Archives for October 2004

‘”We didn’t score a point. We were shut out for the first time in 10 or 12 years. It was just embarrassing. We played terribly. I played terribly and I still remember that game,” said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who threw four interceptions in the loss. “There is a bad taste in our mouth from that game. We want to go out and try to play certainly much better then we did last year, but even better then we did the last two weeks.”‘

Izzo a routinely special player (Boston Globe)

17 in a row? You don’t say (Boston Globe)

Pass interference (Boston Globe)

Drew not through (Boston Herald)

Just win, Brady (Boston Herald)

Playing with a porpoise (Boston Herald)

The no name gang (Metro West Daily News)

Four downs (Metro West Daily News)

McGahee the epitome of Bills’ bumbling (Providence Journal)

Martinez and Bledsoe have a few things in common (Providence Journal)

Pats’ Chatham really is special (Providence Journal)

Pats’ Branch, Klemm out for today’s game (Providence Journal)

Curran’s quiz (Providence Journal)

Bills out to end another streak (Woonsocket Call)

Streaking toward history (Springfield Republican)

Consistent approach wins (Springfield Republican)

Scene of the crime (Nashua Telegraph)

Patriots are on auto focus (Lowell Sun)

Prolific Pats knocking on destiny’s door (Brockton Enterprise)

Patriots in Buffalo today to face Bills (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Last year’s Bills still haunting Patriots (Manchester Union Leader)

Receivers cut from the same Moulds (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

17, going on 19 (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

On verge of a record, Patriots play it down (San Francisco Chronicle)

Ex-loser Belichick a genius in Foxboro (Chicago Sun Times)

Patriots play it cool (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Pats strike first during streak (Miami Herald)

”’They ain’t winning 18 straight, I’ll tell you that,” defensive tackle Pat Williams said. ”I don’t care what kind of game plan they come in with, we’re going to win on Sunday. The guys are hungry around here. We ain’t settling for nothing less.”’

‘Patriots 20, Bills 10.’

‘"I think there’s a benefit absolutely," said Bills tight end Mark Campbell of playing the Raiders and Patriots back-to-back. "With the Raiders, they had the Pittsburgh Steelers (Mularkey’s former team) a week before they had us so they had a bit of a benefit. I definitely think there’s a benefit. Now instead of having one week to prepare, we’ve actually had three weeks to prepare for this style of defense."’

‘Drew Bledsoe vs. the Patriots Blitz.’

‘Bills must … Convert in the red zone – Twice Buffalo has driven inside the 15 and come away with no points … Think deep – A big play now and then from Eric Moulds or Lee Evans would be nice … Present a united front in secondary – Pats QB Tom Brady can identify a weak link back there and exploit it.’

‘"He is the next closest thing to a coach," Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said of Brady in a news briefing last month. "It has gotten to the point now, by the time he comes in and we put in the game plan, by the end of the week, he knows the plan like a coach knows the plan."’

‘"It is important that (Bledsoe) plays well for a lot of reasons," said Simms, "for himself, for his team, the coaches and even for the fans and the media. You have to do something that people go "OK, he can do it.’ " But he laughs at talk show complaints that focus on Bledsoe’s lack of mobility. "It (mobility) is just so over-talked about in the NFL," said Simms. "Is (Indianapolis quarterback) Peyton Manning the most mobile guy in the world? Kurt Warner (of the New York Giants) is not the fastest. Tom Brady (of New England) arguably could be the slowest guy in the NFL at quarterback. Bill Walsh (the legendary coach and QB guru) said all you have to do is sidestep and avoid one guy to get the next little window and throw the football. There are so many guys in the league who are not mobile."’

‘In Cincinnati, his teams went a combined 34-78 and never went to the playoffs. New England has captured two of the past three Super Bowls under coach Bill Belichick and is 42-14 since the start of 2001.’

‘Bills coach Mike Mularkey is trying to use Belichick’s comments to fire up his offensive line and quarterback, but there probably aren’t many Bills fans expecting it to be a factor. If Buffalo beats New England on Sunday, the defensive unit figures to be taking most of the bows.’

‘"If there is knowledge that you have about your opponent that would help your team win, then it definitely would be appropriate and it should be done. It should be mentioned. He should bring it up. He should be able to say, `This guy is not that fast. Everyone thinks he’s fast. But I coached him. He’s not that fast.’"’

‘“Don’t get me wrong – I want him to lose,” Law said. “I want him to play well, but I’m not rooting for those guys to win. Hell, I hope it’s a big ass-whupping this week.”’

‘While players regularly change teams and bring information with them — Bledsoe and Lawyer Milloy both have gone from the Pats to the Bills in the past two years — few people know Belichick, and how he operates, as well as Szabo.’