This in-game blog of the Patriots and Jaguars will be updated every 30 minutes or when anything happens that is important. Hopefully this insights will help other people with their analysis for their blogs.

In-Game Blog Update

2 minutes into 2nd quarter: 14-0 Patriots

The Patriots are playing an amazing game. Brandon Meriweather has been a beast, making an amazing tackle on Maurice Jones-Drew that held Jacksonville to a 4th & 1 in their own territory.

Jack Del Rio took the Belichickean route and went for it on 4th down, but the play was thwarted as the run play to the right was swarmed by Patriots players who got behind the offensive line. Patriots responded with a Tom Brady pass to Tight End Chris Baker. The play was a little controversial since Baker had pushed away his defender to get to the ball. The pass interference may have been overlooked since both players were pretty physical going down the field.

Tom Brady looks good, the defense looks amazing ( considering Vince Wilfork isn’t playing ), and it doesn’t seem the Jaguars are doing anything to stop this onslaught.

40 seconds left in 2nd quarter: 28-0 Patriots

There is so little to talk about with the Jaguars because they don’t seem to have any answers against the Patriots defense. Tully Banta-Cain has been a beast, pressuring David Garrard.The Pats defensive front seven seem to be holding ground in the middle of the field; this has kept run plays from getting too big with so many people holding their ground in the backfield, and has nullified any successful pass plays in the flat.

3rd quarter 12:54 – Jaguars 4th&1 on their own 37

Jack Del Rio goes for it again after the previous run play on 3rd down was stopped for no gain by another great play by Meriweather. Considering the score, and the playoff hopes on the line, they probably will be going for it on every 4th down for the rest of the game.

3rd quarter 10:35 – Jaguars with ball around Pats 25

David Garrard is still doing very well, considering their offensive line isn’t blocking the Patriots real well. The Patriots are extremely weak up the middle, but the Jaguars no longer can exploit since the passing game needs to get some plays going to get back into this game.

The interception in the 1st half changed the game; the lead allows the Patriots to experiment with their pass-rush. No one in the middle of that defense is hitting 250-270; if the Jags can get back in this game, that is a huge weakness they can exploit it.

3rd quarter 0:40 – Patriots Ball at the Jacksonville 25 (28-0 Patriots)

David Garrard had his drive go all the way down to the Patriots 7 yard line. The quarterback pressure by the Patriots defense was very good, but Garrard was efficient, and a couple of run plays up the middle exploited the smallness of the Patriots line.

But Shawn Springs took advantage of a bad throw by Garrard and intercepted the ball next to the goal line. The Patriots go down-field, and the Brady-Moss-Welker complex did its work. Everything culminated with Brady throwing a great pass to Moss, who moved around his defender and lounged his arms to get the ball past the touchdown plane. It was Randy Moss’s 3rd touchdown reception of the day.

The play was challenged ( since the ball may not have crossed the plane ), but the touchdown ended up standing. The crowd is ecstatic at this point, as they are chanting “Randy! Randy!” on the extra-point kick.

4th quarter 12:37 – Patriots Ball around midfield (35-7 Patriots )

The Patriots are still playing, but they are involving Fred Taylor in their run packages now that the game is way past over.

He looks real good, and the running back depth that the Patriots will have going to the playoffs looks incredible.

On the previous Jaguars drive, David Garrard scored a touchdown after avoiding the Patriots pass-rush on a collapsed pocket. He went on the sideline to tend to his leg, which he may have injured during the play.

End of game

The Patriots were so dominant in all facets of the game that there wasn’t much insight into many of the Jaguars players. David Garrard did play well if you take out the two turnovers; the game would’ve been much different if these interceptions didn’t happen.

The Patriots defense looked really good, but also had the good luck of having the lead, which kept Maurice Jones-Drew from affecting the game much ( 16 carries and 3 receptions ).

Belichick called another amazing game with his ghost defense and blitz packages, and although I think Moss had an “ok” game ( I am a Moss defender, so this isn’t maniacal criticism like you witness on ESPN or in Boston the last few weeks ), his bandwagon picked up some passengers today.

Laurence Maroney wasn’t in the game much; not sure if there was an injury involved or if they feel they wanted to spread the ball around to the other backs.

