IS IT 2001?

Interceptions, blocked kicks, blocked punts, and tons of returns for touchdowns. Was Troy Brown playing? This was just a very strange football game. Strange, but enjoyably so. When was the last time the Patriots defense and special teams made so many big plays?

It was nice that the defense made Chad Henne look like Chad Henne. I don't think I'm alone when I say that I was worried the D would make him look like Marino, just like they made Ryan Fitzpatrick look like Jim Kelly. At the same time, we shouldn't glorify the Patriots defense and special teams as being playmakers all on their own. The Dolphins contributed with their awful protection on special teams, and Chad Henne's very poor decision making.

But I'll take a divisional road win. And it was as close to a "must win" as you can get in Week 4. The Pats couldn't afford a second divisional loss. And if they hadn't won this road game, doubt may have festered in the Pats' locker room for two weeks.

What's kind of nice is that the Patriots didn't need Tom Brady, Randy Moss, or Wes Welker to have ridiculous games. BJG Ellis was arguably the best performer on the offense, with 76 yards in 16 carries (4.8 per carry), and a touchdown. Danny Woodhead had an eerily Kevin Faulk kind of performance with only 36 rushing yards, 11 receiving yards, but obviously much more than that. Because each of those yards were big. And that one reception he had was for a touchdown.



The offense didn't do much. They didn't have to. It really was all about the defense and special teams making big plays. But they made them by doing their job, and capitalizing on mistakes. That was very 2001-like. Ninkovich's interceptions came because he did his job in coverage, the ball found him, and he caught it. It's not complicated.

I didn't like Vince Wilfork being used as a defensive end. It gave the Dolphins license to run to the other side. And Wilfork was too distant from the point of attack to have any effect. I understand that the Pats are short of DEs. But that shortage shouldn't cause them to also be short of DTs. Wilfork in the middle at least forces the opposing running game further to the right or left. If Wilfork is on the end, half the field is open for a rushing attack.

Let's not get too high from this win. But it is nice, isn't it?

Pats have next weekend off, then host Baltimore on the 17th.

Oh yeah, Tom Brady's 100th (regular season) win as a starter. Fastest QB to 100 wins. Ever.



Photo Credits:
AP Photo

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: WEEK 5*

Last week, I picked with the spreads, and went 6-3-1 (Oregon/Arizona State was a push). So i'll continue with the spreads this week. Again, I'm getting these spreads from VegasInsider.com.

Thursday 7:30 PM - ESPN
Texas A&M Aggies @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
I'm taking the Cowboys -3 against A&M. I know the Aggies have improved this year, and both teams are 3-0. But the game's in Stillwater, and I'm not totally sold on A&M yet.



The rest of the games I picked for are on Saturday...

12:00 PM - ESPN2
#16 Miami Hurricanes @ Clemson Tigers
I'm kind of surprised Miami is only favored by 3, after they torched Pittsburgh on the road last week. I'm taking Miami -3, because Clemson won't be able to keep up with them.



12:00 PM
Florida State Seminoles @ Virginia Cavaliers
I'm taking FSU -7. The Noles are 3-1, with their only loss coming in Norman, Oklahoma. That's not bad. I guess UVA deserves some credit for keeping pace with USC a few weeks ago, but their only two wins came against Richmond and VMI. FSU covers comfortably.



12:00 PM
Temple Owls @ Army Black Knights
I'm taking Temple -4.5, even though I've yet to see either team play. Temple is actually good, and Army is still Army.

3:30 PM - ABC
#11 Wisconsin Badgers @ #24 Michigan State Spartans
I know the game's in East Lansing, but I have to take the Badgers -1.5 here. Both teams are 4-0, and this will be a pivotal game in determining the Big Ten title. I just like Wisconsin more.



3:30 PM - ABC
Virginia Tech Hokies @ #23 NC State Wolfpack
I'm taking NCSU +4 at home. I guess Tech's shutout win over BC impressed some people. But BC's offense is atrocious, and any team with reasonable athleticism can shut them down. NC State is the dark horse to claim the ACC title, as they're 4-0, and have already vanquished Georgia Tech on the road.



3:30 PM - ABC
#21 Texas Longhorns vs. #8 Oklahoma Sooners (in Dallas, TX)
Before the season, I predicted OU would win this game. But I'll bet against my heart and take Texas +4. I just haven't been that impressed with the Sooners. And while Texas has also struggled, especially with turnovers, they're still just as good as OU. So with the 4 points, I'll take the Longhorns.



