Deflategate Be Damned: Tom Brady Says Those Balls Were Perfect.

When I first heard about this thing called "Deflategate" last Monday morning, my heart sank. I couldn't have felt more disappointed to think that the New England Patriots could have purposely deflated their game balls to gain an advantage in the AFC Championship. I was crushed. This is not the distraction fans in New England needed in the two weeks leading up to Tom Brady's sixth appearance in the Super Bowl.

After the dreaded "spygate" scandal that named my favorite team a bunch of cheaters, my fan psyche was fragile. I despised the fact that many felt the Patriots couldn't win another championship without cheating. This under inflated ball controversy was just one more incident to get those haters up in arms about punishing and penalizing and disciplining this team. Some critics even called for the NFL to ban the Pats from participating in the Super Bowl all for a couple of flat-ish balls.

We've heard every argument in support and against these accusations. And many of the teams' backers have vehemently maintained a football that was deflated less than two psi under the league requirement could not be the reason the Patriots destroyed the Indianapolis Colts by 38 points. Even D'Quell Jackson, who intercepted a Tom Brady pass and was reported to have brought attention to the deflated ball, says he had nothing to do with it. Sounds like a conspiracy to me.

So the Patriots are forced to defend themselves to the media and present technical evidence as to what happened to the balls after they were approved by the officials. Bill Belichick turned into a mad scientific with experiments and facts on the effects of atmospheric conditions on leather balls. Tom Brady is raked over the coals as to why he didn't notice the balls were under inflated because all these moronic reporters actually think once the ball is hiked and the play is happening that Brady has time to squeeze the ball and think to himself, "huh, that feels soft. I should report this to someone." (If anything, these press conferences have been a treasure trove of completely awesome soundbites.)

And then we hear that the balls were presented to the officials not properly inflated but the balls were approved. Or that because of a delay in the starting time of the AFC Championship game, the balls were in the possession of some rogue locker room attendant who spent the next ninety seconds in the bathroom frantically letting the air out of the balls... but only eleven of them because he ran out of time.

It was clear to me that a few days into this whole hullaballoo, it was all just a giant pile of bullshit. Haters are going to hate even when there is no tangible proof that the Patriots were directly responsible for the soft balls. For a brief moment, I thought it might actually dissuade me from caring about the Super Bowl. But then I stopped worrying about the consequences and now have joined the camp that believes this whole ordeal is a non-issue and just a reason for all those idiot former football players who think their opinions are important to bash a team that most likely has pounded on them in the past.

That disappointed me thought the Patriots were going to be damned if they did or damned if they didn't win. The won because they cheated or they lost because they couldn't cheat. But then I snapped out of it. With the mega-watt spotlight shining on this team right now, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that they would or could ever cheat in the Super Bowl. Every commentator, reporter, NFL representative and official will have them under the world's most powerful microscope just waiting for them to slip up. The Patriots will be on their best behavior so if when they win, they win clean.

The Pats are Super Bowl Bound!!

My superstitious sports fan self won't let me say much more than HOLY CRAP, the Patriots are headed to Arizona and the friggin' Super Bowl!!!

Who could've predicted this turn of events after week four and that 41-14 lambasting they suffered at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs? The Pats were 2-2 and sports reporters and talk show hosts were calling for the end of Tom Brady. He was washed up. He sucked. He was too old and he needed to retire.

Bwaaaaaaaaahahahaha!!!

Tom doesn't like to be told he can't do something. So what did he do? Meh, not much. Just a 10-2 record for the rest of the season including seven straight wins after the loss to KC. And the #1 seed in the AFC. Yup. Then there was that thrilling come from behind win to beat the Ravens in the Divisional round. Oh and just a little bit of a trouncing of the Colts for the AFC title.

It's going to be a long two weeks, my Patriots fan friends.

Happy New Year! Now Get Writing... Oh and Football. Yay.

I think I had a case of blog burnout. For over six months, I've been unable to even so much as think about writing a blog post about sports. It used to be that all I wanted to talk about was sports, but after 365 days of all sports, I just couldn't. I needed to purge my mind. Plus, the fact that the Red Sox went from last to World Series champs back to last really took the wind out of my sails.

But then football season happened. I love football season. I love that every week is so crucial to a fan because there's only 17 of them in the regular season. And in the whole scheme of sports playoffs, football's is fleeting. NFL playoffs last less than a month and there are just 11 games so each one, for me, can't be missed. Even the teams I don't care about... which is most of them.

When the New England Patriots are in the mix, that's when it gets dicey. I have butterflies. I have anxiety. I have issues. You would think I was part of the team the way my insides turn to jelly. It's especially nerve wracking when they finish the regular season so weakly — barely beating the lowly Jets and then losing to the Bills in an unspectacular fashion. So basically, I'll be a mess come Saturday evening when the Ravens come to Foxboro!

But I digress... if I love football season so much, why couldn't I get back to writing about it? By the time I thought of it, it was too far into the season to risk jinxing the Patriots' amazing October run with Rah-Rah blog posts about how great they are and how Tom Brady isn't even close to retirement. Plus... I was still dealing with that whole burnout thing.

