A blowout, a thrashing, some, including Tennessee Titans’ fans called
it “embarrassing”. How could there not be some feeling of shame? The
Patriots’ back up quarterback, Michigan State alum Brian Hoyer, accumulated
more yards than both Kerry Collins and Vince Young combined in his professional
debut. At the end of the game, Collins explained, “…We made a lot
of mistakes and we played a really good football team. When you put those two
things together, it’s going to be a bad loss.”
The snow flurries were present for the majority of the game. However, the Titans’
offense, defense and special teams seemed not to be in attendance. As the temperature
stayed at a chilly 39 degrees in Foxboro and with the wind blowing at 24 mph,
it would’ve been easy to fault the weather for such a disappointing game.
The Titans refused to place the blame on the elements. Titans guard Eugene Amano
explained, “That is just an excuse and I am not going to say it affected
us. You have to come out and play hard. We can’t control the weather.”
Records were set by the New England Patriots including nine franchise records
and two league records, including, the most touchdown passes within a quarter
(5 total in the 2nd). The only similar numbers between these two teams was Tom Brady’s six touchdowns and the Titans’ six total fumbles committed
by five different players, one being struggling veteran Kerry Collins. Laurence Maroney had his fifth career 100+ rushing yards in a game and Tom Brady couldn’t
stop smiling.
Beyond the score and statistics put up by both teams, the interesting perspective
lies with the rookies. By the 3rd quarter, it was time for Brady to cool down
and Hoyer gains his first official start as an NFL player. Rookie cornerback
Darius Butler picked up his first interception, adding onto rookie safety Patrick Chung’s own pick in the 4th quarter.
Patriots’ fans have stated that this game looked like a scrimmage. Some
have said that the Titans played like a “junior varsity” team. A tough
loss for Tennessee was the chance at redemption for the New England Patriots.
Patriots Vs. Titans Rookie Report Card:
A+ :: Cornerback Darius Butler (UConn) & Safety Patrick Chung (Oregon)
The defensive picks of the 2009 Draft played well, very well, in the 59-0 victory.
Both Butler and Chung recorded vital game turnovers, an interception for each.
Darius Butler played for more than just a win, with the recent loss of Uconn
cornerback and close friend Jasper Howard. Butler talked about his team’s
reaction after the interception, “It means a lot. It means that they support
me. It was my first interception, so it was a big one. And obviously it meant
a little more to me because of the news that happened last night [regarding
Jasper Howard], so it was huge.”
A :: Wide Receiver/Punt Returner/Kick Returner Julian Edelman (Kent State)
Unfortunately, All-Purpose Edelman was recently reported to have a broken arm
with no clear time of return. On Sunday afternoon, Edelman played with a comfort
on the field, even if it was covered in snow. Six total catches for 43 yards,
three punt returns for a total of 39 yards and a kick return for 25 yards. The
rookie proved his worth on the field and hopefully this slight injury won’t
take away from his hard-earned place in the starting offense.
B+ :: Quarterback Brian Hoyer (Michigan State)
A successful NFL debut for a quarterback is not common, unless of course, it’s
Tom Brady. Brian Hoyer is no Tom Brady but he proved to be just enough. Hoyer
completed 9 of 11 passes, completed a 16 yard completion to fellow rookie standout
Julian Edelman and even managed to score a running touchdown. Not bad, for a
rookie.
Korner Kicks:
Patriots Vs. Buccaneers in London
As the New England Patriots travel to Wembley Stadium in London to face another
winless team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6), it would be foolish to think that
it’ll just be another blowout, just in another country. The Buccaneers
have a few things going for them, like the Patriots suffering from jet lag.
In all reality, the Buccaneers have struggled all season with the quarterback
position. Byron Leftwich went from starting QB to third string in just six weeks.
Second year pro Josh Johnson is set to start in London and sitting at back up
is Kansas State alum and rookie Josh Freeman. The Buccaneer defense has allowed
an average of 6.6 yards per play this season and with Patriots’ RB Laurence
Maroney beginning to play with patience and the explosion that was eminent in
his college days, this lack of strength at the Titans’ defensive line is
hard to ignore. Patriots for the win.
| New England Patriots | 34 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
10 |