6:30 PM
Arizona State Sun Devils @ Oregon State Beavers
OSU got little credit for hanging with Boise State. I'll take them -3.5 at home against a not-so-good ASU side. The Sun Devils have played close games against tough teams like Wisconsin and Oregon. But they lost. And their two wins came against Portland State and Northern Arizona. So with the small spread, and the game in Corvallis, I'll take the Beavers.



7:00 PM
Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Iowa State Cyclones
ISU sucks, so I'm taking Texas Tech -7. Pretty standard here.



8:00 PM - CBS
#7 Florida Gators @ #1 Alabama Crimson Tide
To be honest, if I were actually betting money, I wouldn't wager on this game. The 8 point spread is too perfect. But since this is just a blog, I can feel free to say that I'll take Alabama -8. I don't think Florida is all that good. They're a Top 20 team, maybe. But not Top 10.



8:00 PM - ABC
#9 Stanford Cardinal @ #4 Oregon
The Pac-10 title might be decided in Eugene Saturday night. I'm taking Stanford +7. I think the Cardinal might be able to keep it close. Then again, I wouldn't be shocked if Oregon racked up 40+.

WHAT WE LEARNED IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL*

Finally, we had a good weekend of shake ups and surprises. But there were also far too many bland blowouts. Teams should be allowed to face I-AA opponents in Week 1 and Week 1 only. And no team should be allowed to face two (Syracuse played Maine last week, and Colgate on Saturday). So here are the lessons...

1. MIAMI IS THE ONLY GOOD TEAM IN THE ACC

The Hurricanes blew through Pittsburgh, vanquishing their former Big East mates 31-3 on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the rest of the ACC didn't look so hot. Boston College has no offense. Georgia Tech fell to 2-2 and look very drab. Duke lost to Army. Maryland won, but let Florida International score 28. UNC did get a win, though. And I guess Florida State had a decent victory over Wake Forest. But Miami has actually gone out and performed. They're still my pick to win the ACC,

2. TENNESSEE SUCKS

There are very few "middle class" teams in the SEC. You're either Top 15 material, or you're awful. Tennessee needed overtime to beat UAB in Knoxville. That should count as a tie, or even a loss. The Vols play LSU in Baton Rouge next week, and that should be a laugher.

3. ARMY MIGHT MAKE A BOWL GAME

Every year, I root for Army to make it to a bowl game. They haven't been to one since 1996. But it'd be a great story. They already have 3 wins, so only need 3 more. As mentioned above, they beat Duke. They host VMI on October 30th, so that should be win #4. They might be able to beat Tulane. How sweet would it be, though, if win #6 came against Notre Dame in Yankee Stadium on November 20?

4. THE SEC WEST IS RIDICULOUS

In case you didn't know... I'd say that the 4 best teams in the SEC play in the West (Bama, Arkansas, LSU, Auburn). Florida might be ranked 7th, but their schedule has been soft to this point. They play Bama and LSU the next two weeks, and the SEC West will make some statements. Arkansas/Auburn is October 16th. LSU/Auburn is October 23rd. Alabama/LSU is November 6th. Auburn/Alabama is November 6th. LSU/Arkansas is November 27th. These games will all have SEC West, and therefore SEC, and therefore National Title implications.

5. NOTRE DAME REALLY SUCKS

The Irish might not make a bowl game. They're 1-3, and still have to play Pitt, Navy, Utah, and USC. They can't afford to lose at Boston College this upcoming Saturday night. And they just might, as BC usually has their number.

6. TEMPLE IS GOOD

I remember when Temple was purged from the Big East. They were a cupcake team. And although I have yet to see them play, they've been impressive. They beat UConn 30-16, then went to Happy Valley and made it a game against Penn State. They were 9-4 last year and went to a bowl game. I wouldn't be shocked if another 9 win season came again, maybe even a MAC title.

7. THE RED RIVER SHOOTOUT DOESN'T MEAN SO MUCH

Texas embarrassed themselves against UCLA, allowing 264 yards on the ground, and turning the ball over 5 times. The Longhorns may have been looking ahead to their matchup with Oklahoma. But UT also had turnover problems against Texas Tech, and that game was close until the 4th quarter. Meanwhile, Oklahoma is 4-0, but they've not been impressive. Wins are wins, but Cincinnati let the Sooners slide with a mediocre effort. The Bearcats stopped the run, Landry Jones makes arrogant passes, and if Cincy had been able to finish drives and hang on to the ball, they would have won.

Nebraska will win the Big XII. There, I said it.