So it's a new year and new goals and resolutions and all that happy crap so back on the writing train I go. Plus, I'm convinced I'm getting stupider by the day by not writing. Especially after having the last 13 days off where I spent more time in my pajamas than out of them... watching endless hours of television and possibly drooling on myself a little bit.

Happy New Year to all... and I hope you'll visit Balls of All Sizes once in a while!

PS:  If the Patriots lose to the Ravens, I will completely blame this blog post. And myself.

Day 350: Patriots Sign Edelman and Two Brandons

Geez, I go away for the weekend and what happens? The Patriots start signing guys left and right. And here I was up in the boonies with no laptop! Oh well... more good news out of Foxboro so I guess that's the important thing.

When I heard that Julian Edelman was meeting with the San Francisco 49ers, I broke out into a cold sweat. I had horrible visions of a repeat of last off-season when Tom Brady's favorite target, Wes Welker, left the New England Patriots for a Rocky Mountain high. Edelman had taken over Welker's role as that pesky slot receiver that Brady just loved to hit over the middle. They couldn't lose Edelman too. He caught 105 passes which was the fourth most in the NFL last season, and led the NFL with 53 catches over the final six games of the regular season.

But fear not, there won't be another Welker drama. The Patriots and Julian Edelman agreed to a new contract on Saturday, but as it stands right now, the details of the deal have not been made public. I thought I saw somewhere that it was a three-year deal but I can't actually confirm that anywhere and I possibly just made that up. Who cares... I'm just happy they got a deal done and we're not faced with another situation.

I reported in Friday's post that there were rumors that the Pats were interested in signing Seattle Seahawks corner, Brandon Browner—a recent member of that Legion of Boom thingy. Those rumors are now the truth. New England signed the former Seahawk on Saturday to a reported three-year, $17.5 million contract. Browner, who just came off a Super Bowl Championship season, will be serving a suspension to start the 2014 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. But all in all, he seems pleased with the opportunity to play in New England.

Today, I am proud to announce that I am a New England Patriot. I am honored that the Patriots are making me part of their legendary organization, and am grateful for the opportunity Mr. Kraft, Coach Belichick, Nick Caserio and the entire team have given me. I intend to diligently work with the same passion and dedication that I have displayed since coming into the NFL to uphold the great traditions and qualities that are embodied by the Patriots. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the Seattle Seahawks for giving a CFL player the once in-a-lifetime opportunity to return to the NFL, making a young boy's dream come true. To Coach Pete Carroll, GM John Schneider, John Idzik, Coach Richard, Rocky Seto, the LOB, my teammates, the training staff, the equipment guys the Seahawks organization as a whole and most importantly the 12th Man, I say thank you for everything you have done for myself and my family. I am a truly blessed person.

The Patriots also locked up another target for Tom Brady, signing former Panthers receiver Brandon LaFell. At 6 feet 2 inches and 210 pounds, LaFell will give the Patriots' receiving core some much-needed size. He caught 49 passes for 627 yards and five touchdowns while starting all 16 games. He caught more passes than Kenbrell Thompkins (32) and Aaron Dobson (37) so I think if he studies that Patriots playbook hard, he could be very successful in New England.

It also doesn't appear that the Patriots are stopping just yet. They're scheduled to meet with former Tennessee Titan wide receiver, Kenny Britt. The 25-year-old Rutgers product caught just 11 passes for 96 yards in 12 games in 2013. Britt was with Tennessee for five seasons and in that time, caught a total of 157 passes for 2,450 yards and he was a first round draft pick in 2009. More importantly, Britt has size—at 6 feet 3 inches and 215 pounds, he would be the biggest wide receiver on the team by about six pounds.

Things are looking good for the Patriots for the upcoming season—now we just need to keep all these guys healthy! And if Gronk comes back in good shape and doesn't get broken again... oh, boy!

Day 346: NFL Free Agency: It's Not Good for the Blood Pressure

All day my guts have been in a twist. I've been anxious and short with people and just sort of an all-around douche. At first, I couldn't figure out what was eating at me. And then I realized it was the stupid NFL free agency that's got my undies in a bundle. It's just downright nerve wracking.

It's even more of a killer when your favorite team *cough* New England Patriots *cough* has been virtually silent and has only managed to lose players. I was never a real Aqib Talib fan but shit, if they're going to let a guy like that go, they damn well better have someone just as good, if not better in the wings. That did NOT happen last season when Wes Welker jetted off to Denver and Tom Brady was left with a collection of mediocre receivers. So you can totally understand why I'd be a little gun shy.

So with Talib gone and Julian Edelman also hitting the free agent market, I'm definitely shaking in my boots. Despite winning the AFC East (which basically a team of chimps could've done last year), the Patriots are still riddled with holes. Edelman needs to be a priority. He was the only solid, consistent receiver last season with 105 catches. He managed to escape serious injury and provided Brady with a pretty stable (albeit vertically challenged) target. Even if they manage to get him to stay, they could still use another durable receiver to take some pressure off. Why are the Pats not on the radar for Eric Decker? Spend some money, for crying out loud!

But honestly, what's really making me crazy is the Darrelle Revis situation. The Tampa Bay Bucs released Revis today making him the #1 free agent right now and there are a lot of teams looking at him. The Patriots, Eagles, Jets, Giants and Falcons have all expressed interest in the five-time Pro Bowler. I just hope that Revis is taking into consideration which team he'll have the best chance of getting to the playoffs with (hint, hint)—in addition to the money, of course. Can't forget about the cashola!

Please oh please Mr. Belichick and Mr. Kraft... bring Revis Island to New England!!

THIS JUST IN: DARRELLE REVIS TO THE PATRIOTS!! ONE YEAR, $12 MILLION!! They must have heard my pleas!!

Day 293: Why Do I Have the Pre-Game Jitters?

It's been a long week waiting for AFC Championship Sunday to arrive and now that it's almost here, I find myself a bundle of nerves. Why? I'm not playing in the game, I'm not coaching the team (well...maybe a little from my couch) and I don't own the Patriots either. I'm just a fan...a very nervous (and ridiculously superstitious) fan.

I've been incessantly listening to sports talk radio this whole week. Listening to the Boston stations talk about how much Tom Brady owns Peyton Manning and that we have nothing to worry about. Listening to them talk about the postseason records of each quarterback and using those stats to make an argument for how it's virtually impossible for the Patriots to lose this game.

All I can think is: SHUT UP, YOU'RE GOING TO JINX THEM!!

Yup, that's how I think...but if you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know how irrational I can be when it comes to my superstitions. I did notice that the jeans and Pats t-shirt I wore during their win over the Colts still sit in the bedroom unwashed. That's a good thing, right? I didn't wash any good juju out of my outfit.

I'm not going to lie...I was nervous wearing this particular t-shirt last week because the only other time I wore it was during that horrible game against Carolina—and we all know how that one ended. So you probably can imagine my relief when they won. I really like the t-shirt and I would be sad to have to burn it. Although if bad things happen on Sunday, it's curtains for that thing.

But now I'm trying to remember what socks I wore. Mom? Do you remember? And I'm wondering if the change in the viewing location will work against me? Last week we watched the first half at my parents' house and the second half at home. This week we're planning to watch the whole game at home. And what about my dinner choices? Do I have to eat a meatball sub exactly as I did last Saturday night, or can I stick with my previously planned crock pot mac and cheese?

My brain can't handle all the questions and second guesses floating around in it! I guess I shouldn't over think it too much... Go Pats!

Day 287: Patriots are Headed to the AFC Championship Game!

Well, that was fun! The New England Patriots are going back to the AFC Championship game after beating the Indianapolis Colts 43-22 Saturday night. The Colts put up a pretty good fight for a good portion of the game and at one point were down just six points. But the Patriots were all like, I don't think so, and put a foot to the throat of the Colts early in the fourth quarter and never let up.

If the Colts had been playing anyone else, I would've been rooting for them. I like Andrew Luck. Out of the core of good, young quarterbacks in the NFL right now, he seems to have the best head on his shoulders. He's not as cocky and mouthy as some of the others—like the two who played Sunday afternoon. With Andrew Luck at the helm, Indy is capable of of great things... but the interceptions will get ya every time. And throwing four INTs against the New England Patriots is not advised. They will make you pay.

Tom Brady didn't really factor into this game much—he went 13-for-25 with 198 passing yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was basically on the field to keep the defense honest and mix in a passing play here and there. He did connect with Julian Edelman six times for 84 yards. The real story here is the running game. After LeGarrette Blount exploded for a career day in the final game of the regular season, I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering if it was a fluke. Or is this guy really that good?

I think at this point in time we can say Blount is really that good after his second consecutive spectacular game. And this time, it counted just a little more. He rushed 24 times for 166 yards and four touchdowns. FOUR! His longest run was 73 yards which of course, was for one of his TDs. Normally I'm more of a high-flying passing fan but this kid is seriously fun to watch.

There was a bit of sadness over the Patriots' game on Saturday though. Remember that post I did back in October about the Foxboro teenager, Sam Berns? He's the kid battling a rare, rapid-aging disease called Progeria who had befriended Robert Kraft. Well, just a day before Sam was to serve as honorary captain for the Patriots in their playoff game against the Colts, the 17-year-old passed away.

Robert Kraft, who had a special relationship with the young man, issued a statement following Sam's death on Friday night. (Click the link to read the whole thing.)

“I loved Sam Berns and am richer for having known him. He was a special young man whose inspirational story and positive outlook on life touched my heart. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend time with him and to get to know his incredible family.”

I'm glad the Pats won this game for Sam.

Day 286: Nobody Puts Tom Brady in the Corner.

Did you hear about this guy, Vinnie Iyer, from The Sporting News and the article he wrote this past week? He decided to rank the eight remaining NFL quarterbacks left in the playoffs. He based his rankings on different aspects of the game: arm strength, mobility, pocket presence, intangibles, blah blah, and then ranked the QBs within each area and assigned points. His results are a little shocking and kind of stupid.

Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson all scored 28 points to put them tied for first. Drew Brees came in fourth with 22 points and Cam Newton was fifth with 21 points. Phillip Rivers and Colin Kaepernick each scored 19 points to tie for sixth place. And then... in the lonely last place spot (the corner, as I like to call it) is Tom Brady, scoring just a 15 on Iyer's stupid point system. Wait... did I call it stupid already?

So the fact that Tom Brady has more Super Bowl wins than the other seven quarterbacks combined means nothing? Or that the Patriots have had to deal with both major personnel changes AND major losses to injuries means nothing? What about the NFL-leading five fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning drives this season? Nothing?

Sure, Tom Brady didn't have his best season statistically. He didn't blow the doors off any records or anything like that. Instead, he methodically lead a team of new guys, rookies and replacements to a 12-4 record, good for the second seed in the AFC and a first round bye. Back in December, this article on the Bleacher Report hit the nail on the head with this statement about Brady: "He's reverted back to his pre-2007 ways of squeezing maximum production out of minimum talent."Amen.

I dunno... call me crazy but I'd rather have a proven veteran at the helm going into these high-stress games. Someone who has demonstrated the ability to lead his team in all sorts of weather and all sorts of situations. Someone who never gives up—no matter how many points separate him from his opponent. A two-time Super Bowl MVP, perhaps?

Day 273: NFL Week 17... Depressed.

The end of the regular NFL season always depresses me. Sure... the Patriots will have at least one more game in the postseason, but if they screw that up, it's over. Those 17 weeks of football seem to fly by faster than any other sports season out there. Those precious 17 weeks...

Most years (present season included) week 17 can be a crazy collection of if/then scenarios for lots of teams on the postseason bubble. If this team wins and this team loses than this other team will make the playoffs but only if they win too. Or, like with the Pats, the outcome of their final week could mean either a first-round bye or a fourth seed. Thankfully, the Patriots beat the Bills 34-20 on Sunday to take the #2 seed in the AFC and earn that first-round bye.

Normally a Patriots game during the final week is pretty boring. They've usually wrapped up their spot in the playoffs and it's not even worth watching. But today... today was fun. The weather was horrific—torrential rain, puddles on the field, slippery pigskin. You couldn't have paid me enough money to sit in those stands in that weather. I was quite comfy wrapped in my blanket on the couch!

LeGarrette Blount made that last game even more fun by putting on quite a show. He rushed 24 times for an astounding (and career high) 189 yards and two touchdowns. His longest rush of the day was 36 yards. And if that wasn't impressive enough, the 250 pound running back added another 145 yards on kickoff returns. His 334 all-purpose yards set a new franchise record—and put him 12th in NFL history. Bill Belichick even said he was "the best player on the field."

Tom Brady's day was just ok—14-for-24 for 122 yards, one touchdown and a bullshit interception that wasn't his fault. But with the weather like it was, who can blame him for relying on the running game to get the job done. Good thing that running game didn't let him down! And Stephen Gostowski, who is having quite a season himself, made four field goals to add to the scoring.

So now it's on to the playoffs. With all the injuries the Patriots have had to endure this season, I don't have high hopes for much success in January. But that's how I like to handle it... if I get too cocky about the Pats' chances in the postseason (*cough*2008*cough*), I think it's bad luck. If I'm more of a glass-half-empty fan, things tend to work out a little better. Let's see if this theory holds true this time around.

Good Luck, Patriots! Kick some ass...

Day 267: Pats Win Big. Now That's More Like It!

It's something I've been longing for this entire football season—a dominating win where I didn't feel like I was going to throw up throughout the whole game. The New England Patriots beat, no walloped, the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday to improve to 11-4 and holding tight at the #2 seed in the AFC. The final score was 41-7 even with Tom Brady having just a mediocre day going 14-for-26 for 172 yards and one touchdown.

The real story in this game was the Patriots' defense—a defense that has been decimated by injuries but rose to a level we haven't seen much of this season. A defense that made Joe Flacco look like a college freshman. The Ravens were shut out in the first half and never even made it into Patriots' territory until the first play of the third quarter. Flacco was just 22-for-38 for 260 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions that both went for scores the other way.

The Ravens brought in back up quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, to take a few snaps. He promptly fumbled on the first play resulting in a Patriots touchdown. On the next series, Taylor moved the ball down the field and into Patriots territory... aaaaand then he tossed a pick that the Pats ran back for a 74-yard touchdown. Ooops.

LeGarrette Blount led the rushing attack with 16 runs for 76 yards and two touchdowns. While his numbers weren't outstanding, it just seemed like he always had the ball and he was just pounding through the defensive line like it was butter. I expected those numbers to bigger.

It was one of those games that was just plain fun to watch. There wasn't a point where I felt nervous or anxious that the Patriots didn't have the game completely under their control. Something that hasn't happened much this season. And although they had clinched their fifth consecutive AFC East title earlier in the day when Miami lost, they played like they had something to prove.

I just have one question for the Patriots... why couldn't you have beaten the Ravens like this back in last year's AFC Championship? Huh?

Day 260: I Really Don't Want to Talk About the Patriots.

The last thing I want to talk about tonight is that hideous loss by the New England Patriots on Sunday. I don't want to talk about how their last-second luck has finally run out. Or about how on paper, they played a pretty good game offensively. But once again, they can't seem to play the defense necessary to hold back even a mediocre team. This type of play is going to get them ousted from the postseason pretty quickly if they can't pull it together.

