The Goal Is Staying Home

All of the talk of an undefeated season came to an end when the Pats lost 30-24 to the Broncos last night. Don Shula and his 1972 Miami Dolphins team are safe for another year.

I think there was too much pressure on the Pats back in 2007. The team came apart in the Super Bowl and finished the season 19-1.

If they get some of their players back, they have an excellent chance of going deep in the playoffs. The most important thing right now is keeping home field advantage in the post-season.

No 17th Meeting Tonight

Fans will not see Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for the 17th time tonight when the two teams face each other. Their rivalry is legendary and something we might never see again.

Brady is having one of his best years, while Manning is sidelined with a host of injuries. He wants to return before the playoffs, but will he?

Manning's career is winding down, but it's not the way he wants it to end. He wants to play next season. Will it be with the Broncos?

Romo 2X

Dallas Cowboys owner jerry Jones should probably fire his team's GM, but he can't fire himself.

Their season has spiraled out of control with the loss of QB Tony Romo for the rest of the season. He broke his color bone for the second time.

It sounds like he came back too soon after missing eight weeks this season. Players feel a sense of urgency to return to the field. The organization wants them there.

Did the process work only in one direction? It was all about Romo playing sooner, rather than later. Was it handled properly?

I'm sure Dallas fans will be discussing this.

Rex & Ray

It was a conflict of interest for ESPN's Ray Lewis to give a pep talk to the Buffalo Bills last Sunday night before they played the Pats on MNF.

Lewis spoke at the request of Rex Ryan. Their careers overlapped with the Baltimore Ravens when Rex served as a line coach and defensive coordinator from 1999 - 2008.

They have a long time connection, but was it right for Lewis to talk to the Bills and serve as a game analyst?

No Ticket To Foxborough

The Pats offense faces a big challenge against the Broncos on Sunday night because of their injuries. The depth chart for receivers is getting low.

Terrell Owens has gone to the media saying that the Pats should bring him in for a workout. He last played in a game back in 2010. He sat out the 2011 season and was cut at the end of the 2012 pre-season.

At 41, he says he can still play, but I don't think the Pats have any desire to bring him to Gillette.

If he plays again, he will reset his five year wait for election to the Hall of Fame. This doesn't seem to be a concern to him.

Manziel Wasting It

Johnny Manziel is throwing away his opportunity with the Cleveland Browns as a result of his latest exploit. He was named the starting quarterback for the rest of the season, but has been demoted to third string because of a partying video appearing on TMZ's website.

The Browns saw potential in him and wanted to get a good look at his work to determine his future with the team.

He is becoming irrelevant in the eyes of Coach Mike Pettine. Some other team might be foolish enough to give him another chance.

Peyton 2016

It looks like Peyton Manning will be on the bench when the Broncos and Pats play on Sunday night. He will not match up against Tom Brady for the 17th time.

It's an unfortunate event for fans as Manning struggles to keep his career alive. He has already said that he wants to play next year, even if it's not in Denver.

The league is starving for quarterbacks. He will end up some place because he is not ready to walk away from the game.

The Rob & Rex Show

Rex and Rob Ryan might be twins, but they are very different. Rob was a guest on the NFL Network pregame show yesterday. Rex called in to the studio and was on the air for about five minutes.

Rex is much better doing interviews and is a natural with the media. Rob projects a rumpled appearance with his long hair, beard and ill fitted suit.

What is the next step for Rob now that he was fired by the Saints? He has a wealth of knowledge to share with fans, but would he need to clean up to get a job?

It's Taking Place

When the Pats let Wes Welker go to free agency, they went out and signed Danny Amendola to replace him. It didn't work out for a variety of reasons, including injuries.

Amendola eventually found his role, while Julian Edelman took the place of Welker. With Edelman out for perhaps the rest of the season, the Pats will try to replace him by tweaking the offense.

Tom Brady has said that nobody can replace Edelman. I wonder how Amendola feels about that. He will try to replace the guy that took his place.

