Note to Team: Saving bones is not my foremost goal and I'm all too happy to share the plethora with the deserving candidates from next week's game!

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September 25 @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Player of the Week:

David Givens - Four bones of well earned reward as he grabbed 9 passes for 130 yards to lead the Patriots very productive offense. Many key passes showed off his exceptional body control. An excellent game to come forth and shine and an integral part to the victory. Well done David!

Honorable Mention

Adam Vinatierri

Three bones instead of four since he decided to show a touch of being human by missing a 53 yard attempt. Still with the game on the line there is no better Adamatic source for Victory than this, the best kicker in the History of the game.

Tom Brady

Completing 31 of 41 for 372 yards is impressive but the key to Tom's game was his Fourth Quarter performance going 12 for 12 and better still working the magic of 1:21 as he did in Superbowl 36 to set Adam up for the win. No touchdowns and an interception force it down to a two bone award but a well appreciated and deserved honorable mention.

Richard Seymour

When the big man decides to take over a game he does it. The Front line of defense harassed and pressured Rothlesberger into his less than stellar day and made salvaged the day for a battered secondary. Nobody epitomized that line's performance better than Seymour and his pair of sacks which netted him a pair of Ostend's treasured bones as well.

Monty Beissel

Ostend will never forget his Bruschi backer status of course but he will credit Monty with considerable improvement, development and performance. He led the defense in tackles and was in the right place for seemingly every play to perform admirably in the middle where a vacancy formed in the absence of Rodney Harrison. Only a single bone but his strides are getting him to where he'll need to be in the future as an essential Patriot Performer.

Player of the Week:

Despite Ostend's optimism, this might better be called Player of the Weak! Still there were a few performers, very few, whom stood out on a rather pathetic overall effort.

Patrick Pass

A three bone performance wins top honors for his eight receptions to lead all players. With a rushed Brady constantly checking down, Pass never failed to haul in the pass and though limited in yard after the catch he did his job which is remarkable for the team on this day. He added a single rush for six yards but there ended his opportunities.

Tim Dwight

Playing his old team he managed a pair of catches which included a beautiful 30 yard Touchdown reception. His sole Punt Return, they only punted twice, was an eight yard threat that keeps him as a premier threat to break a big return. Not enough for higher honors but worthy of a single bone on this day.

ST:

Kick Coverage

This maligned unit had their best game against a solid returner in Sproles. Good for them but ultimately irrelevant in the game results. Still they all deserve a bone for handling their job regardless of the remainder of the team's performance.

Willie McGinest

Though the aging vet is showing wear from playing a full time role this year, he still played with a fire absent from the rest of the defensive unit and entire team for that matter. Blowing up the screen was his work and generally showing an intensity not prevalent enough in this game is worthy deed sufficient for an Ostend Nyla-Bone.

Ostend is eager to find many worthy candidates and the highest bone awards of the season from this game. A much needed victory in a hostile stadium against a quality opponent would have enticed a few but there was some particularly stellar and worthy performances to challenge his ranking of their efforts:

Top Dog:

Tom Brady

Unquestionably his strongest game of the season as evidenced by his 140 passer rating but more importantly by his near flawless accuracy. He completed 22 of 27 passes for 350 yards and a trio of touchdowns. Though he was aided by many fine bits of effort on the receiving end and the yards after the catch, he was again at his best with the game on the line in engineering the game winning drive to set up Adam for the win with brilliant clock management. He may have four bones for his effort and had not an errant tip at the line caused his one interception, he might have completed another long gainer to the open Daniel Graham and netted the perfect Ostend rating which barely eluded him this time.

Honorable Mention:

Daniel Graham

Perhaps the best blocker on the team, Graham has all the athletic talent and receiving potential to be an all-pro. This week he let that skill showcase with the highlight reel run of the season after a catch and run TD which bowled over three defenders on his 45 yard TD. His season high five catches for 119 yards are clearly deserving of the four bones he took home from Ostend!

Patrick Pass

His 5.7 yards per carry were highlighted by a marvelous touchdown (game's first) and a critical 15 yard run on the games final drive! He has been a steady and significant contributer and this time the timely nature warrants him a trio of Ostend Bones. When at the two minute warning he romped up the middle for that 15 it made the field goal a chip shot and his next two steady runs let the clock wind down on the Falcons chances.

