BITTERSWEET VICTORY

As you now know, Tom Brady's knee was injured in the 1st quarter of yesterday's 17-10 win over Kansas City. Still no official word on Brady's prognosis, but it doesn't look good. He will probably miss the rest of the season.

By the way, the hit was clean. It's football, injuries happen. Some people need to get over that fact.

Cassel did an admirable job filling in, throwing 13 of 18 for 152 yards and a touchdown. Then again, it was against the Kansas City Chiefs, and he did have Randy Moss to throw to. Moss had his 9th 100+ yard game with the Pats.



The M & M boys did a good job out of the backfield. Morris had 53 yards on 10 carries, Maroney had 51 yards on 10 carries. Maroney becomes a much better back when he splits carries with someone else, as was evidenced yesterday.

The defense did well, but again, the whole Kansas City thing.

I think I'm taking the Brady injury pretty well. He's got the 4th most consecutive starts in NFL history, so it's amazing it's been this long without a major injury. The season isn't over. Cassel probably won't be like Kurt Warner in '99, or Brady in '01; but he does have a vast array of weaponry on that offense. And if the defense performs well, this team can still win.

So let's allow the haters out there to celebrate. They can celebrate the "end" of the Patriots' era in the NFL. And maybe they'll be partially right. Maybe this team will wilt without Brady. Then again, maybe not. And how awesome would it be to win after the haters already started celebrating?

Patriots @ Jets, next Sunday, 1 PM.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

QUICK PATS PREVIEW

What, Me Worry?

I think the trauma of Super Bowl XLII is wreaking havoc on Patriot fans. I heard one call WEEI yesterday and claim that Stephen Gostkowski "cost them some games" last year. Beyond the idiocy of the opinion was the fact that he used the plural 'games' when the Patriots lost just ONE game.

Let's face it, the Patriots don't have that mystique about them anymore. Back in 2001, 2003, and 2004, they would take on anyone, often as an underdog or slim favorite, and win. They were invincible in the playoffs.

But the last three seasons they've been very beatable. They've found ways to lose in the postseason instead of vice versa. In January 2007, they blew a 21-6 half-time lead in Indy, allowing 22 second half points. Brady's two picks against Denver abruptly ended the 2005 season.

This is why I'm not worried about Brady's foot, or any of the other regular season malarkey or hype. The regular season seems pedestrian now, at least to me. If Brady plays in 13 or more games, is there any doubt that the Pats will make the playoffs?

The AFC East is still a relatively weak division. Buffalo and Miami have improved a bit, but remain mediocre at best. The Jets acquired Favre, but the mainstream media have conveniently forgotten how much he sucked in 2005 and 2006. Dallas is the sexy pick to win it all, but Tony Romo hasn't won a big game in his life, and Wade Phillips is a shell of a coach. San Diego and Indianapolis will be good, but still beatable, just like last year.

I'm not saying the Patriots will walk to a divisional title. No NFL team, not even Miami, is a total pushover. But I'm not going to get excited or worried until January. That's when the Patriots separated themselves from the rest of the League in '01, '03' and '04. And that's when they've collapsed in '05, '06, and '07.

So even if Brady doesn't play and/or the Chiefs win on Sunday, it still won't be panic time.

Season prediction: 14-2, AFC East Champions, then God only knows in the postseason.

Week 1 prediction: New England 31, Kansas City 13.

SEAN CASEY INTERVIEWS DAVID ORTIZ

SOX STEAL ONE

I've said it before, I'll say it again, "luck" is the most overused word in sports. It should almost never appear in a game summary. But yesterday afternoon, the Sox were helped by a bit of luck. More accurately, they were helped by a bit of rock.

Daisuke had a typical Daisuke start. He had thrown 100 pitches after 5 innings, only went 6, allowed 4 runs (3 earned, which is a high amount for him), walked 4, allowed 4 hits, and the Sox bailed him out of a loss. His 16-2 record this year is thanks in large to the offense supporting him, and the bullpen now blowing his leads.

Baltimore's Lance Cormier and Dennis Safarte combined for 6 innings to start the game. And they shut the Sox down. Cormier allowed 2 hits and no walks in his 3 innings. Safarte only allowed 1 hit and struck out 5.

Pedroia put the Sox on the board in the 7th with a solo shot. He was 3 for 4, raising his average to .333.

Kotsay hit a big two run triple in the 8th to tie the game at 4-4. He was eventually stranded as Jasons Bay and Varitek struck out.



The bottom of the 9th was bizarre. Cora led off with a single through the hole into right field. Crisp bunted down the 1st base line. The ball was spinning foul, then it hit a small rock or pebble or divot or something, change direction, and wound up fair. Not only that, the confusion allowed Crisp to reach. Then Ellsbury came up to bunt. It was one of the worst bunts I've seen this season, up the 3rd base line, hit hard enough so the pitcher had a play at 3rd. Jim Miller grabbed it, threw to 3rd, but the throw was way off, sailing into left field. Cora scampered home for a 5-4 win.



I wouldn't say the Sox were "lucky" in this game. But they were fortunate. And at the same time, they had put themselves in the position to be helped by good fortune.

This was the 5th series in a row that the Red Sox have won. But it was also their first sweep in that stretch.

The Sox are 21-9 (.700) since the beginning of August AND since the Ramirez trade. That includes a 10-5 record on the road.

