NFL Has Been Back For A Week And I'm Already Sick Of Rex Ryan

First off his new tattoo is fucking gay. Dude, you're 48 years old why are you getting tribal tattoos on your leg. I guess it makes sense since most Jets fans are a bunch of Jersey shitdicks anyways, so I am sure he just wants to fit in.

Then he comes out and does his normal blah, blah, blah speech about how they are going to win it all, and so on. This time he decided to challenge the rest of the league to beat the Patriots. Good for him I guess, I mean he knocked the Patriots out last year, so he has the right to talk shit. But this wasn't even shit talking I thought it was just lame...

"Again, I think we have to find somebody out there to beat New England besides us, and I think that would help. Anybody out there that wants to sign up for it? Are you good enough as a team to beat the New England Patriots? Forget about us, are you good enough to go out and beat the New England Patriots? I’m challenging the league."

Actually it's not even the quote that pisses me off. It's the fact that this has been a main headline in Boston papers and WEEI. Really guys? Is there nothing better to write about?

Fuck Rex Ryan, but also fuck the media's obsession with everything that comes out of his stupid fat mouth. It's all the same "we're gonna win it all", me this, me that. The only time I want to hear about another Rex Ryan story is when we find out that he got arrested having a bunch of kids locked in his basement and his wife does weird videos with them, because judging from his past and this tattoo, the story seems inevitable.

Around The NFL

Nnamdi Awesome-ugha is headed to Philly
Love it, love it, love it. It would have been cool to see him go to the Jets and have Revis and him, but we will have to take Samuel and him. He signed a deal worth $60 million over five years which isn't bad figuring he's the best cornerback in the league. Now the Eagles have a stupid secondary with Asante Samuel, Nnamdi and recently acquired Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Those are 3 Pro Bowl cornerbacks ladies and gentlemen.

Antonio Cromartie back to the Jets
Antonio Cromartie will sign a 4 year, 32 million dollar deal with the Jets. Not a bad deal figuring he's still pretty damned good and can play in return situations too.

Plaxico Burress to Jets
It was said to be between the Steelers and Giants, but Plax decided to spurn his former teams and sign with the convict laden New York Jets for 3 million. This is an alternative to Braylon Edwards, who is surely going to be on another team next year. I don't like Plax, but it will be interesting to see if he can still be an effective receiver in the league.

Cedric Benson is back with the Bengals
He's about the only one who is back. 3 million with 2 million incentives, a 1 year deal.

I Wonder What The Going Rate Of Randy Moss Will Be

Yesterday Randy Moss's agent came out and said that he was in freakishly good shape. I don't know if that means anything, because I believe he was probably in freakishly good shape last year, it's just his head wasn't.

But Randy Moss is a pretty good question mark going into next season. He's 34, just had a year in which he was on 3 different teams, 2 of them being disasters and had statistically his worst season of his career.

There are rumors that the Jets might be the team that signs him because they have WR issues with 3 of their top 4 receivers are free agents (Brad Smith, Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards) So it would make sense to them to let Edwards go and save money for some of their defensive free agents. I think Holmes and Moss will probably be with the Jets where he will most likely thrive because there is no way someone goes from putting up such gaudy numbers to shit like he did last year.

Fuck the Whole Pick By Pick, The Draft Is Tomorrow

DP's Picks:
24. NO: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
25. Sea: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
26. Balt: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami
27. Atl: Bruce Carter, OLB, UNC
28. NE: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
29. Chi: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pitt
30. NYJ: Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor
31. Pitt: Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
32. GB: Marcus Cannon, OL, TCU

BMack's Picks:
24. NO: Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona
Fills the need at DE for the Saints, and adds a good pass rusher to a team that really needs one.

25. Sea: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
I like Mallet a lot, but with all the questions surrounding being a booze bag and what not I think Seattle takes a pass. I also like Locker a lot and if Seattle can bring back Matt Hasselbeck for one more year I think he could be real good.

26. Balt: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Ravens need to improve thier defensive backfield, and Smith could end up being the 2nd best CB in this draft.

27. Atl: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
Was projected to be a top 15 pick last year, but dropped in this years rankings (nerve damage/5 less sack then 2010), could be a steal this late in the first round.

28. NE: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
Dude is huge (6-foot-8 319 pounds), and the Patriots could be very thin on the OL depending on what happens with the CBA/free agency.

29. Chi: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
The Bears have to find a way to protect Cutler, this is a good start,

30. NYJ: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Big, strong pass rusher is exactly what the Jets need, but what makes him special is he is great against the run.

