Saturday, December 19, 2015

SZ610

BY JIM DAWSON
SEPTEMBER 29, 2015
PATRIOTS PUT JAGUARS ON ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST 51-17
Most Pats fans knew that the only thing up in the air about this game was the final score.
With the Pats up 13-3 just before the half (2:00 left), the Jags were in Pats territory (the
45) when QB Blake Bortles was picked off by Devin McCourty. In the blink of an eye,
Tom Brady hit Danny Amendola for a TD (TB's 400th) and instead of a possible 13-6
score at half, it was 20-3 and the Jaguars were caged even with another half to go.
The first thing that seasoned fans noticed was the difference in the secondary. There was
2nd round pick Jordon Richards in at safety. Justin Coleman (picked off the Seahawks
practice squad) came in at cornerback. No Bradley Fletcher (inactive) nor Tarell Brown
(active but no plays). Bill Belichick will praise to the high heavens opposing teams but
his actions speak louder than his words. This was a game in which he could test some of
the new kids since the Jaguars had as much chance of winning as Donald Trump does of
getting the Republican nomination for President.
And the new guys in town acquitted themselves well with Richards breaking up a pass
along the sidelines to the Jags best receiver Allen Robinson, forcing him out of bounds
before he could get control of the pass. Coleman contributed 2 tackles and an assist.
On the offensive side, fans got to see WR Keshawn Martin (obtained from Houston in a
trade) for the first time. Martin broke off a route with Brady under pressure and caught a
13 yard TD. Martin had 3 catches on 3 targets. Meanwhile Aaron Dobson had 1 catch on
3 targets. Dobson had better keep making plays. And RB James White played in the 2nd
half and showed that he too can catch passes out of the backfield (4 targets, 4 catches).
For those Patriots fans wanting to see more running, they got double barreled action
with Dion Lewis getting 8 carries in the 1st half (37 yards) and LeGarrette Blount
(delivering blunt trauma on his runs) all the carries in the 2nd half (18 for 78 yards for
the game). It was the first game that the Pats had over 100 yards rushing. NE had 19 first
downs by the pass and 12 by the run. And 4 firsts by penalty made the total 35 first
downs, which tied a franchise record (2012).

BULLETS
• In memory of Yankees' great Lawrence 'Yogi' Berra who died last week at age 90 (a
couple you might not have heard): “We made too many wrong mistakes.” “Even
Napoleon had his Watergate.” “It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody
was talking too much.” (Source – Laurie Kulikowski/thestreet.com – 9/25)
• In talking to friend Chuck K, who is a New York 'Football' Giants fan, he suggested
that the Patriots had a chance to go undefeated. I agreed and noted that they play the
NFC East this year which is weak. Dallas lost Romo, Washington isn't very good, the
Eagles have been in a funk and the Giants have given away 2 games already. Chuck said
that if the Pats are undefeated when they play the Giants (11/15), he thinks the Giants
will win. This is music to the ears of Giants' fans Jim Dwyer and Al Vallese. And as luck
would have it, my daughter Cara will be at that game (which will be in NJ). Go Pats!
• Kudos to Sportzine reader Andrew 'Left Coast' Wright who recently compared RB
Dion Lewis to Kevin Faulk. Today's ProJo quotes Pats' running back coach Ivan Fears as
making that same comparison. Both Lewis and Faulk are 5'8”.

E-MAIL
Hi Jim, your mention of Roethlisberger and his alma mater Miami of Ohio brought me
back to a trivia question Shaughnessy printed in a recent column. You may have seen it,
but I thought it was a great question combining several disciplines.
Four colleges have produced an American president and a Super Bowl winning
quarterback. Name the 4 schools, the QBs and the presidents.
We know Brady went to Michigan as did Gerald Ford.
Roger Staubach went to Navy as did Jimmy Carter.
John Elway and Jim Plunkett went to Stanford as did Herbert Hoover.
Ben Roethlisberger went to Miami of Ohio as did Benjamin Harrison.
Peter Goodwin
Peter, I either saw it or someone at the HC asked me. I had no clue except for Brady and
Plunkett but wasn't sure about the Prez. - Z
Good post-Deflategate observation on teams that are 0-2: Colts- karma has kicked in.
Early season observations: With apologies to the immortal Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
in Act III’s assassination scene – (to the Indy Colts) “0-2, Brute`?”
Boud
Boud, I would beware of those Colts. Luck is a good QB and they have RB Frank Gore.
The season is still early and their AFC South is weak. You can bet that when the two
teams play this year that the Patriots will run up the score if they can. - Z

THE HOT CLUB
Was talking to Peter and the Professors' Mike and Jesse. I asked about Aussie phenom
Tommy Emmanuel whom Victoria and I were to see at the Vets Sunday. I asked if he
played 6 or 12 string. Peter said, “He could play your shoe string.” Emmanuel was great.
Pal Al and I were talking about the 38 Studios debacle. Al said, “Too bad they didn't
spend half the money for people with half a mind.”
Dr. John, a Temple grad, goes to all the Brown University home games and roots for
them. So I asked him how Bryant University could beat them. He praised the play of
Bryant and said Brown looked like the University of Rochester. So then I compared it to
Temple beating Penn State in football as Fleet Feet Pete, a Penn State alum, grimaced.
Mike Module told me he went to the Boston Bruins exhibition game against the
Philadelphia Flyers. Mike said that there were several fights during the game. When
they had the post game handshakes, a couple more guys almost went at it. The players
were forced to disperse before finishing the handshakes. And this in an exhibition game!
Fleet Feet Pete clued us in to a new book coming out that reveals that many of the
current songs written for big name artists were all written by a group of Scandinavians,
including many Swedes. The book is called The Song Machine. Looks like the author(s)
missed out on the title which could have been Syndicate of Sound (Little Girl).
For those wondering why the street outside the HC had cones blocking any parking, chef
Mikey told me that a movie was being filmed. The newest installment of The Purge.

LAST ISSUE'S QUIZ ANSWER
What was the song included on a Greatest Hits CD that had never been released before
and went to #14? Why Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

THIS ISSUE'S QUIZ
This singer/songwriter produced albums by Badfinger, The Band, Meat Loaf and
XTC among others. He has sons named Rex, Rebop and Randy. Name him.

THANKS TO STEVE LENZ, SPORTZINE IS AT JIMDAWSONSPORTS.COM

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