NFL YTD: 37-27 (+6.55*)
NCAA YTD (12/20): 44-40 (-0.33*)
I won't be in my regular NFL capping routines Thursday through Monday, so even if I was gaga over the entire card, I would never consider stepping out this week with an excessive number of plays, and will be circumspect in pulling the trigger on only my strongest plays. Similarly, after Thursday I can't predict what, if any, chances I will have for further monitoring of my initial take on any plays, so I've finished what homework I'm likely to get done this week and put in my NFL plays WAY early by my standards.
New England((-3')(-120) & (-5)) over New York Jets (1*)
Tampa Bay(-3)(+100) over Atlanta (1*)
GL
**************************************
Providence Journal
(12/20/05)
Business as Usual
The Patriots clinched the AFC East title with their 28-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, but the regular season is far from over.
With two games remaining -- Monday night in New York and against Miami on New Year's Day -- coach Bill Belichick and the players plan to stick to business. The team will treat the remaining two weeks of the regular season with care. The word "'fragile" has taken on an entirely different meaning for the Patriots this holiday season.
New England's emphasis before the playoffs begin will be on gaining more confidence and improving.
"We went a long way this year before we showed improvement," said Belichick. "I wish things came together sooner than they did. The fact that they are there now doesn't mean it can't go back in the other direction. Just because you do things well for a couple of games doesn't mean you are going to sustain that. You need to keep working at it and take care of the little things."
"When you have more confidence, you're able to play looser," said Rosevelt Colvin. "You are able to be more aggressive, and it's easy to get your job done . . . We've made some strides and some improvements. Each week we're hoping to move forward, and if we can continue to do that then we will be where we need to be. Hopefully, we'll end up where we need to end up."
In most living rooms around New England on Saturday, fans probably were wondering why key players still were playing after the game was well in hand, and asking themselves whether Belichick would rest those players in the last two regular-season games.
"We're treating this like a regular week," the coach said. "Put it in the headline in bold type. 'It's a regular week.' Players know that and the staff knows that . . . Long term in this business is, at the most, one week. It is one day at a time. We are honestly going to approach this game (against the Jets) like any other."
Belichick said this is not a new situation for the Patriots. In fact, New England has clinched the division title with games remaining for the third consecutive season.
"We've been down this road before," said the coach. "I don't think anybody else knows any other way to do it around here. I don't think the players do. I don't think the coaches do. It is football season, and no matter what I tell them they are not going to do it any differently. Every game is an important game if you're playing in it. We all have pride in what we are doing, and that's why we're doing it."
After a shaky start this season, New England has been a better team for the last month, and Belichick admitted that yesterday, giving all the credit to the players.
He talked about pass protection, kick and punt returns on both sides of the ball, the running game, making tackles and third-down success. That seems like a lot to have to improve on at this stage of the season, but the Pats have returned close to top form.
"If we can keep improving and keep getting better," said Belichick, "then we have a better shot at moving forward."
Belichick called the Pats' win over the Buccaneers one of the most consistent efforts of the season.
"We were better," said the coach. "It wasn't perfect, by any means, but it was better in execution, and we had a higher level of performance overall."
The Patriots finally are playing with confidence. They are almost where they would like to be before the playoffs begin, and with two games remaining, New England will concentrate on completing the process.
"In the end, it is all of us working together," said Belichick. "It's a long process. There are a lot of games, a lot of practices and a lot of meetings. The frustrating thing, at times, for the entire team this year has been our inability to consistently play at the level we know we are capable of playing at."
So there will be no outside distractions for the three-time Super Bowl champions over the next few weeks. It's business as usual.
**************************************
Atlanta Journal Constitution
(12/20/05)
Crumpler: Falcons need to adjust
The Falcons have to find themselves before they can find the playoffs and right now, "We're a team that's searching," Alge Crumpler said.
Having lost four of their last six games, the Falcons' playoff hopes have turned dire because they have proven fragile when they've fallen behind and also have failed to make necessary adjustments, said the Pro Bowl tight end.
"When I've said that we're frontrunners, it seems like our identity is we've got to get up on people. I'm speaking in terms of the whole team's mindset, we've got to get up on people for us to believe that we can go out there and control a game," Crumpler told the Journal-Constitution Tuesday.
"What we don't do is adjust well. I was just watching film. The stunts and the things that some teams present are easily fixable, but we don't find ways to adjust until it's too late. Early, we would adjust to what teams did. Everybody was throwing stuff at us. They throw the Michael Vick defense at us, different defenses that they pull out of a hat. We adjusted extremely well.
"What we've done lately is not find an answer."
