Miami ... nice

The Patriots head down to South Beach this Sunday with a chance to clinch another AFC East title. Miami is -- a little surprisingly -- the second toughest team in the division this year. Although it won't be an easy game, most Pats' fans go into contests against the team from the Sunshine State with an outlook to match. Since Tom Brady stepped on the field, the Patriots have been far superior to the Dolphins and the results have almost always reflected that.

Brady lost two of his first three starts against the Dolphins. Since then the Pats have gone 14-5 against their division rival from the land of Shaq and JLo. Sure, there was the brief period when the Miami Wildcats gave the Pats trouble and there was that late season comeback in 2004 where Brady threw two bad fourth quarter picks in a little bump in the road to the Super Bowl. But for Pats fans who have grown up with the team over the last 10 or even 20 years, the Patriots have usually gotten the best of the Dolphins. So a trip to South Beach is not something to worry about.

That was not always the case.

When I was a kid growing up in the '70s the team I hated the most was the Miami Dolphins. Not the Steelers. Not the Jets. Not the Cowboys. Not even the evil Raiders. It was the Dolphins. Why? Two words ... Don Shula. The NFL in the '70s had several legendary coaches. Landry. Noll. Grant. Coryell. Madden. I didn't have a problem with any of them. All great head coaches (and even some of the crap ones) have egos and think they are smarter than everyone else. It comes with the job. But Shula ... there was something about the way he kept reminding everyone that he thought he was the smartest guy on the field that really bothered me. It was arrogance. With a capital A. Shula -- who was also a leader on the NFL rules commission -- felt that he alone was upholding the integrity of the game. (See Snow Plow Game). It was like he invented the game. He seemed to think that his team's wins were more honorable. More special. It was like he felt his team's greatness was ordained. Let's just say he bugged me.

Which made it that much more enjoyable when his team lost. Which didn't happen that often. Miami put up the only perfect season, going 17-0 in 1972 to win the franchise's first Super Bowl. (Among all the great reasons 19-0 would have been sweet, knocking Shula and his band of egotists out of the record books was pretty high on the list.) The Dolphins beat the Patriots often during those years -- and often beat them badly. For nearly 20 years the Patriots didn't win a game at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Eighteen trips down south. Eighteen straight losses. Every year Pats fans would gather around their Zeniths and watch the Pats lose to the Dolphins in some painful, humiliating way under the Florida sun. And each time Shula would walk off the field with that smug grin.

I hated the Dolphins.

And then came the 1985 playoffs. The Patriots were trying to emerge from the slime left on them from the Ron Meyer years. I didn't think Meyer was a bad coach but it was like having a car salesman running the team. Meyer was replaced by NFL legend and true gentleman Raymond Berry and the veteran Pats responded by going 11-5 and making the playoffs. It was one of the most entertaining Pats teams ever. The team was anchored by Hall of Famer John "Hog" Hannah and veteran quarterback Steve Grogan. The team had a great running game with Craig James and Tony Collins and a veteran, opportunistic defense with guys like Steve Nelson and the other Hall of Famer Andre Tippett.

The Pats -- behind Tony Eason who had replaced an injured Grogan -- went into New York and knocked off the Jets in the first round and then flew out to Oakland and upset the Raiders in a game that ended with GM Pat Sullivan (who sits near us at Gillette these days) and linebacker Matt Millen from the Raiders getting into a fight on the field after the game. I can still remember watching the games at my brother Richie's house with my other brother and my cousins. Two victories on the road against two teams you love to beat made for two of the best Sundays we had ever enjoyed as Pats fans.

They were just a prelude to the greatest game in Pats' history -- up to that point.

The back-to-back road playoff wins earned the Pats another trip to the Orange Bowl and their first trip ever to the AFC Championship game. It was a great time to be a Patriots' fan, which was a much rarer feeling than it is these days. The Pats were the Cinderella team. The Dolphins were the evil stepmother ... and the defending AFC champs. And they had beaten the Patriots eighteen straight times at home. As we sat in my brother's den drinking cans of Busch and bottles of Heineken we knew there was a good chance it could be another painful day as a Pats' fan. You could see on Shula's face that he thought his team would demolish the  Pats. But there was something about this Cinderella team that made you believe in magic.

And magic it was. In a tropical rainstorm the Pats offense held the ball for 40 minutes, rushing for 255 yards. The defense held young phenom Dan Marino to less than 250 yards and intercepted him twice. The Pats' got to the AFC title game by forcing turnovers and they came away with six more against the almighty Dolphins. I can still remember the sight of coach Berry being hoisted up on the shoulders of his players as the clock counted down to the team's first ever AFC title. And I can still remember the moment the players let him down at midfield so he could shake Shula's hand. Shula was soaked and crushed. The underdog Pats were headed to the Super Bowl and Shula was headed to the twilight of his career. It's one of my favorite football memories.

From that moment on the rivalry that had once been dominated by the team in turquoise and orange belonged to the team in red, white, and blue. Sure, the Dolphins had a resurgence in the '90s with Jimmy Johnson and the two teams had some great battles in those years. Especially the Bledsoe vs. Marino games. But the Dolphins were no longer the dominant force in the division and haven't been that since.

That spot has belonged to the Patriots. Much to the dismay of Don Shula, I'm sure.

Week 12 rewind

When you beat your division rival 49-19 at their place on Thanksgiving night and no one gets hurt there's nothing to put in the weekly "bad" category. It really was all good. The only thing missing was Gronk joining Brady and Vince chomping on a turkey leg after the game.

So there's really not much need to look back at last Thursday's game against the Jets except when you are feeling blue and need a good laugh. Then you should look back at the Sanchez play. Other than that it's time to look ahead to the final five games of the regular season. The division is just about wrapped up but there is still a very tight battle for the second seed and a first-round bye.

Let's assume that the 10-1 Texans hold on to the top spot in the AFC. It's a pretty good bet. The question is who will be #2? At the moment it is the 9-2 Ravens. Right on their heels are the 8-3 Pats and 8-3 Broncos. How important is it to get the two seed, a week off, and home playoff game? Well, if you ask the New York Giants it's not that important at all. But the odds of making the AFC title game are much better if all you have to do is win one home game to get there. If the Giants want to try to win another Super Bowl by going 9-7 and playing three road playoff games let them.

