Happy Anniversary

BLEDSOE TO BRADY: Tag. You're it.

TALES FROM THE TAILGATE
Patriots 44, Colts 13 (9/30/'01): It was 10 years ago today that Tom Brady made his first official start as the Patriots quarterback. Ten wonderful years.

Me, Mark, and Shep had no idea that we were seeing the first win by one of the two or three greatest quarterbacks to play the game. Actually, since it was the first in the Brady vs. Manning saga, we had no idea we were seeing TWO of the best two or three quarterbacks to play the game.

It was a crisp 55 degree September afternoon. The kind of tailgating day you just can't get enough of. We crowded onto our aluminum bench in Section 309 ten rows from the back of Foxboro Stadium. It was the last year of the old stadium and the first year of a dynasty.

I remember how charged up the crowd was about Brady. The young QB didn't throw any touchdown passes in the Pats romp but he made several clutch plays to keep drives going. Plays that Bledsoe hadn't been making for a few years. I remember Shep yelling "Tom Brady! Yes! Tom Bra-dy!" all day long. All year long. Brady completed just 13 passes for 168 yards. The Brady of 2011 sometimes completes 13 passes on one drive. Things were different. The Pats rushed for nearly 200 yards on a whopping 39 carries. And the D (Otis Smith and Ty Law) took back two Manning picks for six. Brady didn't throw any interceptions. It was a formula for success the team would ride for years to come.

The Patriots rolled out to a 23-0 lead before Manning finally put Indy on the board. The Pats responded with the next 14. There was one big play after another. It had been a few years since the old stadium had been that loud. It would be like that a lot the rest of that incredible season.

Brady was asked what he remembered about the day. He said not much. Then smiled and said "It was a good game. We beat the Chargers."

Seems like I remember that day a little clearer than he does.

The first rule of football

WEEK 3
I take the blame for this loss. The first rule of football-watching is if your team is winning big you don't leave where you are watching the game. I broke that rule.

My 10-year old 37'' not flat-screen, not HD, not plasma TV died. Finally. I watched a lot of great football (and "The Wire") on that TV. I didn't have time to get a replacement (check in next week on that) so I was watching the Pats trounce the Bills on my 15'' (you read that right) screen that we sometimes bring to the tailgate. I had to go over my parents' house to fix a few things -- and they have a 37'' screen -- so I got in my car late in the first half. While I was driving over the Bills put up 10 points. And then things just got worse.

I scanned back through the Pats scores of the past decade to see if I could find a game where the team blew a 21-0 lead with Brady as the QB. The only one I could find was that little AFC title game at Indy in '06. That one was a lot tougher to take.

WES: King Rat

The Pats started this game playing like a machine. Considering they were without Koppen, Vollmer, Hernandez, Dowling, Haynesworth, Wright, and (most importantly) Pat Chung, it was impressive. Brady and the offense took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in nine plays in the face of a fired-up Bills crowd. Brady and Welker capped the drive, connecting on a 14-yard TD pass. It was the start of a record day for Welker. He finished with 16 catches for 217 yards. It was more than enough to give my fantasy football team (Rozzie Rats) its first victory. But not quite enough to prevent the Pats from their first loss.

The Pats D then picked off Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (deflection to Arrington), giving Brady the ball at the Buffalo 35. Six plays later Brady hit Gronk for the first of his two TD catches and the Pats were up 14-0 and the fire in the Bills fans was snuffed out. Just like that. Arrington picked off Fitzpatrick on the next drive as well, nicely cutting in front of the receiver on a fourth-down play. Brady hit Gronk for another touchdown midway through the second quarter and the 2-0 Pats were dominating the 2-0 Bills 21-0. The Pats looked unstoppable. All seemed right with the world.

And then things started to go wrong. And often. While I was in my car, the Bills put together a big seven-play touchdown drive to stop the Pats momentum, cutting the score to 21-7. Brady then threw the first of his four interceptions. And like all the others, it was just a tough break more than a bad play by #12. Brady threw the ball into the flat for Woodhead at the Buffalo 10-yard line but he couldn't grab it and instead tipped it into the air as he fell and the defensive back made a great play to dive and get the ball. Turnover #1.

The Bills drove from their own 10 to the Pats' 24 in the last minute and  kicked a field goal. What could have been a 28-7 halftime lead was instead 21-10 with the Bills getting the ball to start the third quarter. It was a Patriot-like drive. But the Bills couldn't do anything with the ball to start the second half and had to punt. Brady got the ball at the Pats 43 with a chance to put some crucial points on the board. One play later the Bills had their second interception and the comeback was on. Like that AFC title game a few years back it was a fun game to watch. Back and forth. Like that game, it ended with the Pats coming up short.

It's a big win for Buffalo. They beat the Pats for the first time in forever. Move to 3-0 and sole possession of the AFC East lead thanks to the Jets also losing. I was actually happy for Bills fans. They have had a bad team for a long time. But 3-0 in September doesn't mean that much. There's a lot of football left. I seem to remember the Jets beating the Pats early last season. The Pats still won the division easily.

I'll avoid the Sports Blabosphere for most of this week.They'll be all over Ochocinco. And the defense. Deservedly so. Both looked shaky. I got a brief taste of it last night and heard Felger utter this line: "This game proves that if Tom Brady is not having a great game then this team is in trouble." The game proved nothing of the kind.

It proved the first rule of football playing. If you turn the ball over four times -- especially on the road -- then you are probably going to lose. Take away those fluky turnovers and the Pats win easily.

I don't think the Pats will make that many mistakes in a game again. I know I won't make the mistake of getting in my car with the Pats up 21-0.

Those are the first rules of football.

Makin' plays

2009: Not a pretty sight.

"I just can't get this team to play the way we need to play. I just can't do it. It's so frustrating."

That's Bill Belichick talking to Tom Brady in 2009 as the two stood on the sidelines together in the final stages of the Saints crushing the Pats on a Monday night. It's my favorite scene from "A Football Life.'' Belichick is often portrayed as an egomaniac who takes all the credit when the team wins and dumps all the blame when the team loses. Which is about as far from the truth as you can get. He knows that a coach is only as good as the players on the roster. In 2009, the players just weren't good enough. And the coaching wasn't good enough to help them improve. The 2009 Patriots just couldn't make the plays when they needed to.

That's what winning and losing comes down to in the NFL. Which team can make the plays at the key moments in the game. It's always been that way. That's what makes football so fun to watch. It's like watching a violent chess match. And there are moves in each game that change the momentum. The teams that win are the ones that have more players who can step up and make those plays.

The 2009 Patriots did not have nearly enough of them. The 2001, '03, and '04 Pats had more than I can quickly count. The 2011 Patriots -- like last year's team -- has what seems like a large number of playmakers. In a stat from last year that is often lost among the offensive numbers, the Pats D lead the league in picks and were second in total turnovers. That's making plays.