Crumpler did not single out coaching decisions, schemes, particular players or positions for the team's lack of success in recent losses to Carolina and Chicago, in which the Falcons (8-6) were outscored 40-9. However, he said something has to change because opponents have figured out that they can stack the interior with eight or nine players, on run and pass situations, because the Falcons have not successfully countered.
Coach Jim Mora said Crumpler may be overstating the situation and that the coaching staff has made the needed changes.
"We know how to function," Mora said. "Our guys keep fighting, our coaches adjust. We have just put ourselves deep, deep in the hole against three good teams (Tampa Bay, Carolina and Chicago) and not been able to overcome the deficit."
Crumpler did not question his teammates' effort, but said, "it's a fine line between playing hard and playing smart or playing too hard and actually doing what you're supposed to do."
One of the adjustments the Falcons have made offensively is to keep Crumpler, their leading receiver (58 catches, 793 yards), out of many passing routes to help pass protect. Over the past three games, Crumpler has just eight catches.
In a 24-6 loss to Carolina on Dec. 4, Crumpler had three catches, just one in the first half. He had two receptions in Sunday's 16-3 loss to Chicago for 14 yards.
"If I'm getting open and we're getting sacked I want to help out," Crumpler said. "If I'm helping out protecting and we're not getting any production out of it, that's when I get [angry]. If I'm going to sacrifice, we've got to get something out of it. Right now, it's like if I do help out, what am I sacrificing? What are we getting? All I want to do is win and I'll do anything, but we've got to start getting results."
Crumpler said his biggest frustration is the number of hits Vick has taken, even if he hasn't been sacked. He said the Falcons have tried to establish a short passing game to get Vick and the offense into rhythm.
"I've done more blocking the past couple weeks than I have all season, but if Mike's getting hit on three-step drops, where do you think his confidence level is?" Crumpler asked. "If Mike's getting hit on seven-man protections, where's his confidence level at? It's got to be everybody working together. Everybody wants to blame the offensive line if there's a passing breakdown but everybody's got something to do with it."
Mora said the common thread in the increased pressure on Vick has been, "A bit more edge pressure that we have not always handled as well as we should."
The problems can be solved, Crumpler said. He still feels the Falcons can defeat Tampa Bay Saturday, but will need a near flawless performance.
"We have to score early, control the game, stop letting people control us, period," Crumpler said. "I don't mean a field goal. When we drive down the field put points on the board, the defense gets a three-and-out and out we drive down the field and put more points the board we totally control the game.
"That's just how it is and that's just how it has to be."
NCAA YTD (12/20): 44-40 (-0.33*)
I won't be in my regular NFL capping routines Thursday through Monday, so even if I was gaga over the entire card, I would never consider stepping out this week with an excessive number of plays, and will be circumspect in pulling the trigger on only my strongest plays. Similarly, after Thursday I can't predict what, if any, chances I will have for further monitoring of my initial take on any plays, so I've finished what homework I'm likely to get done this week and put in my NFL plays WAY early by my standards.
New England((-3')(-120) & (-5)) over New York Jets (1*)
Tampa Bay(-3)(+100) over Atlanta (1*)
GL
**************************************
Providence Journal
(12/20/05)
Business as Usual
The Patriots clinched the AFC East title with their 28-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, but the regular season is far from over.
With two games remaining -- Monday night in New York and against Miami on New Year's Day -- coach Bill Belichick and the players plan to stick to business. The team will treat the remaining two weeks of the regular season with care. The word "'fragile" has taken on an entirely different meaning for the Patriots this holiday season.
New England's emphasis before the playoffs begin will be on gaining more confidence and improving.
"We went a long way this year before we showed improvement," said Belichick. "I wish things came together sooner than they did. The fact that they are there now doesn't mean it can't go back in the other direction. Just because you do things well for a couple of games doesn't mean you are going to sustain that. You need to keep working at it and take care of the little things."
"When you have more confidence, you're able to play looser," said Rosevelt Colvin. "You are able to be more aggressive, and it's easy to get your job done . . . We've made some strides and some improvements. Each week we're hoping to move forward, and if we can continue to do that then we will be where we need to be. Hopefully, we'll end up where we need to end up."
In most living rooms around New England on Saturday, fans probably were wondering why key players still were playing after the game was well in hand, and asking themselves whether Belichick would rest those players in the last two regular-season games.
"We're treating this like a regular week," the coach said. "Put it in the headline in bold type. 'It's a regular week.' Players know that and the staff knows that . . . Long term in this business is, at the most, one week. It is one day at a time. We are honestly going to approach this game (against the Jets) like any other."
Belichick said this is not a new situation for the Patriots. In fact, New England has clinched the division title with games remaining for the third consecutive season.
"We've been down this road before," said the coach. "I don't think anybody else knows any other way to do it around here. I don't think the players do. I don't think the coaches do. It is football season, and no matter what I tell them they are not going to do it any differently. Every game is an important game if you're playing in it. We all have pride in what we are doing, and that's why we're doing it."
