Fun With Pick’Em Contests
Every week I’m asked to make picks. I do so for the Comcast Pick’em contest, and actually rank better than some of our in-house experts *wink wink*. Some of my Scout readers have made the trek over here to Comcast and have humbled me here, as well as on the Scout pick’em.
Poo on you I say. *sticks tongue out*
One thing about pick’ems… when it’s against the spread, I think it’s almost a crap shoot. That’s why I spend time reading a long time friend of mine, Brian Tarcy’s weekly picks. I have to have fun making picks in a crap shoot or else what’s the point?
I figured if I haven’t pimped Brian’s work yet, I should do so, at least once. I encourage you to read his weekly column, it’s more about the fun he pokes at the teams than beating the odds makers in Vegas. So I can identify with that, as I’m not a big fan of Vegas. I grew up in a town that now houses one of the biggest money making machines in North America (Serious money)
They’re nice people, but when I lived there they didn’t have nearly the public presence that they do now. Maybe they can sponsor the town football coach’s retirement party? the winningest coach in state history. The coach is done, but the program lives on (another shameless plug).
Back to my point.
Here is the complete transcript from Troy Brown’s retirement announcement. Courtesy Patriots Media Releations.
Robert Kraft
RKK: Welcome everyone. I want to welcome Troy [Brown] back to his home here at Gillette Stadium. I was thinking back that it was 14 years ago when we bought the team. Since that time we have had three head coaches, dozens of assistant coaches and 820 players. There is only one player that has been a constant through that whole period, who was actually here before my family got here right through the end of last season. How lucky for us that Troy Brown, to me, is the consummate Patriot. What he did on the field and the way he conducted himself off the field, the fact that he always put team first, that he stayed with the Patriots his whole career, he could have gone some other places and got more money and he chose to stay here. I think it’s a great lesson for the young players on our team today who are worried about making the team.
Troy Brown Nov 2005 (Getty)" />
It finally happened, Troy Brown has hung up the cleats after 15 years.
Troy Brown Retires
Sitting in front of reporters who have covered him for years, with his family by his side and representatives of the organization surrounding him, Troy Brown made his decision to retire official today. Brown announced his retirement in front of a swarm of New England Media, many who bore witness to his participation in three Super Bowl championships.
Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft thanked Brown for being the type of person an organization like New England can have faith in.
“I want to welcome Troy [Brown] back to his home here at Gillette Stadium,’ said Kraft. “How lucky for us that Troy Brown, to me, is the consummate Patriot. What he did on the field and the way he conducted himself off the field, the fact that he always put team first, that he stayed with the Patriots his whole career, he could have gone some other places and got more money and he chose to stay here. I think it’s a great lesson for the young players on our team today who are worried about making the team.”
Head Coach Bill Belichick also shared his favorite Troy Brown memories. Belichick started off by acknowledging Brown’s work ethic.
“It has truly been an honor and a privilege to coach Troy, primarily since I came back in 2000, but even my association with him in ’96 when I was here as the secondary coach,” Belichick began. “I think Troy, as I have talked about with our players, is the consummate professional.”
Five Things We Learned: Patriots – Dolphins
After a complete blowout like the one that happened in Foxboro this past weekend, sometimes it’s easy to figure out what happened, and sometimes the overwhelming level of mistakes masks the real issue. There was a little of both at work here on Sunday, and here’s a little of what can be learned from watching the game on tape again.
Ellis Hobbs Can Still Break Big Returns
Matthew Slater might be the Patriots kick returner of the future – at least he hopes so is how he put in at the beginning of the season – but Ellis Hobbs has the speed necessary to break the big one now. Fully recovered from the groin injury that hampered him in the Super Bowl, Hobbs has shown the ability to use his superior speed to rack up the return yards. Hobbs had six kickoff returns on Sunday, (50, 22, 30, 23, 81, 31). His 237 yards set a new team record. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the offense couldn’t take advantage of all the opportunities Hobbs game the team.
Hobbs was humble about his success after the game.
“It’s bittersweet. I always say ‘if you have a good day at the office individually, please let’s win so you can enjoy it.’ It didn’t happen,” Hobbs said. “You take it for what it is and understand that it is a plus but as a team it is not going to win ball games doing things out here individually by yourself. We all have to play as a team.”