This game against the Dolphins was one of those trap games. It was a game the Patriots should've won handily if they could just get out ahead of a team and actually hold the lead. The Pats could've clinched the division with a win. The 'Phins needed the victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. I guess we know which team wanted it just a little more.

My guts were in a twist the entire fourth quarter. I had that bad feeling, deep down, that this was going to be that game, kind of like that game against the Panthers, where fourth quarter heroics would fall short. Where the curse of the midget receivers would haunt Tom Brady. Where the absence of Rob Gronkowski would be as obvious as a neon sign flashing "free beer." Anyone who things the Pats are going to get past the AFC Championship game without that giant target called Gronk is delusional.

Tom Brady's stats for the game weren't bad—34-for-55 for 364 yards and two touchdowns. The one miscue happened on the last play of the game when the Dolphins intercepted #12 in the end zone to put the game out of reach for New England. And the Pats had two 100+ receivers for the day—Julian Edelman had 13 catches for 139 yards and Danny Amendola pulled in 10 catches for 131 yards.

Brady was visibly disgusted after the loss. In a short and not so sweet post-game interview, he said, "We had plenty of chances all day. We made some good plays and we made plenty of shitty plays."

He should be disgusted. A win against the Dolphins would've have kept the Pats atop the AFC and get them one step closer to home field advantage throughout the playoffs. I bet the Broncos were pretty happy. I know I wasn't.

Day 252: Dear Patriots, Just Stop with the Nailbiters.

The New England Patriots came dangerously close to losing to the Cleveland Browns. The 4-8 CLEVELAND BROWNS! There was a point where I actually thought to myself, "holy shit, they Patriots are going to lose to this team." And I sunk deeper into the couch as time ticked off the clock and the Browns lead still stood.

But then I remembered I was watching the New England Patriots. The Patriots who come from behind, pull off impossible comebacks and beat their opponents into submission. For the fourth straight week, the Patriots trailed at halftime, again posting dismal first half numbers. Tom Brady looked like a nervous rookie with a case of the yips.

After posting a goose egg on the score board through two quarters, Brady finally found his groove and finished the game 32-for-52 for 418 yards and two touchdowns—both coming in the second half. Shane Vereen became Brady's favorite receiver connecting on 12 catches for 153 yards. He needed someone he could count on after Rob Gronkowski went down in the third quarter with a reported torn ACL and Vereen stepped up to the plate.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Patriots had closed the deficit to 19-14 on a nearly six minute drive that ended in a field goal. The Browns answered with a score of their own on a quick three minute drive highlighted by a big pass to Josh Gordon. They were up 26-14 with just over two minutes to go in the game. The Pats needed two touchdowns to win and I wondered if even Tom Brady could bring his team back from this one.

And then again, I remembered I as watching the New England Patriots. Brady and company drove down the field in 1:38 to score on a short pass over the middle to Julian Edelman. Score: 26-21. There was a personal foul on the play giving the Patriots a kick off from mid-field instead of the 35. There was nothing left to do but attempt an onside kick—something the Patriots hadn't been successful in doing since 1995. A long, long time ago.

Kicker Steven Gostkowski dribbled the kick down the middle of the field, running next to it as it bounced onward towards the magical 10 yard mark. As it reached the 40 yard line, the ball bounced off a Cleveland player and was covered up by the Patriots, giving them the ball back with 1:01 left to play and great field position. I couldn't believe my eyes.

After a short pass to Danny Amendola, Brady launched a pass to Edelman in the end zone which he missed but the Browns were flagged for pass interference giving the Patriots the ball on the one yard line. It was a total bullshit penalty because the Cleveland player barely touched Edelman, but after some of the crap calls the Pats have fallen victim to, it's about time one of those calls went their way. Brady threw a short pass to Amendola for the score and after a failed two point conversion attempt, they had a slim 27-26 lead.

Now is when the sweating started. They left just over 30 seconds on the clock—more than enough time for the Browns to get into field goal range. Lucky for the Patriots, they fell just short and their kicker booted a 58-yard air ball to end the game.

Patriots pull off another miracle comeback while giving me a heart attack. No big whoop. Bad news about Gronk's ACL—pretty sure his season is over. But they'll find a way to win without him. Maybe next week will be an easy blowout.

Day 245: Week 13 and the Playoffs Loom Large for Many.

December might be my favorite time for football. With just four weeks left to the regular season, the playoffs loom huge in the not to distant future. Some are still struggling to secure a spot, while other teams are battling for position—division wins, first round byes and home field advantage. Entering this week, there are 24 teams that are either in a playoff spot or within one game of a playoff spot. The entire AFC East, AFC North and AFC West are all in the mix, and the Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks can all clinch a playoff berth this week.

After the events of the off-season with Wes Welker leaving, Aaron Hernandez murdering someone and Rob Gronkowski recovering, I wasn't sure what to think of this Patriots team. Would it just get written off as a "rebuilding" year? At 8-3 I think the Pats have surprised a lot of people and some of the things Tom Brady has achieved with very few weapons is pretty astonishing. With last week's historical comeback win over the Broncos, I'm beginning to now think they can do anything!

