Ups & downs

Do we potentially have a bigger decision to make this off season than originally anticipated? We all understand who and what the injured quarterback is...and what he represents...first ballot hall of famer...but who is the guy coming back next september? We do know that the career arc of the current guy is looking pretty impressive! I'm just saying....

I believe I already know your rationale but Matt Light should be in the down category. OK, he had great protection all day, less one sack, against the guy who is probably defensive player of the year - Joey Porter. But the punches are going to get him seriously fined (if WE are lucky) or suspended a game. I'm sad to say the way their handing this stuff out this year it's probably a suspension.

Love him, but you've got to put Light on the "down" side. Can't go out like that.

It looks light Matt light will be suspended for at least one game based on what he did after the whistle.

Cassel continues to improve...making 20 and 30 yard passes now. His timing is getting better and better. Amazing.

How about ...
Up - Brandon Meriweather -- Comes up with a big fourth quarter interception.
Down - Matt Light -- A suspension would stink with Pittsburgh coming to town.

Is it possible for the team to leave Hobbs there in Miami? Ugh, is that get a waste of a team spot or what? If anything, just make him a return man because he's useless as a DB. Useless.

Mike what about some love for Big Sey because he came up huge with that sack taking the Dolphins out of field goal range which would have tied the game. I know later on he had the encroachment penalty on the 1 yard line but still that stop was so important.

Also even if Light gets suspended he can appeal it and play until the appeal is heard by the league which would allow him to play next week against Pitt, then he can drop the appeal and sit out against seattle or oakland.

Exactly Larry, just what I was thinking...although Light isn't a habitual offender and while throwing punches isn't the smart move I don't think Lord Goodell will suspend either of them just fine them big time.

I would like to know when the coaching staff, and the rest of Patriot Nation will finally recognize that Ellis Hobbs is, perhaps, one of the weakest one on one cover corners in the NFL? I have said this now for three season and yet, there he is, still starting. Maybe it's time that the Pats brain trust woke up and starting drafting decent sized corners....ones that have the talent, and ability, to stay with the much improved, and taller, corps of wide receivers in the NFL:.

Ellis Hobbs was abysmal today. I agree with Mike Allen; he's really not a good CB at all. I've been saying it for years. He gets BURNED all the time. Not only that, he's cocky and celebrates every time the receiver doesn't catch the ball which is usually not due to anything he has done. I'm sick of him.

BDK,
You're an reactionary idiot. Tom Brady is the best QB in the game, bum knee or not. His field vision and decision making are light years ahead of Cassel, not matter how good you feel about how Cassel has played. For you to even suggest dumping Brady shows how dumb Boston sports fans are.

I think we have to face facts, and the fact is that with the salary cap and the way the Pats manage their system, we are going to lose a great quarterback next year. I just hope Tom makes a full recovery from his knee injury. If Tom comes back and is never the player he was, seeing Cassell win playoff games somewhere else will be hell.

We've seen Belichick and Pioli release one beloved star quarterback after a serious injury, but I knew Drew Bledsoe, and he was no Tom Brady. Let's hope management makes equally good decisions next time around.

You can't compare MC of now to Tom Brady of now. No one had any idea 10 games into the 2000 season that Tom would be one of the best. The idea that we would replace Bledsoe was silly until the Pats made their playoff run. Brady's legend took years to develop. He doubters right up his third super bowl. Short memories around here.
That said, what if MC takes the Pats deep into the playoffs this year? I don't see how the Pats would not consider trading Brady. They would get cap space and several draft picks. And they are going to need it. Our defense is barely adequate.

Classless - for you to even suggest that one "reactionary idiot" "shows how dumb Boston sports fans are" makes you kind of an idiot yourself.

Mike Allen - we know you hate Hobbs. Got it. You really think Samuel was worth the money it would have taken to keep him? Pretty much nobody can cover todays top recievers 1-on-1. The pats like shorter defensive backs because lower hips let them swivel and adjust better than long legged backs. Reacting to cuts and such by the recievers is more important. And in case you didn't notice they drafted two cornerbacks this year.

How about the WHOLE DEFENSE as a DOWN. That was one of the worst displays of team defense I have seen by any team this year, or at least since the first Pats Dolphins game. I don’t know if people around here are blind or what. No pressure on a QB that can barely move and he runs for a TD. LB’s missing tackles all day long and getting stopped in their tracks every time they try to blitz. Our DB’s by far are the most horrible group of DB’s in the league. Hobbs (our best) would not start on 90% of the teams in the league. He and whomever they put on the other side are being beat multiple time every single game. The safeties are caught out of position constantly and NONE of these back know how to wrap up and tackle. They are soft and man handled regularly.
The offense looked really good again yesterday, but defense wins championship (or just playoff caliber games). This team has zero chance of going anywhere this year and if they don’t make some serious moves this off-season they are not going anywhere anytime soon. They need to get or develop a legitimate pass rushing linebacker and rebuild their entire secondary (except Meriweather ) with proven veterans. This rookie experiment is not working.

