Category: NFL

The 300s Made Its Debut on National TV Today

Sort of. My man @Jimmy2Lips repping The 300s snapback on live TV this morning making his fantasy picks on the Red Zone Channel.

Go give this man a follow on twitter dot com for his dynamite fantasy picks, but more so for his electric sense of style.

Oh yea and buy a hat from our brand new Etsy shop!

Coming Soon…The 300s Reviews the Buffalo Bills’ New Era Field

So I just got back from what felt like a month in Buffalo for a work trip or as Papa Giorgio termed it, a Vegas residency in Buffalo. Now that is an interesting city with some wacky happy hour deals, but I’ll get into all that in this upcoming video. We’ll be reviewing New Era Field, and probably Buffalo in general so keep an eye out for that.

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Patriots Chiefs Week 6 Game Preview, Odds, and Things to Watch For

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Two straight wins have vaulted the Pats right back up to the top of the AFC East heading into Week 6. Go ahead and smile, Pats Nation. It’s OK. But don’t get too cocky, as the SCORCHING-HOT, undefeated Kansas City Chiefs are coming to town this weekend for a Sunday night showdown.

As always, here’s a quick look at where, when, and how to watch the game along with the latest lines:

  • Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
  • Kickoff: Sunday, Oct. 14, 8:20 p.m. ET
  • TV: NBC
  • Odds (via Odds Shark): Patriots: -3.5 (spread)/Patriots: -175 (moneyline)/59.5 (total)

Just by looking at the numbers, you can see that this one is expected to be a barn burner and an absolute shoot-out. In fact, the current 59.5-point total is slated to be the second-highest over/under for any game within the last 15 years (just behind the 60-point total which closed for a game between the Chiefs and Raiders in 2003). Points are going to be scored in this one. Get ready for some major offensive firepower – on both sides.

The Chiefs currently have the league’s fourth-ranked offense and are averaging 35 points per game, which is the second-highest mark in the league behind the New Orleans Saints. The team is being led by MVP-candidate Patrick Mahomes, a second-year quarterback who was given the keys to the car this year and has rewarded Kansas City for that move with a league-leading 16 total touchdowns so far.

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Here’s Mahomes – probably getting ready to embarrass some poor defensive back in front of thousands of people.

It’s worth noting that he’s only got a five-game track record – six, if you want to include the one game he started as a rookie last year – and young signal-callers usually end up defecating all over themselves their first time playing in Foxborough. But this kid has been absolutely electric this year, and while Belichick probably has a few tricks up his sleeve to slow Mahomes down, the Pats defense just doesn’t have the talent needed to shut down a player of his caliber completely.

Mahomes’s historic season has certainly been aided by the plethora of offensive weapons at his disposal. Seriously, this offense is LOADED. Tyreek Hill is one of the league’s most explosive talents at wide receiver. Travis Kelce is the easily best tight end behind Gronk. Former first-rounder Sammy Watkins is a solid, albeit inconsistent, No. 3 option in the passing game. And Kareem Hunt – last season’s league-leading rusher – is off to another great start with 376 yards on the ground so far, good for fourth in the league. (Oddly, though, for a guy who had over 50 catches last year, Hunt is not getting the ball thrown his way anymore and has just five receptions in 2018. Mahomes has pretty much been getting it done with his wide receivers and tight ends all year.)

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Hunt (27), Hill (10), and Kelce (87) are one nasty trio.

Fortunately, the Chiefs’ defense is ranked dead-last in the NFL, and they have given up by far the most passing yards in the league. Therefore, Brady & Co. should have no trouble keeping up on the scoreboard. And while our defense doesn’t come without it’s own issues (gee, have I mentioned that before?), I have much more confidence in the Pats’ ability to stem the tide than I do the Chiefs.

Also, after coming out EN FUEGO the first few weeks, Mahomes is actually starting to come back down to earth. Over the past two weeks, he’s only thrown for one score while tossing two picks; the yards have still have still been there, though, and the team hasn’t lost, so he’s still moving the ball. However, maybe he’s not completely impossible to stop after all.