Game Insights:

@Tom Brady, @Patriots Offensive Line, @Patriots Coaching: Don’t believe the hype that will occur post-game; this game was pretty easy for Tom Brady. He hasn’t had to do a lot of work; the offensive line should get the game ball since he is getting a comfortable 4-6 protected pocket. The running game has been effective due to the line as well. The WR of the Patriots are blocking real well, and the running backs are getting a lot of yards once they reach the 2nd level of the defense.

@Mercedes Lewis: left the game early with an undisclosed head injury, and didn’t return.

@Brendan Meriweather: He played a great game, made a lot of tackles at the line of scrimmage, had an interception, and covered his zone well. Very underrated part of the Patriots defense; when he shines, the Patriots are usually dominating on D.

Mini-Trends:

The Patriots “Ghost Defense”:  Belichick is utilizing his “ghost defense” ( where the line is one or two down-lineman with linebackers walking around in no fixed position ), and he is using it more with two down-lineman on the far right and far left gaps ( the five gaps ) with a medley of linebackers in the middle.

This is the newest variation of this ghost defense, where in the past he has used it with one down-lineman in the middle or no lineman at all. I am unsure if this has been used with any other coach in the NFL, although Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan have employed semblances of this defense in the past few years.

It is unclear if this might be a continuing trend; he has done this before when he had healthy linemen, so I don’t think this defense has been used the last two weeks only due to the injuries to Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren. Wouldn’t be surprised if they

Trends

Tully Banta-Cain – Great Pass-Rusher: I think it is safe to say that Tully Banta-Cain is a great pass-rusher for the Patriots. He comes off the edges real well, he can get pressure when he is lined up in the middle as well. He is small, but he has the burst of speed and maneuvers to get to the QB. If you told me he was going to be the Patriots best pass-rusher in July, I would’ve laughed. He has come a long way.

Valuable Information Elsewhere

• Tom Brady & Vince Wilfork Injuries
• Game Boxscore
• Randy Moss Quotes
• David Garrard Foundation

And with the pass deflection to push the Patriots a 4th & 2 with two minutes left in the Patriots-Colts game, the heartbeat of all fans involved with this amazing Sunday night game pounded fast and furious. Peyton Manning has a chance to take his team down the field to win the game. The Patriots have a chance to make a stop, and a chance to prove to the NFL that the 2007 magic is alive and well.

But, wait. Tom Brady is relaying signals from the sideline. The punt team has not come on to the field. There is two minutes left on the clock, and Bill Belichick, with his team on their own 28 yard line, makes the most historic coaching decision ever made on the gridiron field. He decides that destiny comes on this play; gain the 1st down, and the Patriots will make their mark, and the message will be passed along through the national media outlets.

Lose the first down, and the Colts will begin their road as the newest team of destiny. The new undefeated argument. The new 2007. The best quarterback. The team of the decade. The greatest coach of all time. And everything that is football, that is greatness, that is gridiron history, that is sport debate; Bill Belichick made the decision to control destiny itself.

And the Patriots walked up to the line of scrimmage, and everyone who was watching it, could not believe what was happening before their eyes. History was being made on so many levels, and yet the story itself was simple: Get the 1st down, and keep Peyton Manning off the field.

The Colts defense stepped up their game, and before this historic play, were keeping the potent Patriots offense at bay in the latter half of the 4th quarter. Their safeties were close in on the line. The linebackers were close as well. There were 22 players no more than 10 yards from each other, and they all knew that this was it. The Colts had an momentum advantage, but meaningless without this stopping them right here. Destiny is in front of them, and they can control it, embrace it, become it.

The Patriots offense, with so much destruction it wreaked upon the Colts secondary, had become mortal, and susceptible to mistakes. They nonetheless, had the chance to control destiny. To mold the identity of greatness for the NFL. The ability to control the talking heads of playoff scenarios, the fear of the red,white, and blue uniforms, the praise of the last pick in the draft over the first, the ballsiest coaching call in history: They can control it with moving the chains just two more yards.

Did it matter that Kevin Faulk was only a foot short? Did it matter that Tom Brady had an open target down field? Did it matter that Peyton Manning took advantage of the short field to prevail over his rivals?

It all matters to the history of this great game, to the people who spends hours arguing the greatest plays, players, playoffs, and predictions. It matters to the struggling print industry that can relay sports stories to the local community. It matters to the 10-year old with a Jared Allen jersey, watching the game with the parents. It matters to the game, the past game, the future game, and the destiny of the two teams who were involved this amazing Sunday night.

