NFL FanHouse

Bozo the Coach, Andy Reid and the Belichick Precedent

Dave Goldberg — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Colts, Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, AFC East, AFC South, NFC East, NFC North, NFL Coaching, NFL Analysis

What Bill Belichick did Sunday night has happened before. It justifiably earned Barry Switzer the nickname "Bozo The Coach'' for failing TWICE on fourth down in the late stages of a tie game. And the Eagles' Andy Reid did the opposite of the New England coach on Sunday, eschewing fourth-and-short twice to kick field goals in what turned out to be an eight-point loss.

Switzer's mistake didn't prevent Dallas from winning its third Super Bowl in four seasons in the early '90s, but it left Switzer at the top of the oft-debated list of worst coaches to win a title.

On Nov. 15, 1995, the Cowboys were playing in Philadelphia and faced a fourth down and 1 on their own 29 with the game tied 17-17 and just over two minutes left. Switzer decided to go for it and sent Emmitt Smith left over the massive Nate Newton.

Jay Mariotti: Spygate to Stupidgate: Belichick Blunders

He was stopped but it didn't count. The officials blew the whistle for the two-minute warning. No problem. The Cowboys tried again. Same play. Stuffed again. Three plays later, Gary Anderson kicked a 42-yard field goal that gave the Eagles a 20-17 win.

Headline in the New York Post the next day: "Bozo The Coach.''

The result brought the Eagles to within a game of the Cowboys in the NFC East with two games to play. But Dallas won its next two games, won the division, won both its playoff games and beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl -- the one in which Larry Brown ended up as the MVP on a team that featured Smith, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders.

But it was the end of an era. The Cowboys beat the Vikings in a wild-card game the next season, then lost next week to second-year expansion team Carolina. That win over Minnesota was the last postseason victory they've had.

Reid?

In Sunday's 31-23 loss in San Diego, the Philadelphia coach decided to kick a field goal trailing 14-0 in the second quarter with the ball perhaps six inches away from the Chargers' goal. In the third quarter, trailing 21-6, he had fourth and one at the San Diego 7 and had David Akers kick again. The Eagles lost, 31-23.

"There was too much time," Reid said of his decision on the first, the most obvious. "I thought it was important to come out of there with points."

That was four points. The second fourth-and-one kick was four points.

The Eagles lost by eight.

Bozo the Coach, Andy Reid and the Belichick Precedent originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jets Continue Downward Spiral at Home

Matt Snyder — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: Jaguars, Jets, AFC East, AFC South

After starting the season 3-0, including impressive victories at Houston and against New England, the Jets have fallen flat on their collective faces. With a home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday -- a team that was previously 1-3 on the road -- the Jets have now lost four of their last five games. They've also lost their last three games at home, against the Bills, Dolphins and Jags.

Sunday, the Jets' problems emanated from losing the turnover battle (3-to-1), and their inability to stop Maurice Jones-Drew. MJD gained 123 yards on 24 carries and also threw in 22 receiving yards for good measure.

More: Check Box Score | Polamalu Hurt Again | Saints Survive

The Jets were able to move the ball at times, amassing 322 yards on 60 plays (compared to 347 on 60 plays for the Jags). They were also pretty comparable in terms of time of possession -- Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene combined for a solid New York rushing attack. When the two teams play that evenly from scrimmage, the game is usually decided on turnovers. And it was.

Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez set the tone, throwing an interception on the first play of the game. The Jaguars needed just four offensive plays before having a 7-0 lead. Then in the third quarter, the Jets sandwiched two turnovers -- a Braylon Edwards fumble and another Sanchez pick -- around a takeaway of their own. In a game where every inch counts and was decided on a last-second field goal, you can't turn the ball over like that.

Despite that, the Jets still had a chance to win. They held a one-point lead after a solid drive concluded with a Thomas Jones touchdown. The Jaguars proceeded to run the final five minutes off the clock in a 12-play, 80-yard drive which culminated with Josh Scobee's 21-yard field goal as time expired.

The Jets don't have much time to grieve after this loss, however, because they head to New England for a rematch with the hated Patriots next Sunday. You can expect the Pats to be out for a little revenge, too, so the Jets have their work cut out for them.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, has now thrust itself into the playoff picture with a 5-4 record. The Jags will look to win their third consecutive game next week when they face the Bills at home.

Jets Continue Downward Spiral at Home originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Johnson, Titans Throttle Bills

Matt Snyder — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Titans, AFC East, AFC South

The Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans entered the fourth quarter Sunday knotted at 17-all. Considering what happened in the last 15 minutes of the game, Bills head coach Dick Jauron and his team might have been better served to leave early.

When the dust settled, the Bills headed home with a 41-17 loss. They were also likely saddled with nightmares involving Tennessee running back Chris Johnson and the rejuvenated Titans defense.

More: Check Box Score | Jags Dump Jets | Panthers Clip Falcons

The Bills entered the game sporting the worst run defense in the NFL. Considering what kind of stretch Johnson is having, it wasn't difficult to foresee him exploding.

He didn't disappoint. Johnson took the rock 26 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. But that wasn't all. He also caught nine passes for 100 yards. All told, Johnson accounted for 232 of his team's 378 yards and two of its three offensive touchdowns. You simply can't say enough about how good Johnson is.

He entered the season talking about gaining 2,000 yards on the ground this year -- he's now on pace for 1,940 and has a very realistic shot at the 2K barrier, considering the Titans' have a pretty soft run-defense schedule the rest of the way, and how heavily Tennessee seems content to lean on him. He's presently playing like the best player in football, not just the best running back.

Obviously, there is no shame in not being able to stop Johnson, but the Bills gave away any chance at a comeback with two late turnovers. Trailing by 10 points with just under three minutes left, the Bills still had a glimmer of hope. Instead, Trent Edwards threw an interception to Vincent Fuller -- who proceeded to take the ball 26 yards to the house. A few plays later, with the game already decided, Ryan Fitzpatrick -- as if he didn't want Edwards to feel bad about himself -- decided to throw a pick-six of his own, this one a 31-yarder to Roderick Hood.

Aside from Johnson, the big story emerging from this game was the fact that Vince Young has given the Titans a spark. They were 0-6 with Kerry Collins heading into their bye week. They've come out of the bye a totally different team, and Young is now 3-0 as a starter in 2009 (and 21-11 in his career). His pocket awareness and ability to check down are better than they have ever been, and he's picking his spots to run quite well (he carried the ball five times for 29 yards).

