Last week, Darius Butler had two interceptionsone returned for a touchdownand a fumble recovery in the Colts win over Jacksonville. If the former Patriots second-rounder has anything resembling a competent game Sunday at Gillette expect this from Patriots fans. And he will be starting with Colts corner Jerraud Powers landing on IR this week.
I dont understand how Dan Fouts can pronounce virtually every word correctly except Wilfork. Wilfert? How do you get there? Is it a linguistic blind spot? "Honey, can you get me a fert, I just dropped mine on the floor." "Make sure you keep right at the fert."
So Ryan Fitzpatrick says Brandon Spikes is a punk. Can anyone step back, objectively look at the way the guy plays on the field and think otherwise? He took a cheap shot on Bills tight end Scott Chandler in the first meeting between the teams, a low-rent head shot from Chandlers blind side. He eye-gouged his way to infamy at Florida.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Hes not simply out there trying to leave an impression or send a message. He tries to injure. But the hit on Fitzpatrickwhile illegalwas unavoidable. And the Patriots defense is better with him than without him.
But hes also in his own world. Witness the Fred Jackson fumble at the 1-yard line on Sunday. As the discussion between officials ensued, Spikes tilted his helmet back on his head. When he saw a replay of the fumble, he took his helmet off and started gesticulating. Chief. Put the helmet back on. Thats a 15-yard penalty if the officials were paying attention.
Finally, Jay Cutlers concussion is on him. The rules protecting quarterbacks were installed to make sure they were covered when they were doing something elsei.e. throwing. A quarterback who slides late or pushes the notion hes about to become a runner and still tries to throw is an abuse of those protections.
Speaking of fumbles, how can the NFL continue to leave unaddressed the post-fumble chaos that ensues two to three times per game? The guy who falls on the fumble is the guy who emerges from the pile with it about 60 percent of the time. Meanwhile, instead of trying to determine who was on the ball first, officials are peeling players off the pile who show up 10 seconds late looking to bellyflop on the pile and twist fingers. I know this isnt a foolproof solution, but officials need to put up a hand signaling that the loose ball portion of the play is over and any player joining the fray or pile will incur a 15-yard penalty for his team.
I am rooting so hard for Jon Gruden to fill one of the head coaching vacancies this offseason. He was fun in the booth for about three weeks.
The poor Chiefs. Anyone see them get called for a group celebration penalty exulting over a defensive touchdown that got called back. Pretty much encapsulates their season.
With Ben Roethlisbergers right shoulder in disrepair, the hierarchy of the AFC changes again. Its going to be between the Texans, Patriots and Ravens the rest of the way.
Jets linebacker Calvin Pace before the game in Seattle: Were looking for that truly defining moment to our season, and this has got to be a defining moment for us, because we cant be 3-6, that just cannot happen. I believe in the guys. I think adversity really does show what your character is, show what your team is all about.
And defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson: Yes, we will be playing postseason football this year . . . Were going to get (Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson) rattled. We know theyre 4-0 at home, but were not worried about whats going on over there in Seattle . . . Were going to go in there and pretty much set the tone.