Besides being an avid football fan (for over 30 years), a sportswriter (for over a decade) I’m a bit of a TV junkie (since birth?). My favorite show — currently — is NBC’s CHUCK.
My dilemma on Monday night was what to do at 8:30pm.
Monday Night Football was on at 8:30 and Chuck began at 8:00pm causing a scheduling conflict between my two favorite things to watch. What was I supposed to do?
Should I watch football, as one of my "other" favorite teams (the Browns) played the undefeated Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, or watch Chuck? It really was a dilemma.
Though I don’t have TiVo, I do have Internet access to watch Chuck online after the game, and if you’re reading this so do you.
My night of TV viewing began with a simple coincidence, which ultimately concluded with a bit or irony.
On Chuck: Morgan Grimes, a little, average-looking, worker at the store where Chuck works, had to confront former New York Giant Michael Strahan about being too loud while playing Madden ’09 football with his co-workers in the Buy More’s game room.
On MNF: The Browns – considered as good as dead this season after a 1-3 start – were little more than potential victims for the Giants were steamrolling toward the playoffs with a 4-0 record..
The New England Patriots fell to the New York Giants 14-19 Thursday night in East Rutherford, N.J. It was New England’s fourth loss of the preseason (0-4), while the Giants improved their record to 2-2.
The night started off poorly for the Patriots who were without Tom Brady. Though Matt Light returned after missing most of camp due to an undisclosed illness, starting quarterback Matt Cassel was unsuccessful in leading the team to a score even with Light’s help. Cassel has struggled all preseason, and those struggles continued against the Giants.
The Patriots used many of their starters on offense and defense Thursday night. With the exception of Brady, Wes Welker, Ben Watson and Stephen Neal, the offense first team was on the field for the first period, and parts of the second.
With or without the starters in the lineup, the Patriots struggled. After electing to receive the kickoff, the Patriots took over from their own 28 and managed to move the ball to their own 49 before an incompletion forced their first of many punts on the night. The drive was an indication of more to come from the first team offense. For Cassel, his second series, ending similarly to the first (starting at the NE 28 ending in a punt from NE49), was his final possession of the preseason. His stats told the tale (4/6 for 37 yards, 0 sacks, 0 TDs, 0 INTs).
Patriots – Giants: What To Watch
There are plenty of interesting sidebars to this game aside from it being the last preseason contest for both clubs. (Loud roar goes up from NFL faithful). I’ll try to encapsulate them here.
Game: New England Patriots (-03) @ New York Giants (1-2)
Where: Giants Stadium, Meadowlands, N.J.
Weather: weather.com
Playing Surface: Artificial
TV: WNBC (New York), WCVB TV (Boston)
Announcers: Don Criqui, Randy Cross
What It’s Not:
No, it’s not a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, and for those pundits who are working hard to create that impression, it might make more sense to compare it to the August 30, 2007 Preseason game between these two teams.
What it Is:
A final tune-up for the 22 players facing the “Turk” (Poor SOB charged with the job of handing out pink slips). Roster cuts are due this weekend, and the players “on the bubble” have one more opportunity to show what they can do to help a team. Aside from that a win or a loss doesn’t matter, though the Giants do currently hold preseason bragging rights having won 10, while the Patriot have won just 7 of the 17 exhibition matchups.
What To Look For:
Key Injuries: Tom Brady is not expected to play after missing another practice session this week. It’s the fourth preseason game, and Brady needs to nurse that bone bruise on his foot.
FOXBORO — The New England Patriots placed offensive lineman Stephen Neal on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list Tuesday with a shoulder injury. That news at least allows Neal to return after week six of the regular season.
The team also placed lineman Ryan O’Callaghan on the reserve/injured list (shoulder), which isn’t good news. O’Callaghan will miss the entire regular season as he rehabs the injury.
The Patriots also released three players: FB Kyle Eckel, DB Jason Webster and OL Ryan Wendell.
What Losing Neal Means:
The team’s decision to put Neal on the reserve/PUP list leaves a hole at the position, which may very well be filled by Russ Hochstein. A perennial reserve player, Hochstein has plenty of starting experience for New England. He has started 8 regular season games at center and 10 regular season games at guard. In the playoffs, he has started two games at center, two games at guard and one game at tight end.
If Hochstein doesn’t return from the issue that has kept him out of practice for over a week, then Billy Yates should get the call. Yates has experience as a starting guard, but if he’s not available – or up to the task – New England has a number of free agents with starting experience including Mike Flynn and John Welbourn
Tom Brady has been fortunate enough to have great protection since his time taking over in 2001. The Patriots offensive line has been a strenth of the team with consistency and cohesiveness for the past several years. Perhaps the biggest reason the Patriots were upset in February by the New York Giants was the surprisingly bad play by this unit. Brady was under pressure throughout the entire game and the offense never was able to get comfortable and into a rhythm. Was this an isolated incident or the sign of things to come? Michael Felger and Andy Gresh discuss in our next "Camp Checklist" season preview.
The four-game set against the battered and beaten Kansas City Royals was downright unreal. The Sox pitched and hit their way to something that I recently predicted, yeah thanks, I know I’m good.
I think starting pitcher Jon Lester deserves a special thanks and a pat on the back for his supernatural feat of throwing a no-hitter. Congratulations Jon!
Unfortunately, this blurb is going to be pretty short as I’m currently on a ferry to the most overpriced location in the country, that of course being Long Island.
All in all, the Sox looked good, especially outfielder J.D. Drew and third baseman Mike Lowell.
Starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka continued his dominance by walking six batters, but he still got the win. Little joke, I hope it made you giggle.
I’m sorry this can’t be longer, but on this ferry the internet is very intermittent and the amount of ample writing time I’ll have in the “Hamptons” will be limited at best.
So, wish me luck in the land of band-wagon New York Giants fans. I’m serious, you should see these yahoos.
Viva la Lowrie!