The Titans will look to continue their winning ways next week when they head to Houston. There might also be a bit of a revenge factor as well, as the Titans lost a 34-31 thriller to the Texans in Week 2. An FYI -- Chris Johnson had 197 rushing yards on just 16 carries in that game. Think he'll play a big role next week?

As for the Bills, they played relatively well for three quarters, but that's not good enough. Edwards found Lee Evans and Terrell Owens vertically a few times, but they need to run the football with more frequency (Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch combined for 85 yards on 17 carries), especially when someone like Johnson is doing a number on their defense. They will look to rebound in Jacksonville next week against another stud running back, Maurice Jones-Drew.

Chris Johnson, Titans Throttle Bills originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Patriots Taking Control in AFC East

Matt Snyder — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, Patriots, AFC East

If the Dolphins had been able to march into Foxborough Sunday and find a way to beat the vaunted New England Patriots Sunday, the AFC East would have been quite the muddled division. Even the Buffalo Bills would have been within striking distance, while the Jets and Dolphins would have trailed the Pats by a single game with eight to play.

After a Ronnie Brown touchdown pass -- which was surely a flashback to last year's Wildcat-fest in New England -- the Patriots found themselves facing a 17-16 deficit with 4:51 left in the third quarter, and the Dolphins appeared on the verge of the critical road upset.

But Tom Brady, Randy Moss and company weren't having that.

On a pivotal third-and-1, Brady hit Moss in stride and the star wideout did the rest -- 71 yards later, the Patriots had a lead. The defense then took the cue and didn't allow another point.

On the day, Brady and Moss filled up the stat sheet. Brady completed 25 of 37 passes for 332 yards and a touchdown. Moss hauled in six of those passes, good for 147 yards and a score. Wes Welker was his catch-machine self, grabbing nine passes for 84 yards. The defense did their job as well. Last season, the Dolphins marched into New England with their wildcat and ran wild on the Pats. This time around, the 31 carries for 133 yards was serviceable, but not near enough to steal another victory.

Thus, New England now sports a two-game lead over the Jets -- and they'll get a crack at them in the confines of Foxborough two weeks from now. In the meantime, they head to Indianapolis for a battle of the titans next week.

That's right: Patriots vs. Colts in Indy next week. The last time Brady faced the Colts it was a classic, as the Pats iced the game within the last two minutes -- en route to an undefeated season. This time around, the Colts are undefeated (8-0) and have won 17 consecutive regular season games. Bill Belichick, though he'd never admit it, would love to be the one to stop the streak.

Patriots Taking Control in AFC East originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terrell Owens Sets Goal: To Outperform Roy Williams

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Cowboys, AFC East, NFC East

After entering the National Football League in 1996 as a third-round selection, Terrell Owens has put up some big-time numbers in his 14-year career.

He's the NFL's active touchdown leader with 142 scores. He's second among active receivers to Isaac Bruce with 14,364 career receiving yards. He's also been a six-time Pro-Bowler. But, when asked what his goal for 2009 entailed, Owens didn't shoot for the moon like you would expect a player with his accolades to do. In fact, all Owens wants to do is outperform Dallas wide receiver Roy Williams.

Owens opened his media briefing with a laugh and said: "I've been looking at my stats compared to Roy E. Williams' stats over there in Dallas, and my goal is to have better stats than him at the end of the season."

Asked if he regrets signing with Buffalo, Owens said:

"No, not at all. Everything happens for a reason. There are times, I'm human, and it's frustrating. I never want to go back and rethink things. But that's the nature of it."

As it stands right now, Owens has 242 yards receiving on 18 catches and one touchdown. He's played in all seven of the Bills' games thus far and averages 13.4 yards per reception.

Williams, on the other hand, has only played in five of Dallas' six games and has 12 receptions for 230 yards and a touchdown. Williams averages 19.2 yards per reception.

The first glaring detail upon looking at the schedules for both teams shows that Dallas has 10 games remaining -- Buffalo only nine. If both receivers play in all of their remaining games, it would seem that Williams has an advantage. But remaining games don't paint the full picture.

By taking a look at the strength of schedule for both teams' remaining games in reference to receiving yards allowed, you'll see that Buffalo has a much easier time. In the nine games left for Buffalo, they only face three defenses in the top-10 in receiving yards allowed. The average rank of the defenses left to face is 18.4. Dallas, unfortunately for Williams in this competition he didn't ask to compete in, faces seven top-10 receiving defenses with an average rank of 8.5.

Owens definitely has an easier road to travel and should be able to easily win this "bet", even though he has one less game to play. He also probably knew that the schedule favored him before he opened his mouth. Because you wouldn't think that Terrell Owens would stir up trouble aimlessly, without thinking about the consequences of his actions -- would you?

Terrell Owens Sets Goal: To Outperform Roy Williams originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tashard Choice Will See More Carries Against Atlanta

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cowboys, AFC East, NFL Injuries

Marion Barber, on his own blog, stated that he was well rested after Dallas' bye week and that his strained left quadriceps is "no longer a problem". Meanwhile, Felix Jones, who hasn't played since Week 3, is back at practice this week -- he's wearing a brace to protect his left knee, but he's still practicing.

With Barber and Jones back, why is it that Tashard Choice is going to get even more carries this week against Atlanta? The simple answer -- because Jerry Jones said so.

On his weekly radio show, Jerry Jones said that even though Barber was as healthy as he's been in two weeks, Choice would see more playing time. "Tashard certainly earned and is going to get a big part of the load."

This decision comes after Choice stepped in against Kansas City and rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries. In fact, over the last three games the second-year running back out of Georgia Tech is averaging 69 yards per game and almost 5.2 yards per carry. Those numbers seem to warrant an increase in touches, but who will lose out if Choice handles the ball more?

That may not be an issue this Sunday against Atlanta. Even though Barber says his quad is healthy and that he's not banged up anymore, he still has a fractured left thumb. Barber may be able to run just fine but if he can't hold on to the ball he'll see less time on the field.

Felix Jones may also be able to return to play this Sunday but he's probably going to have to wear a knee brace. The bulky brace will not only slow him, but should sap his explosive play-making ability just a bit. And it's still not a certainty that he'll be able to play. Felix Jones said that the pain is still there at times, and he's still not 100%.

