Without Fanfare, Belichick and Brady Become Top Coach-Quarterback Combination

An underreported storyline from last Sunday’s Jets-Patriots game was that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady became the winningest head coach-quarterback tandem of the Super Bowl era (since 1966). They registered their 117^th regular-season victory to move past Don Shula and Dan Marino, who totaled 116 for the Miami Dolphins from 1983-95.

The Belichick-Brady run is an impressive achievement that has not been without some storm clouds. In February 2002, Belichick chose to start Brady instead of Drew Bledsoe in the Super Bowl against St. Louis. It was not an easy decision. Bledsoe had replaced an injured Brady in the A.F.C. Championship game at Pittsburgh, and Bledsoe threw a clutch touchdown pass on the way to leading the Patriots to a 24-17 victory.

Brady had struggled in the six games before the A.F.C. Championship, throwing only two touchdown passes with six interceptions. Also, Brady had replaced an injured Bledsoe earlier that season. The case was made that Bledsoe deserved to reclaim the starting job. The popular Bledsoe had been the Patriots starter since being drafted first overall in 1993, while Brady was taken in the sixth round in 2000.

But Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 victory in Super Bowl XXXVI and was named its most valuable player.

Most coach-quarterback tandems do not win a championship so early in their terms with a team. The Patriots’ Super Bowl championship over St. Louis came in Belichick’s second year. New England was 5-11 in his first season. Brady was in his second year as well, but he didn’t get his first start until Bledsoe got hurt in 2001.

But win-now formulas are always tempting. And if general managers and coaches have tenuous holds on their jobs it is difficult for them to think long-term.

I researched the 32 N.F.L. teams to find out where each currently stands in the head coach-quarterback wins category. It’s clear which teams put a premium on continuity and stability. Here are the top 10, in order of total victories:

131-40, Belichick-Brady, New England   Passing Shula and Marino after winning three Super Bowls? Enough said.

70-49, Tom Coughlin-Eli Manning, Giants  That this pair is second on the list is notable, considering how many times fans and commentators have called for either or both of their dismissals. Weekly booing of Manning occurred as late as 2007, right before the Giants’ Super Bowl run.

60-35, Sean Payton-Drew Brees, New Orleans  Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis struck gold in 2006 by landing Sean Payton as a first-time head coach and Brees as an accomplished quarterback coming off a shoulder injury. Their Super Bowl Championship came after the 2009 season.

52-23, Mike Tomlin-Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh   Tomlin replaced Bill Cowher in 2007, and the Steelers won their seventh Super Bowl in his second season. Roethlisberger won a Super Bowl with Cowher after the 2005 season.

48-31, Norv Turner-Philip Rivers, San Diego   The first of the top pairings not to have won a Super Bowl. Turner and Tomlin are the two most prominent examples of coaches who joined a team where the quarterback was already established.

42-22, John Harbaugh-Joe Flacco, Baltimore   Harbaugh was hired and Flacco was drafted prior to the 2008 season, when they had their best success by reaching the A.F.C. Championship game before losing to Pittsburgh.

40-21, Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay   After hovering near .500 for almost three seasons, the Packers are 16-0 since Rodgers returned to the lineup after being knocked out of a game with a concussion last season against the Lions.

38-19, Mike Smith-Matt Ryan, Atlanta   Like Harbaugh and Flacco, both were brought in before the 2008 season. They are 0-2 in the postseason.

32-32, Gary Kubiak-Matt Schaub, Houston   Schaub was brought in for the 2007 season, but the Texans haven’t reached the playoffs since joining the N.F.L. in 2002. Schaub’s foot injury puts a crimp in what is shaping up to be the Texans’ best season.

28-18, Rex Ryan-Mark Sanchez, Jets   Thanks to four postseason victories, the Jets crack the top 10 in only the third season of the Ryan-Sanchez pairing. They are the most accomplished of the 2009 class.

Other pairings with more than 10 victories together are: Jim Caldwell-Peyton Manning, Indianapolis (26-10); Lovie Smith-Jay Cutler, Chicago (24-18); Todd Haley-Matt Cassel, Kansas City (18-22); Raheem Morris-Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay (17-17); Tony Sparano-Chad Henne, Miami (13-18); Andy Reid-Michael Vick, Philadelphia (11-10).

Extra Point  Is it fair to draw a correlation between long-term franchise success and continuity and stability in the head coach-quarterback tandem?

Tebow, the Colts, the Jets: Judy Battista Answers Your Questions

Is Tim Tebow 100% responsible for his terrible performance, or are there other bigger factors to account for? (i.e., the play calling, the porous o-line etc. etc.).–Justin, Quad Cities

Good question. No quarterback – neither Joe Montana nor Joe Schmo – is ever entirely to blame (or entirely to credit) for the performance of the offense. Not for nothing does everyone say it starts upfront. Tebow has been under a lot of pressure, which is only exacerbated by the fact that he is indecisive and tends to hold the ball too long and that even when he is prepared to throw, his long throwing motion means it takes him an extra split-second to get the ball out. And it certainly doesn’t help Tebow that the Broncos traded their most reliable receiver – Brandon Lloyd – right before Tebow got his first start this season. So, this is certainly not the most favorable situation for any quarterback, least of all one who has a big learning curve of his own to master. The Broncos tried to put in more Tebow-suited plays last week (playing out of the shotgun, some read-option like he ran at Florida), but it’s not that easy to have the entire offense switch mid-season to a different offensive style. It means different blocking assignments for the linemen, different runs for the running backs, perhaps different routes for the receivers. And in the middle of the season? Again, you can’t blame Tebow for how difficult all of that is. He has plenty of his own things to overcome – most important his accuracy (which is related to inconsistent footwork) and his reading of defenses — and certainly his performances have not been encouraging so far. But it’s been only two games and plenty of other things have to improve to make this offense work – not just Tebow.

Mike Wallace has been impressing Steeler Nation this year. Great fun to watch him outrun his coverage on deep throws — except against the Patriots, where he caught seven short passes instead. Was that a function of the Patriots’ defense or the Steelers’ game plan? Will other teams be able to keep him from the deep ball going forward?–Saltwater, Durham, N.C.

Wallace’s role last Sunday was a function of how the Steelers chose to attack the Patriots and what the Patriots were determined to take away. Early, the Patriots wanted to take away the deep ball. Fine. The Steelers instead carved up the middle of the field (remember pass after pass to Heath Miller?), going on long, time-consuming drives that kept the Patriots’ offense off the field. As impressive as those quick, deep strikes to Wallace are, that wouldn’t have keep Tom Brady on the bench enough. Can other teams keep Wallace in front of them? Sure. If they are also willing to leave huge voids in the middle of the field like the Patriots did. The really jarring part of the game to me was that the Patriots got the Steelers in third and long repeatedly (nine times by my count) and the Steelers converted repeatedly (five times). If other defenses – like, say, the Ravens this Sunday — can get off the field on third down, you’d like their odds a lot better.

(Interesting note: to simulate Wallace’s speed in practice last week, the Patriots had the scout team player who was mimicking Wallace line up two yards offside.)