31. Pitt: Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
Not a sexy pick, but lets be honest the Steelers have to find a way to protect Big Ben.

32. GB: Justin Houston, LB, Georgia
Gives the Packers another OLB pass rushing option other then just Matthews. Houston is also versitle, and could eventually be a DE, another need for the Packers.

Jets Interested In Randy Moss

Finally we get to write a football post that isn't about the lockout of an arrest. There are rumors flying around the internet that the Jets are seriously interested in signing Randy Moss. The Jets have Holmes and Edwards are free agents this year, and although their top priority is to resign Holmes there is a good chance that they let Edwards walk. This could open the door for Randy Moss to stroll in. If there is any team in the NFL that would bring him in it would be the Jets. They have no problem taking on "personalities", and it actually worked out for them pretty well last year. Still, there is no chance this works. Moss is all done, and has once again given up. I actually don't even believe anyone will sign him, and I think we have seen the last of Randy Moss in ANY NFL uniform.

TOP 25 UNDER 25 - #16 Mark Sanchez

MARK SANCHEZ - Quarterback, New York Jets

Dirty Sanchez was making headlines this week for all the wrong reasons. But, hooking up with hot chicks doesn't get you booted from this list. Besides, she was of legal age in New Jersey. Creepy? Yes. Legal? Apparently.

Aside from the off-field shenanigans, Sanchez has led the Jets to two straight AFC championship games, and we can't knock him for that. Surely, the team has been driven by defense and a great running game but Sanchez has been pretty good when called upon. When you consider that he has started from day 1 in the NFL and didn't get a chance to be an understudy you have to be fairly impressed.

Born in Long Beach, CA Sanchez played his college ball at USC under then head coach Pete Carroll. As a sophomore Sanchez backed up John David Booty and really only started a full season for the Trojans as a junior in 2008. He finished the '08 season with 34touchdown passes, 2nd in school history only to Matt Leinart, and 3,207 yards. When Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow all elected to stay in school Sanchez saw an opportunity and wisely entered the NFL draft in 2009.

The Jets traded up to select him with the 5th overall selection and he immediately became their starting quarterback under new head coach Rex "pretty feet" Ryan. In 2009 he played a very conservative style, with the Jets limiting the necessity for him to win games for them. He was prone to the typical rookie mistakes, throwing 20 interceptions on the year and he also put the ball on the carpet too much for 3 lost fumbles.

In 2010 he had a more open playbook, though they did not run a wide-spread offense. He cut down on his interceptions significantly, while also throwing more touchdowns. Where Sanchez earns his dough is in the playoffs, where his passer rating jumps about 20 points compared to the regular season. He also manages to come up with some big throws when he needs them, none more so than his pass to Santonio Holmes that helped seal the victory against New England in the 2010 playoffs.
*Obligatory highlight...Pats fans need not rewatch.
He is certainly not the prototypical "pocket passer" that Brady or Manning are. He does have more mobility than those kind of quarterbacks and is a bit of an improviser, making plays outside of the pocket. And he doesn't have the all-around game that Aaron Rodgers put on display in 2010 for Green Bay. In some regards he can be viewed as a poor man's Ben Roethlisberger. Because he's viewed as a bit of a game manager, he's not higher on this list. That being said, many consider the Quarterback position to be the toughest position in all of sports, and this guy has managed it well enough to be in two straight conference championships. He may never be a 4,000 yard passer but winning counts for a lot and so far he's been pretty good at that.

The real question is why is this guy, the quarterback of a good football team in New York (more like Jersey...but still) who is young and considered handsome doing running around with 17 year old girls when he could be tearing up Manhattan in fur coats and white shoes like Broadway Joe before him? I just don't get it.


And that, Mr. Sanchez is why you're not higher on this list...no swagger. Tom Brady plays in Foxboro...not exactly a bustling metropolis and he snagged Giselle. She only needs one name! Sanchez is messing around with some 17 year old socialite. Pathetic.


None the less, Mark Sanchez looks like he can be the franchise quarterback the Jets need for the next few years, though he'll need to win a ring to replace Joe Namath as the all-time great Jet QB. At 24 years old he still has plenty of time and a talented team around him to help him get there.

Oh That Dirty Sanchez

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez "hooked up" in his home with a striking 17-year-old after they dined at a swank New York City sushi joint early last month, Deadspin.com reported Tuesday. Deadspin reported the alleged encounter after three weeks of discussions with the mystery girl, who reportedly contacted the website's writer Barry Petchesky after she learned he was conducting research on the story -- a claim Deadspin denied in its report.

