Dame, defensive minded Romeo Crennel to the Browns, Safety Rodney Harrison and OL Matt Light to the IR. During the season the team also lost several key players to injuries week after week. It was a BIG hill to climb, and this team accomplished that only to arrive at a new hill, and yesterday's game may prove this team will have some depth headed into the playoffs.
On Sunday this team came out of loss in a game where the 2nd & 3rd stringers held their own against a tough Miami Dolphins (What were the Fin fans thinking?) who kept their first string in for the entire game. HC Bill Belichick opted to pull the entire offensive and defensive first strings after the first quarter, and decided to give his coaching staff a good long look at guys who may just be the keys to make a difference heading into these playoffs.
Since training camp I had been singing praise of QB Matt Cassell (11/20 168 2 TD), and when he finally got his chance on Sunday I really wanted to see how he would perform in true game atmosphere. As most rookie QB's he stumbled early on and even took a wicked end zone hit fumbling the ball out of the back which cost the Pats a safety, but he bounced back and even had people wondering if the pass he threw out of bounds to end the game was the Pats way of showing the Dolphins...
"We could have beat you... Remember that."
WR Bam Childress was here earlier in the year and never go his chance amongst a roster of already talented receivers. Sunday he showed he's been paying attention to his job as he racked up three receptions for 32 yards and also made some plays on defense ala WR Troy Brown.
WR Andre Davis also showed some speed finishing the game with 2 receptions over 47 yards. With one of those receptions being a 36 yarder.
PR/WR Tim Dwight finished the game 2 for 26 and a 9 yd TD reception from QB Matt Cassell proving he is not just a threat on punt returns.
LB Matt Chatam has been staple of the special teams unit, but the play of Bruschi and Vrabel have kept him on the sidelines Sunday he led the team with 8 tackles.
LB Tully Banta Cain another special teamer made his presence felt with 5 tackles & and 1 sack while FS Mike Stone made 4 tackles; one which was a key 1 yard loss on a RB Ricky Williams attempt.
If guys like these can step up and show they can make plays then you now have guys who can provide crucial rest time for those when they need it heading into the post season.
Let's take Bruschi for instance... He's obviously heading into the playoffs with a strained right calf, and there is a good chance he will play, but it may not be 100%. If that's the case, now BB can look at a guy like Matt Chatam to fill in since Monty Beisel and Chad Brown have yet to show promise if Chatam can play like he did Sunday it will pay in dividends.
Saturday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars will come to town, and from this writer's perspective I think people need to realize that sports Karma can come into play here... In the 1996 season the Jaguars upset the Broncos in Denver to make the trip here for Foxboro's first historical AFC Championship "Lights Out" game. A game that pitted Bill Parcells against former BC coach Tom Coughlin, and the win advanced the Pats to New Orleans for the right to take on the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 31. It was also a game that I truly believe that when the lights went out in the stadium before that Vinatieri field goal on national television was Kraft's first salvo in proving the team needed a new stadium. The moment was a major embarrassment, and started the talks for the team to get a new stadium, but I remember seeing Edison trucks on the scene before the game began. Since that night and every game before that night I had never seen a Mass Electric or Edison trucks on standby for any home game.
Some writers are looking past the Jags, but people seem to be forgetting that this Jags team beat Seattle, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati this should not be overlooked. The key for the Pats to overtake the Jags this weekend will be an aggressive defensive with their QB situation. The word is that QB Byron Leftwich is going to get the start, but he's coming back from a broken left ankle which he sustained in late November. If for some reason he doesn't go David Garrard will be at the helm, and the last tough defense he faced (Indy) sent him away with a loss. The Pats will have to blitz, and blitz often forcing mistakes since they are ranked second in the NFL for takeaways this season, despite give up a lot of passing yardage earlier this year. With the Jags ranking 2nd in the league for sacks, and 4th in the league for interceptions the Pats offensive attack should rely on the running attack which is operating on a positive healthy note with RB's Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk and FB's Patrick Pass and Heath Evans. The passing game should be kept to mostly shotgun formations, quick routes, and utilize the double TE's once again to keep the blitzing LB's on their toes.