The playmaking starts with Brady, of course. He has a lot of help on offense. A lot. Welker. Branch. Woody. Bennie. The two-headed tight end monster. On defense the Pats have had Big Vince and Mayo leading the way for a few years. But in '09 there wasn't much else. Now, with players like Chung, Wright, Bodden, Haynesworth (when he actually plays), Ellis, Spikes, and Ninko, Vince and Mayo have lots of help. The defense is still giving up too many yards, but they are making the plays when they have to. That's a combination of a good game plan and having guys that can get the job done when put in the right spot.

The 2-0 Pats go into Buffalo in what is an unexpectedly big divisional battle. It's big because the 2-0 Bills have been making plays for the first time in a long time.

It's all about making plays.

Fan obsession

You might think from the title of this post that it's about fans who are obsessed with watching sports above everything else in life.

It's not.

It's about the growing obsession with fans -- by athletes and especially the Sports Blabosphere.

I was watching a little post-disaster coverage of last night's Sox loss when Mike Felger and the Globe's Bob Ryan (he looks much taller in person than on TV) began a rant and a rave about how awful fans are today and how the teams are mostly to blame for all the extra entertainment they've added to the experience.

Felger was all bent out of shape that Sox fans sang the "Sweet Caroline" song with great joy during the seventh inning stretch of a game the Sox were blowing, A big game. Against the lousy Orioles. How dare they have fun between innings? What kind of fans are they? Surely, not true ones like Felger and Ryan. They know the right way to root for your team.

Felger put it succinctly: They shouldn't be singing "Sweet Caroline," they should be booing because this Sox team is so bad.

Ryan even went so far as to call the singing of the Neil Diamond song a "national embarrassment." I've been to several Sox games since the "So good" tradition started. I don't love it. But a lot of people do. It's harmless fun. And I've thrown out a few "woh woh wohs" and enjoyed it. It's BETWEEN innings. Of a baseball game, not the United Nations Security Council. Baseball can be slow. You know? And Neil is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Felger and Ryan (and beat writer Peter Abraham, who actually tweeted about the singing after the game) would prefer that you sit and stew (or worse) that Daniel Bard has blown another lead or that Darnell McDonald has dropped another ball. That would be much better. Then the team would really feel bad about the fact that they are losing. Because according to them the players don't care. Maybe a good dose of booing will make them play better or try harder. Funny, looking at the Sox leaving the field at the end of another tough loss ... well, they looked like they cared. I don't think a few bars of "Sweet Caroline" would have brightened their mood.

The debate about fans and the dreaded "fan noise" has been a good space filler in the Sports Blabosphere for a while. Gillette fans have been the subject of scorn for a few years now. It's all much ado about nothing. Brady handled it right when he joked about getting lubed up and rooting for the home team. He also said "We need to give them something to cheer about." The crowd was great Sunday against the Chargers. Anyone who was there for the halftime ovation for Drew Bledsoe had to have a few chills. Would that have been wrong if the Pats were losing badly? Should I just sit there and curse and have a miserable time? Isn't there enough of that in life today?

When did it become preferable that sports fans be the kind that boo the players and kick their dogs when the team they root for loses? I've know some fans like that and it's not pretty. They're not welcome at any tailgates I'm drinking at. I think the word I'm looking for is perspective. The Sox are playing lousy. But it's just sports. It really is supposed to be fun. I have to go to work today win or lose.

My daughter and a few of her college friends sat in the bleachers last night. It was the first time at Fenway for some of them. That in itself is a great experience. Something most in the sports media have either forgotten or just never understood. I'll bet good money Amy and her friends enjoyed the "Sweet Caroline" sing-along. They were in the bleachers. It's as much about the party as the game. It has been since I was a kid going there in the '70s. The technology is just better.

The Blabosphere says the Sox and other teams have ruined the experience with all the bells and whistles and videos. I say to each his own. I prefer my sports experience to be about the game. But when I'm spending a couple of hundred dollars, I have no problem with some extra comfort and entertainment. It's not like Wally runs across the field during the game and plays center instead of Ellsbury or Gino goes up for a dunk on Rondo in the fourth quarter. I can watch the cheerleaders and talk about the big fourth down play coming up at the same time. Really. I can.

Ryan and Felger actually agreed that most fans leaving a Sox or Celtics game (yes, Ryan brought up the Garden Jumbotron -- again) don't even know the final score. Talk about arrogant. Because fans had a little fun singing a song, or doing the wave (another thing I don't love so much), or catching a T-shirt shot out of a cannon by scantily-clad women (something tells me Felger kind of likes that), they can't POSSIBLY be real fans. Or know anything about the game. I can't help but wonder when was the last time either of them bought a ticket like a fan, drove through traffic, found a parking spot, walked with the crowd to their seats, bought some pricey snacks and souvenirs, and really rooted for a team. Only to see their hard-earned money spent on a dissapointing loss.

(A note to Ryan and Felger ... my daughter knew the final score of the game. Just like she knew the final score of the game she went to a few weeks ago ... Rangers 11, Sox 4. Singing was the only enjoyable part of that game but she stayed till the final out.)

That's one of the reasons I enjoy tailgating. Even if the game turns out to be a bomb, it's still a fun day and me and my friends have a lot of laughs.

Oh, I guess that makes me a lousy sports fan.

'It's always a great time'

WEEK 2
Patriots 35, Chargers 21: Nothing makes the anticipation level for the first tailgate of the season higher than being stuck in traffic for two hours. I failed to adjust for the fact that I no longer live eight miles from Gillette. Sorry Paul.

By the time we arrived at the Enchanted Forest lot just south of the stadium we were -- to quote a former lawyer/bar owner I knew -- ready to Watusi. Paul -- a longtime newspaper guy who has been to several big games over the years -- hadn't been to a tailgate the last few seasons so I was feeling guilty about the lost time. We made up for it. And then some.

65 degrees. Beautiful late summer day. Steak. Spare ribs. Chicken. Potato salad. Crab rangoon and fries fresh out of the deep fryer. Cold beer. Martinis. Good friends. And one heck of an entertaining football game. As we stood in the dark eating our post-game hamburgers, celebrating another victory and watching a blonde Pats fan throwing the football around (nice arm), Paul said out loud what I think every tailgate: "It's always a great time."

The pre-game tailgate -- albeit shortened -- was indeed great. The group next to us had a deep fryer and we did a little food share. They got some ribs. We got some crab rangoon and fries. An excellent swap. We arrived at our seats in Section 109 for the first time since the playoff loss to the Jets accompanied by our good friends Sam Adams and Don Julio. The view was the same. The drinks were the same. The game was very different.