Trying To Be Fred

I was able to watch the career of the great Oakland Raider WR Fred Biletnikoff. The Hall of Fame member has college's best receiver award named after him.

Tajae Sharpe of UMass is one of the ten finalists in the on-line voting. Fans can vote as often as they wish to select the winner. I don't think it's a true indication of the best receiver when you do it that way.

Sharpe has a chance to get drafted. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Not Suited

I'm not a big fan of the solid color uniform concept. The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans wore orange and blue respectively last night on TNF.

I prefer the two color look because it's easier for me to see the players. The NFL loves the uniforms because it leads to more merchandise sales and money.

Big Night In The South

Only in the AFC South could two teams with losing records still have a shot at the Division title.

Tennessee (2-7) and Jacksonville (3-6) face off tonight with a chance to close the gap with Indianapolis and Houston, both at 4-5.

Eight wins might be enough to win the title and punch a ticket to the playoffs. The wild card teams will not come from them.

The NFC East is just as bad. The NFL doesn't mind that. Very few teams are out of contention. The television ratings are up. More money flows into the coffers.

Cruz Ending

Not many players leave the NFL on their own terms. Tonight is the 30 year anniversary of the hit by Lawrence Taylor which ended the career of Redskins QB Joe Theismann. He never played another down after having his bones in his lower leg shattered on a sack during a Monday night game.

We are now seeing the future of New York Giants WR Victor Cruz in serious doubt after being placed on IR with a torn calf muscle. He missed most of the 2014 season after suffering a torn patella tendon.

Nobody doubts the desire of Cruz to make it back, but his contract may result in the end of his Giants career. His salaries over the next three years of his contract will be a $9 million annual hit on the team's salary cap. There is no way the Giants will ever pay that money.

Cruz will either take a drastic pay cut or be on another team. Making it back on the field will be a real challenge, both physically and financially.

The Edelman Challenge

As the Pats move on without Julian Edelman, they realize the huge gap that must be filled on their offense. It might not be their last injury. Things happen on just one play. That's how it went for Dion Lewis.

Edelman might be back for the playoffs, but will he be effective? Could he be hurting himself in the long run? Will his foot become like Gronk's broken arm?

Hopefully, things work out.

Peyton Will Sit

It was a dark moment for Peyton Manning yesterday when he was benched after throwing his fourth interception in his team's 29-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Earlier in the game, he broke Brett Favre's record for career passing yards.

It was revealed that Manning has plantar fasciitis and will probably miss a few games. He was replaced by Brock Osweiler who is the heir apparent to Manning.

Is this the end for Peyton? His performance has suffered this year. The clock is ticking on his career.

They Hope To Roll It Up

Coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will never admit how badly they want to beat the New York Giants today. They are the only team in the league with a three game winning streak over the Pats.

They will never forget their last moment losses to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI. It has been a real thorn in their side and a mark on their legacy.

If the Pats get ahead, they will roll up the score as much as they can. This is a new game for both teams.

Someone Will Get A Win

It should be a real "barn burner" today when UMass (1-8) plays at Eastern Michigan (1-9). The game features two of the worst teams in the MAC.

UMass continues to struggle in their move to big time football. It has not been easy over the last four seasons and won't get better next year when they move to an Independent schedule.

No matter what happens today, one of these teams will get their second win of the season.

Johnny Disaster

It looks like QB Johnny Manziel will start on Sunday against the Steelers. The Browns signal caller is the second choice of Coach Mike Pettine because Josh McCown is still injured.

The Browns are 2-7 and going nowhere this season. Manziel has been mediocre in two starts, with a 1-1 record.

The Browns need to determine if Manziel is their future. They should know that already. They need to move on from him.

Just Another Rexday

Rex Ryan and his "No Ring Circus" brings his 4-5 Buffalo Bills team to MetLife Stadium tonight to battle his former 5-3 New York Jets. The game is critical for the Bills to keep their playoff hopes alive.

That hasn't stopped Rex from turning his press conferences into a carnival. He has been in a verbal spat with his former player, Calvin Pryor.

