Projo Pats Blog

Last season, the Patriots plowed through the NFL like an unstoppable force, until they ran into New York Giants in the Super Bowl. This year, after losing quarterback Tom Brady to injury, they are scrappy overachievers again. The Herald's John Tomase wrote last night that it is like 2001 all over again, and hey, I agree. That season, the Patriots were given little chance to compete out of the gate, and after losing Drew Bledsoe late in the second game of the season, they seemed even more lost. They were 0-2 when Tom Brady made his first start that season.

This season, there were high expectations before Brady went down in the first quarter of the first game, meaning that Cassel has essentially run the defense for the entire season. Including that opening day game (we'll count it as a start for Cassel), here are the 2008 Patriots in their first seven games, compared with the 2001 Patriots in their first seven games under Brady:

2001: 5-2 record, 189.3 avg. yards passing, 113.6 avg. yards rushing, 186 points, 138 points allowed.
2008: 5-2 record, 189.7 avg. yards passing, 130.4 avg. yards rushing, 153 points, 132 points allowed.

Three things stand out: number one, the Patriots' offense has done just about everything at least as good this year as it did in 2001 -- except for getting the ball into the end zone. That was a problem yesterday, too, although it wasn't really Cassel's fault. He threw two great passes to Randy Moss in the end zone, in the second and fourth quarters, one of which was nicely broken up and the other of which Moss simply missed. Both of those drives ended in field goals instead of touchdowns.

Number two, the Patriots' defense, as highly criticized as it has been, has actually allowed fewer points through seven games of 2008 than it did in the first seven games of the Brady era in 2001. That 2001 team was thought of at the time as one that succeeded because of defense. So while the personnel might not be as good this season, the results haven't been any worse.

Number three, Bill Belichick has taken a roasting at times in the national media from people who have questioned how good a coach he really is. Without Brady, the thinking goes, he has historically gotten mediocre results. Remember, though, Tom Brady in 2001 was not Tom Brady in 2007, and the Patriots won any way. Matt Cassel is not Tom Brady in 2001, and the Patriots were winning anyway. I'd call it early vindication of Belichick's great coach credentials.

JUST WIN, BABY: The Patriots came away with the victory despite the fact that the other team had the game's leading passer (Marc Bulger), leading rusher (Antonio Pittman) and leading receiver (Donnie Avery) (ColdHardFootballFacts.com).

NO PENALTIES: The Patriots' penalty-free performance on Sunday was not only the first in franchise history, it was just the 50th by any team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

WHERE THE GLASS WAS HALF-EMPTY: In addition to the obvious problems in the secondary, the Patriots' other issues were largely on special teams Sunday (Boston Globe). Punter Chris Hanson showed plenty of misdirected leg strength by booting all three of his punts for touchbacks, while tight end David Thomas failed to field the Rams' second-half-opening onside kick that went in his direction.

THERE FOR THE TAKING: The Patriots' win, coupled with Miami's upset of Buffalo and the Jets' close-call victory against Kansas City, leaves the AFC East more wide open than ever (ESPN).

GIANT STEPS: New York's gritty win at Pittsburgh left the Giants at 6-1 and seemed to put to rest any doubts that they are a big-time threat to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The bad news, of course, is that me-first receiver Plaxico Burress got himself benched for one of the biggest matchups of the year by missing a treatment for his neck injury. Burress, of course, showed no remorse for putting his team in such a bind, and had this incredibly ironic statement after the game: "My job is to be a good teammate and to catch passes. Everybody isn't going to always see eye to eye in this business." (ESPN) So how does failing to follow the most basic common-sense rules qualify as being a good teammate? Burress is a professional athlete with such arrogance that he doesn't even bother to show up for a therapy session -- something that countless Americans rehabbing from injuries find time to do every day. With Plax's awful attitude left unchecked by yesterday's punishment, you can expect more trouble for the Giants as the season continues.

WINNING UNDER A CLOUD: The Saints and the Chargers put on a fine show in London yesterday, and it was unfortunate for the league that New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister found himself answering questions after the game about his positive drug test. McAllister denies violating league rules (projo.com), and ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported yesterday that some of the players who tested positive along with McAllister are considering a lawsuit against the maker of the supplement known as StarCaps, claiming that they were unaware that the product contained a banned substance.

CONDI FOR HIRE: Adam Schefter of the NFL Network reported yesterday morning that the San Francisco 49ers want to talk to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice about a high-level position within the organization. ProFootballTalk.com reports that there is some cynicism in the league about Rice, who once campaigned openly for the job of league commissioner.

TODAY WAS GOOD FOR ME: That's what new 49ers coach Mike Singletary said after his fading team was chewed up by the Seattle Seahawks (we didn't think they had it in them). But if he gets this worked up after a bad loss, you have to wonder about the man's long-term stability coaching the Niners. I think a lot of fans, though, would agree with Singletary's comments about tight end Vernon Davis, who is kind of like Plaxico Burress without any professional accomplishments to speak of.

IT WON'T GO AWAY: The saga of Kellen Winslow's staph infection continues to take strange and sinister turns. Yesterday, after the Browns' victory at Jacksonville, general manager Phil Savage denied that he had knowledge of text messages from a team PR employee instructing Winslow not to reveal his infection to anyone (Cleveland Plain Dealer). The Browns are thought to be sensitive to the fact that their facilities are becoming the staph infection capital of the Midwest. After Savage's denial, he proceeded to fuel the rampant speculation that Winslow is suffering from something else -- there have been lots of unsubstantiated rumors that the tight end contracted an STD -- which Winslow denies. There is no chance that this ends well for Winslow or the Browns.

ROGUE LAWYER: Former Patriots and current Falcons defensive back Lawyer Milloy can expect to be fined after his late, high hit on Eagles tight end L.J. Smith knocked Smith out of Sunday's game with a concussion. Eagles coach Andy Reid defended Milloy, though, saying after the game that Milloy is "not a cheap-shot guy."

CHANGING THEIR TUNE: It wasn't real pretty and came at the expense of a key injury to tight end Jason Witten, but the Cowboys got a much-needed win yesterday against a tough Tampa Bay team. That has Dallas Morning News columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor writing something that has not been written a lot lately: that Wade Phillips deserves some credit.

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