Steeler's Official Site	vs.	ESPN Steelers
ESPN Game Review		NFL Game Review

Underdogs Bite with Teeth of Champion
New England Patriots 30 - Pittsburgh Steelers 14

   There will be fewer and fewer 'experts' able to ignore.  Many will still claim Pittsburgh lost this game on their turnovers more than New England won it with their performance.  In fact Coach Cowher had this to say: ""It was a disappointing performance."  That doesn't imply much credit to New England?  Well they built up many excuses in the seven months since their last loss to New England, perhaps if they reorganize and arrive for a playoff rematch they might finally be convinced.  It was generally apparent that the best team did in fact win this game.

   The opening toss showed the confidence New England has for it's defense.  The opted to receive the ball in the second half allowing their defense to set the tone for this game as it did throughout the previous season.  The opening play was a run by Jerome Bettis and he met the heart of New England's run defense as Richard Seymour and Steve Martin stopped him with just a 2 yard gain.  New England has perhaps the best defensive line in their history as Seymour, Martin, Pleasant, Hamilton, Lyle, Holsey and Green will all share time as dominant players.  Stewart attempted the air and after an incompletion he did complete his next attempt - to Terrell Buckley who newly rejoined his Superbowl team.  

   Brady led the offense with an equally poor start as they failed to move against Pittsburgh's highly touted defense.  Fortunately they would not wait long for their next attempt as Mike Vrabel would intercept Stewart on the very next play.  A quick pass to Edwards bought 11 yards and a first down.  Pittsburgh then self-destructed as they earned three penalties (defensive holding, encroachment, defensive holding) and set up Brady to Fauria for a 4 yard Touchdown pass.  At 11:01 of the first quarter, Pittsburgh had two interceptions and three penalties to accompany their 7-0 deficit.

   Ty Law returned the favor on his way into Modi's doghouse.  He had a penalty for 23 yards and was beaten twice by Ward one of which also involved a missed tackle which allowed Ward to find the endzone on a 13 yard touchdown pass.  The Steelers had overcome their sluggish start and had recaptured momentum while tying the game.  Punts were traded but with Pittsburgh showing a bit more progress.  New England's second punt allowed Pittsburgh to begin their second consecutive 8 play drive in which Ty Law again had a penalty which set the Steelers at 1st and goal on the 1 yard line.  Their running prowess makes this a dangerous situation and New England seemed to be reeling.  A mysterious False Start was called against the Left Tackle despite any sign of motion.  No doubt New England caught a break from the officials as Pittsburgh was backed up to the 6 yard line.  Bruschi then hauled down Stewart for a loss.  One incompletion later Stewart hit Fuamatu-Ma'afala for six yards and thus just short of goal.  An unnecessary roughness call made it 4th and 16 on the 16 yard line, New England had won the battle.  Another False start (legitimate) made it five yards further and Peterson sent a 39 yard field goal wide to the left.  The momentum changed to new England.  In nine plays they marched into long Adam Vinatierri range and he nailed a 45 yard kick to give New England the lead they would never surrender.

   The choice to take the ball in the second half paid immediate dividends.  Although sacked on the initial play, Brady completed three passes as the hurry up offense used 5 wide receivers and an empty backfield to challenge the Steeler conditioning and linebacker coverage skills.  First Cleeland, then Patton on a deep ball to silence the critics of Brady's long ball and ultimately Hayes who was the benefactor of a Branch block which is still ringing in the ears of Lee Flowers.  Patten's catch was a perfect pass which despite pass interference was still caught by the concentrating David Patten.  New England was riding their momentum to the tune of a 17-7 lead and an inspired defense.  When Bettis attempted to counter this momentum with a 14 yard run, he might have prepared for his dance moves a bit early as Victor Green tore the ball loose from him and then dove upon it.  New England's inspired offense followed up with a nine play drive which put another touchdown on the board as Branch danced through two defenders for a 22 yard touchdown.  The electricity of Monday Night Football and a Superbowl Championship was ringing through the air at impressive Gillette Stadium.  We are the Champions boomed briefly on the 1000 points of sound speaker system before carrying to a loud and lengthy conclusion on the lungs of the joyous fans.  They knew their team had won the game and with enough margin to provide plenty of celebration.  

   Pittsburgh held onto the ball for only 3 plays as Stewart was again intercepted.  Buckley took advantage of a tip and had his second interception of the day.  Eight plays later, Adam Vinatieri scored his second field goal and the Patriots had a 20 point lead on the Steelers.  Gold and Black uniforms held hunched heads as they knew clearly they were not the better team.  New England would add another field goal to lead 30-7 with under 3:00 minutes remaining.  Pittsburgh used their timeouts as they attempted a futile final drive.  They drove 85 yards on 10 plays to face a 4th and 1 on the 1 with 4 seconds remaining.  Steward plunged over for the meaningless score against a Patriot Defense which was slapped by the audacity of the meaningless drive.  A slap which will ring in their ears to motivate them in the immediate future.  It was a blemish on their outstanding performance and it angered the tenacious defense.  New England was more physical, better conditioned, better coached and most importantly victorious.  They begin their season as they left off - with the longest winning streak in the league.  They continue the season as they left off - underdogs.  How many times will the underdog bite before someone else realizes they earned their top dog status and have the bite of a champion?  Las Vegas early line has the Jets favored next week....

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Phantom False Start on Pittsburgh which began their momentum crash - made more significant by Fu earning a personal foul and ultimately the Steelers going from 1st and goal at the 1 to a missed 37 yard field goal!

2. Pats open 2nd half by driving 74 yards on 4 plays with a highlight 40 yard touchdown to Hayes as Branch throws the block to free him.

3. Speaking of Branch, his 22 yard catch and run which included a pair of jukes to evade tackles effectively put the game out of reach and let New England Fans bask in the Championship frenzy.  Shortly after the catch "We are the Champions" was sung by 60,000 in a moment which recalled February 3rd!

4.   Willie McGinest set the hit of the game as he threw Kordell to the ground.  Though the fumble and subsequent Touchdown Run by Phifer was recalled, the play showed the tone of New England's defensive efforts.

5.   Brady completes a 4 yard TD to Christian Fauria to mark the first official score in Gillette Stadium.  Caught in the North Endzone it was refreshing to once again cheer for the #88 and to start the game, season and stadium appropriately with a New England Touchdown for the lead.

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See also: Ostend's Awards and Modi's Doghouse

Jets Official	vs	ESPN Jets
NY Daily News	Game Day Weather Report	NY Post - Jets
NFL Review	Sooth's Jet Board	ESPN Review

A Public Mugging of the NY Jets
New England Patriots 44 - New York Jets 7

   The phrase 'public mugging' is stolen from a beating New England put upon the San Diego Chargers several years back.  In fact it is difficult to use this term based upon the empty seats which comprised much of the game in Giant's Stadium.  This was the worst Jets loss at home in their history.  They did not managed only one first down in the first 40 minutes of play.  In fact - the Patriots laid claim to 40 minutes as their time of possession and added 4 to that for their final score.  That includes the fumble at the goal line!  A punter led the Jets in rushing on Turk's fake punt run for a first down, the team's second of the game, at 4:41 of the third quarter!  

   There are numerous means of showing the lopsided nature of this game which go far beyond the 44-7 score.  The fact is New England was functioning at a high level in every facet of the game and New York was quickly knocked off their stride and never managed to recover.  Interestingly enough the Patriots began offensively with four less than stellar series which went 4 plays-punt, Interception, Fumble and another 4 plays-punt.  Two of their three penalties came in these drives with a clip and a hold to kill the last drive.  The defense and special teams were on their game plans, however, and the Jets seemed particularly uninspired which quickly began the tide as new England never punted again while adding defensive scoring to their mix.  The Jets pass rush was squelched by the Patriots line while the Patriots provided pressure aplenty to force Vinny and eventually Chad into many mistakes.  The Patriots defensive line met their challenge in shutting down the run and giving the linebackers of the Patriots the freedom to make plays.

   The game stepped out of reach when the Jets opened the third quarter to a Tebucky Jones blitz which reached Testaverde and forced a fumble which he retrieved and took to the house for a seemingly insurmountable 17-0 lead.  Two series later the Jets were trailing 20-0 and attempted to find life by faking a punt which they managed successfully.  Moss then caught a 35 yard pass to knock on the door of the endzone.  That knock was answered by a former Jet as Victor Green raced to the endzone 90 yards away from his interception.  At 27-0 the game was decided and merely needed to play out it's course.  When the Jets did drive and score on the following play, New England put together another long scoring drive and it was time for Chad to get some work as Herman Edwards surrendered officially.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Tebucky Jones whacks Testaverde causing a fumble which he returns 24 yards for a 17-0 lead!

