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Will Patriots drama add to Monday Night Madness?

By Tom King - Staff Writer | Oct 19, 2019

They are 6-0, most likely to go to 7-0.

But has any team had so much success yet so much drama as the New England Patriots?

Of course, some of it they’ve brought on themselves. They signed a receiver who was a volcano, capable of blowing up in their face at any time. They traded another receiver to make room for the volcano, to the Jets, Monday night’s opponent, of all people. The quarterback is sulking. So is the free agent defensive end they brought in, then asked him to adjust to a role he’s never really done before. Actually, he’s more than sulking, as he’s been suspended for a week.

It’s all part of the fun world that is the New England Patriots, where winning isn’t the only thing for the fans and others – it’s winning in the perfect way.

Don’t you think teams like the Jets would put up with that kind of imperfection?

“They’re playing about as well as I can remember in all of my times playing these guys,” Jets coach Adam Gase said. “We just have to do a good job of focusing on what we need to do.”

It really won’t matter. The Jets aren’t even close, although Sam Darnold brings them back to being a real NFL team.

You’d guess the word that comes to mind for the Patriots and their fans is spoiled. For crying out loud, now that KC’s Pat Mahomes is out, who else is there to challenge them?

Maybe they should all follow the thinking of safety Devin McCourty. Just win that game that’s next, no matter how, and move on.

“Last year we sucked on the road,” he said. “We had to go to an AFC Championship Game on the road. All that mattered was how we played in that one game. So, I think that’s the mentality we have to keep throughout the season.”

The mentality here is we need to pick up the picks. Three straight 4-3 weeks isn’t cutting it:

PATRIOTS 27, JETS 13

A little closer than the game earlier in Foxborough now that the Jets have a quarterback, and they may keep things close early. But just like they did against the Giants, the Patriots will pull away in the second half. Darnold, who said this week he wants to find the Patriots’ weakness on defense ,(good luck) will definitely throw at least one interception. Hi-ho, hi-ho, they’re at 7-0.

BILLS 24, DOLPHINS 7

Almost too easy a pick to include here but hey, we need to bolster the record. Ryan Fitzpatrick goes back to the place where he first tasted some success as an unknown out of Harvard. However, he won’t have that same success this time.

TEXANS 30, COLTS 27

This is a great matchup for you 1 p.m. NFL couch potatoes. Indy is coming off a bye and the Texans are on fire with the arm of Deshaun Watson. Guess here is the Colts and Jacoby Brissett give Houston a fight but the hot team wins out.

VIKINGS 31, LIONS 17

OK, Kirk Cousins, here is your chance to prove the last couple of weeks were for real. The Lions after getting jobbed last week by the refs will be all hyped up, and Matthew Stafford will be slinging it. But that Viking defense is better than Detroit’s, and that will be the difference.

COWBOYS 17, EAGLES 13

These NFC East teams are on the ropes, because it’s starting to look like the playoffs won’t include both Dallas and Philly, as they each already have three losses and aren’t nearly as good as we thought they’d be. The Eagles defense is very vulnerable these days, so something tells me Dak Prescott&Co.reach down for something extra.

SEAHAWKS 34, RAVENS 31,

See the QBs. See the QBs run. See the QBs throw on the run. See the QBs, Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson, put on a show.

See Jackson turn the ball over more than Wilson, and the Seahawks win a biggie at home. Should be fun to watch either way.

PACKERS 27, RAIDERS 17

Only onther inter-conference game of the weekend, the Packers’ charmed life will continue. Unlike last couple of years, they seem to find players who will rise to the occasion along with Aaron Rodgers. Raiders aren’t quite the joke they were last year, but we’d shocked if they win at Lambeau.

LAST WEEK: 4-3

SEASON: 27-16

Tom King may be reached at 594-1251 or tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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