The Ravens have stolen several close wins (like Sunday's game against the Chargers), but considering the number of key injuries the team has had on defense their 9-2 record is impressive. They hold the tie-breaker against the Pats with their win earlier in the year so they really have a two-game lead over them. That's a problem. But the Pats beat the Broncos so they have the tie-breaker against them. If all three teams ended up tied then it would go to the "conference record" tie-breaker. Right now the Pats and Ravens only have one conference loss while the Broncos have two. Who will blink first?

Here are the remaining games for each team. The games listed in green are the ones where the chance of winning has to be considered better than 80 percent. The games in red are the ones where the chance of winning is no better than 50 percent. The games in yellow are the ones that fall in between:

                    PATRIOTS                     RAVENS                        BRONCOS
Wk 13          @-Miami                       H-Pittsburgh                H-Tampa Bay
Wk 14          H-Houston                    @-Washington            @-Oakland
Wk 15          H-San Fran                   H-Denver                     @-Baltimore  
Wk 16          @-Jacksonville            H-NY Giants                H-Cleveland
Wk 17          H-Miami                        @-Cincy                        H-Kansas City

Let's go week by week.

Week 13: This weekend each team has a tough -- but winnable -- game. The Pats go down to Miami where they have had their problems over the years. And Miami is coming off a strong game against Seattle. But can the Dolphins keep pace with Brady and the offense? No. The Ravens host their arch rivals the Steelers. Pittsburgh is banged up and coming off an ugly loss to Cleveland. The Steelers will be focused and motivated to save their playoff hopes. But is it enough to go into Baltimore and win on the road? No. The Broncos host the 6-5 Bucs. Denver had problems against the worst-in-the-league Chiefs last Sunday while Tampa almost beat the 10-1 Falcons. The Bucs have the best run D in the league. I think Tampa forces Manning to make some mistakes and pulls off the upset. Three very close games that really could go either way. (Ravens 10-2, Patriots 9-3, Broncos 8-4).

Week 14: The Pats are at a severe disadvantage this week. Even though they are the only one of the three contenders at home, they have to play the Texans on Monday Night Football. It is the biggest test for the Pats this year. Houston is third in the league in total offense with a balanced attack. But the Pats are first in the league. It's on the other side of the ball that the Texans have the advantage. They are 6th in total defense. The Pats are way down the list at 27th. The Pats have to have this game to get the second seed and I think they rise to the occasion and get it. They are more accustomed to the big stage than the Texans. But confidence is not high. It's definitely a "red" game. The Ravens and Broncos go on the road against two average teams. The Ravens take on RG3 and the Skins while Manning faces off against Oakland. Those are tough road games and its very possible one of them (the Ravens) could stumble. But for the sake of argument let's say the Pats win a huge home game and the Ravens and Broncos eke out tough road wins. (Ravens 11-2, Patriots 10-3, Broncos 9-4).

Week 15: This is the week that will decide it. The Broncos go to Baltimore and if the Ravens can win they pretty much lock up the second seed because they will have beaten both the Pats and the Broncos. But what if Manning and the Denver offense can exploit the aging Raven D and get the win? That will hand the Ravens their third loss and more importantly their second in the conference. And if the Pats actually did beat the Texans the week before then all they would need to do is win a home game to pull into a tie with two weeks to go. Problem is that home game is against the San Francisco 49ers. The team with the best defense in the game. And the best rushing attack. It should be a heck of Sunday Night game. But can the Pats beat the Texans and the Niners in back-to-back weeks? I don't think so. And if they are going to lose one then the one against the NFC team is the one to lose. (Ravens, 11-3, Patriots 10-4, Broncos 10-4).

Week 16: The Ravens are at a disadvantage this week. They get the defending champion Giants at home while the Pats go on the road against the Jags and the Broncos host the Browns. Those are pretty close to sure wins for the Pats and Broncos. I think the long-haul of the season begins to catch up with the Ravens and they get beat by Little Manning and the Giants who will be fighting to win their division. Three-way tie with one week to go for the two seed. (Ravens 11-4, Patriots 11-4, Broncos 11-4).

Week 17: The Ravens are again at a disadvantage, only because the Pats and Broncos have pretty easy games at home to finish out the season. The Pats host Miami on what will probably be a frigid Saturday afternoon. The Broncos have an even easier game, hosting the soon-to-have-the-#1-pick Chiefs. Those are very likely wins, putting each team at 12-4. The Ravens have to go to Cincinnati to play the Bengals who will probably be battling for one of the wild card spots. Let's say Andy Dalton and AJ Green stay hot and hand the Ravens their third straight loss to finish 11-5. The Pats and Broncos finish tied but the Pats would get the second seed because they have the head-to-head victory. (Patriots 12-4 and the #2 seed, Broncos 12-4, Ravens 11-5).

That's one possible outcome. Of course it really is impossible to pick a winner in Broncos-Ravens, or Broncos-Bucs, or Ravens-Giants, or Pats-Niners. That's what will make these last few weeks so much fun. The Patriots, Broncos, and Ravens will lock up their division in the next two weeks, but that doesn't mean they won't have a lot to play for down the stretch. A week off and a home playoff game means a lot to all three.

Ed is O-U-T Out Out Out

Just when it looked like things couldn't get any worse for the New York Jets ... the latest news is really bad.

Fireman Ed, the team's unofficial mascot and the head shouter of the J-E-T-S chants that are so important to the team's success, is resigning his post leading the cheers for Rex Ryan's "best team I've ever had." What's next?

Fireman Ed (a.k.a. Ed Anzalone) said he wasn't taking off his helmet because the team he roots for was on the verge of becoming a laughingstock. Nope. He said he was giving up his alter ego because of the crap he was getting from other, more disgruntled Jets fans. "It's about the nastiness," Ed said. "I just think society in general ... there's no respect at all. I don't want to put up with that from people taking it out on me anymore." You know the sound you are about to hear is your franchise hitting rock bottom when the big news is that your not-really-our-mascot mascot is quitting.

And it was big news in New York. Amazingly.