2. Victor Green's 90 yard interception Touchdown.

3. Cleeland catching a 1 yard Touchdown from Tom Brady to start the bleeding.

4.  Kevin Faulk's final touchdown as New England ran out the clock and still succeeded.

5.   Troy Brown fumbles on the goal line... 

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See also: Ostend's Awards and Modi's Doghouse

Chief Official	vs	ESPN Chief
ESPN Review		NFL Review

Mental & Defensive Meltdown Rides Offense and Luck to Victory
New England Patriots 41 - Kansas City Chiefs 38  * Overtime

   First and foremost was an outstandingly wild game in which overtime would be required to ensure the victor.  There is no mistaking the luck which was a factor in this victory.  The game could have gone to either team and New England is fortunate to take the experience from this game without a loss.  

   Most important detail of this game is the final result.  The Patriots won this game despite themselves and a host of errors which made them an exceedingly gracious host to their Kansas City rivals.  The Chiefs brought a very good game to the field as New England continuously found ways to hurt themselves and help the Chiefs exploit themselves.  They had personal fouls for late hits and hits out of bounds.  They had holding and False Start penalties.  They had encroachment and even special teams errors.  They were not mentally prepared for a game.  The Chiefs primary weapon is and has been Priest Holmes yet the Patriots enabled him to amass 180 yards rushing and score twice on the ground as well as once undefended on a pass reception.  Poor discipline, poor execution and poor schemes all compiled to make it a very dangerous day.  When a weary team allowed the final play of the game to be a one yard TD dive to call for overtime, it was difficult to believe the Patriot defense could have halted Kansas City again in this game.  Fortunately the potent offense won the rights to first possession and never game the Chiefs a chance.  There is no need for an otherwise statement because the game is over and the Patriots are 3-0.  Albeit a fortunate team to still remain undefeated at this point.  With the exception of the Bengals, NFL teams are rarely as good as they look in victory or as bad as they may look in defeat.  New England is not as bad as they looked in this narrow victory but they have some proof they are not elite to the remainder of the league.  They will need their performance upscaled to prevent a future review from needing to explain their first loss.

   The New England Patriots were simply flat.  They began the game without the mental discipline which has been their trademark.  The first quarter included more than twice the yardage in penalties than they produced with offense (60 to 24).  One play into the second quarter the Chiefs had a 10-0 lead along with some confidence they could control the Patriots with their running game.  Where had this originated?  New England had offensively attacked them almost entirely with their passing game.  Dropped balls in the early going had joined penalties to thwart the previously potent offensive unit.  Defensively the outside of the line was being attacked with some success.  Phifer and Bruschi have shown the speed to play the outside linebacker position and make the sure tackles which were not being made in the early going of this game.  Worse still, this would play a role later in the game as the interior of the line would work harder in pursuit of the outside runs and they wore down over the course of the game. 

   There are several problems which are made apparent as a result of this game.  New England is more thin at linebacker than they need.  Priest Holmes made the ludicrous comments: "We proved something to ourselves and to the NFL'' & "Other teams can see how we were able to expose'' the Patriots' weaknesses."  These do not factor in the absent players which were a significant part of the challenge.  It does apply to their depth at this position and is legitimate cause for concern.  The fact is the defense was vastly inferior this entire game.  They were not the only culprits in the struggle but they were a major factor.  The Coaches have earned a fellowship of blame as well.  Firstly because they must develop the team’s preparedness and thus when mental miscues are in such abundance, they have clearly failed.  More directly they made decisions which provide question.  When the Patriots had scored a touchdown in the second quarter to rally a bit from their 10-0 deficit, Belichick called for a two-point conversion attempt.  This decision seems poor at the early juncture and more so for the risk it provided in stealing from the new found momentum.  Instead of deflating the Chiefs it provided them a small victory to take from the play.  Ultimately it was erased by a successful conversion on a future score, however, this game could easily have been decided on the foolishness of that decision.  A second concern for the coaching staff is the inability to effectively scheme to prevent the success of Priest Holmes.  With Tony Gonzalez hindered further by injury, the focus should even more significantly have oriented upon him.  It was not.  Even with a half to adjust for these detriments, the staff not only failed to adjust schemes to stop Homes, they failed to inspire their team as the opening drive of the Chiefs showed more dominance over the Patriots and created a 17-9 hole when an entirely unguarded priest Homes caught a Touchdown pass and walked into the end zone untouched. 

   A final observation on the failings of New England involves their seeming dependence on the pass.  Perhaps more appropriately their near fear of running the ball.  Tom Brady is showing signs of mastery at play fakes and ball handling but all this will be of no avail if the opposition need not fear a run.  Brady is being hit consistently because the opposition is able to ignore the run.  Inclement weather and long seasons of such hits make this a questionable strategy.  Little fault will be found with an offense will exploded for 41 points despite their slow start in the first quarter.  It is, however, a concern which needs attention and consideration.

   Amidst the recollection of this game as the Penalty ridden demonstration of mediocrity from the World Champions, should be an equally poignant memory.  Trailing by 8 points in the third quarter, Tom Brady and Troy Brown lifted this team onto their shoulders.  It became near laughable to hear “Brady complete to Troy Brown” as they set a franchise marks including a remarkable touchdown reception which enabled them to tie the game.  Troy eclipsed the previous franchise record of 13 receptions as he grabbed 16 passes for 176 yards.  How does an undersized receiver without tremendous speed manage such feats?  He plays with full effort on every play.  He plays with intelligence as he regularly found the hole in the rather poor zone of the Chiefs. Troy has long been the player with unmatched heart on this team.  He now stands proudly forth as the heart of this team.  As long as Troy Brown is able to take the field, the offense will be at risk of generating points.

   Having completed deserved praise for Troy Brown, this game was nearly hinged upon a defense which could not stop the run, did not stop the pass and when they were twice handed 14 point fourth quarter leads, managed to squander them.  In fact with 3 seconds remaining and a fourth down on the goal, the defense allowed none other than Priest Holmes to surge not once but twice and ultimately into the end zone as time expired.  Such gut check failures will be a bitter aftertaste for the entire week.  They will recall the man missed tackles and blown coverages as the coaching staff is certain to atone for their failures by reminding the defense of theirs.  This is a previously proud defense and they will respond but must live with their performance for the duration of this week.  Fortunately the other part of the Brady-Brown tandem was ready for overtime and with the confident swagger he is providing to all of Patriot Nation, Tom Brady drove the Patriots directly down the field to set up Adam Vinatieri for his Field Goal.  Some kickers have such things called Field Goal attempts but this is not so for the endlessly dependable clutch kicker of the New England Patriots. 

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Completion to David Patten for x yards in overtime

2. New England defense failing as time expires in regulation

3. Troy Brown’s Touchdown reception to tie the game in the third quarter

4.  Antowain Smith’s 42 yard Touchdown run which should have sealed the game and established the run.

5.   Priest Holmes fumble in the fourth to set up New England’s 31-17 lead!

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Charger Official	vs	ESPN Chargers
SanDiego News	NFL Review	SanDiego Message Board

MISSED Opportunities
New England Patriots 14 - San Diego Chargers 21

   This was a compilation of many misses for New England.  It was a game which could very well have been a victory but they missed their chance for such as the standings are now etched in stone and a more deserving Charger team holds the only NFL 4-0 mark.  So the Patriots missed an opportunity for victory but they missed far more.  They missed a Field Goal which hadn't occurred yet this season.  They missed tackles aplenty and generally missed LaDainian Tomlinson all afternoon.  They missed many an opportunity for momentum as they continuously, 10 for 10 in fact, ended drives in San Diego territory.  In fact it seemed the only thing they didn't miss (much) was Troy Brown as Deion Branch filled in aptly with 13 catches for 128 yards.  

   There is no mistaking the San Diego Chargers deserved this victory.  They force fed an apparently unprepared Patriot defense with a healthy diet of LaDainian Tomlinson.  Easily the star of the game, he amassed 217 yards on the ground as well as leading the Chargers in receptions.  Accompanying the clock control and ground based attack, San Diego excelled in making big plays to decide the game.  While they did have an impressive 10 play drive which was entirely runs and consumed 6:20 of game time, the Chargers won this game with big plays.  Tomlinson broke an early 25 yard run to set up Brees for a 52 yard completion to Curtis Conway over Otis Smith while Victor Green completely misplayed his safety responsibilities.  Hardly finished with just one such play, Tomlinson broke out a 38 yard run for a Touchdown to cap a nine play drive and tie the game for the second time.  Still there is no doubt their biggest play came on the opening drive of the second half when Tomlinson broke a 58 yard run on the second play.  These three plays were all well earned - all involved Chargers excelling while Patriot players fell short - embarrassingly short in all three cases.  The Chargers were not simply an offensive big play unit, however.  Their defense made many big plays.  Perhaps most significantly was an early first quarter play.  New England had taken the opening kickoff and driven down-field with the dominating precision expected of their offense this season.  They had balance as their six passes and five runs yielded them a momentum building 7-0 lead.  A seeming fumble on the kickoff had New England's Momentum sure to silence the crowd and potentially the Chargers with a second possession starting on the Charger 26 yard line.  A challenge surprisingly turned the call but four plays later the ball was again fumbled and New England had possession at the Charger 39.  The Charger defense rose to the occasion and halted the Patriots in just three plays with Marcellius Wiley batting down a first down pass.  This prevented the big momentum swing and their offense answered the call.  Ten times New England drove into San Diego territory which is more impressive when noting they had only ten possessions.  The two most critical points of these drives took place in the third quarter when the Chargers twice intercepted Tom Brady as the Patriots were in serious threat of tying the game with a touchdown.  Once at the 12 yard line and most devastatingly at the 7 when New England was operating from a 2nd and 1!  

