I like my Kool-Aid with ice

The NFL is often called a quarterbacks' league. The QB is key. No doubt. But listening to Brad Childress, the coach of the Pats' opponent this week, it became clear that the NFL is really a coaches' league. Bad coaches can ruin good teams. Think Childress or Wade Phillips. Good coaches can get the most out of average teams. Think Bill Parcells or Mike Shanahan. Average quarterbacks have won championships. Average coaches have not.

Patriots fans are lucky. For the past ten years we have had the best coach in the league. In fact, Bill Belichick is the greatest coach the NFL has ever seen.

No. I haven't been guzzling the Kool-Aid. I'm still not too happy that Randy Moss was traded. The team has lost a few too many games during the past two seasons that it could/should have won. He screwed up large by illegally taping opponent's signals. He could be a little less of a jerk at press conferences. Mike Vrabel should still be playing for this team.

BELICHICK: Coaches coach.

None of that -- or any other criticism that spouting heads like Borges or Felger might throw his way -- changes the fact that the man currently coaching the Patriots is the game's best. Ever. Others may go with Landry, Shula, Noll, or Lombardi. All good choices. But watching Bill Belichick from the stands some ten times a year for more than a decade has convinced me. Is he the most entertaining? Uh, no. The most glib? Nope. The warmest. Hell no. What does that have to do with the issue? Does he have fun with the media? Would you?

Belichick's detractors describe most Pats fans as Kool-Aid drinking worshipers who think the coach/GM/defensive coordinator/ trainer/ doctor/bus driver can do no wrong. Three Super Bowl titles and an 18-1 season sure do buy you a lot of loyalty and benefit of the doubt. But Pats fans question Belichick all the time.

Add these to my list: I disagreed with letting Willie McGinest go. Strongly. I think if he's in that AFC title game in Indy we don't blow an 18-point lead. Willie wouldn't have stood for it. Same with that Super Bowl. You think Willie lets little Manning escape that sack? He not only sacks him, he probably draws blood. That was what made Willie the true leader of that team. Same with Vinatieri. I would have paid him. Without those kicks in the winter of '02 I don't think any of this happens. Belichick should have signed him for three more years just to say thanks. But that would have been money not well spent. Gostkowski -- if you factor in his kickoffs -- has actually been better than the best clutch kicker ever. Belichick was right on that one. He's right more often than not. And he's not afraid to make the tough decisions. That's why he's making the calls. All of them. Even that fourth down call I didn't like last year -- and last week.

Borges, no longer of the Globe, recently wrote that without the players Belichick would just be another high school football coach. Mark and I still have our decoder rings out trying to decipher that one. Borges is certainly not drinking the Kool-Aid. But sometimes I think he's drinking something. The players deserve a huge amount of the credit for all the wins. Belichick is the first one to give them that credit. Week in and week out. "The players made the plays." The coach says it all the time. Those players have come and those players have gone, and still the Patriots are one of the top teams in the league. Ten years after their first Super Bowl title. It's been an incredible run. And with seven picks in the first four rounds of next year's draft it doesn't look like it's about to end.

Since 2001, Belichick's Pats have not had a losing season. They have only missed the playoffs twice during that time and in those two years (2002, 2008) they missed due to a tie-breaker. 2008's Brady-less team is only the second team to win 11 games and not make the playoffs. As the Patriots walked off the field in San Diego Sunday with a 5-1 record, the chances of them putting up another 10-plus win season looked good. Anything can happen in these last 10 games and there are lots of things they need to improve on, but the team that many predicted would finish third in the division is once again battling for the top in the AFC.

Belichick's true value doesn't lie in his personnel decisions, draft-day maneuvers, interview skills, video library, or even his game planning. His value is in his coaching. On Sundays. Watching him on the sideline year after year I've seen a head coach doing what he should be doing -- coaching. He's always focused. Always thinking about the next play. Always communicating with his team. And from what I see from my seat in Section 109 his team listens to him -- and respects him. There aren't too many coaches who can last this many years with a team without the players tuning him out. Belichick still has his team's attention. That in itself is an accomplishment.

Belichick's philosophy of coaching can be described in three words. Do your job. A simple philosophy. But effective. It's a philosophy that -- when put in the hands of the right players like Troy Brown, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Vince Wilfork and now guys like Jerod Mayo and Pat Chung -- can lead to championships. It's a philosophy that Belichick himself follows on Sundays. No matter what the score, what the situation, he is always doing his job.

Watch the NFL Films video on coaches of the 2000s. (The part of just Belichick is below) Who do you want as the coach of your NFL team? The ones -- and there are some very good coaches among them -- who are yelling (I can never get enough of Dennis Green) and screaming and talking nonsense? Or the one who always keeps his composure, keeps his focus on the next play, doesn't like listening to himself talk, and always does what he thinks puts his team in the best position to win no matter how it makes him look.

I'll take the one in the hood. Hopefully for another 10-plus years.

Favre!!!!!!

Brett Favre may have stuck it to Pats fans yet again.

Reports today are that the grand old man of football suffered two fractures in his ankle last night while he was almost single-handedly losing a huge game for his struggling Vikings. Favre threw three picks against Green Bay in what was certainly his last game at historic Lambeau Field. It was classic Favre. He would make a great play, only to follow it with an equally stupid one. The best part was listening to the announcers say how he almost pulled out another comeback win, completely ignoring the fact that if he hadn't thrown those picks his team would not have been behind.

FAVRE: Feeling his age.

Watching the game, I just couldn't wait for his arrival at Gillette Sunday. With sidekick Randy Moss. Now that is all in doubt.

Among his many records -- good and bad -- Favre has started 291 straight games. Most ever for a quarterback, 291! A streak that goes back decades. Once Favre announced he was coming back for one more year there was never any doubt that he would be throwing passes -- and picks -- against the Pats on Halloween. The guy always plays. Even when he shouldn't. That's because Favre always puts his own interests ahead of that of his team. Always.

But now it looks like I will be booing Tavaris Jackson. That won't be nearly as fun.

Pats' fans hatred of #4 goes way, way, way back. The greatest quarterback and American to ever lace 'em up shot to the top of the New England enemy list in the 1996 Super Bowl. (That was the one in which coach Bill Parcells was signing a contract to coach the Jets when he should have been telling his special teams coach not to kick the ball to Desmond Howard).

Favre was the young gunslinger back then. I can still see him running around in his green and yellow Packers uniform with his helmet raised above his head after he threw a touchdown bomb. Favre and the Pack knocked off the Pats even though he made many stupid mistakes. The Pats could have won. Maybe should have won. But Favre and Green Bay did and -- although he hasn't won a title since -- his legend has continued to grow.