How impressed should we be with this year’s rookie quarterbacks (especially Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Christian Ponder)? It’s tempting to make historical comparisons, but unlike their predecessors, these players have been running pro-style offenses since college. Of course, last year’s rookies had similar college training and arguably haven’t done as well. Is this year’s class truly special?–Peter G., Minneapolis

Pretty impressed, especially considering they had no mini-camps, OTAs, meetings, film sessions, etc. until training camps opened in late July. It’s hard to say last year’s rookies didn’t do as well – Sam Bradford was pretty great as a rookie (a change to a new offense and injuries galore don’t help this year) and I think everyone can safely agree that Tebow was drafted higher than he should have been. But back to this year – it’s inarguable that Cam Newton is special. He’s an elite player and his work with Chris Weinke during the lockout clearly got him up to speed on the playbook much more than anyone expected. Coaches raved about his work ethic as soon as he got to camp and that is showing. He terrifies defenses not just with his rocket of an arm, but his ability to run (also, he is huge – I didn’t realize that until I stood next to him a few days before the draft). Dalton is benefitting from having quick chemistry with A.J. Green but his stat line (nine TDs and seven INTs) is more typical of what you’d expect from a rookie. And we have too small a sample size on Ponder. But generally, we’re seeing more rookies make quicker impacts because college football now looks more like pro football. Nobody runs the wishbone anymore and then has to make the change to the pro style – that’s why we’re seeing more rookies starting right away.

Looking at the Colts’ collapse, does it mean that Peyton Manning was even more central to this team’s success than anyone knew? Other quarterback-dependent teams have not had the same drastic drop-off when they lost their starter for the year (e.g. the Patriots in 2008). The Colts were in the Super Bowl in 2009, then barely lost to the Jets in the playoffs last year. They’ve done well, even with major contributors injured, as long as they had Manning. Are they really this bad without him?–XA, Michigan

Short answer: yes. I wrote about this last Sunday – I think we may have underestimated how critical Manning was, which is saying something considering he’s a four time league M.V.P. No team is as dependent on the quarterback as the Colts were on Manning, though. All of their other personnel decisions were made to build the team around him. There was little running game, the offensive line was built mostly for pass protection not run-blocking, the defense was built small and fast to rush the passer, because it assumed the Colts would usually be playing with a lead – because Manning would get it – and they paid almost no attention to having a backup ready to go because Manning was an ironman. It’s a recipe for collapse if you then lose the one player you simply can’t lose.

Having said all that, I’m shocked that they are winless right now. When it was clear Manning probably wouldn’t play this season, my guess was they would win maybe four or five games. They have talent on the team – Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney, Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne. Those are players that any other team would be delighted to have on their rosters. I am stunned at how other parts of the team now seem to be regressing. Manning wasn’t playing defense or special teams – it’s not him who is out there missing tackles and botching punt coverage. Chris Polian, the Colts’ general manager, told me something early this season that really rings true: a player of Manning’s caliber covers up a lot of sins on the roster. Now we know just how bad those sins are.

Also, what’s the point of forcing linemen to wear microphones?–Justin, Quad Cities

Linemen are asked to wear microphones to enhance the sound for television broadcasts. It used to be that the member of the officiating crew who lined up right in the middle of the defense would pick up those sounds. But when he was moved to behind the offense for his own safety, that sound was lost – and networks wanted it back because they believe it enhances the viewing experience. In the ultra-paranoid world of the N.F.L., some people wonder if opposing coaches can tape the broadcasts and pick up and decipher play calls and blocking calls. But the networks pay a lot of money for rights to broadcast those games and they will figure out a way to get their sound.

Based on what you know now, which two teams are probable participants in the Super Bowl next year?–Mark Sanford, Orinda, Calif.

Thanks for giving me a chance to revise my Super Bowl picks. I think I went with Saints vs. Patriots in the season preview. That doesn’t look like the worst pick right now, although the Packers would look a lot better (I picked them to win last year, did I mention that?). Repeating at the Super Bowl is hard, and the Packers’ defense hasn’t been as formidable in the first half this season as it was last season. But I would not pick against Aaron Rodgers right now, no matter who he is facing. He is the best quarterback in the league and the Packers are the best team and there is not a close second. The Patriots’ struggling defense makes me nervous but since there is no dominant team in the A.F.C. right now, I’m not sure they can’t at least get to the Super Bowl anyway. It will just depend on who they face in the playoffs. If it’s a team with a super-elite quarterback (Steelers), the Patriots could go out early because their pass defense is a mess.The Steelers looked pretty good last Sunday and they certainly reinserted themselves into the post-season conversation. But until somebody in the A.F.C. separates themselves clearly from the pack, I wouldn’t know who to change my pick to. So to answer your question, I’d probably just stick with my preseason pick until further notice. But ask me again in a few weeks and I might feel differently.

Are the Bills for real?–Jonathan, New Jersey

Yes, I think they are (caveat: if Ryan Fitzpatrick is healthy). Again, there is no dominant A.F.C. team and with the Patriots and Jets looking vulnerable there is plenty of room for the Bills to slip in there and at least get into wild card position. They already have a victory in hand over the Patriots and they get the Jets at home this Sunday. A victory would put the Bills in a very nice spot at the midway point.

Re: Sam Borden on the yo-yoing of Ryan Perrilloux, does this ever work out well for the player? Obviously at $5,700 per week it is cheap insurance for the team. But are there example of players who have gone through this in recent years and then caught on to be regular team members?

This sounds a lot like the pro football version of the Rudy Ruettiger story at Notre Dame, but probably without as happy an ending.–Leonard, New York City

James Harrison spent plenty of time on practice squads and was let go by Baltimore before finally sticking with the Steelers. It’s turned out really nicely for him and the Steelers. It is certainly an unusual way to get to be a defensive player of the year, but it can be done.

What will it take for the Jets to move past Brian Schottenheimer? Predictably, the Jets offense will bomb this week. Will that finally prove enough? Why does an underachiever have such a hold on this organization?–kman, New York City

This question comes up at least every other week. You have to remember, Schottenheimer is calling things that he and Rex Ryan feel comfortable doing with Mark Sanchez. Does that mean they don’t have confidence in the quarterback? Perhaps. Should they have more? Maybe. I don’t know what will happen this season. But you have to think that if they fail to make the playoffs – with Sanchez not showing any appreciable signs of improvement in his third season – Ryan might consider making a change. But Ryan knows more about what Sanchez is capable of than the rest of us and he might know that Schottenheimer is being hamstrung by Sanchez as much as Sanchez is being hamstrung by Schottenheimer. One other thing: the offensive line is not as good this season as it has been in the past and the running game is clearly not the force it was or that the Ground and Pound philosophy demands. That doesn’t help a quarterback or offensive coordinator either.

How well do the Bengals match up against the Steelers and the Ravens, division rivals they have yet to play this year?–Mordecai, Brooklyn, N.Y.