Brady and the offense got the ball and drove from their own 8-yard line in 12 plays. A 6-yard run by BenJarvis. A 17-yard pass to Welker. A 16-yarder to Hernandez. A 3-yard run, a 5-yard catch, and a 6-yard run from BenJarvis. A 5-yard run by Woody. A 15-yard diving catch by the Ocho. (Followed by a supportive ovation). All capped off with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez with two guys on him. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation on each play. And rewarded each time.

The Chargers, being the playoff team they likely are, responded with an impressive touchdown drive of their own and we knew a great, hard-fought game was ahead of us. We just didn't know how great. Me, Paul, Mark, Bergs and everyone around us spent the rest of the afternoon yelling, cheering, high-fiving, hugging ... and mostly smiling. Especially in the last 10 minutes of the half.

First the Pats D made a huge goal line stand, stuffing Mike Tolbert on a 4th down from the 1. Tolbert, a monster of a back, ran wide and was nailed by Mayo. He ran wide. Nice call, Norv. Then Brady led the Pats on a 99-yard drive that had Gillette as loud and rowdy as it's been in years. Seems like most fans took Brady's advice and were well hydrated. Brady ended the drive with a TD pass to Gronk 1 and the Pats were up 17-7.

Rivers and the Chargers drove into Pats territory again and were threatening to cut the lead to three when Big Vince made what could well be the play of the year. Rivers threw a pass out to his right at the 35-yard line with about 20 seconds left in the half. Wilfork anticipated the pass, leaped in the air and tipped the ball, reached out and caught it, and then steamed down the field into San Diego territory. He looked like one of those Disney cartoons where the pink hippo is doing ballet.

Two quick passes later and Gostkowski nailed a field goal as time expired in the half. Pats 20, Chargers 7. It was another example of why the Pats have had so much success under Belichick. After the Wilfork play I watched Brady, Belichick, and offensive coach Bill O'Brien huddled together to figure out how to get a last second three points. On the other sideline I could see Norv Turner walking around rubbing his forehead with a confused look on his face.

The second half was almost as entertaining. The Chargers, the team with the second best offense last season, moved the ball all over the field. But the Pats D kept coming up with big plays when needed. They came away with four turnovers and lots of big hits. It was a formula that worked very well last year. As did the formula of Brady having so many options on offense that the opposing defense is often helpless to figure out what is coming next.

What is coming next is a suddenly big game against the 2-0 Bills in Buffalo. The Patriots haven't lost to the Bills since government-mandated retirement plans actually had money in them. The Bills think this will be the year. It will be a good test for both teams.

One home game down. At least seven more to go. The next home game is the rematch with Mt. Ryan and the Jets in three weeks. We are considering investing in a deep fryer.

Back-up plan

DREW: Finally feeling the love.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony yesterday at Gillette was even more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Me, Bergs and my nephews Pete and Steve joined a few thousand others to watch former Pats greats Jon Morris and Drew Bledsoe put on the red jackets.

Morris played before Pete and Steve were born. It was fun to watch them listening to stories about players who made $12k a year and played football at Fenway. The old lineman gave a great speech. It was easy to see that Morris -- who later did radio for the Pats -- is a genuinely good guy. As is the other former Patriot now in the Hall.

Bledsoe was certainly the man most fans came to see and he did not disappoint. He arrived with a bit of a movie star look -- crisp white shirt, black jacket, shades. He looked sharp. He took off the shades for the speech. He said his mother made him.

It was nice to see Bledsoe smiling and fondly looking back at his years as the face of the franchise. As he said, being a guy from Walla Walla, Washington he had no idea what it would be like to play in New England. "You take your sports really seriously out here," he said laughing. "I'm from Washington. We hike and ride our bikes." It was not easy for Bledsoe being the Pats QB. He was clearly in a strange land and under a lot of pressure. He almost always handled both with class.

There were lots of great moments in his speech. I took some video but never captured any of the really funny or touching moments. My timing with video is the worst. You could say I'm the Brandon Meriweather of video taping. There was one line that I really wish I had caught on tape.

Bledsoe thanked many of his former teammates. He started with his offensive line as quarterbacks always do. They kept him alive. Barely. Then he mentioned his receivers, tight ends, and running backs. Then thanked his back-up quarterbacks. The guys who have the thankless job of always being one step away from fulfilling their dream. Starting QB in the NFL. He thanked current Sports Blab personality Scott Zolak for keeping him sane while coach Parcells was screaming at him day in and day out. "Thanks for always having my back, Zo."

Then he thanked "that other back-up. Number 12." Bledsoe added: "He was a good back-up except he didn't quite understand that whole back-up part." It was the best laugh of the day.

Bledsoe then spoke to the fans: "Seriously. I hope everyone here appreciates just how lucky they are to be watching him. He is doing things on the field that are just amazing."

Bledsoe is right. And as always, he's a class act.

Drew!

TALES FROM THE TAILGATE
Pats 26, Dolphins 23 (11/23/'98): Everyone, me included, has been raving about Tom Brady's 517 yards passing in the opener against Miami last Monday. Was it the greatest game ever by a Pats quarterback? Statistically, yes. But there have been so many great games by Pats QBs. Of course many of them by #12 in the last decade. But before there was Brady there was Jim Plunkett. And one of my all-time favorites, Steve Grogan. Even pretty-boy Tony Eason had some great games. (No. Not Scott Zolak).

But the Pats quarterback who may have the longest list of great games? Drew Bledsoe.

He was the embodiment of the "franchise quarterback." Big. Strong. Gun for an arm. Great college quarterback. I'll be heading to Gillette with some of my tailgating group this afternoon for Bledsoe's induction into the Pats Hall of Fame. A great start to a great weekend of football. I can't wait to hear all the fans shouting "Dreeeeewwwwww!" He sure deserves the honor. I hope they have a video highlight package of his best moments as a Patriot. There were some great ones.

The great shootout game against Warren Moon and the Vikes. The Fog Bowl against the Steelers. And of course when he replaced an injured Brady in the AFC title game against the Steelers.  So many great games for #11. But my favorite Bledsoe moment is also one of my favorite Tales from the Tailgate.

The Pats #1 draft pick in 1993 is one of the players most instrumental in turning the franchise around. Like Tom Brady. Ty Law. Tedy Bruschi. Bledsoe deserves as much credit as anyone. He didn't win a Super Bowl as a starter but he jump-started a franchise with some of the most amazing passing performances of the past two decades. He was that good. And he was that tough. I was a Brady guy early on. Mostly because you could tell he had that undefinable quality that all great players have. His abilities have improved each year, but from the beginning you could see he was hard to rattle and had the knack for making the big play. Just like the quarterback who came before him. Bledsoe hard to rattle? Tough? As tough as they come. It may be hard to remember now after the way his Pats career ended, but on back-to-back weekends in November '98 he led the team to two miraculous victories. In the second of those games (against the Bills) he did it while playing with a broken finger on his passing hand.