   Big plays all around for the Chargers while New England's unit repeatedly missed their opportunities for big plays.  Up 7-0 they fail to move the ball after taking possession on the Charger 39 with all the momentum on their side and a reasonably silent crowd.  So when Conway beat Otis (doghouse) Smith to tie the game, it enabled Momentums mighty swing away from the Patriots.  Still they did manage another Touchdown drive and seemingly had Mo back.  When their defense held solid and they again drove impressively down to Adam's 'money' range, the big play eluded them and a missed Field Goal Charged up San Diego again.  They electrified their crowd and themselves with a big play score from Tomlinson.  Still the Patriots had time to answer before the half and after a bit of movement Donald Hayes had a key opportunity.  He beat Quentin Jammer on a sideline route which Tom Brady reasonably well hit.  Instead of first and goal, however, Hayes didn't catch the ball cleanly and New England had to punt.  If that stop wasn't enough to give the Chargers more Momentum, Walter's pathetic 17 yard punt had a half time full of optimism and belief for the Chargers and doubt for the Patriots.  Recall those claims of missed opportunities.  The score was tied and New England departed on a down note despite the following half-time statistical points:

   New England had dominated in many categories during the first half but had little to show for it.  Now the Chargers were going to bring 'Marty-ball' to the Patriots which was made all the easier by their initial drive of the second quarter.  Trailing 21-14 New England's offense moved the ball but Tom Brady's interception gave the Chargers possession at their own 28.  Three consecutive runs had yielded 9 yards when the Chargers would challenge the Patriots defense in a very surprising manner.  Facing 4th and 1 on their own 34 they chose to go for it.  Risking such dangerous field position in such a close match makes many statements.  It was a statement of support to his offensive unit and disrespect to the Patriot defensive unit.  The Patriots have generally excelled in such situations over the course of their 12 game win streak.  It is not a 13 game win streak for a reason - they failed this challenge and made Marty Shottenheimer a wise coach.  They pounded a ball control offense running 10 consecutive times before losing it on downs at the Patriot 39.  The message had been sent and his dual shot of confidence lifted the morale of his offense and his defense.  The 'potent' Patriot offense managed zero points in the second half of the game.  The Question had been posed regarding the top offense meeting the top defense.  This day the Chargers showed it was the top offense which would yield even as they exploited a Patriot defense which has allowed 459 yards rushing in 2 games.  There is trouble in Patriot Nation but nothing as impressive as last season when at this juncture they were 1-3 having just been blown entirely away by the Miami Dolphins in Miami.  This was a battle of competitive teams with the winner earning the title of best team in football currently.  There are still 12 more weeks to clarify the title and on that will rest the hopes of New England.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. LaDainian Tomlinson's 3rd quarter 58 yard sprint for the ultimate margin of victory.

2. Bennett's clutch 52 yard punt forcing New England to start the final drive from their own 4 yard line!

3. Curtis Conway's 52 yard grab for the tie and a momentum reversal.

4.  Tomlinson's 38 yard burst for the tie and (deja vous) a momentum reversal.

5.   Tom Brady's miserable 2nd interception on 2nd and 1 at the 23!

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See also: Ostend's Awards and Modi's Doghouse

Dolphin Official	vs	ESPN Dolphins
ESPN Review	Miami Herald	NFL Review

Matching Intensity is a Formula for a Loss
New England Patriots 13 - Miami Dolphins 26

   Damien Woody inadvertently summed up the woes of the New England Patriots this week.  "We didn't match their intensity."  Is the goal to match the intensity set by other teams?  Unlikely.  The secret to winning football isn't overly complex.  While there are many ingredients, the most fundamental element is simply to be more physical - more intense!  You should not take your cue politely from the opposition but rather step out and set your own high level of intensity.  This simple formula won the Pats 11 consecutive games.  Had they continued they may very well be talking about 14 consecutive wins.

   Make no mistake, the Patriots fell well short of matching intensity.  The Dolphins took this game to New England with drive control and solid defense.  Although perhaps the Patriots had some of their intensity stolen as the officials leaped into the fray early.  After Miami missed a Field Goal on their first possession, New England drove down to the Dolphin 31 at which point a 15 yard penalty was called on Compton.  It was simply an awful call.  Compton pushed into the group late but with little force or aggression.  If the officials sought to adhere to rules they might equally have flagged the three Dolphin players still pounding away at Antowain Smith.  This call came when the Patriots were poised to put the first points on the board and hold momentum.  From the mire of this hold Jason Taylor sacked Tom Brady and forced a fumble which the Dolphins recovered.  This play and series set the tone for the game.  While most of the credit falls to Taylor's abuse of Matt Light, the situation was set up by an official's poor decision.  They were not finished in this series however.  Facing a 3rd and 8, Jay Fiedler was seemingly sacked.  He 'evaded' the sack while the previously over zealous officials suddenly had a change of heart.  Three separate blocks in the back or holding calls fell on blind eyes apparently.  The sacker was shoved from behind without call, Richard Seymour was pushed to the ground from behind and Mike Vrabel was given like treatment while the yellow hankies were seemingly in use as blindfolds.  Still the play could have been halted by Buckley or Law had they not run over each other in a tragedy of error which gave Fiedler the 8 yard Touchdown run.  

   Games are not lost on such incidents though they may contribute.  So when the Patriots offense sputtered immediately with one of their four first half drives which was less than four plays in length.  It was in fact three plays and concluded with an interception rather than a punting unit.  Tom Brady had made a poor choice and Sam Madison had made an excellent read as Brady threw an easy interception.  Still the Patriot defense held and forced a Field Goal which had already been gift-wrapped by Brady's interception. The trouble is the officials found their flags though apparently not at the expense of their blindfolds.  Bruschi was called for a mysterious penalty which gave the 4th and 10 Dolphins an automatic first down.  Allegedly he climbed over one of his own players illegally although this simply did not occur.  Apparently jumping was his penalty which fell into a similar category with Compton's illegal nudging.  Both had ludicrous enforcement.  The Dolphins took advantage and the Patriots trailed 13-0 opening the path for Ricky Williams to own the clock.

   The game came into some question early in the second half.  Tedy Bruschi forced a fumble with a well placed hit and Victor Green leaped upon it.  Four plays later the Patriots reminded themselves Miami had trouble covering a Tight End in the previous week. The next play David Patten had the endzone and New England was in the game.  Opting for two was a wise choice in the attempt to make it a one score game.  Choosing to throw to Mike Vrabel for the second time in two weeks was foolish.  The play was brilliant in San Diego because they did not expect it.  Miami had the footage and Vrabel was well covered.  This poor choice stole a bit of Momentum from the Patriots.  The following offensive series, at 7:16 in the 3rd, New England had just scored.  The Dolphins Offense had provided a 3 and out (one of only two such occurences in this game).  How does New England's offense respond with this opportunity?  The offense flops 3 and out as well with 2 incompletes and a pass well short of the first down.  The Pats were not ever in the game again.  Never give up Mo-mentum when you have it captured. 

   New England did all they would need to lose this game with no dependency upon the previous two paragraphs.  Those made it far easier for the Dolphins but the facts are Miami held the ball for 39:59 - effectively doubling the Patriot Time of Possession.  Miami converted 9 of 17 third down situations (53%) while New England managed an anemic 3 of 10 (30%).  New England rushed for 37 yards and Miami for 137 yards.  The Dolphins in short earned the game with dominant line play leading their way.  Factor in the three turnovers by Tom Brady and the astounding starting field position differential and it isn't a surprise to find the Dolphins decisive victors and deserving holders of first place in the AFC-East.

