Week 8 Reflections

This just in....

New England just scored again. They converted a 4th and 16 from the Washington 20 and then Randy Moss hauled in his 6th TD catch to put the Pats up 98-10. Joe Gibbs went home, the rest of the fans have huddled in one of the end zones and are in the middle of a serious poker tournament, and Bill Belichick is taking a nap on one of the bleachers while his 4th-string QB calls the plays. It's really getting ugly (and putrid) in FedEx Field as just about every NFL offensive record for a single game has been broken today by the New England offense. Half the refs are lawyers and have had to call in to clients with their blue-tooth headsets while running down the field and calling penalties (54 total.)

Ok, yes, this is a stretch as I know the NFL game is not timeless like baseball, but don't tell the Redskins that as they probably thought the game was never going to end. While this extremely exaggerated mind picture leans towards being a fable, there's nothing fake about just how good this Patriots team has been this year. They have scored 331 points through eight games giving them 41.4 points per game. The NFL record for most points averaged per game in a season is 38.8 by the 1950 Los Angeles Rams. Tom Brady has already thrown for a career-high 30 TD passes in one season and we're entering Week 9. He is on pace to shatter Peyton Manning's single-season TD pass record of 49.

While New England continues its supreme dominance and faces an epic showdown with the unbeaten Colts this Sunday, they have also shown that this is a great time to be a sports fan in the New England area.

The Boston Red Sox swept the Rockies in the World Series to become MLB champions for the second time in four years. In true Patriots fashion, the Sox plowed through Colorado in four straight games before some US citizens were even aware that the World Series had begun.

The Boston Celtics have basically been handed the Atlantic Division crown by fans and media pundits. After acquiring Kevin Garnett, who's like a praying mantis on steroids, and sharp-shooter Ray Allen to along with mainstay Paul Pierce in the off-season, the Celtic Pride's new three-headed monster should wreck havoc in the NBA this season.

The Boston College Eagles are ranked #2 in college football and are looking at a very possible national championship game in January depending on the emotional state of the BCS.

The Boston Bruins are 7-4 and one of the hottest teams in the NHL winning those seven games in their last ten. The fact that I even know this gives me reason to think that I need a CAT scan.

Could it be that the explosive nature of the Patriots is so infectious that the other sports teams are catching it?

Other notes and observations from Week 8:

• Brett Favre is having a magical season and the highlight has to be the 82-yard bomb to Greg Jennings on the first play of OT to beat Denver on their home turf in the cold. I feel honored just to watch him on TV.
• Don't look now, but New Orleans and San Diego are simmering as they look to boil over and make a serious run to win their divisions after sluggish starts.
• Why are we playing in London and not Los Angeles?
• It's entirely possible that the Patriots will have more wins this year than all of their divisional opponents combined.
• Drew Bledsoe turned down an offer to play for Jacksonville. Trust me, it's a good thing.
• Dallas' bye couldn't have come at a better time as their next three games are at Philly, at NY Giants, and home to the Skins.
• Titans QB Vince Young is developing into a star and is finding ways to win football games, but I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever meet the hype that was generated when he was drafted. At the rate he's going, he's definitely looking to be the next McNair instead of the next McNabb.

GAMES TO KEEP AN EYE ON IN WEEK 9
DENVER AT DETROIT, DALLAS AT PHILLY, CAROLINA AT TENNESSEE, JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS, GREEN BAY AT KC, BALTIMORE AT PITTSBURGH, NEW ENGLAND AT INDIANAPOLIS.