What the Bengals do best is play defense, particularly against the run (they are ranked second in rushing yards allowed defense). That should be a bigger problem for the Ravens, who – if they’re playing smart – rely on Ray Rice more than the Steelers do on Rashard Mendenhall, especially because of Joe Flacco’s inconsistent performances lately. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has had a nice season so far but welcome, rookie, to two terrifying defenses in the Steelers and the Ravens. If the Steelers can befuddle Tom Brady and take Wes Welker out of his game, they can surely handle Dalton and A.J. Green. And the Ravens merely have the top-ranked defense in the league and simply crush quarterbacks – they have 25 sacks, second in the league. The Steelers play the Bengals next Sunday in Cincinnati and then the Bengals go to Baltimore the following week. That stretch will give us a much better idea of how the Bengals stack up. But long-term, Dalton and Green give them plenty of hope for the future.

Are Better Times Ahead for the Jets?

It was somewhat surprising that the Jets left Gillette Stadium late Sunday night with mixed emotions. Players spoke of frustration, of shock, at losing three consecutive games, all against quality A.F.C.
opponents. Yet they also sounded much more encouraged than in weeks past, happier certainly than after the debacles in Oakland and Baltimore.

“It’s a shame,” Matt Slauson said, “because our team did get better this week. Still, too many mistakes made.”

Slauson wondered why the Jets have lost their aura of confidence on the road, where they went 15-7 the last two seasons, but perhaps his general optimism reflected the feelings of their coach, Rex Ryan, who told his players that a turnaround was imminent, that he saw evidence of improvement. This is the Jets’ third three-game skid under Ryan, and, as he is quick to mention, they still reached the playoffs in 2009, when it happened twice.

The Jets’ staggering offense – 151 yards through three quarters against the N.F.L.’s worst defense? – presents potential for discord, and steering his team through this adversity will be a stiff test for Ryan, perhaps the stiffest of his tenure.

The schedule suggests that luck swings toward the Jets next week, when the hapless Dolphins visit MetLife Stadium on Monday night. If they do not defeat Miami, much larger problems exist. Even if they win, a victory hardly legitimizes their standing as playoff contenders, let alone Super Bowl contenders.

If the Jets, as they say, witnessed progress Sunday – in Shonn Greene’s rushing performance, in the offensive line – then it almost would seem more representative of their improvement if a more challenging opponent appeared on the schedule. Then, the Jets could know glean a better idea whether, despite being 2-3, they are headed toward respectability or infamy.

Different but Brilliant: Wes Welker and Calvin Johnson

There may not be two distinctly different players in the league, but somehow, they play the same position.

Wes Welker is one of the shortest, smallest players in the N.F.L. He was a star high school football player in Oklahoma, but he couldn’t even get a scholarship from Tulsa. Despite a great career at Texas Tech, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Welker was never invited to the N.F.L. scouting combine. He was not drafted. He was signed as a free agent by the Chargers, then cut after one game.

Calvin Johnson might be the most physically gifted player in a league full of them. At 6-5, 240, Johnson is a defense’s  nightmare. He was the talk of the scouting combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds. His vertical leap of 45 inches means no one can match him when the ball is in the air. There’s a reason he’s nicknamed Megatron.

Each is dominating the league in his own way. And after four weeks, Johnson and Welker are putting themselves in position to overtake three of the game’s greatest wide receivers. For Johnson, this was the sort of future that seemed preordained, that is, until the Detroit Lions drafted him with the second overall pick in the 2007 draft. The Lions were picking in the top 10 of the draft for the sixth straight season, and the previous five selections — Ernie Sims, Mike Williams, Roy Williams, Charles Rogers and Joey Harrington — had been monumental busts. Those drafts laid the foundation for the team that went 0-16 in 2008.

For Welker, it was always more about survival. After signing with the Dolphins following his cup of coffee in San Diego, he didn’t catch a single pass in his rookie season and fumbled four times as a returner. But he earned more playing the time the following year, then burst onto the scene by catching 67 passes in 2006. In a game in New England, Welker grabbed nine passes — and Bill Belichick’s attention. The following March, just weeks before the Lions drafted Johnson, the Patriots traded two draft picks to acquire Welker.

In 2007, Welker led the league in receptions. In 2008, Johnson led the league with 12 touchdown catches. In 2009, Welker again led the league in receptions; in 2010, Johnson again caught 12 touchdown passes. This year, the two are tormenting secondaries even by their lofty standards.

Welker has 40 catches and 616 receiving yards. Not only does he lead the league in both categories, but they’re also the highest marks after any team’s first four games in N.F.L. history.  Johnson has scored two touchdowns in every game. His eight receiving touchdowns are the most by any player after four games, and he just became the second player to record four consecutive games with multiple touchdown grabs (tying Cris Carter, 1995). Welker caught a 99-yard touchdown pass. Johnson caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to help the Lions rally past the Cowboys.

Both players have been as valuable as any non-quarterback in the league. The Lions and the Patriots each have scored 135 points this season, trailing only the Green Bay Packers. The teams are a combined 7-1, with the only loss coming in a game in which Welker caught 16 passes for 217 yards, both of which have been unmatched by any other player this season. And together, they seem to be taking aim at all of the league’s single-season receiving records.

Both players have endured injuries in their careers, but assuming good health, can either of them make 2011 a record-breaking season?

Receptions: Marvin Harrison, 143, 2002

Welker would need 104 catches over the next 12 games to break Harrison’s record. But it may not be as unreachable as you might think. In 2009, an injured Welker missed two games early in the season, but caught 122 passes over his first 13 games, for a remarkable 9.4 receptions per game average. In the season finale in Houston, Welker  tore his ACL and MCL on his first reception of the game. A brutal knee injury can take more than a year to heal, and in 2010 Welker did not look like the same player he had been during his first three seasons with the Patriots. But with a 10-catch-per-game average in 2011, it’s safe to say he’s back. With the way the Patriot offense and defense have looked this season (more on that, below), Welker could make a legitimate run at the receptions mark.

Trivia: Since 1960, eight players have caught 40 or more passes over a four-game span: Brandon Marshall (45), Marvin Harrison (43), Wes Welker (43), Jerry Rice (42), Cris Carter (41), Andre Johnson (41), Jimmy Smith (41) and Kellen Winslow Sr. (40)

Receiving Yards: Jerry Rice, 1,848 yards, 1995

The San Francisco 49ers ran 1,092 plays in 1995, more than any team ran in 2010. The 49ers also passed 644 times, a number bested by only the Colts and Saints last year. The Patriots are fourth in the league in pass attempts, but it goes without saying that Welker is no Jerry Rice. Welker has always been a possession receiver, more likely to rack up high catch totals instead of big yards. He gained 1,175 yards in 2007 and then 1,165 in 2008. He had just 848 yards last year, despite 86 catches. The most optimistic outlook? In his first 13 games in ‘09, he gained 1,336 yards, for an average of 102.8 yards per game. If he averaged that over the next 12, he’d finish with 1,849 receiving yards. Unless everything goes perfectly, this mark is unlikely to be challenged by Welker. Carolina’s Steve Smith has 530 receiving yards through four games, and is probably a better bet to lead the league in receiving yards this year. Once Aaron Hernandez returns, Welker’s share of the Patriots pie will decrease.

