MAYO INJURY DOES SEEM SERIOUS

Jerod Mayo could be out 6-8 weeks with a Grade 3 MCL sprain. The relatively good news is that MCLs are capable of heeling on their own. Of course, the injury "news" is all speculation. The only official word from the Patriots came when Bill Belichick was asked if the injury was season ending. His response: "I don’t think that’s what it is."

Source:
Boston.com

SLICED AND DICED

I don't think anyone knew what to expect from Daisuke Matsuzaka. But even the most child-like pink-hat optimist in Red Sox Nation wouldn't have expected the quality outing Matsuzaka registered last night in Fenway Park.

6 scoreless innings, only 3 hits allowed, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. He had a no-hitter through 4 innings. If he can pitch at or near this level down the stretch, the Sox rotation has the potential to be the best foursome in baseball. Beckett-Lester-Buchholz-Matsuzaka at their best is a ridiculous playoff rotation. Granted, there's that "at their best" stipulation, and Matsuzaka, Buchholz, and Beckett are known to have their ups and downs. But potential is all you need.

David Ortiz's homer in the 8th set a new record for homeruns as a DH (270) It's a record you kind of want to keep quiet, like Joaquin Phoenix's character's minor league homerun record in Signs.



Frank Thomas hit 269 homeruns as a DH, but he also hit 250 as a first baseman. Slightly more impressive.

Paul Byrd opposes Joe Saunders Wednesday night.

Source:
ESPN.com
Baseball-Reference.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

MAYO INJURY DOESN'T SEEM SERIOUS

Not surprisingly, there's no official word on Jerod Mayo's injured knee. But apparently, it doesn't seem too serious. The good news is that it doesn't seem to be a season-ender. Jerod Mayo is the key to the Patriots' new look offense. He led the team in tackles last year, and is one of the few dependable pieces to the defensive puzzle.

Source:
Boston.com

THAT'S WHY THE PATS ARE THE PATS AND THE BILLS ARE THE BILLS

Being a Bills fan is tough. It's tougher than being a Christian preacher in 1st century Rome. It's so ugly that it should be featured on Dirty Jobs. They just love to find ways to lose, and you can't help but feel bad for them. These aren't cocky guidos from New Jersey supporting the Jets, or your token "I want to be different" friend who wears his Marino jersey all the time (they have them in New York and New England, folks). These are actual people, and you have to admire their dedication to a doomed team.



Enough pity. You know what that win reminded me of? 2001. The Patriots won games like this one that season, down by two scores with 126 seconds left, in need of a big special teams play, and Brandon Meriweather comes up with one. Then of all people, the kicker recovers the ball. Adam who?



The haters will ascribe this win to luck. Had McKelvin knelt in the end zone, the Pats lose, right? It was a Buffalo mistake that allowed the Patriots to win. But that's what happens in football. Good teams capitalize on mistakes. Good teams minimize the damage of their own mistakes. Had the Bills stopped Brady after that fumble, then Buffalo still wins.

Of course, you don't want to glorify a victory that's riddled with mistakes and poor play. Tom Brady was rusty, Laurence Maroney and Fred Taylor didn't get anything going, and the defense was perhaps a bit overzealous with Trent Edwards. The defense also allowed that 6 minute touchdown drive in the 4th quarter that 9 times out of 10 is a game-clincher. All this must change, and change quickly.



It was nice to see Ben Watson being productive again. Give Tom Brady a tight-end with hands and opposing defenses are in big trouble in the red zone. And with little depth at WR past Moss and Welker, Watson becomes a key element to the offense.



There are a lot of wrinkles to iron out. Jerod Mayo's knee injury doesn't appear that bad. The 4-3 alignment doesn't work without him. The defense allowed 4.7 yards per carry. It also failed to make a big stop in a close game, which was the Patriots' strength in '03 and '04; and their weakness in '06 and '07.