Kristian Dyer wrote a column on CBS/New York that you have to read to believe. Here's the best part... "Jets games will never be the same. In all of American sports, traditions like the one that Anzalone carried on at Jets games are hard to come by, as he made going to a game a different experience. He brought the crowd to life, creating moments that were iconic and inspired goosebumps, something very unique in the fishbowl stadium experience at the Meadowlands. What 'Fireman Ed' did was unite a fan base that only seemed too eager to jeer rather than cheer, to tear down rather than build up."

If the most memorable moment of going to a Jets game was some guy in a helmet barking at the crowd to cheer louder, well... that doesn't say too much about the action on the field. There were so many stories about Ed quitting -- pro and con -- that there are too many to list. It seemed everyone had an opinion.

Including, of course, Rex Ryan.

When asked about the big news during his press conference Skinny Rex had this to say ... "I love that guy's passion and the energy he would bring. If he could play linebacker or whatever I would use him." No. Really. He said that. And he wasn't really joking.

It made me wonder what Belichick would say if he was asked about something so trivial at a press conference just a few days after his team was humiliated on national television and had its playoff hopes pretty much snuffed out.

"I don't have any information on that. Our focus is on the Dolphins. We're not worrying about things we can't control, like if Fireman Ed is going to wear his helmet or not. We'll play with the fans who give us the best chance to win."

Playoff picture

As they say on ESPN... "If the playoffs started today..."

In the AFC, the Pats would host their longtime rivals the Steelers and in the other game Peyton Manning and the Broncos would host his old team the Colts. In the NFC, the Bears would host the Seahawks in a battle of nasty defenses and the Packers would get another shot at the Giants, the team that has knocked them out of the playoffs a few times in the last several years.

That's a great Wild Card weekend. I wish the playoffs did start today.

Headline news

A picture is worth a thousand words. A great headline is worth so much more.

There was a lot of entertaining reading in the New York papers Friday morning, but this column by the Post's Steve Serby was by far the best.

Thanksgiving Day parade (of errors)

WEEK 12
The Patriots locked up another AFC East title with their Thanksgiving thrashing of Skinny Rex and the Jets. It was one of those nationally televised butt-kickings that only fans of the team doing the kicking can love. The rest of the country (and most Jets' fans) probably tuned out at halftime and turned in for their night of turkey-induced sleep.

A few weeks ago all four teams in the division were 3-3 and the Blabosphere was warning us that the Patriots were going to be in for a long struggle this season. Five weeks later the Pats (8-3) haven't lost and everyone else in the division has won only once. Game, set, division.

The Pats aren't without problems. The secondary and the pass rush are both spotty at best. They are having trouble keeping offensive linemen healthy. They don't have a deep threat on offense. And Gronk is out for at least a month. Time will tell how big those problems are. But one thing is for sure, they have more than enough talent among the players and the coaches to overcome those problems on most days. Like last night.

The score was 0-0 after the first quarter. If it wasn't for another bad Mark Sanchez pick (by Steve Gregory) deep in Pats territory the Jets would have had the lead and the momentum. But with just under six minutes to go in the opening quarter, Brady and the offense took the ball at their own 16-yard line after the interception and marched 84 yards on 15 plays for a touchdown. The camera cut to Ryan as Brady and Welker celebrated yet another TD connection and you could see he knew that his team had missed a chance to take control early. But Sanchez and the Jets responded, moving the ball to the Pats' 31-yard line where they faced a 4th-and-1. Decision time for Skinny Rex. Kick a field goal and get on the board? Or go for the first down and the tying score. Rex went for it (good choice). The next minute of football would spell the crushing end to the Jets' season and maybe -- just maybe -- the end of Skinny Rex's job as HC of the NYJ.

Shonn Greene got stuffed on the fourth down play, and as he struggled against Big Vince and the rest of the Pats D line the ball popped out of his hands and shot 15 yards downfield where Gregory grabbed it. Pats' ball. One play later, Brady threw a short out-pass to Shane Vereen and the second-year back had his biggest moment as a Pat, racing down the sideline untouched for 83 yards. And then things got really crazy.

On first down at the Jet 31, Sanchez turned to hand the ball off but missed his connection with the runner. He turned around, confused, and decided to run face-first right into the backside of one of his offensive linemen (see video above. Again and again and again ...). I've never seen a play like it. NFL Films is going to have to remake a lot of its Top 10 shows. Top 10 Funniest Plays. Top 10 Bloopers. Top 10 Worst Jets' Plays. Top 10 Plays Where The QB Runs Into His Lineman's Ass. Because all those lists now have a new #1. The force of the "hit" knocked the ball out of Sanchez's hands and Gregory scooped it up and took it 32 yards to make it 21-0. And then... on the ensuing kickoff Jets' returner Joe McKnight got whacked and the ball sailed right into the hands of Julian Edelman who raced untouched 22 yards for another touchdown. In less than a minute, the score went from "it's anyone's game" at 7-0 to "the Jets' season is ovah!" at 28-0.

The Pats passed for 323 yards and rushed for 152. That's balance. And that's the big difference between this team and last year's team. I loved BenJarvus and was sad to see him go. But Ridley has been much better. I didn't see that coming. Belichick did. When Bolden gets back from his suspension, the Pats will have four very good backs who can do a lot of different things. That was on full display during one of the most impressive drives the Pats have had in years. Late in the third quarter the Jets got a safety and then a quick touchdown to cut the lead to 35-12. Sure, still a blowout. But the offense hadn't done much since the scoring burst in the second quarter and Jets' fans were sadly starting to have hope again. My nephews and brothers all texted each other ... "Time for Brady and the offense to make a game-clinching drive." Drive they did. They jammed the ball right down the Jets' throats, going 86 yards on 17 plays, eating up nearly eight minutes of clock. And most of it was on the ground. Brady shoved his way into the end zone on a 1-yard rush and a statement had been made. The Pats can beat you in the air and on the ground. That will be a big help come January football.

And there will be January football ... again.