Trivia: Since 1960, 16 receivers have topped 600 yards over a four-game span, most recently Chad Ochocinco in 2006.

Receiving Touchdowns: Randy Moss, 23, 2007; Jerry Rice, 22, 1987

Moss set the record with receiving touchdowns in ‘07, but Rice scored 22 touchdowns in the strike-shortened 1987 season. At this pace, Johnson might beat both. Johnson has been hamstrung by less than stellar quarterbacks, but there’s no doubt that he clicks with Matthew Stafford. He caught a touchdown in each of Stafford’s last three starts as a rookie in 2009. In 2010, Stafford only started three games: Johnson caught a touchdown in the first game of the season, but officials overturned it on questionable grounds. Megatron caught three touchdown passes in his next game with Stafford. In Stafford’s third and final start of the ‘10 season, Johnson was marooned on Revis Island. But with 8 touchdown catches this year, Johnson and Stafford look unstoppable. With his combination of size, leaping ability and hands, he’s as dominant a red zone target as exists in the N.F.L. With an ineffective running game, it stands to reason that Stafford-to-Johnson might be the Lions’ first, second and third play-calls once they get inside the 10 for the rest of the year.

As productive as Jerry Rice and Randy Moss were at catching touchdowns, both only topped 17 touchdowns once in their careers. Johnson will need more than one touchdown per game the rest of the way to break Moss’s mark; in fact, if he catches two touchdown passes in his next four games, he would still need to average a touchdown per game for the remainder of the season to set the new record. As good as Johnson is, this record requires too many things to go perfectly to give any receiver anything more than a puncher’s chance this early in the season.

Trivia: Only three players in history have caught more than eight touchdown passes over a four-game stretch: Sterling Sharpe (9), Art Powell (10) and Jerry Rice (10).

Patriots setting all kinds of records, on both sides of the ball

New England scored over 30 points in each of the last eight games of the 2010 regular season. And while the offense floundered in memorable fashion against the Jets in New England’s only postseason game last season, the Patriot offense has again topped 30 points in every game in 2011. By doing so, New England became the first team to score over 30 points in 12 straight regular-season games. The 1999-2000 Rams were the previous record holders, with 11 straight. Drop the requirement to 30 or more points, and those Rams teams are the record-holders with 14 straight games. For now.

How good has New England’s offense been? The Patriots are the first team in league history to gain over 2,000 yards in the opening four games. The only offense that might be able to match New England’s? Whatever offense is on the other sideline. The Patriots are the first team in league history to allow over 1,900 yards to opponents in the first four games. Tom Brady has thrown for 1,553 yards on 163 passes so far. Pretty good, but Chad Henne, Philip Rivers, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jason Campbell threw for 1,475 yards on 168 passes against the Patriots’ defense. Bill Belichick probably gets treated for whiplash after every practice.

Meanwhile, the Patriots return to Foxborough for the next three weeks. Things have been good there for New England, at least in the regular season. The win over the Chargers in Week 2 of this season was New England’s 18th straight home victory during the regular season. From 1971 to 1974, the Miami Dolphins won 27 straight regular-season home games, so the Patriots can’t break that record this season. But Tom Brady already owns the record for consecutive home victories as a quarterback. Brady has won an incredible 29 straight at home. His last home loss? In 2006, against the Jets. This week, the Patriots host the Jets, with both home streaks on the line. In the Patriots’ last 42 home games, New England is 4-3 against the Jets and 32-3 against the rest of the league.

Chase Stuart contributes to the Pro-Football-Reference.com blog and to Footballguys.com.

Can Mangold Get the Jets Back on Track?

How will the Jets recover from another beating heading into a crucial game in New England?

Above all, their priority is stabilizing the offensive line. The easiest – and most obvious – solution involves someone who didn’t even take a snap Sunday night: Nick Mangold. If he can come back after a two-game absence, as Rex Ryan expects, the Jets would regain the best center in football, the man in charge of making checks and calls at the line.

Mangold’s absence was felt in Oakland, but much more so Sunday night, when the Jets struggled to protect Mark Sanchez, who committed four turnovers and was hit 10 times. Mangold’s replacement, Colin Baxter, fired a snap too hard off Sanchez’s hands that was recovered by Baltimore, and was benched for a time when the Jets, in a move that could be construed as reactionary, rotated Matt Slauson to center and inserted Vlad Ducasse at guard.

It is no guarantee that Mangold would rejuvenate the Jets’ running game, but at this point, it can’t get much worse. Through Sunday’s games, the Jets have rushed for 284 yards, 28th in the N.F.L., and their average of 3.1 yards per carry is better than only Detroit (3.0) and Tennessee (2.8).

“This football team cannot be successful when we’re rushing for 38 yards,” Ryan said. “There’s no chance.”

Leading Off: World Goes Mad, or at Least Football Does

If you went on vacation for a few weeks, left the country, put the iPhone on airplane mode and left it there, it would be easy to return and wonder if the sports world had gone completely off the rails. We know this from personal experience. But, as it turns out, it was not necessary to leave the country and turn off your smartphone to feel unmoored. In fact, you could have watched every second of the Lions and Bills starting the season 3-0, with a few glimpses over at the Browns going 2-1, while still trying to wrap your head around the Colts without Peyton Manning and still wonder what the heck is going on.

This is clear from the number of plugged-in football people who have been paying close attention and still reacted to Sunday’s developments by saying, “What the heck is going on?” This crowd is led by the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, who absorbed the Patriots’ defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory against the Bills and decided the laws of the universe have been rewritten. O.K., sure, maybe there are subatomic particles that can travel faster than light and scientists can stumble on new planets orbiting more than one sun, but Tom Brady throwing four interceptions and the Bills taking over as the new Kings of Karma? This cannot happen. The Buffalo News’s Mike Harrington even says so. The Bills even had a touchdown overturned and it ended up helping them. And thus, perhaps the rustiest of the Rust Belt cities has a reason to go wild, writes Yahoo.com’s Les Carpenter.

Yes, as Dan Wetzel writes on Yahoo.com, it’s Bizarro World. In the case of the Lions, they gave some hints last season that this was possible, but as Don Banks writes on SI.com, the mind-blowing part is that both the Lions and Bills have developed resilience neither team could have imagined. SI.com’s Peter King throws the Browns into the mix and heralds a new day for the Terrible Trio.

The weirdness hardly stops there. Not only is the Eagles’ once seemingly indomitable ship taking on water, the lifeboats are getting pretty crowded for a team that’s 1-2 and was being called the Dream Team about eight seconds ago. A loss to the hated Giants and Michael Vick’s broken hand are only the edge of their problems, writes Clark Judge on CBSSports.com, and The Philadelphia Daily News’s Sam Donnellon even goes so far as to say Coach Andy Reid might soon be reaching for a pair of water wings. While ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano believes Vick missing a few weeks might actually help the Eagles get organized and stop relying so heavily on him, the Philadelphia Daily News’s John Smallwood is wondering if Vick’s playing style may be his undoing. Against the Giants, a calamitous 14 minute, 51 second stretch was the Eagles undoing, and the Giants were happy that for a change, they did not engineer that calamity, writes Ohm Youngmisuk on ESPN.com.