The Patriots are traveling to Houston to take on the 2-9 Texans. On paper New England should have no troubles coming away with a win, but these are the games that scare me. The Pats need to be ready for some serious heat on Tom Brady—the Texans blitz almost more than any other team in the league. And with a win today, New England will guarantee their 13th straight winning season.

When I was making my picks for this week, I noticed some real great match-ups. Denver at Kansas City? I'm almost looking forward to this game most of all. Both teams coming in at 9-2 and both teams coming off a loss. The Chiefs looked defensively lost in their loss to the San Diego Chargers and maybe now they're coming back down to earth after jumping out to a stunning 9-0 record. The Broncos have something to prove after that colossal upset in chilly Foxboro last Sunday night. With a high of 54 degrees expected in KC today, Peyton should do ok... his little hands won't be cold like they were last week.

New Orleans at Seattle—another tough pick. I initially picked the Seahawks but just changed it (which will most likely come back to haunt me.) Is anyone else wondering how the hell Seattle is 10-1 riding the best record in the NFL? Well, if you go back and look at the teams they've played, you kinda get the drift. The Saints will be the first real challenge since they played Carolina and San Francisco early in the season. Plus... really? Can the universe really let the 'Hawks go to 11-1?

I'm having a hard time accepting that there are only four weeks left until the playoffs. I'm not ready for the season to be winding down... but I am ready for a Pats win and we've got some crappy weather outside today that's perfect for hunkering down on the couch!

Day 240: Brady Gives Manning a Pat.

Sometimes you just need a giggle... sometimes when life is swirling around you like a category five cyclone and you're so busy you can barely remember your name, let alone where you parked your car at the Whole Foods. Sometimes you just have to say screw it... screw the piles of paperwork sitting on your desk or the enormous proposal you've barely started. Just screw it and look at funny shit on the internet.

When I'm feeling down or swirly or overwhelmed by life, I normally turn to The Oatmeal for my yucks. This guy is the biggest friggin hilarious genius the earth has ever produced. His cartoons are nothing short of brilliant. And hilarious. Read about the undead parrot, I guarantee you won't be able to stifle your giggles. He brightens my days.

But there's something else that is good for a few yucks. The ever popular sports meme does wonders for your stress level. (It was a long time before I had any idea what the hell a meme was, and I'm still not quite sure if I know for certain.) This one showed up on my Facebook timeline today and, well, it kinda set the tone for the week.

Yes... I know... I suck because I fell asleep and never saw Tom Brady and Patriots make their historical comeback. But, yeah... this.

Oh Peyton... I know it's hard to throw the ball with mittens on. Even harder when you're wearing a skirt.

Day 239: Biggest Comeback in Franchise History and Guessed Who Missed It?

I have a confession to make. I fell asleep just after halftime and missed the thrilling comeback victory the New England Patriots pulled off over the Denver Broncos. I am an epic failure of a football fan. I let the busy day get the best of me and by halftime, I was asleep on the couch, drooling on myself. Damn those Sunday night games! The last thing I said as I made my way up to bed was, "Watch, I'm sure the Pats will mount some amazing comeback and I'll miss the whole thing." Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.

Basically, I suck. When I woke up this morning to texts like, "Are u still up?" and "OMFG!" I knew I was in trouble right away. I've honestly never felt so physically sick for missing a game until this one. Stupid me didn't even think to hit record on the DVR... 

So here's what I saw...

• Stevan Ridley coughs up the ball. Well there's something new and different. Denver runs fumble back for a touchdown. Crap.

• Tom Brady gets creamed and coughs up the ball. Denver recovers, eventually scores another touchdown. Crap CRAP.

• LaGarrette Blount coughs up the ball. What the hell? Is fumbling contagious? Denver recovers yet again and turns the Patriots' misfortune into three points. At least it wasn't a touchdown.

• Broncos score another touchdown for a 24-0 lead and I sink further into a sleeping position on the couch. 

• Oh wait, the Patriots have life—they take the opening second half kickoff down the field for a touchdown. They played like the Broncos were still in the locker room. Oooh, see what happens when you don't give the ball away?

And here's what I missed... clearly all the good stuff.

• Denver fumbles! Yay! Looks like they caught the fumblitis! And the Patriots convert the turnover into another touchdown. 24-14

• Denver fails to score on their next possession. Patriots get ball back and score another TD... this time highlighted by a 43-year pass, Brady to Edelman. 24-21... boo-yeah!

• Denver gets the ball back and Peyton Manning promptly thrown an interception. It takes the Patriots just three plays to score yet another touchdown! Patriots now lead 28-24. Exciting!! (Surely more exciting than the sheep I was counting.)

• Denver goes three and out and the Patriots march back down the field and score a field goal to extend their lead to 31-24.

• Uh oh... Denver ties it up on a touchdown. Boo-hissssssss.

• Overtime! And back and forth we go and now no one can seem to score. 

