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


The Patriots play their second regular season game at Gillette Stadium against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday September 16th at 1:00 PM.

(It's just one game... It's just one game... It's just one game...)

Holy crap, we have a defense again!

(It's just one game... It's just one game... It's just one game...)

And a running game!  Hot damn!

(It's just one game... It's just one game... It's just one game...)

OK... Deep breaths... Calming back down.  It may just be one game, but it's definitely a good sign of things to come.

The offensive line was better than advertised (minus Nate Solder).  Gronk and Hernandez are cementing their status as the best 1-2 TE combo ever.

Also... Ridley!

Brady can be a "B" level quarterback and we still win games.

Negatives - It was against Jake Locker and the Tennessee Titans.  Also, if I'm being honest, the secondary looked a little lost at times.

But guess what?  We've got the Mighty Arizona Cardinals coming in the week!  Boosh.



"Rule number 1: no touching of the hair or face!"

“He’s such a good-looking guy.  Obviously, he gets banged up, and he’s probably the toughest metrosexual I’ve ever come across.”  -- Wes Welker

Lloyd Power Rankings:

     1) Bridges
     2) Christopher
     3) Brandon
     4) Dobler
     5) Christmas


Here's five things I'll be watching for this week:


1) Chandler Jones - Wait wait wait... We traded UP to take someone in the first round in last years's draft?  Whoa.  Early returns look good.  He was all over the place in Week 1.

2) Dont'a Hightower - What?  We traded up TWICE?  No way.  What has gotten into The Hoodie?

3) Vince Wilfork - Wilfork is now the oldest member of the New England defense (Is that right?  Holy crap...)  Just in case you forgot, he's still awesome.

4) Nate Ebner - Projects to be mostly a special teams player.  But his college highlight reel is sploosh-tastic.  Go watch this.  Oh... Did I mention he played rugby in college?

5) Devin McCourty - Ummm... He seems like a good guy.  That's the nicest thing I can say about him right now.

My prediction (Game 2): Pats 31, Cardinals 10

My prediction (Season): 12 - 4

Nut up or move on.


*****


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 second book "My Patriot Years":


Training Camp

It's my first day of training camp as head coach of the Patriots in 2000.  Some of guys knew me from previous stint as the DC with team under Parcells.  But's my first day as THE GUY... and I knew we were going to have to set the tone.

Apparently nobody told this team they should SHOW UP already in shape.  Most of them were just a mess.  I inherited a team that was both physically and mentally soft.

I turn to Ernie Adams and say "We're going to have to tear it down and build it back up.  It's time to get to work"

Even worse - Pete (ed. note - Pete Carroll, Patriots head coach from 1997 - 1999) let the players pick the practice music.  Unbelievable.  And everyone thought their song should be played first.  Damien Woody wanted Ricky Martin.  Tebucky Jones wanted to listen to goddamned Cher. (At least Max Lane had some semi-respectable Foo Fighters and Everclear going on his playlist.)

So I give Ernie the nod.  He always knows what we need just when we need it.

He goes over to the PA system puts on track 3 of Bon Jovi's 1986 masterpiece Slippery When Wet: "Livin' on a Prayer."  That's good getting down to business music.  When you hear about Tommy working down on the dock, you feel better about yourself... AND you can't help but try a little harder.

Did we make the playoffs that first year?  No.  But we set the tone for what was to come next.  And we haven't had a losing season since then.

True story.
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