Rex said it's just another game, but he went off track and started to talk about his upcoming match with the Pats.

He will be the star of the show tonight. The cameras will focus on him. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Did Dave Hear?

Coach Belichick has the remarkable ability to recall players from the past in minute detail. Today, he was talking about the evolution of the return specialist from the dominating running back.

He mentioned numerous players from his days with the Giants and Browns, but focused on Dave Meggett. He was a brilliant return specialist and remains as number two in punt return yards in NFL history.

If you didn't know the player's story, you would wonder what he is doing today. On November 10, 2010, Meggett was sentenced to 30 years in prison for burglary and sexual misconduct. His release date is 2030.

I wonder if he heard Belichick singing is praises.

Welker Ahead

Wes Welker got his wish and is finally back in the NFL with the St Louis Rams. They took a chance on him after all the other teams stayed away because of his concussion issues.

He probably has something left in the tank and comes at a reasonable cost, but what about his health? Will he have one final concussion that will end his career? This appears to be the road he is headed down.

The End For Lewis

RB Dion Lewis has been a great story for the Pats this season. He became a critical part of their offense, especially on third down.

It all evaporated yesterday when he tore his ACL during the team's win over the Washington Redskins. He will have surgery and miss the rest of the season.

Brandon Bolden and James White now have a chance to showcase their talent. The injury to Lewis might be the opportunity they were looking for. They need to take advantage of whatever extra playing time they get.

The Al Davis Show

The NFL Network has a lot of great programming about the history of the game. I always enjoy watching "A Football Life".

Tonight, there was a show about the legendary Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders. So much of his story is lost on younger fans. That's how it goes with the passage of time.

Al Davis had such a profound impact on the NFL. I have always been a fan of him and the Raiders. They have so much history.

No Worries For Greg

What will the NFL do, if anything, in light of the release of photos detailing the attack by Greg Hardy on his girlfriend? The Dallas Cowboys defensive star caught a break when his victim failed to testify against him.

The NFL suspended him for ten games, but it was reduced to four by an arbitrator. The Cowboys had no issues in signing him because they are good at enabling.

Hardy has played well on defense, but has fought with players and coaches. That doesn't seem to phase owner Jerry Jones or Coach Jason Garrett.

The NFL will probably wait until the smoke clears from this new incident and then do nothing.

Johnny's Night

Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel has an opportunity on the big stage tonight when his team faces the 7-0 Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football.

A big performance by him could help reduce some of the negativity that surrounds him due to his off-field behavior. He has been a bust so far in the NFL.

A win by the Browns would certainly help the Pats when it comes to the playoffs, but I'm not overly confident that Manziel can get it done tonight.

More Cash At Night

Notre Dame must have given a lot of thought to playing one of their home games against Boston College at Fenway Park.

I saw a story on the news tonight about the transformation of the baseball diamond to a gridiron.

I don't get all of the hype about playing at Fenway. It will be the first football game there in 50 years.

The Pats played there during their early years. Fans always complained about the sight lines and poor seats. It won't be any different now.

Notre Dame has a rich television contract with NBC. It's not a coincidence that the game will be played on a Saturday night at 7:30pm. They should get a huge television ratings.

It's all about the money.

Steve Smith Sr

Is the career of the great WR Steve Smith Sr over after he tore his Achilles tendon during his team's 29-26 win over the San Diego Chargers?

During the game, he passed Chris Carter for 10th place for all-time receiving yards. He later went down in the 3rd quarter with his injury.

Earlier this season, he announced he would retire once the Ravens play their final game. He wanted to go out on his own terms. Will this change things? He certainly didn't want it to end like this.

Pats Are 7-0

It's awesome that the Pats are 7-0, but it won't stop all the crazy talk about an undefeated season like in 2007. It will be there with the team until they lose a game, if they even do.

The Pats seem to be poised for a legendary run to the end of the season. Everyone must stay healthy, but that won't happen.

The team revolves around Tom Brady. It's all on him.