Deion Branch

Leading all receivers with 8 receptions for 108 yards including the first three completions to open up room for the running game and Tight ends. After a few challenged games the re-emergence of the Pats top receiver could bode well for the long haul. For his effort he'll haul in a pair of Ostend milk bones - gotta keep him healthy after all!

Ty Warren

The young Lineman made the first tackle of the game to stop Warrick Dunn after 2 yards and this set the tone as he led the team in tackles and very well handled his end assignment to limit a top NFL Rushing team to less yards than New England and nearly half their season average on the day. Warren was stellar and earned a pair of bones for his work.

Adam Vinatieri

What more can be said for the best kicker in the History of the game. When the game is on the line he delivers like no other and while only called on once, the assurety of the result is always worth an Ostend bone!

Stephen Neal

While the O-line as a whole did a marvelous bit of protection and hole generation for the running game, Neal stood above the others due to the best block in the game which sprung Graham for an early Touchdown. His work continued to leading the way for Pass late in the game and generally setting a tenacious tone. He can wrestle with a nyla-bone more than the one given to all his linemates as a team.

Willie McGinest

The biggest heart on defense this year, Willie broke his hand in the second quarter and still ranked second on the team with tackles including an essential run down of Duckett from behind which may have saved a game altering touchdown. Only a single bone but still well deserved for his heart and performance.

The ever optimistic Ostend had three fine points from this game:

1. 1) They did not quit as they did against San Diego but fought to and through the final moments with a chance to still earn a win after being so very deep (28-3) in a hostile stadium against a quality opponent.

2. 2) Patrick Pass emerged as he has all season with the Warrior Heart and Team able to ride his talent to some noteworthy success

3. 3) The bye has arrived with the hardest six games in NFL history behind us and the team tied for first in their division. They prepare for Buffalo with a week to rest, scheme and get healthy players back which hopefully includes Tedy Bruschi, Richard Seymour and Randall Gay!

Top Dog:

Patrick Pass

Once again he emerges as a stalwart. He had 10 rushes for 64 yards while adding 6 receptions for 89 yards. All were fairly timely and done while fighting the injury he had to beat as there were simply no replacements behind him since famous Amos has yet to learn the full repertoire of plays. Pass was easily the Player of the Game and Ostend's Top Dog Award Winner.

Josh Miller

Usually punters make the note sheet for key failures but Miller was steady yet again with several significant punts. He left three inside the 20 while only having one slip into the touchback realm. He commanded field position which unfortunately only led to longer plays by Denver but through no fault of the punter whom averaged more than 50 yards per punt! He'll take an Ostend bone for each of those three inside the 20 and receive the highest bone award ever given a punter.

Mike Vrabel

The linebacker has vanished for too much of the season as he works within the system but today he took a heavy load at inside linebacker and gave a solid performance. His 13 tackles more than doubled the next closest Patriot whom had 6 (Chad Brown). With the exception of two running plays the Pats held the Broncos attack under containment which was largely due to Vrabel. The long runs were both not in the vicinity of Vrabel whom likely would have stopped both. He has a well deserved trio of bones for his work despite the loss and general failings of most of the defense.

Tom Brady

Brady had to work for his bone award of two bones because his game was not stellar. His sequence of 3 for 14 was fundamental in the exhaustion of the defense and ultimately the loss. Tom is held to a higher standard and expected to be part of the reason we win. Still under a furious pass assault Brady did figure out how to handle the blitz and find his accuracy to start the team on a comeback which fell one score short. It fell short with a sadly and badly dropped pass by Givens and then an intentional grounding call which ultimately did equal damage. Despite this he still got a ball close enough to Branch for a near stellar catch to continue the drive. Alas it was too little too late but completing 299 yards in the air under that pressure and with several noted drops, he did well enough and managed to avoid the interception which could have sealed the fate sooner. It was not one of his best games but his toughness, resiliency and heart nearly drove us back from the brink and for that he has a big pair courtesy of Ostend.

Assante Samuel

It wasn't that he was particularly stellar though he stood well above the remainder of the secondary. Still when a message hit has been requested for a few weeks and the smallest db delivers the biggest hit of the last two seasons, he gets an Ostend Award bone and encouragement that confidence is Assante remains high if only he can be surrounded by better supporting cast in the secondary.