The White Sox beat the Indians 4-2. Toronto beat the Twins 5-4. The Yankees beat the Rays 8-4. That means the Sox are 3 games out of the division, and lead the Twins by 5 games in the Wild Card.

The Sox have a 3 game trip to Texas this weekend. Mike Lowell might play Friday night, as might Kevin Youkilis. Josh Beckett is the probable starter, his opponent is Kevin Millwood.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Steven Senne

PEDROIA'S SO HOT RIGHT NOW

Pedroia continued his hot streak with a 3 for 5 night, falling a triple shy of the cycle, and knocking in 5 of the Red Sox' 14 runs. His recent performance has thrust him into an MVP candidacy. For my money, Carlos Quentin is the AL MVP... so far. But if Pedroia has a few more games like last night's, that will change.

Dustin's hitting .387 since the start of August. He's hit 7 homeruns in that stretch, along with 27 RBI. He's also stolen 6 bases without getting caught. He's gotten a hit in 20 of the last 23 games. He's raised his average from .303 at the start of July and .260 in mid-June up to .330, currently the highest average in the League.



Pedroia wasn't the only one who hit last night. The Sox wound up with 20 in the "H" column. These hits came with 8 walks. Ortiz was 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and 4 RBI. Lowrie had 2 RBI and 3 runs. Crisp also scored 3 times. 11 different Red Sox had hits, 6 had multiple hits.

Ellsbury stole his 44th base of the season. That's as many as the 1992 Red Sox stole as a team. It also puts him 10 shy of Tommy Harper's club record of 54. As a team, the Red Sox have 108 steals, which is the 3rd most in club history in the live-ball era (post 1920).

The Sox go for the sweep this afternoon as Lance Cormier faces Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Sox haven't lost in Matsuzaka's last 6 starts.

Sources:
ESPN.com
Baseball-Reference.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Steven Senne

SOX OUTLAST O'S

Paul Byrd once again had a Paul Byrd kind of day, and wound up with a win, his third in a row. He went 7 innings, allowed 4 runs off 7 hits and 3 homers. The offense bailed him out with a 4 run 6th.

The Sox scored 7 runs, which is usually enough to win. But in a recurrent theme of the season, they could have easily scored more. They left the bases loaded in the 1st, and in total stranded 7 runners in scoring position and 12 total. They were given 10 walks, and tallied 8 hits.

Youkilis was back in the lineup after sitting out due to flu-like symptoms. He was 0 for 4.

Mike Lowell hopes to be back by Friday, when the Red Sox play the Rangers down in Arlington.

Dustin Pedroia's two run single in the 6th was his 184th hit of the season, a new record for Red Sox second basemen. The previous record was held by Del Pratt, who had 183 hits in 1922.

Radhames Liz (5-3, 6.95 ERA, 1.79 WHIP) faces Jon Lester tonight.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

PATS SIGN DELTHA O'NEAL

After cutting Fernando Bryant, the Patriots almost had to go out and get another defensive back. They got one of the best available in Deltha O'Neal.

O'Neal is a 9 year, 31 year old veteran. He isn't the same CB as he was on the Broncos. Then again, playing in Cincinnati has a way of changing people. He played all 16 games last year, starting 8 of them. He had 9 passes defended and 1 interception.

He's only two years removed from a Pro Bowl season in '05. If he recaptures some of that magic, the sky's the limit. And as far as the Pats go, even an old player possibly on the downslope of his career is an improvement at CB.

The Pats also claimed TE Jason Pociask and OT Mark LeVoir off waivers. Pociask was formerly with the Jets, LeVoir was claimed from the Rams.

Source:
Patriots.com

Photo Credit:
John Sommers II/Bloomberg News

PATRIOTS MAKE SOME SURPRISING CUTS

The Pats cut veteran CB Fernando Bryant on Sunday, thinning the depth of an already malnourished defensive backfield. But Bryant performed poorly in preseason games. Giants' TE Darcy Johnson described being "tackled" by Bryant: "I wasn’t going to let one of the little guys take me down."



The Patriots then cut WR Chad Jackson, former 2nd round pick out of Florida. They waited until Sunday to do it, probably to prevent teams from picking him up without having to drop someone else. He was plagued by injuries, but he never seemed to live up to his potential talent. He reminded me of Bethel Johnson in that regard. But at least Bethel was willing to play special teams, and played them well.



With Jackson's talent, he was a #3 or #4 receiver on this team. But he wasn't good at adjusting, and his undrafted replacements (CJ Jones and Ray Ventrone) can do well at wideout, and even better on special teams.

My money's on Jackson ending up with the Jets. They always wind up with our leavings.

The Pats also cut safety John Lynch in a surprise move. However, that move looks like it's a bit of a trick. If the Pats cut him, play week 1, then sign him, they don't owe him any guaranteed money. He performed well in preseason games, and after being cut said: "I have no regrets about my time thus far with the Patriots." The words 'thus far' lead me to believe that he expects his time with the Patriots to continue at some point.



Matt Gutierrez was another surprise cut. An even bigger surprise was the presence of Matt Cassel on the roster. He hasn't shown anything good, in preseason or regular season games. He must practice well, or something.

Sources:
Reiss's Pieces
Boston Herald
Boston Herald

Photo Credits:
Boston Herald
Matt Stone