Favre came back to bite the Pats in 2002, the year after Brady won his first Super Bowl. The Pats, who won a thriller at home against Miami to finish at 9-7, needed Favre and his Vikings to knock off the Jets to put the them in the playoffs. The Patriots were the defending champs and were hot. If they had made it into the playoffs anything was possible. The Pack was 12-3. The Jets 8-7. My family gathered at my parents house figuring there was a very good chance a 12-3 team would beat an 8-7 team. We forgot Brett Favre was playing,

Favre and the Pack decided to pretty much take the game off and were whipped by the Jets 42-17. The Pats were out of the playoffs. The Jets were in. Thanks Brett. It hurt a little less when the Atlanta Falcons went into Green Bay and blew them out 27-7 in the opening round of the playoffs. Favre, as usual, threw two big picks.

Flash forward to 2008, the year Brady got hurt and the team still managed to go 11-5 with Matt Cassel leading the way. Favre was now a member of the Jets. He had led Gang Green to an 8-3 record through eleven weeks and the national media had anointed them champs. But the Jets, lead by Favre game-killing interceptions, lost three of their next four and were out of the playoff hunt.

But... the Jets were playing Miami, who were tied with the Pats for first in the AFC East, in the final game of the season. If Favre and the Jets could beat their rivals from the South then the Pats, without Brady, would make the playoffs. It would be a great success story. Once again my family gathered at my parents' house to see if Favre could give us a little help.

Final score: Dolphins 24, Jets 17.

Favre threw three picks, one of them Miami took back for a score. Does Favre hold the record for most "pick sixes"? My bet is yes. Once again Favre had screwed the Pats and their fans.

All the time Favre was losing one big game after another, the media was elevating him to American hero status. His status among my family? Public enemy #1.

I was hoping for one last chance to let Captain America know how I felt. Once again it looks like he has cheated me out of some fun.

Then again... if there's a quarterback who will force his way on to the field with a fractured ankle and a weak arm in order to officially kill his team's season, it's Brett Favre.

Come on, Brett. You owe me one.

Greased lightning

WEEK 7
The first half of the Pats-Chargers game set football back about 50 years.

WEEK 7: Pick up game.

Has a wide receiver (SD's Richard Not-So-Goodman) ever caught a pass, fallen down, and then just left the ball on the field for the defense to pick up? I've never seen it. It's also not too often you see offsides on the opening kickoff (Pats), or a team (SD) kill a big drive by throwing a lazy lateral then watching the ball roll around on the ground till a defender (Ninkovich) picks it up and takes it to the 8-yard line. Only to then sack the opposing QB (Brady) twice to force a field goal? It was sloppy, crazy football.

And it made for a beautiful road win for the now 5-1 Patriots. That's two road wins in a row for a team that just a few weeks ago couldn't win outside the Foxborough town line. At two tough places to play. The 2010 season is definitely starting to feel a lot different from 2009. Good teams find ways to win games when not playing at their best. Or take games when the other teams give them away. The Lightning Bolts were in a very giving mood yesterday. Thank you, Norv Turner. Again.

The first half ended with the Pats ahead 13-3 thanks mostly to four Charger turnovers. And thanks to an opportunistic, aggressive defense. San Diego, the best passing attack statistically in the league so far this year, had eight first half possession but only put up one field goal. Tight end Antonio Gates, almost unstoppable in the first six weeks, was blanked in the first half. It was another solid game by Jerod Mayo, Jermaine Cunningham, Rob Ninkovich, Pat Chung, Vince Wilfork, and company.

The third quarter opened with a dominating 17-play drive by the Pats that showed how good the offense can be when it is clicking. Brady spread the ball around nicely and Woodhead and Green-Ellis continued their straight ahead -- if unspectacular -- running game. The Pats controlled most of the second half and with just more than seven minutes left in the game were up 23-6. Then the Chargers -- desperate to avoid falling to 2-5 -- finally got their passing game cranking.

Gates finally hauled in a touchdown pass and the Chargers cut the score to 23-13. Then something very surprising happened. Norv outcoached Bill Belichick. No, really. The Chargers executed a perfect onside kick and recovered the ball. The Pats did not look ready for that. Might have been because the sun seemed to be in Belichick's eyes the entire fourth quarter. Whatever it was, the Chargers drove in for another score to cut the lead to 23-20.

Brady and the offense got the ball with four minutes left. Two first downs and the game would be over. It's a drive this offense has to have. Instead the offense went four and out. Green-Ellis was stuffed on a fourth down run and the Chargers took the ball and moved into position for a 45-yard field goal to tie the game. Fittingly, San Diego committed one last mistake. A five-yard illegal formation flag pushed the kick back to a 50-yarder and Kris Brown's kick -- and the Chargers' season -- clanked off the goal post.

The Pats -- as the Steelers and the Ravens also did yesterday -- escaped with a big win.

There were plenty of negatives for the Pats. Too many penalties. The defense gave up nearly 400 yards of offense -- again. The offense is still having too many wasted possessions. The passing game is mostly limited to Aaron Hernandez. New hero Deion Branch finished with just four catches and was hardly part of the offense for three quarters. Watching the tape of the game showed several times where he came off the line of scrimmage and just stood around. Like Randy Moss. I can't wait to hear Felger rip Branch for that. Right. He loves Branch. The old double-standard. The Pats are 2-0 since trading away Moss, but in both wins the offense had no deep threat and struggled for much of the game. That may prove to be a weakness going forward. It may not. Clearly an element of their attack is gone.

But the defense is fast becoming a positive. Mayo is starting to return to the level that he played at during his award-winning rookie season. Rookie Devin McCourty, who has been quietly playing solid cornerback since training camp, made his first pick of the year. Brandon Meriweather made some big -- and legal -- hits. There will be some tough days ahead for the young defense, but the signs are mostly pointing in the right direction.

Speaking of pointing in the right direction... there's Tom Brady. He threw for just 159 yards yesterday and one touchdown. But the biggest stat was his interceptions: zero. On a day when seven picks were returned for touchdowns in the NFL, the Pats quarterback did a great job of directing his team and keeping them in a position to win. Just like he did last week against Baltimore. He will still have his three and four touchdown games. But yesterday's one touchdown game was just as crucial. He's playing like the veteran champion that he is. That's the most positive sign.

Next up on the schedule is a game I've been looking forward to since the schedule came out (I'll be saying that a lot the rest of the season). Brett Favre and Randy Moss come to Gillette for a 4 p.m. game on Halloween. The forecast is partly cloudy with temps in the 50s. Perfect costume weather. I will be wearing my Randy Moss T-shirt as a final salute to one of the game's greatest receivers.

It should be a house of horrors for old man Favre.

A very Brady special

As I said when the NFL season started... this is the golden age of football.

If you are a fan in 2010 you can get as much football as you can stand. And then some. We can thank the invention of cable television for that. We can thank ESPN. And mostly we can thank the NFL Network. The league has never been more competitive and for those of us who love it we can basically spend 24/7 watching nothing but previews, games, highlights, specials, tributes, you name it. I hate to think what my days would look like if I hadn't gotten married. It wouldn't be pretty. Thanks, Dev.

On those nights when Dev is out doing her thing, I turn on Channel 265 (the Network) and catch "Total Access," "NFL GameDay" (with my man Prime), "America's Game," "Playbook," or any number of great programs. This year the Network has added another classic show -- "The Top 100: The NFL's Greatest Players."