Storylines

(Can Jason McCourty Solidify His Spot in the Secondary?): After going from exciting new offseason addition to potential final-roster cut candidate and starting the season buried on the depth chart, Jason McCourty has played outstanding the past couple of weeks and seems to be quite rejuvenated. He’s truly been one of the team’s very best defenders and was all over the Colts receivers last Thursday night. Eric Rowe, who started the season as the team’s No. 2 corner, is now probably unlikely to reclaim his starting spot when he returns from injury. That is, of course, unless McCourty gets torched by Mahomes and his minions this week. This is a huge game for Jason McCourty, and I’ll be watching him very closely on Sunday night.

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You’ve been playing great lately, Jason. Don’t blow it.

(Will Chris Hogan Finally Wake Up?): There is no doubt that Hogan has been one of the team’s biggest disappointments this season. With Julian Edelman out for the first four weeks of the season and a dearth of other receiving options on the team, many expected Hogan to serve as a bona fide No. 1 wide-out for as long as needed. Except for a lucky two-touchdown game in Week 2 against the Jags, Hogan has yet to surpass 34 yards in a game this season. There’s also two games this year where he’s hauled in just one pass. To be fair, he hasn’t been getting many targets, but that probably has to do with him being unable to get any separation. I believe Hogan is much better served as a No. 2 or 3 option in an offense, and Edelman’s return should actually open more things up for him. But if he can’t get it going against Kansas City’s horrendous pass-coverage, YIKES.

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EARTH TO CHRIS HOGAN! Where ya been, bud?

(Two of the Best Minds in the Game Go Head-to-Head): I’m pretty sure by now everyone’s heard of that guy Bill Belichick and how great of a coach he is. And even the most casual of NFL fans should know about Andy Reid, now in his sixth year as head coach of the Chiefs after spending 13 years as the leading man in Philadelphia. Both men have a pretty extensive track record of success, but I’m unsure if people realize just how much of an offensive visionary Reid is. Not only are his offenses always near the top of the league each season, but he was the one who decided to go all in and draft Mahomes last season, even when most others throughout the franchise were fine sticking with Alex Smith. The guy is an offensive visionary, and this will be a fun chess match to watch between two of the game’s best and brightest.

Prediction

As I said, this one is going to be a whirlwind, with tons of yards and points galore. I do think the Pats will tame Mahomes much more than people expect, but don’t forget about Kareem Hunt and the running game; this is not a one-dimensional offense. This one could be a real boxing match, with both teams trading blows all night long. In the end, I think the Pats benefit from some home cooking and eek out a win, 33-30, with a late Stephen Gostkowski field goal.

Real Talk: WHY Are the Patriots Still Paying Dwayne Allen So Much Money?

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OK, I bet nobody was expecting to come across an article on Dwayne Allen today – or anytime soon, for that matter. But upon conducting a little mid-week research, I stumbled across something truly disturbing that I just could not let slip by.

Are you ready for this one: Dwayne Allen is the SEVENTH-highest paid player on the Patriots in terms of base salary for 2018.

I’ll let you all chew on that one for a minute…

I promise you didn’t read that incorrectly; Allen truly is one of the highest-paid players on the team, as he will collect $3.8 million, which includes his $500,000 roster bonus, by season’s end.

Now, let me start by saying that I hate coming in so hot against one of our own. Allen seems like a fine fellow, and he was actually a pretty solid weapon for a few years out in Indianapolis, serving as one of Andrew Luck’s most trusted targets. But, Dwayne, ever since we traded for you before the 2017 season, as my boy Patches O’Houlihan would say, you’ve shown that:

After giving up a fourth-round pick – which, by NFL standards, isn’t chump change – to acquire him, Allen has been targeted a total of 24 times over the past two seasons, catching all of 11 balls for 82 yards and one score. And if you look only at his 2018 numbers, he’s caught one pass for -4 yards. HE LITERALLY HASN’T GAINED EVEN ONE POSITIVE YARD OF OFFENSE THIS SEASON.

BUT, MATTES, he’s SUCH a good blocker! You’re dumb! You don’t know anything! It’s not only about catching the football if you’re a tight end.

Just stop with that garbage. Please. While Allen has shown an ability to be useful on the line, it’s not like he’s anything special. Pro Football Focus has graded both his run- and pass-blocking so far this year as “Good.”

Not “High Quality” or “Elite.” Just…”Good.” Is that really worth $4 million considering he’s pretty much invisible otherwise?

Some may be wondering why I care so much. It’s not like it’s my money, and $3.8 million is pennies compared to what some other tight ends are making throughout the league. But when you consider some of the other holes this team had heading into the season, his salary is just inexcusable.

