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You said it, I didn't

You said it, I didn't

Oh, Jerod. When will you ever learn? Jerod Mayo is a rookie coach. We expect mistakes from any rookie – be it a coach or player. What we expect is for rookies to learn from their mistakes and to show that they are learning on the job. Let’s take a
17 Dec 2024 6 min read
Week 15: Desmond Ridder and Chad Ryland Revenge Games. Are you excited?

Week 15: Desmond Ridder and Chad Ryland Revenge Games. Are you excited?

I knew Week 14 was going to be tough and it was. It wasn't all bad. Miami not only came back from 8 down to the Jets in the 4th quarter, but they covered the 5.5-point spread by scoring a walk off touchdown in overtime. The Falcons,
13 Dec 2024 3 min read
Should the Red Sox be in on Juan Soto?

Should the Red Sox be in on Juan Soto?

It sounds as if we may be hours away from learning what uniform 26-year-old superstar outfielder Juan Soto will be donning next year. Everyone knew Soto would be a free agent after the season ended. Boston fans weren't very interested in following the news, though. They knew better.
08 Dec 2024 7 min read
NFL picks: Chargers-Chiefs, Green Bay-Detroit highlight Week 14

NFL picks: Chargers-Chiefs, Green Bay-Detroit highlight Week 14

It was a great bounceback week for me after a s0-so week (by my very high standards) the week before. It is amazing how good I was on my picks, but not so good on picking the over/unders. It was a crazy week for over/unders, though, as a
05 Dec 2024 5 min read
Grading the Patriots’ offseason: Bring back a 4-13 team and you have a 4-13 team... or worse

Grading the Patriots’ offseason: Bring back a 4-13 team and you have a 4-13 team... or worse

Bill Belichick used to say the season really starts after Thanksgiving. For too many seasons lately, including this one, the season has been over before it ever had a chance to begin for the Patriots by Thanksgiving.  The Patriots were never expected to be playing meaningful games in December this
05 Dec 2024 20 min read
Payton Pritchard, the silent assassin

Payton Pritchard, the silent assassin

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown get all the attention, and rightfully so, but the secret to this team’s defense is their depth. Take Tatum and Brown off the team and it may well still be a playoff team. On any given night, there are seven players who can score
30 Nov 2024 2 min read
Week 13 NFL predictions: Patriots last chance for a win, Eagles-Ravens should be a beauty

Week 13 NFL predictions: Patriots last chance for a win, Eagles-Ravens should be a beauty

When I went back and reviewed my picks from Week 12 I was like, “Uh oh.” I was under .500 on picking winners, but when I checked my picks against the spread, I found myself going, “win, win, win, win.” I think I won my first six or seven games
28 Nov 2024 6 min read
Week 12: Are the Ravens contenders or pretenders? Lions keep roaring

Week 12: Are the Ravens contenders or pretenders? Lions keep roaring

I was proud of a few of my picks in Week 11 and then others I was like “what was I thinking?” I was spot on about the Colts upsetting the Jets, although it came down to the last minute. I was right about the Bills giving the Chiefs their
21 Nov 2024 5 min read
Week 11 picks: Could the Rams-Patriots game harken back to 2001?

Week 11 picks: Could the Rams-Patriots game harken back to 2001?

Week 10 was a beauty for me. I went 10-4 in all three categories. My season totals are now: Moneyline:  61-27 Against the spread:  49-36-1 Point total O/U: 45-42 It feels good to get over .500 in the point total betting. That was bothering me. Week 11 has some
14 Nov 2024 5 min read
Week 10 NFL picks

Week 10 NFL picks

CIN @ BALT (-6.5)   Total: 52.5 The Bengals are hanging around the fringes of the playoff race. It would help if their two diva receivers were better team players. Ja’Marr Chase held out all camp looking for more money and the Bengals looked rusty in their first couple
08 Nov 2024 4 min read
Week 9 picks: Chiefs lose their first game, Patriots two-game winning streak

Week 9 picks: Chiefs lose their first game, Patriots two-game winning streak

It may not have been the best of weeks for me with my picks, particularly against the spread and over/under on the point totals. But I don’t care. I got the big one right. I nailed the Patriots upsetting the Jets. That’s all I care about. I
31 Oct 2024 7 min read
Patriots 2024: Is this 'chicken and beer' all over again?

Patriots 2024: Is this 'chicken and beer' all over again?

A comment by Kendrick Bourne this week caught my attention. It, actually, gave me a bit of PTSD. It sounded familiar. Bourne told the Boston Herald following New England’s 32-16 loss that he questioned the attitude and professionalism of some of his teammates while in London and, I assume,
27 Oct 2024 9 min read
Week 8 predictions: Could I be picking the Patriots to upset the Jets?

Week 8 predictions: Could I be picking the Patriots to upset the Jets?

