Patriots-Broncos: Analysis and Comment

I'm not terribly disappointed in 3-3, all things considered. Looking at the schedule before the season, it was clear that the first six games marked the toughest part of the schedule. With all the injuries the Patriots have sustained, it's almost a miracle they're not 2-4 or 1-5. I mean, they beat Pittsburgh and Atlanta on the road. The only game that was a sure bet was Game 1 out of the gate against horrible Oakland.

The unfortunate thing is that they could just as easily be 4-2, maybe even 5-1. Yesterday's game, certainly, was winnable. It's one of the few cases that Bill Belichick's "They made more plays than we did" applies precisely.

Anyone who watched the game (I'm pretty sure most of you reading did) knows three of the plays Denver made that the Patriots didn't. We all know Dwight Starks got burned -- no torched -- no cremated -- on two of them and brought up the rear on the third (at least he made the tackles).

But Bill Belichick earlier today on "The Big Big Show" refused to throw anyone under the bus. He chose to spread the blame to everyone -- the rest of the players on the field, and the coaches too. The two passing plays were blitzes. Belichick said the outcome of those plays probably would have been different if New England got any semblance of pressure on Jake Plummer -- even better if they sacked him. But that didn't happen, and Starks is this week's goat, right or wrong.

But let's face it, outside of Tom Brady, who had a decent game, Patrick Pass, who had a great game, and Mike Vrabel, who also had a great game, no one else did much of anything. Richard Seymour, sitting out with an injured knee, did as much as almost anyone on the field.

As I said in my comments during the game, it all starts and ends with line play on both sides of the ball, and on both sides of the ball, the Patriots lost. On both sides of the ball, the Patriots are seriously shorthanded.

On offense, Matt Light is already out, and then guard Logan Mankins gets himself tossed. The result is no open lanes for running backs, especially on the left side, and no pass protection for Tom Brady, especially on the left side. Brady and Pass still did well enough, but I'm pretty sure these facts helped Belichick decide to keep Corey Dillon on the sideline.

That whole situation is one of the items that made dozens of people draw the same conclusion: Doesn't this remind you of the Halloween debacle in Pittsburgh last year? Man, it's tough enough just remembering that game, and then we had to relive it yesterday. I'm sure the players feel even worse.

Anyway, the defense was missing Richard Seymour, and against a team like Denver, that's simply debilitating. There was no initial run stopping, which made things more difficult on the linebackers, who couldn't stop anyone, which made things more difficult on the secondary. Plus, no pass rush, no pressure, no turnovers.

Whatever problems the Patriots experienced on the rest of the field can be traced back to those depleted lines.

So what are the solutions? Well, the Mankins thing is solved easily. He'll be fined. He'll be dogged in practice. He'll learn. He won't do it again. Not in view of cameras and officials.

Solving the injuries comes down to what it always has. Everyone else has to elevate their games. Simple as that. You can't replace Seymour. You have to compensate for him. You can't replace Harrison. You have to compensate for him. Corey Dillion's return will help, as will Seymour's (if his injury's not serious). So will Bruschi's ... eventually. Until he is 100 percent, hitch up your pants, cinch your belt, and tighten that chinstrap.

Right now? Take a breath. It's the bye week.

Back Up the Bus

The 5th Quarter guys were quick to throw Monty Beisel and Chad Brown under the bus. I think that's a lot of BS. Sure, they're not making a lot of plays, and they're not nearly what Tedy Bruschi and Ted Johnson where. At the same time, Seymour and Rodney Harrison were the defensive field captains under field general Bruschi.

When your whole command structure has been eliminated, there's bound to be chaos, and there was. You can't expect these guys to be what other guys were in just a few weeks, especially minus the entirety of the veteran leadership. It's nonsensical.

What Goes Around Comes Around, Scrooge

One of the more disappointing moments of the game was the last play of the first half. Adam Vinatieri missed his first field goal attempt ever at Mile High, and Mankins was ejected for hitting Ebenezer Ekuban below the belt.

"It was a cheap shot," Ekuban said. "Hopefully, the NFL will fine him heavily."

It's obvious what Mankins did. It's on video. I'll tell you this right now: If you think he did it out of spite or just to be vicious, think again. Ekuban did something to deserve it. (There's an outside chance someone else did something to deserve it, and Mankins had the wrong guy.) Hey, Ekuban, what goes around comes around. I hope you get your wish and the NFL fines Mankins heavily. Then I hope someone cut blocks you and ends your career.

If you think that's mean and uncalled for, so is most of what Denver's players do on a play-to-play basis. They have a reputation as the dirtiest team in the league, and not for nothing. I repeat, what goes around comes around.

Shutupphilsimms.com

Speaking of annoying, why are New England sports fans constantly barraged and tortured by commentators like Phil Simms and Tim McCarver? We'd be much better off with the number 5 or 6 team of up-and-comers, guys who are actually trying to not only do a good job but call an impartial game.

Simms had every close call going for Denver (until he was proven wrong beyond the shadow of a doubt). For example, the late hit on Brady. Simms railed against the call for about a minute before one camera angle showed definitive proof he was smacked in the face.

He also thought the overturned touchdown should have counted (an elbow counts for a knee), that Givens pass was incomplete (I don't think there was "irrefutable" evidence to overturn that one, but apparently there was), and that Givens touchdown shouldn't have been overturned. First, Denver didn't have anymore challenges. Second, they couldn't have challenged a "judgment" call. Third, Givens got both feet inbounds, rendering all Simms other hot air moot.