Take Danny Amendola, for example. After being nothing but the ultimate team player – taking pay cut after pay cut to stick around and serve as one of the team’s most vital offensive pieces for the past five seasons – he chose to leave this summer when the Dolphins offered him more than the Pats were willing to. How much, you ask? Six million per year over the next two seasons, a whole $2 million more than Allen’s making at the current time. That is absolutely shameful, and even with Edelman back there’s still no doubt the team could use Danny Boy in the worst way right now, especially in the event of the next inevitable injury.

(Some will say it had to with other things besides just money with Amendola, and maybe a simple change of scenery was best for both sides. Still, it just further illustrates how incredibly overpaid Allen is at the moment.)

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You got hosed, Danny. Plain and simple.

When you also consider the fact that most backup offensive lineman – which is basically all Allen is at this point, even though he’s still listed as a “tight end” – are lucky to even make half of what Allen’s earning in 2018, the whole situation is just baffling.

In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? Yes and no. Apparently, the team still has about $5 million at their disposal at the moment, and it’s not like an additional $4 million would make much of a difference in terms of this season’s roster. But maybe it’s just that after years of being force-fed the importance of penny-pinching and watching plenty of deserving Patriots players get short-changed when it was their time to cash in, it’s infuriating to see a guy like Allen getting WAY more than he deserves – for literally no apparent reason.

So next time someone brings up Belichick’s impeccable roster-management acumen and commitment to not overpaying for anyone, I give you Dwayne Lamont Allen. I rest my case.

*All salary and contract information courtesy of Spotrac.com.

Patriots Pass Rush Still Non-Existent a Third of the Way Through Season

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Everyone throughout Patriots Nation is flying pretty high right now after two back-to-back wins – wins in which the Pats outscored their respective opponents, the Dolphins and Colts, by a combined 45 points.

Brady’s also been on point over that time, with two straight 94-plus QB ratings and seven total touchdowns. Also, Sony Michel is looking pretty solid carrying the rock; Josh Gordon seems to be on track toward being a big factor in the offense; and Julian Edelman is finally back as the team’s top target. And above all, after a 1-2 start the Pats are right back on top of the AFC East, tied with Miami for first place after five weeks of action.

Sure, I’m feeling pretty good right about now. How could you not after what we’ve seen the past two weeks?

Still, though, there is one glaring issue with the team – an issue that is certainly not new – which could rear its ugly head sooner rather than later. I’m talking, of course, about the team’s anemic pass-rush.

Our faithful 300s readers know that I’ve had the team’s pass-rush ear-marked as an area of concern since the offseason. Besides being ranked as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-worst unit heading into 2018, the team was coming off of a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss that saw Nick Foles pass for over 370 yards and three scores – mostly because he wasn’t sacked ONCE and was touched a measly five times otherwise. It was truly one of the most pathetic performances I’ve ever seen from a defensive front, and big changes were needed in the offseason.

Belichick & Co. seemed to agree after signing former Falcon Adrian Clayborn pretty much right away in free agency, and with young guys like Derek Rivers and Keionta Davis also expected to return from injury, there was a glimmer of hope. Then, after the group’s excellent showing against the Eagles in the second preseason game this summer, I was actually pretty bullish on the pass-rushing corps. I even pumped their tires pretty hard following that victory as part of our “The 300s Previews the Patriots” series.

But through five games so far this season:

  • Clayborn has zero sacks and a total of two tackles.
  • Davis played in each of the first three games, registering three tackles. However, he hasn’t seen the field once since Week 3 against Detroit.
  • Rivers played in Week 3 against Detroit, but has been dealing with “an undisclosed injury” which hasn’t allowed him to play at all outside of that one appearance.

Well so much for that “hope!”

As I pointed out in our Pats/Colts game preview last week, heading into Thursday night there were only four players who had been able to muster up even just one sack through this season’s first four games: Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise, Adam Butler, and John Simon, the last of whom  has been on the team for a total of one-and-a-half weeks.

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Guy’s been here for less than two weeks and he’s already one of our top players up front. YEESH.

Against the Colts, Patrick Chung was able to get in on the action with a half-sack, with the other half being credited to Flowers. So, through five games now, only five Patriots have been able to get to the quarterback a total of seven times. (Also, ZERO sacks have come from anyone in the linebacking corps. Yikes.)