Just how much of an extra load Choice will carry remains a mystery. All we know is that Dallas expects Barber to be the starting running back and the rest of the plan will unfold within the game.

Fantasy Football Spin:
There aren't enough carries in a healthy Dallas backfield for Choice, Barber and Jones. Since there's never really a time when all three backs are completely healthy, you won't run into complaints for lack of playing time. With Choice earning this extra work he's now a usable FLEX starter, limited to weeks when he's facing a good matchup.

There also isn't enough information to determine if this new role is just for the Atlanta game or if Choice will be more involved moving forward. A lot of that will be determined by the health of Jones and Barber, but also watch to make sure that Choice keeps his high yards per carry average up.

If any of these three backs is on your fantasy football roster, it's imperative that you check the injury report every week. Their health will go a long way on a week-by-week basis to determine who sees more action.

Tashard Choice Will See More Carries Against Atlanta originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Roth Finally Returns to Practice, Then Sprains Ankle

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, AFC East, NFL Injuries

On Wednesday, Miami Dolphins linebacker Matt Roth returned to practice for the first time since failing a conditioning test on the first day of training camp -- thus ending a strange roller-coaster ride of mysterious illnesses and phantom injuries that lasted almost three months. At least we thought the ride was over.

Roth apparently suffered an ankle injury in his first practice back and will miss Miami's game against New Orleans this Sunday.

Back in August, Roth failed his conditioning test. He failed even though he had signed a statement that every player signs, saying that he was not injured in any way, shape or form.

More Injury News: Eagles Lose LB Omar Gaither for Season

Roth cited an illness as the reason why he flunked the test. He told head coach Tony Sparano that he just didn't feel well. Tests were done and blood drawn but everything in Roth's blood work tested fine. His mysterious illness couldn't be verified. During all these medical tests Roth's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, announced to the media that Roth had a bad groin.

Uh-oh.

Unable to find an illness and unaware of a reason why Roth would mislead the Dolphins, the team placed Roth on the non-football injury list.

That was then. Fast-forward to the present.

Roth deemed himself ready to practice on Wednesday and got out there with the intensity of a rookie, trying to pry balls away from receivers and playing aggressively. Maybe he played too aggressively.

Hurt again, Roth was only able to watch practice on Thursday -- one day after his first practice of the season. He appeared on the sidelines with a heavily taped ankle as he viewed team drills. His new ankle injury puts to rest any questions as to whether or not he'll be able to play this weekend against New Orleans (he won't). What's not solved is this intriguing story of illness, injury and inability to play football.

The next step for the Dolphins will be to find out when, or if, Roth can return from this new injury.

Matt Roth Finally Returns to Practice, Then Sprains Ankle originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kris Jenkins Done for Season

Josh Alper — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Jets, AFC East, NFL Injuries

The suddenly reeling New York Jets are going to have to try and get back on track without their immense nose tackle Kris Jenkins. Jenkins tore the ACL in his left knee during the Jets' dispiriting 16-13 overtime loss to the Bills on Sunday and he was placed on injured reserve Monday afternoon which ends his 2009 season.

"It comes with the game," Jenkins said. "My feelings are hurt that I won't be able to be out there fighting with my teammates."

His teammates might be finding it a lot harder to win their future fights without Jenkins occupying the middle of the line. They'll have to figure something out, though, because there's not much chance of swinging a deal before Tuesday's trade deadline.

More: Seahawks LB Tatupu's Year Finished, Too

The Jets are already pushed right up against the cap and surrendered a pair of 2010 draft choices to bring Braylon Edwards over from Cleveland. To make a trade for Shaun Rogers of the Browns they'd have to pare serious salary from their roster, which hurts them in the short-term, and deal away even more picks that will leave them shorthanded for years to come. What's more, it suddenly doesn't seem like there's much reason to go all out for the 2009 season.

Sunday's loss did more than just remind everyone that Mark Sanchez is a rookie quarterback who is going to have the same struggles as most rookie quarterbacks, it also featured a defense that looks nothing like the one that held the Saints and Patriots in check earlier this season. There was no aggressiveness, poor tackling and haphazard pass coverage throughout the loss to the Bills and they won't see many more offenses with less power than that one.

Given the problems on both sides of the ball, the Jets shouldn't be committing any more future resources to this season. Instead, it's time to fix what's broken now so they can resume a battle for a playoff spot that's getting more difficult by the week.

Kris Jenkins Done for Season originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trent Edwards Leaves With Head Injury

Matt Snyder — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, AFC East, NFL Injuries, NFL Quarterbacks

After beginning the game uncharacteristically hot -- hitting on his first five passes for 43 yards -- Bills starting quarterback Trent Edwards has left the game with an ~~apparent knee~~ head injury (see update). Edwards was hobbled after being sacked by Calvin Pace and David Harris of the Jets. After milling around the sidelines for a bit and discussing things with Bills' trainers, Edwards went to the locker room.

In his stead, Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking snaps. Considering the weather (mid-40s, almost 20 MPH winds) and the opponent (the Jets are eighth against the pass), things aren't going to be easy for Fitzpatrick. He's only 4-10-1 in his 15 career starts and sports a sorry 66.9 rating.

Of course, this sets the stage perfectly for a complete and utter meltdown from Terrell Owens. T.O. is certainly no stranger to the world of the disgruntled, and he's obviously not bad happy thus far in 2009 with the production of the Bills offense -- and, likely, himself. Now, he's going to be attempting to catch passes from a seventh-round pick from out of Harvard who wasn't good enough to hold down a third-string job with the Bengals. Coming from a man who has complained about Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb, it's hard to see him enjoying the work of Fitzpatrick.

Maybe the Bills can summon J.P. Losman to return from the UFL?

Update: Edwards actually suffered a concussion in the game -- the second of his young NFL career. As of now, his status for the game against the Panthers this coming weekend is unknown. Edwards was healthy enough to travel home with the team instead of staying in a hospital, which is a good sign.

Trent Edwards Leaves With Head Injury originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday Night Football Live Chat: New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins

Adam Gretz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, Jets, AFC East, NFL Live Blogging

Monday Night Football returns to Miami for the second time in four weeks, as the Dolphins host the New York Jets in an AFC East throw down.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to rebound from the worst start of his young career, the Dolphins look to build off their first win of the season, and Jon Gruden is already drooling at the thought of Miami running the wildcat all night. We'll be chatting about all of this, and more, in our weekly Monday night live chat, so please join us at 8:30 PM ET for all of the fun.