   If the Patriots are to take a lesson from this game they should learn not from Miami but from themselves.  The New Orleans Saints came to Foxboro November 25, 2001.  The Saints were a physical team who dominated lines of scrimmage.  New England made the decision to raise their game to the highest level they could achieve and to control the lines for themselves.  They dominated in this game and never looked back as they continued on to the Superbowl Victory.  Inspiration isn't matched to your opponent it is set to your best level of performance.  If you play your 'A Game' and you are the better team, you will win the game.  New England hasn't had their A game for a few weeks and today they were clearly not the better team as a result.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Sack by Jason Taylor at 5:28 which caused a Brady Fumble and set up the opening score.

2. Penalty Call on Compton at 6:39 in 1st as Pats had reached scoring range (31 yard line) with Momentum but were unreasonably relegated to 2nd and 23 at the 47.

3. Touchdown Run By Fiedler on 3rd and 8 when he should have been sacked.

4.  Tom Brady's interception on the 2nd play of the 2nd quarter at the New England 30 Yard line.

5.   3rd and 8 at 5:45 in the 3rd Quarter: Chambers is wide open for 17 yard conversion.

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Packer Official	vs	ESPN Packers
ESPN Review		NFL Review

Sadly - Pretenders until Proven Otherwise
New England Patriots 10 - Green Bay Packers 28

   When the preview questions “Contenders or Pretenders” then the results of a game such as yesterday are a clear answer to the question.  The team which has taken the field for New England over the last four weeks has been far less than the Championship quality needed for this season.  In fact they have steadily deteriorated in their performance with the worst game since losing to the Dolphins in Miami in 2001!  While it is true the game began with many encouraging signs as well as some reasonable performances, this game was a demonstration of New England ineptitude for most of the day.  The team’s seeming strong start had several key plays in which they found the way to start a downward spiral from which they lacked the ability to emerge.  Whether is is coaching, veteran leadership or an individual based challenge the team must find the means to rise above the small challenges with performances strong enough to carry them through such adversity.  Otherwise there will be more losses than victories over their next 10 games.  Be assured this team could learn much from Jim Mora’s infamous speach of not so long ago: “Playoffs?!  You’re talking playoffs?”  Not in New England!  This team is far too lacking in discipline, focus, effort and most significantly results.

   A rainy Foxboro Autumn descended and lingered with an air of ominous foreboding.  For every bit of magic held in the snow of last year’s victory over the Raiders, this game held a stagnant and unmotivated morning.  New England won the toss and took the ball.  Much as they had done in San Diego they began with a very precise and crisp offensive attack which was moving the ball well.  This was far less successful than that drive as 3 quick first downs were wasted with some questionable decisions and a significant miscue on the part of Tom Brady.  Having just earned their third first down with an 8 yard Antowain Smith run, the Patriots ran again with Kevin Faulk.  Why step away from the Big Back after his first carry and such a successful carry?  Ask Charlie Weiss but it’s on a lengthy list of questions.  So with a very successful short game it is certainly reasonable to take a shot deep on occasion.  Second and eight is not the ideal time for such.  It was definitely not the ideal time for Brady’s under-throwing of what might well have been a 43 yard Touchdown pass and was instead a 36 yard interception.  One which at the least should have been prevented by a modest effort on the part of David Patten who had found room on the inside and deep although the pass was thrown outside and short.  Promising drive ends with one of many very significant first half turnovers.

   The defense took the field with Green Bay backed up to the 7 yard line.  Green gains an acceptable 4 yards on first down.  Favre then hit Glenn (only 3 catches for 19 yards) to set up a 3^rd and 1 yard remaining.  The crowd was very loud and clearly into the game.  New England lined up to stuff the run and Green Bay lined up to run the ball.  Ahman Green gained 5 yards.  He didn’t gain just 1 or 2, he gained five yards on the first challenge play for the Patriot Defense.  The rain still drizzled upon the field sustaining the ominous foreboding.  Three plays later the defense had a change again for vengeance with another 3^rd and 1.  Again the crowd raised the volume to pierce the fog and support their defense.  Again Ahman Green pounded up the middle with more than sufficient yardage (3) to net another first down.  The defense did hold although not before allowing Green Bay to near midfield and ease the field position which had been earned.  This is especially significant as the following 11 play 51 yard drive resulted in a punt rather than points.  That drive hit failure to a cause which would be common for New England on this day: penalties.  Plural!  Having driven to a 1^st and 10 at the Green Bay 42, Brady hit Branch for a 6 yard gain but Branch was called for pass interference.  Ten yards of penalty and 6 yards of lost offense yields a 16 yard penalty!  Still they nearly dug out again as Brady again it Branch at the Green Bay 16 for a 28 yard gain.  This was also called back as Branch had apparently stepped out of bounds prior to making the reception.  Five yards of real penalty and 28 yards of lost offense yields 33 yards.  The drive lost an astounding 49 yards of total offense.  Penalties are especially challenging for an offense which is based so strongly upon the shorter passes.  1^st and 15 can nearly be insurmountable for this style of offense and as such penalties are a nearly assured drive killer.

     The Patriots had a horrific day yet their first three offensive possessions resulted in 9 first downs,  28 plays and precisely 3 points.  Their next two possessions would result in turnovers, one of which followed a prolonged Green Bay drive for a touchdown.  It set up a one play touchdown to make a 14-3 deficit.  So in their five possession of the first half they had statistically performed better than the Packers.

    However turnovers and the timely occurrence of plays is very significant.  New England found the most timely opportunities to earn a penalty and sustain a Green Bay drive.  Having just taken their brief 3-0 lead, New England then allowed Green Bay to drive within Field Goal range.  They did stop Favre on their own 26 yard line.  Longwell hit the Field Goal on 4^th and 2 but New England had committed dual infractions which were each enough to provide their foes with an automatic first down.  Brian Kelly had encroachment and Richard Seymour had hands to the helmet which was the accepted penalty.  Seymour’s penalty was indicative of the discipline problem which reared throughout the day.  Brett Favre did indeed graciously thank the Patriots by putting a touchdown on the books.

   To re-emphasize their lack of focus, hustle and discipline the Patriots had the key play of the game on the very next offensive play.  Well the next offensive play which counted.  Antowain Smith did have a 5 yard run first but a David Patten holding penalty ensured it would come back and give New England a 1^st and 20 at their own 17 yard line.  Now they were poised for the play of the game.  Brady threw a screen pass to Kevin Faulk but it bounced off his hands to the ground where it sat for several seconds with nobody moving.  Green Bay realized it was a parallel lateral and thus not a forward pass.  They fell on the ‘fumble’ and had possession at the New England goal line.   One play later Favre provided the 14-3 lead which would prove to be sufficient for the game.

   The game did continue of course for another half with considerable opportunity for the Patriots to adjust and return with the intensity which carried them through last year.  However, leading the Patriots and getting the kickoff, Green Bay was determined to own the clock.  They used an opening 12 play drive which had a pair of New England penalties to help sustain it.  Miraculously Longwell missed the Field Goal and New England was still in position to recapture the game despite showing little adjustment in discipline or performance.  They managed only a 3 and out with a run for no gain and a sack by Kampman and Hunt.  It might still have survived with some hope and optimism if the next play went slightly differently.  Gordon is leveled while receiving the punt and fumbles it away.  Larry Izzo dives on the ball and seemingly has control as the pile mounts.  When the pile is disentangled, Izzo nor the Patriots are in possession of it.  

   The next series Green Bay would score another touchdown aided by 34 yards of penalty which was slightly dubious.  The game was nearly out of hand and would be such if New England did not immediately score.  Seven plays to the Green Bay 35 before Brady hit Anderson at the 13 yard line - if only Anderson were a Patriot receiver instead of a Green Bay defensive back.  The Packers next series they took 4:16 off the clock and plunged Green into the endzone and New England out of the game for good.  The Pats punted their next possession with 9:51 left in the game and needing three scores.  In Green Bay territory this was foolish at best.  The defense rose up and New England came back with a quick touchdown to tease some hope and to give David Givens the only Ostend bone of the day.  The defense held again but the game was over and only the coaching staff wasn't aware.  They played hurry up to the final two plays (short passes of course) even though it was over and the only possible result of significance was an injury to a player.  It was as pathetic and meaningless as the end of the Steeler defeat in which Tedy Bruschi raged about the very same behavior.  If time and plays were so valuable there were many late runs which were highly questionable and many short passes equally so.  If you like the results of the short passes so well than one must question the frequent ill-timed long balls.  That of course is an issue for Charlie Weiss.  Though Weiss gets much blame, the foremost blame rests on the players who better realize very soon the dire straits ahead of them.  This game is about being physically dominant.  Push the other team around and you will most often win.  Get pushed around and you will lose frequently.  Six games is hopefully enough to make this message clear.  The hungry Patriots went 3-0, the lackluster "Championship defenders" went 0-3 with steadily worse games.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Brady/Faulk fumble on screen with no/low effort to recover and an easy Green Bay touchdown on a tired Patriot Defense.