Now the focus turns to earning the coveted first-round bye and the even more-coveted home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Those won't be as easy to achieve as winning the AFC East. Houston sits at the top of the AFC after they pulled out a second-straight OT win early on Thanksgiving to get to 10-1. The Ravens are at 8-2 and with a game against the Chargers coming up will likely move to 9-2. And they have beaten the Pats so they actually hold a two-game lead for the second seed. The Pats have five games remaining, three of them at home. They play Miami twice and the Jags once. Very winnable games. It's the other two that will decide if the Pats will be resting on Wild Card weekend or playing at Gillette.

In a span of six days in December that Pats host the 10-1 Texans on Monday Night Football and then the 7-2-1 Niners on Sunday Night Football. As great as last night's win over the hated Jets was, it will be those two games in the frigid air at Gillette that will reveal just how good this Pats team will be in the playoffs. When you look at last night's game and the plays made by Brady, Welker, Ridley, Hernandez, Lloyd, Vereen, Woody, Spikes, Mayo, Chung, Gregory, Cunningham, McCourty, Love ... and especially Big Vince, there's plenty of reasons to believe that the Pats will be up to the challenge in those two big games ... and beyond.

Week 11 rewind

It's the dreaded short week for the Pats. Play (and win big) on Sunday and play (and hopefully win big) on Thursday night. Win two games in four days and you go from 6-3 to 8-3 and are in charge of your division. Lose two in four days and your season suddenly changes for the worse. The Pats took care of the first step Sunday with a convincing win over the surprising Colts. Is there much doubt they will take care of business against the Jets on Thanksgiving?

GOOD

• Offense, offense, offense. The Patriots are one of four teams that have a point differential of more than 100 points on the positive side. The other three teams -- Niners, Bears, Texans -- do it mostly with defense. Not that Pats. They put up lots of points. They have lots of weapons. Gronk (before he got hurt) had two more TDs. Edelman had a score. Ridley. Vereen. Throw in Welker, Lloyd, and a soon-to-return Hernandez and the offense with Brady at the helm is as good as it has ever been.
• Special teams. Julian Edelman's 68-yard punt return for a touchdown was the second big kick return this season. The other being McCourty against the Jets. Edelman had 117 yards in punt returns and McCourty added 94 yards in kick-off returns. Nothing like giving the best offense in the league great field position.
• Turnovers. The defense had four more Sunday against the Colts. They returned two of their three picks for touchdowns. The defense is still giving up too many yards and too many big plays, but the turnovers are offsetting that for now.

BAD

• Gronk broke his arm on the extra point at the end of the game. Now that's bad. There'll be lots of talk about why Belichick leaves his starters in games when they are out of reach blah blah blah. But really? Gronk breaks his arm blocking on an extra point? Has a guy ever broken his arm on an extra point? It's just bad luck. He could have just as likely broken his arm standing on the sideline.

The Gronk-less Pats head to the new Meadowlands for a Thanksgiving night clash with their enemies. It's a game all Pats fans couldn't wait for when the schedule came out. With or without Gronk, the Pats will be ready for this one.

An early feast

WEEK 11
Patriots 59, Colts 24 (11/18/'12): When it comes to tailgating, every day is Thanksgiving.

Although the holiday wasn't till later in the week (Did someone say there's a Pats game that night, too?), the turkey fryer was put into action in the Enchanted Forest. Not for turkey. There'll be plenty of that later. This time it was used to make rotini for pasta bolognese with sausage. The portable stove was also fired up for the garlic bread. What's better than a crisp, November day for a little Italian feast? Nothing.

And what's better than a crisp, November day for a Pats blowout of the Colts at Gillette? Nothing.

In a battle of 6-3 teams, the Pats showed why they have been near the top of the NFL for a decade and why the Colts are still a team in rebuilding mode. Although it sure didn't look like that at the end of the first quarter as rookie phenom Andrew Luck had his team ahead 14-7, engineering two scoring drives on his team's first two possessions. Luck opened with a seven-play, 80-yard drive and followed that up with 10-play, 84-yard drive. The Pats secondary didn't look any better with new cornerback Aqib Talib making his first start. Not any better at all.

That all changed in the second quarter, a second quarter that could be looked at as a turning point in the regular season. If the Pats continued to let the Colts have their way with them and lost at home to fall to 6-4, they could be fighting for their playoff lives down the stretch. And that's what makes Belichick's teams as good as they are. When those moments arrive, they very often respond. Julian Edelman -- who had a monster day that should quiet most of those who questioned why Belichick was trying to use him more -- returned a punt for 68 yards and caught a touchdown pass. He finished with more than 200 total yards. A Troy Brown-like performance. Brady had another MVP game, throwing for 331 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks. There are a lot of solid MVP candidates this year (Luck being one), but is there really anyone who should be ranked ahead of Brady? 21 touchdowns and only three picks with an offensive line that has not been healthy all year. He has a great group of talent around him, but Brady -- like Big Vince on the other side of the ball -- is the one who elevates everyone else's game. That is the definition of an MVP.

It was another outstanding day for the offense, but it also turned into a very good day for the defense as well. After giving up touchdowns on the first two drives, the D only allowed Luck and the Colts 10 more points. Not only that, the defense scored two touchdowns. Rookie Alfonzo Dennard -- who seems about to take over for Arrington if he hasn't already -- returned a pick 87 yards for a touchdown. Talib, who had his ups and downs in his first game as a Patriot, had one very big up with a sensational 59-yard interception return that came right after Edelman's kick return. Luck did throw for more than 300 yards (I guess that's just a given against the Pats D), but the defense kept pressure on him and forced four more turnovers. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough. And that's what the team needs from the defense.

It was an entertaining home game that included lots of big plays and the return of Billy (his son's football team's great season sadly over) to the tailgate. That meant everything seafood, including scallops wrapped in bacon. A great day of football and food. I'll be ready for a lot more of both in just a few days.

Old school

Some cool old Patriots photos from BostonGlobe.com. Did you know if you get a subscription to the newspaper you get the website for free? How can you pass that up? The best part is all photos in newspapers look old.

Just their Luck

Just when it looked like one of the best rivalries in football had run its course ... the Colts are back.

When the schedule came out in the spring, tomorrow's game was probably the least appealing home game on the list. Arizona would have had that honor but the Cardinals were coming for the home opener. Always look forward to the home opener no matter who the opponent is. But the Colts in the chill of late November didn't look all that enticing. The Colts who won two games last year. The Colts who no longer have Peyton Manning at quarterback. The Colts who the Pats beat pretty easily last year.