TOP 100: Who you got?

Like everything the NFL Network (in collaboration with legendary NFL Films) touches, it is great sports entertainment. Once a week ten players are unveiled, profiled in interviews and highlights in the way that only the NFL does. Thursday at 9 p.m. has been must-see-TV since the show debuted in early September with pick #100 -- Joe Willie Namath. Perfect choice to start the list.

Each pick has either been a "I loved that guy!" player (#97, the late great Derrick Brooks; #85, Marcus Allen) or a history lesson into players I have only heard about (#83, Norm Van Brocklin; #64 Herb Adderley, just to name a few). There have been players I can't stand (#61, LaDainian Tomlinson) and players that I named my fantasy football team after (#65, Randy Moss). I've been enjoying every minute of it.

Until this week.

My tailgating friends and I have kicked around which Patriots would make the list. We knew the great Mike Haynes would be there even though he is best known for his years as a champion Raider. He was (#49). Some thought Rodney might make it. He hasn't. Some thought Willie McGinnest would be there since he holds the NFL record for most post-season sacks. OK, just I thought Willie would be there. He should be!

We all knew two Patriots who would be there. Hall of Famer John Hannah. And Tom Brady. The only real debate concerning them was which one would be in the Top 10? The greatest offensive guard to ever play the game or one of the three or four greatest quarterbacks. Some were sure Hog Hannah would make it near the top. My money was on the QB.

We were all wrong.

As this week's list of numbers 30-21 was unveiled there were some all-time greats. Jack Lambert, Emmitt Smith, Dan Marino. Then came #24. John Hog Hannah. Sports Illustrated named him the greatest offensive lineman ever to play the game many years ago. He hasn't lost that honor as far as I know. But he didn't make the Top 20. Even if you figure that the best player at each position (minus kickers, of course) should be ranked high that would mean Hannah would have to be in the Top 20. Anyone who saw him lead block on a sweep play would certainly agree. But if you check out the up-to-date list of the rankings at NFL.com you will see, in the second column, that Hannah did not get any votes from fans when they were polled online. None. Zero. He did not rank in the Top 100 with fans. So much for my theory that most football fans are historians of the game.

OK. Hannah 24. I can accept that. That leaves Brady. Three Super Bowls. 50 touchdowns in one season (that's a record). A great leader. A model player (GQ covers aside). A fierce competitor. One of the all-time clutch QBs. His story isn't even finished yet. I figured it would be a few more weeks before #12 came on the screen. I was just finishing my beer as the profile of #22 Gayle Sayers wrapped up (yes, I was a little close to tears on that one). Up next, number 21.

Tom Brady.

Uh, excuse me?

BIG 3: Unitas, Montana, Brady.

Number 21. How is that possible? From what I've read there are 17 QBs in the ranking. Here are the ones unveiled before Brady... 100. Namath; 91. Fran Tarkenton; 90. Kurt Warner; 83. Van Brocklin; 82. Steve Young; 80. Troy Aikman; 51. Bart Starr; 50. Terry Bradshaw; 46. Roger Staubach; 33. Sid Luckman; 25. Marino; 23. John Elway. That's twelve. Brady makes thirteen. So, according to my math, that means there are four quarterbacks that are ahead of Brady. (I won't even get into the fact that Bradshaw and his four rings being ranked 50th is ridiculous).

Of course Joe Montana, the best QB ever, is ahead of Brady. I would put him at #1 overall. But if Elway isn't. And Marino isn't. And Bradshaw isn't. Who are the other three?

Manning (Peyton, not Eli) would have to be one of them. But he better be #20 because he and Brady are so close that they have to be side-by-side. If he's in the Top 10 and Brady isn't then people just haven't been paying attention. Johnny U would get the nod to represent the great QB not in the modern era. That leaves one signal caller on the list ahead of Brady. Who could that be? Oh no. Not him. You've got to be kidding.

Brett Favre. It has to be him. He of the most touchdowns in NFL history. But he also of the most interceptions, most fumbles, most stupid game-killing plays, and most unretirements in league history. He also of one -- one -- Super Bowl title. Brett Favre -- as great as he is and as much fun as he is to watch when he's not sending cellphone photos of his body parts to women -- should never be rated ahead of Tom Brady. Ever. Or Terry Bradshaw. Or Roger Staubach. Or Troy Aikman. But since his name hasn't surfaced yet, I guess it's safe to assume the icon of ESPN is ranked in the Top 20. Why am I surprised.

While I was still trying to digest Brady's ranking at 21, a familiar face came on the screen. New York Yankee Derek Jeter. Of the New York Yankees.

Did I mention that each player is profiled by another player or a celebrity or a coach or someone relevant to the guy being honored? Reggie Bush on LT. Aikman on Michael Irvin. Warner on Marshall Faulk.

So the video on Brady starts -- the video I'd been waiting weeks to watch. The video that came about two weeks too soon. And the guy the NFL picks to talk about the greatest New England Patriot is Derek Jeter? And he's wearing a Yankees cap?

OK, NFL. Are we even for Spygate yet?

Feeling better

WEEK 6
Patriots 23, Ravens 20 OT (10/17/'10): Revenge is a dish best served cold. And with a Bloody Mary. Mark and I had been sick and on the injury report all week, but as he says: We play on Sundays. With the help of some curative vodka and V8.

We didn't have any Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco, but Shep and Matt had brought some spicy ketchup from Germany. So in went that. We didn't have any celery or olives but we did have salsa. The chunky kind. In went that. "Whatever it takes to make it work," Mark said as we raised our cups and toasted yet another beautiful fall day of tailgating.

DEION: Clutch as always.

Whatever it takes. That would apply to one of the best regular-season victories and tailgates in memory. It's days like yesterday that remind me why -- after 20 years -- I still love to get up at 7 a.m., pack up all the tailgate stuff, make several shopping stops, battle traffic, and pay $50 to park. It's just a lot of fun.

As we sat around before the game eating spinach and feta sausages (that's what the German ketchup was for), listening to music, and watching fathers and sons play catch, much of the talk was about last year's playoff beating at the hands of the Ravens. Had the Pats D improved enough to exact some revenge for getting embarrassed by Ray Rice? Was the offense -- without Moss -- capable of shutting up Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs? As a wobbly Ravens fan walked around the lot in a Lewis jersey taunting Pats fans like his hero, payback was on everyone's mind.

It seemed to be on the Pats' players minds too. Especially Brady. He was so fired up that many of his passes in the first three quarters were a little off. The offense -- without Moss (who coincidentally and poignantly was pictured on the game ticket) -- played hard against the league's best defense, but only had 10 points entering the fourth. Fortunately the defense was holding its own against Baltimore's offense. An offense that is actually better than the one that plowed over the Pats last January.

