LIFE AFTER PIOLI

The Patriots have lost another top evaluator. First Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels bolted to take the reigns of the Denver Broncos, and now VP of Player Personnel Scott Pioli is moving west to take over as GM for the Kansas City Chiefs.

It will be very interesting how the Patriots respond. Pioli is obviously one of the top executives in all of football, and his loss is a huge one for a franchise that has been so successful in the new millennium. The Patriots have already named his successor in Pioli's former assistant, Nick Caserio.

In his column on Caserio in today's Boston Globe, beat writer Mike Reiss (friend of the blog) says that the Pats were right to name an in-house replacement because of how closely Bill Belichick works with the front office. Knowing exactly what kind of player the coach likes will save Caserio tons of time and should help the Pats remain one of the better teams in the AFC for years to come. Caserio is a system guy who has worked both on the field--as an offensive coaching assistant and wide receivers coach--and in the front office. He's an extremely hard worker and should fit right in in his new role.

And as long as Belichick is in charge of the team, the Patriots will be just fine.

LET'S NOT GET CARRIED AWAY

The Patriots season came to a frustrating end yesterday, even after New England shut out the Buffalo Bills, 13-0. Both the Dolphins and Ravens won, giving them the remaining two playoff spots over the Pats. So despite an 11-5 season, Bill Belichick and company will be watching the postseason from home.

While it is extremely frustrating that New England will not be playing into January for the first time in six years, let's not get carried away with the "flaws in the system." Yes, I do know that an 11-5 team was eliminated before a matchup between a 7-8 team and an 8-7 team for a spot in the playoffs. In past years though, other teams have gotten screwed out of the playoffs simply by being in a tougher division too. It's really not that big a deal. These things have a way of balancing themselves out in the long run.

In retrospect, the job Belichick and the other New England coaches did was simply amazing. Losing a franchise quarterback in the first quarter of the season, and then losing important pieces for significant time just didn't effect them the way it does most teams. That has to be a credit to the coaching staff.

If only former Pats assistant Eric Mangini had done as good a job with the Jets. Then maybe the Patriots would be preparing for a showdown with Ravens next Sunday at Gillette Stadium. And the "Mangenius" would still have a job.

Q AND A WITH MIKE REISS OF THE GLOBE: PART II

With just one week left in the regular season, and the Patriots currently on the outside looking in, Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe joins us once again to discuss the club's chances this season, and what we might see from them in the future.

Saturday Morning Sports: Given all the injuries the Patriots have had, and with Bill Belichick's history (spygate), and the job Tony Sparano has done in Miami this year, do you think Belichick will get any votes for coach of the year?
Mike Reiss: I do think Bill Belichick will get some votes, but I don't think he'll get enough to earn the honor. There are too many other candidates, from Tony Sparano, to Mike Smith, to John Harbaugh, to Jeff Fisher. But you listen to people around the NFL and they tip their cap to the job that Belichick has done this year.

SMS: Is Tedy Bruschi done for the season? Is his career in jeopardy?
MR: Bruschi has yet to be placed on season-ending injured reserve, so the door is not closed on his potential return, but it's a longer shot. The knee injury itself isn't a career-ender, but given where Bruschi is at this point of his career, it's something that must be kept in mind.

SMS: Do you think the Patriots will re-sign Matt Cassel in the offseason?
MR: I don't see Cassel re-signing with the Patriots. There is the possibility of the franchise tag being assigned, and then Cassel being traded. Otherwise, it would be that rare situation where a quarterback in his prime years, who led the team to a winning season, hits the open market. If the Patriots lose Cassel, they would likely receive the highest possible compensatory draft choice in 2010 -- the year after he departs -- which is a third-rounder.

SMS: Who would you say is the Patriots MVP so far this year?
MR: My choice would go to receiver Wes Welker. He leads the NFL in yards after the catch and I thought his presence in the short passing game helped the offense stay afloat until Matt Cassel got more comfortable throwing the long ball. His consistency has also been most impressive.

SMS: Do you think the Patriots playing in London will hurt them at all next season?
MR: I don't see that experience hurting the Patriots from a travel perspective. The only thing that comes to mind is that some players have voiced concerns over the playing surface in past years, but that was supposedly improved this year.

SMS: Any predictions for the Pats playoff chances?
MR: I think the Patriots will beat the Bills on Sunday, so it will come down to the Ravens-Jaguars and Jets-Dolphins. I don't see the Ravens losing, which would rule out the wild-card. I could see the Jets winning, though, which would open the door. I don't have any strong prediction at this time, though.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE AFC...

