Week 4 rewind

I could watch this hit over and over and over and over again.

Big Vince may one day be in the NFL Hall of Fame. If he can play another four or five years at the level he has played the last three -- and maybe win a Super Bowl or two -- he will go down as the greatest nose tackle of his generation. And he seems like truly one of the good guys. Except when he's about to unload on you with all his 325-plus pounds.

The Wilfork hit was tops on a very entertaining highlight reel from the Pats' victory over Buffalo. On the good and bad list the best thing is the Pats avoided a 1-3 start. That would have been very very bad.

GOOD

• The offense put up 52 points. That's more than some teams score in a month of football. Pats fans just need to savor every moment of this because the end for Brady is a lot closer than the beginning. He's in his 13th season and -- other than the times he ducks a little too soon -- he's playing as well as he ever has. The touchdown he threw to Woody and the one he ran in himself were great veteran plays. 
• The offensive line. How does Scarnecchia keep doing it? I don't know either. With Mankins out, the offensive line kept Brady upright against the new and improved Bills pass rush and, more importantly, blew open holes to allow the running game pile up an impressive 247 yards. 
• Speaking of 247 yards, backs Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden each ran for more than 100 yards. Ridley looks good but Bolden is the back I would want carrying the ball most of the time. I'm not a big fan of the time-share running back approach. And that's not even considering the fantasy football aspect. Just as I like fullbacks, I also like have one feature back and having him run the ball 25 times a game. You know. Like a Corey Dillon. It's unlikely either Ridley or Bolden are going to be the next Dillon, but maybe together than can come close.
• Brandon Spikes. The fourth-year linebacker has been a little inconsistent, but when he is on his game he is nasty. He has been delivering some crunching hits this season. On Sunday, two of those hits resulted in big fumbles. One at the goal line late in the first half with the Bills threatening to break the game open. He still misses some reads and hits the wrong hole, but if he can stay healthy he should quickly improve on that.
• Devin McCourty. I may be one of the few people who were so thrilled with his rookie year that I will still believe in him right up to the moment he is cut. But if he plays like he did Sunday that moment will be a ways off. The thing I like about McCourty is he is always near the ball. If he can keep remembering to look for the ball he can get back to what he did as a rookie,

BAD

• Stephen Gostkowski has to snap out of it and fast. He badly missed the game winner with seconds left in Week 2 against Arizona and he missed back-to-back attempts in Buffalo. His kickoffs are still rocket launched and I think most people still have confidence in him. Time for him to go on a 15-for-15 streak.
• The forecast for Sunday ... It looks like rain for Brady vs. Manning. Time to break out the tailgating tent and the rain gear. It's Week 5 and my first tailgate of the season. The ribs and chicken will taste good even if they'r a little soggy. As will the Don Julio.