2. Dual penalties on Green Bay's first Field Goal which led to a Touchdown instead

3. Patriots Force Fumble on punt but fail to recover and ended their momentum.

4.  Pack Leading 21-3 in 3rd Quarter and Brady intercepted at Green Bay 13 on 2nd and 20.

5.   Tom Brady's interception to end the promising opening drive.
5a.  Matt Light dons uniform

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Bronco Official	vs	ESPN Bronco
NFL Review	Denver Post	ESPN Review

Night of the Living Dead - A Halloween Trick
New England Patriots 16 - Denver Broncos 24

   This won't surprise most of the world: The New England Patriot Superbowl Champions of last season are dead.  Championships typically do 'die' or end in the season from which they emerge.  A few can survive several seasons but those are the rarity in today's NFL. The New England Patriots hinted they might thrive for another season after a strong initial start to their season.  Having lost four straight games they are dead although not yet buried.  Seasons have been resurrected before and can be again.  Still the team which won the World Championship may have much of their talent base preserved, still they have transformed into more of a walking dead than the defiant and tenacious team.  No Silver Bullets are needed to defeat this transformation however.  A team needs simply to run strongly on their offensive efforts and to sell out to stop the pass on the defensive front.  Denver was well suited for this task and it was less skill than fortune which had New England close in the late moments of the fourth quarter.  The entire first half New England did much to demonstrate their dead status.  They opened flat on offense, launched a woeful punt to ease the Bronco task and then seemingly lay motionless as Denver drove for a Touchdown which only required one third down situation.  In that first half, Denver amassed a stunningly perfect record on third down conversions: 6-6!  

There are many instances in a football game in which much will hinge upon a particular play.  There are roughly 12 such plays each game for which a team must rise or watch their opponent do such.  These key moments were strengths of last season and have been a glaring demonstration of ineptitude this season.  When the walking dead showed some life and scored their first touchdown, they followed it by having a defensive debacle.  First play was pass interference for a free 24 yard gain.  Still they forced a punt range third down only to allow Ed McCaffrey enough 15 untouched yards.  They liked the play so much they repeated it on the next 3rd down situation.  Denver's Touchdown was key in shutting down New England Momentum.  How did the first two Patriot possessions end?  Third down sacks instead of conversions.  Despite this, New England picked up their game in the second half.  The defense allowed only one field goal (albeit in part due to a pair of Elam misses).  When Brady hit Fauria for the TD to start the fourth quarter, there was plenty of life in the team and crowd.  Almost enough to overcome the failed two point conversion which would have brought the game within a Field Goal.  The response to this drive instantly became critical.  The Broncos drove down the field earning 4 first downs and 68 yards.  Though Tedy Bruschi did have a bid for play of the game when he stopped Anderson short on 3rd and 1 at the 1, the fact is Denver responded with a Field Goal to make the lead 8 points.  The Pats never did threaten after this with the offensive line being the primary culprit giving up a sack on each series.

   The Patriots aren't rising up to big play occasions with big plays.  They are making tremendous mental breakdowns time and time again.  They are better than they are playing but seemingly less good than they apparently believe.  There's some desperation required to win, desperation which isn't evident in the defensive line play, offensive line play, secondary, receivers - across the board.  In fact Lawyer Milloy may have succinctly phrased the root of the problem: ''I don't like to lose. I'm a very sore loser. The unfortunate thing is there are 50 other guys that need to feel the same way I do. I don't think that collectively we're hurting from these losses like we should be.''    It was also evident in a very telling comment by Brian Griese, one which hopefully will be forced down his throat later this year but only if it wakes up the dead:  "New England, if you look at it, should have been hungrier than they were."

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. An entire drive earns the first honor.  Having just shown a spark of life (their first) and scored to close the gap to 14-7, New England's defense gave up a huge 70 yard Touchdown March to the Broncos and surrendered all momentum. (7:10 mark of 2nd Quarter)

2. Narrowing it down slightly, two key plays of that above series: Both 3rd and 4 both passes to Ed McCaffrey for 15 and 14 yards and pivotal 1st downs.  (5:51 & 4:09 of 2nd Quarter)

3. The Facemask:  Pryce 'sacked' Brady by the facemask in an easy 15 yard automatic first down play which would have made a 3rd and 22 at the NE 38 a 1st and 10 at the Denver 47.  This is not why the Patriots lost but it was a crucial play and indicative of a perplexing penalty perfection by every Patriot opponent. (3:08 in 4th Quarter)

4.   Ken Walters gives the ball to Denver with a woeful 21 yard punt for their first possession.  Starting in New England territory made their work easier and a lead has immediate influence on a game. (13:24 of 1st Quarter)

5.   Elam misses his chip shot 39 yard Field Goal to give New England hope (4:25 of 4th Quarter)

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Bills Official	vs	ESPN Bills
NFL Review	Buffalo News	ESPN Review

Big Win Is Just One Small Step
New England Patriots 38 - Buffalo Bills 7

   This was in fact a 'big win' and the Patriots deserve considerable credit for their performance in this pivotal AFC-East match-up.  It was, however, just one small step of a race in which they trail by several strides.   Even within this game are some humbling details despite the rout.  On two separate Bills' drives we gave up an astonishing 8 first downs each!  This was a major part in the 28 first downs allowed.  Some of those were impressive defensive let downs as Buffalo converted 3rd & 16 as well as 3rd & 20 on their lone scoring drive.  Nitpicking?  When the game was still a contest (at the half), Travis Henry averaged 5.8 yards per carry.  He would only carry 3 times in the second half because New England's offensive scoring had done as much to stop him as New England's defense.  Other pertinent details include another 8 penalty performance, though admittedly this was in part due to a late surge on the Bills' final drive.  Still the second drive of the Patriots was thwarted when Matt Light, again, was flagged for a False start at a critical juncture.  The win involved some breaks as Hollis missed 3 Field Goals which was sufficient to keep them out of the competitive range early as New England piled up yards.  Buffalo was forced from the most effective style of game against New England.  The good news is the Patriots did capitalize on this.  They took advantage of a one-dimensional Buffalo attack and ultimately produced enough stops to ensure the victory.

   Buffalo is a weak defensive team and New England exploited this fact.  They had a good game plan and executed it very well which against some recent opponents they could not manage despite exploitable points of weakness such as Green Bay's secondary.  It began with the line giving Brady enough time and committing notably fewer penalties.  It continued with receivers such as Graham, Patten, Smith and Faulk not only being sure-handed but also being elusive after the catch in piling on more yards. It most fundamentally involved the offensive line moving the line enough for Antowain Smith to be a featured part of the performance which he did in the hard running style of last season.

   For all of the reasons to guard excessive optimism, such as the record and a few game deficiencies, the fact is New England did dominate a division opponent.  They made the plays with the timing necessary to ensure wins whereas last week they made plays but lacked the timing of them.  Brady's best drive was his first drive which started New England with a lead.  When Buffalo reached scoring range, Ted Johnson with some help from Willie McGinest came up with an 18 yard sack of Drew Bledsoe.  This was just enough to have Hollis' field goal drop short.  A fair catch led to Ken Walters only punt of the game.  There's a statistic, the Patriots punted exactly once the entire game!  On that Bills' possession, Ted Johnson came up huge again as he stuffed Henry for a loss on 3rd & 1 to force a 3 play limit on the Bills offense.  New England then featured Antowain Smith as 5 of 8 plays called his number including the Touchdown scoring middle screen which gave New England a 14-0 lead.  New England's defense allowed Buffalo too many yards but were saved by a bad hold as Hollis missed his second field goal of the game.  The Patriots would add a field goal of their own before allowing the lone scoring drive of the game.  One in which a significant Willie McGinest sack was negated by a roughing the passer called.  There was no blow to the head, there was in fact little reason at all for the penalty save that Drew was taken down impressively by McGinest.  Thus the drive was sustained twice by first down penalties and twice by New England yielding on 3rd and very long.  The 1 yard touchdown to Price, who torched New England all day long, would be the only points Buffalo would score.

   The New England defense emerged from half time with a stop of Buffalo on the opening drive.  The Bills punted from the 32 yard line in an exceedingly questionable choice.  The Patriots offense capitalized in large part to the best run screen pass perhaps in Patriot history.  Faulk hit the blitzing end perfectly to stop the pressure and allow himself to roll free immediately afterwards.  Andruzzi had the most pivotal block though Branch and Woody deserve much credit as well.  The bulk of the credit does belong to Faulk who used moves and speed to race 45 yards into the endzone which effectively put the game out of reach.  This was confirmed when on the next series an inspired defense allowed the Bills just one yard before they were forced to punt.  The Bills were defeated and New England ran over them for several more scores as they routed them 38-7 while playing clock games the rest of the way.  Buffalo did mount an impressive 98 yard drive which ended out of time on the goal line.