In other calamities with Philadelphia echoes, Donovan McNabb is now being hooted toward the sideline in his latest city (Minneapolis), with the Star-Tribune’s Jim Souhan rushing to the head of the pack calling for Christian Ponder to start at quarterback after the Vikings torpedoed themselves for a third straight game. In Baltimore, Ravens fans not only have a win over Pittsburgh to enjoy already this season, they watched rookie receiver Torrey Smith turn his first three N.F.L. catches into touchdowns. Not bad for a day’s work. The Panthers’ Jonathan Stewart might be saying the same thing about his amazing, 60-yard, waterskis-would-have-helped touchdown if it hadn’t been overturned on replay.

Yes, there were other sports with forehead-slapping developments going on over the weekend as well. The Red Sox elbowed into the picture in dramatic fashion, interrupting their epic collapse with a dramatic 14-inning victory over the Yankees, which pulled them at least momentarily back from the ledge, writes Jeff Passan on Yahoo.com. It might be only a momentary reprieve, writes Joe Lemire on SI.com, but they’ll take it. As Danny Knobler writes on CBSSports.com, they are desperately trying to rewrite their own story.

There was a golf story this weekend that did not involve Tiger Woods until Woods decided to hijack the news and hire a caddie away from Dustin Johnson. But if you could ignore that little tempest, you are likely trying to figure out just how Bill Haas managed to make off with the FedEx Cup jackpot. We’re not even sure Haas knows how.

If all that isn’t strange enough, it’s worth taking in one more sight: a fantastically low-budget ad featuring Diego Maradona and his Dubai driving license.

But, not it’s still not stranger than the Bills and Lions being 3-0.

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For a Bills Fan, a Glimmer of Hope

On Sunday, the Bills (2-0) will try to reverse a humiliating 15-game losing-streak against the mighty Patriots (2-0) at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park. Since beating the Pats, 16-13 in an overtime thriller on Nov. 5, 2000, the team has lost 20 of its last 21 games to their division foe in a stretch where the Patriots have taken home the Vince Lombardi trophy three times while the Bills have failed to make the playoffs even once.

Bill Clinton was president when this dark era in the Bills-Patriots rivalry began. You could still go through airport security with a pair of shoes on. I was 27 and single. I’m now 38, with two sons, ages 2 and 4. I’ve moved in and out of the country three times, and encountered numerous life changes since the Bills’ last win over the Patriots. But the one constant has been watching my team lose to the Patriots twice each year.

After 11 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, my expectations for the team this season were beyond modest. I hoped they’d go 0-16 and win the Andrew Luck lottery. But the Bills threw everyone a curve by burying the Chiefs in week one, and staging an impressive comeback from an 18-point halftime deficit against the Raiders in week two, to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2008.

Suddenly, Bills fans are allowing themselves to think big. Could our hapless team possibly beat our longtime nemesis, the Patriots, on Sunday?

Bills fans are accustomed to losing.

Longest NFL series winning streaks all-time
Dolphins over Bills (1970-79)	20
49ers over Rams (1990-98)	17
Patriots over Bills (2003-present)	15
Dolphins over Colts (1980-87)	14
Chargers over Raiders (2003-2010)	13
Cowboys over Cardinals (1990-96)	13

A recent list on SB Nation of the top 25 worst moments in Bills history puts the Patriots losing streak at only moment #24. How can fans root for a team that has inflicted 23 “moments” even worse than an eight-year losing streak against a hated division rival?

My indoctrination into the sweet sorrow that is being a Bills fan came in the 1970s during another prolific losing streak. In those days, before the era of fantasy football and PlayStation, it wasn’t socially acceptable to simply root for individual players or pick a random team in another city to support. If you were born in Buffalo, you were stuck with the Bills.

The team went oh-for-the-70s (0-20) against the Dolphins before finally beating Don Shula and company 17-7 on Sept. 7, 1980. A streak that started in the Nixon years, during the Vietnam conflict, finally ended just weeks before the election of Ronald Reagan. As I grew up, the team got better and even went to the Super Bowl during each of my four years of college. But as everyone knows, they never brought the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo and fans are still scarred from all of the team’s well-documented losing streaks.

Like any masochistic sports fans, we try to make analyze and make sense of the losing. Perhaps in trying to quantify the team’s wretched failures we can bury their demons once and for all. Dissecting horrific losing streaks is not a pleasant exercise, but here goes.

As bad as the Bills oh-for-the-70’s against the Dolphins was, an argument can be made that the current streak of losing 20 of the last 21 to the Patriots is even worse. Both losing streaks featured some close losses–six losses in each steak were by 7 points or less. The Patriots won three Super Bowls during their streak against the Bills and the Dolphins won twice.

But the Patriots have blown the Bills out by 21 points or more eight times, whereas the Dolphins did the same on just four occasions. In the worst year of this stretch against the Patriots, 2007, the team was destroyed 56-10 and 38-7. While the losses against the Dolphins came just as predictably, there was no single year in which fans had to endure two blowout losses.

And during the streak against the Dolphins, Bills fans could also direct their ire, at least partially, against the schedule-makers. The latest the Dolphins were ever forced to play in snowy Buffalo was a Nov.18 contest in 1973. And in those 10 years, the first game of the series was played in Buffalo and the second in Miami eight times. Surely the Bills would have won at least once if the Dolphins had to play in Buffalo in December, right?

What excuses can Bills loyalists like myself conjure for our team’s current stretch of futility against the Patriots? We can complain about some bad luck in two overtime losses, and how the breaks just didn’t go our way in the four losses that were by just three points or less. But the cold, hard, disgusting fact is that the Bills have been awful and the Patriots have been very good.

Are the Bills going to turn the page on this dismal chapter in the team’s history on Sunday? As a nine-point underdog, few are betting on it. But if the team somehow pulls off the upset, don’t be surprised if Bills fans pour onto the field and take out years of frustration on the goalposts.

I was eight years old when the Bills beat the Dolphins for the first time in my life. My sons haven’t lived long enough to see a Bills win over the Patriots. I hope they won’t have to wait as long as I did to see the end of a disgraceful losing streak. But if the team loses again, Bills fans will know how to look on the bright side. At least we’ll be back in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

2011 New England Patriots Preview

We’re always hearing about The Patriot Way. By now, we understand what it means. The Patriot Way is the embodiment of every cliché known in sports: no “I” in team; let your play do the talking; one step at a time; just trying to get better, doing whatever it takes to win. It’s pretty straightforward stuff that trickles down from the owner Robert Kraft to Coach Bill Belichick to everyone else.

Belichick’s Patriots are so business-oriented that they themselves rarely even talk about The Patriot Way. The phrase is mainly the outside world’s way of explaining the culture of this very successful organization.