"We went back to his place in Jersey after dinner. He lives on a golf course. There was a big storm," the girl, identified only as E.K., told Deadspin. Asked if she "hooked up" after the dinner at Nobu in Midtown Manhattan with Sanchez -- who is 24 -- the 17-year-old high school student said, "Yeah," albeit somewhat reluctantly, according to Deadspin.

When a Deadspin editor told her he would check to make sure it was legal for a girl her age to "hook up" with a man of Sanchez's age, the girl reportedly replied, "It is. It's 16. I checked (myFoxChicago)."

Sanchez did nothing illegal, could be looked at as shady, but nothing illegal. That being said I think the bigger story here is that New Jersey's consent age is 16. What the fuck is that all about? I mean a 50 year old can have sex with a 16 year old? That's fucked up.

Maybe it's because I grew up with 3 younger sisters, but that seems really weird to me. In Mass it's 18, and that just seems about right.

As for Sanchez, he should be smarter then this. Like DP said about A-Rod, couldn't he do better? Here is a pic of her (name is Eliza Kruger)...

She's hot, no doubt about that, but he could find someone hotter and older then 17. That's my opinion anyways.

This is getting a ton of air time in the NY media and on WEEI. The Jets have to be getting sick of all this. Here is a quick list of the shit storm they have had this year...

- Rex Ryan foot fetish videos
- Cromartie and his 9 kids with 8 women. Plus having to give 50,000 to him so he didn't miss a child support payment.
- Braylon Edwards DWI.
- Assistant coaching tripping incident.
- Santano Holmes 4 game suspension.
- Sexual harassment of a woman TV reporter in Jets locker room.
- Sanchez banging a 17 year old.

Wow, that's a lot to deal with, but fuck it "Let's go eat a god damn snack".

Antonio Cromartie Needs To Shut Up

I don't remember Antonio opening his mouth this much when he was in San Diego but he's at it again. He recently sent a threatening tweet out towards Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck after he questioned his approach towards the new CBA:

That kind of has suspension or fine all over it don't you think? You can't just go around threatening to smash people in the face.

Even though if I hear any more shit from BMacks dad, I'm gonna smash him in the face, beware old man.

24 Steelers, 19 Jets

Ben won't put up huge numbers, Ben won't wow you with his play, but Ben Roethlisberger is going to his 3rd Superbowl and his 3rd ring by the age of 28, "Can't Wait!".

The Steelers ended the Jets' season with a dominant first half for a 24-3 lead. Mendenhall had 95 of his 121 yards and a touchdown. Pittsburgh had an unbelievable 1st drive that seemingly took forever (9 minutes) for 66 yards, with great Roethlisberger displaying his scrambling skills on several plays, including a key 12-yard run on 3rd and 12. Mendenhall reached the ball over the goal line from the 1, the final of a 15-play drive which set the tone of the first half. In that drive though, the Steelers lost Maurkice Pouncey (their pro bowl center) for the game, now leaving them to 1 staring offensive lineman from the start of the season.

After that the Steelers got a field goal, Roethlisberger showed more greatness as he scrambled for another TD to make it 17-0. Then the defense thought it was their turn as Ike Taylor blindsided Mark Sanchez who fumbled the ball and William Gay scooped up the ball and ran it in for the 22 yard scamper.

The Jets were able to get down the field before the half ended and were able to get a kick in. Little did I know that kick would give Jets the motivation to come back in the second half.

The Jets and Rex Ryan came back with great adjustments in the second half defensively and offensively they were great too. Sanchez threw a deep pass to Santonio Holmes for a TD, A safety, and another TD to Jericho Cotchery the game was now a 5 point game.

Then it was 3rd and 6. Ben Roethlisberger didn't have a great game up to this point, 10/19 for 133 yards 2 Ints, and 1 rushing TD, but he gets it done. And on 3rd and 6 when everyone was expecting a QB draw, Mike Tomlin trusted the best quarterback in the league as Ben scrambled and was able to hit Antonio Brown for 14 yard catch. Game over, Pittsbrugh's going to the Superbowl vs The Mack families favorite football team the Green Bay Packers and the all american boy Aaron Rodgers.

Hit it Old School:

Conference Championship Preview: AFC

Jets at Steelers

For the second year in a row, the New York Jets will be playing in the AFC championship game. Similar to last season, Rex Ryan will take his show on the road for a chance to reach the Superbowl. The only thing standing in their way is the AFC north champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 Sunday night at Heinz Field.

