Stats on Pats Weekly - "Pats Don't Pussyfoot Around with Bengals"
Article by Raleigh Dugal, southcoast247.com correspondent
Rolling...
The Patriots are playing so well writing about them is getting redundant. (Oh gods of football karma, please do not take that as a complaint). Rather than blitz savvy QB Carson Palmer, New England put all their chips down on covering Cincinnati's high-flying wide receiver corps, garnering two interceptions and stuffing the run for just 57 overall yards. The offense put on another clinic. Through week four, Randy Moss has tallied seven touchdowns. That puts him on pace to catch 28, and most of them have been of the turning, twisting, acrobatic ilk that we saw late in the first half against the Bengals. The prime time match up was closer than the final scored indicates, as Assante Samuel picked off a pass intended for Chad Johnson just outside the end zone, and Tedy Bruschi batted down a potential TD pass at the line, squelching Cincinnati's tumultuous late game hopes.
Assante Samuel is looking to Get Paid for real this year.
In addition, minus an injured Maroney, backup RB Sammy Morris racked up 117 yards and a touchdown, all at nearly six yards per carry. Can you say Korey who? I was baffled last year when Dillon insisted he could still be a feature back for another club. Why he wouldn't want to stick around New England and punch in TDs ala Jerome Bettis? Recalling the good old days of Marion Butts, I needlessly feared a sophomore slump for Maroney and a return to a legless Patriots rushing game. Even when Morris and the heavy package couldn't get it done at the goal line, the Pats laid up a TD to LB Mike Vrabel (who has seven receptions, all for TDs, in his career). The bottom line? Despite the jacked up arsenal, opponents still need to contend with New England's versatility.
With road games against Dallas and Indianapolis looming, next week's contest with Cleveland could be a perfect trap game for the Pats. Belichick stresses that he doesn't overlook weaker opponents in favor of tighter schedule spots, but I wonder if that philosophy might buckle under the pressure of a prospective undefeated season the national media keeps braying about. Trust that Cleveland HC Romeo Crennel will want to have a flashy return to Foxboro and QB Derek Anderson will keep making Brady Quinn look like an asshole for holding out. After smacking down the vaunted Baltimore D, the Browns might just be for real rolling at a strong 2-2 with two division wins. I call a 21-17 victory for the Pats, in light of the short week and Crennel's inside knowledge of the Pats' playmakers.
The Patriots are playing so well writing about them is getting redundant. (Oh gods of football karma, please do not take that as a complaint). Rather than blitz savvy QB Carson Palmer, New England put all their chips down on covering Cincinnati's high-flying wide receiver corps, garnering two interceptions and stuffing the run for just 57 overall yards. The offense put on another clinic. Through week four, Randy Moss has tallied seven touchdowns. That puts him on pace to catch 28, and most of them have been of the turning, twisting, acrobatic ilk that we saw late in the first half against the Bengals. The prime time match up was closer than the final scored indicates, as Assante Samuel picked off a pass intended for Chad Johnson just outside the end zone, and Tedy Bruschi batted down a potential TD pass at the line, squelching Cincinnati's tumultuous late game hopes.