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Monday Night Football Live Chat: New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Fred Taylor Needs Ankle Surgery

Matt Snyder — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Patriots, AFC East, NFL Injuries

According to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston, New England Patriots No. 1 running back Fred Taylor is going to undergo surgery to repair his injured right ankle. The 33-year-old running back hurt his ankle on his seventh and final carry against the Ravens this past Sunday. No real timetable has been set for Taylor's return following this procedure, except that Reiss reports that it won't cost him the season unless there are complications.

Taylor, an offseason free agent acquisition, leads the Pats' backfield committee in carries (45), yards (201), yards per carry (4.5) and touchdowns (2). Expect Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk to all receive an increased workload with Taylor sidelined.

Fantasy Football Spin:
Obviously, this is a bit of a blow to Taylor owners. He had shown the ability to play like an RB2 when given a full load in Week 3, when he carried the ball 21 times for 105 yards and a touchdown. Don't go dropping him just yet, because we haven't heard definitively if this report is true or exactly how long he'll be out from team sources.

If he is out for an extended time, Morris is a good add in mid-size leagues on up. He'll likely get the most touches, be utilized in the passing game and get goal-line carries. Maroney will have a crack at carries, but he hasn't had as much success in the past two seasons as Morris has. He's rosterable only in incredibly deep leagues as running back depth. Faulk also looks to see an increase in touches, but most of his damage will be done through the air. In really deep PPR leagues, Faulk is worth a look at as an RB4. Don't discount BenJarvus Green-Ellis in this mix, either, but he's not an add right now anywhere. Morris is the clear winner in this situation.

Report: Fred Taylor Needs Ankle Surgery originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chad Pennington Out for Season With Shoulder Injury

Matt Snyder — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, AFC East, NFL Injuries

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the injury suffered by Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington in Sunday's game against the Chargers will end his 2009 season. The initial diagnosis on Pennington's shoulder says he has torn a capsule in his right shoulder. He will seek a second opinion from world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews this week. Andrews has already performed two surgeries on Pennington's right shoulder. (Update, Sept. 28: The Sun-Sentinel confirmed Mortensen's report.)

If this report turns out to be correct, it's a big blow for the defending AFC East champion Dolphins, who have already dug themselves a hole -- Miami is 0-3 after Sunday's loss in San Diego. Second-year quarterback Chad Henne would be the de facto starter, and he looked less than impressive Sunday against San Diego.

More Injury News: Niners' Gore Will Miss 3 Weeks

After Henne entered the game, he connected on 10 of 19 passes for 92 yards, but he also threw an interception for a touchdown on a terribly telegraphed pass. Henne has the potential to be a quality NFL starter down the line, but the Dolphins weren't planning on him learning the job on the fly -- not following an 11-win season and a trip to the playoffs.

The only other quarterback currently on Miami's roster is rookie wildcat-extraordinaire Pat White, who has attempted just one pass this season.

Fantasy Spin
Again, we need to verify the news as the absolute truth and wait through Pennington's visit with Dr. Andrews before making any final judgments, but Pennington wasn't a great fantasy option anyway. The impact will be felt elsewhere more than with Pennington himself. We'll need to downgrade Ted Ginn and Davone Bess until we see what kind of rapport they build with Henne.

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will take a slight hit initially, because defenses won't have to worry about being beaten through the air near as much. Of course, if Henne gets himself together, the long-term value of the rushing duo could be helped, because he has a much stronger arm than Pennington and will be able to stretch the field. That's going to take some time, though, as he learns the job on the field.

Chad Pennington Out for Season With Shoulder Injury originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of an Era for Patriots? Maybe Not, But NFL Is Changing

Dave Goldberg — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:20:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Patriots, Redskins, AFC East

The New England Patriots slipped back into the pack Sunday.

Yes, the Pats are a good team. No, they are no longer a dominant one. Their 16-9 loss to the Jets is more indicative that their dominance has ended than last season, when they missed the playoffs.

That was a "good'' miss -- they were 11-5 and could attribute their "failure'' to Tom Brady's absence. Now their failures are the result of the inevitable aging of their defense and an offense that, with injuries, had to rely Sunday on 37-year-old Joey Galloway and Julian Edelman, a rookie who played quarterback in college, to supplement Randy Moss at receiver.

It was, in fact, a day of change in the NFL.

More Coverage: Sanchez Takes Jets to 2-0 | All Week 2 Scores

Tennessee, which started 10-0 last season, is now 0-2 after allowing 34 points at home to Houston. Only three teams that started 0-2 in the Super Bowl era have won the title, the last being the Giants of two years ago, who allowed 80 points in two early losses.

On the plus side, New Orleans is 2-0 and has scored 95 points in two games -- although the 48-22 win in Philadelphia was over a team with Kevin Kolb making his first start at quarterback, in place of Donovan McNabb, who sat with a rib injury.

San Francisco, a doormat since 2002, is 2-0 with wins over Arizona and Seattle, the two teams it will have to beat to win the NFC West -- although this version of the 49ers, which uses a grind-it-out offense with a pounding defense, has a long way to go to emulate the Joe Montana-Steve Young-Jerry Rice-Ronnie Lott teams that won five titles between 1981-94.

But the clearest indication of a changing of the guard was at the Meadowlands, where the Jets made all their pre-game mouthing-off stand up by holding New England without a touchdown. Chalk one up for Rex Ryan, who said when he was made the Jets' coach last winter that he hadn't come to kiss Bill Belichick's rings.

"We're not really flying on all cylinders now. To not get the ball in the end zone is unacceptable,'' Brady said.

"We didn't do a good enough job,'' deadpanned Belichick, who rarely says more than that.

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CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Danieal Manning #38 and Nick Roach #53 of the Chicago Bears bring down Willie Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20, 2009 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Steelers 17-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Danieal Manning;Nick Roach;Willie Parker

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Brandon Manumaleuna #86 of the San Diego Chargers runs the ball as Dawan Landry #26 of the Baltimore Ravens trys to tackle him at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California.The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26 (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Manumaleuna;Dawan Landry

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Both the San Diego Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens prey after the game at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California.The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26 (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Eric Weddle #32 of the San Diego Chargers hugs Antwan Barnes #50 of the Baltimore Ravens after the game at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California.The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26 (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Weddle;Antwan Barnes

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Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Brad Butler is helped from the field after an injury in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009. Buffalo won 33-20. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Green Bay Packers Aaron Kampman tries to stop Cincinnati Bengals Andre Caldwell during the second half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

MCT

Green Bay Packers Ryan Grant scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Aaron Rogers gets off a pass in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers is sacked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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But it goes much deeper.