UGLY
Ug-ly
Pronounced: \ə-glē\
adjective
see also: ug·li·er; ug·li·est
1: frightful , dire
2 a: offensive to the sight : hideous b: offensive or unpleasant to any sense
3: morally offensive or objectionable <corruption—the ugliest stain of all>
4 a: likely to cause inconvenience or discomfort <the ugly truth> b: surly , quarrelsome <an ugly disposition> <the crowd got ugly>
(definition courtesy Websters dictionary online)
Webster’s already has the best word to describe what happened yesterday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro when the Miami Dolphins pasted the New England Patriots. Forget about honor, tradition and the great Patriots of the past. Once the whistle sounded, all that went out the window including any hope the Patriots might have of cruising to another division title.
New England started off strong with a 50-yard kickoff return into Miami Territory. Hobbs set the stage for the blowout everyone anticipates. Three plays later, the patriots offensive resembling that of the preseason failed to generate the ten yards necessary to perpetuation the drive, or even move into field position to kick a field goal – not that it would matter later on anyway.
The Patriots punted.
Then after going three and out themselves, the Dolphins punted.
The next drive showed a bit of what Patriots fans saw in the first two weeks as Matt Cassel was able to orchestrate a drive deep into Dolphins territory – the 7 yard line actually. Then it happened… the beginning of the end.
What to Watch
Here are some keys to the game to keep an eye on
Patriots running game
With Laurence Maroney hurting from a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the Jets game and LaMont Jordan suffering a foot injury, the task to run the ball will be up to Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk and Heath Evans. Morris and Evans are former Dolphins who have both had good games against their former team.
New England has averaged over 100 yards per game so far by spreading the ball among their backs. Miami has allowed just 96.5 yards on the ground, good enough to be 14th best in the league.
If the Patriots cannot run the ball on Sunday, it will be a long day for Matt Cassel. What makes New England’s offense so powerful is the threat of a balance. Maroney and Morris averaged 4.5 yards per carry in 2007. They are far short of that in 2008 with Maroney leading at 3.7 per carry and Morris an anemic 2.9.
Third Down Defense
This can’t be stressed enough. Take a look at all the stats you want, but if the Patriots don’t do a better job on third down defense they’re going to lose a lot of games. New England is giving up a woeful 50% of third downs. That’s pathetic. It’s the third worst in the NFL. If Chad Pennington, one of the better decision makers in the NFL, can get third and short, he’s going to chew up the Patriots defense. The Dolphins will be able to sustain long drives and rack up points to keep the Dolphins in the game.
Something we used to do a while ago over at Scout, which I though you’d all appreciate. We take quotes from the week leading up to the game and translate what they said into what they really meant. Here’s some of those.
Dolphins QB Chad Pennington
On adjusting to a new offense
Chad Pennington: We’ll it’s exactly that, it’s an adjustment. This will be my sixth week here. I’m learning everyday, trying to acquire more knowledge, gain more insight into our offense, trying to execute it better and do as much as I can to get better at it. It’s been a good adjustment but it’s also been different, so I just keep working through it.
Translation: I still have no idea what I’m doing, but I can do a pretty decent job faking it. I wear sunglasses to the meetings so I can close my eyes and take a nap. Everyone in Miami wears sunglasses so they’ll never know I’m not awake. Who is that Henne kid, they don’t’ really want to start a rookie do they?
On if it helps to stay in the same division
CP: Staying in the AFC East does help with preparation for the opponent. [I have] played all these teams and seen these teams. This will be my ninth year, so I understand how each of the AFC East teams like to play, what they like to do and how they like to attack. My biggest challenge is being able to take that knowledge, apply it to our offense here, learn the details of our offense and try to make our offense work.
It’s a fair question; at least I think so, as do millions of Browns, Ravens, Bills and Patriots fans. The one-time Pittsburgh Steeler and current starting linebacker for the Miami Dolphins made news with week when he decided to say Matt Cassel isn’t really that good. Though he may have had some believers on his team who think Cassel isn’t among the league’s elite, Cassel’s team is still 2-0 while Porters team is 0-2.
Joey Porter has a lot of gumption talking about Matt Cassel being a no-name quarterback, especially the week of the Dolphins – Patriots matchup. Porter has always had a knack for using his mouth to get his team into uncomfortable situations.
Porter decided Cassel wasn’t good enough to worry about, so he shared those thoughts with ESPN.com.
"You treat him like you treat a backup," Porter said. "How do you prepare for a backup? He don’t get that many snaps, right? So you throw the kitchen sink at him. That’s what we’re going to do."
