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| A Word from The Writer: The Monday Analysis - 25 October 2004 What a week for Boston sports! One-two smack to New York. And even before we get to Number 21, let's check in at Fenway. Yes, THAT Fenway! Curse of the A-Rod: Boston Goes to the Series
If there is any Lucky Magic Dust in Foxboro, it certainly floated north to
Boston and swept into the The Sox opened the World Series at Fenway Park Saturday night winning 11-9 off a Mark Bellhorn two-run home run. Black Jack: Patriots Win No. 21For the 21st time, your New England Patriots have won, this time against the undefeated, much hated division rival New Jersey Jets, 13-7. This is the 21st consecutive win for the Patriots, including three playoff games, but it is the 18th consecutive regular season win, setting a legitimate NFL record once held by the Chicago Bears, led by George "Papa Bear" Halas. So, if you're keeping score at home, and I know you are, that makes Bill Belichick one of the best football coaches in history. All of the scoring was in the first half, leaving the rest of the game for a defensive suspense match. The Patriots had two redzone opportunities that went for field goals early in the game. But when the Jets popped a touchdown to make it 7-6, the Patriots offense, led by Tom Brady (20-29, 230 yards, 1 TD), answered with a 7-yard touchdown pass to David Patten to put this game away. With Troy Brown and Deion Branch still out on injury, Brady still threw to six different receivers, including five tosses to David Givens for 107 yards that kept the ball moving forward when it needed to move forward. And not to be outdone, running back Corey Dillon continued to produce, rushing 115 yards on 22 carries, with one break out dash for 44 yards. In the end, it was the defenses playing the game. With just over two minutes to go in the fourth, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington drove the ball on fourth and 8 inside the twenty, but was unable to complete, thanks to disruption by the Patriots secondary, particularly Rodney Harrison (big surprise), who batted the ball out of play of a Jets receiver. Game over. "Chrebet went up the seam, and I saw the ball. I saw Pennington looking at him and I just broke on the ball and tried to touch it," Harrison said. "We were successful at it." The Patriots travel to Terrible Towel-Ketchup Haven Heinz Field in Shittsburgh next week to do battle with the Steelers, and extend the Streak to 22/19/7. Rice to Seattle: The Game's Best Joins Third Team Disgusted with the lack of playing time, the game's best-ever player,
Jerry
Rice demanded, and "I had a drop," Rice said. "I don't like that, so I've got to go and look at the film and see what I did wrong there." Rice will wear Number 80, retired in Seattle by Steve Largent, but Largent said gave the OK for Rice to wear the familiar 80 jersey. Rice says he will wear it in honor of Largent. "He just told me, ‘Jerry, if you want to wear the #80, you have my blessing'," said Rice after being introduced by head coach Mike Holmgren. "When he said that it sent chills through my body, because I know what he has done for this city, and when you think about the Seattle Seahawks you think about Steve Largent. For him to just say that without any hesitation, that I could wear his jersey, that meant the world to me.” Seattle has been hurting in their receiving corps, and will a young team venturing to uncharted playoff territory, adding a super-veteran like Rice adds some strength, said Holmgren.