   While there were clear problems such as Buckley's game long 'performance.'  There were many clear signs of inspiration such as Teddy Johnson, Tom Brady, Antowain Smith and a host of others.  The offense untracked against a weaker defense and the defense was sufficiently efficient to allow only 7 points.  The midway point of the season has the Patriots even and one game out of first place in their division.  They still control their season's destiny and do so finally on an upswing again.  Very good signs but still just small steps .... which when repeated over the 8 opportunities ahead will ensure a very good January in New England.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Faulk's Touchdown reception for 45 yards of screen pass in the 3rd Quarter.

2. Ted Johnson sacks Drew Bledsoe on first Bill's drive for an 18 yard loss on 3rd down.  This ultimately led to the missed field goal!

3. Smith's 13 yard Touchdown reception at 13:03 of the 2nd quarter.  The 14-0 lead began to change Buffalo's game plan.

4.   A bad hold helps Hollis miss his second consecutive Field Goal and dash Bill's spirits.

5.   The defense follows the Faulk Touchdown by forcing a 3 & out on the Bills who completely broke after this drive.

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Bears Official	vs	ESPN Bears
NFL Preview	Chicago Tribune	ESPN Preview

Winning Ugly is Still Winning: Miracle at the Medway?
New England Patriots 33 - Chicago Bears 30

   A win.  December 30th 2002 this will be noted primarily as a win and the details will be of little relevance.  There was 2.5 quarters of very Ugly Patriot football which set the stage for a comeback of Legendary proportions after several breakdowns of impressive proportions.  Though it will be just a win the tendency for wins like this are to bring out the best in teams.  Players bond together when they rally from such deficits (27-6) and emerge in heroic fashion.

   The game began with a fine return of 33 yards by Branch.  After Antowain Smith showed a powerful run of 5 yards to bring up 3rd and 2, it seemed a good sign for the Patriot run game and the team progress.  Scoring first in Buffalo set the tone for the team but this game was not to be so easy.  After success with a power run it was odd to attempt the trick play of a direct snap to Faulk.  A missed block made it a 2 yard loss and a sign of things to come.

   Defensively they used a Tedy Bruschi sack to drive the Bears back with a negative yardage drive.  This was hardly foreshadowing of the defensive breakdowns which would allow Chicago to score 3 touchdowns on 6 critical plays of the third quarter.  It was however, symbolic of the stand which would ultimately give the Patriots a chance to win the game.

   The next series hit a turning point in the game.  Facing a 3rd and 5 Charlie Weiss made a terrific call.  An off guard draw play to Kevin Faulk beat the outside pass rush for a 34 yard gain.  Deion Branch was called for a phantom crackback away from the play and it was nullified.  It seemingly ended any sign of a New England commitment to running the ball.  It likewise gave Chicago the ball to grind out 13 plays against New England's defense. They earned three consecutive 3rd down conversions but were forced to settle for a field goal as Ty Law stepped up big.  The offense responded with it's best weapon as Adam Vinatieri kicked his way further into the record books.  He nailed a 57 yard attempt which would have been good from 67 yards.  Chicago put together a 9 play answer for another field goal and the lead but at the price of their starting quarterback during a QB sneak on 4th down.  The Patriots showed their best sign of life after one lethargic series.  The defense held and they forged a 55 yard drive which stalled on the 13 but did produce the tie.

   The second half began with a tough defensive stand as New England forced an immediate punt by the Bears.  However it was quickly thwarted as Tom Brady dropped back to pass and fell victim to a sack by Daniels.  Brady fumbled the ball and began an explosive surge by Chicago who recovered the fumble.  Two short plays gave the  Bears a 7 point lead as Otis Smith couldn't handle fullback Stanley Pritett.  The Patriots not only failed to earn a first down they added 15 yards of penalty before repeating a punt with a horrific 29  yard effort from Ken Walter.  Given this excellent field position, Chicago employed a trick play to great success.  A fake end around was a pass by receiver Booker to Robinson for 44 yards on a play which should have been easily defended by Tebucky Jones (doghouse).  Just three consecutive plays and the Bears had put a 14 point lead on the Patriots.  It would get worse.

   New England's offense would again fail to gain a first down but the Bears would do likewise.  Two plays into the following possession, Tom Brady (doghouse) would make his worst throw of the day as Brian Urlacher intercepted him to give the Bears possession at the Patriot 36.  The Patriot defense seemed to surrender as they allowed Thomas a 34 yard run up the middle as the Bears required just three more plays to take a 27-6 lead with 6:42 remaining in the 3rd Quarter.  A poor team would have  needed no further report.  This Patriot team has not forgotten the way to win, however.  New England had been granted just five possessions in the entirety of the first half.  They had already had 4 in the second half and would need at least three more to ensure a tie.  It boded poorly.  They would in fact have five more possessions and would score on all five: 3 touchdowns and 2 field goals.

   Kevin Faulk began the scoring in the no huddle on 15 yards with a nifty spin to beat the final two tacklers and dive into the end-zone.  The next play Jim Miller attempted to exploit Otis Smith and his pass was horrific which enabled Smith to grab the interception and continue the momentum of a miraculous comeback.  The offense sputtered by Adam (Oz Awards) was there to ensure success as he calmly kicked a 42 yard field goal.  Momentum ensured, the defense again held Chicago without a first down.  The offense drove 16 plays and 69 yards to the Chicago 7 yard line despite an impassioned Tom Brady being called for Unnecessary Roughness in a fumble pile extraction.  The call was weak but the emotion was strong and contagious.  Only an over-eager incomplete to a wide open Troy Brown prevented the needed touchdown.  David Givens missed his chance on the very next play but Adam brought the game within a single score by kicking his fourth field goal of the day in as many attempts.

   Yet Chicago was not finished as the 44 yard kickoff return would suggest.  They consumed 5:40 of valuable time as they marched to the New England 14.  The drive was halted as Victor Green made successive stuffs of a conservative A-Train assault and Jarvis Green finished it with a final stuff.  The Patriots opted to not accept a holding and force a field goal.  At 30-19 the game seemed again out of reach to the casual fan.  Brady, Faulk and Brown took the offense on their shoulders and on 3rd and 4 Brady beat a blitz with a perfect pass to Kevin Faulk in stride for a 36 yard touchdown which was 16 yards of pass and 20 yards of sprint to the end-zone.  The time showed 2:40 remaining and New England would need both their defense and offense to be flawless in their final attempts.

   Anthony Thomas exploded past Richard Seymour and the linebackers for 9 yards on first down.  In a seemingly questionable decision the Patriots used a time-out though the first down seemed a certainty.  Yet in a goal line defense Tedy Bruschi went over the top to stop the progress which Willie McGinest then cleaned up with a tackle for no gain.  The final time-out put the entire game on the line for the next play.  Johnson and Bruschi surged into the backfield and Thomas was again stuffed for no gain, the defense had done their part in the Miracle.  

   Troy Brown provided 11 yards of punt return to give the Patriots good field position at their own 44 yard line.  David Patten grabbed a 19 yard completion.  Faulk caught a pass for 7 yards on second down.  Brady then threw a seeming interception to lineman Robinson.  Had Robinson caught the ball and fallen it would have ended the game.  With visions of Gayle Sayers in his mind he attempted to tuck the ball for a return.  This selfish act cost him much as replay would show his momentary juggle in the process was enough time for Tom Brady to make an impressive play.  Rather than sulk at his error Brady leapt into action and a sweeping hand punched the ball out of the would-be interceptors hands.  Incomplete brought us 4th down.  A surprising QB sneak gained what seemed sufficient yards.  In their haste to stop the clock, New England rushed up for the spike.  The officials failed to consider a measurement on the down and ultimately had to stop the play to move the chains.  Rather than a spike, New England was gifted precious seconds when they reconvened on the line after the official huddle and ran a play.  On second down Faulk caught a marvelous shuffle pass by a seemingly sacked Brady.  The would be Sacker, Chicago linebacker Colvin wasn't making any effort to get on sides.  He was seemingly in shock Brady had managed to complete a pass from his grasp.  He would have been flagged for the offside had not the Bears called a time-out.  This was pivotal as it saved New England time and a play.  Now facing 3rd and 3 rather they took their stab deep on a play of legend.  Matt Light was beaten badly but Brady's evasive pocket movement bought him enough time to throw a dart to a well covered David Patten.  Patten was uncannily aware of his field position and leaped to make a clean catch, plant his right foot and toe stab his left into the turf for a crystal clear touchdown.  It was a game winner with no margin for error much as New England had faced from the moment of their 27-6 stumbling.  Though a two point conversion, touchback kickoff and successful stop were still ahead, the game was over with an astounding Patriot victory.  Come late December only the win will matter for the team.  Yet years from now there will be tales of the comeback, of the drive, the almost interception and of the touchdown.  This year's recollections still require some hopeful lessons about a team coming together -about a defense stopping the run when it most needed - about a fiery leader inflicting his emotional passion into his team and likely the few true fans who hadn't given up on watching their beloved Patriots on a Sunday evening in November.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. The Catch: Patten plants his feet in New England Legend on a perfect game winner by Tom Brady while evading pocket pressure! 