Just when it looked like the Patriots might be eliminated from the AFC East race, the Jets laid an egg. New York, needing a win in Seattle to create a two team race for the division, lost 13-3 to the Seahawks at a snowy Qwest Field earlier today. Had the Jets beaten Seattle, coupled with the Dolphins win over the Kansas City Chiefs, and it would have been mathematically impossible for New England to win the AFC East. Now, a Patriots win in Buffalo next week and a Jets victory over Miami will make the Patriots divisional champs once again.

The Pats are tied with the Dolphins at 10-5, with the Jets following them at 9-6. Miami travels to the Meadowlands to take on the Jets in Week 17. New England is not out of the woods yet though. If the Fish beat New York next week, they win the division. If Baltimore, which currently owns the sixth and final playoff spot, also wins, the Pats will be left out in the cold.

The Ravens closed out Texas Stadium with a bang, beating the Cowboys 33-24. If the Ravens win in Jacksonville next week, they win the second wild card spot. The Colts clinched the other wild card spot and the fifth seed by beating the Jags last week. It's extremely confusing, with so many teams with good records. Hopefully, this will help:

PATRIOTS WIN AFC EAST IF:

• They beat Buffalo
• Jets beat Miami
  

PATRIOTS WIN WILD CARD IF:

• They beat Buffalo
• Ravens lose to Jacksonville

Keep in mind that no 11-5 team has ever been left out of the playoffs. While one 11-5 or 10-6 team is guaranteed to miss the postseason, either Denver or San Diego will make the playoffs at 8-8 or 9-7. The Chargers hold the tiebreaker over the Broncos, so if they win next week and Denver loses, the Bolts will win the AFC West. Any way you slice it, one good team will be watching the playoffs from home.

*Quick Note: The Broncos play the Chargers next week in San Diego. It is, essentially, a one game playoff for the AFC West title.

EVEN WITH WINS, PATRIOTS NEED HELP

Right when it looked like the Patriots would be alone atop the AFC East, JP Losman fumbled the ball. The Bills quarterback was hit by Jets safety Abram Elam, who knocked the ball loose just as Losman was attempting to throw it. Shaun Ellis recovered and took the pigskin into the end zone, giving the Jets a 31-27 lead with 1:54 to play at the Meadowlands yesterday afternoon. Of course, they held on to beat the Bills by that same score. Meanwhile down south, the Dolphins seemed to be getting manhandled by San Francisco, but the 49'ers just couldn't get the ball into the end zone. Even though they ran 79 offensive plays, 37 more than Miami, the Dolphins narrowly escaped, 14-9.

So, as the Pats kicked off their game in Oakland yesterday, it was another must win. Against the Raiders, it was over early. New England's offense dominated the overmatched Oakland D, with the Patriots gaining 277 yards on the ground. Matt Cassel threw a career high four touchdown passes in the 49-26 victory, including two to ex-Raider Randy Moss. So after another Sunday, the Patriots find themselves in the exact same spot, tied with the Jets and Dolphins atop the AFC East.

Unfortunately for New England, they are third in the tiebreakers, so winning out won't necessarily guarantee a playoff berth. If the Jets and Dolphins, who play each other in week 17, both win next week, the Patriots can not win the division. With Indianapolis poised to grab the first wild card spot, the Pats would need a Baltimore loss to sneak in as the sixth and final seed. Baltimore plays at Dallas next week, and at Jacksonville to close out the year.

No team that went 11-5 in the regular season has ever missed the playoffs. But with the Dolphins playing well, and the Jets playing Seattle next week, it looks like that may just happen. Hopefully one of them will lose, and the other will lose in the final regular season game. At this point, that just doesn't seem very likely. The Pats best chance to make it appears to be a Ravens loss. Of course, if they lose to either Arizona or Buffalo, whatever happens outside of Foxboro doesn't really matter.

PATRIOTS WILL HAVE A BLOODY GOOD TIME NEXT OCTOBER

One day after the Patriots were slaughtered at home by Pittsburgh, the NFL announced New England will be playing a game next season in London. Last season, the Giants beat the Dolphins 13-10, and earlier this year New Orleans beat San Diego, 37-32. Both games were played at Wembley Stadium in front of sold out crowds of over 83,000.

The Pats will be playing in the third annual UK game, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 25, 2009. The Bucs will be the "home team", meaning the Patriots still get to play eight games at Gillette Stadium next season.

Last season, the NFL announced they will hold an annual game in England at least through the 2010 season. The Patriots are 7-5 so far this year, one game behind the New York Jets. The Buccaneers are 9-3 and tied with Carolina atop the NFC South.