It was clearly going to be all about the tailgating.

Then something unexpected happened. Andrew Luck -- the top player taken in the draft and the reason the Colts felt they could let the greatest player in franchise history leave -- started to play up to those impossible expectations. The rookie has led his team to five wins in the last six games and has the Colts sitting at 6-3. Just like the Patriots. Suddenly this has become a very interesting game and a very big challenge for the Pats' challenged pass defense.

The rivalry between the Pats and the Colts has been one of the best NFL story lines of the past decade. The two teams have staged some epic battles during that time. There was that 4th-and-2 game. And the greatest game I have ever had the good fortune to have a ticket for.

Patriots-Colts. Brady vs. Luck. It's the game of the week again. Just as it should be.

Deion

The Patriots said goodbye (again) to Deion Branch. The veteran wide receiver wasn't playing a significant role since rejoining the team early in the season and someone had to go to make way for cornerback Aqib Talib who hopefully will have a significant role. That's life in the NFL. Hell, that's life. Deion has to get a red jacket some day. He has to.

Bill Belichick has done a lot of things right during his time as head coach/GM of the Patriots. Except draft good wide receivers. That's been a tough one for him to get right. Except in the second round of the 2002 draft.

That's when he took Deion Branch. A 5-9 wideout out of the University of Louisville. Not exactly a college football powerhouse. I'm not sure I even knew Louisville had a football team until that moment. And I sure had never heard of Deion Branch.

But he's been a Patriot favorite ever since.

Branch contributed as a receiver and kick returner in his rookie year. The highlight of that year was a 13-catch game against the Chargers. He finished the season with nearly 500 yards receiving and more than 900 yards in kick returns. He and Brady had an instant chemistry.

In 2003 Branch became an even bigger part of the offense, giving Brady a deep threat that he didn't have before. Of Branch's 57 catches that year, an incredible 40 were for first downs. Branch was a key factor in the Pats getting back to the Super Bowl and on that Super Sunday against Carolina he had 10 catches and a touchdown. It was his final catch of that season that is one of the greatest catches in Pats' history. Brady was trying to get the team in position for Adam Vinatieri to once again kick them to a championship. With just 14 seconds remaining and the ball at the Panther 40, Brady needed one more play to get in field goal range. He took the shotgun snap and stood in the pocket, looking to his right. He fired a rocket to the right that Branch caught in the air inside the 25. As Branch caught the ball he was cracked in the back by the safety about as hard as you can get hit. Branch took the hit and held onto the ball. As tough a catch as I've seen. A few seconds later the Pats were covered in confetti for the second time in three years.

The next year Branch was hurt in Week 2 and missed nine games. Being a small guy, injuries were always a problem for Branch. But toughness wasn't. He returned late in the season and by the time the defending champs hit the playoffs Brady and Branch were on fire. In the AFC title game in Pittsburgh against the rival Steelers, Brady and Branch connected for a 60-yard bomb that set the tone as the Pats raced out to 24-3 halftime lead and never looked back. Branch sealed the win on a reverse late in the game for a 23-yard touchdown run. As he crossed the goal line he gave a little wave and a big smile to the Steeler defenders chasing him. I'm sure that highlight is hated ball all Pittsburgh fans. It's one of my favorites.

Branch followed that up with an MVP performance in the Super Bowl against the Eagles as the Pats won back-to-back Super Bowls. (I still can't believe that happened.) He caught a record-tying eleven passes. He and Brady were the best quarterback-receiver combo at that moment.

Branch played in all 16 games in 2005 and had a career high 78 catches. He seemed poised for a big payday. But for the Pats, a wide receiver who was prone to injury, was not worth that big of a pay day. The Pats made Branch a reasonable three-year offer that would have paid him more than $10 million over three years. Branch wanted more and held out. The two sides reached a stalemate, the Pats entertained trade offers but rejected them, and Branch filed grievances against the team. It was messy. The Pats finally traded Branch to Seattle for a first-round pick and the Seahawks gave him the big contract he wanted. Unfortunately for Branch and Seattle, the little guy battled foot injuries and was never able to become the No. 1 receiver he was in New England.

In 2010 the Seahawks and Pats agreed to another trade, sending Branch back where he belonged... catching passes from Tom Brady. Branch seemed rejuvenated and had two solid years as the Pats third receiver, smiling his gold-tooth grin the whole time.

From our seats in Section 109 at Gillette we get a pretty good view of the Pats bench. It's one of the best parts of going to the games. Of all the players in a Pats uniform that I've rooted for, I don't think any of them had more fun than Deion Branch.

Get his jacket ready for the Pats' Hall of Fame.

J-E-T-S Mess Mess Mess

This blog is often about two teams. The New England Patriots and the New York Jets.

I root for the Pats. I root against the Jets. Which is more fun? Sometimes it's pretty close. Like this season.

The Jets fell to 3-6 this week and quarterback Mark Sanchez continued to be on a record pace for the worst statistics in the history of the game. The chants for Tebow continue to grow among Gang Green Nation. The media keeps asking Rex why he isn't using his secret weapon/backup QB more. Finally, a group of anonymous players decided it was important to tell the world that their backup QB/punt protector -- who averages about six plays a game -- was a terrible player and apparently a big reason the team was collapsing. The Jets completely imploded in the final weeks of the season last year and missed the playoffs. Looks like they are getting an early start on that this year.

The Jets beat Indy a few weeks ago 35-9 at home. Although it only made them 3-3 and the Jets had already lost some ugly games, Rex Ryan had this to say after beating the average Colts ... "We want to be a team no one wants to play. And, we're on our way."

We're on our way? As much as I love Skinny Rex for his entertainment value, this is why he will never have success as a head coach. You don't say "We're on our way" when your team is 3-3 and lost 34-0 the week before. Confidence is fine. Cocky is fine. But delusional is not. And Ryan often seems to be more delusional than cocky.

What have the Jets done in the three weeks since Skinny Rex said his team was on its way to being a team no one wants to play?

Lost to the Patriots in overtime 29-26 in a game they had but let slip away.