If Ryan had unleashed Mark Sanchez, who threw for just 15 yards in the first half, New York might well have scored more in their first win over the Patriots at the Meadowlands since Sept. 11, 2000. In hindsight, it was inevitable -- you can't take Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour off the defense and out of the locker room, especially when the new linchpin of the defense, Jerod Mayo, is out for a while with a knee injury.

Offense? Wes Welker rested a sore knee and was replaced by Edelman, a seventh-round pick who used to be Kent State's QB. He had a nice game -- six catches for 98 yards. But Moss, blanketed, was taken out of the game, and Galloway, the kind of pickup who has helped in the past, did little.

In fact, if Buffalo's Leodis McKelvin had stayed in the end zone with that late kickoff on Monday night, the Patriots would be 0-2. Instead he fumbled, allowing Brady to put up two touchdowns. The five minutes in which he did it are the only five minutes in two games when he has looked like the old Brady.

He will shake off the rust.

But he may not be surrounded by enough talent for that to make a difference.

CURIOUS COACHING

"Everyone was a little down in here," Redskins tight end Chris Cooley said after Washington barely eked out a 9-7 win over St. Louis, a 2-14 team in 2008 that they should have beaten easily at home. Instead, they could have lost if the Rams had enough offense to take advantage of a strange late decision by coach Jim Zorn.

With 3:47 left, Zorn eschewed a 37- or 38-yard field goal that would have given the Skins a 5-point lead to go for it on fourth-and-1. OK, that's understandable -- and Clinton Portis got the first down.

But doing it again at the St. Louis 2 with 1:40 left? That failed, leaving the Rams a minute-and-a-half to get into range for a game-winning field goal. Given St. Louis' offensive deficiencies, might it have been safer to not leave them within a field goal of winning? Yes, Zorn left them backed up instead of kicking off and giving them reasonable field position. But if they'd somehow gotten out of the hole and kicked a field goal, Zorn might have been looking for a job on Monday.

Better to leave them needing a touchdown.

Then there was San Diego's Norv Turner, whose team lost 33-28 to Baltimore.

Trailing 21-13 in the final seconds of the first half, the Chargers completed a pass to the Ravens' 1. After a roughing-the-passer penalty was enforced, they got the ball at the 1-inch-line and 19 seconds were put on the clock.

Then the game was delayed while replay officials checked to see if Vincent Jackson had gotten into the end zone on the play that got the ball down deep. He hadn't. The Chargers lined up, and 12 seconds later, were whistled for delay -- Philip Rivers or Turner or someone apparently didn't know that when there is a replay, the play clock stops where it had been, in this case at 12 seconds.

After two incomplete passes from the 6, there were 10 seconds left and it was third down. Rather than throw in the end zone, Turner elected to have Nate Kaeding kick a field goal. Ten seconds and a down left? That made it 21-16 and they ended up losing by five, a margin that could have been erased with a TD at the end of the half and a 2-point conversion somewhere down the line.

Curious.

End of an Era for Patriots? Maybe Not, But NFL Is Changing originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kerry Rhodes-Rodney Harrison Twitter War Sets Stage for Jets-Patriots

Josh Alper — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Jets, Patriots, AFC East

If you didn't know better, you'd think that Sunday's Jets-Patriots game was for the AFC Championship. There has been an outsize amount of jabbering between the two rivals, most of it coming from the Jets, for a game that will leave one team at 1-1 with 14 games to play.

The latest and, presumably, final stage in the pregame yammering took place on the radio and Twitter Friday between Jets safety Kerry Rhodes and former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison. Earlier this week Rhodes said that the Jets didn't want to just beat the Patriots, they wanted to embarrass them. Harrison responded during a radio interview.

"I've seen him turn down tackles many a time.... Guys are not happy with Kerry Rhodes talking and Rex Ryan talking. It's just blatant disrespect. You don't talk like that. Some nerve of this guy to come out and really say that. He's going to have to back it up."

Rhodes tweeted his reply, "I'm detecting a lil jealousy from @rodneyh37 he must wish he was playing 2morrow. My talent outweighs his ask belichick," and, naturally, Harrison wasn't far behind. "Kerry, you talk big for someone who has yet to even win in the playoffs you think you will ever accomplish what i accomplished?"

And so on and so on.

There's no doubt that the biggest (only?) winner of Twitter wars are the guys who started the company, but the result of Sunday's game will still serve as either a justification or a rebuke of the way Ryan has changed the tenor of conversation in the AFC East. The Jets coach has gone way out on a limb with his consistent focus on beating the Patriots in an early season game, which means he won't be able to escape a tremendous amount of blowback if his team can't back up the bluster.

Losing this game wouldn't be a disaster for the Jets, just as winning it wouldn't constitute a changing of the guard in the division, but the amount of chatter leading up to the contest guarantees it will be spun that way. Such is the risk and reward of doing battle via media.

Kerry Rhodes-Rodney Harrison Twitter War Sets Stage for Jets-Patriots originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rex Ryan Offers Challenge to Jets Fans

Tom Herrera — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Jets, Patriots, AFC East

Don't try saying "It's just one win" to any Jets fans. Right about now, their enthusiasm is at the highest it's been in a while heading into a bitter showdown with New England. The hype comes from defensive strides and quarterback Mark Sanchez's impressive rookie debut, but it all starts at the top. Head coach Rex Ryan's intensity and no-nonsense approach has been a very welcome sight to supporters accustomed to watching a passive team.

Ryan's recent voicemail to Jets season-ticket holders was just another example of how the coach is winning fans over one move at a time. Check out his audio message after the jump.

Ryan pleads with fans to make it "miserable for Brady and company and [make it] seem like there's 13 or 14 guys out there on defense." He also admits that he's not as good of a coach as Bill Belichick, but wants to be 1-0 against him when the game is over.

Last season, the Jets didn't bring much heat with blitzes early, sat on their hands when they developed a lead, and generally could've used more passion out there. Those issues were all non-existent in Week 1. Now let's see if anything changes in a clash with a much stiffer opponent.

One thing is clear in Ryan's very short tenure: he's no Eric Mangini.