2. Tom Brady swipes an interception away and saved the day (1:21 of 4th Quarter) 

3. New England employs the Goal Line Defense back to back to stuff the Bears and earn a shot at winning the game (2:27 and 2:20 of 4th Quarter).

4.   Booker to Robinson for 44 yard TD (10:18 of 3rd Quarter)

5.   Brady to Faulk for his second Touchdown as he barely evades the blitz to deliver a perfect in stride pass for a 36 yard score on 3rd and 4.4

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Raider's Official Site	vs.	ESPN Raiders
ESPN Game Review	Oakland News	NFL Game Review

Team Dragged Down by MVP 
New England Patriots 20 - Oakland Raiders 27

   "Just win baby" is the mantra of Raider Nation and their venerable owner Al Davis.  They did precisely that despite a Tom Brady fumble ruled incomplete - AGAIN!  However the turning point of the game was a Brady Fumble just before the half which set up Oakland for a score from the 9 yard line.  They won, in fact, despite an Antowain Smith fumble ruled down by contact - incorrectly.  They won because their offense did enough to win the game while Tom Brady was continually off target missing several key throws which could have swung the game.  In fact the only challenging throw made by Brady all day was a 33 yard completion to Fauria in the third quarter.  Credit to the Raiders defense which harassed Brady into a horrific performance despite not throwing an interception.

   Interestingly enough the general reports will speak of the Oakland Raider's dominating this game.  The reports are not entirely erroneous yet it is a reasonable contention to note the Patriots were equally likely to be victors in this game.  Certainly this is a bold contention which will require further explanation.  In the first half of play these teams was quite comparable.  At the two minute warning:

   The game had shown a balanced attack by the Patriots which had mixed success.  The Raiders had pulled the safeties forward and left themselves vulnerable on several occasions but Brady had failed to capitalize on three first half opportunities which all should have been touchdowns.  One of which could have been completed by Michael Bishop!  These opportunities had limited the Patriots from a game plan which should have earned them a 17-10 lead as well as relaxing the middle pressure put on by the Raiders.  That was not reality.  Reality was a fumble (this time) which turned a close contest into a 17-6 Raider lead.  A lead which changed their approach as well as New England's.  A change which gave the Raider crowd and team inspiration and momentum at the half.  Though the game would seem to have had many other moments to fluctuate, it virtually ended for the Patriots at the half.

   The defense certainly allowed Rich Gannon far too much time all day long.  They attempted to allow the Raiders short gains with coverage approaches in the early downs while throwing blitzes on any longer yardage situation.  The trouble was they weren't very successful with the blitzes and the Raiders exploited this for many gains throughout the day.  The defense only fell entirely flat on one series, unfortunately it was the least opportune.  On the first drive of the second half the defense allowed the Raiders 7 first downs, nearly 10 minutes off the clock and worst of all a touchdown.  Leading 24-6 the Raiders had full control of the game.  Though the defense knuckled down fairly well, the offense never did anything all day and the Raiders were far and away the dominant team.  A dominance which would likely not emerged had New England, or specifically Tom Brady performed on a few of the well designed plays in the first half.  A dominance which might not have occurred without the momentum and score surge after Tom Brady's fumble.

   Games hinge on pivotal plays regularly.  In this game New England faltered on several such moments.  Though Bruschi's interception return along with Faulk's kickoff return kept the score seemingly respectable, the game was rarely in doubt after the fumble.  Adam's onside attempt was as horrific as Brady's performance and sealed the game which went clearly to the deserved winners.  Still the margin between these teams is a few plays.  These teams very well may meet again this season and there will be opportunity to test the swing of a few plays again.  New England must emotionally recover quickly and realize the price a few plays can make.  It must start with their MVP from the Superbowl and it must start with his psyche.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. The Fumble (no really) which set Oakland up for a 17-6 half time lead.  Full 'credit' to Brady and the O-line as they earned throughout the day.

2. The first drive of the 3rd Quarter 

3. Branch's Touchdown - Brady's horrific misfire.

4.   Patten's Square Out Touchdown - Brady's awful misfire.

5.   Patten's Deep Ball Touchdown - Brady misfires barely but misfires.

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See also: Ostend's Awards and Modi's Doghouse

Viking Official	vs	ESPN Viking
NFL Review	Minnesota News	ESPN Review

Half Hearted Effort and Viking Generosity Yield Victory 
New England Patriots 24 - Minnesota Vikings 17

   The first half ended in a similar fashion to the Patriot-Raider match.  The offense made a very poor play which helped set up an opposition score just as half time arrived.  Fortunately in this instance, it was a first half which featured a very spirited Patriot offense and defense.  It was a first half in which the Vikings made enough blunders to hand New England a 21-0 lead.  This was particularly fortunate because the second half performance by both offense and defense was less than desirable as the Vikings mounted 17 consecutive points before falling short in this 24-17 contest.

   The Vikings won the toss and drove solidly down the field efficiently picking New England's defense apart in the air and on the ground.  The 11 play drive seemed destined to score until a key blitz by Tedy Bruschi drove Culpepper straight back 12 yards where he threw it away and was properly flagged for intentional grounding.  The resultant 12 yard loss turned the momentum and gave the defense the upper hand.  It was further accentuated when two plays later Richard Seymour put his hand on Gary Anderson's Field Goal attempt and the defense had held.  This provided defensive momentum but the offensive surge was just ahead.  Two plays into their opening drive the officials ruled Antowain Smith had fumbled and Minnesota had recovered in excellent field position.  Replay was called upon and the call was overturned which gave the offensive unit new life.  It did not remove the fumbles from Antowain who would drop the ball twice more on pitches to ensure his doghouse placement.  Seven passes followed by two runs set up Tom Brady's first of three touchdowns on the day.  Christian Fauria would catch that and the following touchdown to ensure the Patriots had the momentum offensively as well as defensively.  

   Minnesota would manage only a single first down before forced to punt and that punt was a feeble 26 yard kick into the windy Foxboro skies.  This set up a balanced offensive attack with 4 rushes and 4 passes, the last being another Touchdown connection between Brady and Fauria.  With a 14-0 lead New England was making the rushing prowess of Michael Bennett less and less likely.  Minnesota would again help out as a pair of False Start penalties set up a 3rd and 20 situation.  Culpepper would be sacked and fumble which courtesy of Victor Green would provide New England with excellent field position.  New England would power it into the endzone to Troy Brown and have a 21-0 lead.  This virtually eradicated the Bennett factor.  Minnesota wasn't done with the early Holiday gifts, however.  Seven plays into the next drive Bennett fumbled at the New England 10 yard line on 1st down!  Though Penalties would aid the Patriots in achieving midfield, they punted into the wind with the leagues worst punter, Ken 'doghouse' Walter, managing barely a 28 yard effort.  No worries as  2 plays later Minnesota gave up it's third fumble of the game when Roman Phifer forced his second of the game, this time from Randy Moss.  It was this point which inspired the spirit of giving within the Patriots.  They seemingly felt the game was over by virtue of Viking generosity and their performance showed they'd given up the heart and effort which had yielded the lead.  Good teams put an opponent away at this point.  New England began making strides to let them back in the game.

   They reached the two minute warning but apparently had sent their game to the locker room.  A pair of penalties and a few plays brought them to 4th and 10 at the same yard line they had taken control (31) and they opted not to attempt the field goal into the wind nor to let their punter pin the Vikings.  Instead they lined up in the Shotgun formation and took a sack.  Why a sack?  To not even attempt the pass when it is certain to turn over either way is foolish.  Yet New England was apparently already out of the competitive portion of their play.  In 1 minute and 9 seconds the Patriots allowed the Vikings to march nearly uncontested (6 plays and only reaching 2nd down once!) for a touchdown with 19 seconds remaining.  This marked the second consecutive week they had allowed a cheap late score inside of 2 minutes before the half.  It also provided the Vikings hope in their approach to the second half.

