PatsBlog: A Patriots Blog

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Apparently, NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell made a strong effort to muzzle the cantankerous (ill natured and quarrelsome) Al Davis via delivery of a letter condemning his public accusations against the Patriots concerning tampering with Randy Moss.  According to ESPN, the charge of issuing false allegations in public would warrant penalties of either fines or loss of draft pick(s). Is this Goodell’s effort to strike back at teams, media, football fans that talked so much b.s. about the Patriots following Spygate? Or is he overstepping his bounds? Is what Davis alleged merit any action, be it punishment or anybody’s valuable time? Davis is the Steinbrenner of the NFL, only crazier. But I don’t think the solution is to punish the team any more than the punishment they already endure of having Davis as their owner.

In other news, the Patriots are playing the Chargers this Sunday on NBC primetime. This has to be, on paper anyway, their toughest opponent of the year. This game could go either way in my opinion, as that is the reality of the 2008 Patriots-confidence is no longer a given. That said, The Chargers are not strictly a winning team right now, whatever the unfortunate end-of-game happenings that Chargers fans can use as excuses. They are down Merriman, L.T. is showing signs of age, and historically the Patriots defense has owned the Chargers. And with the training camp-like atmosphere at the Patriots’ hotel in California I actually like their chances against at San Diego.

Today the Miami Dolphins trounced the New England Patriots 38-13 using a radical playbook which made the New England defense look lost.  The defense gave up 461 yards of total offense, 216  of which on the ground to the combo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.  Miami coach Tony Soprano… I mean, Tony Sparano won his first NFL win as a coach and ended a 21 game win streak. 

Last week, the situation at Quarterback and our season looked much brighter.  This stinker certainly shakes things up.  The blame shouldn’t fall on Cassel alone.  I would like to look at this as a statistical outlier, the occasional stinker that any sports team will give up.  Look at baseball where even the best teams will lose two fifths of their games.  The Red Sox lose bad games all the time.  But the initial reaction after Tom Brady’s season-ending injury in week one seems that much more validated now.

A year ago to the day it was Spygate, now its a National Football Tragedy.  Only the most depraved Jets fans (and others) are revelling in this, a major loss to the NFL on the same level as Tiger Woods’ latest injury on the PGA tour.  But this ain’t no PGA tour but the most popular sport in America.

Some reactions from those I’ve spoke with, and the radio guest on WEEI known as Michael Felger…First off there is my reaction of utter dejection and disappointment of waiting all spring and summer to see part II of the ‘07 explosive Patriots which suddenly became derailed almost immediately.  Then there are those who love seeing great competition week in and week out.  Michael Felger on the Dale and Holley show today revelled in what would amount to great storylines to chat about with his sewing circle-I mean fellow sportswriters-but those of us who took pride in New England dominating the league took one in the gut this weekend.

The biggest question is the one that vexed Richard Seymour who took offense to the notion that the Pats are now chumps who can’t win: how much worse does this actually make the team?  Of course time will tell, but there does remain a well constructed football team with a Brady protege to run the offense.  Unfortunately, our secondary is weaker than last year but I think back to ‘06 when Belichick (and, ahem, Brady) got to the AFC championship game with a crap receiving corps.

As Rick Pitino once said, and I’m paraphrasing, Daunte Culpepper isn’t walking through that door.  In other words, I’m not sure what kind of improvement Culpepper or someone else would be over a guy who is steeped in the Patriots playbook, with good size, someone who has shadowed and mimiced the great Brady in the football academy that is the New England Patriots.   I’m talking about Matt Cassel, of course.  Besides, training camp is over and the QB position isn’t so simple to stumble into like Paul Byrd transitioned easily into the Red Sox rotation.

Despite what happened, it’s good to have football back again.

With the reports that Tom Brady’s season is over, the Patriots have begun looking at other options at quarterback.  According to Al Michaels of NBC, free agent quarterback Chris Simms is coming in for a workout and physical tomorrow.

There has also been a lot of inquiry about Daunte Culpepper, who “retired” on Thursday, saying he didn’t want to wait for one of his fellow starting quarterbacks to get a serious injury.  There has also been speculation about the ancient Vinny Testaverde, as well as possibly bringing back Matt Gutierrez.

While the Patriots need to bring in another arm, what needs to be clear, is that Matt Cassel is the starter.  He really looked poised and calm today, but with the pressure of an able quarterback behind him, that could change.  Culpepper and Simms would be an intimidating prescence, so I would consider staying away from them.  I think the Patriots have moved past Gutierrez, so I don’t think he will be an option.

So, based on my beliefs, this leaves veteran Vinny Testaverde as the best option.  I understand that he has too many years under his belt, but he already knows the system, he can serve as a mentor to Cassel, and if he had to play, he could lead the team.  Plus, Cassel would see him more as a calming figure than a guy who will threaten his job.

Back in 2001, following the Bledsoe injury, Bill Belichick turned to the team and said, “Tom’s our quarterback now, and we’re going with it.”

That’s the situation now.  Matt Cassel is the Patriots’ starting quarterback now, and in my opinion, increasing the pressure on him won’t help.