LIGHT AND CROWDER FINED, NOT SUSPENDED

Great news for the Patriots, as Matt Light will be in uniform on Sunday when New England takes on AFC rival Pittsburgh at Gillette Stadium. Light and Channing Crowder of the Miami Dolphins got into a fight during the Pats win last week, and both were ejected from the game.

The NFL elected to fine each player $15,000, but did not issue suspensions for either player. The confrontation occurred in the fourth quarter, while Light was blocking Crowder during Stephen Gostkowski's 30-yard field goal. The NFL's investigation found that while Light did punch Crowder multiple times, Crowder instigated the fight by constantly trash talking (hence the grin as he ran away from Light).

Having Light in the lineup will be huge next week against the Steelers, the NFL leaders in sacks.

JE'ROD CHERRY: AUCTIONING OFF SUPER BOWL RING

Former Patriots cornerback Je'Rod Cherry, who played with the club from 2001 through 2004, is auctioning off his ring from Super Bowl XXXVI to help raise money for children in Rwanda. Cherry, mainly a special teamer in his four years in Foxborough, won titles with New England in 2001, 2003, and 2004.

It's great to see a professional athlete give back like this. Sure, a lot of athletes have charitable foundations, but it's not often you see a non-superstar player give up one of his most prized possessions for a cause.

The auction is being done through Celebrities For Charities, a foundation formed in 1997 that lists former Bruins captain Ray Bourque as a member of the board of directors. It is a group that helps out some of Boston's best charity events, such as Jason Varitek's Putt-Putt Challenge, and Kevin Faulk's Celebrity Softball Game.

The drawing date for Cherry's ring is Thanksgiving day. The website gives a description of the diamond encrusted jewelery:

"Created by Jostens, the 14-karat white gold Super Bowl ring worn by the Super Bowl XXXVI champions, the New England Patriots, features 142 diamonds. Forty-two diamonds encircle the bezel, which is the edge of the ring's face, and two larger football-shaped diamonds are on each side of the bezel. The face of the ring displays the Patriots logo made from red garnets and blue sapphires trimmed with diamonds. A figure of the Lombardi trophy is behind the logo and is made of platinum, a large marquis diamond, and two tapered baguette diamonds.)"

Tickets for the event are just two dollars, and it's all for a great cause. To make a donation, click here.

TIME FOR JOEY PORTER TO JUST SHUT UP

Finally. The Patriots shut up Joey Porter. The Dolphins linebacker and NFL sack leader loves to run his mouth, and has no love lost for New England, or head coach Bill Belichick for that matter. In an interview with Keyshawn Johnson on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, Porter says that he thinks the Patriots were cheating in all of the playoff games that he faced them in as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. "Two times we could have blown those people out easily" said Porter. "Man, that's my dyansty, know what I mean?"

No, Joey. We don't know what you mean. Your insane psycho babble just needs to stop. Of course, Porter talked a big game before Miami came to New England in week three, but that time he backed it up. The Dolphins rocked New England on September 21, 38-13 in front of a very unhappy crowd at Gillette Stadium.

Today, Porter and the Dolphins had no such luck. After a closely contested first half, the Pats blew the doors off, crushing Miami and putting up 48 points on Porter's defense.
Matt Cassel was spectacular again, as he became the first Patriots quarterback to throw for 400 yards in back to back games. Cassel finished the day 30/43 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and one unlucky interception. Randy Moss caught all three of those TD passes, picking up 125 yards on the afternoon.

Porter drew the ire of the referees late in the game with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that gave New England the ball inside the Dolphins 20. While the penalty didn't mean much (the game was pretty much over at that point), it was a fitting end to this one.

Now that Cassel and the Pats have beaten Miami, hopefully Porter will just stop talking. Unfortunately for everybody though, he probably won't. And we'll all have to roll our eyes again at something crazy that Joey Porter has said.

EVAN'S THURSDAY NIGHT PICK

New York Jets 12
New England Patriots 19

New England is favored by 1.5 points.

MARK'S THURSDAY NIGHT PICK

New York Jets 13
New England Patriots 16

(spread is Patriots -1.5)

BOSTON: SPORTS CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Loserville. That was the nickname graciously given to Boston by sports fans across the country because of the Red Sox continued futility, the Celtics fall from grace, and the Patriots constant mediocrity. Since the start of the new millennium however, Boston teams have been able to shed that horrid title and create a new image for the local teams: Champions.

Since 2000, the Patriots have won three Super Bowls, beating the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, the Panthers in XXXVIII, and the Eagles in XXXIX. The long suffering Red Sox are now a semi-dynasty, reaching the playoffs in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008, and winning two World Series in that span. And while the turn of the century didn't change the Celtics fortunes, the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made the Green NBA Champions once again.

