GameDay Boston

Thursday night football is descending upon us tonight with the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers showdown.  Personally, I could care a less about tonight’s game.  Instead I am looking forward to the Sunday night football rematch in Baltimore, with the Patriots at the Ravens.  After missing the AFC Championship victory due to a final seconds Billy Cundiff missed field goal last season, there is little doubt in my mind that the Joe Flacco led Ravens are looking for revenge.  Add to the mix that the Patriots dropped an early season first home game loss in the past 10 years to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, and Patriot Nation is a tad on edge.  Immediately critics started mouthing off that by next Sunday, Tom Brady and the Patriots could be starting off with a shocking 1-2 record.  To that I say check the scoreboards.  Last Sunday not only did the Patriots drop game 2, but newsflash….so did the Baltimore Ravens against Philadelphia.  In fact in my opinion the Philadelphia Eagle defense played far less lethal against Baltimore than the Arizona Cardinals did vs the Patriots.

All jokes aside, what I saw in the Arizona Cardinal defense was by far more impressive with young and old talent playing hardcore defense.  There’s no question our Patriots struggled on both sides of the ball last Sunday.  But while some have temporarily lost faith, I shall not.  With the Patriots addition of TE Kellen Winslow and bringing back fan favorite and “ol reliable” WR Deion Branch, I am nearly positive that the Patriots will bounce back in a big way in Baltimore.  Nobody hates losing more than Tom Brady, with that in mind I find it hard to bet against him.  Just look at his stats, it has been quite some time since TB12 lost 2 games back to back.  In fact, under Bill Belichick the Patriots have only lost back to back games 3 times since 2003; in NFL terms that is astronomically low.  Lets not forget there is also more on the line for our 1st round rookie DL Chandler Jones.  Sunday night Jones will be facing his oldest brother, DL Arthur Jones and his team, the Ravens with family bragging rights on the line.  Look for Jones to be a man on a mission in this particular game especially if the first 2 weeks were any indication.  I believe that Sunday night could be a long rough night for quarterback Joe Flacco, with Jones on his tail.

I am not perfect and I have been known to make mistakes (just look at my fantasy team start/sit decisions).  Here’s my personal opinion.  Am I still going to be a nervous wreck all game Sunday night? Yes! But I do believe that the flaws we showed verses the Cardinals will be all worked out by this Sunday night.  Too much is on the line for the Patriots, especially when it comes to the Ravens being an AFC rival.  Will the Ravens get some shots in? Yes.  In addition, we may have lost our all around TE Aaron Hernandez for a few weeks but make no mistake, Tom Brady has more offensive arsenal than does Joe Flacco and the Patriots defense will be fired up to play a very boisterous Baltimore Ravens defense.  If I was a betting person I would be placing a call in to Vegas, since I’m not this is what I think…..by the time the scoreboard clicks down to zero, the red and blue will be on top with the 2-1 record leaving the Baltimore home crowd stunned at 1-2.  Get ready Patriot Nation, cause this is going to get good.

My prediction: Patriots 27-Baltimore 17

Good news Patriot fans, only seven days from now our new look 2012-2013 New England Patriots will take the field verses the Tennessee Titans.  This is of course fabulous news considering what both the team and fans just had to endure during the NFL mandated roster cuts.  I personally always make it a point to give Bill Belichick my total trust because simply put, the man has continued success year after year.  He is a football coaching God.  That’s not to say that one of his cuts didn’t upset me and surprise me all in one when it came to the release of our beloved former superbowl MVP, Deion Branch.

Regardless of his age, what was there not to love about this man.  #84 stole my heart as a favorite athlete once I took notice of all of his charity work throughout the country as a whole.  In fact as an avid supporter of his Deion Branch Foundation, I also recently was sent an autographed tee shirt for my support during his Kentucky Marathon where he ran the last mile pushing his wheelchair-ridden son in front of him.  He is a man with solid hands and was always a reliable receiver and blocker outlet when it came to Tom Brady.  What Deion Branch does both on and off the field makes it impossible to not be sad to see him go for most Patriot fans.  Earlier, it was noted by ESPN sources visiting the Pats locker room that #84 Branch’s locker was yet to have been cleaned out while hold out Brian Waters has been.  I am now crossing all fingers and toes hoping this means we see “old reliable” back on the field in our uniform very shortly.

This season’s roster cuts have arguably been the most surprising of the past decade, after seeing other names like former backup quarterback Brian Hoyer cut and replaced with second year Arkansas rookie Ryan Mallet.  The tides around Gillette Stadium have most definitely changed, but one thing remains the same and that is my ultimate trust of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.  When these Patriots take the field next Sunday in Nashville, TN it will be a new look higher powered offense with our new down field threat, in WR/ Brandon Lloyd and recent WR signee Greg Salas.  Patriot defense has looked all the more impressive after new rookies showing big promise at the line of scrimmage and aging veteran kicker Stephen Gostkowski is kicking longer yardage kicks than ever before.  So even though the roster names and numbers have changed more than some have hoped, one things for certain…. the new roster New England Patriots are still current favorites to return to Superbowl 47 and come out victorious, while fans sit back and enjoy the ride and hopeful return back to the Big Easy where it all began.