It was a so-so week for me in Week 7. I was disappointed in the Saints, Texans, Patriots, Giants, and Falcons. I expected more out of all of them. I still came out ahead at over .500, and that's all you can ask, right? Wrong. Last week on
24 Oct 2024 7 min read
Week 7 predictions: Looking at a lot of upsets

Week 7 predictions: Looking at a lot of upsets

I had a pretty good week last week. I was 11-3 straight up, 10-4 against the spread, and 8-6 on over/under point totals. When I was wrong, though, I was spectacularly wrong. I, ahem {cough}, picked Dallas to win outright against Detroit, but the Cowboys managed to only score
17 Oct 2024 8 min read
Takeaways from the Patriots, 41-21, loss to the Texans

Takeaways from the Patriots, 41-21, loss to the Texans

Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans was the most enjoyable Patriots' game I've watched in over a year. It was a small reminder of what it used to be like to watch a game around these parts. It was the anticipation leading up to the game.
17 Oct 2024 15 min read
Thundercat behind the decision to ditch "The Plan" and start Drake Maye now?

Thundercat behind the decision to ditch "The Plan" and start Drake Maye now?

All year long we have heard about the “The Plan.” Head coach Jerod Mayo has preached it since the draft. We have a plan. We are going to stick to the plan. How many times did we hear about this mysterious "plan" of theirs? Mayo never would expound
12 Oct 2024 6 min read
NFL Week 6 picks: NFL debut for rookie Spencer Rattler... oh, yeah, and Drake Maye

NFL Week 6 picks: NFL debut for rookie Spencer Rattler... oh, yeah, and Drake Maye

I think I did pretty good in my first foray in publishing my picks last week: Money line (winner straight up): 9-4 Versus the spread: 8-4-1 Over/under: 6-7 There was a lot more scoring than I expected. Who expected Joe Flacco to pass for 359 yards and the Colts
10 Oct 2024 6 min read
Week 5 picks: Dallas-Pitt, Arizona-SF, Buffalo-Houston should be fun. NE-Miami, not so much.

Week 5 picks: Dallas-Pitt, Arizona-SF, Buffalo-Houston should be fun. NE-Miami, not so much.

Seems like everyone nowadays has a betting video on YouTube or online blog so I asked myself, "Why not me?" This could be fun. I’ve been picking Patriots’ games for over a year now on this blog, but now I am going to expand my horizons and
06 Oct 2024 5 min read
Play Drake Maye now.

Play Drake Maye now.

Mayday! Mayday! Sound the alarms! The Patriots are coming off an embarrassing 30-13 loss to a banged up San Francisco 49ers team. No one expected the Patriots to win or even compete against the defending NFC champs, but is it too much to ask for them to entertain us? Is
03 Oct 2024 10 min read
Patriots' Week 4 preview: End of the Jacoby Brissett era

Patriots' Week 4 preview: End of the Jacoby Brissett era

Thank you for your dedication and service, Jacoby Brissett. You served Patriot Nation well. You fulfilled your duties. You took hard hits and you kept getting up. You showed what it means to be a leader and a warrior on the field. You showed how to take accountability and not
27 Sep 2024 4 min read
Week 3 preview: Patriots' fans need to learn to relax

Week 3 preview: Patriots' fans need to learn to relax

With six minutes left in the Patriots’ game against Seattle, I said out loud to my gathered group of friends watching the game, “I can’t believe we are six minutes away from being 2-0.” I did the same thing when it got to under four minutes with Joey Slye
19 Sep 2024 8 min read
Patriots-Seahawks preview: Could the Patriots move to 2-0?

Patriots-Seahawks preview: Could the Patriots move to 2-0?

The Patriots are not used to playing the role of Cinderella, but they are looking like the belle of the ball right now. Every year there is always a team that exceeds expectations and turns heads. Last year it was the Houston Texans behind their rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
15 Sep 2024 6 min read
Patriots follow their formula for success in their season opener victory over the Bengals

Patriots follow their formula for success in their season opener victory over the Bengals

The Patriots began their march to the Super Bowl with a convincing, 16-10, victory in Cincinnati over the Bengals. What? Am I wrong? Boston fans are notorious for overreacting. It's what they do. But even reactionary Boston fans don't believe this team is a playoff contender
10 Sep 2024 10 min read
Some bold and not so bold predictions for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond

Some bold and not so bold predictions for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond

The New England Patriots are on to Cincinnati. They open the season there this Sunday at 1pm. For the first time in over two decades, Bill Belichick won’t be on the sidelines for the Patriots. Instead, it will be first time head coach Jerod Mayo leading the team. He
08 Sep 2024 14 min read
Mayo disheartens fans by naming Brissett as the opening day starting QB

Mayo disheartens fans by naming Brissett as the opening day starting QB

Jerod Mayo announced on Thursday that Jacoby Brissett will be “our starting quarterback this season.” Interesting wording. It was also notable how Mayo began by saying “we” have decided before, quickly, correcting himself to say “I" have decided. The decision has disappointed many fans who want to see rookie
30 Aug 2024 5 min read
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