The first of those games was a Monday nighter against Miami at Foxboro Stadium. Pete Carroll was in his second (and thankfully next-to-last) season as head coach. The Pats started off 4-1 but limped into the game against the Dolphins at 5-5. We could see the foundation that Bill Parcells had built slowly being eroded like a beach cliff under a Cape home. But for two nights Bledsoe almost single-handedly put the team back on solid ground.

We tailgated on a crisp winter night, eating, drinking, and mocking Carroll's "pumped and jacked" mentality to coaching. All rah-rah. Perfect for college. But it very rarely works in the NFL. You either have a dour tactician (Landry, Noll, Belichick) or an in-your-face motivator (Lombardi, Parcells, Cowher) at the helm of the best teams. Cheerleaders as coaches don't usually work out. And when a cheerleader replaces a motivator it usually spells disaster because the players are so glad the guy yelling at them is gone that they ease up and lose their edge. That was the '98 Patriots.

Besides our coach, the other topic of conversation that night was the announcement earlier that month that Robert Kraft had a tentative deal to move the team to Hartford. Hartford! In Connecticut! There was even talk they would change their team colors to match that of the NHL's Hartford Whalers. Green and white. Uh, those are Jets colors. Our team was sliding back into irrelevance and our franchise was moving to Connecticut. We were not in a very good mood as Brendan grilled up some tuna steaks in honor of the Dolphins. (You can't legally buy dolphin.)

Miami was 7-3 and led by Dan Marino nearing the end of his career and coached by Jimmy Johnson who spent most of the game pleading with the refs for penalties. It was a back-and-forth affair. Bledsoe connected with tight end Ben Coates for a touchdown early in the game. In my book, the Bledsoe-to-Coates connection is still the all-time best passing tandem in the team's history. Coates would pull in nine passes for nearly 80 yards. But it was Bledsoe that was the story of this game. Hell, he was the story of that whole year. In the midst of a season where the team was disintegrating, Bledsoe held things together by throwing for more than 3,600 yards, 20 TDs, and an 80.0 passer rating. Of course he threw many killer picks, but that was Drew. I've wondered how Tom Brady would do playing on a team like the '98 Pats. Someday I might find out. If he plays like Bledsoe did that year then that's a hell of an effort.

Miami took a 23-19 lead with just over three minutes to go in the game. Bledsoe led the Pats from deep in their own end to almost midfield at the two minute warning. On a second-down play Bledsoe dropped back to throw and on his follow through hit his passing hand on a defender's helmet. The Pats took a timeout and he came over to the sideline holding his hand and started to make some practice tosses to test it out. At the same time backup QB Scott Zolak (yes, that one) started warming up. "Zolak's coming in," Mark said. "We're moving to Hartford and Zolak's coming in. The Parcells magic is officially gone."

But Zolak did not come in. Bledsoe, even though he would later be diagnosed with a broken finger, came back onto the field. And then took another timeout. He burned two timeouts without ever taking a snap with 1:42 to go in the game. He came over to the sideline and took some more practice tosses. He returned to the field, with only one more timeout to waste, and on 2nd-and-10 airmailed a pass over Terry Glenn's head. He shook his hand some more and started to walk off the field as if he was coming out of the game. But again he stayed in and threw a pass to Coates for a short gain. Fourth-and-six and the Pats have to go for it. Carroll started signalling vehemently for a timeout. The players clearly saw him but ignored him and lined up to run a play. (Yes, Carroll was toast as the coach right then and there.) Bledsoe hit Shawn Jefferson on a curl for a first down with 34 seconds to play. On the next play, in the face of a corner blitz, Bledsoe let one rip into the left corner of the end zone that landed right in Jefferson's hands for a touchdown with 30 seconds left for the amazing victory. The crowd went nuts. Moving to Hartford? Not tonight!

Bledsoe, broken finger and all, led the Pats on an amazing 26-play, 84-yard game winning drive. He finished with 423 yards passing. And as the game ended he ran around the field, responding to the roar of the crowd, pumping his fists and soaking in the moment. The next week, also at home, he played the entire game against the Bills with his broken finger taped to his other fingers, and again led the team to a last-second come from behind win, this time hitting Coates for a touchdown with no time left on the clock. He had many, many great moments as the Pats QB. But those two games in '98 were the two most amazing back-to-back victories that old Foxboro Stadium ever saw.

Bledsoe's career, and the team's fortunes, began to slide from that point as the Pats finished 9-7 that year and then 8-8 the next. Among all the sins of Carroll's years here, the biggest one is his ruining of Bledsoe. Parcells was tough on Bledsoe and that's what he needed. It motivated him. Carroll coddled him and his skills eroded. He was never Baryshnikov, but his footwork just got worse and worse until he become the most stationary target in the game. And then he took a hit by Mo Lewis that changed his -- and once again the team's -- fortunes. He left the field and Brady came on ... and hasn't left since.

That's the other thing that Drew Bledsoe had. Class. When he was getting the crap kicked out of him playing for a mediocre team he took his lumps, kept his mouth shut, and kept coming out every Sunday battling his hardest. When he lost his job to a young QB who would soon prove to be among the best, Bledsoe kept his mouth shut, helped Brady get better, and by not stirring up a controversy played a key role in the first Super Bowl run.

I have a bulletin board in the basement with lots of ticket stubs, pins, stickers, etc. from all the Pats games. In the middle is the cover of the 1994 Globe's NFL preview with a photo of Bledsoe under the headline "A new era is dawning." A lot of things have come and gone from that bulletin board, but the faded picture of No. 11 still hangs right where I put it almost 20 years ago.

Drink up

WHERE'S MY BEER HAT?

Pats QB Tom Brady held his weekly press conference by his locker today.

He talked about being named player of the week (517 yards passing will do it every time). Discussed the criticism that Bruschi aimed at Ochocinco after the Miami game. (I loved his answer: "Everyone has an opinion on everything, and none of it really means anything.'') He looked ahead to this week's opponent (the always-dangerous Chargers).

Then he took time out to send a message to the fans about the home opener:

"Start drinking early. Get nice and rowdy. 4:15 game, lot of time to get lubed up. Come out here, and cheer for the home team."

Mark e-mailed: I really don't need any prompting from Mr. Brady on this issue.

Agreed.

Brady bunch of yards

WEEK 1
Let me just say one more time... Thank you, Mo Lewis.

The Dolphins started last night's season opener with a very impressive touchdown drive (12 plays, 84 yards, more than seven minutes) and a lot of confidence. Tom Brady methodically took that confidence away from them. Bit by bit. Pass by pass. Touchdown by touchdown.

MO: A big assist

By the time he was done, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game kicked off his 10th season as a starter (Really. Thanks Mo.) with his best performance yet. Brady passed for 517 yards on 32 of 48 passing. He connected for four touchdowns. He's Bird. He's Orr. Check that. He's Jordan. He's Gretzky.

