Monday's New England Patriots Links 9/26
Here are this morning's top stories from around the internet:
PATSFANS.COM
Defense, Mistakes End Win Streak In Buffalo - Bob George
George looks back at yesterday's game and writes that Tom Brady could throw for 6,000 yards this season and the Patriots could probably still go only 8-8 if the defense continues to be this porous, especially against the pass.
Wes Welker's PostGame Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
You can read Wes Welker's complete press conference following yesterday's loss.
Bill Belichick's PostGame Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
You can read Belichick's short and sweet press conference after yesterday's debacle.
Tom Brady's Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
Brady was obviously frustrated after Sunday's loss, and here is the complete press conference transcript.
BOSTON HERALD
Myriad of mistakes costs Patriots the game - Karen Guregian
Guregian looks at yesterday's game and writes that a future hall of fame quarterback threw four interceptions, while fans also watched one dropped pass of a sure touchdown "by the big-time wide receiver who still doesn’t look like he belongs in the offense".
Indefensible afternoon - Ron Borges
Borges writes that after watching yesterday's game, the Patriots "seem to have the big play thing backward".
Patriots bubble bursts - Ian Rapoport
Rapoport files his game story, and paints the picture of the Patriots locker room after a disastrous fourth quarter lead to yesterday's 34-31 loss in Buffalo.
Catch-22 for Wes Welker - Karen Guregian
Guregian looks at yesterday's record setting day for Welker, which ended up being all for naught as a result of the outcome.
Chad Ochocinco’s grasp limited - Ian Rapoport
Rapoport writes that Ochocinco was a bigger part of the game plan yesterday, but he had a dropped touchdown and still had a tough afternoon. “Is it killing me? No,” Ochocinco said, in response to a question about how he was handling the day. “It was good. Mentally, it was really good. I knew all my (stuff). Now, that felt good. That’s step one. It’s just got to come quicker, (so I can) come away with everything that comes my way.”
Fred Jackson Turns Big Hole Into Big Play - Mike Farrell
Farrell writes that the Bills runningback made the key play of the game yesterday after beating Sergio Brown and Gary Guyton, only to be brought down just short of the goal line - allowing Buffalo to run out the clock.
Bills pick great time to turn tables - Mike Farrell
Farrell looks at yesterday's loss and writes that the Bills picked a great time to end the 15 game winning streak, which left linebacker Shawne Merriman pleased with the way his team responded after taking a 21-0 lead at the half. “We were confident all week,” Bills linebacker Merriman said. “We knew what type of team we were coming out to play. We knew we had to come out and play our best, and to come back from a 21-0 first half (deficit) just shows the type of guys we’ve got in this locker room.”
The best and the worst of yesterdays game - Ron Borges
Borges has the bright and not so bright spots from yesterday, with Devin McCourty earning the "Worst Mike Haynes Impression" after struggling yet again on Sunday.
Tom Brady Scores High Marks in Fashion Mag - Inside Track
The inside track writes that Brady got high marks in the "Menswear" magazine for his off field look, but failed to get a perfect score due to a “Personal foul,” wrote Menswear fashionistos: “Greasy long hair with a hint of a beehive suggests premature midlife crisis.”
BOSTON GLOBE
Patriots Shocked By Bills - Shalise Manza Young
Young files her game story, and writes that New England just imploded and seemed like it couldn’t get out of its own way for parts of the second half.
Distressing day, for sure - Dan Shaughnessy
Shaughnessy writes that our world no longer makes sense now that the Patriots can't even beat the Bills anymore.
Brady Vows to work after uneven game - Zuri Berry
After a tough loss, Brady told reporters after yesterday's game that it's just "one loss", and they'll get it together before heading to Oakland next week.
Pressure to improve D - Greg Bedard
Bedard breaks down yesterday's defensive debacle, and compares some of the other numbers to where they were last year as he tries to figure out how they can be playing so poorly and wonders how much better Brady would do against them each week.
Bit of a catch regarding records set by Welker - Monique Walker
Walker has an article on Welker's big day, but the veteran wasn't happy with the outcome. “I mean, it detracts everything,’’ Welker said. “We lost the game. What should be a great, fun day of breaking records and all of those things is totally opposite. I think it shows we have a long way to go and we have to step up across the board and make plays and understand that we just can’t play like this.’’
A few hits, but a big miss for Ochocinco - Shalise Manza Young/Monique Walker
Young and Walker combine for their "notebook", which leads off with Ochocinco's tough afternoon who said after the game that mentally he felt good, but was frustrated with the drop. “It felt good; mentally, I knew my [stuff],’’ he said. “It got away from me. I gotta come up with everything that comes my way.’’
ESPNBOSTON.COM
Patriots Can't Pick Brady Up - Mike Reiss
Reiss writes that yesterday proves that if Brady has an off day, the team doesn't have the ability to pick him up.
Patriots/Bills Report Card - ESPNBoston
ESPNBoston.com has a report card from yesterday, which gives the offense a D and the defense a surprising C-.
Offensive Snaps - Ocho can't capitalize - Mike Reiss
Reiss looks at yesterday's snaps by Ochocinco, who played in 60 of 75 snaps for the team yesterday but still didn't have much of an impact.
Positional groupings: 3-receiver attack - Mike Reiss
Reiss looks at yesterday's offensive alignments, and shows the different sets they were in with Aaron Hernandez out of the line up.
Loss Spoils Gronk Homecoming - Chris Forsberg
Forsberg writes that what should have been a happy homecoming ended up being a disappointing outcome.
CSNNE.COM
Patriots Mesko Looks Good to Go - Mary Paoletti
Paoletti writes that Zoltan Mesko didn't appear to be hampered by last Sunday's leg injury and punted well on Sunday.
Pats' defense breaking down in all corners - Tom Curran
Curran looks at yesterday's game and writes, "there have been precious few blitzes, there's been very little pressure and on the back-end, where the Patriots have gone man-to-man, they are getting abused."
SI.COM
Long-suffering franchises finally experiencing some good times - Peter King
King files his "Monday Morning QB" Article, and writes that the Bills joined the Lions and Browns as teams that are off to a good start so far this season.
ATTLEBORO SUN CHRONICLE
Bittersweet performance by Welker - Mark Farinella
Farinella writes that even after a day where he caught everything in sight, it wasn't enough to keep his team from losing a tough one to the Bills on Sunday. "I knew there were going to be some opportunities and things like that," Welker said after the game. "You know sometimes that's just how the games play out. You go into it trying to catch some balls and get yards for the offense, try to move the ball down the field and ultimately score. At times we did that very well, and at times, we didn't."
Bills Pick On Brady, Rally From 21 Point Deficit - Mark Farinella
Farinella writes that the Patriots should have known something was up when it dawned sunny and warm in western New York yesterday, "perhaps the best day for football they've seen in this corner of the country in many years."
Pats Bungled in Buffalo - Mark Farinella
Farinella has more on an embarrassing day for the Patriots, with Brady unable to try and come up with enough catch phrases to hide his frustration after it was over. "It's football," he said repeatedly in his post-game meeting with the media. "Some days the ball gets batted up in the air and it goes away, and some days it doesn't. That's part of the game."
WEEI.COM
Ten Things We Learned Yesterday - No Defense For this Outcome - Christopher Price
And finally, Price has a terrific look back at yesterday, with 10 great points. Definitely a recommended read.
That's it for this morning. We'll have a bunch more coming, so be sure and check back for updates.