The key stat for the game was this one: Ray Rice -- 88 yards on 28 carries. In last season's playoff game he rushed for 159 yards on 22 carries. That was the biggest difference. The Pats D, flattened before, stood up to the Ravens time and time again. It wasn't always pretty (like the Ravens opening drive that seemed to last two hours), but if was effective. Vince Wilfork often shifted to the outside of the line with Gerard Warren or Brandon Deaderick taking the Big Man's spot in the middle. More importantly, rookie linebacker Brandon Spikes was right behind them, recording eight unassisted tackles. Mostly one-on-one battle with Rice. Battles Spikes won. That's a huge difference from last year. Jermaine Cunningham. Jerrod Mayo. Patrick Chung. The young players weren't perfect, but they made lots of plays and went hit-for-hit with one of the toughest teams in the league.

When Joe Flacco hit Anquan Boldin on a 25-yard TD pass -- one of the few big plays the D allowed all game -- the Ravens went up 17-7 with 10 minutes to go in the third. The teams then traded field goals and heavy hits, leaving Baltimore up by 10 (20-10) early in the fourth. What a fourth quarter it was.

The Gillette crowd -- which had been loud all day -- got the chance to really get into a big game for the first time in quite a while. It made for a fun atmosphere. A playoff atmosphere.

The Pats moved down the field on what will surely be one of the biggest drives of the season, paced by Wes Welker catches over the middle and a couple of great Danny Woodhead rushes. Brady faced a 3rd-and-2 from the five. A touchdown was needed. Brady looked left, looked left, then stepped up to the right and hit Deion Branch along the back of the end zone for a huge score. Brady to Branch. Touchdown. That won't be the last time we hear that.

Branch had an amazing game in his return to his old team. Nine catches for 98 yards. Most of those came in the fourth quarter and overtime. That's when Branch is at his best. When the pressure is on.

Brady and the Pats offense then went on a six minute, 13-play drive to set up the tying field goal. The highlight came when the Pats faced a 1st-and-25 at midfield. Brady dropped back as the blitz came right up the middle, Corey Redding nailing the QB in the chest just as he let the throw go. Rob Gronkowski made a great catch for a big 23-yard gain that kept the drive going. After the play Brady got in Suggs's face, the two barking at each other. The whole place was barking. Gostkowski finished it with a 25-yarder with just more than a minute left to send the game into overtime. And then things really got exciting.

Each team had two possessions that had tipped the field position deep into Pats territory. Zoltan Mesko -- the Romanian punter -- faced his biggest moment of the year so far with a kick from the shadow of his own goal line. Zoltan came through -- with a little luck -- and hit a 65-yard punt all the way to the Raven 18. Instead of getting the ball in Pats territory, Baltimore was now backed up deep. The defense came up big one more time, forcing the Ravens to punt. Brady got the ball at his own 38 and four passes later (two to Branch) the Pats were at the Baltimore 31. Ben Jarvis then ran it twice to set up Gostkowski for the winning field goal with just 64 seconds left in overtime.

Many in the crowd soaked in the moment, lingering until Branch came to the sideline. As he stood there in his new #84 waiting to be interviewed the fans gave him a huge ovation. Branch -- smiling as always -- raised his hand and acknowledged the cheers. It was a fitting ending to a day full of smiles. We headed back to our postgame tailgate meal of burgers and beer, high-fiving strangers all along the way. The effects of the Bloody Marys (and Don Julios) were wearing off at that point, but I was feeling much better about the Patriots.

During 20 years of tailgating, one of the surest measures of how good a home game was has always been the level of hoarseness in my voice the day after. My voice hasn't been this hoarse in two or three years. It feels good.

WATCH THE VIDEO OF BRANCH'S TD HERE

Extending a Branch

While watching Randy Moss and Brett Favre mostly not connect (with one large exception) in their loss to the New York Football Jets on Monday night, a news flash on the bottom of the screen reported that the Pats had traded a fourth-round draft pick to Seattle to bring back fan favorite and Tom Brady buddy Deion Branch.

BRANCH AND BILL: Good times.

I don't know a Pats fan who doesn't like Deion Branch. Bringing back the former Super Bowl MVP and clutch receiver certainly lessens the sting of the Moss trade. A little.

Branch was traded to the Seahawks after the 2005 season after holding out for a better contract. The Pats offered him a three-year deal that would have paid him more than $4 million a year. It seemed like a fair offer to a player who was very good, but not elite. Branch didn't agree so the Pats sent him to the Northwest for a first-round pick. That was a trade I had no problem with. The Seahawks turned around and gave Branch almost $40 million. A ridiculous amount of money. That's why the Pats continue to be one of the top 10 teams every year and the Seahawks don't. They don't make stupid decisions. They are not always right, but rarely stupid.

The problem with the Branch trade was that Belichick, for one of the few times, did not seem to have a plan on how to replace him. Brady spent 2006 throwing passes to guys like Reche Caldwell and Doug Gabriel. Somehow the team still made the playoffs but got knocked out by Denver. It was then that Belichick went out and got Welker and Moss and created the greatest passing attack the league had seen.

Meanwhile out in Seattle, Branch struggled through injuries and because the Seahawks rarely got to play in big games he never got to show off his best attribute -- making clutch plays. My impression from afar was that Branch's years in Seattle were not very productive. But a look at his numbers shows he pretty much matched what he did with the Pats.

Now that Moss is gone and Branch is back many of the spouting heads see the Pats returning to the ball-control offense of 2001. That may be the case. Although it might help if Antoine Smith was still carrying the ball. Either way, the events of the past two weeks have merely been a distraction from the real questions facing the team.

Can the defense stop anyone? Have they made any strides since last season's playoff beating? Come 1 p.m. on Sunday those questions will really have a chance to be answered.

The forecast is 62 degrees and sunny. Time to start packing the trunk.

Open season

So let me get this straight. This may be the most wide-open season the NFL has ever seen and the Patriots decide to trade away one of the best wide receivers in the game? Because he told Tom Brady he looked like a girl since Gisele won't let him cut his hair? Nice.

BOLDIN & RICE: Raven mad.

There are no unbeaten teams left in the NFL and it's only Week 5. Indy saw to that with a not-so-impressive win over KC. The defending champ Saints lost to Arizona who were lead by some quarterback named Max Hall. Max Hall? The Giants went from toast to tied atop the division after putting a whuppin' on the red hot Texans. Mike Shanahan's Skins pulled out their second straight narrow victory, this time knocking off the Packers with an OT win. The Raiders upset the Chargers and are now tied with them. The entire AFC South is 3-2. There are only two teams without a win. And one of them is the Niners who could still win 7 or 8 games if they can get that first one.

There are 14 teams with three wins. That's almost half the league. It's the NFL's version of the Wild West. And the Pats decided to shoot one of their horses. Nice.

But I'm over it now.

Until Monday night when Randy Moss and the Vikings take on the Jets. How happy will I be if Moss scores three TDs to lead the Vikes past Mt. Ryan and his gang? Very. (And that's not even factoring in that Moss is on my fantasy team. My sister is mauling me so bad that if Moss puts up 30 points it won't help.)

There are no elite teams in the NFL in 2010. But win or lose on MNF, the Jets are clearly one of the NFL's best. But they may have been passed as the best. By the Baltimore Ravens. The Pats' next opponent.