Brady is 34. I don't know how many more years Gisele will let him play. Right now he's as good as it gets. I'll enjoy it as long as it lasts.

The game was sure enjoyable. As was the whole opening weekend of football. Sports Blab Radio is in full blab mode about how so many QBs broke 300 yards (a record) and how offenses are dominating. There's no doubt that is true -- for one weekend at least. But the lockout and shortened training camps are a handicap for the defenses. They'll catch up. As will the weather. It all evens out.

There will be talk about how many yards the Pats D gave up. It was a lot. But, like last year, the young D made plays when they had to. The Pats had four sacks. Phat Albert didn't look too out of shape. But it wasn't pretty. And that actually shows how far this young defense has come. A year ago, after a disastrous '09, there was no discussion of style points when it came to road wins. ANY road win was huge. Now it's not good enough to just win on the road. That's a good sign.

Most of the Brady talk will focus on his 99-yard touchdown to Welker. It was a great play from the shotgun in his own endzone. But Brady was truly at his best in the third quarter. The Pats were only up 14-7 at the half. It should have been 27-7. They were driving on the opening possession of the second half, looking to deliver a knock-out score. Brady tossed a little screen out to his left at the Miami 40 but the ball was tipped and landed in the arms of Miami lineman Jared Odrick. The big man rumbled inside the Pats 20. It was Brady's first interception since October of last year. A record streak of 358 passes without a pick. I don't think Favre went 358 seconds with throwing one to the other team.

The Dolphins scored to tie the game at 14. A game the Pats should have been in control of was up for grabs. Till Brady got back on the field. He marched the offense down the field in 10 plays with machine-like efficiency. He connected with Woody, Branch, and then capped it off with his first TD to Welker. The Pats were back in the lead and soon would pull away. Those are the moments that separate Brady from the rest. He rarely loses his focus. He makes everyone around him better.
He responds when challenged.

It was just one game and the Pats have a tougher test ahead next week against the Chargers. But the offense, even with the loss of center Dan Koppen, looks as good as ever. With Brady running the show as always.

Monday Night Football's John Gruden, known for his colorful constantly-running game commentary, was singing Brady's praises as the clock wound down on the victory. It went something like this...

"I love hanging with this guy. He's a fierce competitor. This guy says he loves being on the field near the end of a big win because he can enjoy all the work that the team had put in all week. This guy just loves competing. He says he wants to play till he's 48!"

48? Ha. I'll be happy with 38. That would mean four more years of watching a lot more amazing performances like tonight. Hmmm.... only four more years? 48 does sound better.

Who's No. 1?

Every sports section, magazine, website, and blog starts the NFL season by ranking the 32 teams. It's always a fun read for fans. And a quick way to remember where the QB carousel sent different players and who all the new coaches are. (Mike Munchak has his hands full replacing Jeff Fisher in Tennessee, I can tell you that.) That's what makes the NFL so great. I'm interested in all the teams in the league. I can't say I'm that interested in the Milwaukee Brewers at the start of the baseball season. Or actually ever.

The 2011 season -- the one that almost didn't happen -- promises to be a great show. Offenses should have an advantage early in the season because of the shortened training camp. But there will be as many great 17-14 games during the long season as there will be 34-31 games.

Offenses will run the show, but the teams with the best defenses will be there when the playoffs start. Here are my rankings entering the season. What do I know? Hey, I watch a lot of football.

1. New York Jets: Yes. This is a Pats blog. The Jets at the top? What do I know, right? ... I know the Jets have been in back-to-back AFC title games and almost won them both. I know they have a big coach who is as entertaining to root for -- or against -- as they come and who is a leader.  I know they have a QB who has proven he can make big plays. I know they have a nasty defense. I think the Jets have earned starting the season as the favorite. I just don't think they will end it as the champ. Sorry Rex.

2. New England Patriots: The Jets 1. The Pats 2. Or the Pats 1 and the Jets 2. Doesn't matter. It means when these two meet in the playoffs (and in Week 5) it will be epic ... again. The Jets are the new Colts. The Pats biggest rival. But enough about them. Tom Brady. Bill Belichick. 14-2 with a young defense. The best offense in the league. The Pats may not win 14 games this regular season. Odds are they won't. But they could actually be a better team at the end. When it counts. The additions of Haynesworth, Ellis, and Carter on the D line could be huge -- or just a huge bust. That  will be  key.

3. Green Bay Packers: I have a rule that the defending Super Bowl champ should be ranked #1 to start the next season. Unless a guy like Elway retires or something. They are the best till they lose. But I can't give the 10-6 Packers that much love. They were not that impressive several times last season. But they have big playmakers on both sides of the ball. A top rate QB in Rodgers. An attacking D. And the confidence from raising the Lombardi. They should win more than 10 games this year. That's for sure. But are they the best?

4. Baltimore Ravens: The team that I thought was going to destroy the AFC last year might actually do it this year. If they can get back to running the ball like they did in '09. The Ravens are big and brash and always talking trash. That's the way their leader Screamin Ray Lewis likes it. They are well coached and battle tested. Flacco, Boldin, Rice, Lewis, Reed. They are loaded. If they can get the best of the Steelers in the regular season then they will be a force in the playoffs.

5. Philadelphia Eagles: Dream Team! Michael Vick is my fantasy QB. I haven't won my family league's title since '05. I'm not just drafting guys I like anymore. I'm not a big fan of Mike Vick the guy. I love watching Michael Vick the QB. He could break lots of records with the Eagle offense. Or he could implode. Or blow out a knee. Anything's possible with him. And with the Eagles.

6. Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons were the NFC's Patriots last year. They had a great regular season, were impossible to beat at home, had a balanced attack and a solid D. And then went into the playoffs and got beat at home. A learning experience. Matt Ryan and his offense put up 414 points last year. They could be better this year.

7. New Orleans Saints: But so will the Saints. And they play in the same tough NFC South. The '09 champs had an up and down year defending their crown. Drew Brees took a lot of beatings. The defense struggled and the offense couldn't make up for it this time. And then New Orleans got pounded by a weak Seattle team in the playoffs. But Sean Payton is a very good coach and the Saints still are a very good team. Now that the pressure is off look for them to come back strong.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers were back in the Super Bowl with Big Ben. Again. This time they lost. This was my favorite Steeler Super Bowl of all. Although coach Mike Tomlin is growing on me. But the Steelers have had a history in the past decade of following up great years with mediocre ones. With the defense getting old (Palumalu's hair is 30) the Steelers will have to rely on their offense more to win games. That shouldn't be a problem with Roethlisberger and Mendanhall. But they will be playing some very good defenses so maybe it will be a problem.

9. Houston Texans: (See Colts below.) The Texans finally beat the Colts in the opener last year and there was a lot of talk (me included) that the expansion team would make the playoffs for the first time in their history. They won five more games. Five. But... Peyton Manning is out for the year. The Texans have a talented offense. Now that the Colts are out of their way, they should be playing in late January for the first time.

