Skip to main content

Five Things to Watch This Week - Week 5 (Game 5)

The Patriots play their fifth game of the season against the Jets at Gillette Stadium on Sunday October 9th at 4:15 PM.

I don't know how to put this, but...  the defense... is not good.  After all this talk about improved quarterback pressure, revamped defensive lines and 3 - 4 vs. 4 - 3, we still can't get off the field when we have to.  This doesn't have the look of a team that looks like it's built to go deep into the playoffs right now.  I keep reminding myself that it's early.  There's still time. 

The only bright spot the last few weeks was the emergence of Stevan Ridley.  Hot damn, he's fast.  I can't ever remember the Pats having a burner like that in the backfield.

Moving on to this week - I'm not as worried about the Jets as I was at the beginning of the year.  Sanchez seems to have taken a step back. 

(Now watch him throw for 425 yards this week.  Ugh.)


Cover up that ball.

Let's take a look at the leaders of the franchise.  Here's five things I'll be watching for this week:

1) Tom Brady - That 4 INT game at Buffalo was UGLY.  There's no way we're good enough to win games like that.  Some semblance of a running game would only help him down the stretch.

2) Vince Wilfork - Vince is an INTERCEPTION MACHINE.  I say we move him to safety.  Or maybe even mix him in a bit at tight end with hands like that.

3) Wes Welker - He's on track to catch roughly 2300 balls this year.  He's also finding the endzone a lot more this year.  I like it.  They better resign him after this season. ***shakes fist at sky***

4) Jerod Mayo - He's going to be out how long?  A month?  Yikes.  This defense can't afford to get any worse.

5) Logan Mankins - I'm glad he's locked up long term.  He's a difference maker, even if he's good for 4 or 5 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties a year. 


YouTube Video of the Week: Holy crap, that's the best fake punt return play I've ever seen.

My prediction: Pats 34, Jets 21

Stay hydrated, my friends.


*****

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":

By 1977, I was with the Detroit Lions.  (Lots of good stuff coming out of Detroit at the time... Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, Grand Funk Railroad).    They had me on special teams, receivers, tight ends.  A little bit of everything.  And we sucked.

Remember, this was Detroit in the 70s.  It was pretty bad.  Some of the guys that were trying out for the team were from the area.  If they didn't make the team, they'd be back on the assembly line putting dashboards in Chevy Impalas the next day.

I had to cut one of these guys the second day of training camp.  He just sucked.  I tried to put it to him gently, but it didn't go over well.  Instead of handing me his playbook, he throws it against the wall and walks out.

I head out to the parking lot that night... And he's actually waiting for me by my car.  He sees me coming and he pulls a knife on me.  "You wanna cut me, Coach?  I'll show you what it feels like to get cut."

I assess the situation.  You know, mentally "pause the tape" so to speak.  And I realize he's holding the knife way out to the side like a total amatuer.  Now keep in mind that, at this point, I'm only a few years away from my college lacrosse days.  I'm still pretty quick on my feet.  So I turn my shoulder, lean in to him and drive him back six feet into a concrete post.  Ended up breaking two of his ribs.

Anyway, I gave him $20 out of my wallet and a ride to the emergency room.

True story.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Three Things to Watch This Week - Week 15

"Is there any of the good Scotch left?" the Rookie asked. "I wouldn't call it good  Scotch. But no. We finished that weeks ago," the Veteran responded. Outmanned and outgunned, they rode west across New York to the certain slaughter waiting for them at Orchard Park. The streets wide and flat, indifferent to their struggle. "Is the water safe to drink?" "Don't know. Try it and find out." General Mayo lacked the sense of direction his predecessor displayed. If there was dissension in the ranks, it didn't show. But there was also no lust for the battlefield. Going beyond what was required of one's duty. They just didn't have the spirit for it. His predecessor had been deposed because the vibes were off. And now he risked the same fate. "Is there anything to eat?" "There's an empty can of beans. You may lick what's left off the bottom of it if you like." The talent level of recruits was lacking, not up ...

Three Things to Watch This Week - Week 6

The 1 - 4 New England Patriots play C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on Sunday October 13th at 1:00 PM. They really should stop buttering the ball between plays. That Patriots - Dolphins game last week was one of the worst things I've ever seen. Let's never speak of it again. The Patriots have announced third overall pick Drake Maye as the starting quarterback this week. I feel like it's too soon. But it's not my job on the line. I'll be nice and cozy on the couch with snacks and beverages and a dog that will pick the absolute worst time to decide that he has to go out. Drake Power Rankings: 1) 's Cakes 2) (the duck)  3) (the singer from Canada) 4) Gilded 5) Maye Here are three things that could have been better in week 5: 1) Jacoby Brissett. Thank you for your contributions. I appreciate your effort. I'm not sure how you're still standing. 2) The play calling had me scratching my head on multiple occasions. 3) The whole WR position...

Three Things to Watch This Week - Week 1

The first place New England Patriots play the Oakland   Los Angeles   Oakland  Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette on Sunday September 7th at 1:00 PM. Patriot first round pick tackle Will Campbell. Douglas Power Rankings: 1) Adams 2) DeMario 3) Michael  4) The Lincoln–Douglas debates 5) Illeana  After back to back 4 - 13 seasons, you are allowed to feel a little skeptical about this team. What do we, as Patriots fans, have to look forward to in 2025? Returning:  Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf is somehow still here. Last year, the two wide receivers he drafted in 2024 combined for 13 catches. And one of them is no longer with the team. I'm against it. Coach Mike Vrabel. His career record as a coach is 56–48. This was seen as a significant upgrade over what we had in place. Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels. He's back! Again! Not returning: Coach Jerod Mayo. It was both a bad situation AND he didn't do a great job with it. That's ba...