The Ravens won their third straight, bucking the Broncos 31-17. Battering-ram running back Ray Rice returned from injury and rushed for 133 yards on 27 carries. The Ravens ran for an eye-catching 233 yards. Joe Flacco added 200 yards of controlled passing with no picks. Denver's Kyle Orton did put up over 300 yards in the air, but almost 100 of that came on two long passes to Brandon Lloyd. That's where Baltimore is vulnerable. On the long ball. Moss could have a big day ... oh, right. Nice.

This is the revenge game I've been waiting for since my Don Julio-less January afternoon. As big as that road win in Miami was last week, a win against the Ravens in any form will be much bigger. It will mean the Pats can go toe-to-toe with any team. But it won't be easy.

I would have major concerns about the game even if Moss wasn't traded. The defense showed some signs of improvement against Miami but after watching the tape of the game it was clear Chad Henne and the Dolphin offense were their own worst enemy. The defense made some plays. But surrendered many more.

Confidence level for the Pats D going up against Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Anquan Boldin, and TJ Housh? Low.

The Pats offense actually only put up 13 "real" points against Miami. Their other touchdown came after a blocked punt gave them the ball on the Dolphin 15. I would almost put that TD in the special teams category. They are down to Ben Jarvis as their starting runner. And now they don't have Randy Moss. Brady has nine touchdowns and only two picks and the offensive line has looked very solid. Welker and Hernandez are still dangerous. But the Ravens D is the best in the league.

Confidence level for the Pats offense going up against Ray Lewis and the rest of that defense? Medium.

I still think Brady and Belichick will be so intent on atoning for last year's playoff disaster that the Pats will win a very tight game. But when you look at the two teams closely, it's very possible that the playoff blowout was not a fluke.

Deep thoughts

As a sports fan one of the keys to enjoyment is not taking the losses so seriously that one might think you actually played in the game. Throwing things. Walking around angry for days. (Note: None of this applies to Bruins' fans). Kicking the dog. That's pretty lame. Unless you are fourteen. When the loss is over -- or a player traded -- it's best to just look forward to the next game, next season, next favorite player. It's supposed to be about entertainment. Fun.

MOSS: Happy trails.

Some losses, however, do stick with you longer. Roughing the passer. Fisk. Too many men on the ice (both times). Orr. Mets win! Mets win! Clemens. Tyree makes the catch. Vinatieri. Fourth-and-two. Those are the losses that come up over beers from time to time, discussed with an air of "did that really happen?"

Did the Pats really dump Randy Moss in Week 5 of the season? They did. But I'm not quite ready to let it go.

The stories are coming out that Moss was becoming a big headache. Tedy Bruschi said players were getting sick of Moss's issues. He also said that the two years he played with Moss he was a great teammate. But since guys like Bruschi left the team there was no one to keep him in line. Well, that's a self-serving statement. Moss was good but guys like Bruschi made him grow up. That may be true. But how exactly was Moss acting like a spoiled child? His only real sin was that he wanted to stay with the Patriots so badly that he couldn't keep his mouth shut about it. He picked a bad time to express it, but since I was hoping he and Brady would play three more years together too it didn't really bother me.

I never heard Moss complain about how many catches he got. Never. And if he exploded at the half of the Miami game, well, the offense had scored six points and really did not get much better in the second half. I've got some issues with the offensive play-calling too. And he's not the first player to get in an exchange with the coach at the half. But for him to have been traded you have to think Belichick thought it was only going to get worse unless they gave him a contract and obviously they decided that wasn't part of their plans. I've got some issues with that too.

It's possible that, instead of Belichick dumping a guy he was tired of, that the coach/GM told Moss that the team wasn't going to give him the new contract that he wanted. Maybe Moss heard that and said if you can trade me to a good team then go ahead and do that. Maybe it was done in a good atmosphere. Why does it automatically have to be because Moss was acting like a jerk? Or that Belichick is an egomaniac. Ultimately it doesn't matter why.

Bruschi said that the trade was a sign that the Pats were going back to their old way of winning as a team. He said that the Pats used to win together, not with just one guy. That is correct. But in true Bruschi fashion (which I love about him), he thinks that the Pats invented team football. They didn't. Sorry Tedy. The '70s Steelers, with all their Hall of Famers, were a total team. Same with the Niners of the '80s and Cowboys of the '90s. They had star players -- including some of the best deep threats to play the game -- but they got something from every man on the roster. They had playmakers, role players, star players, young players, clutch guys, tough guys, smart guys. This Pats team is no different. They have stars -- Brady, Moss, Big Vince -- young, promising players -- Mayo, Tate, Chung -- role players -- Woodhead, Sanders, Arrington. The 2010 Pats are as much as team as the 2001 Pats. Just different.

Bruschi sees Monday's game as a total team victory. And it was. All three units did their job when it counted. But it was mostly a special teams victory. The Ravens, coming to Gillette for the next game, are hurting in the secondary and it looked like the best way to win that game was to test them deep. With Randy Moss. Now they'll have to find another way to do it.

They won before Moss got here. They'll win now that he is gone. But I've actually heard some people say the Pats offense will be better -- better -- without Moss. Better? The thinking is that somehow Moss being on the field was preventing Brady from throwing short passes (yet Welker keeps catching 100 balls) or #81s presence was stopping the running game from kicking it into gear. I guess Marvin Harrison was holding back the Colts offense. Lynn  Swann was holding back the Steelers offense. Michael Irvin was holding back the Cowboys offense. Wonder why they didn't dump those guys?

Why? Because there are lots of ways to win a football game. And in the course of a 16-game season the good teams rely on all those ways to get victories. The Pats beat the Dolphins with three huge special teams plays. That doesn't happen too often. If you can get a win or two with special teams scoring and a few wins with the defense scoring then that's the difference between 12 wins and eight or nine. Some games are won with a grind-it-out running game. Some with a short pass attack. And some,  as we have seen, are won by connecting on a few deep bombs. The Pats just removed one of their ways to win a game.

Nostalgia seems to have people believing the Pats won every game 9-7 when they were winning those Super Bowls. Here are some scores from Pats' victories in '01: 44-13. 29-26. 38-17. 34-17. 38-6. Ya. Grind-it-out defensive football. They also won games by scores of 12-9, 17-16, and 20-13. Good teams win games in many ways.

I was listening to DA on 98.5 on the drive home and he said he was actually more excited about watching the Pats now that Moss is gone because he wants to see how the young players on the offense perform. I get that. I'll be interested to see that too. The offense will probably be fine. But more excited? Watch the video below and tell me you are more excited that you won't get to see catches like these again.

Four score

The NFL has hit the quarter mark of the 16-game schedule. (What's a quarter of 18? Just another problem with the proposed "enhanced" season.) Only four of the 32 teams have yet to record a victory. And those teams (SF, Buf, Det, Car) have all come very close to at least one win. The 2010 season looks like it's going to be up for grabs the whole way. There don't appear to be too many contenders to finish 15-1 or 14-2. I wouldn't be surprised to see the best record end up at 12-4, or even 11-5. That hasn't happened since the 2002 season.

