Monday Morning

Though I'm not done gloating and soaking up this win over the Jets, it's time to take an objective view of the game.

For starters, it could had been a blowout. QB Matt Cassel hesitated on a few passes. If he threw it on time to WR Randy Moss deep, that would had been a score (but Moss still should had caught that pass - bounced off his chest). There was a curl ran by Wes Welker that could had been a first down. And finally TE David Thomas beat the coverage but Cassel held on a beat too long. By the time he threw it, Cassel had to throw a bullet. If Cassel released it on Thomas' cut, the required touch would had floated the pass over LB Calvin Pace's hand and to the target just before LB Eric Barton arrived. That's 14 points the offense missed out on, not including the other trips into the red zone.

It was reported during the game that RB Laurence Maroney injured his shoulder. It was apparently confirmed when the camera found him sitting on the sideline. But after RB LaMont Jordan came off the bench and rushed eleven times for 62 yards in the second half, Maroney came in for a garbage time carry. An injured player held out of the game for most of the second half usually doesn't come back under any circumstances. I have my theory, but I won't publicly speculate.

CB Ellis Hobbs is off to a very good start this year. He nearly had a second interception by jumping a slant route. On the day he had two passes defensed. If this is what Hobbs is like when healthy, Ellis will have an excellent season at this pace.

One person who did have an interception was S Brandon Merriweather. About damn time! How many would-be picks did the 2007 first round selection drop last year? There was the one against Baltimore that bounced off his chest. Don't forget the one through his hands in the Super Bowl. OK, I'll stop reminiscing. Merriweather spent his summer with a jugs machine, firing passes of all types at Brandon to work on his hands. Looks like it's paying off.

Maybe lost in the mis-match between two quarterbacks is the job by K Stephen Gostkowski. His kickoffs were booming! All six reached the endzone and only one was returned. New York's field position suffered thanks to Gostkowski. Every drive the Jets started after receiving the kickoff started at the 20. And he was perfect on four field goals.

Next up is Miami. A close friend of mine relayed a third person story to me. A friend of his watched game one at a bar in Ft. Lauderdale. The denizens at the bar cheered Brady's injury. Guess who the Patriots owe next.