After a shaky start this season, New England has been a better team for the last month, and Belichick admitted that yesterday, giving all the credit to the players.
He talked about pass protection, kick and punt returns on both sides of the ball, the running game, making tackles and third-down success. That seems like a lot to have to improve on at this stage of the season, but the Pats have returned close to top form.
"If we can keep improving and keep getting better," said Belichick, "then we have a better shot at moving forward."
Belichick called the Pats' win over the Buccaneers one of the most consistent efforts of the season.
"We were better," said the coach. "It wasn't perfect, by any means, but it was better in execution, and we had a higher level of performance overall."
The Patriots finally are playing with confidence. They are almost where they would like to be before the playoffs begin, and with two games remaining, New England will concentrate on completing the process.
"In the end, it is all of us working together," said Belichick. "It's a long process. There are a lot of games, a lot of practices and a lot of meetings. The frustrating thing, at times, for the entire team this year has been our inability to consistently play at the level we know we are capable of playing at."
So there will be no outside distractions for the three-time Super Bowl champions over the next few weeks. It's business as usual.
**************************************
Atlanta Journal Constitution
(12/20/05)
Crumpler: Falcons need to adjust
The Falcons have to find themselves before they can find the playoffs and right now, "We're a team that's searching," Alge Crumpler said.
Having lost four of their last six games, the Falcons' playoff hopes have turned dire because they have proven fragile when they've fallen behind and also have failed to make necessary adjustments, said the Pro Bowl tight end.
"When I've said that we're frontrunners, it seems like our identity is we've got to get up on people. I'm speaking in terms of the whole team's mindset, we've got to get up on people for us to believe that we can go out there and control a game," Crumpler told the Journal-Constitution Tuesday.
"What we don't do is adjust well. I was just watching film. The stunts and the things that some teams present are easily fixable, but we don't find ways to adjust until it's too late. Early, we would adjust to what teams did. Everybody was throwing stuff at us. They throw the Michael Vick defense at us, different defenses that they pull out of a hat. We adjusted extremely well.
"What we've done lately is not find an answer."
Crumpler did not single out coaching decisions, schemes, particular players or positions for the team's lack of success in recent losses to Carolina and Chicago, in which the Falcons (8-6) were outscored 40-9. However, he said something has to change because opponents have figured out that they can stack the interior with eight or nine players, on run and pass situations, because the Falcons have not successfully countered.
Coach Jim Mora said Crumpler may be overstating the situation and that the coaching staff has made the needed changes.
"We know how to function," Mora said. "Our guys keep fighting, our coaches adjust. We have just put ourselves deep, deep in the hole against three good teams (Tampa Bay, Carolina and Chicago) and not been able to overcome the deficit."
Crumpler did not question his teammates' effort, but said, "it's a fine line between playing hard and playing smart or playing too hard and actually doing what you're supposed to do."
One of the adjustments the Falcons have made offensively is to keep Crumpler, their leading receiver (58 catches, 793 yards), out of many passing routes to help pass protect. Over the past three games, Crumpler has just eight catches.
In a 24-6 loss to Carolina on Dec. 4, Crumpler had three catches, just one in the first half. He had two receptions in Sunday's 16-3 loss to Chicago for 14 yards.
"If I'm getting open and we're getting sacked I want to help out," Crumpler said. "If I'm helping out protecting and we're not getting any production out of it, that's when I get [angry]. If I'm going to sacrifice, we've got to get something out of it. Right now, it's like if I do help out, what am I sacrificing? What are we getting? All I want to do is win and I'll do anything, but we've got to start getting results."
Crumpler said his biggest frustration is the number of hits Vick has taken, even if he hasn't been sacked. He said the Falcons have tried to establish a short passing game to get Vick and the offense into rhythm.
"I've done more blocking the past couple weeks than I have all season, but if Mike's getting hit on three-step drops, where do you think his confidence level is?" Crumpler asked. "If Mike's getting hit on seven-man protections, where's his confidence level at? It's got to be everybody working together. Everybody wants to blame the offensive line if there's a passing breakdown but everybody's got something to do with it."
Mora said the common thread in the increased pressure on Vick has been, "A bit more edge pressure that we have not always handled as well as we should."
The problems can be solved, Crumpler said. He still feels the Falcons can defeat Tampa Bay Saturday, but will need a near flawless performance.
"We have to score early, control the game, stop letting people control us, period," Crumpler said. "I don't mean a field goal. When we drive down the field put points on the board, the defense gets a three-and-out and out we drive down the field and put more points the board we totally control the game.
"That's just how it is and that's just how it has to be."