Patriots @ Jets next Sunday in Jersey. The winner controls the AFC East.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Steven Senne
AP Photo/Winslow Townson
AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

PATRIOTS-BILLS PREVIEW

And you thought waiting for the 2008 season was hard. Brady's back, and the '09 campaign starts tonight. And with throwback jerseys, too.



The Bills haven't beaten the Pats since that 31-0 shellacking in Week 1 of the 2003 season. That was the Lawyer Milloy game, in case you forgot. That's 11 straight Patriot wins in this series. And with #12 back, the Pats will get win #12.

No Richard Seymour for this game, and the adjustments will be tough to make. But the Bills are also missing a key piece, RB Marshawn Lynch is serving a suspension. The Patriots will miss Seymour the most in the run-stopping game, but without Lynch, the Bills will be running without cleats on.



The Bills added Terrell Owens, who will be underutilized because QB Trent Edwards will frequently be occupied with some very serious meetings with the ground. Randall Gene Moss is still the Real #81.



The Bills will be able to get a big play here and there, and might be capable of driving the ball down the field on occasion. They'll score 13 to 17 points. But it won't be nearly enough. The Patriots' passing offense will shine in the 1st half, and the multi-back running game will help drain the clock in the 2nd.

Prediction:
Patriots 38, Bills 17

Sources:
Pro-Football-Reference.com
ESPN.com

PEDRO IMPROVES TO 5-0

Pedro Martinez stunned the Mets as the Phillies swept a doubleheader from their NL East rivals. He pitched 8 shutout innings, scattering 6 hits, striking out 7, and throwing 130 pitches. He hasn't thrown that many pitches in a game since Game 1 of the 2003 ALDS against the Athletics.

In 7 starts for the Phillies, Pedro is 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA, 34 strikeouts, and a 1.09 WHIP. He's only walked 6 batters.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Matt Slocum

SOX BEAT RAIN, RAYS

It's so fun to watch the Sox beat the Rays. I just flat-out hate the team from Tampa Bay. They have this undeserved cockiness, a sense of entitlement. They have yet to earn my respect. And witnessing their collapse this year is extremely fulfilling. They've lost 11 straight, and are only 8 Red Sox wins (or losses on their own) from being eliminated from the playoffs. They now sit 4th in the Wild Card behind the Mariners.

The Sox put on a pitching display on Sunday. 18 combined innings divided among Jon Lester (8), Clay Buchholz (7), Billy Wagner (1), Hideki Okajima (1), and Jonathan Papelbon (1), and only 1 earned run allowed. Typically doubleheaders are split, and teams want to avoid them at all costs. But the Sox pitchers really clamped down on Sunday.

The Rangers split their doubleheader with the Mariners, so the Sox now have a 4 game lead in the Wild Card. That's a nice cushion to have going into a series with the Angels.

Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his return Tuesday night as the Angels come to town. 10-7 John Lackey takes the hill for Los Angeles/Anaheim/California.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

SEYMOUR DRAMA OVER

Richard Seymour finally reported to the Oakland Raiders, just in time to participate in their upcoming blowout loss to the Chargers Monday night. He'll wear the number 92 for the black and silver.

He claimed that it took him so long to make the 3,000 mile trip from Foxborough to Oakland because he was "blindsided" by the deal. What a load of crap. We all know he wanted assurances from Oakland, but didn't have any leverage to secure any.

To me, it's more embarrassing to need so much time to deal with this. How many athletes in how many other sports change teams without a peep of discontent, or a moment of hesitation?

Seymour claims he needed time to move his family. If that's the ONLY reason it took him so long, and if he were in contact with his new coaches in Oakland, why wasn't he in contact with the media? Why did everyone in the country, including all his new fans in the Bay Area, have to be kept in the dark?

Whatever. It's not our problem in New England anymore. I'm glad Seymour didn't do anything rash, and I feel bad for any player sentenced to a year playing for the Raiders. But as different as it will be to see the Patriots defense without Seymour (or Bruschi, Vrabel, and Harrison for that matter), how excited will Patriots fans be on draft day in 2011?

Source:
Boston.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson