Day 184: Patriots Suffer Huge Loss in Win over Atlanta

I'm not going to lie, I was scared for the Patriots going into the game this past Sunday night in Atlanta. The Falcons might have only been 1-2, but they lost close games to New Orleans (4-0) and Miami (3-1) and with the Patriots still missing some key players, it could've gotten ugly. The Pats teased us all week with the possibility that Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola might be back on the field, but then whipped the rug out from under us just moments before game time.

But mostly I was scared for my chances in the football pool. You see, after two ugly weeks where I finished near the bottom of the pack, I really needed a good showing. And heading into the Pats-Falcons game, I was tied with three other players for the lead... three other players who all picked the Falcons. All I needed was a Pats win and I was most surely in the money!

I managed to make it through the first half and just into the third quarter of the game before my heavy eyelids forced me to bed. I'm almost glad I didn't last until the end—from what I heard, it was quite a stressful final few minutes. The Falcons made a surge late in the fourth and nearly tied it up with time expiring. Thank you, Aqib Talib for your quick hands. I really don't need that kind of anxiety as the clock nears midnight.

Tom Brady had his best game of the season so far, finally starting to connect with all those new receivers. He went 20-for-31 for 316 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Kenbrell Thompkins also had a breakout game with six catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. One of those catches was an acrobatic number where he came back over the defensive back to grab the ball.

All great news, right? Well...something not so great happened too.

In the win, the Patriots suffered a pretty huge loss. Big Vince Wilfork went down in the first quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury. He limped off the field and looked as if he might just need to sit out a play or two, but then the next thing I know, he's being driven off the field on that damn cart. Not a good sign.

The report was very bad for the Patriots' defense. Big Vince has torn his right achilles tendon and will most likely miss the rest of the season. It's going to be difficult for the Pats to find someone of his caliber (and size) to fill that gaping hole. Bill Belichick, on WEEI with Salk and Holley on Monday, was more forthcoming that usual with the status of Vince.

"It doesn't look too good for Vince," Belichick said during his weekly interview. "I think he's got a pretty serious injury, and it's probably unlikely that he'll be able to play again this year."

You know things are bleak when Belichick gives up information like that. He's the type of guy that will tell you a player in a full body cast is questionable for the following week. But Vince's injury is obviously a concern for everyone. Just when things are starting to look up with a couple of major players set to make their return in the next week or two, the Pats get hit with this sucky blow.

"Clearly, there are no Vince Wilforks just standing around out there on the corner waiting to sign with the Patriots or some other NFL team," Belichick said on WEEI. "He is a special player, one of the very best at his position. There's no way that you would replace him with one guy -- that's totally unrealistic. But we'll try to do what we can to make our team as competitive as possible with the 46 guys we put out there against Cincinnati this Sunday."

Ugh... Well, in case you didn't hear, the Patriots won 30-23. Oh, and I did win the football pool this week. *moonwalks*