10. San Diego Chargers: I give Norv credit. He doesn't give up. After years of having good regular seasons only to gag in the playoffs, Norv took a talented team and brought it down to 9-7 and out of the playoffs. But he's back again. And he still has Phillip Rivers. The guy is the Papelbon of quarterbacks but he can light it up. If the Chargers can get running back Ryan Matthews on track they should move back past the Chiefs for the AFC West crown.

11. Chicago Bears: Another coach I don't believe in... Lovie Smith of the Bears. Yet there his team was in the NFC title game again. So he must be doing something right. And he's never had a great QB. Maybe I've underestimated him. Maybe he's just too darn nice. The Bears have never had a great QB but they have had one of the best LBs the game has ever seen. Brian Urlacher. As long as they have him they are a playoff contender.

12. Kansas City Chiefs: KC was my dark horse AFC team last year. They came through with a 10-6 record but that was after a 5-2 start so they stumbled to their division's title. And then got schooled by the playoff tested Ravens in Arrowhead. The Chiefs have Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles, and Dwayne Bowe on offense. They'll put up points. They don't quite have the playmakers on defense.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs surprised me last year. I may be the last NFL fan to know that Josh Freeman is a good quarterback, Or that Raheem Morris is one of the better younger coaches in the league. I know now. The Bucs won 10 games in the tough NFC South thanks to a solid defense and an offense that did not make too many mistakes. That will need to be the formula again.

14. Indianapolis Colts: It could be a tough year for Colts fans. I'm worried about them. Their team is not nearly as prepared to handle life without Manning as the '08 Pats were to handle life without Brady. The signing of Kerry Collins is all you need to know about just how unprepared they are. The Colts are old almost everywhere but wide receiver. But now they don't have anyone to get those guys the ball. Indy could finish outside the top 20 teams when the season is over. Be good to Colts fans when you see them.

15. Dallas Cowboys: Speaking of fans. This year has to better for fans of the 'Boys. It has to be. Because the Wade Phillips years are over. They were fun for me. But I'm assuming the folks in Texas were not so happy. The much heralded Jason Garrett will finally get his shot to be a head coach. Good luck dealing with Jerry Jones. Dallas has a tough schedule to start but with Rex Ryan's brother Rob as their D coordinator they should be a playoff contender. Romo should have a good year with Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Jason Whitten.

16. San Francisco 49ers: The team I picked as my NFC dark horse last year turned out to be a mule. The guy I thought might win coach of the year turned out to be a nut. The Niners were a disaster in every way. They finished a pathetic 6-10. Funny thing is they were only one game behind division winner Seattle. That's how bad the entire division was. Now that San Fran is free from Iron Mike Singletary I think they can win the NFC West. It should only take eight wins.

17. Detroit Lions: This may turn out to be a bit too low for the team from Motown. That's right. The Lions may end up a top 10 team at some point this season. But they are in a tough division. And they were only 6-10 last year. And they have a young QB. It's far from impossible for a team to jump from six wins to the playoffs, it's just harder to do it when you are in the division with the two teams that faced off in the NFC title game. Detroit's ferocious pass rush may just make them a playoff team.

18. New York Giants: Poor Tom Coughlin. Ex-players always seem to want to take shots at him. First it was Tiki. Now Plaxico. (And why is it always guys with goofy names?) Sure. Coughlin's old school. As in veins popping out of his forehead when his team plays like morons. But he's a winner. He has the Super Bowl rings to prove it. If Eli can stop trying to play like Peyton and just play like Eli, the Giants are a playoff contender.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags were sitting at 8-5 and looking good with three games to go last season. They lost all three. Jeff Fisher is gone but Jack Del Rio (who I like) is still there. Huh. Jacksonville (and my fantasy team) has MoJo. That's worth a bunch of wins right there. Luke McCown takes over as QB to replace the erratic David Gerrard. Like I said, the Jags have MoJo and a pretty stout D so they could be sitting at 8-5 again.

20. Oakland Raiders: I enjoy the NFL better when the Dolphins, Steelers, Colts and other longtime AFC powers are good. It makes it more fun when the Pats beat them. But not the Raiders. I love it when they stink. And they sure have been giving off an odor for a few years now. Ever since that little game in the snow ten years ago really. But that may be changing. The Raiders are picked as one of 2011's surprise teams by many. The key will be if QB Jason Campbell can take the next step. I'm not so sure of that.

21. Miami Dolphins: One of the more offensively challenged teams. Which is why they became the Miami Wildcats a few years ago. That entertaining experiment is gone, as are running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown. The two guys who made it work. In their place is Reggie Bush. As a lead rusher? I'm not buying it. The Miami D (especially the DBs) keeps them out of the bottom five.

22. Tennessee Titans: One of my favorite coaches is gone. Fisher came within an inch of the first overtime Super Bowl way back in 2000 and it seemed like he would get back to the big game... but it never happened. The Titans brought in veteran QB Matt Hasselback from the northwest. If he still has anything left -- and if Chris Johnson plays -- the Titans will be one of the better non-playoff teams.

23. Denver Broncos: It seems so long ago that Josh McDaniels was running around Mile High (I know, but it will always be Mile High to me) pumping his fist after his undefeated Broncos beat his mentor. It was long ago. Denver looked like they had the right guy to bring the Orange Crush back to the top ... and then they didn't. Now they bring in John Fox. He's kind of the coaching equivalent of Matt Hasselbeck. Difference is Fox has less talent around him than Hasselbeck.

24. Washington Redskins: Sometimes the look in Mike Shanahan's eyes scares me. Guess it scared Donovan McNabb too. I've never seen a coach-QB marriage sour so quickly. McNabb is now off in Minnesota (see below) and Shanahan has a new quarterback to mess with in Rex Grossman. This marriage could work out a little better. The Skins  play in the toughest division in football so finishing last won't be a disgrace.

25. Arizona Cardinals: I'm still pissed at the Cards for losing that Super Bowl to the Steelers. They had it in their hands. Then gave it away. And have been on the downward slope ever since. Arizona grabbed uber-backup Kevin Kolb from Philly to team up with Larry Fitzgerald the way he did with DeSean Jackson. Unfortunately that is all the Cards have going for them.

26. Minnesota Vikings: Doesn't anyone in Vikings management watch the NFL Redzone? If they did they would have seen what I saw last year ... an even slower Donovan McNabb than I ever thought possible. I don't know why teams keep going out and getting players and coaches who clearly have lost it. Or clearly never had it. McNabb hasn't been a good quarterback since he was barfing on the field of the Super Bowl against the Pats. But I guess after the Favre fiasco of last year anything looks good to the Vikings.