8. NEVADA SHOULD BE FEARED
The biggest Nevada fans outside of DP and Reno are the good old boys behind the BCS. After a 27-13 victory over BYU in Provo, the Wolf Pack look poised to slice through the WAC, then challenge Boise State on November 26th. That game will be on the green field of Mackay Stadium in Reno.

9. GEORGIA SUCKS

UGA has been overrated for about a decade, and they always seem to get votes in the polls just because they're Georgia. But they really do suck. And to further emphasize how good the SEC West is, it was Mississippi State that beat them 24-12 on Saturday. The Bulldogs are 0-3 in SEC play.

10. WEST VIRGINIA IS THE ONLY GOOD TEAM IN THE BIG EAST

The Mountaineers kept it reasonable against LSU. They dropped from the rankings, but would be 26th in the AP poll, and 28th in the Coaches'. No other Big East team received a vote in either poll. Not even one vote.

Next week we'll learn who'll win the Big XII South (Teas vs. Oklahoma), we'll see just how much better the SEC West really is (Florida @ Alabama), we'll determine the favorite to win the Pac-10 (Stanford @ Oregon), and the Big Ten has two meetings between Top 25 teams.

SOX ELIMINATED

What's been unofficial yet well known has now become official. The Red Sox are out of it. The starry eyed optimists out there might point out that the Sox have the 4th best record in the AL, and the 8th best in baseball. They'll point out the games missed by Youkilis and Pedroia.

But would this team have made the playoffs if they hadn't been so ridden with injury? More importantly, would this team have done something in the playoffs?

The answer to question #1 is "maybe." The answer to question #2 is a resounding "no!"

"Run Prevention." That's what the 2010 Sox were supposedly built for. Yet they've scored 794 runs so far, essentially the same as the Rays, and will finish the season either 2nd or 3rd in both the AL and all of baseball. So the Sox scored runs.

They just allowed too many. 715 to be precise. Only four teams in the American League allowed more runs.

Pedroia missed about half a season. Youkilis missed about 50 games. Their absence did cost the Red Sox some runs scored. But I don't think the Sox would have allowed significantly fewer runs had they been around.

The Red Sox were 21st in team ERA, with 4.17. They also had the 4th most Blown Saves with 21. 4th most, in all of baseball. Only the Orioles, Marlins, and Diamondbacks had more.

Clay Buchholz was stunning this season, but even he lost wins due to the Sox' bullpen. Then there was John Lackey, who pitched like a #4 and not a good #3. Then there was Matsuzaka, who once again missed time with injury, and was once again forgettable when healthy. 9-6 with a 4.72 ERA. He made 24 starts, believe it or not. But only 10 of them were Quality Starts. Compare that to Lackey, who made 19.

And finally, there was the "Ace" Josh Beckett. Like in blackjack and poker, Aces go high and low. Very, very low. Beckett is 6-5 with a 5.77 ERA. Thank God the Sox locked down this hot commodity.

The problem was pitching. Pitching wins, pitching loses. It's good pitching that prevents runs, and bad pitching that prevents wins. Apart from two or three guys, the Sox had awful pitching. I remember the optimists touting the "best rotation in baseball" back in March and April. Morons.

And as if to strengthen my argument, the Yankees and Rays both won behind pitching last night. Sabathia went 8.1, allowing only 1 run off 3 hits. For the Rays, David Price tossed 8 shutout innings. Meanwhile, the Sox got a respectable 6 innings and 2 runs from Lackey, but also had 3 different relievers surrender a run.

By the way, Theo, the Sox are 21st in fielding percentage, with the 10th most errors.

Photo Credits:
AP Photo

ICHIRO MAKES HISTORY

Ichiro Suzuki did something no players has ever done. In the 5th inning of Seattle's 1-0 loss to Toronto, Ichiro hit a single to center. It was his 200th hit of the season. That makes 10 straight years that Ichiro's recorded 200 hits. Nobody's ever done that. Pete Rose had 10 seasons with 200 hits, but not in a row. Ty Cobb had nine 200 hit seasons.

For my money, Ichiro's a Hall of Famer. Not only does he have this record, but he's a 10 time All-Star, won the MVP in '01, along with Rookie of the Year. 9 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers, a .331 career average, .376 OBP, and 382 stolen bases.

He's got more than 2,200 hits right now. He's 36, so probably has 4 good years left in him. He has a decent chance to reach 3,000 hits. That's impressive considering he didn't play ball in this country until he was 27.