Oh, and speaking of Mangini, he was busy getting fined $25,000 as part of a total $125,000 in fines dished out to New York for violating the league's rules on injury reporting with Brett Favre last season. Just another ill reminder of a time the Jets are happy to have behind them.

Rex Ryan Offers Challenge to Jets Fans originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Troy Brown Knew Pats Had It All Along

Matt Snyder — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Patriots, AFC East, FanHouse Exclusive

"Maybe I started to get a little worried when they were down by two scores," former New England Patriots jack-of-all-trades Troy Brown told FanHouse about his former mates, "But I never thought they were going to lose."

That's a lot of confidence to have in a team that trailed 24-13 with 5:32 remaining in the game, but Brown has reason to believe. He won three Super Bowl rings during his 15-year career in New England. Brown was in-house Monday night for the Bills-Patriots game to be honored with several former teammates at halftime as part of the Patriots' All-Time Team.

He's also looking to promote a charitable venture he's helping Tom Brady with.

More Coverage: McKelvin's Front Lawn Vandalized After Gaffe

In conjunction with SmartWater, Tom Brady is running the "Zero Sack Give Back" this season. For every game he plays without taking a sack, $5,000 will be donated to the Boston Centers for Youth & Family. Brown is lending a hand to his pal to spread the word, because he strongly believes in the cause.

The BCYF provides myriad things to less fortunate youth around the Boston area. They have summer camps and after-school programs, award scholarships, provide sporting equipment where needed and many, many other worthwhile causes. There are currently 46 community centers in the metropolitan area. The BCYF enhances the quality of life for these youth and promotes a healthy, active lifestyle.

"It's always easier to throw touchdown passes from my feet than it is from my back, so I like to avoid getting sacked whenever possible," Brady said. "But this year, in addition to helping the team, staying upright will help a great organization like BCYF. Pursuing an active and healthy lifestyle is a cause I feel strongly about, so I'm excited to partner with SmartWater on this great program."

Brown also added that he, along with Brady and a few others, are -- in a good-natured way, of course -- giving the business to the offensive line and putting pressure on them to help with the cause by keeping guys out of the backfield.

Things didn't quite work out charity-wise on Monday night, as Brady was sacked by Aaron Schobel late in the first quarter. In fact, nothing really worked well for 3 1/2 quarters for the Patriots. Some would attribute their overall struggles to the fact that it was Brady's first regular-season game back on the field since tearing his ACL during Week 1 last season.

"I actually thought the whole team was rusty (not just Brady)," Brown said. "There were things happening that normally don't. Passes being dropped ... Wes (Welker) dropped one ... Randy (Moss) dropped one ... even Kevin Faulk, which I couldn't believe, dropped one."

Brown did also give credit to the Buffalo Bills for showing up and playing a great game in a raucous atmosphere.

"They had the big T.O. addition. They were playing on the big stage and were obviously excited about the opportunity," Brown said.

"They had a good chance to show everyone on national TV they are better than people are giving them credit for," he went on. "If they continue to play like they did for the first three quarters, they have a shot at being a strong team."

Some other notes from the conversation with Brown:

o. He emphatically believes Tedy Bruschi should be in the Hall of Fame, once he becomes eligible. "It's about a lot more than just numbers," Brown said, in defense of his former teammate. While remaining professional and respectful, it was evident Brown didn't think the writers who vote for the Hall of Fame can always fully appreciate the job someone does from the press box. He also brought up how much smaller Bruschi is than many other linebackers.

o. His story about getting moved over to defense from wideout earlier this decade was interesting. It all started as a joke between Brown and Ty Law on switching positions. They talked about it so much, Eric Mangini -- the Patriots' defensive backs coach at the time -- began to show an interest. "He'd say, 'are you serious? I'll tell Bill (Belichick),' " Brown said with a chuckle. All of a sudden, one day, Mangini dropped the defensive playbook on Brown fifteen minutes before practice and told him to cram. Brown admitted the first few days didn't work out so well, but when injury strife hit the Patriots' secondary, they turned to him. It happened to be in St. Louis, where "The Greatest Show on Turf" played. "I definitely would have been more comfortable at home on grass. Those guys were so fast on that turf, but I think I did OK," Brown said. I'd say he was more than OK. The receiver-turned-defensive back intercepted three passes in 12 games during 2004.

o. I asked him what he was most proud of, and he immediately said it was being on a team who went to -- and won -- multiple Super Bowls. I was actually talking about what made him individually proud, so I pressed him on that. The only thing he would say about himself is that he was proud to earn the respect of peers. He didn't even mention the fact that he went from an eighth-round draft pick to a Pro Bowl receiver, his 557 career catches, 6,366 yards or 35 total touchdowns. Which makes sense. Whether it's playing out of position, helping Brady promote a charitable venture or answering questions about himself, Troy Brown continues to show he's a classy, selfless team player.

Troy Brown Knew Pats Had It All Along originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T.O. a No-Show in Bills Debut

Dan Graziano — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Patriots, AFC East, NFL Analysis

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- If Terrell Owens was upset at how few throws came his way in his first game as a Buffalo Bill, he wasn't saying. He wasn't talking, wasn't tweeting and wasn't complaining -- to anybody who might hear and make a big deal of it, at least. In Buffalo's heartbreaking loss to the Patriots on Monday night, Owens didn't catch a ball until there was 4:43 left in the third quarter. In all, he caught three -- two that counted in the final stats and one that was nullified by his own interference penalty.

But the VH1 reality star didn't have a thing to say about his night, or his team's. He sent a locker room attendant to fetch his clothes so he could dress out of sight and escape without doing interviews. And his Twitter page offered no insight.

More Coverage: Brady Rallies Pats | Check Box Score

"Congrats 2 the Pats!!" Owens tweeted one hour and five minutes after the game ended. "On the bus headed 2 airport. Cn't wait 2 get hm & get n the bed!"

(I still say he could get so much more in if he'd lay off the exclamation points, but hey -- to each his own.)

"We'll b ready next week! I promise u that!!" came 11 minutes later.

"RIP Patrick Swayze!!" eight minutes later. Then after that, it's basically him and Chad Ochocinco tweeting about the fact that the latter is in New Orleans for some reason.

Anyway, the Bills' people said Monday that they consider Owens and Lee Evans both to be No. 1 receivers, that they don't believe teams will be able to double-cover both of them and that whichever one draws the extra coverage in a given week, the other will have to play like a No. 1. It sounds good, but you have to wonder whether Owens agrees with the plan and its bedrock assessment.