Who are the contenders for that 12-4 record? Here are the top 10 after four games:

1. New York Jets (3-1): There's no debating it. The Jets -- so far -- have backed up Rex Ryan's big talk. After their lame opener against the Ravens, the Green have responded with three straight division wins. They have done it without several key starters on defense. Sanchez -- who proved in the playoffs last year that he had the makeup to be a good NFL quarterback -- has not thrown a pick yet this year. Last year the Jets gave away several games they could have won. You get the feeling that won't happen as much this year.

2. New Orleans Saints (3-1): All three victories that the defending champs have were hanging in the balance till the last play. The Saints are somewhat fortunate to be 3-1. Brees has really yet to kick it into gear yet. -- I should know, he's my fantasy QB -- but he will. Probably soon. They have games against Arizona, Tampa, and Cleveland coming up. They'll be 6-1 and leading the NFC when those games are done.

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-1): There are 10 teams with three wins and another 14 with two. That's 24 out of 32 teams. And they are all pretty close. The Ravens have the potential when all is said and done to be the best among those teams. They went into Pittsburgh and handed the Steelers their first loss, winning on a touchdown pass with 30 seconds to play. A great pass by Flacco. Followed by a great interception by Ray Lewis to wrap the game up. The Ravens have solid leaders and solid coaching. It's gonna be a heck of a game at Gillette.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1): Did they really win three games with Big Ben on suspension? No wonder I can't stand the Steelers. They lost a tough one at home to Baltimore, but were so close to being 4-0. While the offense survived without Roethlisberger, the defense thrived. The Steelers D is first against the run and first in points allowed. They are only 19th against the pass however. That could prove to be a fatal weakness.

5. Green Bay Packers (3-1): The Pack has one of the best offenses in the game even without running back Ryan Grant. Aaron Rodgers has as many weapons as Tom Brady and knows how to spread the ball around. And the Pack's D is better than the Pats -- at this moment.  But they lost a big game to the Bears and almost lost to Detroit. They have games coming up at Washington and home against Miami and Minnesota. That's a tough stretch.

6. New England Patriots (3-1):  Was there a team more due for a big road win? The 41-14 win in Miami showed the many strengths that the 2010 Pats have. An offense that is now quicker and tougher than it was last year. Brady, when he's in command of the game, is still the best. A coaching staff that seems to be more in sync with its players. Young, fast athletes that can make plays. Monday night all those strengths made up for the one, still glaring weakness. An inexperienced defense that has almost no pass rush.

7. Houston Texans (3-1): The other Texas team may be the real dark horse to win a Super Bowl this year. Houston opened its season by defeating division nemesis Indy. Running back Arian Foster has the Texans leading the league in rushing. That's significant for a team that already had a dangerous passing game. Mario Williams is becoming the pass rushing beast worthy of being the first player taken in the draft. Add to that a solid coach in Gary Kubiak and the Texans are going to be good for years to come.

8. Indianapolis Colts (2-2): The only two-win team to be considered in the top 10. Why? Peyton Manning of course. The Colts can't stop the run. They are starting to show some signs of age on the defense. Pierre Garcon has taken a big step back, although Austin Collie has taken a step forward. They are in a brutal division. But they have Manning.

9. Atlanta Falcons (3-1): Matt Ryan and the Falcons are the NFC's dark horse (now that my pick the Niners are 0-4). The Falcons have that punishing running/solid passing combo on offense that can beat you in many ways. The defense has stepped it up in the first month, allowing only 15 points per game. And they have already gone into New Orleans and knocked off the defending champs.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0): They're the only unbeaten team left so they have to make the top 10. And I listed them as my AFC surprise team in my preseason rankings where I had them at #11. Have the boys in red looked dominant in their 3-0 start? Not at all. The other teams that are possible top 10 material are San Diego, Chicago, Cincy, Denver, and the entire NFC East. But the Chiefs get the nod because they haven't lost yet. They will soon.

Dishonorable mention: San Francisco 49ers. Also in my preseason rankings I raved about coach Mike Singletary and how he was going to lead the Niners back to the top of the NFC West and maybe as far as the conference title game. I knew he was still that linebacker with the crazed look in his eyes but I thought that would motivate and inspire his team. Mostly it just seems to scare them. Me too.

Trading down

Thanks for killing my buzz, Bill Belichick. I was looking forward to basking in the glow of the Pats big road win for the next two weeks while getting ready for the rematch with the Ravens at Gillette. As I was sitting eating a Five Guys burger (cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomato, ketchup, mayo -- excellent) with two of my daughters, my nephew Steve sent me a short and not-so-sweet text: "Umm, what the ----, we just traded Randy Moss?"

So much for enjoying that burger. And the next two weeks.

MOSS: Still a great catch.

I learned long ago not to get too attached to the players you root for. Two words: Bobby Orr. When you are 14-years-old and the greatest hockey player to ever play the game leaves the Bruins and goes to Chicago, well, let's just say you get an early life lesson in how pro sports work.

Randy Moss is no Bobby Orr. But as I sat watching "The Social Network" at the theater in the shadow of Gillette Stadium, I thought letting Moss go in Week 5 of the season in exchange for a draft pick when you already have a stadium full of picks makes no sense. Your chances of winning just dropped dramatically.

There will certainly be a group of the shrill voices on sports blab radio that will say good riddance. Felger being the leader of that group. Moss will be described as selfish, a distraction, a guy who took plays off, a problem. I guess Felger and the like have access to the Pats locker room and film rooms that the rest of us don't. All I have to go on is what I saw on TV and from section 109. I saw a guy who not only made amazing catches but one who had fun while playing and who had a respect for the game and the team. Is he a bit of a character? Of course. He's a superstar wide receiver. But he's not T.O. or even Ochocinco. Moss always seemed to me a guy who just wanted to play and be recognized for his unworldly talents.

When Moss made his appeal to be signed to a contract extension after the first game this year, every player that was asked said they love having him as a teammate. If they didn't feel that way they would have said nothing. Brady has often said he's the smartest player he's ever played with. And has often said Moss is one of his best friends. A distraction? A problem? I didn't see it from my seat.

Randy Moss wasn't a favorite of mine before he came to the Patriots. In fact, I was not in favor of them trading for him. Shows what I know. He's been a fun guy to root for. Lots of fun. I never imagined I'd own a Moss Patriots T-shirt. I'll be wearing it proudly to Gillette the rest of the year.

If my brother Jim wasn't in Morocco right now adjusting to life in the Peace Corps, he would probably say the same thing he said when we heard the Pats had traded Richard Seymour before last season. "Belichick knows they can't win the Super Bowl so he's giving up on this year to get picks for the future." I didn't agree with him about Seymour because 1) I thought Seymour's best days were behind him and 2) the Pats got what could be a top 10 pick for him. But it's hard not to see this move as hurting your chances to win that fourth Lombardi this year in exchange for hoarding picks for the future.

