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Five Things to Watch This Week - Week 8


The Patriots play their eighth regular season game at Wembley Stadium in London against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday October 28st at 1:00 PM.

Let's see... How'd we do last week?

Late turnovers?  Check.

Sloppy defense?  Check.

Secondary giving up huge plays?  BIG CHECK.

Letting an inferior opponent hang around?  Check.

Inability to sustain a long drive in the 4th quarter to finish out the game?  Check?

/checks final score

Wait... We WON that game?  Whoa.

I'm tired of waiting for this defense to come around.  I thought this was going to be the year.  It's not.

Other than this hilarious safety, there wasn't much to feel good about.  (I've watched that on a loop for hours...  That will never, never get old.)



Ninkovich brings the pain.


Devin Power Rankings:

1) Hester

2) Banks

3) Cars

4) Castle

5) Hester (again)

...

11,9970) McCourty


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

1) Rob Ninkovich - Somebody on the defense finally made a game changing play in a big spot.  Yay!  I had forgotten what that was like to watch.

2) Stephen Gostkowski - Had two big late FGs last week.  Seems to have settled down from his early season yips.

3) Devin McCourty - Even with the return TD... still on my s-list.

4) Ras-I Dowling - Which would be more useful in coverage?   Ras-I Dowling or a misplaced shoe that somebody dropped on the field?  I say the shoe.  The shoe has a better chance of making a tackle once in a while.  Somebody might trip over it.  (UPDATE: Ras-I placed on season-ending IR late Friday (Ras-IR?).  Quick... Sign that shoe to the open roster spot!!!)

5) Rob Gronkowski - GRONK MAKE ENDZONE TWO TIMES.  GOOD GRONK.


My prediction (Game 8): Pats 28, Rams 27 (I'm done predicting blowouts for a while...)

My prediction (Season): 11 - 5 (Steady from last week.)

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":

You know who the most underrated guy on my coaching staff is?  Dante Scarnecchia.

He's been with the team since 1982.  I'm sure he's seen everything.

He was also a sergeant in the Marines.  Pretty badass.

He has a great history of getting offensive lines to play above their talent level.

How does he do it?  Special blocking schemes?  Conditioning drills?  Gap assignments?  Motivational speaking?  Nope... Alligator urine mixed with Gold Bold Medicated Powder.  He has one of the equipment guys apply it liberally to the players' cups right before the game.

Technically, it's legal.  But I wouldn't exactly go bragging about it to the guys at the league offices or anything like that.  Dungy would love to tattletale to Goodell if he knew about it.

True story.

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