Skip to main content

Three Things to Watch This Week - Week 1

The defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots play Alex Smith (ugh, still?) and the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on Thursday September 7th at 8:30 PM.

Marsh Power Rankings:

1) Randy

2) Beverly

3) Mallow

4) Blooming

5) Salt

6) Cassius

7) -all Crenshaw



Get well soon, Julian Edelman

With Edelman on the shelf for the season, here are three guys I'm hoping can help pick up the slack:

1) Brandin Cooks - Feels like they've been keeping him under wraps for the preseason.  They might have something special here.  I'm expecting big things.

2) Danny Amendola - It would be nice if Danny could stay healthy for 16 games, but I'm not holding my breath.  (Wouldn't you go by "Daniel" as a grown man?)

3) James White -  Obviously, he had himself a heck of a game in the Super Bowl.  But did you know he also had 60 receptions last year?  Well he did!


New Business:

The Patriots acquired a number of new players this year including Dwayne Allen (TE), Brandin Cooks (WR), Rex Burkhead (RB), Phillip Dorsett (WR), Kony Ealy (DE), Mike Gillislee (RB), Stephon Gilmore (CB), David Harris (LB) and Cassius Marsh (DE).

(Whoa.  If that's not loading up for this season, I don't know what is.)

Old Business:

Marty Bennett, LeGarrette Blount, Jacoby Brissett, Chris Long and Kony Ealy (gone before I could even get off a KONY2017 blast) are no longer with us.

(They're not dead, they're just not on Patriots anymore.)

Areas of concern going in to the season: defensive front, kicker

Did Malcolm Mitchell have a catch in the Super Bowl?  Yes!  Six!  (I think we can officially retire this bit now)

My prediction: Pats 28, Chiefs 17

*****
This year, we're going to have regular contributions from Fake Bill Belichick for your reading pleasure.

I led the crowd in a chant of "No days off!" at the Super Bowl parade last year.  But if I'm being completely honest with you, I did take a few days off this off-season.  Spent a few days out on the boat.  Had a couple of Michelobs.

I'm feeling like this is a good year to just cruise for a bit.  Let Matt and Josh handle the day to day details, you know?  I'll stay aft.

Patricia upgraded all my laserdiscs to streaming.  I don't know how it works out on the boat, but it does.  Put on Thief .  Does it get any better than Michael Mann directing James Caan?

I should call Jim and see if he wants to go out on the boat this weekend.  Nobody tends bar like Jimmy.  And he can cook, too.  Makes the best steak and lobster tails you ever had.  Never seen the man eat a vegetable, though.

Fake Bill's Yacht Rock Jam of the Week:

Since we're kicking off the season with a night game, let's go with Benny Mardones - Into the Night

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Three Things to Watch This Week - Super Bowl LX

A cold New England February morning. The drive up ATM refuses to accept my cash deposit. I park my car and walk inside to see the teller. It is nice and warm inside. The Teller gives me a nod to come forward. Me: I'd like to make a deposit. Also, why are you wearing a Jets jersey? Teller: It's a Sam Darnold Jersey. I'm not a Seahawks fan. But I don't want to see the Patriots win another one. Me: Ahhh. Well, I guess being a Jets fan is its own punishment. (We both laugh. I walk away with my head held high.) Next Customer Who Didn't Hear our Conversation: Why are you wearing a Jets jersey? ***** crock pot teriyaki wings 3 pounds chicken wings 1 large onion, chopped 1 c brown sugar 1 c soy sauce 1/4 c cooking sherry 2 t ginger 2 cloves garlic - rinse and pat dry wings - broil wings 20 minutes on broiler pan (10 minutes per side) - transfer wings to crock pot - combine ingredients, pour over wings - cover and cook 2 - 3 hours on high (or 5 - 6 hours on low) Enjoy!

Five Things to Watch This Week - Week 14

The Patriots play their thirteenth regular season game at home (!) against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday December 13th at 1:00 PM at Gillette Stadium. Oh man...  I picked a hell of a year to start a Patriots blog... I feel like I'm chronicling the Fall of the Roman Empire. The offense looks stale.  The defense went from "young and fast" to "inexperienced". And a big part of the problem is... (gulp)... Brady.  He looks too predictable out there at times.  Welker is making him better at this point. Here's what I think is going on:   - Some of the creativity is gone from the offense.  Bill O'Brien is no Josh McDaniels   - Nobody is stepping up after Welker and Moss.  Sam Aiken is nice special teamer / 4th or 5th receiver, but they could actually use a Gaffney or a Stallworth.   - Brady has got a baby on the way (UPDATE - he just had a boy).  Don't laugh.  He looked like crap last time he had a kid coming.  (To...

Three Things to Watch This Week - AFC Championship Game

The New England Patriots play Bo Nix Jarrett Stidham and the Denver Broncos in the Tom Brady Memorial AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High Sunday January 25th at 3:00 PM. Big hugs! To say the Patriots have exceeded expectations so far this season is an enormous understatement. As recently as a year ago I remember wondering if they'd ever host a home playoff game again. Having said that, now that you're this close and playing the other team's backup quarterback in the AFC Championship Game, go out and get it. Also, Mike Vrabel now the longest tenured coach in the AFC East. I kid you not. Odyssey Power Rankings: 1) 2001: A Space _____ 2) The _____ (Homer) 3) Honda  _____ Here are three things I'm a little concerned about this week: 1) Drake Maye - He's been fantastic this season. A+. We couldn't have asked for more in his second year. A pleasure just to watch. Having said that, please hold on to that football, Drake Maye 2) Playing in Denver - tr...