Mike Allen,
You'll get no argument from me. Hobbs is indeed one of the worst corners in the NFL, and he's all we have back there.

Cassell is having success, but a lot of it has to do with the system.

Did anyone else notice that the patriots receivers were stopping and cutting a lot more frequently yesterday...i saw all of them do it, moss, gaffney, welker...was this something they picked up in film regarding miami tackling?

UP - Jabar Gaffney who made some nice catches over the middle.

DOWN - Jabar Gaffney who dropped what appeared to be another easy catch at what was at the time a critical juncture of the game.

DOWN - Third down defense allowed the Jets several long conversions. Defensive line continues to be unable to get pressure on the quarterback which is a contributing factor to Hobbs' poor perfomance.

I disagree a little Mike on putting Sammy Morris in the down category. That was a tough fumble in a tough situation and he otherwise ran pretty effectively.

rico,
are you serious the rookie experiment is failing? Dude what is the Pats record this year?
The DB's all suck.... would you rather have the jets or dolphins DB's didn't Cassell just throw for 400 yards 2 games in a row. I guess they really are the worst DB's in the league.
Honestly why are you always so negative.

Rico, Gick, Mike Allen..... the glass is always half empty. Even in a win they complain

Mike Allen and his cronies are only happy when they're miserable. Or perhaps MA posts under different names. The shtick about Hobbs is more annoying that the Toyota Saved by Zero ads. Okay, everyone who reads Reiss gets it - you don't like the guy. BFD, get over yourself. Why waste time posting? Is it going to change anything?

Another day, another day in Mike Allen's life ruined by Ellis Hobbs. It sucks to be you.

jf4242 - You are right on about covering today's receivers, especially with the rules being what they are today. A defensive back even looks at a receiver the wrong way and it's illegal contact or pass interference. No question, Hobbs has had some coverage issues, but a lot of that could be resolved if the front 7 could get more pressure on the quarterback. Pennington sat back there all day looking down field until the very end when Seymour managed to get him once.

If they hand out a suspension to Light today and he appeals it, I bet the appeal process will be over by Thursday. This isn't the MLB.

Why bench Hobbs until there's a candidate to take his place? He's still better than O'Neal, Webster, Wilhite, Sanders, and Richardson. Until TWO of those guys demonstrate that they're better than Hobbs, he should remain a starter. Period.

The Brady trade-talk is ridiculous. Having said that and unequivocally believing it, makes the suggestion interesting in terms of where Cassel has come. The mere suggestion that Cassel could carry the team deep into the playoffs is stunning considering where he stood (in this forum) four weeks ago. Let's face it guys, more than one of us has considered privately what if Brady were traded? That does not mean that anyone is idiot enough to propose such a move, yet....Anyway it will never happen for many reasons, none more so than Kraft loves Tom like family, but lets remember that the reason such a consideration is truly embarrassing is not because Cassel's play does not warant consideration, but because trading Tom Brady now would be like trading Larry Bird during his glory; Brady is the face of not only the New England Patriots, but professional sports...Here is a prediction, the Patriots defense will shut down the Steelers next week. In the final drive of the season Belichick's defenses "clean up" their flaws, combined with the fact that the Steelers offense is a good match-up for the strength of the Pat's defensive unit (the front four and Mayo), the Patriots surprise the experts...24-10 Pats...Yes, I am one of those who believe that coach is capable of producing miracles with a little duct tape and ingenuity, I just hope that another injury or two does not make this observation too preposterous.

Funny how everyone says "in BB we trust" concerning all things Matt Cassell, but when it comes to Hobbs people are screaming for his replacement.

We need players like Hobbs who can cover well at a low salary cap cost, so that we can afford to keep players like Moss and Brady on the roster.

It's one thing when a player performs below expectations, it's an entirely different and more serious situation when he performs below his salary cap expectations. So far I've only heard complaints about the former, not the latter.

Mike Allen,
I agree with you 100 percent. Hobbs should not be starting and kick off returns suck too. His average is inflated because he had two long returns in one game.

Larry,
Your glass is over flowing, come down to earth for while buddy. Seymore in the UP column. The rookie Long had him man handled all day. He got his sack (and only play of the game) when Long was injured and on the sideline.He was going against a second stringer.

hobbs isn't that bad. he has his good days and his bad days. he played great earlier in the season vs kansas city the jets and the 49ers and he played reggie wayne well again vs the colts.

Hobbs leads the league in celebrations. Please, don't say he isn't bad. The elephant is in the room for all to see.