"We did this to make our football team better," said Holmgren at the press conference. "Any good lessons or role modeling that takes place, in my opinion, is secondary. Jerry came in here to catch passes, to help us win, and that’s his number-one job.” Rice is the NFL career leader in receptions (1,524), yards (22,533) and receiving touchdowns (194). He won three titles with San Francisco, and played in Super Bowl XXXVII with Oakland. Holmgren was an assistant with the 49ers during two of those titles. Weekend Break Down BUCCANEERS (2-5) 19, Bears (1-5) 7 - FINAL: Battle of the One-Wins, and Tampa Bay comes up on top. Since neither of these guys are going to see late January games, we must move on. DOLPHINS (1-6) 31, Rams (4-3) 14 - FINAL: Miami gets a win! Miami gets a win. Oh my God, Miami gets a win! And over the Mighty Rams! Whoa! CHIEFS (2-4) 56, Falcons (5-2) 10 - FINAL: Holy crap! The Mike Vick and Falcon Defense Show crumbles - to Kansas City? Come on, Atlanta. Don't tell me you can even think about the playoffs after this fiasco. Trent Green didn't even throw one touchdown pass all day. Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock had this one on the ground for four TDs each. Ouch! No run defense for the Falcons. Everyone make a mental note of that. VIKINGS (5-1) 20, Titans (2-5) 3 - FINAL: Steve McNair is knocked out of the game, and the Titans become the Teenies. Vikings win this one with Daunte chucking only a solo touchdown. RAVENS (4-2) 20, Bills (1-5) 6 - FINAL: Drew Bledsoe throws 4 INTs, two to Prime Slime. That has to hurt seeing Deion do the JoBoo Dance like he does. And Deion isn't even priming in his playing. As Kim says, Drew just may be done. Jaguars (5-2) 27, COLTS (4-2) 24 - FINAL: A late field goal takes the win away from Peyton and Co. No Defense in Indy to stop these late comebacks, and there is nothing the Offense can do. And it has to be frustrating, particular where receiver Reggie Wayne went so far to get into a shoving match with Manning in the huddle, though no one would comment on it (Wayne won it). Chargers (4-3) 17, PANTHERS (1-5) 6 - FINAL: So, Carolina, how is that Super Bowl run going for you guys? Lions (4-2) 28, GIANTS (4-2) 13 - FINAL: Big win for the Moochmen at the Meadowlands. And all Kurt Warner and Tom Coughlin could do was watch in horror. Detroit takes the legitimacy out of New Jersey's playoff hopes. The Giants are not a real team. Eagles (6-0) 34, BROWNS (3-4) 31 - FINAL/OT: Philly remains unbeaten, but has to battle it out in overtime with Cleveland? Come on, McNabb and Co? This is Cleveland. They made a movie about a Cleveland baseball team as a modern day Bad New Bears. Remember? And it wasn't that far-fetched. And Donovan even threw 4 TDs in this one, two to T.O.! PATRIOTS (6-0) 13, Jets (5-1) 7 - FINAL: Number 21 in this Dog Fight. The Patriots should have had more success on offense, especially where the first six points should have been 14. The Jets are always a pain in the ass, but New England had too many opportunities in this one, and should have shoved it away in the first half. Oh, wait, they did put it away in the first half since the second was scoreless. Ok, win on, boys. So sorry New Yorkers for just ruining your October. Actually, we're not sorry. Hope you're suffering! Saints (3-4) 31, RAIDERS (2-5) 26 - FINAL: Two bad teams dog fighting for a win. Saints get this one. CARDINALS (2-4) 25, Seahawks (3-3) 17 - FINAL: Seattle stinks. They are not for real. Three straight losses, and now this one from Arizona? Come on, all the Jerry Rice's in the world won't help Mike Holmgren's attempt to keep his job this season. PACKERS (3-4) 41, Cowboys (2-4) 20 - FINAL: Going into this game, Dallas had yet to win in Lambeau Field. Actually, they sit have yet to win in Lambeau Field. Denver (5-1) at Cincinnati (1-4) Tonight 9 PM ABC Open date: Houston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Washington Oddities of Next Week's Matchups Detroit (4-2) at Dallas (2-4), 1 PM. The Battle of the Turkey Day Hosts - on Halloween. Baltimore (4-2) at Philadelphia (6-0), 1 PM. One of the Undefeated Teams will be tested. The sub-story is T.O. versus Prime Slime. New England (6-0 ) at Pittsburgh (5-1), 4:15 PM. Rematch of the 2002 AFC Conference Championship, with no Drew Bledsoe to save it and no Kordell Stewart to blow it. Shittsburgh will try and knock off