To be fair, pass-rushing is about much more than just sacks. Still, even in terms of QB hits, the team is averaging just 4.6 a contest, so they’re barely even throwing opposing signal-callers off their game. Taking away the Dolphins game – which was probably more about Ryan Tannehill’s ineptitude in Foxborough than anything else – the Patriots are giving up a bottom-five-worthy 294 passing yards a game.

One must also understand that different teams employ different schemes, and not everyone blitzes or sends pressure at the same rate. In 2017, only four teams blitzed less frequently than the Patriots, so it’s not like Belichick and Brian Flores are encouraging anyone to pin their ears back and get after it.

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Come on, Bri Guy, let the boys loose!

In order for that type of philosophy to work, though, you need to have an elite secondary. While Gilmore is a fine No. 1 corner, Eric Rowe has been in out of the lineup the past few weeks due to injury, the McCourtys aren’t spring chickens, and after that it’s pretty much just Chung, Harmon, and a bunch of rookies still trying to climb their way up the depth chart.

While guys like Blake Bortles, Matthew Stafford, and Andrew Luck can chuck it pretty well, up next comes Kansas City phenom and 2018 MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes in Week 5, followed up by matchups against the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, and Ben Roethlisberger in the coming months.

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Mahomes could be getting ready to commit a Sunday Night Massacre against the Pats D this week.

Fortunately, the Patriots play in a division which features two teams with rookie quarterbacks – and another who plays like one from time to time. And even more fortunate is the fact that the Pats still have five games left to play against said squads in 2018.

But when the competition stiffens and the game’s elite throwers are on the other side of the field, things could get ugly. Only time will tell, but we’ll get our first glimpse at the team’s true colors this Sunday night in a prime time matchup against the Chiefs’ No. 3-ranked offense.

Julian Edelman Officially Added to the Patriots Active 53 Man Roster

Heeeeee’s baAAAck ladies and gentleman. The Option QB From Kent State. The 2nd Most Handsome Patriot. The #11 that goes next to #12. One Nibble Everyone Knows The Law. Julian Edelman himself has officially been activated to the Patriots 53-man roster. This is obviously huge for the team and specifically important for I would say for four different reasons.

1.) First and foremost we have to address what this means for Tom Brady. Arguably his most trusted target is back in the lineup which will make Brady feel that much more comfortable. And a comfortable Brady is it dangerous Brady.

2.) The Patriots offense finally broke out last week in a big way. Now imagine that + Edelman in the mix. Imagine Brady’s new buddy Dorsett last week but with less eyes on him? Remember what Chris Hogan could do downfield and in the seam when someone was distracting defenders over the middle? It is a fun thing to ponder indeed.

3.) I didn’t buy too much into this but if what Gronk’s brother said was true and Gronk was unhappy with the lack of weapons in the Patriots offense then he’ll be a lot happier now. In general Gronk’s body language hasn’t been great the last few weeks so having another weapon in the offense, and a fun-loving one at that, should be a huge boost for the best tight end in the league.

4.) Finally we get to Edelman himself. Because really unless we completely blow the rest of the season the NFL kind of did him and us a favor. Edelman has always been a bit injury-prone and, at 32, isn’t getting any younger for a wide receiver of his size. So basically, the NFL gave him an extra 4 weeks to relax, recover from his ACL injury and any other bumps and bruises, and return to the Pat’s 110% ready to kick ass. Not a bad deal for #11 or for a 2-2 team on the rise.

What just dawned me is this really is where the season begins. Starting tonight against the Colts, Edelman’s first game back, we get to see what is the fully loaded and staffed Patriots of the 18′-19′ season. Like most of the last 20 years, I like our chances.

 

-Joey B

 

 

The 300s Bloggers “Earl Thomas Was Right” Fantasy Football Round Up – Week 4

O hey there. So we are officially a quarter of the way through the 2018-2019 football season and with that, we are really beginning to see what our fantasy football teams are made of. We are also beginning to see what the waver wire is made of as more and more players go down, forcing owners to try and convince themselves that Senorise Perry is about to have a breakout week. But as we prepare for the return of Julian Edelman, let’s check in with the your favorite amateur typists to see how their fantasy squads did this week.

Joey B

I got fucking washed. Other than the Stafford-Tate connection no one showed up, least of all a certain #87. I even experienced the rare goose egg courtesy of Sammy Watkins last night. Definitely looking forward to rebounding next week when I get Devin Funchess back and slot Cameron Brate (O.J Howard is hurt) in for Gronk.