In other games this weekend we'll see the Washington Redskins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers against the NY Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers against the Cincinnati Bengals. For my picks I like the Redskins passing attack, the Giants successful multi-tasking and the Bengals in a game I predict will be won on a ground attack despite the success of QB Carson Palmer.
As the final minutes ticked off the clock in Foxboro, my girlfriend Mari said this to me, and it spoke volumes because I think almost everyone in New England really wants to see this team take on the Colts in the next or final round.
Here I am sitting at home with my shoes off getting ready to drink a tall mug of hot chocolate and eat a warm slice of apple bread while bringing this article to you. You see, I just got home from the stadium and was very happy to see that all my talk about players stepping up came true tonight, and there were some other points that I made just last week that came face front tonight.
"The key for the Pats to overtake the Jags this weekend will be an aggressive defense with their QB situation. The word is that QB Byron Leftwich is going to get the start, but he's coming back from a broken left ankle, which he sustained in late November. If for some reason he doesn't go, then David Garrard will be at the helm, and the last tough defense he faced (Indy) sent him away with a loss. The Pats will have to blitz, and blitz often forcing mistakes..."
The Patriots got to Leftwich early, and my feeling has always been that if a line can get to an opposing QB early in the game then it's going to be a long game for that QB. The Pats defense muscled the Jaguars offensive line, and finished the game with six sacks, one forced fumble and one interception returned for a touchdown.
Outside linebacker Willie McGinest led the team with eight tackles and 4.5 sacks, which broke two NFL records. His sack tally surpassed Buffalo Bills sack master Bruce Smith for the post season record, and proved that some players just get better with age.
Also joining him in the sack department were Rosevelt Colvin (5 tackles), who had a sack after beating triple coverage, and Richard Seymour (2t), who had a half sack assist with Willie late in the game. Seymour also had a key fumble recovery.
Wide receivers's Troy Brown (4t) and Andre Davis (3t) saw some time chasing players down and got the job done when needed. Brown finished third below inside linebacker Mike Vrabel (9t).
Corner back Asante Samuel (4t) had been playing very inconsistent of late, but stepped it up and drove a nail into the Jaguars coffin with a 73 yard INT TD return putting the game pretty much out of reach.
As for other players stepping up when needed: LB's Monty Beisel (2t) and Chad Brown (3t) made key tackles that kept the Jaguars from converting. Overall, the defense sent a message to the disrespecting media and they did it without LB Tedy Bruschi, who was dressed for the game, but remained on the sidelines in preparation for next week.
On offense, QB Tom Brady (15 of 27, 201 yds, 3 TDs) started out sluggish, and was rushing the ball like he spent too much time watching the Rose Bowl last week, twice gaining 9 yards of the 118 they dropped...
"With the Jags ranked second in the league for sacks, and fourth in the league for interceptions, the Pats offensive attack should rely on the running attack, which is operating on a positive healthy note with RB's Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk and FB's Patrick Pass and Heath Evans..."
Fullback Heath Evans didn't see anytime in the game, but the ground attack was spread out among four players. Running back Kevin Faulk led the attack with 51 yards on 6 carries, while Corey Dillon spent part of the first quarter benched for unknown reasons (possibly for his outburst in the locker room last week). He ended up carrying the ball 17 times over 40 yards. On second and 10, wide receiver Andre Davis rushed for 13 yards converting for the first, while Patrick Pass came in late in the fourth and converted a third and five for six yards and the first down to set up QB Matt Cassell's kneel down.
The Pats rushing attack kept the Jags LB's busy, but allowed the Pats to make passes downfield when needed. The receiving corps racked up 189 total yards, with tight end Benjamin Watson (5 rushes for 91yds) having a great night despite some dropped passes and a fumble, which rolled five yards ahead of him and was recovered by WR Tim Dwight. Watson's big moment was an explosive 63 yard TD, which sent the stadium into a frenzy when he refused to take the easy first down out of bounds after a missed sideline tackle and made a dash for the end zone.
RB's Kevin Faulk and Corey Dillon combined for 5 receptions and 57 yards, while WR Deion Branch led his corps with 2 receptions over 36 yards, while Brown, Andre Davis and David Givens combined for only 3 receptions over 17 yards. However, Brown and Givens both saw the end zone when it mattered.
Send Message
Add Friend
Block User