Porter left the AFC North to join the Dolphins in the AFC East when he signed a five-year deal worth a reported $32 million and $20 million guaranteed last year. He no longer has one of the league’s best defenses to back up his mouth, but that hasn’t stopped him from using his spot in the limelight to make bold predictions that don’t come true.
Patriots 19 — New York Jets 10
Week 2 Thoughts
Looking at Week Two in the NFL taught Patriots fans one thing – Matt Cassel may not be Tom Brady, but he can still play.
Actually, Week Two’s matchup with the New York Jets taught us a number of things, with the good news about Cassel being just the obvious news.
Here are five things we learned Sunday:
1) The Patriots have a pretty decent defense.
The New York Jets are supposed to be a bit better than the Kansas City Chiefs, which is why Vegas made the Jets 3 point favorites for this game. Without Tom Brady, who would have blamed them. Who? Me. New England’s defense may have some new faces in the secondary, and a new linebacker, but the main players who have seen the team rise from the rest of the AFC East are still around – and they’re playing well.
Sunday, the Patriots harassed Brett Favre into making mistakes by overthrowing his targets, underthrowing a pair of deep passes, sacking him twice and coming up with an interception. The front seven slowed Thomas Jones down by limiting him to just 70 yards and keeping him out of the end zone on a goal line stand.
The Jets are favored to win by 3 points. What will prevent that? If the Patriots can follow these keys.
Here are some keys to the game on Sunday:
Establish a rhythm
The Patriots need to get into a rhythm on offense to give Cassel some confidence early. If the team struggles, it may put undue pressure on the young signal-caller. Expect the Jets to do whatever they can to rattle Cassel. After seeing what happened during the preseason, that would make the most sense for the Jets to try to get Cassel unglued early, so any possibility of a comeback late evaporates.
Patriots Offensive Line Must Perform
Injuries are one thing that most teams won’t make excuses for, but they should. Without Stephen Neal on the right side, and Matt Light having limited practice on the left, the Patriots offensive line has lacked consistency. Pass blocking has been one area of concern, but the run blocking has also been an issue. If the Patriots get into short yardage situation against an improved Jets defense, it will be tough sledding for the line. Russ Hochstein has been battling a groin injury, so Billy Yates will probably get the start for Neal who won’t be back until week 7 or later. Drive blocking will be doubly important in this game as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels finds ways to let the team keep Cassel rolling rather than the other way around.
He’s been called a younger version of Tom Brady. As if the team made a clone.
"If I were only 20 years younger and a cheerleader," said my lovely bride as she looked at a Matt Cassel interview on the TV Hmm…. Yes, IF you only were.
She made a good point. He looks like Brady — only younger. He talks like Brady. But the question is: can he play like Brady?
Matt Cassel is one of those California kids, a multi-sport athlete with charm and good looks. He’s backed up some of the best quarterbacks in football, from college (USC) to the pros. When you look at him, the scruff on his face betrays his youth and inexperience, but that shouldn’t test your belief in his ability.
Cassel has been one step away from assuming control of some of the most important football teams this century. At USC he played second fiddle to Carson Palmer, and was in a close battle with Palmer’s replacement — Matt Leinart.
Unfortunately for Cassel, he wasn’t chosen to lead the Trojans, and fortunately for USC, Leinart was. Both Palmer and Leinart won the Heisman trophy. Both won a national championship, and both were first round picks in the NFL. Cassel? Well, not so much.
The story parallel’s Brady’s. Brady was in a battle for playing time at Michigan with Brian Griese and Drew Henson. Some thought that Michigan coach Lloyd Carr was crazy for keeping Brady over Henson, but Brady got his chance.
Patriots Fans have been peppering me with questions about the team this week, and to be honest, I have had to field more than my share of can Matt Cassel play questions. Here’s a few of the recent questions and answers from a recent roundtable I did for Scout.
Should Patriots Fans Panic Now That Brady’s Season Is Over?
Jon Scott: I’m not sure panic is the right word for what Pats fans should be doing, but they need to temper their expectations. Matt Cassel can play, we’ve all seen that, but he still has to prove he can handle all the blitzes, unusual alignments and unique adjustments teams make to disrupt him. He hasn’t done that yet, and there will be growing pains.
We’re You Surprised At The Reaction From Other Team’s Fans & Media (NY) Cheering Brady’s Injury?