Lost to the mediocre Dolphins 30-9 at the new Meadowlands. That's a 30-9 loss at home against a division rival that you are convinced you are better than.

Lost 28-7 to Seattle in a game that wasn't even that close.

Three losses by a combined score of 87-42

Ya. No one wants to play the Jets.

Week 10 rewind

At the top of the list of golden rules of the NFL season is "Thou must win thy division games."

The Pats have rode that rule to nine AFC East titles in the last 11 years. Adhering to that rule almost always gets you into the playoffs. After beating the Bills at Gillette Sunday the Pats have made it halfway through their division battles without a loss. 3-0. Everyone else in the division has at least two losses.

Every win in the division is a good win.

GOOD

• No turnovers. OK, when the best thing you can say about a win is that there were no turnovers you know it wasn't the most impressive performance. But the second golden rule of the NFL is "Thou shalt not coughest up the ball." That's Pats continue to religiously follow that rule too.
• Stevan Ridley. The second-year back finished with 98 yards and a touchdown. If the Pats weren't able to run the ball with Ridley there's no telling how many points the Bills could have put up against the Pats' D. Ridley and the running game continue to be a huge factor.
• Woody. Danny Woodhead has taken over the Kevin Faulk role. That means he may not play a huge part in every game, but when he does it's usually key. Against the Bills he had a great 15-yard touchdown run in the first half and then an even better 18-yard touchdown grab where he and Brady kept a play alive and got a big score.
• Clutch play. One of the biggest knocks on the team earlier in the year (and the last few years) was that the Pats weren't winning close games. Well, they are winning them now. Devin McCourty's pick in the end zone may have been a bad pass by Fitzpatrick but it was still a clutch play. He could have dropped it.

BAD

• Speaking of drops, there were too many of them. Welker dropped a sure touchdown and then another that could have gone for a long gain. Brandon Lloyd continue to have some drops. It's not a "bad' that you should see too much of.
• 481 yards of total offense by the Bills. Fitzpatrick and the Bills have been able to move the ball on the defense for the past few years so it's no big surprise. But still, allowing nearly 500 yards of offense at home is very very bad.
• The Pats may be winning close games, but this one shouldn't have been a close game. The Pats led 24-10 after Gronk had a touchdown spike late in the second quarter. But the D let the Bills march for a score right before the half and let them stay in the game from that point on. Holding on to leads is still a bit of a problem.

It wasn't a pretty win. But it was a division win. 

The long bye

WEEK 10
Patriots 37, Bills 31 (11/11/'12): The Patriots under Bill Belichick have been almost unbeatable after the bye week. Going into last season they hadn't lost after the bye in almost ten years. But last year they lost back-to-back games against the Steelers and the Giants after their week off. They looked out of sync. The bye can do that to you. Take you off your game a bit. It happens for players and coaches. And for tailgaters.

I got a late start for yesterday's 1 p.m. game at Gillette. As Mark and Bergs were rolling into the Enchanted Forest around 8:30 in the morning, I was just starting to think about getting out of bed. A few hours later I was making my way down the scenic Route 1 with Dunkin's caramel swirl ice coffee in hand. About five miles from the stadium -- and about 10 a.m. -- I got a call from Shep. "Are you almost here?" he asked. I figured the group was starting to get annoyed at the straggler. "Just passed the Walpole Mall. Will be there soon," I assured him. "We have an emergency," Shep said. "We have no charcoal for the only grill we brought."

Bye week. Totally out of sync.

"Well, it's a good thing I slept in today," I said. "I'll make a charcoal stop."

"We need lighter fluid, too," Shep added.

Less than an hour later I arrived at the tailgate with the ingredients for fire. The key to every successful tailgate. It wasn't long before the fire -- and I -- were nicely glowing. And it wasn't long before the burgers were ready and the tailgate was in full swing.

"We finished strong," said Shep's son, Matt. "That's what counts."

Same goes for football. Finish strong. The Pats were able to do it against the Bills yesterday thanks to an interception from Devin McCourty with just 23 seconds left. Bergs and I watched the game from the ramps where the Super Bowl banners hang just to see what the view is like from up there. It's a pretty good place to watch a game. You get to see the plays unfold from such a high vantage point. You get to see how the Bills were able to gash through the middle of the defense because there was often no one in the middle. And you get to see how the Bills were able to mess up the D with simple counter plays. You get to see how quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was able to lead his team back from an early 24-10 deficit and have a chance to steal the game. And you get to see him make a big mistake at the worst possible moment to give the game away.

You also get to see Tom Brady scramble to make some great plays in a game where he and the offense looked a little out of sync too.

"It's all about how you finish," Bergs said as we headed back to the tailgate to fire up the charcoal for a second round of burgers.

Roster reboot

The Patriots roster is in a constant state of motion. For a team that usually finishes near the top of the standings, it is always evolving. During the bye week the Pats made one of the few trading-deadline deals, acquiring super-talented and super-tainted cornerback Aqib Talib. The team also dumped Bobby Carpenter (again) and Sterling Moore while adding Visanthe Shiancoe and Jarred Fayson (who?). Never a dull moment with Bill Belichick.

The Pats started the season with several questions. How's the offensive line going to do without Matt Light and Brian Waters? How's the running game going to look without Bennie? How will Brandon Lloyd and Brady work together? How will all the rookies do? Who will rush the passer and who will defend the passes? Just to name a few. Considering there were all those questions coming into the season, maybe a 5-3 start with the three losses by a combined four points is pretty darn good. Even for the defending AFC champs.

A position-by-position breakdown of the roster heading into the second-half shows many of those questions have been answered already. Of course, the roster could change at any moment.

QB

Tom Brady (Ryan Mallette): There were no questions here before the season started. Brady has taken some shots in the Blabosphere for showing signs of hitting the downside of his career. What the hell are these people watching? 16 touchdowns, 3 picks. Does he make mistakes? Of course. He made them in '01, '03, and '04 too. All quarterbacks do. It's the nature of the position. But Brady makes plays week after week that not too many other quarterbacks can make.