Bill Belichick, who will catch harsh criticism, have fans doubt his legacy, leave many fans with heavy hearts and watered-eyes as they start a new week. Bill Belichick made it matter, because he made the decision to have one play decide the destiny of two teams, one rivalry, millions of fans, and the narrative of the NFL itself.

If there is any positive that can come from anyone that is a Patriots or a Bill Belichick fan, it is the fact that this decision represents so much to sports in such a finite moment. A moment where Tom Brady could’ve gained a first down, a moment where Peyton Manning becomes the most dominant force in the AFC, a moment where the narrative of football is changed forever. Bill Belichick gave us this story, this story within a story, the ability to control destiny itself.

And with one play, tomorrow will forever be so much different than any sports fan could’ve ever imagine. The future is exciting, and I thank Belichick for making the most maniacal instinctive that any coach has ever made. The future is exciting, and with one play, the narrative of football changes. Thanks Bill; I cannot wait until the next chapter.

QB – Peyton Manning

WR – Reggie Wayne

WR – TJ Hou-wizzie

WR – Steve Smith ( Of the NY Giants Flavor )

RB – Frank Gore

RB – Adrian Peterson

TE – Dallas Clark

Kicker & Defense: New England Patriotas!

You would think, after seven weeks, that my team would be 4-3? 5-2? Undefeated? This is a 10-team league, so there is a lot of depth. But let’s be honest; has any of us seen a team like this, and expect a 3-4 record?

I am getting killed this week, because my opponent has Tom Brady. This is the only day where he isn’t getting any love from me.

The Titans are a winless team who really didn’t show up for last Sunday’s game.  If anything the next two weeks of pounding the Pats will do on these hapless teams is no-news in my book.

On a fantasy level, you must be drooling if you have Brady or Moss on your team. Maroney has now become an eligible bachelor at the halfback position now that Sammy Morris has gone down and Laurence discarded the North-South game.

I am waiting for the Brady-Moss connection deep, but in a game that counts. For now, I care more about the Mad Men teacher than I do about the Foxboro favorites.

Sorry Brady, I will wait until Brees and Manning enter the Patriots storyline. Happy Halloween.

I have to call him on his one mistake he made last week.

On Thursday or Friday, he was on the air with John Ryder ( hope I spelled his name correctly ), and the talking point was on the Patriots Denver game that was suppose to happen on Sunday. Someone called up and wanted to talk about the Patriots secondary, and whether they will be able to quell Brandon Marshall.

Mike Adams and John both replied that they don’t even care, that they barely know who Brandon Marshall is and they pretty much dismissed the argument as a non-argument.

It irritated me because Marshall is known nationally as probably one of the top three receivers in the game. I would expect to have a better discourse with Mikey’s take, but he was unaware of how amazing Marshall is.

Mike, don’t make that mistake again. The only way Marshall isn’t dangerous on the field, is if he ends up beating women off of it.

The radio is A-Buzz with people calling saying that ” Tom Brady has lost it, Tom Brady isn’t the same as he was in 2007.”

This is probably the same Nation constituency that lauded Matt Cassell ( the now Winless Matt Cassell ) so much that it was only prudent to trade away the QB that actually won three Super Bowls. This is also the same group of people that move on and off the bandwagon like it was the Red Line going into Downtown Crossing. People always bring up his injury and age, like these are rare positions for QB’s to have.

Boston fans: Stop Being Fucking Loons!

Go look at Carson Palmer, and see how he’s doing. Go look at Phillip Rivers, and ask him how well he did coming back from knee surgery. Peyton Manning, oh my golly, you are about to win an MVP this year, and you are 33?

Age means zilch for a QB. The only times that QBs retire before they’re 35 is because they weren’t good enough to hold around against better talented players coming through the draft. Tom Brady might have his issues, but he isn’t Jeff Blake. He isn’t Trent Dilfer. He is Tom Brady.

I don’t excuse the poor play that Tom Brady has been showcasing. Hell, I am one of the few that blame him for our Super Bowl meltdown in 2007. He hasn’t hit Moss on a deep route since the Giants in 2007. And I am talking about the regular season game.

But he has done so much for this team’s success, that I am not about to turn on him now. He would have to lose 10 straight games for me to sour on him. Even then, dare would I have the balls to say Bobby Kraft should trade him.