the Champs. Carolina (1-5) at Seattle (3-3), 4:05 PM. While visiting, Carolina should give Seattle some tips on Super Bowl appearances, should the Seahawks take the Panthers' place this year. Truth be told, neither will make it to the playoffs this season. Oakland (2-5) at San Diego (4-3), 4:15 PM. AFC West Matchup. Diego should have this one in the bag. Miami (1-5) at N.Y. Jets (5-1), 9:00 PM. AFC East matchup. A Monday Nighter with Miami seems like a ripoff. Open date: Cleveland, New Orleans, St. Louis, Tampa Bay Patriots News The Patriots placed rookie receiver P.K. Sam on injured reserve for a groin injury...Eugene Wilson did not start in Sunday's game...Matt Chatham returned to the line up in Sunday's game after starting the season on the physically unable to perform list...Tyrone Poole was out with a knee injury and Randall Gay placed in place of him...Patrick Pass was out with a thigh injury. League Notes The NFL and the state of Hawaii reached an agreement to keep the Pro Bowl in the Aloha State through 2009. Hawaii will pay less money to the NFL to host the all-star game, while the league will control the concessions of NFL gear throughout Aloha Stadium. Over the next five years, the NFL will receive roughly $20 million less, but expect to cash in on the concessions, which generated only $100,000 last season. "I think we can significantly do better than what's been done in the past,'' said NFL vice-president of special events Jim Steeg. The Pro Bowl will be played on February 15th...Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon was placed on injured reserve for a broken vertebra sustained in Week 3. Gannon was placed on IR last week as well.
Signs of the Apocalypse I've seen a lot of strange anti-Yankees pictures lately, especially since the Choking of 2004. But this picture, a parody featuring Alex "Curse of the A-Rod" Rodriguez and Derek "Jeter Swallows" Jeter on vacation, is by far the strangest, yet, most fitting. Who's your daddy, now, boys? And one for the Apocalypse ceasing, the local Shaws near Heise Manor is a great place to shop on Sundays. All of the employees wear Patriots gear and the customers file in with shirts and hats of the Flying Elvismen. Folks heading to the game stop for snacks for the tailgating festivities. This past Sunday the gear was covered with Red Sox colors as well. What a great sight to see, Boston teams doing so well and the fans flaunting it. It would suck to be a Jets/Yankees fan in the area south of Foxboro on Sunday. Notes & Quotes Well, you know, listen: I'm the quarterback here. And I am going to be the quarterback here, so if anyone has questions about that, listen, I apologize about that if you're going to cheer for the Bills. I am going to be the quarterback here.
The Red Sox faced St. Louis in the 1946 and 1967 World Series. The Cowboys are 5-0 lifetime at Lambeau Field. Curse of the A-Rod:
Top Ten List of the Week 1. Number 21. 2. How about them Red Sox! First World Series appearance in 18 years. Now all we need to do is win this thing. 3. In five meetings in Green Bay, Dallas has yet to win. That's almost as good as Peyton Manning not being able to win in Foxboro. Almost. 4. Bledsoe isn't looking so hot. Zero touchdowns, four interceptions. Pathetic. 5. I don't know what has gotten into the Chargers, but they've won four games already. I didn't expect that many over the next two seasons. 6. Atlanta is not ready to be considered one of the big teams yet, not with that shellacking by the Chiefs. 7. Hey, Jake Delhomme, you human version of a Japanese Anime character. How's that big contract extension feeling now? You loser. 8. Amazing run game for the Chiefs. Two running backs score four touchdowns a piece off Atlanta. 9. Corey Dillon made a huge impact on Sunday's game. 115 yard rushing on 22 carries, for 44 yards. 10. Let's go Red Sox! 25 October 2004 | ||
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The Writer
Red Sox clubhouse this week, after suffering a 3-0
deficient and facing elimination, the Sox finally got one on top of the New
York Yankees, winning four straight and becoming the first team in Major League
history to be down 3-0 in a best of seven series and forcing - then winning a
Game 7. At Yankee Stadium! The Yankees go home, and the Red Sox move on to the
World Series to face St. Louis, who beat Houston in seven games. 
received a trade to