Jon Scott: I’ve been to the city (New York) often, and live close enough to realize it’s the norm for some of those media outlets, and their fans. I love New York, but I could do without the cheering for a season-ending injury to anyone. On Monday I was surprised at the number of people openly gleeful that Brady was hurt. The “Cheater” stigma from last year’s videotaping scandal is still very much an issue for opposing fans. That has a lot to do with the cheering, as unfortunate as it was.
Who Looked Better, Laurence Maroney or Sammy Morris? And Do You Expect To See More Of Morris As the Season Progresses?
The unimaginable happened Sunday… Tom Brady got hurt on what looked to be a severe knee injury in the first quarter of the Patriots season opener. Brady went down in a heap after being steamrolled by Chiefs safety Benard Pollard. While Pollard claims to have just gone for the ball, some think that his move wasn’t so innocent.
Sunday was a victory for the Patriots but it came with a heavy price. In what could only be considered the worst-case scenario for New England, Tom Brady was knocked out of the game with a knee injury. Though Matt Cassel found a way to win, the loss of Brady is monumental for a club favored to win the Super Bowl in all of the preseason polls.
I was privy to the bad news early on Sunday afternoon from a friend who passed along a note they received from a player close to the situation. The info they shared was devastating news. “Tom’s done for the year.”
Uh oh. The sky is falling. I can hear it coming down
The moment Patriots fans will replay in their head time and again was seeing Tom Brady get hit down low as he went to throw deep to Randy Moss. Brady’s last pass — a floater that came out awkwardly when he was hit — was a completion, but it will go down as bad news for last year’s single-season touchdown record-breaking tandem. Not only did Moss fumble the ball after catching it, but the hit also took out Brady by the knee. The man who caused it, Kansas City Chiefs safety Benard Pollard, will live in infamy in Patriot Nation.
Top things to keep an eye on for the Patriots Chiefs matchups today.
I’m not much of a prognosticator despite making pickem’s and Season previews. With that in mind, a look at the teams today gives us a chance to do some more analytical work, something that is more up my alley.
The Patriots Secondary: This is well worth keeping an eye on after the patriots released starting cornerback Fernando Bryant as part of the final roster cuts and Jason Webster the week before. New England will start either rookie Terrence Wheatley or veterans Lewis Sanders or even recent pickup Deltha O’Neal. My money is on Sanders. I think he was one of the better corners in camp, at least on a consistent basis. Is he starter material? Houston thought so when they signed him away from the Browns, and Cleveland thought so but didn’t wan to pay him for it. On the opposite side, Ellis Hobbs returns looking to rebound from a game he’d rather forget and injuries, which held him back in that game.
The Patriots Linebackers: If you want one thing to keep an eye on which could spell trouble for the Patriots is the linebacker against the run. Kansas City brings one of the best running backs in the league with Larry Johnson. Though KC’s offensive line may have trouble opening holes, Johnson has the ability to make his own. It will be up to Tedy Bruschi and Jerod Mayo to slow down Johnson when he does hit those holes in the middle.
In the eyes of the NFL 2008 will be another year of record earnings, renewed interest in team rivalries, more teams competing to make the playoffs, and not another spygate – they hope.
For fans, it’s about new hope. They wonder; did my team make enough hay in the offseason to go places this year?
For many, that answer could be "yes." For some — those who finished on the bottom of the league in 2007 — any improvement is a reason to watch.
With those things in mind, I took a look at the season for all NFL clubs and shared my predictions with tens of thousands of Chiefs fans in Warpaint Illustrated. Sure, they said, he’s a homer, he’s from New England, and he’s going to pick them. Ah… don’t let the obvious cloud your judgment was my response.
Maybe they liked what they read because I was invited back to do a radio show with Warpaint’s publisher. You can listen to the entire interview here: Warpaint, or listen to to pregame on 101 The FOX in Kansas City this morning.
AFC
West
Chargers: Michael Turner’s departure will hurt, but they added talent in Antoine Cason and Jacob Hester. Their defense remains one of the best with Shaun Philips, Shawne Merriman, Igor Olshansky, Jamal Williams and Antonio Cromartie.
Broncos: Denver will improve due to the quality of their system if nothing else. If health isn’t an issue, Jay Cutler should be able to lead the Broncos into another competitive season. Draft pick Peyton Hillis will do what’s needed to open holes for Denver’s runningbacks.