Red

Finally got a W on the books and it literally took until the final drive of the Monday night game. Demaryius Thomas was really earning his keep as my 5th round pick mustering up 3 points with a little over 2 mins left in the game. Keep in mind that during all this I am down by ONE POINT in my head to head matchup. Less than 2 minutes to go and Patrick Mahomes put the Chiefs ahead so Denver is forced to throw the ball. Thank Christ. With 1:39 to go Case Keenum immediately takes a sack. Good start. I am screaming at my TV at this point. The very next play Keenum completes a 9 yard hitch route to Thomas to nab me the ONE POINT I needed to seal the deal. Fantasy football is legitimately taking years off of my life.

Oh and my TE Tyler Eifert broke his ankle. 


Big Z

I don’t know what’s more remarkable, the points I leave on my bench each week or the fact that I’m still winning in spite of my poor coaching decisions. Either way, I won my Week 4 match up 108-76, and at 3-1 am currently sitting in the 3rd place in my ten-team league. Maybe it’s my “defense.” I’m seventh in points, but have “allowed” the fewest points in the league.

Brandon Cooks and George Kittle really saved my bacon in Week 4 with 24 points each. Russell Wilson was a disappointment with just 7 points, and I’ll finally be giving him the hook in Week 5. Time for some Matty Ice, baby! Oh, and did I mention that my opponent played the Cleveland defense?

Mattes:

S-O-Fucking-S! The Purple Cobras are currently in the midst of their worst season ever, sitting at 1-3 and dead last in the league in points by a cool 30. After getting a combined 11.48 points from Russell Wilson, Jordan Howard, and O.J. Howard, I had absolutely no shot, but my opponent made sure to put up almost 160 on me anway. (OH, and Amari Cooper had another phenomenal game on my bench.) Maybe it’s time for Baker Mayfield to come in and right the ship?

Fell down to .500 in my other league, sitting at 2-2. The week started off blazing hot with Kirk Cousins, but then Michael Thomas also decided to forget how to play football this week. Getting two points out of my FLEX and leaving 17 points on the bench from Sony Michel – the guy who I was originally going to play in my FLEX – didn’t help either, especially when you lose by only seven points. Still right in the thick of it all, though, so I’m not sweating it.

Patriots Colts Week 5 Game Preview, Odds, and Things to Watch For

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12), left, prepares to throw the ball during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens during the the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at ...

Photo: Chris Humphreys/USA Today Sports

There are times when I’m OK with being wrong. Last Sunday was one of those times, as the Pats absolutely spanked Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins at home in a 31-point win. Does this mean they should be considered a juggernaut once again? Or was it just an easy fluke win against a team that always soils their jock straps every time they’re in Foxborough?

I’d say the answer probably lies somewhere in between. Next up is Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts on a short week for some Thursday Night Football action. As always, here’s a quick look at where, when, and how to watch the game along with the latest lines:

  • Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
  • Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 4, 8:20 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX; NFL Network (Check local listings)
  • Odds (via Odds Shark): Patriots: -10 (spread)/Patriots: -475 (moneyline)/51.5 (total)

So Who are the Colts?

The Colts are a team that LOVES to chuck the ball. Most of this probably has to do with their 29th-ranked running game, which is basically a three-headed “attack” – soon to be four-headed with the return of Robert Turbin off suspension this week – that is averaging a collective 3.6 yards per carry. While Turbin could theoretically come back and take over the reigns right away, I don’t expect a guy who’s played in 21 games over the past three seasons, while averaging a measly 3.1 yards a tote, to come in and go gangbusters.

For the most part, it’s been two rookies, Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines, who have led the way for Indy, with Wilkins being more of the ball-carrier and Hines being the do-it-all, Swiss army knife out of the backfield. Wilkins, who leads the team in carries, has produced an unspectacular 136 yards on 38 attempts this year. Hines, though, leads the team in receptions with 22, with nine of them coming against the Houston Texans two days ago (on top of two touchdowns). He was an electric collegiate player at North Carolina State as well, and there’s no doubt the Colts believe in his talent.

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Only a rookie, Hines is already a pretty fun little player to watch.

