Some Guy I Never Heard Of

The Pats made a trade with the Lions today to acquire LB Kyle Van Noy, a 2nd round pick in 2014 from BYU. I never heard of the guy.

I saw a comment on Facebook about how great he was in college. He's one of those 2nd round picks that hasn't done anything so far.

He has a new beginning with the Pats. Some of these guys they get never end up doing anything. Others make a big contribution to the team.

Brian's Tough Break

It was unfortunate to watch Bears QB Brian Hoyer break his non-throwing arm last Thursday night during their game with the Packers. He had surgery today and was placed on IR. He could return before the season is over, but the Bears have a long list on IR.

Hoyer is a great a story of an undrafted player from Michigan State in 2009. The Pats signed him in 2009 and which allowed him to sit behind Tom Brady and learn.

After he left the Pats at the end of the 2011 season, he began a journey that would take him to the Steelers, Cardinals, Browns, Texans and Bears.

Although he has only 29 career starts, he has made it into his 8th season. Not many undrafted players can say that. Guys like him can play for several more years as an experienced back-up QB.

Don't Blame Odell

The NFL keeps trying to regulate behavior on the field. Players can't even celebrate after a big play without risking a fine by the league

The hypocrisy of it all was in place last week when Giants WR Odell Beckham was fined $24,309 for removing his helmet after a game-winning catch. The NFL is afraid of feelings being hurt.

They had no problem allowing it to be used as the "Castrol Edge Performance of the Week". Nothing gets in the way of money when it comes to the NFL.

Todd Bowled Over

New York Jets coach Todd Bowles knows that his job is on the line after a 1-5 start. He has placed his fate in the hands of Geno Smith after deciding to bench Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Bowles said the decision was his, but admitted that he consulted with owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Maccagnan.

Whenever a coach utters this line, it's usually a case where it was not his decision. It's hard to believe that Smith could go 9-1 s a starter and get the Jets into the playoffs.

Bowles is probably already on the list of coaches to be fired after the season ends. It's a tradition with the Jets.

The Experts Missed Him

WR Chris Hogan is a great example of players who fall under the radar and never get drafted. He signed a 3 year/$12 million contract with the Pats last March as a restricted free agent.

So far, it looks like a good move for a guy who played only one year in college. He spent four years at Penn State as a lacrosse player before becoming a fifth year senior at 1-AA Monmouth. His numbers were not impressive with 12 catches for 147 yards and 3 TD's. He also played some defense, with 28 tackles and 3 interceptions.

He signed with the 49er's as an undrafted free agent in 2011 before being cut. He spent the rest of the season with the Giants and Dolphins on their practice squads.

His big break came in 2012 when he signed with the Bills. He impressed Coach Belichick enough that the Pats pursued him after the 2015 season.

The league is full of players like Hogan who never even get invited to the Scouting Combine. The Pats recently released Johnathan Cooper who was the 7th overall pick in the 2013 draft.

Stuff like this is normal around the league.

Jets Going Down

At 1-5, the season of the New York Jets is in a downward spiral. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick leads the league with 11 interceptions. Nothing is going right.

Since the Jets are carrying four quarterbacks on the roster, they will go with Geno Smith when they play the Ravens on Sunday.

Fans must feel that the season is slipping way. Smith won't be building their confidence when he brings his career record of 11-18 as a starter.

Rex Ryan is sporting a 4-2 record in Buffalo and probably has a big smile on his face while watching his former team implode.

Giving Up Less

At the end of Week 6, the Pats sport a 5-1 record and are ranked #2 in points allowed. Coach Belichick always places an emphasis on points, but it's not good enough for some of the local talk show people.

The Pats have an issue on third down and give up too many passing yards. Those numbers don't usually translate into fewer points, but the defense has prevented the big plays.

Too much emphasis is given to statistics. Points allowed tells a lot about a team. I would take that any day.

Microsoft Ruled Out

Microsoft has a $400 million contract with the NFL to have their Surface Pro tablet on the sidelines for use during games.

Coach Belichick announced today that he will no longer use them and go back to the old way of black and white pictures.

He spent five minutes of his press conference today explaining his reasons. He recently spiked one during a game when it stopped working.

Microsoft issued a statement bragging about its success during games, but announcers keep calling them ipads. They are not getting their $400 million worth.

Dak and Tony

The Dallas Cowboys are 5-1 under QB Dak Prescott who has been filling in for the injured Tony Romo. Rumors are swirling that Romo will get his job back and disrupt the wining momentum.

The final decision will be made by GM and owner Jerry Jones. There will be controversy no matter what happens. Jones is known for making bad decisions.

I have no doubt that the team will begin its slide if they bench Prescott.

Bengals Throw It Away

The Pats beat the Bengals 35-17, but the game was marred by unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting penalties on both sides.

The Bengals were especially guilty. Some calls should have been made. The officiating crew let it get out of hand.

The same thing happened to the Bengals last year in their playoff loss to the Steelers. It's easy to see why Coach Marvin Lewis is 0-7 in the post-season. His teams lack discipline when  it really matters.

Cooper's Cash

When the Pats released OL Johnathan Cooper, they were giving up on a $4.1 million player who was acquired in the Chandler Jones deal.

By being on the opening day roster, they are responsible for his $2.4 million salary. He already had a $1.7 million bonus.

He wasn't without work for long as the Browns signed him. It remains to be seen how much he plays on Sunday.

No matter what happens, he made $4.1 million this season.

No Exchange of Tickets

The NFL makes a big deal of its official ticket exchange site where fans can buy them from season ticket holders. I just watched one of their numerous ads on the NFL Network.

I decided to check it out. I was disappointed to see that the Pats limit the buyers to current season ticket holders or those who have paid to be on the waiting list. They also dictate the amount you can buy.

The Pats have always controlled the resale of their tickets. It was probably the only way they would sign on to the program.