The Jets have already proven that they can win at Heinz field, something only two teams (Jets and Patriots) have accomplished since Ben Roethlisberger returned from suspension in the middle of October. The Jets won a hard fought battle, 22-17, with help from their defense (4th quarter safety) and special teams (97-yard kickoff return by Brad Smith). Jets’ quarterback, Mark Sanchez, was held in check completing 19 of 29 passes for 170 yards. New York’s balanced offense (27 rushes, 29 pass attempts) confused the Pittsburgh defense and although Sanchez was not able to throw any touchdowns, he orchestrated two drives resulting in short field goals, on top of running in the Jets only offensive touchdown. Pittsburgh came up just short, with the ball in Roethlisberger’s hands in the final seconds, he was unable to complete what would have been the game winning pass, Where is Santonio when you need him?

Interestingly enough, the Superbowl XLIII hero was traded to none other than New York Jets following another disastrous off-season that netted Holmes a 4-game suspension of his own to start the season. Since returning, Holmes has had a remarkable impact on the Jets offense, hauling in 52 catches for 746 yards and 6 touchdowns. His specialty has always been the clutch touchdown. This year was no different. Holmes had game winning catches in back to back games against Cleveland and Houston. Most recently, Holmes sealed the victory over the Patriots with a magnificent catch late in the 4th quarter. Alongside fellow cast-off, Braylon Edwards, they have created a dynamic duo. Holmes has great hands and can be very explosive in the open field. Edwards is more of a deep threat whose long body can make for a challenging assignment to shorter cornerbacks.

Despite having two very good receivers, the strength of the Jets offense is their 4th ranked rushing attack. A year of resurgence from LaDanian Tomlinson has paid off with a chance to play in the Superbowl, something Tomlinson has yet to accomplish in his illustrious career. Spelling Tomlinson is second year back, Shonn Greene, many envisioned a bigger role for Greene coming into this season, however, the balance between LT and Greene has worked out favorably for both backs, limiting their carries to a manageable amount and preserving their legs for the postseason. Greene has posted back to back 70+ yard games in the postseason, and put the Jets up two scores in the closing minutes against New England. Look for these backs to get around 30 total carries for 150 yards if the Jets want to have any success on offense.

Another element the Pittsburgh defense should be concerned with is tight end, Dustin Keller. DK has been relatively silent the last month of the season, but out of sight does not mean out of mind in the eyes of an NFL head coach. The Patriots were able to dismantle the Steelers by matching up their tight ends against the slower Pittsburgh linebackers, if this is the case on Sunday, Pittsburgh could be in for a long evening.

Fortunately for Pittsburgh, as I mentioned, the Jets ability to win games is largely in part of their stellar ground game. However, Pittsburgh boasts the league’s best defense against the run, holding opponents to 62.8 yards per game. Defensive tackle Casey Hampton is superb at clogging up the middle and often commanding two lineman to prevent him from blowing up running plays before they can start. Lawrence Timmons led the team in tackles with 135, and remains a very underrated piece of the Steelers championship caliber defense. Both James Harrison and Lamar Woodley had 10 sacks this year. It marks the third straight season that both men had 10 or more sacks, and Harrison’s second year of 100+ tackles and 10+ sacks, the first time coming in 2008, when he was named the league's defensive player of the year and a Superbowl champion. Monitoring the secondary is All-Pro safety, Troy Polamalu. It is imperative that Polamalu finds a way to force a turnover; he is a menace in the backfield and plays a great center field for a strong safety. Sanchez has been known to leave a lot balls hanging up in the air this postseason. It is only a matter of time before one of those ill advised throws winds up in the hands of an opposing defensive back. The Jets did not have a single turnover in their first matchup one month ago, if they play turnover free football; they are almost impossible to beat.

The proverbial trick up the sleeve for Pittsburgh is breakout wide receiver, Mike Wallace. This guy can change the momentum of a game in an instant. His explosive speed has haunted defensive coordinators all season long. He has the ability to turn an 8-yard crossing pattern into a 75-yard touchdown in the blink of an eye. It will be interesting to see which of the Jets cornerbacks checks the speedy Wallace. Antonio Cromartie might make the most sense; he is a little bit faster than Darrelle Revis, and typically covers opposing teams’ deep threats. The Jets must also attempt to shut down future hall of famer, Hines Ward. In plain terms, Ward is a pest. He is the ideal Pittsburgh Steeler. Ward gives 100% on every play, a rarity for wide receivers, he can catch, run, and block at a very high level and always seems to play above his head in the playoffs.