"I'm not going to put any words in his mouth," Bills QB Trent Edwards said. "I really feel like he's a competitor. I've said that all along, and that's rubbing off on the rest of us. Frustrated or not, he's still raising the level of our game, so we need to feed off that. He's obviously a big weapon in our offense, so we need to keep getting him the ball."

Monday night, Edwards threw six balls to Evans, three to Owens, four each to tight ends Derek Schouman and Shawn Nelson, one to Roscoe Parrish and seven to running back Fred Jackson. He said he felt the Patriots did a good job of taking the deep ball away from Evans and Owens, and that he'd have to review film to see if he had more chances to find those guys than he thought he did.

Early reviews (meaning preseason and this first game) indicate that the Buffalo offense is going to be terrible, which is likely to limit what Owens does -- or what he has the opportunity to do -- all year. But we'll see. And we'll keep checking Twitter to see what @terrellowens has to say about the whole thing.

T.O. a No-Show in Bills Debut originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Same Old Tom Brady, Just in Time

Dan Graziano — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Patriots, AFC East, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A good magician never reveals his secrets, so we're never going to know how Tom Brady pulled off this latest trick. How could he look so rusty and timid for 55 minutes, and so sharp and confident for the final five? How did he look up at a stadium full of 68,756 fans so spitting mad they were booing the cheerleaders and feel so certain he could send them all home happy, with a 25-24 comeback win for the ages? How did he and the Patriots survive this Monday night land mine without the deep passing game? Without, really, any help from their defense?

We have some of these answers, and for others we'll just have to wonder, and draw our own conclusions. In the end, Brady and the Patriots sidestepped an inexcusable season-opening upset because the Bills choked -- and because, just before it got too late, their quarterback turned from a rag-armed pumpkin back into Tom Brady.

More Coverage: Check Box Score | T.O. a No-Show in Bills Debut

That first part? Oh yeah. Make no mistake about it. The Bills coughed this baby up as if it were the hairball from hell. Buffalo had this game won every way it could. Its offense, the laughingstock of August, had moved the ball efficiently all night against a defensive front that's going to be a problem for New England all year. With 5:32 left on the clock, Trent Edwards hit running back Fred Jackson with a 10-yard touchdown pass and the Bills were up 24-13. The Pats had Brady, sure, but they didn't have time. Didn't look that way, at least.

"We had the game. We had it," Bills cornerback Terrence McGee said. "I mean, we were going to do it."

Even after New England's ensuing drive -- a bloodlessly efficient three minutes and 26 seconds, in which Brady threw 11 passes, completed nine of them and capped things with an 18-yard touchdown strike to tight end Benjamin Watson, the Bills still had reason to believe they had this -- that they were really going to beat the Patriots for the first time in six years. Brady's two-point conversion attempt failed. Buffalo led by five with 2:10 left. All they had to do was secure the kickoff, pick up a couple of first downs and this one was all theirs.

And that's when they blew it.

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FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 14: Matt Light #72, Stephen Gostkowski #3,Stephen Neal #61, Michael Matthews #80 and Chris Hanson #6 of the New England Patriots celebrate the win over the Buffalo Bills on September 14, 2009 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Bills 25-24. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Light;Stephen Gostkowski;Chris Hanson;Michael Matthews;Stephen Neal

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Linebacker Shawne Merriman #56 of the San Diego Chargers stands with his defensive teammates on the field against the Oakland Raiders on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawne Merriman

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Brandon Manumaleuna #86 of the San Diego Chargers runs for yards after the catch against the Oakland Raiders on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Manumaleuna

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Oakland Raiders wide receiver Louis Murphy hauls in a 57-yard touchdown grab against the San Diego Chargers during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour (92) walks off the field after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. Seymour is a former New England Patriots player. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable walks off the field after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers smiles after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins (15) is escorted off the field after he was hurt during their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell walks off the field after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Louis Murphy #18 (bottom) and Darrius Heyward-Bey #12 of the Oakland Raiders celebrate after Murphy scored on a 57-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Louis Murphy; Darrius Heyward-Bey

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Robert Gallery #76 and JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders celebrate after Russell threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Louis Murphy #18 in the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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The Patriots made the surprise decision to kick the ball deep, rather than onside it. And Buffalo return man Leodis McKelvin made the far more surprising decision, upon fielding the ball in the end zone, to try and return it, rather than take a knee and a touchback.

"When I caught the ball, I was thinking in my head, 'Do I have two feet (in the end zone)?' " McKelvin explained. "So I was worried if I downed it, we might get a safety or something. So I ran it out."

Ran pretty well, actually. Out past the 30-yard line, where Pats safety Brandon Meriweather hit him, Pierre Woods stripped the ball out of his hands and kicker Stephen Gostkowski recovered to give the Patriots possession -- and new life -- at the Buffalo 31.

"It was chaos, man," Woods said. "I mean, Gostkowski recovered it. I can't say enough about the kicker, man. He got the ball back for the offense."

Which is where the Patriots want it -- in Tom Brady's hands. Sure, he hadn't looked like 2007 Tom Brady all night. McGee, the Buffalo defensive back, said the Bills were "real surprised (the Patriots) weren't trying any deep throws," and there was some speculation (though McGee wouldn't bite) that Brady's shoulder was still sore from the Albert Haynesworth hit he took in the preseason. If that's true, the Patriots aren't about to admit it.

"I don't critique what Tom does," running back Kevin Faulk said.

And why would they? Once the miracle fumble put the ball back in Superman's hands, he did what he always does -- he made the throws he had to make. And he won the game.

Three passes -- one to Randy Moss, one to Wes Welker, and one more in the end zone again to Watson, and the Pats were up 25-24. Gillette Stadium was a churning bowl of euphoria chowder. The Bills, even with 50 seconds left on the clock and needing only to get to field-goal range, were beaten. For the 12th time in a row, incidentally, by the Patriots.

"It stings a little bit more because of the fact that it was the Patriots again," McGee said. "But you know Brady, he's not going to give up."

Brady was happy about the win, of course. But he acknowledged that his team could have played a better game, and he had the look of a kid who knew he'd just gotten away with something.

"Not the way we drew it up," Brady said. "But I'll take it."

A team for which perfection is the only goal was right on the brink of 0-1 -- in the division, no less. But Brady, with some help from the Bills, pulled them back from the brink.