• With just over three minutes to play in OT, the Patriots are forced to punt. Wes Welker is back to receive but opts not to catch it. The ball hits one of his guys... live ball... Patriots recover!! Field goal is good. Game is over. Patriots are victorious!! 

What a game! (I imagine, of course.) I can't believe I missed all that excitement. Although it may be a good thing because I most certainly would have peed my pants!! 

Day 234: Sport Science Takes Closer Look at Bad Game-Ending Call

The more I hear and see and relive that horrible game-ending call that tagged the New England Patriots with their third loss of the season, the more annoyed I get. But my aggravation just intensified when I watched ESPN SportCenter's Sport Science segment which broke down the infamous play making Pats fans everywhere cry out in despair. Ok, maybe that was just me.

Sport Science breaks down the play as follows:

Running at 16 miles per hour into the end zone, Rob Gronkowski begins to decelerate nearly a full second before the ball arrives. Defender Luke Kuechly makes contact with Gronk a third of a second later, meaning contact happened 2/3 of a second before the ball was intercepted. 

Sport Science projects that untouched, Gronk would have been able to decelerate from 16 mph to 0 mph in roughly a half-second. That would have given the Patriots tight end time to use his 8-foot-3 reach to make a play on the ball. Of course, he still would have had safety Robert Lester, who ultimately intercepted the ball, to contend with.  

It’s highly improbable he would have been able to position himself to have a better shot at the ball than Lester, but the fact it might have even been possible makes the ruling that the pass was uncatchable -- which was the stated reason the pass interference flag was picked up -- a questionable one.

Or you could just watch the video. And if you're like me, you'll want to punch a hole through your computer. I'll go to my grave believing that any other team gets that pass interference call.


Tom Brady said even his mom thought it was interference. Tom Brady's mom is obviously a very smart woman.

Day 233: Patriots Last Second Loss to Carolina Stinks.

I have a feeling of deja vu... Controversial call? Patriots' loss? Kinda sounds like that overtime loss back in October to the Jets. And it also sounds like the whole world is against the New England Patriots. Might be just my allegiance to the Flying Elvis, but I have a sneaking suspicion that if the tables were turned, a pass interference call would have surely been made.

It sucks to lose, especially like this, but honestly, the Patriots probably shouldn't have been in this situation in the first place. The Panthers took a pretty quick 10-0 lead in the first half, and the Pats had a hard time getting on track, especially with that tough Cat's defense. Brady was sacked a couple of times to end drives and, well, things just looked a little dismal. They could muster just three points in the first half. 

But there was still life left in the Pats. They took the second half kick-off down the field for an eight play, game-tying touchdown and had fans everywhere sitting up a little straighter in their chairs. After trading a couple more touchdowns, and with the score knotted at 17, the Patriots drove down the field and had to settle for a field goal. I knew this would come back to haunt them. I even said, "They need a touchdown here." I just knew, with how Cam Newton was throwing the ball, that a field goal wouldn't be enough with over six minutes left in the game.

And I was right. Newton and the Panthers burned over five minutes off the clock and marched right down the field—the 13-play drive culminated in a 25-yard TD pass to Tedd Ginn for the go ahead score. Shit.... Shit shit shit. They left Tom Brady just about a minute to do something memorable. Normally, he comes through. He almost came through.

The crowd was thunderous as the Patriots started their drive—a drive that was kept alive by a 4th-and-10 completion to Gronkowski. Brady managed to pick through the defense, finding open receivers, and with all three timeouts available, he wasn't limited to the sidelines. The Patriots made it all the way down to the Carolina 18 yard line with just three ticks on the clock. This game would come down to the final play... but it was not to be for New England as Brady was picked off in the end zone, game over.

But wait... is that some yellow I see on the ground in the end zone? Wait... could there be life left in this game? Oh wait... nope, the referees picked it up, calling the ball uncatchable even though there was a defender with Rob Gronkowski in a freaking bear hug in the end zone. So I guess that's not pass interference? Well, at least when it happens to the Patriots. I'm not saying it was the best thrown ball in the world, but who's to say that Gronk couldn't have come back and made a play for that pass? 

Referees are stupid. 

Day 224: Oh How I Despise the Bye Week!

So the Patriots aren't playing this weekend. That sucks. They have a bye week and because of that, I'm left to watch teams I don't really care about. I do care about the outcomes of all those other games since those determine my standings in the pool, but really, I only care about watching the Patriots. I understand that these guys need a break... a little mid-season R and R, but dudes... this sucks. They better come back faster and stronger and more motivated than ever!

Bye weeks are especially painful when they come later in the season... you know, when baseball has ended and there's nothing else to keep you occupied on a Sunday afternoon. With all this free time on my hands I'm forced to clean. Or participate in other constructive activities. This weekend it was woodworking. Outside in the cold. For hours. Patriots football would've been way more fun.

And if the bye week isn't bad enough, the Patriots don't play again until a week from Monday. So now, not only do I have to wait that much longer to see them play, but chances are, I won't even make it to halftime because those damn Monday night games are on just too late! Two Sundays in a row with no Patriots? Oh the injustice!