The Jets 3rd ranked rushing defense will have the challenging task of stopping Rashard Mendenhall. He was limited to 46 yards on 20 carries against Baltimore on Saturday; however, he was able to find the end zone twice. The Jets had an ideal game plan last weekend against the Patriots holding running backs Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to 89 yards on 23 carries. Although Mendenhall is a better runner than those two backs combined, the Jets have only allowed one 100-yard rusher the entire season (Matt Forte, 135 yards).

Seeing as both teams have solid defenses, and equally strong supporting casts on offense, I think this matchup will boil down to Mark Sanchez vs. Ben Roethlisberger.

On paper, it’s an easy pick. One guy is 9-2 in the post season and owns two Superbowl rings. The other is in his second year, has never played in a Superbowl, but he is 4-1 in the playoffs. Conventional wisdom would say that the better quarterback is going to win at home. However, seeing as I am neither conventional nor do I have much wisdom, I am picking the New York Jets. There is something magical about the Jets in the postseason and I can no longer deny it. Last year I wrote them off as lucky after they were one win away from a Superbowl berth. This year, I thought they had the talent but no leadership and no quarterback. And now, I can admit, that I was wrong. This team is spectacular and they know how to win playoff games. Not to take anything away from Pittsburgh, they are an excellent team but the Jets are playing possessed football, and I am not sure anybody can beat them.

J-E-T-S 20 Steelers 16

BMack's Reaction To Patriots Loss

Yea, I know 3rd post about the Patriots, you're sick of it, I'm sick of it, but it wouldn't be right if I didn't put my 2 cents in.

This game was like some odd out of body experience. Just like DP said once the ball was hiked something didn't feel right. The Jets beat the Patriots in every way...

1. Coaching:

Ugh, I could write about this for hours. Belichick gets all the credit when the Patriots are dominating, it only makes sense for him to take shit when the choke. Why did Woodhead have 20 touches in this game compared to Green-Ellis 11? Why are they faking punts in their own end? Why when down 10 points in the fourth quarter do you run a 8 min drive? They didn't rush to the line at any point in that drive, and they made the whole game shorter, which seems stupid to me when you are down by more then 1 score.

So, even though Belichick in my opinion was the best regular season coach this year, he chocked yesterday. Even if Chung called that fake punt by himself yesterday, it was still a terrible game. Plus, why does Chung even have that option in his own end? Yea, doesn't make any sense.

2. "The Patriot Way"

I love Welker. I though his "foot" press conference was funny, but it's not the way the Patriots run things. We have heard from the start of the Belichick/Brady era that there is to be "no bulletin board material". Welker gave the Jets a reason to rally around their coach. I'm not saying it was the difference in the game, but it's just not the way they run things.

But it doesn't stop there. Branch was yelling at the Jets sidelines during the game (I think it was at Rex). Listen, I am sure there is a reason why he was, and the Jets aren't known to be very classy, but at the end of the day when you see the Patriots change like this you know they got to them. Once again, every un-Patriots like.

3. Brady

He didn't have his best game. He wasn't terrible, but for the Patriots to win he needed to play the way he did through 95% of the season, which was lights out. Plus I put some of the blame on him for that long drive that resulted in nothing in the 4th quarter. He has the power to change the plays, he controls the flow of the offense and how fast they get tot he line, so he has to take some of the blame.

Also, he is an odd stat. The last time an MVP won a Super Bowl was 1999 Kurt Warner. There is nothing really behind that, just an interesting stat.


So, Patriot fans they lost. The Jets outplayed them in basically every way. They were out-coached in this game, they were outplayed, there is nothing we can see. Still, don't get too far down. The Patriots should be right back next year. The defense is so young, and only going to get better. Brady, even with 2 subpar playoff outings is still one of the best QBs, and they have 2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds of the draft.

Patriots need to sit at home, eat their "humble pie" and get back to what they were 6 years ago.... quiet assassins who let their play do the talking, and don't change their gameplan based on the other teams mouths.

28 Jets, 21 Patriots

For some reason BMack and The Captain were unable to write this post.... So I guess I'll have to write it!

If you would have told me that the Patriots had 78 plays compared to 54 to the Jets, that they held the ball for about 10 more minutes, had 12 more 1st downs and came off of a bye in which Belichick never loses after, I would have assumed the Patriots killed the Jets however, the overplayed "Any Given Sunday" line came more true then any other saying on Sunday.

Rex Ryan and the Jets talked a big game coming into the game, and to everyone's surprise backed it up when the camera's were rolling. Rex Ryan must have studied the film (No, I'm not going to get all passive aggresive Wes Welker on you, BMack may suspend me for the opening posts)all week because he drew up a genious game that made Belichick look like Eric Mangini and Tom Brady very uncomfortable and indecisive.