(The Colts also have second-year man Marlon Mack, who flashed at times as a rookie last season and was expected to lead the pack in 2018. However, he’s played in one game this year due to a nagging hamstring, and we’re not sure yet if he’ll play on Thursday night.)

Rather than continue to try and decipher the jumbled mess that is the Colts backfield, let’s take a look at what to expect from Andrew Luck. The former No. 1 overall pick, who smashed all sorts of NFL records over his first three years in the league, is finally healthy again after his career was looking like it was in serious jeopardy. (For those who aren’t up to speed, here’s a pretty detailed timeline of Luck’s injury saga from The Score.)

While Luck has been a bit up and down this year, he is coming off a 464-yard, four touchdown performance. He’s also tied for second in the league with 186 passing attempts on the year. So for all of those who have been saying that he just hasn’t looked the same and he just doesn’t have that same zip on his passes anymore:

T.Y. Hilton is happy to have Luck back, too, as he is averaging an impressive 14 yards a catch with two scores on the year. Other guys like Ryan Grant, Chester Rogers, and the two-headed tight-end attack of Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle – and, of course, Hines – give Luck a solid group of guys to throw the ball to.

(WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Both Doyle and Hilton are officially listed as OUT for tomorrow night’s contest. Therefore, the Colts receiving options will actually be looking pretty thin this week, which is obviously great news for the Pats D.)

Surprisingly, the Colts defense has been in the middle of the pack this year against both the run and the pass, and they haven’t been the terrible piece of swiss cheese I expected them to be in 2018. Their 17 sacks are also tied for second in the league, but after playing 80-plus snaps in each of the past two games, hopefully the D is a bit tired and won’t completely feast on Brady.

Storylines to Watch For

(Welcome Back, Jules!): After 24 games without his top target, Tom Brady finally gets his biffle Julian Edelman back on the field once again. HALLELUJAH. Sure, Edelman is 32 years old and coming off a pretty serious knee injury, but hopefully those extra four games off this season just gave him more time to heal. Above all, even with Josh Gordon now in the fold, Edelman is the team’s most important receiving option. While Gordon and Gronk can come through with the big play down the field, Edelman gives Brady that reliable, chain-moving option he’s so desperately missed. I think you’re also going to see a much more chipper TB12 from here on out. Welcome back, No. 11.

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Jules is back to silence the haters after an all-too-long absence.

(Where’s the Pass-Rush?): The Pats defense got a huge boost last week with the return of both Trey Flowers and Patrick Chung. Newly signed John Simon also had a nice debut with three tackles and a sack on Sunday. However, the much-improved pass-rush everyone was expecting to see this year has been M.I.A. so far. Outside of Flowers, Simon, Adam Butler, and my boy Deatrich Wise (who leads the team with 2.5 sacks), not ONE other Pats player has been able to take down the quarterback through four games. This should be a game where we start to see some improvement, though, against a suspect Colts offensive line that could still be missing incumbent left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who has yet to see a snap this year. The Texans had a field day against the Colts this past weekend with four sacks and 11 quarterback hits. If the Pats can’t get the pass-rush going on Thursday night, color me concerned.

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After completely whiffing on my Burkhead for offensive MVP pick, at least my pick for the team’s defensive MVP this season has given me some vindication.

Prediction

Feeling good off a nice win and boosted by the return of Edelman, the Pats will come out hot at home, going up by a couple scores in quick fashion. The Colts, who are still tired and reeling from a devastating OT defeat just four days prior, will be sluggish and their mediocre defense will crumble in front of the crowd at Gillette. Their offense may also struggle mightily with Luck’s two favorite targets – Doyle and Hilton – both definitely sitting out. By the middle of the third quarter, the game will be all but over. The Pats take it 34-13.

Early Morning Grab Bag – October 2nd, 2018

Note: I kind of enjoyed doing this last time so I am going to try and mix in one a week. Maybe I’ll get a regular day going at some point but not really possible with my schedule right now

The Patriots did in fact play very well Sunday. I am still not ready to anoint them as Super Bowl contenders again though, yet. There is that something just missing. I guess I just don’t see us cruising to February by dumping the ball to James White and hoping rookie CBs continue lose Cordarrelle Patterson, maybe the worst route runner in football, in the maelstrom of an 11-on-11 football game. Add that to the fact that Gronk has been just less Gronk-like and I don’t know, I’m still worried. The D did look a lot better though and I think that group will continue to improve as weeks go on. But to end back on Offense, next week is the return of the Prince, the Boss….

