|
Home
| A Word from The Writer: The Monday Analysis - 8 November 2004 What a difference a week makes. And there are still things that stay the same, like dominance over St. Louis teams. Rebound - Patriots Handle Rams It seems like forever again since the Patriots lost a tough game. But it has been an awfully long week since the domination from the Steelers. And even with various injuries, particularly with Ty Law, Tyrone Poole, and Deion Branch, the Patriots Way stepped into high overdrive with a dominating win over the Rams, 40-22. And the hero again is Adam Vinatieri. But not just with his foot. Vinatieri architected a great fake snap for a field goal and instead found Troy Brown in the endzone for six. "Troy was out there, he was open. Adam called for the snap, and he hit him," said a happier head coach Bill Belichick after the game. ''I don't think that was the trickiest thing in the world,'' Rams head coach Mike Martz said. ''I mean, where was he going, to the john? We've got to pay more attention than that.'' ''You kind of hope to get these guys sleeping a little bit, and we did,'' Vinatieri said. ''Troy kind of hid out on the side and we snapped the ball before they noticed him.'' As for the other Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, he managed to go 18-31 for 234 yards and 2 TDs. David Givens had five catches for 100 yards, with a nice 50 yard catch. Corey Dillon dominated the ground game once again rushing 112 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. ''I'm just here to do my part and help the team win,'' Team Player Dillon said. ''Everybody stepped up after last week.'' The defense stepped up big time by sacking Marc Bulger five times and intercepting him once. They also kept the Rams scoreless in the first and third quarters. Troy Brown, Bethel Johnson, and Mike Vrabel had touchdown receptions. Vrabel came in as a tight end for a down and scored. Vrabel made a lot tougher catch than he did against Carolina (in Super Bowl XXXVIII), said Belichick. "(Here) He had to keep his feet down, and make a nice catch there on the sideline. Mike's been doing that and we run those plays in practice." The Rams have only lost one other game at home this season after a 15 game win streak at home. ''It's really hard to come in here and win,'' Belichick said. ''It was probably as complete a victory as I've ever been around.'' The Patriots return to the Razor next week for the Sunday Night game against Buffalo. Calling One Out...On Peter King Peter King is Senior Writer for Sports Illustrated, covering on the NFL. King has a tendency to play his favorites and go turn-faced when he find it convenient. This week he pulled the same crap against the Patriots, saying the loss to Shittsburgh last week was in fact "fitting that they got a taste of their own medicine" regarding the Steelers taking advantage of the Patriots' injury plagued line up. We at the Monday Analysis are just so sick and tired of Ol' Fat Man Peter King, and we're Calling One Out on Peter King. It's obvious to me, King, that Bill Belichick gives you no special audience. Because if he had like Bill Parcells does and Brett Favre does, that maybe you might give him a break instead of pounding on his head every chance you get. I find you gutless. So what if you've watched a game or two in the living rooms of Parcells and Favre. You're still an on-the-fence guy. In 1997, you split you MVP vote, cause you just couldn't decide and gave a half vote to Barry Sanders and a half vote to Brett Favre.
What is wrong with you? You pulled the same weak-ass shit last year with Coach of the Year, half for Bill Belichick and half for Bill Parcells. What is God's name is wrong with you? Belichick was the clear vote! He overwhelmingly received votes for that award! Are you insane? You mean to tell me a 12 game win streak wasn't enough for you, this after having 40 plus different starters? So what if Parcells brought a winning record to Dallas. Dude, coaches have come into teams and turned things around. You think that is so rare? Parcells had plenty to work with, Belichick was losing it all and had the best record in football. And yet you still felt the need to split your vote. Again. It isn't so bad that Peter King gives the Patriots very little attention and dare I say respect, but he fragrantly ignores them until it is convenient for him to berate them. But his boyfriend Brett Favre is a deme God, even when he chucks 6 INTs in a playoff game. King, time to be more like Switzerland and call games as they come, not who owes you a favor for an interview and dinner or whatever other favors you get. Weekend Break Down Raiders (3-6) 27, PANTHERS (1-7) 24 - FINAL: Not even Jake Delhomme's 3 TDs could help the Panthers get their second win of the season. BENGALS (3-5) 26, Cowboys (3-5) 3 - FINAL: Sucks to be Bill Parcells today. Three points? Ouch, heads will roll in Dallas this week. STEELERS (7-1) 27, Eagles (7-1) 3 - FINAL: Can you believe this? The egos in Shittsburgh are swelling this week as the Steelers remove another team from the undefeated column. BILLS (3-5) 22, Jets (6-2) 17 - FINAL: Big win for Bledsoe and the Bills. And the Willis McGahee Gamble is starting to pay off for Tom Donahue. McGahee started and went 133 yards on 38 carries for 1 TD. BUCCANEERS (3-5) 34, Chiefs (3-5) 31 - FINAL: The Big Scoring Machine in Kansas City comes to a halt in Tampa with the Bucs looking a little more like a recent Super Bowl team should with - get this - Brian Griese at quarterback. Redskins (3-5) 17, LIONS (4-4) 10 - FINAL: Joe Gibbs finds a way to a get a road win, and take out Detroit. Cardinals (3-5) 24, DOLPHINS (1-8) 23 - FINAL: Arizona pulls out a late game score to blow out Miami by a single point. Ouch, I would hate to be Dave Wannstedt this morning. But there again, the Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga could care less about his football team these days. And signing Bill Gramatica didn't help. Bears (3-5) 28, GIANTS (5-3) 21- FINAL: Da Bears get Da Win over Da G-men. Ick. Betcha Tom Coughlin wasn't too pleased after this one. Five turnovers for the Giants. Seahawks (5-3) 42, 49ERS (1-7) 27 - FINAL: Seattle did themselves a huge favor winning this one, but there again it was over the 49ers. That's no challenge. CHARGERS (6-3) 43, Saints (3-5) 17 - FINAL: What will stop this Chargers? Nothing. San Diego is on fire and they're blowing away everyone. And Drew Brees is awesome. Four touchdowns in this one. BRONCOS (6-3) 31, Texans (4-4) 13 - FINAL: Jake Plummer tosses four touchdowns and zero picks to wallop the Texans. Patriots (7-1) 40, RAMS (4-4) 22 - FINAL: Big, huge win, coming back from that pathetic display from last week. Adam Vinatieri kicks four field goals and throws for a touchdown to Troy Brown. And Brown, the big man playing both offense and defense with the added injuries. Go Troy, Go Adam, Go Pats! RAVENS (5-3) 27, Browns (3-5) 13 - FINAL: The return of Jamal Lewis brings a big, important win for the Ravens. Minnesota (5-2) at Indianapolis (4-3), Tonight 9 PM ABC Open date: Atlanta, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Tennessee Oddities of Week 10's Matchups Seattle (5-3) at St. Louis (4-4), 1 PM. NFC West battle. The Seahawks have a chance to bounce ahead in the division where St. Louis hasn't played well at home this season. Houston (4-4) at Indianapolis (4-3), 1 PM. AFC South match up. Neither team is playing well, but Houston has more to gain and less to lose. Pittsburgh (7-1) at Cleveland (3-5), 1 PM. AFC North match up. The Browns need a win to stay alive, and beating Pittsburgh is a good start. Tampa Bay (3-5) at Atlanta (6-2), 1 PM. AFC South match up. Brian Griese is red-hot, and needs to stay that way in this one against Vick and Co. Minnesota (5-2) at Green Bay (4-4), 4:15 PM. AFC North match up. The Packers have not found much green at home this year, and could use this turn around. Buffalo (3-5) at New England (7-1), 8:30 PM. AFC East match up in Prime Time. The Patriots are looking for the sweep over the Bills. Philadelphia (7-1) at Dallas (3-5), 9:00 PM. NFC East classic match up. Philly looks to get back on the winning scale, while the Parcellsites are just looking for a win, and not get embarrassed on national television. Open date: Denver, Miami, Oakland, San Diego Patriots News Ty Law broke his leg in Week 8 and will be out a month to eight weeks...Corey Dillon started against St. Louis after sitting out last week with a thigh injury...The Patriots signed Earthwind Moreland off the practice squad...Deion Branch missed his sixth game...Tom Ashworth has been placed on injured reserve... Signs of the Apocalypse When the kicker is the hero, it says something, and we've seen that in New England. But when he's tossing touchdowns with ease, you gotta take a long look at this league. Notes & Quotes Well, that was a great football game. I'm really proud of our football team.
Adam Vinatieri has a 122.9 quarterback rating. He was 1-1 for 4 yards and 1 TD. Top Ten List of the Week 1. Great to see the Patriots back on the winning road. 2. The Steelers are no longer the quiet team. They will be at the top of the heap this week in all the power rankings. Now they are to be marked. 3. Drew Brees is giving a good argument for the starting position in San Diego. Wait, he is already the starter in San Diego. 4. Willis McGahee may have dodged a big bullet with that knee injury a couple of years ago. He looks like a premier back. 5. Bravo to Adam Vinatieri! Nice touchdown pass! 6. One reason the Patriots keep winning is the diversity in the line up. When the wide receiver can play corner, the linebacker can catch a touchdown pass as a tight end, and the kicker can throw touchdown passes, you team is unstoppable. 7. Poor Carolina. Six straight losses. How was that Super Bowl rematch in August again? 8. The up and down story in Cincinnati is on the up again, and what a way to stop the Cowboys. The defense kept them to three points. 9. The Dolphins, the 49ers, and the Panthers are mathematically out of it in Week 9. Better luck next season. 10. Thank God that election got over so quickly. ejh8 November 2004 | ||
© copyright 1999-2004 writersmarch, Ltd.& Unestone Press
All rights reserved.
The Writer