BMack and I were talking about this game before it, and both had the weird feeling surrounding it because this game was supposed to be a lock. As soon as the kickoff was kicked, something almost felt different.

In the first offensive possession Mark Sanchez looked like the same uncomfortable QB, he was inaccurate and all over the place. So they punted it to Tom Brady and the Patriots who promptly moved the ball decently well down the field until Brady overthrew a BenJarvis Green- Ellis screen that was picked off by David Harris which looked as if it was a sure pick 6 until Alge Crumpler (who may have played his most active game as a Patriot) chased him down. It was Brady's first pick in a billion tries. However, Sanchez still looked off on the next possession and Nick Folk shanked the field goal. So no harm, no foul.

After the Patriots gained possession they threw the ball, marched the ball down the field and after a Crumpler drop in the endzone the Patriots kicked and got 3. The next Jets possession looked off as Sanchez badly overthrew Dustin Keller and punted it back, however, that was really the last mistake Sanchez made all game.

The Jets finally struck in on their next offensive possession as Sanchez hit LT for the TD pass (which was his 1st in 2 years or something). The game went back in forth as the chess match between Belichick and Ryan continued. Rex Ryan's defensive scheme was remarkable. They Doubled Welker for most of the game and had Revis take out Branch and let the linebackers handle their business against the tight ends. It was odd because Green Ellis wasn't really the featured back this game, it was Danny Woodhead. I know that everyone in New England has a wet dream over him, however, I don't really understand using him that much. He may give the Patriots more options on offense, but lets face it, he's a gimmick player, a poor mans Kevin Faulk at best.

Then the fake punt came. With 4th and 4 on the Patriots on their own 38. Bill Belichick once again, put his team in a awful position as he decided to fake the punt to Patrick Chung. Patrick Chung fumbled the ball, got it back and promptly got tackled behind the line. This move seems to be another one we can tack onto Bill's boneheaded arrogant playcalling that hurts his team. He's a great coach, however, he does make stupid and unnecessary mistakes often. That killed the Patriots as Sanchez threw a slant to Braylon Edwards who drug two pro bowlers Devin McCourty and Brandon Merriweather into the endzone. 14-3. at the end of the 1st half.

The second half was really weird from a Patriots playcalling standpoint. Their was no sense of urgency and they were being very slow and tactical from here on out. They relied heavily on Danny Woodhead for some reason and nothing really happened until 4 minutes remained in the 3rd when Brady hit Crumpler in the endzone and then they went for 2 to make it a 3 point game. At this point you were just waiting for Mark Sanchez to make the mistake, but that never happened.

For me, the turning point of the game happened in this possession when Sanchez hit Jericho Cotchery for a 58 yard pass. This eventually led to an unbelievable TD catch and throw from Sanchez to Holmes, but took the wind right out of the sails of New England. After that happened, you had the feeling that the Jets were going to win the game.

The next Patriots possession was wild as it took 8 minutes and instead of going for a 52 yard field goal they elected to go for it on 4th and 13. However, Brady threw a wide but catchable pass to Deion Branch which was dropped. The Jets had a 3 and out and then the Patriots marched the ball down the field and got a field goal to make it a 7 point game.

The onside kick was great from the Patriots, it gave them a chance and it was right there, however it squirted to Antonio Cromartie who has balls the size of beach balls who picked the ball up and ran the ball to the NE 20. From there the Shonne Greene scored a TD (even though if he kneeled it the game would have been over).

Brady scored a meaningless TD to Deion Branch, the Jets recovered the next onside kick. Game over.

There will certainly be a lot of questions surrounding the Patriots choking, Belichicks play calling, benching Wes Welker for the start of the game and the 4th and 3 but what it comes down to is that Rex Ryan out coached Belichick, Mark Sanchez won the game, and that the T-A-L-K, wins, wins wins.

See Ya In Pittsburgh Rex

Now that, what Patriot fans are quick to say "frauds" are out of the way, time to take on the best QB in the league.

In Ben we trust

Wes Welker and Feet

It bears mentioning that these 10 snippets were taken from an interview that was 9 minutes long. But it did seem like he wanted to mention feet as much as possible, so long as it was in proper context.

And if you're going to talk, this is how to do it. It's subtle. It's funny. It's hard to use as bulletin board material. I'm not a big fan of it, and would prefer the Patriots focus on playing and not talking. But whatever.

-The Commodore

Why Not?