Imagine if he started playing here when he was 22, though. He might be at 3,200 hits instead of 2,200. And we might be saying he had a shot at 4,256 hits (Rose's record).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: WEEK 4*

I'm 7-6 on the season, but I'm going to start something different for this week. I'm going to pick based on the spread. I'm taking the spreads from VegasInsider.com.

Thursday - 7:30 PM - ESPN
#19 Miami Hurricanes @ Pitt Panthers.
I'm taking the Canes -3.5. Pittsburgh just doesn't have the athleticism to keep up with Miami. Now, The U is very inconsistent, and I wouldn't take this pick to the bank. But I'll take inconsistent athleticism with a 3.5 point spread any day of the week. Even Thursday.



Friday - 8:00 PM - ESPN
#4 TCU Horned Frogs @ SMU Mustangs
I'll take Texas Christian -17.5 against a crappy SMU team. The Hornded Frogs can score some points, but more importantly, they don't allow many. All they'll need is 31+ from their offense in order to comfortably cover.



The remainder of these games are on Saturday...

3:30 PM - Big Ten Network
Temple Owls @ #23 Penn State Nittany Lions
I don't know much about Temple. I know they beat UConn. And I know PSU hasn't been stellar. But the spread is only 13 points, and Penn State's at home. PSU -13.



3:30 PM - CBS
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ #10 Arkansas Razorbacks
This spread opened at 4, then it increased to 7. Considering this is in Fayeteville, I'm going to have to take Arkansas +7.5. Anything less, especially 4, and I'd take Alabama. The Tide will win this game, just not by 8 points.



3:30 PM - NBC
#16 Stanford @ Notre Dame
Stanford -4.5. Notre Dame must have a lot of fans, because it's a joke that they're less than a touchdown underdogs. I know you have a California team playing in South Bend, but you also have a crappy team playing in South Bend that goes by the name of Notre Dame.



7:45 PM - ESPN
#12 South Carolina Gamecocks @ #17 Auburn Tigers
Every part of my brain is telling me to take Auburn, at home, on a Saturday night. They've proven they can win close games, and they've done nothing much wrong so far. But my gut is going with South Carolina +3.



8:00 PM - ABC
#24 Oregon State Beavers @ #3 Boise State Broncos
I'm taking OSU +18. I think this game will feature lots of offense from both sides. Oregon State will never be a threat, but they'll be within 2 touchdowns at the final whistle.



9:00 PM - ESPN2
#22 West Virginia Mountaineers @ #15 LSU Tigers
I'm taking WVU +9.5. Granted, it's a night game in Baton Rouge. Granted, the Mountaineers are "Big East powers," which is like a country bragging about being a "Central African power." It's just not that impressive. That being said, WVU is athletic, and should at least stay in this game.



10:30 PM
#5 Oregon Ducks @ Arizona State Sun Devils
I'm taking Oregon -11. How could you not? I know it's early, and their opponents have been crappy, but the Ducks have outscored opponents by an average of 58 points per game. So I'm taking them -11 against a poor team.

WHAT DID WE EXPECT?

I'm not surprised Kevin Faulk is hurt. And I'll make a not-so-bold prediction: he won't be the last Patriots RB to go down this year. It should be expected when your RB Corps collects more Social Security than it takes up cap space. Either 33 year old Sammy Morris or 34 year old Fred Taylor will be next. These guys have hundreds of carries, and thousands of hits under their belt. It's Week 3 of a very long, and soon to be very cold season.

The Patriots will have to endure another major injury at this position, and they can only blame themselves. They need to get youth at this position, and get it in the form of somebody more talented than BJG Ellis.

But Faulk was more than a runningback. He was a playmaker. That's a commodity the Patriots don't have much of. He caught passes, picked up blitzes, and he did so consistently. The Pats might be able to pick up a Larry Johnson, or some other token back to fill in the depth chart, but Kevin Faulks are one in a billion.

SOX CONTINUE SLOW TORTURE

The Red Sox season has been sad, and it's finishing in a sad way. I don't mean like funeral sad, I'm talking lame, weak, wimpy sad. Last Friday, I wrote about the very slim but still very real chance that the Sox had to make the playoffs. They had the Blue Jays and O's coming to town, and all they needed to do was win those games.

And if the Sox had swept Toronto, and won the last 2 against Baltimore, they'd be 2.5 games behind the Rays. That'd be with 11 games left, and that's a very manageable deficit to overcome.

But as it is, the Sox are now 8-9 against the O's on the season. And that just makes me sad.

And Papelbon, good luck getting a big fat contract with an ERA up near 4.

John Lackey faces Kevin Millwood tonight. Millwood is 3-15, which probably means the Sox will give him win #4.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo