Although the Patriots have won all 17 games this season, they’ve struggled to cover the point spread since they won at Buffalo, 56-10, on Nov. 18.
Since starting 9-1 against the spread, New England is 1-6 against the spread over its last seven games, including last week’s 31-20 win over Jacksonville (the Patriots were favored by 13 1/2).
Quick quiz: which team was most effective at stopping NE’s ‘unstoppable’ defense this year? That’s right – the 4-12 NY Jets, who (in the Spygate Revenge Bowl where the Pats were going to throw up 700 points) held the Patriots to 20 points, one offensive TD, and let Terrific Tom Brady light them up to the tune of 14-27-140-0-1 (compare to Crappy Chad Pennington’s 25-38-184-0-0). Game conditions: 30 degrees, gusting winds, some rain.
Game conditions today: 22 degrees, gusting winds, Shawne Merriman.
They’re going to win – the Chargers have to play in the same weather, and I’d take Pennington over Phillip Rivers any day – but, if the wind picks up, it will be closer than Vegas thinks.
Pats 27-17.
UPDATE: Gloat gloat gloat gloat gloat.
January 20, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Chargers by 4.
I have no idea when I’m talking about, just wanted to post.
January 20, 2008 at 1:13 pm
And to think I had actually started to miss you.
January 20, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Pats need some LeKevin LeLovin’.
January 20, 2008 at 1:57 pm
So what, Edroso sheds a tear and you think you can just waltz back into our lives? Should we get you a beer while you’re here? These wounds are too deep my friend. You’re going to have to do better than fluff Tom Brady.
January 20, 2008 at 2:35 pm
So after being missing for like, eons, this is what you came back for? Nothing on Jonah? Huckabee? Sully the Pooh?
We get Brady love? Has it all just been a dream?
January 20, 2008 at 4:12 pm
There is absolutely nothing quite so non-threatening as Coach Norv playing with house money.
January 20, 2008 at 6:43 pm
This is my official statement, already posted at Henley’s:
They should keep decoy stats for Randy Moss.
“Brewski” is a GREAT name for a middle linebacker, even if he doesn’t spell it that way.
“Jammer” is a FANTASTIC name for a cornerback.
The TV shits failed to jinx Kaeding on his 3rd field goal. Good, I hate the TV shits more than I love New England. (Actually, I only love Moss and now Maroney, who’s been coming through when needed.)
As a little short guy, I admire Sproles enormously. He’s 5′6″. He had at least one fantastic run.
January 20, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Also, from the works of Jonah Goldberg:
The quintessential Liberal Fascist isn’t an SS storm trooper; it is a female grade school teacher with an education degree from Brown or Swarthmore…..If you want a vision of the future, imagine a daycare worker giving a toddler a sugarfree bran muffin — forever.
January 20, 2008 at 6:49 pm
And so finally there was but one game left to play.
January 20, 2008 at 11:03 pm
The prophecies of Nostradamus sez: “Eli’s a-comin’ and the cards say a broken heart.”
As always, the meaning is opaque.
January 21, 2008 at 6:41 am
Football is nothing but rugby for sissies.
January 21, 2008 at 10:54 am
Vegas in no way thought it was going to be that big a victory. They just needed to set the spread at a point where people would actually bet against the Pats. They hadn’t covered the spread in the last 7 games because the spreads were insane. That said, your call was impressively on the mark…
I will now go the route of the true fan and speculate on how everything Bill Belichick does is part of his master plan. One might speculate that BB used Maroney sparingly during the regular season so that when it came to the late and post-season, where the weather is unreliable, the quality of the teams improves, and clock management becomes more critical, you have a top notch running back well rested that not too many teams have gotten a good look at.
Maroney ranked 23rd.
Average number of carries regular season: 11.5/game
Average number of carries post season: 23.5
Average rushing yards in post season 122
Tomlinson led the league in the regular season.
Average number of carries post season: 10
Average rushing yards in post season: 25
Belichick=champ, Turner=chump.
January 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Eh, they barely beat San Diego with all three of their best players banged up and/ or missing. Brady reminded people that he is not just an inhuman homo erotic pinup, but also a merely better than average QB. Wake me up when they stop the terrifying kitten that is Eli Manning. Now that will have been someting!
January 21, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Morty, you’re awesome.
“Eh, they only won the AFC Championship in sub-freezing weather by 9, relying on an excellent, previously unseen running game and impregnable red zone defense. Why, their quarterback wasn’t perfect as usual, playing in New England in January! Now, if they can go 19-0 by beating the best team in the NFC then maybe they’re a contender in this league. But not really.”
January 22, 2008 at 2:58 am
Just to reiterate: Football is nothing but rugby for little girls.
January 22, 2008 at 8:53 am
Thank you! Try the veal …
January 22, 2008 at 9:59 am
Good Christ cupcake — They’re barely 18-0! They’re only beating playoff teams by 10 ppg (and they would have covered if Brady just put a little more air under the ball in the end zone) and only fully dominating the 4th quarter in both games, not the whole game!
Sure, they beat the Chargers last year without a passing game or much of a running game in San Diego but they only beat them again this year with greater ease, so how good can they be?
And sure, they beat the Giants in the Meadowlands, with the wind going great guns and Manning having a great game. But how can they possibly beat them in Arizona with no wind, no cold and two weeks to prepare? It’s unpossible, I tells ya.
January 22, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Lord-amighty, do I not like the Patriots.
That’s my keen football analysis. Don’t like ‘em. Hope they lose. Don’t think they will lose.
Lord-amighty, do I not like the Patriots.
January 22, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Who cares? Football is just rugby for pantywaists.