Haha, I found it funny.

Thanks to K-Line for the pic.

Trash talk, Trash Talk, Trash Talk

Antonio Cromatrie should probably take a page out of Bill Belichicks methods and not say any trash talk leading up to the "rubber game" of the Patriots- Jets this weekend.

Cromartie called Brady an asshole and said fuck him, and accused him of finger pointing or something like that. Like I've said all year, the Jets and Patriots are like two brats in a sand box throwing sand at each other. However, it's the playoffs, smarten up. During the regular season, whatever I'm fine with the trash talk. But there is no reason to give any team extra motivation or incentive during these must win games.

If I were Tom Brady the first thing I would do is point to the the Jets side when I throw a touchdown. We all know that as soon as Cromartie opened his Yap, Belichick and Brady are composing a statement play that will most likely come at Cromartie's expense ala Anthony Smith (Steelers, trust me, I remember that)

I really don't know who will win this game because I can easily see the Patriots arrogance taking them down, or I can see the Patriots blow them out again.

I'm just sick of the trash talk talk and can't wait for the kick off.

Pats vs. Jets in Rubber Game

You get the feeling that it had to be this way. Even Rex Ryan seemed to be anticipating this Divisional Round matchup when last week he unfavorably compared Tom Brady's work ethic to Peyton Manning. Or maybe he was just putting his foot in his mouth. Or someone else's.

These teams not only split the season series, they've split their last 6 games. It makes sense when you consider how well their different strengths matchup. The Patriots pass first, ask questions later. The Jets run. The Pats have a young, sometimes shaky defense. The Jets have more experience, and are far sturdier. The Patriots keep their mouths shut. The Jets are a reality TV show.

I think the Patriots' ability to distribute the ball to multiple offensive weapons will allow them to regularly beat the Jets' defense. The Jets do have some exceptionally talented guys on defense, but Brady is the master at finding the weak spot, and hitting the open receiver.

However, I temper my optimism knowing that for many of the Pats' weapons, this will be their first postseason game. This past weekend, we saw playoff newcomers drop passes, fumble the ball, and generally fail to execute as they had in the regular season.

Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis have never played postseason football. Danny Woodhead has 1 career touch in the playoffs. Even Wes Welker has only 3 playoff games under his belt. The defensive side of the ball is hardly any better. McCourty, Chung, Spikes, Cunningham, and so on, are all newbies to this scene. And while veterans like Brady, Branch, and Wilfork might settle locker room nerves, it only takes one or two players making one or two mistakes to screw up an entire game (See: Pierre Woods, Super Bowl XLII).

The Jets actually bring more playoff experience, or at least have theirs distributed more evenly throughout their roster. Sanchez already has 4 games under his belt. Guys like LT, Braylon Edwards, Shonn Greene, Santonio Holmes, and so on, have all been in big games. And won them. That's something to keep in mind.

The health of Danny Woodhead is also something to keep in mind, as he made nothing but big plays in the 45-3 win a few weeks ago. We know that it was a concussion he suffered. We know that he's been practicing with a non-contact jersey.

The key to this game will be how the Patriots do against the Jets' rushing attack in the early stages. In that 45-3 win, the Jets ran for 152 yards, but most of those came when the game was essentially over. The Jets can run (148.4 yards per game, 4th in the NFL), and run well. The Pats have a depleted defensive line. It will be up to guys like Wilfork and Mayo to contain the running attack, and to limit rushes to 3 or 4 yards at the most.

It will also be up to Brady and the offense to hold onto the ball, and to score. The best way to stop an opponent from rushing is to build a lead.

I think the Patriots will be hurt by the Jets' RBs, but not killed. The Pats' offense will score enough to force Mark Sanchez to try to make plays, and we all know what happens next.

Patriots win 28-17.

-The Commodore

Who Should You Want the Patriots to Face?

It will be one of three teams. Either the Jets, Ravens, or Chiefs will come to Gillette Stadium in a little over a week. So as a Pats fan, who should you want the Patriots to face?

The Pats beat the Jets, they beat the Ravens, they haven't played the Chiefs. They also lost to the Jets, needed 73 minutes to barely beat the Ravens (at home), and they haven't played the Chiefs.

You're not going to get a cupcake game in the Divisional Round. Not only are you playing a fellow playoff team, but you're also playing a team that's already won a playoff game. So they must be pretty good.

Let's use the process of elimination, then.

The Ravens match-up the best against the Pats. They get a consistent 4 man pass rush, they don't have the stifling defense of the past, but they're still pretty good. All 4 of their losses were in close games (4 losses by a combined 16 points). They don't get overwhelmed by the Patriots' mystique. I'd rather not see the Ravens.

