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Five Things to Watch This Week - Week 2 (Game 2)

The Patriots play their first home game of the season at Gillette Stadium on Sunday September 18th at 4:15 PM.

HOMEWORK CHECK:  Did everyone watch "Bill Belichick: A Football Life" last night?  Good.  Don't forget to watch part 2 next week.


It's a little early, but let's take a look at the 2011 draft picks.  Here's five things I'll be watching for this week:

1) Nate Solder - I thought he played great on Monday night.  Beast-like, even.  I assumed this was going to be a "draft him now and play him later" kinda thing with this guy, but it looks like he's ready now. 

2) Ras-I Dowling - I recently suggested "Ras-I" to my wife a possible baby name.  And surprisingly, she was against it.

3) Marcus Cannon - Don't expect to see him this year, but he should be great when he comes back from... *checks medical report*... non-Hodgkin lymphoma.  Yikes.  Look for this guy NEXT year.  (These are the kinds of things you can do when you're coming off a 14 - 2 season... You can draft a guy who probably won't play for you right away...)

4) Stevan Ridley - GREAT pre-season.  Is he going to see the field at some point?  I sure hope so. 

5) Ryan Mallett - Speaking of guys who won't play for you right away...  This guy could be the future of the Patriots at QB.  I really hope we don't have to find out before 2016 or so.



My prediction: Pats 38, Chargers 27

Stay hydrated, my friends.


And for no reason Abe Lincoln, Trick Shot QB.

*****

This year, we're going to have regular contributions from Fake Bill Belichick for your reading pleasure.  Here's this week's selection from Fake Bill Belichick's "Tales From a Life in Football":



It's still Baltimore.  Still 1975.  Second week of the season.  (A friend of mine had just handed me a copy of Journey's first album.  Even then I knew they were going to be big...)

Marchibroda brings me into his office.  "Belichick!  Good job on keeping the liquor cabinet stocked."

"Thanks, Coach."  At this point, I'm just surprised he remembers my name.

"I've got another job for.  I want you to go find #36 and tell him he's done.  Have him clean out his locker and turn in his playbook.  You think you can handle that?"

"Sure thing, Coach."

I knew what needed to be done.  And I acted like it bothered me.  But it didn't.  If these guys weren't meant to play football, it's better they find out sooner rather than later and get on with the rest of their lives.

And the guy we cut that day was none other than Howard "Bunny" Colvin.

True story.

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