When we see the Patriots take a flier on baggage-toting stars like Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco, we cite The Patriot Way. When this team dumped another one of those stars in the middle of last season and instantly remodeled much of its offense, we marveled at its league-best 14-2 record and again credited The Patriot Way. When classic underdog players – your Wes Welkers, your Danny Woodheads – become stars in New England, or when single drafts produce legions of core players overnight (like the ’10 class: Devin McCourty, Brandon Spikes, Jermaine Cunningham, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski – starters all) we just shake our head and continue to laud The Patriot Way.

But focusing on The Patriot Way is like classifying a car by its color. Sure, it counts for something. And it’s nice that everyone can see and understand it. But it’s not the make or model. Locker room chemistry and teamwork and all those convenient Disney movie elements are great, but in the end, football is about the battle that takes place on that 100×53 piece of turf. And those battles often don’t come down to “wanting it more” or “overcoming adversity” – they come down to out-scheming and out-executing the enemy.

To the Patriots, this is The Real Patriot Way. Here’s how it works:

Offense

Unlike with most teams, the Patriot offense is built primarily on principles, rather than players. But the paradox is it’s only built this way because of one particular player. You can probably guess who.

Most N.F.L. offenses build a majority of their systems off their personnel. But having Tom Brady under center gives New England the enormous luxury of reversing that formula. Because Brady is Mensa quality when it comes to dissecting a defense at the line of scrimmage, and because he has arguably the best pocket mechanics in  football, the Patriots are able to first create a system and then find the players to run it. This is why they’re so good at surviving injuries, incorporating newcomers and, most overlooked, grooming young talent.

More on Brady’s specific impact momentarily. First, let’s examine what, exactly, is New England’s system. In short, it’s a precision-passing game based on horizontal option routes. Most offenses build their passing attack on timing and stretching the field. The Patriots – especially in this post-Randy Moss era – are the opposite. The patterns their receivers run are often determined by what the defense shows. It’s up to the receiver to correctly assess the coverage – often on the fly – and execute accordingly. Because of this, the Patriots don’t look for size and speed at wide receiver; they look for intelligence and precise route running. Thus, wideouts like Wes Welker, Julian Edelman and Deion Branch – guys who possess very average natural ability but have outstanding fundamentals – become stars in this system. (It’s no accident that Welker and Branch were far less effective players for the Dolphins and Seahawks.)

This is why the Patriots don’t have to worry about newcomer Chad Ochocinco being 33 and slowing down. Physically, Ochocinco still executes the breaks in his routes with superb quickness. He doesn’t have to stretch the field or win a jump ball on every down (the Pats can turn to to third-year pro Brandon Tate for those infrequent assignments); he just has to take what the defense allows him. Ocho drew criticism for not always running the right routes in Cincinnati. But the Bengals had a rudimentary system that afforded little to no freedom for their frequently double-teamed receivers. That won’t be the case here.

The approach is similar for New England’s sensational second-year tight ends, Rob Gronkowski (an improving route runner and firm blocker) and Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez is a tight end with true wide receiver skills. That’s nightmarish for defensive coordinators, who must always ask themselves, ‘With Hernandez on the field, do I use my base personnel and risk having him run routes against my safety or linebacker, or do I go to nickel and risk the Patriots putting two tight ends on the line of scrimmage and ramming the ball down our throats?’

New England’s style of option route running is uncommon because it requires the quarterback to see the route develop and react, rather than anticipate and throw to a window. Thus, the quarterback is forced to hold the ball a split second longer. Not many can survive this pressure. Tom Brady, however, has an uncanny ability to instantaneously reset his feet and gather his throwing mechanics while in a crowd. And you almost never see him throw off balance. These rare attributes form the foundation of New England’s passing attack.

They also deflate the theory that Brady lacks toughness. True, Brady gets a bit jittery after an accumulation of hits, but that’s only because he’s a.) human and b.) concerned with protecting possession. When your passing attack specifically emphasizes your being able to throw the ball right before taking a hit, you naturally become more aware of potential hits.

A slower-developing, horizontal aerial attack also demands a little more from the pass protectors. The Patriots acknowledged this when they drafted Nate Solder in the first round. This was a response to 33-year-old Matt Light no longer being a sure thing when it comes to handling elite edge-rushers one-on-one. If the lockout hadn’t prevented Solder from practicing, he’d most likely be starting opposite right tackle Sebastian Vollmer (a solid but unspectacular third-year pro – flawed second-team All-Pro accolades aside). Instead, Light – who, to be clear, has great chemistry with Brady and can certainly be more than adequate for one more year – is back.

So is All-Pro left guard Logan Mankins, fresh long-term contract and all (finally!). Mankins, who will line up next to rock-steady center Dan Koppen and smart but middling right guard Dan Connolly, is the key to New England’s power run game. No guard in football pulls with such consistent force.

Brady-centric as this offense might be, the Patriots are still willing to attack opponents on the ground. In BenJarvus Green-Ellis the Pats have a traditional runner who will gain whatever yardage the play has to offer. He’s not a creator, but the Pats don’t need him to be. That’s what Danny Woodhead is for. If not for having the physical appearance of a busboy, Woodhead’s name would come up in a lot of top 10 running back discussions. Truly. He has incredible lateral agility and quickness, and he’s marvelous in all phases of the passing game.

Despite Woodhead’s emergence and having a 36-year-old surgically repaired right knee, Kevin Faulk recently received a one-year contract for the veteran minimum ($910,000). His role in 2011 may simply be to tutor second-round rookie Shane Vereen and third-rounder Stevan Ridley. Vereen is an all-purpose back from California; Ridley is a workhorse out of L.S.U. If having five quality backs weren’t enough, the Patriots also have veteran Sammy Morris on the roster.

Defense

Everybody wants to know if the 2011 Patriots defense will be a 3-4 or a 4-3. The answer is it will be neither and both. It’s understandable that people would want to pigeonhole this defense and find a crystal clear image of the depth chart and gameplan. But the reason Bill Belichick has a reputation for directing versatile, ever-changing units is because he does not view defense in broad strokes of black and white.

Instead of seeing one defensive unit on the field, Belichick sees 11 defensive pieces. His mantra is to find the best role for each of those pieces on each play. While most coaches emphasize exotic blitzes and creative disguise, Belichick is more inclined to preach simple fundamentals and assignments. Often, the Patriots run a surprisingly basic defense, but they create complexity by mixing basic concepts. There are 11 guys executing assignments on each play. Some of those assignments might be 3-4-centric, while some could be 4-3-centric. Collectively, it doesn’t matter. All that matters to Belichick is that each guy is executing his specific assignment. When that happens, the defense naturally works.

The droves of Albert Haynesworth watchers can assume that Belichick will have the star defensive lineman often playing the one-gap concepts he grew to love in Tennessee’s 4-3. Belichick knows that’s the best way to use his Haynesworth piece. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork will likely play a majority of 3-4 technique simply because, being an explosive 350-plus-pounder, he’s going to command double-teams anyway. Along the rest of the defensive line, ex-Jet Shaun Ellis is experienced in all systems and plays with great power in the trenches. He should be more effective late in the season than he was a year ago now that his sharing the load with jack-of-all-trades Mike Wright. Rounding out the front, backups Kyle Love and Gerard Warren are spacious players who provide sound depth.