The Chiefs are an enigma. 10-6, in a weird division. They were 7-1 at home, 3-5 on the road. Their schedule is soft. The only playoff team they beat was Seattle. But they can run the ball with Charles and Jones. And when Cassel plays mistake-free football, they're tough to beat. This might be a fear of the unknown here, but I'd rather not face the Chiefs. There's also a tendency for ex-Belichick assistants to triumph in their first meeting against their old mentor. I'm not sure if that also applies to GMs.

Then there's the Jets. This team beat the Pats early in the season, were throttled by them late in the season, and limped into the playoffs. At the same time, they've got players with good playoff performances under their belt. They can rush the ball, and their defense isn't easy to move the ball against.

The Jets might be the best of these three teams. But it's about matchups in the playoffs. And I think the Patriots matchup very well against them. The Pats can do enough to slow the run to force Mark Sanchez to make bad throws. The Pats' offense can score, generate a lead, and force more throwing and less running.

I've got mixed feelings. I do security at the Stadium, and a playoff game against the Jets means a busy night and extra paperwork. But I'd also love the Patriots to end their season. To make them just a footnote (if you will) of the 2010 NFL season.

I actually do think the Chiefs would be the most favorable opponent. But I think I want the Jets to come here next Sunday. Eliminating a rival in a playoff game is sweet. Although you also risk losing to them, and having it hurt that much more. My brain wants the Chiefs, then Jets, then Ravens. My fandom wants the Jets. And I'll tell you another thing...

I WANT REX RYAN! I WANT REX RYAN!



-The Commodore

Things Aren't Going Well For Favre

First new Coach of the Vikings Leslie Frazier says there is no way he is calling Brett Favre to Quarterback for the Vikings next year and now two massage therapists sued Brett Favre on Monday, saying they lost their part-time jobs with the New York Jets after complaining about sexually suggestive text messages from the veteran quarterback.

Brett Favre must be stopped, it's bad enough he was the only reason why the Vikings sucked and became the laughing stock of the NFL, but he is also a giant scumbag on top of it. As I complained earlier, I'm pissed as a Steeler fan that Ben Roethlisberger got suspended 4 games for basically someone spreading a rumor about him, while Favre got a slap on the wrist for sexually harassing employees of the NFL. He proved to everyone that he is bigger than Roger Goodell as the normally harsh commissioner let Favre off easy.

But looking forward to the Vikings, they still have Adrian Peterson, still have Sidney Rice, and still have that defensive line led by Jared Allen. That should still be enough to swing some NFL spreads. I could see them signing a sure to be cut Carson Palmer or hell draft one of the top 5 QBs in the draft and get Jon Kitna.

Patriots 38, Dolphins 7

This game felt like the preseason. Even the weather was warm, at least for January. There was nothing at stake, a few players didn't even dress (Welker, Branch, Hernandez), and the starters weren't expected to play the full 60 minutes.

I approved of Bill Belichick's usage of Tom Brady and other key players in this game. The more worrisome Pats fans out there were concerned that there'd be a repeat of last year's Welker injury. But with a first round bye secured, it's kind of silly to sit players for 3 weeks.

I'm sure the practices weren't as rigorous this past week. And when Brady was in the game, the play-calling was run heavy, and there were few long passes. He got hit a few times. But survived.

Danny Woodhead may have suffered a concussion. He may not have. As of now, the Pats are only saying he has a "head injury."

BJG Ellis surpassed the 1,000 yard mark. I'm convinced that Belichick went for it on 4th & 16, just so Ellis could reach 1,000, then be pulled from the game. Ellis is the Pats' first 1,000 yard rusher since Corey Dillon in '04. His contributions this season have been invaluable.



There were many positives to take from this game, but much like after a big preseason win, it's important to keep things in perspective. Julian Edelman's afternoon, for instance, was world class. Will he do that against an elite team, that's playing an important game? It's difficult to gauge performances in a game like this.



The Patriots have 2 weeks off, and will host a Divisional Round game on Sunday the 16th, at 4:30 PM. They'll play either the Jets, Ravens, or Chiefs. Here are the scenarios:

The Patriots will play the Jets if the Jets beat the Colts on Saturday. No matter what happens in the other AFC playoff game. If the Jets win, they come up to Foxborough as the 6th seed. Simple as that.

If the Jets lose, then the Patriots will play the winner of the Ravens/Chiefs game, which will be played Sunday afternoon.

-The Commodore