Brandon Tate (who I just added to my fantasy team, named Moss Racing) is a promising young receiver. But any suggestion that he can fill Moss's gloves is a stretch. There's no way the team can replace him. Yes, they have Welker and the tight ends. But without Moss, they might find it a lot harder to get open. A lot harder. One thing you can see when watching the game from the stands, even on those plays when Moss is not involved, he is involved because half the defense is keeping an eye on him,

Listening to the NFL Network, ESPN, and all the other sports reports this morning I heard this a lot: "This is a good deal for the Patriots' future. They now have six picks in the first three rounds of the draft next year. For the 2012 or 2013 Patriots, this is a great deal."

2012? 2013? I was still enjoying Randy Moss and the 2010 New England Patriots.

I'm going to enjoy them a little less now.

Isn't that special

WEEK 4
Finally! I repeat. Finally!

Patriots 41, Miami 14. AT Miami. I said to Mark as we talked on the phone during the game... "This is the biggest win the team has had since we lost that bleeping Super Bowl." It's only one game -- as they say -- but as one games go it's huge.

And it was 7-6 Dolphins at halftime. Then the Patriots did something they haven't done in a long time. Put all three phases of the game together, on the road, in the second half.

WEEK 4: Everybody Pat Chung tonight.

Mark and I were discussing the options to open the half with the Pats getting the ball. A drive for a leading score would be great. Or a field goal. Even a few first downs to gain some field position. As we were talking I saw Brandon Tate (class of '09) take the kick-off, get a monster block from Sammy Morris, and fly 103 yards for a touchdown. We hadn't thought of that option. But we should have. Whatever problems having young players causes on defense, it makes for fast, explosive play on special teams. Very special indeed.

The defense then forced Miami to punt from its own 26-yard line and safety Patrick Chung (class of '09) came flying through and blocked the punt. Another huge special teams play. The Pats recovered at the Miami 15 and two Ben Jarvis runs later they were up 20-7 just a few minutes into the second half.

Miami responded with a long scoring drive to cut the score to 20-14 and all the concerns about the defense returned. Would the Pats blow yet another second-half lead on the road? Can the defense stop anyone? I texted my nephew Pete "We need a drive to get the momentum back." Brady and the offense did just that, putting together a 12-play drive that ended with Danny Woodhead (playing the role of Kevin Faulk and cult hero) hauling in a pass over the middle and taking it in for a huge score. Pats 27-14.

Miami responded with another solid drive but the defense toughened and forced Miami to try a field goal. Chung came flying in again from the exact same spot and blocked the kick. Kyle Arrington scooped the ball up and raced 35-yards for the touchdown. The blowout was on.

Chung also returned a pick for a touchdown. Rob Ninkovich had two huge drive killing picks in the first half when the Dolphins were up 7-0 and trying to take control of the game early. The Pats also set some kind of record for the first team ever to return a kick for a TD, block a punt, return a pick for a TD, and about five other things in the same game. All that without Randy Moss catching a pass for the first time since coming to the team. The Pats made more plays in one night than they made in many, many road games combined.

The defense still gave up 400 yards but then again the vaunted Jets D gave up more than 400 yards to the same offense last week. The thing that was most encouraging was the way the D played when the game got out of hand in the fourth quarter. I was expecting Miami to score a late garbage TD or two. Instead the young defense continued to play hard in the heat of South Beach and kept Miami off the board. That was a strong way to finish.

The whole team finished strong -- and happy. Even the coach. When he took Brady out of the game with a minute left the two embraced in celebration. There's been a debate in my family about whether Brady -- with his frequent appearances in Names and his long locks and West Coast mansion -- still has the desire he had that made him so great when he was younger. Some in my family (you know who you are) think he's gone too Hollywood. Myself, being lucky enough to watch him on the bench week after week, and my nephew Pete see a Brady who is as determined as ever. Even more. Watching him come off the field and congratulating his teammates it was obvious the fire is still there.

As Mark and I signed off for the night, conversation had already turned to two weekends from now at Gillette. The rematch with the Ravens. "Let's start planning for that tomorrow,'' Mark said. "No bye week for us."

Bad backs ... and backups

I had plans to be very productive on this football Sunday because the Pats aren't playing till tomorrow night. I did not intend to sit on the couch all day with the NFL RedZone channel watching game after game after glorious game. Unfortunately I hurt my back taking an air conditioner out of the window of my parent's house Saturday morning. No really. I did. Ask my Mom. So the debris covering the front yard from the week of storms will just have to wait. RedZone here I come.

For those of you who don't know what the NFL RedZone is, I wrote a post last November after I spent my first Sunday afternoon with channel 287 thanks to the wonderful folks at Comcastatron. If you are an NFL fan, a day watching the RedZone just might change your life. And not for the better.

VICK: I need backup.

As I sat there, remote gathering dust, I thought if it weren't for the RedZone I would have the option of flipping between the Jets-Bills and Panthers-Saints games on CBS and Fox. That's it. I probably would have spent most of my time watching the Saints game after it became very clear the Bills were not going to threaten the upset of the Jets. I would have stuck with Brees (my fantasy team's QB) and Fox and the commercials that came with them. Instead I stayed in the Zone. Where commercials don't exist. It's like the Utopian world where Sookie and the other fairies of "True Blood" come from. With cheerleaders. I wonder if that's starting to bother the folks at CBS and Fox who pony up hundreds of millions for the "exclusive" right to show NFL football.

Guess that's their problem. My problem was my aching back. So I settled on the couch with a Coke (product placement) and the RedZone.

As I watched all the best moments from the eight 1 o'clock games I began to notice a trend. A lot of teams in the league are using their backup quarterbacks. And they, like my back, are bad.

Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Bills. Charlie Batch of the Steelers. (I know they are 3-0 coming into the day but that's because of their D). Seneca Wallace of the Browns. Shaun Hill of the Lions. Jimmy Clausen of the Panthers. Those are just a few of the many backups who have been given the keys to the offense only to throw the team into reverse. Granted, some of them put up decent numbers. For a game.

One backup who was looking good was Mike "Mad Dog" Vick. He had discarded his orange overalls and was playing better than ever. Till he was sandwiched at the goal line against the Redskins in the big 4 o'clock game. Vick left and was replaced by Kevin Kolb, who was the starter (barely) before he got hurt. Kolb came in and proceeded to play like a backup. As Kolb overthrew receiver after receiver, I thought "Pats fans are pretty lucky Tom Brady is the team's QB." Very lucky.

Granted, he has not played to his Hall-of-Fame level since returning from his knee injury last year. Even he would have to agree with that. But that doesn't change the fact that he is among the five or so quarterbacks who make the difference in the NFL. Very lucky. We should all relax a little and enjoy watching him throw to Welker, Moss, Hernandez, et al. while we can. It won't last forever. And if the Pats don't win the Super Bowl it should still be a season filled with some entertaining games.

Brady has made some uncharacteristic mistakes the last year and three games. Especially on the road. If you've been reading this blog, or any local sports website or newspaper, or the Farmers Almanac, you know the Pats haven't won a meaningful road game since Brady returned.

From my spot on the couch I saw both the Ravens and Broncos pull out last second road wins against good teams in the Steelers and Titans. Can the Patriots finally accomplish that tomorrow night? It sure would be fun if they could. And sure would make my back feel better.