"It's a great feeling," left tackle Matt Light said, "to have that aspect of our game back."

That's right. The Patriots feel, once again, like no matter what happens, Brady can save them. If they or the rest of the NFL needed any proof, Brady provided it Monday night.

Just in the nick of time.

Same Old Tom Brady, Just in Time originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Falcons Let Dolphins Hang Around, Still Pull Out Comfortable Win

Knox Bardeen — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, AFC East, NFC South

Both the Miami Dolphins and the Atlanta Falcons made huge strides in 2008. Both teams won 11 games, made the playoffs and Miami won the tough AFC East division. The Week 1 battle between these two teams was supposed to feature lots of Wildcat formations and many points on the board. The script was re-written.

The Falcons won the game 19-7, but the Dolphins should feel fortunate that it wasn't a complete blowout. An aggressive Falcons defense shut down Miami until late in the fourth quarter -- a few hiccups on the part of the Atlanta offense, though, kept the game within reach.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan underthrew Roddy White in the first series of the game after the receiver opened up a 5-yard cushion on the nearest Miami defender -- a play that should have been an easy touchdown for White.

Falcons 19, Dolphins 7: Read Recap | Check Box Score

In the second quarter, Ryan sailed the ball over Jerious Norwood in the end zone -- Norwood was open and couldn't quite get under Ryan's pass.

The Dolphins front-seven held strong, allowing Michael Turner only 65 yards on 22 carries. But Michael Jenkins, Tony Gonzalez and White flourished in short passing routes. The Falcons defense applied pressure on Chad Pennington all day and their secondary wasn't picked on by the Miami offense much at all.

Falcons Let Dolphins Hang Around, Still Pull Out Comfortable Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buffalo Bills 2009 Season Preview: When Reality TeeVee Takes Over

Will Brinson — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, AFC East, FanHouse Previews, NFL Analysis

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews . " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Offense -- It's almost impossible to decide how this team will perform in 2009. I have high hopes for Trent Edwards, being that he's a Stanford man and all, and frankly, I can't shake the feeling that Terrell Owens is going to return Lee Evans to superstar mode this coming season. After all, teams have to cover Owens, even if he's getting older and could be hurt half the time; with a second-string CB manning up on Evans as he streaks down the sidelines, well, I like his chances. In terms of running the ball, you also have to think that Marshawn Lynch's three-week absence because of suspension is going to hurt the Bills ... until you realize that Fred Jackson will be highly motivated and might just come out gangbusters to start the season. Which means that Dick Jauron will probably just give the carries to Dominic Rhodes. Heat Index: 5

Defense -- Getting Aaron Maybin in was huge, and hopefully not too late -- with the first-year pass-rusher on the field to help out a front seven that already features Kyle Wiliams, Paul Posluszny and Marcus Stroud, the Bills defense will be better than people want to give it credit for. (Of course, since he probably won't play right away, I'll just conveniently guess that Aaron Schobel will get hurt in the first quarter of the first game of the season, thanks for asking.) and an overall improved defensive front to allow Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin to really shine. Heat Index: 6

Special Teams -- This unit is pretty solid overall; Brian Moorman, when he's not being KTFO in the middle of Pro Bowl games, is a great punter and Rian Lindell is underrated, likely because he spells his first name in the most unimaginably stupidest way possible. Heat Index: 8

Coaching -- Jauron wrapped up his third straight 7-9 season (woo, mediocrity!) last year, and despite his complete inability to capitalize on what was a highly-winnable AFC East -- especially after the Bills started 5-1 -- he was asked to return by Ralph Wilson. How-EVA, if the team fails to bust over .500 this year (and it seems like a pretty good chance that they will not), Jauron will probably be gone. Which, really, is probably the best thing for everyone involved. And we'll just leave it at that. Heat Index: 2

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PITTSBURGH - AUGUST 29: Running back Mewelde Moore #21 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball as he is stopped by Paul Posluszny #51 and Reggie Corner #27 against the Buffalo Bills at Heinz Field on August 29, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus) *** Local Caption *** Mewelde Moore

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Buffalo Bills Photos

** Photo made with a fisheye lens ** Football fans fill Heinz Field as the NFL preseason football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills gets underway in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, left, talks with linebacker Lawrence Timmons on the sideline as time runs down in the NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger watches from the sideline as his team plays against the Buffalo Bills' in the second half of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Rashard Mendenhall, left, and Willie Parker talk on the sideline in the second half of the NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. Parker did not play as the Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Isaac Redman, left runs the ball as Buffalo Bills linebacker Marcus Buggs pursues in the second half of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, left, can't get to the ball as Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson defends in the second half of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The Steeelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, left, scrambles as Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Bailey pursues in the second half of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

PITTSBURGH - AUGUST 29: Rashard Mendenhall #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball against Leodis McKelvin #28 of the Buffalo Bills at Heinz Field on August 29, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rashard Mendenhall,Leodis McKelvin

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Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker Keyaron Fox, left, pressures Buffalo Bill quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick as he releases the ball in the second half of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The play was ruled an incomplete pass. The Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

PITTSBURGH - AUGUST 29: Wide Reciever Martin Nance #15 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball against Reggie Corner #27 of the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter at Heinz Field on August 29, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Martin Nance,Reggie Corner

Getty Images

Intangibles -- Now, here's where the Bills shouldn't be making up any ground. They play home games in another freaking country, they could be prepared to LEAVE for another freaking country so the NFL can be international and the roster features Lynch and Owens, who aren't exactly model citizens, TO's Alzheimer contributions and super-awesome and popular reality television show aside. Oh yes, and they play in the same division as the New England Patriots, the up-and-coming Miami Dolphins and the Jets, who no longer feature Brett Favre. Barring a tremendously large surprise from the Bills this year, you can expect to see more of the same "consistency" they've flashed the last two years. But, hey, at least with Owens in town it'll be mildly ~~annoying~~ entertaining. Heat Index: 1

Total Heat Index: 22/50
Yes, it's a low score and yes, it might be a touch insulting. But hey, they're the first team we're previewing and rather than act like* Captain Optimistic, I'm going to do what I've done my entire life: set the bar low. Of course, then again, when you're coming off of three straight 7-9 seasons, what's the use in expecting a big year?

*It's worth noting I was also quite high on the 2008 version of the Bills.

Buffalo Bills 2009 Season Preview: When Reality TeeVee Takes Over originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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