Boston fans: get back to Earth. Give Brady some time, and understand that we are going to get our asses kicked in this game from time to time. Its called football, and last time I checked, the Patriots are still a team very few opponents want to fuck with. Lets relax.

ps: Bringing Back the Spinning Globe Papinos! Wazzzzzaaaap!

It is goofy, not because it is amateurish, but because it seems like something reminiscent of a 90’s sports movie, like the Flying-V in the Mighty Ducks.

In the end, the Dolphins are more dangerous to teams that play in the 3-4, because their backs can always adjust to where the gaps will open up, as well as go to where the smaller and less-impact players won’t be (ie: Run Away from Jenkins and Pace ).

I wonder if the Patriots move to the 4-3 was a long-term plan to hold the base against this gimmick offense in the future? Almost half the NFL has moved to the 3-4 defense, but one must wonder if any of these 3-down lineman setups will work if more teams begin to adopt some Wildcat schemes in their playbooks.

I might be making too much of Belichick’s move and the future of the Wildcat. But you had to come away from that game thinking about how powerful the scheme could be if utilized well.

The Cowboys have been killed by not finishing their drives, and stupid offsides penalties all game. There is no reason for the score to look like this. If the Cowboys don’t shape up and do their job and win today, one would have to think that Wade Phillips job is on the line.

Jerry Jones doesn’t agree with me. But since the question has been raised and he answers it, one must think we won’t be in disagreement in the near future. At the end of the day, I write on a blog, and Jones runs a team expected to win. I hope he changes his mind, because Mike Shanahan is looking at his cell phone.

Any day now. The Cowboys nearly coughed up a fumble on the kick return. Any day now.

JT The Brick is even surprised at the aftermath of Michael Vick reportedly drinking an alcoholic drink at the airport. At the same time, Brick also stated on his show today ( Aug. 25th ) that Vick shouldn’t be consuming alchohol in public and agrees that Dungy was in the right for getting mad at Vick for this situation.

My view is two-tiered.

1. Who Gives A F&^K!

Michael Vick is a man that was sent to prison for gross abuse of animals. He wasn’t harming any animals at the airport, he didn’t have a Leonard Little/Stallworth binge and put anyone’s life in danger, and he was drinking a cocktail with an umbrella in it!

An umbrella? A husky male who plays football as a profession and did hard time for some bad things, he is getting attention because he had a cocktail? If one thinks about this clearly, in most other cases Vick would be getting scolded by the media for being a pansy for drinking a chick drink. How many men you know in your life drink cocktails with an umbrella in it?  

I know, masculinity is compromised in this situation because men aren’t suppose to be drinking these types of drinks. But that is another argument based on the perception of the hyper-male in American society, which I won’t go into right now.

But he was drinking, and he was at the airport. Who gives a sh*t? I understand that he must keep up an amazing image, and I understand that Tony Dungy doesn’t want him to compromise his image by doing these things. At the same time, one has to wonder at what degree can is Vick able to live his life? Will he be banned ( through public opinion ) to not be able to be somewhat informal in public places? Will he always have to wear a suit and cry and hug cute restless pugs to show that he is sorry?

This story is majorly overblown, and it also shows the apathy we place on real issues at the expense of sensationalism of a non-issue. We should be focusing more on the drudgery of dog-fighting practices, and not on what Michael Vick is drinking. The reason we put him in prison was not so we can microscope every controversial aspect of his life, but to send a message that we must aware and adamant against the abuse of animals. Period.

2. He Represents the NFL brand, and the decision to allow him to manipulate the brand.

I will say that Dungy has a point: The media can get negative at these situations he could put himself in. Even though this drink may be meaningless, the reaction can teach him to regress away from the spotlight for the sake of showcasing his dedication to football, and Roger Goodell’s decision to bring him back. If anything, this event will keep both Michael Vick and the NFL on its toes, and hopefully Vick will understand the enormous public relations tasks to position himself toward something positive in the eyes of those that will keep a close watch.

Verdict

Sorry Vick, you gotta drink at home. Or conceal your booze in yellow-colored screwdrivers until people believe you are a born-again Christian that can do no wrong.

During his wedding, his bodyguards are shooting at the cockroach papparazzi, and now, a guy who owes Tom Brady money for stealing flower planters next to the QB’s Beantown condo is panhandling on the streets to recoup the payment.

TB is a fucking don. He’s fucking untouchable. Well, as long as he doesn’t have a collapsed lineman twist his leg in half.