Anywho... the Patriots go into their bye week with an impressive 7-2 record. I say impressive because this team could've easily sucked early on with pretty much no one for Tom Brady to throw the ball to. He had a bunch of rookies that had difficulty running the correct routes. Rookies that started to make Brady look bad. And at times Brady made Brady look bad. In light of all the personnel changes and injuries, this team has done pretty well.

The Pats enter their bye week at a point where they appeared to be hitting their stride after pounding the Pittsburgh Steelers 55-31 and finally getting all those key cylinders pumping at the same time. Tom Brady looked so much better—23-for-33 for 432 yards and four touchdowns. Yes, please. I'll take that performance every week. I really hope this time off doesn't kill this recent chemistry.

The other reason I'm hating this bye week? I can't figure out what hallucinogenic drug I was taking when I picked the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers to beat the Eagles. Not a smart move...Grrrrrrrrr

Day 217: There are the Patriots I Know and Love

So it may have taken nine weeks, but the New England Patriots that we know and love finally showed up to play on Sunday. And play and play and play. They did something to the Pittsburgh Steelers that's never been done before: they scored 55 points—the most ever scored against the black and gold.

The game was close after three quarters and the Patriots held a slim 27-24 lead as the fourth quarter began. But the Pats exploded for 28 points to the Steelers seven in the fourth to put the game out of reach, winning 55-31. It was a fun game to watch. And it was fun to watch some of these guys break out with big numbers. And it's especially fun to have Rob Gronkowski back on the field.

There has been speculation since last week's game against Miami that Tom Brady was battling some sort of hand injury. If he is, that makes today's performance that much more impressive. Brady was 23-for-33 for 432 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. It was Brady's 3rd career 400-yard game and now with a career total of 47,062 passing yards, his passes Fran Tarkenton for 7th in NFL history. It was also his 37th career game with 3+ TD passes and no interceptions, passing Brett Favre for second most all-time and trailing only Peyton Manning (41). And it was Brady's 15th career game with 4+ TD passes and no interceptions—most all-time. [All stats from NFL.com.]

The Patriots collected 610 net total yards against the Steelers—413 passing and 197 rushing. It was a well-balanced, well-played game where Stevan Ridley gained 115 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns, his first +100 yard game of this season. And Gronk showed why he was missed so much catching nine balls for 143 yards and one touchdown.

Aaron Dobson, the 22-year-old rookie was rather impressive today also. He caught five passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. One of those TDs came on a magnificent 81-yard TD pass from Brady in the fourth quarter. Danny Amendola also had a touchdown and hauled in four passes for 122 yards—his longest was 57 yards.

Even though the Steelers haven't been very good this season, there's no doubt in my mind that, given the way the Pats have played at times over the first eight games, this game could've been ugly... and not in a way that benefited New England. But it didn't and Tom Brady and the rest of the team really stepped up and took the bull by the horns. If I had one complaint it would be the number of points they gave up those pesky Steelers.

Next Sunday is a bye week for the Patriots and I'm sure this banged up team is happy for the break. Although I'm not happy I won't get to watch them. Next up is a Monday Night Football matchup @Carolina on the 18th.

Day 204: Well, Patriots... that completely stunk.

Another week of football in the books and the season is almost officially half over. WHAT? That can't be true—feels like it just started. After Sunday's performance by the New England Patriots against the New York Jets, I'm starting to think maybe this season is going to take a turn for the worse and I don't like it one bit. In a game that should've been a cinch, the Pats' depleted defense just couldn't hold Jets' rookie QB Geno Smith or the running game in check and lost in overtime, 30-27. It was a bad scene all around.

Like just about every other Patriots fan in the world, I was annoyed by that bullshit unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in overtime. I was even more annoyed with the caliber of play from not only the defense, which I assumed was going to suck after losing three top players, but also Tom Brady. The Pats didn't deserve to win that game and even if they had gotten the ball back at mid-field after the missed field goal attempt, who's to say Brady could have completed the passes needed to get them into their own field goal range.

So yes, I'm pissed that they got the raw end of the rule book deal when some eager referee decided to enforce a new, but really obscure rule. How many field goals have been kicked in the first seven weeks of the season? You're telling me that there have been NO instances where a defensive player pushed his own teammate into the pile? Really? I'm not buying it.

But here's where I think I might sway from the majority. Or maybe not. The Patriots just flat out stunk on Sunday. The highlight reel is virtually non-existent. Tom Brady was 22-for-46 for 228 yards and an interception. Honestly, I was surprised that he completed that many passes with how inaccurate he appeared. They rushed for just 90 yards total while New York rushed for 177 yards—almost double. Yeesh. 

The high point of the day was the return of Rob Gronkowski with his heavily braced left arm. Despite not playing the entire game, Gronk finished with eight catches for 117 yards. But he missed quite a few too. Some because Tom Brady's aim bordered on erratic, and others because he was trying to make catches one-handed, possibly to protect the previously injured appendage. Regardless... it's still nice to see him out there and nice to see him get hit hard with no lingering effects. 

Oh well... as much as it sucks losing to the Jets—anyone but the Jets—maybe this is a wake up call for the organization. I think they need some serious help... but I'm just not sure who! Tom Brady looks lost and unsure of himself. Something I don't think I've ever seen in him.