Now of course, we have all four major sports teams in the hunt for post season berths. The Red Sox made the playoffs again this year, and were just one game short of reaching the Fall Classic for the second consecutive year. The Patriots are 6-3 and tied for first place in the AFC East despite the losses of Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Adalius Thomas, and Rodney Harrison for the season. The Celtics are 8-1 and leading the Atlantic division again in 2008. Paul Pierce's fallaway at the buzzer lifted the C's to a 103-102 win over previously undefeated Atlanta last night at the Garden. And finally, the black sheep of the group, the Bruins are finally playing up to their potential and at 9-3-3, are tied with Buffalo for first in the Northeast division with 21 points.

Yes it is a great time to be a fan of Boston sports. Will it last? Of course not. Never does. So enjoy it while it lasts. Soon enough we may see that old moniker put to good use once again.

Q AND A WITH MIKE REISS OF THE GLOBE

Mike Reiss is the Patriots beat writer for the Boston Globe. His Reiss' Pieces blog on the Globe's website gives a behind the scenes look at the daily happenings of the team. Reiss answered a few questions for us at Saturday Morning Sports via e-mail. Here are his responses:

Saturday Morning Sports: What exactly is wrong with Sammy Morris? How long do you think he'll be out for?
Mike Reiss: I saw Sammy Morris on Tuesday and he still looked to be in pain from his knee injury. He said he hurt the knee on his final carry, a 29-yarder, against the Broncos at the end of the second quarter.

SMS: When do you see LaMont Jordan coming back?
MR: I think Jordan will be playing this Sunday night against the Colts. He's missed the last three games with the right quad injury, but barring a setback, I think we'll see him this week.

SMS: Is Laurence Maroney done with the Pats for good?
MR: I don't think so. He has two years left on his contract (through 2010), so I think the way the Patriots will approach it is by building depth around him and not expecting much of him -- and whatever they get would be a bonus.

SMS: Do you think Rodney Harrison's career is finished?
MR: I do. Watching Harrison leave the field on a cart, I sensed it as a final moment in which he was soaking it all in. I'd never count Harrison out, and he hasn't said anything yet, but my hunch is that he won't be playing again.

SMS: Do you think, in light of their recent injuries/struggles in the secondary, the Pats will look to add someone like John Lynch?
MR: I thought Lynch would be back, but unless there is another injury, I'm now leaning against the possibility. It seems the Patriots aren't as sold on him as I thought they were.

BRADY HAS MORE KNEE COMPLICATIONS

This story was first reported by Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. She writes:

"Doctors are so concerned about containing the infection in Tom Brady's left knee they have performed three procedures in an attempt to eradicate it, according to a source familiar with the Patriots quarterback's travails on the West Coast."

It had already been announced by Brady via his website last Wednesday that he underwent a second surgery on his left knee to "clean and to test the wound". This was necessary because of an infection in the knee.

So with today's Herald report, that brings the Brady knee surgery count to FOUR. I'm not a doctor - nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night - but from what I gather this knee injury has turned into a bonafide disaster. Brady is now on IV antibiotics and will remain on them for six weeks. Here are the two scenarios that could play out:

1) The follow-up surgeries are a success, the infection is eliminated, and Brady rehabs his knee as normal - with a possible slight delay from all the extra work done. Should be ready to play by, let's say, May-June.

2) The infection lingers and compromises the new ACL grafted to Brady's knee. The original ACL surgery will have to be redone - but not until after the entire infection is eliminated. It's possible that this would delay the surgery until January, in which case it would put Brady's 2009 season in jeopardy.

The hope right now is for #1. It's possible that these follow-up surgeries are more precautionary than anything, and are merely to fight the infection in the most effective way possible. Regardless, this surgery has not gone as planned - the Patriots have begun to voice their dissatisfaction with Brady's choice to go with his own doctor instead of one suggested by the team - and all we can do at this point is worry until our hair falls out... and hope for the best. Or else we might see Bob Lobel and his panic button return to Sports Final in the near future.

BRADY UNDERGOES SECOND KNEE SURGERY

New England Patriots starting quarterback Tom Brady had a second surgery on his left knee on Wednesday to clear out an infection. Brady, who tore his ACL and MCL when he was hit by Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard in the first quarter of week one, had the first procedure done on October 6.