New England’s defensive alignments will usually be determined by whatever gives them the best pass-rush. Defensive end Andre Carter can turn the corner coming out of a two-or three-point stance. Speed-wise, he’s an upgrade over Tully Banta-Cain, but the Pats will need another edge player to step up. Jermaine Cunningham showed gradual improvement as a second-round rookie last season, but he’s more of a strongside 3-4 outside linebacker than true edge-rusher. Mark Anderson has startling speed around the corner but can’t seem to stay on anyone’s roster. Eric Moore is just a guy.

Linebackers Rob Ninkovich, Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Gary Guyton are all better read-and-react players than attackers. Of the bunch, Mayo is the star. He’s the NFL’s reigning tackle leader and, thanks to good instincts and anticipation, plays with excellent range against both run and pass. Spikes, an intriguing second-year pro, can be a good interior thumper, but in the short-term he’ll likely take a backseat to the speedier Guyton in nickel packages.

New England’s mixture of defensive techniques is most prevalent in the secondary. Belichick loves matchup zone concepts that require players to use man-techniques in defending an area. It’s not easy, which is part of the reason the Patriots have had a revolving door at the right cornerback position. They’re hoping that a healthy Leigh Bodden can stabilize this spot. They learned last season that Kyle Arrington lacks the necessary ball skills to survive in this role. Before that, similar conclusions had already been made about Darius Butler and Jonathan Wilhite.

No such worries on the left side. Devin McCourty is coming off one of the great rookie seasons for a cornerback. The lanky 5-11, 193-pounder from Rutgers has an almost eerie ability to backpedal with receivers screaming down the field. Also, he’s shrewder than most tenured veterans when it comes to using the sideline to his advantage. And by recording seven of New England’s league-high 25 interceptions last season, McCourty obviously has phenomenal ball skills.

There’s potentially a stellar long-term cornerbacking tandem in place with McCourty and this year’s 33rd overall pick, Ras-I Dowling. But if Bodden holds up outside, Dowling may not see much action if the coaches decide they can’t resist the physicality that safety Patrick Chung brings to the nickel slot. Chung, however, can be attacked in man coverage. He will line up at strong safety ahead of steady but mundane veteran James Sanders in base packages. (Sanders will assume the safety duties in nickel and dime.) At free safety will be dynamic playmaker Brandon Meriweather, assuming he doesn’t again drive coaches nuts with mental gaffes and freelancing.

Special Teams

Stephen Gostkowski was a top-five kicker before tearing his right quad last season. The sixth-year pro is back to kicking without reservations. Zoltan Mesko will be entrusted with the punting duties again. Wes Welker or Julian Edelman (or whoever can be counted on to make a fair catch, as Belichick’s goal with special teams is usually  just to break even) will field punts. Brandon Tate brings explosiveness to the kick return game.

Bottom Line

The system is outstanding. The talent stocking it is equally impressive. It’s just a matter of whether the Patriots can do something they surprisingly haven’t done well in recent years: hold serve in big games.

Predicted Finish: 1st A.F.C. East

N.F.L. Moves: Young Joins Eagles, Jets Vie for Asomugha

12:36 p.m. | Updated

Big signing news of the day, so far:

The Eagles, having shipped their backup quarterback, Kevin Kolb, to the Cardinals on Thursday, have reportedly decided his replacement will be Vince Young, who was released by the Titans on Thursday. The Eagles’ last quarterback reclamation project, Michael Vick, said he was thrilled the team was taking on Young as its next project.

In other news, the Denver Broncos have reportedly found someone to complement running back Knowshon Moreno by agreeing to a three-year, $7.5 million deal with Willis McGahee. Wide receiver Roy Williams, who was cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, will be reunited with his former offensive coordinator Mike Martz in Chicago after reportedly agreeing to terms with the Bears.

Friday’s biggest looming mysteries:
These involve perhaps the most talented player still dangling in free-agency limbo, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who is expected to choose between the Jets and the Cowboys, and the most talented player ever to shoot himself in the leg, receiver Plaxico Burress. Reportedly, the league has reinstated Burress, freeing him to sign on some available bottom line, and he is expected to sit down with Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Friday night to either hash out their differences or perhaps discuss the nutritional failings of jailhouse cuisine.

The Texans made some bold moves Thursday by signing cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning, and want to be even bolder by adding Asomugha. NFL Network is reporting that the Texans are now out of the running and the Cowboys are in, but the favorites are the Jets, who are trying to create a supertandem in their defensive backfield, writes Bucky Brooks on NFL.com, with Darrelle Revis.

There is still lingering debate over one of Thursday’s other big deals, the trade of quarterback Kolb from the Eagles to the Cardinals for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The consensus is that the Cardinals paid a steep price for Kolb, but had to go bold to fill their biggest need. But Clark Judge of CBSSports.com also warns that investing in discarded Eagles quarterbacks is not usually a good move.

Cutsville: As the Asomugha-Jets negotiations carry on, the team said goodbye to their three-time Pro Bowl quarterback and Mark Sanchez mentor, Mark Brunell, along with cornerback Will Billingsley and guard Marlon Davis.

Reverberations from Thursday’s big moves:

The Patriots joined the backyard party on Thursday and did one giant cannonball into the middle of the pool. They didn’t just shove Albert Haynesworth and his cartful of emotional baggage off the high board, they hurled Chad Ochocinco in there after him.

Yes, that was Thursday, and by the end of the day Friday the whole thing might explode into an “Animal House” toga party, but let’s just pause for a second to say, “Wow.”

Now, whether this move turns into an epic team chemistry chain reaction that leaves Patriots Coach Bill Belichick with a set of fried eyebrows, that will be the central mystery of the Patriots’ season. But it certainly got everyone’s attention, writes Greg A. Bedard in The Boston Globe. Belichick is clearly counting on his magical powers to reclaim wayward talent, writes Don Banks on SI.com, at least in the case of Haynesworth. With Ochocinco, it’s how to manage the cultural clash between the league’s most buttoned-down team and the Queen Mary of self-promoting showboats. Dan Wetzel of Yahoo.com urges Ochocinco to shut down his Twitter account and behave now, but that would be rather like asking Niagara Falls to act like a nice little waterfall.

To a lot of people right now — including Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com — Belichick looks like a genius. But, as Alex Marvez writes on Foxsports.com, by the end of the season he might be getting measured for a straitjacket with a hood.

N.F.L. Mayhem Central: Young Joins Eagles, Jets Vie for Asomugha

11:58 a.m. | Updated The hamster wheel that is the N.F.L. offseason is expected to hit warp speed today. Clearly, the poor hamster should have struck a better deal in the collective bargaining negotiations.

