Patriots quietly keep winningposted: Sunday, October 22, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: New England Patriots
Somehow, it's happening again.
The league's quietest 5-1 team *- a team off to its second-best start since 1997 *- is New England. The Pats are back to doing what they do. You know, winning ugly, winning with injuries, winning with contributions from unknowns and retreads. Winning, period.
Sure, those five wins have come against the Bills (twice), Jets, Dolphins, and Bengals. The Pats' lone loss was a decision at home to Denver. But that seems like a while ago, doesn't it? That was back in the "Why is Tom Brady sulking so much and how does his body language affect the team" days.
Brady and his receivers are starting to click. He threw touchdowns to both Doug Gabriel and rookie Chad Jackson on Sunday. The throw to Jackson *- a 35-yard corner route *- was perfect. The throw to Gabriel wasn't. Brady rolled right from the 5 and threw across his body into coverage. It had pick written all over it -- and Brady knew it -- but Gabriel came back to the ball and plucked it for a score, in the process doing what seemed unimaginable in New England early in the year: A wide receiver making a play for Brady.
But the reason why the Pats have started 5-1 isn't necessarily their offense. They had massive pass protection problems exposed for the second time this year against the Bills. And while he seems to produce at least one big play a game, rookie Laurence Maroney has gained only 67 yards on his last 26 carries. The reason why the Pats have been able to survive uneven offensive performances is because of their front seven. Yeah, J.P. Losman makes a lot of front sevens look good, but during their past three games, the Pats have allowed 71, 62 and 75 yards rushing. Those numbers have come against good backs: Rudi Johnson, Ronnie Brown and Willis McGahee.
Sure, we don't know exactly how good New England is. We'll know more the next two weeks, when the Pats play in Minnesota and host the Colts. But New England's schedule is very favorable. Games against the Bears and Jag loom large, but sandwiching those matchups are teams like the Jets, Packers, Lions, Dolphins, Texans, and Titans -- opponents just underwhelming enough that the Pats could head into January with a bye, with double-digit victories, and under the radar once again.
