BENGALS CAGE PATRIOTS 13-6                                                 OCTOBER 8, 2013                
Up until Sunday’s game, the Patriots’ problem was scoring in the Red Zone. The Bengals’ defense prevented the Pats from getting into the Red Zone most of Sunday. NE was there once all day and of course had to settle for a field goal when they needed a TD.

And credit the Cincy offense for doing enough (their time of possession was about 8½ minutes more) to keep the Pats off the field. If there was ever a glaring weakness, it was the Wilfork-less middle failing to stop the Bengals’ running attack (162 yards) especially on BenJarvus Green Ellis’ TD on 4th and 1. On this day, Cincy’s lines dominated on both sides of the ball.

Even before the rain came, the Pats offensive line had trouble protecting Tom Brady (sacks on each of the first two drives) and when given time, Brady had trouble finding open receivers leading to coverage sacks (4 total) and 8 QB hits.

With Amendola back, the hope was that the offense would pick up. Both Dobson and Thompkins came in with injuries and except for Dobson’s long catch and run (56 yards), they didn’t do much.  Thompkins, who seems to constantly juggle the ball before catching it, had a 3rd and 14 catch for 15 yards reversed on review. And Amendola (targeted 9 times) had but 4 catches, dropping a number. My notes reflect 3 drops including on 2nd and 10 after the fumble recovery with 3:34 left. Edelman was also bad (7 targets, 2 catches). Dobson (4 targets - 2 catches) and Thompkins (4 targets -3 catches) were almost non-factors. In fact, Brandon Bolden led the team with 6 catches on 8 targets, as the Pats must have decided to go with the screen pass to offset the Bengals’ pass rush.

Without Stevan Ridley, the Pats had to rely on the slower LeGarrette Blount (12 for 51 yards) and Brandon Bolden (5 for 24). A better running attack might have helped Brady, who was under siege much of the day. Just when the Pats had a decent drive going (with 7:54 left in the 2nd quarter), Blount had the ball punched out after a 7-yard gain to the Cincy 25. It was the first time the Pats had been in Cincy territory! Blount had only 3 carries in the 2nd half. Mike Reiss noted that Blount had only 8 snaps after the fumble.

A very disappointing loss. Right now this is a different Patriots offense that needs better routes, better throws, fewer drops and better protection for its QB. A return by Gronk (a strong possibility Sunday versus the Saints) would help.
POINTS AFTER
CBS had this stat: NE is tied for 2nd most drops (13) in the NFL (then they dropped more)
Josh Boyce played 1 snap out of 63. TE Matt Mulligan (caught fighting) had only 7.
Cincy called TO as Gostkowski was about to kick a FG. He went ahead and kicked the ball after the whistle. A mike caught, “You can’t f**kin’ snap that ball!” Ref or coach?

RED SOX
Would have been nice if the BoSox had put away the Rays Monday night. Scrappy comeback but for naught. Now Jake Peavy (4.17 ERA) goes against Jeremy Hellickson (5.17 ERA), who might be on a short leash tonight with Chris Archer as fallback. Would not want to see this series go 5 games as anything can happen then. Let’s hope the Boston bats bombard Hellickson and build up a big lead since Peavy will give up some runs.

E-MAIL
Jim, regarding the "black boxes" in cars, we should get used to the idea since all new vehicles sold in the US as of 2015 will be required to have them in place.
Chuck Doherty
Are you kidding me?  -   Z

I was incorrect in stating that they will be required at that time - the law
is not in effect yet.  Here is what I have learned since then:

1) Most cars sold today ALREADY have them in place.  Those which do must
inform the owner to that effect, usually by a notice of some sort printed in
the owner's manual.

2) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been
recommending that they be made mandatory, and has put forth a formalized
rule to that end in August of 2006.  Details here:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/Rulemaking/Rules/Associated%20Files/EDRFinalR
ule_Aug2006.pdf

3) As of now, these rules have not been signed into law and remain only a
recommendation, though as noted above, many cars already have them in place.
Per the NY Times on this subject: "About 96 percent of all new vehicles sold
in the United States have the boxes, and in September 2014, if the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration has its way, all will have them."
(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/22/business/black-boxes-in-cars-a-question-o
f-privacy.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)

4) The ACLU raises some concerns here:
https://www.aclu.org/blog/technology-and-liberty/black-boxes-cars-may-set-im
portant-precedents   Also from the NY Times piece referenced above:  "
Fourteen states, including New York, have passed laws that say that, even
though the data belongs to the vehicle's owner, law enforcement officials
and those involved in civil litigation can gain access to the black boxes
with a court order."

So, the bottom line is that they are pretty common now and probably on their way
to being everywhere, but the requirement is not yet part of the law.                                 
cd

Jim,                                                                                                                    
Final score in the Super Bowl:  Denver Broncos 41...Boston Patriots 17.   Manning hits Wes Welker with two TD's and Welker grins down the sideline as he passes Belichick on his way to the EZ.
The Rockies gave Todd Helton a horse during his retirement ceremony at Coors Field; I was prayin' that the pony would take a big dump on the infield to honor the asshole owners, The Monfort Brothers, and the asshole G.M.  Dan O'Dowd (o'dead) that have consistently decimated any good team that has come along in their 20-year history.
Helton should go to the Hall with his stats, but may get blocked because he played at Coors and in a secondary market.  If he'd been in a major baseball town he'd be a lock.   Still, the guy hit for lifetime average and a batting title, power (a doubles machine), and RBI's; good glove also (3 Golds). Go Sox!                                                                                                                                                        Big White                                                                                                                                              We'll see about that score between Denver and the Pats, Bill. At least it is at Gillette. That game may be a preview of the AFC championship.
Hockey is starting. The Bruins should be very interesting. I like what Peter Chiarelli and Claude Julien have done.
Agree on Helton. A probable Hall of Famer. Go Red Sox!  - Z

Hate to see big Vince go down for the entire year....rest of the Patriots' 'D' will have to pull together. No more injuries, please!
Sox have to take the Lester games and the Buchholz game, if it goes 5. Rays starters are also tough as we know.
Didn't know Garza was back with the Rays (LOL!)...I wonder if he was able to sneak on their playoff roster! Way to go ProJo!
I'll go with Andrew Gold for the quiz answer.                                                              Darb                                                                                                                                           
Andrew Gold is correct. Congratulations, you are the only winner! If you were here I'd buy you a Guinness.
A 5-game series vs. TB won't be easy. Pitching and timely hitting (no errors please) will rule.   -  Z
                                                                                                                                                                     My e-mail to the ProJo sports department (10/5): Well you lads did it again - today's sports section has the P Bruins winning 4-3 but the related story crediting the Bruins players with 5 goals.
Do you not have anyone to proof read?   -   Z
Sportzine is also available at jimdawsonsports.com (Thanks to Buffalo Steve)  


THE HOT CLUB
We were discussing Matt Taibbi’s piece in the current Rolling Stone Looting The Pension Funds. In it Gina Raimondo is labeled a ‘pension pirate’. I told Count Bass-e and the Masked Marvel that I remembered a Taibbi on one of the Boston TV news stations. The Marvel suggested that this Taibbi might be the son and he was right. It’s Mike Taibbi that was an NBC reporter. Matt Taibbi has written an explosive article that is a must read.

5 Angels was in for a visit and advised us to see Billy Bob Thornton, Bruce Willis and Bill Paxton in A Simple Plan. He also liked Clint Eastwood’s Trouble With The Curve.

I told Adam, Amanda and Katie about a very good movie called Headhunters. It’s a 2011 Norwegian release that doesn’t take long to blast off into uncharted territory full of menace and terror. The only recognizable actor was Nikolaj Coster-Waldau  (Jaime Lannister from Game of Thrones). It will make you sit up and take notice. IMDb: 7.5.

5 Angels said that next year he would be the oldest 60-year old with a 4-year old daughter. Mike Module added, “And not a gray hair on his head.” I asked 5 Angels how he accounted for that no gray hair – Grecian Formula? Mike Module said that would change and 5 Angels’ now 3-year old daughter will see to that.

Well Mike Module didn’t follow through – he did not have a rally beard when I saw him. As he exited he did say that the Red Sox are steamrolling right through to Halloween.

TBS’ pre-game show had Keith Olbermann on with Tom Verducci, Pedro Martinez and Dirk Hayhurst. The latter said that you can’t believe anything that comes out of A-Rod’s mouth. He then mentioned that A-Rod has a picture of himself as a centaur (in his crib).

LAST WEEK’S QUIZ ANSWER
Who was the multi-instrumentalist, singer/writer/producer who also had a mother in show biz? Why Andrew Gold, of course. Gold had a big hit in 1977 (Lonely Boy). He arranged Linda Ronstadt’s Heart Like A Wheel album (1974) as well as her next 4 albums. Gold played most of the instruments on You’re No Good, Ronstadt’s first #1 single, and When Will I Be Loved. Gold passed away 6/3/11 at age 59. Gold’s mom Marni Nixon dubbed the voices for Natalie Wood (West Side Story), Deborah Kerr (The King and I) and Audrey Hepburn (My Fair Lady). His dad Ernest composed the Exodus theme. I thought Marni also did the nude scene for Janet Leigh in Psycho but that was Marli Renfro.

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ
This gentleman was once part of the Mar-Keys, had his own band that released a double album and wrote one of the most covered rock songs ever. As a producer, he worked with John Mayall, Leon Russell, George Harrison and Gary Lewis amongst others. Name him.