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-Soooo this just popped up:

Whaaaaaat do you know. The guy who signed the MASSIVE extension suddenly just isn’t happy to be in New York. No one, and I mean NO ONE saw this one coming. Truly remarkable. Honestly though I can’t even imagine who has the cap space and that much of a need to bring him aboard. Seattle maybe? I really don’t know? More to come I suppose.

Khabib vs. Conor is this Saturday which is crazy considering, again, the lack of overall press. They will do, as is customary, another press conference this Thursday, a little over 48 hours before they fight. Huge controversy in The 300s back-channels arose when it was discovered that despite massive hat sales Red would not be flying me out there credentialed. Kind of a missed opportunity but it’s fine. I’ll have my full UFC 229 write up posted sometime Thursday.

Tom Hardy’s “Venom” movie is coming out, or came out, or something. This is the most perplexing movie pickle I’ve ever been in. I’m just not a comic book movie guy. I’ve explained off-blog but while I am not going to hate on them, they just don’t do it for me. On the other hand, I fucking love Tom Hardy, so what do I do? Add to it the fact that he is kind of a weirdo and could quit at any moment and I probably will end up at least On Demanding it at some point.

(This kills me every time)

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To stick with movies, the first trailer got released of Taron Egerton (Eggsy from the “Kingsman” franchise) playing and singing as Elton John. This one should actually be really cool, I thought this kid would have blown up long before this.

In TV, both “Shameless” Season 9 and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Season 13 have DESTROYED so far so get on that if you haven’t yet. While the former may be tough to just dive into, I think anyone with a brain could catch a random episode of “Sunny” and still have a good time. It’s honestly a timeless show.

The first episode for this season of “South Park” also aired and…my Lord. (It was very funny).

Watch Bill Burr’s “F Is For Family” finally and thank me later.

Lindsay Lohan thought (see: jumped to an outraaageous conclusion based off of literally nothing) that a couple of refugee kids (in Russia I think?) walking with their Mom were actually being kidnapped and sold into sex trafficking and tried to save them or something. The Mom promptly punched her directly in the face. You should probably find the video, it’s wild. Girl is off the reservation. What’s more she is speaking in I think at times both Russian and Arabic as well as English in a Russian accent. This is very soon after she was asked why on earth she was speaking with an Irish accent. On Wednesdays we wear straight jackets.

To end with some more #sports, Le’veon Bell has annouced he’ll report for Week 7, which is two weeks from now. This is just after he said “sure won’t” upon seeing fellow hold out Earl Thomas risk playing and probably end his career on account of breaking his leg in a game. I’m not sure what Bell’s play is here apart from the Steelers possibly telling him that another team is making an offer but wants him to show up first to make sure he’s committed to football in some capacity.
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Welp, that’s it for me for now. I’ll be back this afternoon for the fantasy football round up but other than that I got nothing apart from trying to not get fired for the next two working days while I spend all my time on the UFC229 write up. Ts and Ps for your boy.

Oh, also, apart from the night of said fisticuffs, I’ll be participating in Sober October this year. 99% 100% of my friends are booze bags so if you have any suggestions of what in the fuck I should doing for the next ~30 days please let me know. Please?

Patriots vs Dolphins Half Assed Halftime Reactions

-The Dolphins are 3-0 and think they’re going to take the Patriots out back and finish them off before October? That’s cute. Okay Dolphins fans, daddy’s home.

-CORDEL! It’s only Cordarrelle Patterson’s 8th career TD so people wonder why Tom Brady is pissy, but in a busted coverage Cordel did what he does best;

-Tom Brady has now tied the NFL record for TDs to 70 different receivers. He is king of the trashcan receivers, matched only by former teammate Vinny Testaverde.

-You think Sony Michel’s been listening to all the talking heads on sports radio calling him a bust after TWO fucking weeks? He’s only averaging 5.3 yards per carry with 80 yards in the first half.

-Ryan Tannehill is still trash. Despite coming into this game top 5 in stats like Completion %, TD %,  Yards per Attempt, and QB Rating, he’s come into Gillette and turned back into a pumpkin.

-Bill Belichick gave us an early entry into GIF of the year with his reaction to a Dolphins defender faking an injury to stop a play.

-Even Phillip Dorsett is flashing them 1st Round hands.

-I still miss you Danny, you handsome son of a bitch.