Hopefully, this won't hold Brady out for any additional time. While he is already on Injured Reserve, and thus done for the season, any further problems with the knee could delay his return into next season. That would be disastrous as the Pats, a team that scored an NFL record 589 points one season ago are really struggling to move the ball with backup Matt Cassel under center. New England is averaging only 17.8 points per game, down over 50% from last year's prolific offense that scored nearly 37 points per contest.

Despite the second surgery, Brady is expected to be ready for training camp for the 2009 NFL season. Hopefully we'll see the old Tom Brady next September.

TROY BROWN: A CLASS ACT ALL THE WAY

On September 25, former Patriots wide receiver/defensive back Troy Brown officially announced his retirement from the NFL. Brown, who hadn't been a full-time player since 2006, played wide receiver for the Pats from 1994-2007, and came through late in his career as a nickel back when the New England defense was hurting. With the Red Sox pushing for another World Series, and the Patriots trying to stay afloat without Tom Brady, we never got a chance on the show to talk about Brown's farewell.

Troy Brown was one of the Patriots all-time greats. An eighth round pick from Marshall University in 1993 (198th overall), Brown caught 557 passes in his career, for 6,366 yards and 31 receiving touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2001, played in four Super Bowls (winning three of them), and was one of the most dangerous punt returners in the NFL for quite some time.

Brown's versatility made him a rare commodity in today's National Football League. He was naturally a wide receiver and return man, but played admirably on defense when injuries forced him into the situation. He picked off three passes in 2004, putting him second on the team behind only safety Eugene Wilson, who picked off four. He was even listed as the fourth string quarterback in 2006. When asked why he had put Brown as the fourth signal caller on the roster, coach Bill Belichick said "to develop his legend." Mission accomplished.

I will have two lasting memories of Troy Brown. The first was in the 2001 season (2002 playoffs), when Brown dashed straight up the middle in Pittsburgh, returning a punt 55 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring, nine minutes into the first quarter of the AFC Championship game. The Pats went on to win that game by seven points and advance to Super Bowl XXXVI, where they stunned the "Greatest Show on Turf" St. Louis Rams 20-17.

The other was his amazing strip of Chargers defensive back Marlon McCree in a 2006 playoff game in San Diego. With New England trailing 21-13 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots drove to the Chargers 41 yard line. On fourth down, Tom Brady was picked off by McCree, who was stripped by Brown while trying to return the pick. Reche Caldwell recovered the fumble, and the Patriots went on to score the touchdown and game tying two-point conversion, and eventually won the game on Stephen Gostkowski's 31-yard field goal with just 1:10 remaining.

Troy Brown retired as the Patriots all-time leader in punt returns (252) and punt return yards (2,625). He his first in team history in receptions (557), and is second to only Stanley Morgan in receiving yards (Brown had 6,336, Morgan had 10, 352).

Brown never got into trouble off the field, and was always a consummate professional on it. Troy Brown was a class act for his entire career. He was both the ultimate team player and a game-changer, one that could turn the momentum of any game with a long punt return or touchdown grab. Troy Brown was a huge part of the Patriots success, and there will never be another quite like him.

CASSEL STRUGGLES AGAIN: ARE THERE BETTER OPTIONS?

Coming off a well played 30-21 victory in San Francisco last week, Matt Cassel and the Patriots headed to San Diego on Sunday night to take on the Chargers. In only his fourth start since high school, Cassel's inexperience was evident early and often.

Cassel's numbers in the 30-10 beat down by the Chargers were not all that bad. He was 22 for 38, threw for 203 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. But mediocre numbers aside, Cassel looked way more lost in this one than he had in any of his other starts (save for maybe the drubbing at the hands of Miami). He appeared to lock on to a receiver, and if that first option wasn't there, tuck the ball down and try and get a yard or two. Most times he ended up on his back, behind the line of scrimmage. On fourth and goal from the Chargers' one yard line, Cassel had tight end Benjamin Watson open in the end zone. When his first option was well covered, Cassel tried to scramble out, but the San Diego rush prevented him from getting the score. If the Patriots hope to even make the playoffs this year, either Cassel will need to step up, or they will have to explore other options.

Chris Simms was available at the outset of the season, but he has since signed with the Tennessee Titans. Tim Rattay is available, with a career passer rating of 81.9. As is former Jaguars backup Quinn Gray. Another option for the Pats is third round pick Kevin O'Connell. O'Connell is backing up Cassel now, and if the starter's struggles continue, it wouldn't surprise me to see Belichick turn to the rookie. Either way, it would be a good way to get him some experience so he can serve as a capable backup to Tom Brady in the coming years.

Whatever the Patriots decide to do, they should do it soon. If Matt Cassel continues to lead the team the way he did this week, it is going to be a long season in Foxborough.