Big signing news of the day, so far:

The Eagles, having shipped backup quarterback Kevin Kolb to the Cardinals on Thursday, have reportedly decided his replacement will be Vince Young, who was released by the Titans on Thursday. Not surprisingly, the Eagles’ last quarterback reclamation project, Michael Vick, said he was thrilled the team was taking on Young as its next project and Eagles are clearly banking on Vick being a good influence on a player who

Reverberations from Thursday’s big moves:

The Patriots joined the backyard party on Thursday and did one giant cannonball into the middle of the pool. They didn’t just shove Albert Haynesworth and his cartful of emotional baggage off the high board, they hurled Chad Ochocinco in there after him.

Yes, that was Thursday, and by the end of the day Friday the whole thing might explode into an “Animal House” toga party, but let’s just pause for a second to say, “Wow.”

Now, whether this move turns into an epic team chemistry chain reaction that leaves Patriots Coach Bill Belichick with a set of fried eyebrows, that will be the central mystery of the Patriots’ season. But it certainly got everyone’s attention, writes Greg A. Bedard in The Boston Globe. Belichick is clearly counting on his magical powers to reclaim wayward talent, writes Don Banks on SI.com, at least in the case of Haynesworth. With Ochocinco, it’s how to manage the cultural clash between the league’s most buttoned-down team and the Queen Mary of self-promoting showboats. Dan Wetzel of Yahoo.com urges Ochocinco to shut down his Twitter account and behave now, but that would be rather like asking Niagara Falls to act like a nice little waterfall.

To a lot of people right now — including Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com — Belichick looks like a genius. But, as Alex Marvez writes on Foxsports.com, by the end of the season, he might be getting measured for a straitjacket with a hood.

Friday’s biggest looming mysteries:
These involve perhaps the most talented player still dangling in free agency limbo, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, and the most talented player every to shoot himself in the leg, receiver Plaxico Burress. Reportedly, the league has reinstated Burress, freeing him to sign on some available bottom line, and he is expected to sit down with Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Friday night to either hash out their differences or perhaps discuss the nutritional failings of jailhouse cuisine.

The Texans made some bold moves Thursday by signing cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning, and want to make it even bolder by adding Asomugha. NFL Network is reporting that the Texans are now out of the running and the Cowboys are in, but the favorite is the Jets, who are trying to create a supertandem in their defensive backfield, writes Bucky Brooks on NFL.com, with Darrelle Revis.

There is still lingering debate over one of Thursday’s other big deals, the trade of quarterback Kolb from the Eagles to the Cardinals for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The consensus is that the Cardinals paid a steep price for Kolb, but had to go bold to fill their biggest need. But Clark Judge of CBSSports.com also warns that investing in discarded Eagles quarterbacks is not usually a good move.

N.F.L. Mayhem Central: Patriots Go Big

So, the abbreviated N.F.L. off-season seemed rowdy enough for a few days, sort of like a backyard party with dozens of 7-year-old boys, when the Patriots came along Thursday and did one giant cannonball into the middle of the pool. They didn’t just shove Albert Haynesworth and his cartful of emotional baggage off the high board, they hurled Chad Ochocinco in there after him.

Yes, that was Thursday, and by the end of the day Friday the whole thing might explode into an “Animal House” toga party, but let’s just pause for a second to say, “Wow.”

Now, whether this move turns into an epic team chemistry chain reaction that leaves Patriots Coach Bill Belichick with a set of fried eyebrows, that will be the central mystery of the Patriots’ season. But it certainly got everyone’s attention, writes Greg A. Bedard in The Boston Globe. Belichick is clearly counting on his magical powers to reclaim wayward talent, writes Don Banks on SI.com, at least in the case of Haynesworth. With Ochocinco, it’s how to manage the cultural clash between the league’s most buttoned-down team and the Queen Mary of self-promoting showboats. Dan Wetzel of Yahoo.com urges Ochocinco to shut down his Twitter account and behave now, but that would be rather like asking Niagara Falls to act like a nice little waterfall.

To a lot of people right now — including Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com — Belichick looks like a genius. But, as Alex Marvez writes on Foxsports.com, by the end of the season, he might be getting measured for a straitjacket with a hood.

Friday’s biggest looming mysteries involve perhaps the most talented player still dangling in free agency limbo, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, and the most talented player every to shoot himself in the leg, receiver Plaxico Burress. Reportedly, the league has reinstated Burress, freeing him to sign on some available bottom line, and he is expected to sit down with Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Friday night to either hash out their differences or perhaps discuss the nutritional failings of jailhouse cuisine.

The Texans made some bold moves Thursday by signing cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning, and want to make it even bolder by adding Asomugha. Their biggest competition appears to be the Jets, who are trying to create a supertandem in their defensive backfield, writes Bucky Brooks on NFL.com, with Darrelle Revis.

There is still lingering debate over one of Thursday’s other big deals, the trade of quarterback Kevin Kolb from the Eagles to the Cardinals for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The consensus is that the Cardinals paid a steep price for Kolb, but had to go bold to fill their biggest need. But Clark Judge of CBSSports.com also warns that investing in discarded Eagles quarterbacks is not usually a good move.

Remembering Myra Kraft

The best story about Myra Kraft to emerge among the touching remembrances following her death this week after a long battle with cancer came from her son Jonathan. He recalled how his mom, during a family trip to South Africa in the era of apartheid, demanded that a white police officer who was taking black men into custody arrest her, too. Jonathan remembered his dad, the Patriots owner Robert K. Kraft, telling him not to let his mother get in trouble. So he threw his mom, a petite woman, over his shoulder and hauled her away.

Robert Kraft’s office in Gillette Stadium is decorated with pictures of him with celebrities (there is a dazzling photograph near the door of him dancing with Jacqueline Kennedy), but the ones behind his desk, closest to him, are huge portraits of his family. Robert and Myra met as college students and Myra knew nothing of football until her husband bought the Patriots. Myra was raised in privilege herself, and then used the team’s fame and success to enhance her own vast philanthropic efforts.

She became a fixture around the Patriots, sitting next to her husband and children at games, and the outpouring of grief from former and current Patriots players speaks to how much of a presence she became in their lives. Curtis Martin, the former Patriots and Jets running back, told a story about how when he was sick of eating out, Myra gave him homemade soup. She was at the center of the pregame parties her husband threw, and was waiting outside the locker room for him when the games were over. She was far more than a cheerleader, though, so central to her husband’s decision-making that when she famously objected in 1996 after the Patriots drafted Christian Peter, who had a history of violence against women, he was quickly cut. Last week, Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe called her the conscience and soul of the Patriots.

During the final months of his wife’s life, Robert Kraft shuttled between intensive N.F.L. labor negotiations and home, rarely staying away from Myra for more than a day while maintaining his role as one of the most influential owners in the N.F.L. Assuming a deal is approved by players in coming days, the season will soon start and the Patriots will again be favorites to win many games. But one person close to Robert Kraft wondered how he would be without Myra.

One lingering grace note summed up how deep her loss cuts: even in conversation with reporters, Robert usually referred to Myra as “my sweetheart.”