27. St. Louis Rams: The Rams are one of those teams that I often forget about. Until I pop in my tape of the '01 Super Bowl. The Sam Bradford years have begun. I don't think they will ever come close to the Kurt Warner years. I'm not sure they'll even match the Marc Bulger years. Stephen Jackson is one of the best running backs in the game. He just has a hard time staying in the game.

28. Cleveland Browns: There should be optimism in Cleveland. The Rat is gone. Eric Mangini should not be a head coach in the NFL. Ever. It took a lot longer for Mike Holmgren to realize that than I thought it would. Holmgren's a smart guy. But he finally did figure it out. The Browns could turn out to be a surprise this year. Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis combine for a balanced offense. If McCoy had some decent receivers the offense could be really dangerous.

29. Carolina Panthers: The lengthy John Fox era is over. It peaked a long time ago. My brother and nephew down in NC are glad to see him gone. I kind of liked him. He reminded me of Ron Earhart a little. Who I also kind of liked. A regular guy. The Panthers took Cam Newton with the first pick in the draft. He will be starting right away. He's a definite wild card factor. Even if he plays well, the Panthers are looking at last in a division with New Orleans, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay.

30. Buffalo Bills: Is there hope for Bills fans? Will they ever return as a force in the AFC East? Can they ever beat Tom Brady? That is the only question that I'm concerned with. The Bills have some talent on offense with Ivy Leaguer Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing to Steve Johnson. Fred Jackson is one of the more underrated backs in the league. But the defense is a problem. As is the fact that Chan Gailey is the head coach. He didn't show much in Dallas.

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Sorry Mike. I just don't have much hope for the Bungles. The Carson Palmer era is over. Turned out to be a real waste of a good QB. Just like the Corey Dillon era was a waste of a good running back. And the Ochocinco era was... well, you get the idea. The Bengals fell back to earth last season after winning the tough AFC North in '09. And when the Bengals fall, they fall hard. Marv Lewis is still the coach. No. Really. He is.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Pete Carroll may be pumped and jacked that the Hawks won the NFC West but his team still stinks. They were 7-9....  The first sub-.500 division winner. Quite an accomplishment. If Carroll continues the pattern he set when he was coach of the Pats back in the '90s, the Seahawks will go 6-10 this year. Then 5-11. Then, hopefully for Seattle fans, Carroll will enroll for another semester at college.

I know how they feel

I'm enjoying my unpaid birthday holiday from the newspaper on this the opening day of the 2011 NFL season. I used to get my birthday off with pay but then the New York Times needed to buy some new artwork for their headquarters in Manhattan .. so I still get it off but the money goes towards a lovely new urn for the lobby.

I spent the day with the NFL Network on in the background. Deion Sanders -- as entertaining an ex-athlete as they come -- picked his Top 10 Primetime Players entering the season. He announced his list in front of the crowd tailgating in Green Bay for tonight's big Saints-Packers NFC battle.

His No. 1 pick? Yes. Tom Brady. The Packers and Saints fans listening in begin booing and groaning. Ah yes. Fans throughout the rest of the league hate Tom Brady. And the Patriots. They are sick of hearing about them. How great is that?

Primetime's list of top players was followed by a commercial for the new NFL Films series "A Football Life." First subject? Bill Belichick. That's right. Mr. Spygate. Mr. Gray Hoodie. Mr. Best Coach The Game Has Ever Seen. Mr. He Could Lighten Up Just A Little Bit.

NFL fans must be thinking .. Didn't we get rid of these guys with Spygate? Or when Harrison retired. Or Bruschi? Or when Brady got hurt? Or when Moss had an emotional breakdown? Or when Brady danced at Carnival? It's like when the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star at the end of "Episode IV" ("One in a million!") only to see the Empire building a bigger, badder one just two movies later.

I've seen some clips from the two-part Belichick "A Football Life'' which premieres next week. It looks great. The scene with him and Brady talking about different plays in the coach's office shows that neither has lost his passion for the game -- and for being the best. I can't wait to watch it. No one does football better than NFL Films. I expect it to be well watched in New England. And only in New England.

If the first "A Football Life" was about Brett Favre I'd have the same reaction. I wouldn't watch a second of it. (If the series was on ESPN it would have been on him, of course.) Fans are sick of the Pats? I know how they feel. I don't blame them.

15 years ago if you mentioned the Patriots in the parking lot of any other NFL stadium you would have stirred some laughs and some yawns. The Pats? Who cares? It's like mentioning the Seahawks now.

The reaction is different after the last 10 years. The Patriots are the team everyone loves to hate. When the team you root for reaches that status you know your team is not just good. But great. When I was a kid watching football I always rooted against the Steelers. The Raiders. The Cowboys. The Redskins. And I'm guessing fans of those teams could not have cared less.

That's how I feel as a Pats fan today. When fans boo Deion for picking Brady as the best player in the game (and the boos were pretty mild), it makes me smile. Ten years after the Pats won their first Super Bowl they are still pissing off people from New York to San Diego.

I'm still not quite used to it. But it's fun.

Cover me

At least Jerod Mayo isn't on the cover of Madden '12.

Is it September 12th yet?

I have never looked forward to watching a season of Patriots' football more than this year.

The Pats open on Sept. 12. A week from yesterday. One day after the 10th anniversary of that surreal Tuesday morning. This football season, much less significantly, marks the 10th anniversary of the Pats first Super Bowl season. It's also almost the 10th anniversary of my divorce but that's a topic for a different blog.

The Dennis Hopper video above is one I made with my camera recording a VHS tape playing on my TV. Thus the quality. Very 2001. Actually, very 1991.

I first posted it in an entry I wrote shortly after Hopper died last year. As I said in that post, the video captures just how amazingly fun and incredible it was that the New England Patriots actually won the Super Bowl. The 1-15 New England Patriots. The "new coach gets electrocuted at his first press conference" New England Patriots. The "turns out most of the team was on coke before they got killed in the '86 Super Bowl" New England Patriots. The "there aren't enough toilets so the whole stadium is a toilet" New England Patriots. They won the Super Bowl! I can still remember how great it felt to yell and laugh and hug after Vinatieri's kick sailed through the uprights.

When Hopper laughs and shouts "They're champions of the freakin world, man!" ... well, that's exactly how it felt 10 years ago.

At the end of the video Hopper shouts something else... "Every year, man! Every year!" A prediction of a dynasty that came true.

The video starts on a somber note. An ad for a news report on the one-year anniversary of 9/11.

Now it's the 10-year anniversary.

A lot has changed in those 10 years. Good and bad.

One thing that has not changed -- despite the fact that I am a comfortable distance away from my 30s -- is the enjoyment of getting together and tailgating with friends and family on some beautiful (and not so beautiful) fall days.

This could be the best year yet.

53 pick-up

After a weekend of comings and goings -- mostly goings -- the 53-man roster for your 2011 New England Patriots is just about set.