RB

Stevan Ridley (Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden, Danny Woodhead): How's the Pats running game going to look without Bennie? How about fifth best in the league. Ridley is lead the AFC in rushing. Before he hurt his knee, Bolden was just as good. Vereen is back from injury and made some big plays against the Jets and followed that up with another solid game against the Rams. Woody has completely taken over the Kevin Faulk role and he's doing a pretty good impersonation.

WR

Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, (Deion Branch, Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater): Would Brady and Lloyd click? That's a very big yes. Lloyd has dropped a few easy ones, but he has caught way more tough ones and he and Brady are as one on the quick out. Welkergate -- thankfully -- is over. The toughest player on the team is on pace for another amazing year. Give him a 3-year deal at 12 million a year right now. Welker is the heart and soul of that offense. It's great to have Deion back and you get the sense that he will play a bigger role in the second half. Edelman and Slater are doing their thing.

TE

Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez (Daniel Fells, Michael Hoomanuwanui): The only problem this position has faced is injury. Significant injury. Hernandez -- who just about everyone felt was going to have a breakout year -- suffered an ankle sprain in Week 2 and has been hobbled since, missing four games. The bye week should really help him. It won't hurt Gronk either. He's been pretty banged up but looked like his unstoppable self in London. A healthy Hernandez and Gronk in the second half will make the best offense in the league better. It may make the last 10 minutes of games a lot more fun, too. Fells and the guy whose name I can't pronounce are the backups at the moment, but the way Belichick likes to collect tight ends that could change three or four more times.

O LINE

Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly, Sebastian Vollmer (Donald Thomas, Marcus Cannon, Nick McDonald): One of the biggest preseason questions -- can the offensive line keep Brady safe and warm? -- has been answered the same way it always is. Yes it can. The O line had a miserable preseason. The Blabosphere was warning that not even Dante Scarnecchia could get blood from these massive stones. They were wrong. Either Scarnecchia is one of the greatest line coaches in history or the Pats have some real talent on the line. Probably some of both. Not only has Brady been kept mostly clean, but the line is doing some nasty run blocking. And with Mankins being hurt a few games. Belichick has a rep as a not-so-great drafter. But Solder and Vollmer are proof positive that he has his moments. And if you are going to have your moments maybe it's best that you have them when you are picking guys to protect your hall-of-fame quarterback.

D LINE

Vince Wilfork, Kyle Love, Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones (Jermaine Cunningham, Brandon Deaderick, Ron Brace, Justin Francis, Trevor Scott, Jeff Bequette): Can the Pats get a pass rush with the loss of Andre Carter and Mark Anderson? That was a very big question entering the season. So far, the answer is sometimes yes, mostly no. Chandler Jones is having a rookie-of-the-year season. And Ninko is building off his great 2011 production. Big Vince continues to build a case as the best nose tackle of his generation and Kyle Love is proving a very good protege. Cunningham and Deaderick are good situational pass rushers. The depth of the line hasn't really been tested yet. The D line has been one of the best against the run so far and it is starting to get some pressure on the QB. But it need to get more.

LB

Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, D'onta Hightower (Jeff Tarpinian, Tracy White, Mike Rivera, Niko Koutouvides): It was all about Mayo and Spike staying healthy. So far, so good. Mayo has been a tackling machine. Spikes has been a hitting machine. When they are both seeing everything in front of them they are as a good a linebacker duo as there is. Rookie Hightower finishes the answer to the question how would the rookies do. He's missed some time with injury but when he's been on the field he's made an impact. Not as big as the one Chandler Jones has made but there's still time for him to catch up. 

S

Patrick Chung, Steve Gregory, Devin McCourty (Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner, Derrick Martin, Malcolm Williams): Who's going to stop the passes? Two big parts of that answer were supposed to be veterans Chung and Gregory. And for two weeks it looked great as they held both the Titans and Cardinals well below 300 yards passing. Then Chung -- as he always does -- and Gregory got hurt. And rookies Wilson and Ebner went from role players to starters. Then Belichick and Patricia decided to slide McCourty from corner to safety like they did near the end of last season. And like last year, McCourty looks better there. When Chung and Gregory get back it will be interesting to see what happens with McCourty. If the two veterans can play like they did at the start of the season then this could become a very solid and deep position. That's the second biggest "if" heading into the second half of the season.

CB

Aqib Talib, Kyle Arrington (McCourty, Alfonzo Dennard, Marquice Cole): The biggest "if" is if new cornerback Aqib Talib can get his act together and play like a top draft pick. If he does ... then the weakest position on the team could become one of the strongest. If McCourty stays at safety, then the question is does Arrington hold onto his starting spot or does rookie Dennard continue to push him. Talib is the key, but Dennard could be the surprise.

K

Stephen Gostkowski, Zoltan Mesko: These guys are among the best kicker duos in the league .. but with room to improve. Gosty missed the game-winner in the home opener against the Cardinals, but he has settled down since then. And his kickoffs are still rockets. Zoltan doesn't have one of the best averages in the league, but he's one of the best at dropping the ball inside the 15-yard line. When you have the best offense in the league, that kind of field position is key.

Five of the final eight games are at Gillette. Including a Monday night game against Houston and a Sunday night game against the Niners. Oh, and there's that Thanskgiving night game against the Jets in New York. What a second half it should be.

Game films

There are a lot of great football movie moments. There's the touch football scene from "The Wedding Crashers." There's the cons vs. the guards of the original "The Longest Yard." There's the doctors vs. the doctors in "M*A*S*H."  All great game films.

But some of my favorite football scenes are not from the movies at all. They're from television. The NFL Network fills the down time in its schedule with lots of episodes of the "Top 10" series from NFL Films. "Top 10 Greatest Comebacks." "Top 10 Quarterbacks." "Top 10 Draft Flops." "Top 10 Brett Favre Moments." I saw one the other night that was "Top 10 Things We Loved About the 2000s."

The 2000s. There sure was a lot to like about that decade for Pats' fans. And the "Top 10" list is full of Pats references. #6 is the Brady-Manning rivalry. #7 is the number of new mega-stadiums (Kraft World was built at the start of the 2000s.) #3 is colorful wide receivers (two words: Randy Moss). #1 is close Super Bowls. Well, the Pats won three of them by a field goal each time. #4 on the list would be #1 on my list. The Patriots dynasty.