   The second half began with an unusual coaching decision.  Driving into the wind the Patriots began the opening drive with 7 plays which took them to the Minnesota 46 yard line.  Faced with a 3rd and 2, the coaches opted for a deep ball to Deion Branch.  Not an unreasonable call by most standards and nearly effective although Branch and his hands were not having their best day having joined Daniel Graham in the dropped ball column.  Fourth down should have brought about a punt but oddly the Patriots attempted a long QB sneak.  The play failed and provided Minnesota excellent field position along with the motivation.  If the Patriots were determined to go for it from that range, they should have run the sneak or another play on 3rd down to ensure they covered some of the needed yards.  The defense buoyed by the Viking need to pass was able to stop them short and force a punt.  The offense managed little and closed the series with a Brady sack to force a punt.  Walters managed an embarrassing 23 yard result.  Given the ball in New England territory, Culpepper drove his team for a score and suddenly the 21-14 game was a contest again.

   One rushing attempt (4 yards) was followed by 5 consecutive pass attempts and a punt.  Minnesota would again drive down the field and this time settle for a Gary Anderson field goal to make it a 21-17 contest.  This drive would feature effectively only 2 plays.  A screen pass to Antowain Smith for 26 yards and another screen pass in the opposite direction to Marc Edwards for 27 yards.  This would be 53 of the 56 yards they would gain yet it was enough for Adamatic to notch a 34 yard field goal which provided a key 7 point lead.  Minnesota made one last legitimate attempt when Anderson missed a 41 yard field goal into the wind.  The Defense would make 3 more stops as the loudest crowd to date in 'the Blade' ensured Minnesota was struggling.  The last two plays featured Randy Moss demonstrating his lack of heart actually walking off the field rather than running his final pattern.

   New England escaped with a win.  They demonstrated some very good signs in the first half.  They did not turn the ball over on a windy and dangerous day.  They made the most of first half red-zone opportunities and they caused Minnesota turnovers with some ferocious hitting.  They did not put their opponent away and found themselves in a close contest at a time they can ill afford a loss.  The win is what is important but they better be prepared for some full hearted effort for more than just a half.  Half-hearted efforts will only get them half way to the playoffs and for the defending World Champions there is little excuse to not recall the manner in which they rose to the top.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1.  The overturn of Antowain's Smith's Fumble

2.  The Seymour block of the Viking's first Field Goal attempt - major momentum

3.  Bruschi's near sack which resulted in a 12 yard intentional grounding (loss of down) which revitalized the defense

4.  Adam's Field Goal to put the lead back to 7 and end the unanswered point rally.

5.  Any of Minnesota's three first half fumbles!

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See also: Ostend's Awards and Modi's Doghouse

Lion Official	vs	ESPN Lion
NFL Review		ESPN Review

Harrinton & Lions Give Thanks and Turnovers
New England Patriots 20 - Detroit Lions 12

   Interceptions by harried young Quarterback provided the Patriots with victory in slow moving game.  This was far from a classic despite the throwback uniforms worn by each team.  The long drawn out battle featured more failings by offenses than successes by the defense.  Missed plays by the Patriot offense kept Detroit in the game while Harrington's gifts ensured the Patriotic pilgrimage to Detroit was successful in sustaining their playoff pursuits.

   The Lions began the giving early as Harrington's second play of the game involved a crafty juke by Belichick and Tedy Bruschi.  They forced the youngster into their hands and Tedy Bruschi was racing into the endzone with the first of three first-half interceptions.  This provided the Patriots with an early 10-0 lead.  After trading 3 and out punts, Detroit would drive for one of their four field goals but immediately allow a 63 yard kick-off return by Deion Branch.  After two plays and 13 yards of Antowain Smith put the Patriots on Detroit's 19 yard line, Charlie Weiss gave the option to Brady who threw a horrific 3 yard interception on first down.  This spirit of giving was just one of many lowlights for Brady who kept the Lions in a game which the Patriots should have controlled early and often.  

After again trading short drives capped with punts, New England gave again by letting star linebacker Claiborne block the punt and give Detroit possession at New England's 36.  Driving to the 15, Harrington made his second blunder of the day by throwing a perfect pass to Willie McGinest.  Although the Patriots failed to capitalize on the opportunity, their punt did back Detroit up enough so that Harrington's third offering (to Bobby Hamilton) provided the Patriots an immediate red-zone opportunity.  The Patriots punched it in after Faulk's 17 yard scamper set up a goal line situation for Antowain Smith.  Leading 17-0 the Patriots offense had done little but had established a 17-3 lead.  Though Harrington supplied an 11 play field goal drive before the half, it would prove to be too little too late.

   The second half New England showcased an impressive ball control approach.  Rather than the 7 drives of the first half, New England would need only 3 drives to devour the clock of the second half.  Consecutive 8, 12 and 17 play drives provided only 3 points but nearly 20 minutes of the 30 allotted.  Detroit would similarly get three possessions of which they did manage a pair of field goals.  New England's final drives of 78 and 74 yards would be run dominated and ultimately dash the Lion's hopes with Old-School football on a game which holds a bit of old world value.  Very appropriately it was New England which would ultimately be the benefactor of this holiday classic.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1.  Tedy Bruschi's Touchdown on an Interception Return providing 10-0 lead.

2.  With 7:36 remaining in the half, the Lions were poised to tie the game at 10 until Harrington threw his second interception to Willie McGinest.

3.  Harrington's third gift of the day gives the Pats a Red-zone bone ultimately providing the knock-out punch albeit in the first half!

4.  Faulk scampers 17 yards to set up Smith's 1 yard Touchdown and 17-3 lead.

5.  New England closes out the game with 17 play and nearly 10 minute drive ending with a knee at the Detroit 1 yard line.

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Bills Official	vs	ESPN Bills
NFL Review	Buffalo News	ESPN Review

Early Lead Again Forces Bills/Bledsoe INTo Patriot's Hands
New England Patriots 27 - Buffalo Bills 17

   This was about playoff survival and New England moved into a tie for the AFC-East Championship while the Bills began to plan their draft strategy.  Scoring 17 points in the first quarter gave New England a significant tactical advantage in defeating Buffalo at the expense of Drew Bledsoe.  Forced to abandon Travis Henry, New England held onto their impressive half-time performance which included scores on all four possessions to hold a 20-0 lead.

   The offense had a strong start as Brady began by proving he could throw the deep ball.  His opening yard heave of 41 yards to Deion Branch ensured Buffalo's defense would think seriously about stacking the short yardage against him.  A few plays later he again hit Branch for what might have been a 14 yard touchdown without Matt Light's penchant for penalties.  Thwarted by the penalty, New England settled for a Field Goal.  Buffalo began an impressive drive of their own which had a first down at the Patriots 15 had not a penalty negated the 27 yard play and ultimately thwarted the drive.  The Patriots offense put on their best drive of the day which was highlighted by a return to the Wide Receiver (Troy Brown) end-around for 21 yards.  The 86 yard drive had 5 first downs and a beautiful 10 yard reception in which David Patten willed his way into the endzone on a quick flare to him at the line of scrimmage.

   As it had done in the previous game in Detroit, an opportunistic defense led the games charge by batting Drew Bledsoe's very next pass attempt.  Richard Seymour picked it off and New England was up 10-0 with a red-zone opportunity for their offense.  It took only two plays for Tom Brady to find the missing personage of Donald Hayes on a perfect throw into the endzone.  The Patriots would close out their half of domination with a 12 play drive capped by another Adamatic Field goal making him 10 of 10 in his new stadium home.

   The Second half a flat Patriot team emerged seemingly believing the game was over.  The Bills put 10 points on the board with solid drives of 67 and 59 yards while New England amassed three consecutive drives of 3 and out punts!  One of those included a woeful fumble on a bizarre play which was an end-around to the tight end.  The play was doomed well before the fumble in fact likely during conception the play's fate was sealed as a tight end simply lacks the speed to make this an effective ploy since reaching the corner on such plays requires a solid burst of speed.  The Bills seemed to have captured the momentum and Bledsoe was finding his confident groove as the fourth quarter arrived.  Trailing 20-10, Bledsoe hit Peerless Price but Otis Smith simply ripped the ball free and recovered it to set up the struggling offense with 28 yards before the endzone.  Antowain Smith put on a clinic of power rushing which had only one pass (incomplete) on the way into the endzone plunge which ended the game ultimately.  Bledsoe would then crumble under the need to put the game on his shoulders.  He misfired with interceptions on each of the next two drives and although the Patriots did not manage another first down, it was the icing on the victory cake.  Drew would lead a meaningless 18 play touchdown drive but after a failed onside kick Tom Brady would kneel for the second consecutive week with New England winners of a crucial game in their playoff hunt.

Zip's Five Key Points of the Game:

1. Brady hits Branch for 17-0 lead in FIRST QUARTER!

2. Otis Smith rips ball from Peerless Price as Bills seemed poised to rally early in the fourth quarter.

3. Richard Seymour earns his bones by intercepting a Bledsoe Pass deflected by a very pleasant surprise in the rarely heard for form of Anthony Pleasant!

4.   Tebucky Jones intercepts Bledsoe in the endzone on the Bill's longest drive of the day (2n