Nine players that were released by the Pats have already been picked up by other teams. That's an unusually high number. That either means the Pats had so much depth at some positions that they had to let good players go ... or they just made some really bad decisions.

They have cut veteran players Ty Warren, James Sanders, and Brandon Meriweather, making one of the youngest defenses in the league even younger. That's a concern. But if new additions Ochocinco, Haynesworth, and Ellis can put together strong years then the Pats should be right in the fight for best in the AFC.

Here's a very quick look at the roster:

OFFENSE
Quarterback: Brady is the best player in football. An injury -- as we know -- is the only thing that can slow him down. Backups: Hoyer and rookie Mallet are good enough.

Running back: BenJarvis and Woody were a very big part of 14-2 last year. Very big. They could be even better this year. Backups: Rookie Stevan Ridley scored three TDs in the first practice game and hasn't been seen since. The other rookie, Shane Vareen, has been battling injury. They don't need to be stars.

Wide receiver: When you have a QB like Brady this is a crucial position (remember Doug Gabriel?). Welker is one of the leaders on and off the field. He just needs to stop slamming his head into things. Deion Branch picked up right where he left off with Brady. If Ochocinco can play at about ochenta percent then the Pats are set. Backups: Taylor Price replaces Brandon Tate who replaced Bethel Johnson as the young receiver with potential. Edelman and Slater can make plays and are strong special teams guys.

Tight end: Gronk and Aaron Hernandez should continue to build on their outstanding rookie seasons. Backups: Uh, ya. There aren't any. Everyone was watching the battle between Yeatman and Smith for the third spot. The Pats cut them both. My hope is that Coach Crump comes back.

Offensive line: The key to success or failure this and every year. The Pats seem to be able to patch together a solid line better than any team in football. The starting tackles look to be Vollmer and the bad penny Matt Light. Center is Dan Koppen -- a rock. At left guard is Pro Bowler beast Logan Mankins, who should have a huge year since he is signed and happy. Well, he's never happy. On the other side the team had a problem with Dan Connolly hurt and no depth below him. The Pats added veteran Brian Waters from the Chiefs yesterday. Backups: Rookie tackle Nate Solder could be starting over Light at some point. Ryan Wendell leads the names of guys who hopefully won't get much playing time.

DEFENSE
Defensive line: The center of all the attention in training camp will come under even more scrutiny once the real games begin. At one point in camp the Pats seemed to have about 20 D linemen on the roster. My co-worker Rich joked Belichick was going to go with an 11-man front. They almost have enough guys to do it. In the middle of everything is Big Vince. He'll be surrounded by some combination of Phat Albert, Shaun Ellis, Mike Wright, Andre Carter, and Jermaine Cunningham. If the Pats can't generate a decent pass rush with those guys I'll be surprised. Backups: Gerard Warren was a solid starter most of last year. Kyle Love, Myron Pryor, and Mark Anderson add depth.

Linebacker: The days of Bruschi, Willie, Ted Johnson, and Vrabel are long gone. Vrabel's now coaching at Ohio St. Jerod Mayo would have fit in nicely with those greats. He led the team in tackles last year. He was everywhere. My nephew Steve and I aren't satisfied. We want to see him take it to Bruschi level. He's joined by Brandon Spikes, Cunningham, Rob Ninkovich, Gary Guyton, and Dane Fletcher in what should be a solid if not outstanding group. Backups: Tracey White, Ricky Brown, and Jeff Tarpinian.

Cornerback: What looked like a big problem last year turned out to be a strength thanks to rookie Devin McCourty. Maybe Belichick's best draft pick. Veteran Leigh Bodden returns from injury to play the other side. Backups: Rookie Ras-I-Dowling has been banged up in preseason but he has potential. Kyle Arrington had some good games last year. Darius Butler somehow is still on the team.

Safety: Patrick Chung is apparently going to cover the entire deep middle of the field all by himself. He's good. But he's not THAT good. Backups: I can't list Sergio Brown, Josh Barrett, or James Inhedigbo as the other starter. I just can't.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Stephen Gostkowski looks fully healed and it's good to see him back. Now that kickoffs have been moved up five yards I'm waiting for when he kicks one off the lighthouse. Zoltan Mesko had a good rookie season. He has the leg and the toughness. Now he has the experience.

One name that I have not mentioned is Kevin Faulk. The running back is on the injured list. I hope he can come back and contribute down the stretch but time is running out for the veteran. I'm sure he knows it. But if he doesn't play another down for the Pats, he has already etched his spot as one of the team's all-time great clutch players. Those three Lombardi trophies have his fingerprints all over them. If he should retire in the next few weeks I look forward to a ceremony honoring #33. Maybe at the half of the Colts game?

On his Meri way

"In Bill We Trust."

That's what the Sports Blabosphere would have you believe all Pats fans say every night as they put their little head on their pillow emblazoned with the Flying Elvis.

Don't believe it. Pats fans are always questioning the coach/GM/czar of their local football team. I know am I today.

It's cut-down day in the NFL. Each team has to get their roster down to the final 53 players that will be on the active squad. There are injured lists and practice teams that will hold some extra guys, but players will have to go. And there are always surprises.

Surprise #1. Two-time Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather.

I should have put Pro Bowl in quotes because Mr. Big Bang Clock was a borderline all-star those two seasons. But he can list it on his resume nevertheless. He was a first-round pick out of Miami who had been to two Pro Bowls. Meriweather was not one of my favorite players but he still made lots of plays. And entering his fourth season I thought he might take the next step and learn to hit more than he missed. I thought he might become one of my favorite players.

But that's out because he clearly was not one of the coaches' favorite players. Especially THE coach. Belichick drafted Meriweather in the first round in '07. Belichick has already had to cut way too many high round picks from the last seven or so years. So he had to be reluctant -- if that's possible for him -- to cut another first round pick.

But cut him he did. Which tells you just how out of favor Meriweather had fallen.

Meriweather -- as you can tell in the video in the link above -- is a character. If you look at his Wikipedia page one of the categories is entitled "University of Miami Controversies." The first is a little shooting incident in 2006 (can you say foreshadowing to the offseason incident?) and the second one -- my favorite -- is when he was caught on video stomping, several times, on the helmeted head of an opposing Florida player. That was the one that made me want him on the Pats.

But the tough, nasty Meriweather never really appeared. Belichick must have thought he would be the next Rodney. Harrison. Not Dangerfield.

So now the Pats have cut James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather. That leaves what I consider a rather thin group at safety. One starter is Patrick Chung. He was great last year. But he's only entering his third season. Safety is a rather important position when it comes to stopping the pass, stopping the run ... well, important in stopping whatever offenses throw at you. Especially if the Pats play a lot more 4-3. The other three safeties currently on the roster with Chung are Sergio Brown, Josh Barrett, and James Ihedigbo.

In Bill We Trust? Not when it comes to the current roster of safeties. Not today.