21-snowball salute

TALES FROM THE TAILGATE

Patriots 12, Dolphins 0 (12/7/'03): As the Pats get ready for a huge showdown with the Dolphins in Miami where it is currently 84 degrees and sunny, I thought back to a December game between the two teams at Gillette where the weather was a little less pleasant.

The game took less than three hours to play. It took me almost two hours longer than that to get to the stadium. It was worth it. If you look at the score you'd see a 12-0 win over a lousy Miami team. Just another regular season game, you might think. Oh how wrong you would be.

This one's called the "Snowball Game" for the impromptu -- and kind of magical -- method of celebration that the Pats fans created with the snow piled up in the stands. Did I mention the snow? Twenty-eight inches fell on southeastern Mass. overnight and into that Sunday morning. Although at times it seemed more like 28 feet. I started shovelling at 5 a.m. in order to meet Mark and Bergs in the lot by 9. I was a little late. As the shovel broke through the snowbank of my driveway into the street I looked at my Doberman-Shepherd and thought "If I only had 11 more of her to pull me on a sled to the game." It would have been faster.

I loaded up the car for the wintry tailgate I was anticipating and headed down the street. It was just before 8 a.m. as I called Mark to let him know I was on my way. "Bergs and I are stuck in traffic on Route 1 but we are almost there," he said. "I may be a little late," I said. "But I should be there soon." I only lived 20 minutes away. A quick stop at Dunkins' (28 inches of snow doesn't stop the mail or the DD coffee) and I started my journey to Gillette.

There are many routes one can take to the stadium if you live in the next town. Of course all of them lead to the route to end all routes ... Route 1. I decided I would use the main roads and highways, figuring they would be plowed better than the back roads. So it was Rte. 140 to 95N to Rte. 1S. I knew I was in trouble as soon as I hit Rte. 140. Seems the main roads weren't really plowed either. The backup to get onto 140 was about a mile from the lights. I sat patiently in my car listening to the pre-game show and drinking my coffee. What would have taken about eight minutes on a clear day took my close to half an hour. But I crawled my way along the ramp to 95 hoping that my pace would quicken once I hit a real highway.

It didn't. The road was lined with cars that had skidded off the side. Some accompanied by tow trucks. Some clearly left there by their owners hours before. The three-lane highway was down to one barely passable path down the middle. I slid my way into the traffic and resumed my crawl. "Route 1 getting to the stadium is not moving," one of the Pats announcers said. "I'm glad I got here hours ago." No sooner had he said that when Mark called. "Route 1 is not moving," he told me. "Bergs and I have barely moved since we talked to you." It was now after 9 a.m. We decided to abandon our plan to meet in the P2 lot and agreed to just grab any spot we can when we got there and then find each other. "See you soon," I said.

The single lane on 95 moved at speeds varying between two and five miles an hour. Mostly two. "I should have bought another coffee," I thought to myself as I made my way along the ramp to Route 1 as the clock neared 10 in the morning. An hour on Rte 95 to go just about 2 miles. I got to the turnaround on Route 1 and merged into the traffic heading south to the stadium. The cars were barely moving. The clock -- on the other hand -- seemed to be moving faster. 30 minutes later I had made my way to the three-miles-from-the-stadium sign. Three miles to go. Almost there! The radio guy chimed in again. "If you are not at the stadium yet," he advised. "You aren't getting here. State Police are urging people who haven't left yet to stay home. And my advice to those who are on the road right now is turn around and go home."

Turn around and go home? It's just after 11 and I'm three miles away. The game doesn't start for two hours. Hell, I can still cram down a burger and a few drinks if I get there in 90 minutes. Turn around and go home? I've been on the road for three hours. It's going to take me that long just to get home. Turn around and go home? Screw that. I turned off the announcers and put on some music. Around 11:30 Mark called. "We're in!" he announced. "How close are you?" I told him I was about two miles away and that traffic was beginning to move a little. "Two miles?" he said. "OK, well we'll start cooking and have something ready when you get here."

As the clock moved past noon the aggravation level began to rise. I know there's a lot of snow but why is it taking this long? The roads are bad but they aren't that bad. I soon had my answer. I made my way through the booth to pay my parking toll and all I could see were giant mountains of snow. There had to be parking spots somewhere out there. But where? And where are the guys in orange who always make you park in a certain spot? Nowhere to be found. It was every car for himself. Most turned right towards the stadium so I turned left towards the end of the lot to find a spot. First thing I saw was a traffic island. Well, I didn't actually see it. But I felt it as I drove up and over it. I think some guy in orange yelled at me from the distance but I'm not sure. I kept going further and further away from the stadium. Lots of snow and cars. No spots. Finally. Finally! I found a spot between a snowbank and a porta-potty. It wasn't really a spot but I was taking it. I got out of the car, put on my layers, and called Mark. "I made it," I said. "Where are you guys?" He told me they were waiting by the South Gate with my ticket and a cocktail. A cocktail? I started running.

I ran the length of the lot, passing people who seemed to be wandering around lost among the mounds of snow. As the National Anthem played in the stadium I got to the gate where Mark and Bergs were standing. "Here," Mark said as he handed me a heavily iced vodka and cranberry juice. "I made it a double. Figured you'd need that." With a smile I drank it down as if we were in a desert instead of a winter wonderland.

We got to our seats and found that most of the stadium was still covered in deep snow. The steps had been mostly cleared but the rows had enough snow in them that you couldn't get your seat to go down all the way. What to do? The people in front of us hadn't arrived yet so we simpled kicked and pushed as much snow as we could down on their seats. Just as the people behind us had done earlier. Slowly but surely the snow was making its way to the bottom of the stadium. One fan, one row at a time. I had a flashback to the old stadium when it was filled with snow and how it always led to snow (more like chunks of ice) being hurled through the stands. I never got nailed but there were some close calls.

Gillette was quite a sight with all the snow but the game itself wasn't much to see. Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal in the first quarter and that 3-0 score was holding up with nine minutes to go in the fourth. The Dolphins had the ball at their own goal line. QB Jay Fielder dropped back to pass and threw a dart on a quick slant to the right. Tedy Bruschi, who had already returned three picks for TDs that season (that's what playmakers do), stepped in front of the pass at about the five yard line and took it untouched into the endzone to make the score an insurmountable 10-0. As the touchdown music blared (Gary Glitter's "Rock 'n Roll Part 2," of course) the fans began picking up the snow and tossing it in the air every time they got to the part where everyone yells "Hey!" It looked like white fireworks going off. A much different snow experience than in the old stadium. People laughed and tossed snow again when the Pats recorded a safety and they continued the snow tossing magic when the victory became official. We were all kids again playing in the snow.

After the game, Bruschi was quoted as saying "That was incredible, wasn't it? Throwing the snow up in the air with the music. It got me into the holiday spirit." Five hours in traffic. No tailgate food. Snow piled on our seats. Holiday spirit? Tedy was right. Watching the snow fly in the air everyone in the stadium felt it too.