The Quick Slant: 2 Weeks In the Book and the Patriots are 2-0

If you read the debut of the ‘The Quick Slant’ on Views from the Couch after week 1 then you’ve probably got an inkling on what is going to follow this opening sentence: my thoughts and notes after watching the Pats week 2 showdown with the San Diego (Super)Chargers. The same San Diego SuperChargers who Peter King picked to make it to the Super Bowl and lose to the Falcons (Falcons looked good last week. Not).The same San Diego Chargers who for the past 10 years it feels like are just waiting to reach their ‘potential’. It’ll happen one of these years they keep telling me yet I digress. A brief synopsis of the game shows that the Patriots won 35-21 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro with Tom ‘Terrific’ throwing for 423 yards, 3 TD’s on 31 completions. Another ho-hum day at the office for Tom though a subpar outing in comparison to the record setting week he accumulated against the Dolphins in week 1. But enough about Tom Brady here are my notes and thoughts from the Pats week 2 Sunday afternoon affair.

-The passing game looked unstoppable for the second straight week against another pair of good corners in Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason and safeties Eric Weddle and Bob Sanders (2 straight weeks for Sanders without getting hurt haven’t seen that in 3 or 4 years). As noted above Brady threw for 423 yards and 3 scores while only chalking up 9 incompletions. His love for Deion Branch was once again evident as the two connected 8 times for 129 yards. The TE’s (Gronk and Hernandez) also kept causing matchup problems for every opponent by finishing with 11 catches, 148 yards, and 3 TD’s combine.

-There was a wild Ochocinco sighting early in the 3^rd quarter! The ‘Basketball Wives’ guest star Chad Ochocinco reeled in a Brady offering across the middle and turned it into a 30-yard gain. Not too shabby good work Chad you finished the game with 2 receptions for 45 yards. Maybe this week Tedy Bruschi won’t call you out for being one of the leaders in tweets per day…nah he’ll prob say you should’ve had 3 for 60.

-The line did a good job keeping Brady upright for most of the game against very strong SuperChargers pass rushers. Shaun Phillips did record a sack but he’s going to chalk up 10 or 11 this year so it’s nothing to sweat if you’re the Pats o-line. The line also had a stellar day considering starting center since 2004 Dan Koppen checked out last week with a snapped ankle. Give them their due for giving Brady a clean pocket (that shout outs for you Trent Dilfer) all day and paving the way for BenJarvus Green-Ellis (THE LAW FIRM! Someone always has to yell it) to rush for 70 yards and a score.

-The defense did give up 21 points, 372 net yards passing, and 98 rushing yards but give them credit they also had 4 takeaways (2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries). They played typical Patriots defense from their Super Bowl championship teams by bending but not breaking. At one point between the 2^nd and 3^rd quarters the Chargers made 4 trips into the Red Zone and came away with 2 turnovers, 1 turnover on downs and 1 touchdown. I’ll take that any day of the week if I’m the Hoodie. The only long-term problems came in the forms of Patrick Chung having to leave for a bit with a hand injury and Ras-I Dowling (damnit I jinxed him by throwing him some praise last week. My bad Ras-I.) limping off the field in the second half.  

-Mark Anderson putting another sack on the board! That’s 2 sacks for the big fella in 2 games with the Patritos. Shaun Ellis doesn’t have a sack yet but no worries Mark Anderson will pick up the slack and get after the quarterback.

-Another note on the injury front: P Zoltan Mesko had to leave the game in the 3^rd quarter after tweaking his knee. I know punters and kickers seem pretty easily replaced but if Mesko has to miss any length of time it will deal a blow the Patriots special teams unit. The guy can boom the ball when needed or Coffin corner (learned that one from Madden) it when duty calls. Belichick spent a 5^th round pick on the Romanian born punter so you know he thinks pretty highly of him. He’s consistent which is a rarity for punters in the NFL and plus I don’t want to see Ken Walter come back out of retirement. It’s also fun to throw a ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’ Zoltan! reference everytime he walks on to the field.

-Overall the Patriots looked good for the second straight week and have started out the season strong. The defense might give up yards and points but the offense more than makes up for it. Today marked the 10^th straight game the Pats have put up 35+ points. That takes a load of pressure off the defense knowing that they can grow and gel at their own leisurely pace because Brady and the bunch will put up points early and often.

-Finally on a pet peeve note something about the roughing the passer calls that are rampant around the league. I know the NFL is a quarterback-driven league and they go to great lengths to protect these franchise cornerstones, we as Pats fan see it every week with the treatment Brady gets from the refs…don’t deny it he gets babied, but some of these roughing the passer calls are ludicrous. The 15-yard personal foul penalty on Andre Carter in the 2^nd quarter was asinine to say the least. Carter was flagged for ‘holding onto Philip Rivers midsection and driving him to the ground’. Oh, so you mean he tackled the quarterback? Yeah that makes sense flag the guy for doing what defense players are supposed to do…tackle people! It’s getting ridiculous and if it continues down the path its headed it’s only going to get worse here’s to hoping the lighten up and let defensive players get in a good pop every once in a while.

We’ll see you next week after your New England Patriots try to make it 15 straight wins against the 2-0 Buffalo Bills and take over sole position of first place in the AFC East.

Geoff Jablonski