The dynasty may be over, but the fun is still going. Enjoy the clip. Enjoy the bye.

Half full

The NFC was starting to look like the superior conference. Not so fast. The Steelers are back on the radar and the Broncos with Peyton Manning are now a formidable team. They join the Texans, Pats, and Ravens as the top five teams in the AFC. How do they stack up against the NFC's top five of the Giants, Bears, Falcons, Niners, and Packers? Pretty evenly. Who is the best among them all? Well, a very familiar team.

As always my rankings go to 12 because that's the number of playoff teams. It really doesn't matter who #13 is when the season is over.

1. New York Giants (6-2): It pains me to say it, but the Giants are the most complete, experienced, and dangerous team in the league this year. They are in a very good position to be the first repeat champ since the '03-'04 Pats. Little Manning is never out of a game and never looks worried. He has great receivers and a strong running game. And they have the best pass rush in the league. The Giants seem to do better when they are the underdog ... they might not get that chance this year.

2. Chicago Bears (6-1): It pains me to say it, but Lovie Smith might actually be a good coach. OK, it doesn't really pain me to say it. Lovie seems like a good guy. I can't root for the Bears to ever win another Super Bowl (see Pats-Bears 1986), but I could root for Lovie. But not Jay Cutler. That guy annoys me. But he looks a lot better now that he has Brandon Marshall to throw to. And they have a great runner in Forte. And a great defense. The Bears and Giants seem on a collision course for the NFC title game.

3. New England Patriots (5-3): I know. The Falcons are 7-0 and the Texans are 6-1. But they don't have Tom Brady. Who according to some in the Blabosphere is starting to lose it a bit. Maybe they should watch his five TDs in five drives against the Rams and see what they think. The Pats are the best offense in the league and they are doing it without Aaron Hernandez and a limping Gronk and Welker. Lloyd -- despite a few drops -- has been a great addition. And the running game when Bolden is healthy is one of the best. I know. The defense has big problems. If they can get safeties Chung and Gregory healthy I think the D will start to improve like it did last year.

4. Atlanta Falcons (7-0): The Falcons just have the smell of that team that goes 15-1 and loses at home in the Divisional Round to the Bears or the Giants. But that's a long ways off. Matt Ryan and the Falcons have been on the verge of taking the next step for the last few years. They have a well balanced offense and a good defense, although they are near the bottom against the run which is a problem come playoff time. The Falcons are the classic dome team that doesn't quite have the grit to win the big one. Not sure that has changed yet.

5. Houston Texans (6-1): The Texans -- after looking bad against Green Bay -- sure looked good against the Ravens last week. They should probably be ranked higher. But like the Falcons, I'm not totally convinced. But unlike the Falcons, they have no weaknesses. The Texans have the second-ranked offense behind the Patriots and are fifth in the league against the pass and fourth against the run. And they play in a pretty easy division. If Houston can come into Gillette in a month and beat the Pats then they'll have home field in the playoffs and be very tough to stop.

6. San Francisco 49ers (6-2): The best defense in the league. And the nastiest. If I were given $1,000 to bet on any team to win the Super Bowl I'd put it on San Fran. Their D is that good. And with Frank Gore they have the best rushing game in the league. A great defense and a great running game. Many a dynasty was built on that. The question is quarterback Alex Smith. Many a Super Bowl was won with lesser QBs. When a team like the Niners is (arguably) your sixth best team ... you have a hell of a league.

7. Denver Broncos (5-3): The Broncos have taken a step up in the last few weeks as Big Manning keeps getting better and better. And that will be a problem for the rest of the AFC come playoff time. Manning is making the young receivers on his team better each week. The Broncos should win the AFC West with ease since the Chargers have decided to get a head start in their yearly collapse and fold early. Denver's weakness is they are average in rushing and below average in stopping the run.

8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2): The Ravens are limping their way down the rankings. Ray Lewis is done for the season. Terrell Suggs is back but it may be too late. The Ravens -- built on defense -- are 24th in the league against the pass and 30th -- that's right, 30th -- against the run. That's not Raven football. And although the offense is good, it is not nearly good enough to carry the team like it is in New England or New York or Atlanta. The Ravens have a tough second half ahead of them.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3): This is the point in the rankings where you can choose from about fifteen teams. I'm going with the proven commodity. Big Ben and the Steelers are getting older and are pretty banged up. But they just schooled RG3 and the Skins on how to play smash-mouth football. As the Ravens are getting more banged up, the Steelers are starting to get healthier. If they get Polamalu back they should win the AFC North and be a team nobody wants to play come January.

10. Green Bay Packers (5-3): It pains me to put them this low. The Pack should be 6-2 if it weren't for the blown call by the fake refs. But the Pack is 26th in the league in rushing. That puts too much pressure on Aaron Rodgers to carry the load. The defense has improved after last year's poor showing but it is still giving up a lot of points. The Pack has a very tough second-half schedule that will make it tough for them to pass the Bears. But they should be a wild card team.

11. Miami Dolphins (4-3): Of all the surprise decent teams in the league this year (Seattle, Arizona, Minnesota, Indy being the others), Miami is the one that is headed in the right direction. A huge win over the Jets puts them into wild card contention. Rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill may not be as good as Indy's Andrew Luck or Washington's RG3, but he has Reggie Bush on his side. And a very good defense that is third in the league against the run.

12. Minnesota Vikings (5-3): The Cardinals and Seahawks sure thought they were top 12 teams after beating the Pats. Look where they are now ... 4-4 and fading fast. The Vikes, on the other hand, are still in the hunt because they can do something the other two can't. Score points. Thanks to Adrian Peterson. Young QB Christian Ponder has good games and bad and the defense is only slightly better than average. And the Vikes didn't look too good against Tampa last week. But like I said ... they have Adrian Peterson.

Dishonorable mention: J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. Skinny Rex's team has been hit hard by injuries, no doubt about it. But what team hasn't? Problem is the Jets didn't have much depth. At the start of the season Ryan proclaimed this the most talented team he's had in his four years in New York. It was pretty funny when he said it. At 3-5, it's really funny now. Teee-bow! Teee-bow! I can't wait for Thanksgiving night.