By: Tommy Rowe

So much for a close game huh fans? The New England Patriots just without a doubt embarrassed the Denver Broncos and their over-hyped quarterback Saturday Night in the Divisional Playoffs winning 45-10 and just picking apart Tim Tebow like he was a frog on the dissecting table. The comparisons to the young quarterback and his opponent must have ticked the 3-time Super Bowl Champ off as Tom Brady had a game for the ages. He Completed 77 percent of his passes threw for 363 yards and tied an NFL postseason record with 6 touchdown passes (5 in the first half). Despite the lone interception early in the game, #12 proved to everyone who the best quarterback was and still is. The heavily criticized Patriots’ Defense had their best performance this year by just blowing Tim Tebow out of the water and just making an embarrassment out of him. With the Broncos now out of their way, the Patriots turn to the Baltimore Ravens who beat the Houston Texans 20-17 yesterday despite and slow finish by their offense lead by Joe Flacco and All Pro Back Ray Rice. The Ravens will be in for a big surprise when they travel to Gillette this weekend.

The Ravens defense will be the biggest and toughest challenge to date for Tom Brady and the League’s best remaining Offense this season. Potential MVP candidates Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers are gone for the year after losing their games this weekend leaving Tom Terrific as the last lethal quarterback in the postseason (no disrespect to Eli Manning). On the flip side though, the Raven D has not played an Offense like New England’s all season so this will be a matchup that will decide who represents the AFC in the Super Bowl. The reason why I am not mentioning the Ravens’ Offense in the same light as their D is because it is a putrid and inconsistent offense. They have talent and very skilled players on that squad no doubt about that, but it is one thing to be good, and another to be good all the time game in and out. The Patriots’ offense has been that all year long, especially in the last 9 games (9-0 in that stretch 34 ppg average). The Ravens’ D has been consistently good as well and they haven’t missed a beat in the playoffs so far. But if anyone is going to rebuttal me by saying the Patriots’ D is as bad as the Raven offense; don’t even think about it. The Patriots’ D showed everyone up Saturday night, they finally stepped up their game and made them and balanced football team. It doesn’t matter who they played or how bad the opponent was either. The Patriots’ D could have easily let the offense win that game, but knew their time was now and I expect more of it this Sunday at 3pm. The Ravens’ offense has yet to make the same move the Pats’ D did and they have virtually no time left to do so.

The AFC Championship Game will be a thriller and one matchup to remember, but none the less I won’t back off the Patriots now. The Pats have too much to lose and have so much to gain. I picked them to go to Indy if they balance out, guess what they balanced out. Patriots beat the Ravens 34-27. Ray Rice will give the Patriots some headaches, his talent and skill are so elite it’s near impossible to fully shut him out, but as long as Joe Flacco is under center for the AFC North Champs, I will pick Tom Brady every time.

Chad Finn of the Boston Globe drops by for his weekly visit to talk about Pat v Broncos, Red Sox, and Celtics…

Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post  returns as a guest to talk about…what else?… TIM TEBOW! Does Lindsay think that Tebow and the rest of the Broncos will be able to take down the Patriots in Gillette Stadium?

Guest: Chad Finn — The Boston Globe

In the second hour of the program, Matt breaks down the Patriots & Broncos match up with Chad Finn, as well as other prudent local sports topics. Audio Quick Hits, and Closing Time predictions are also on tap…

Guest: Lindsay Jones — The Denver Post

In the first hour of the program, Matt continues the Tim Tebow discussion, as the Divisional Playoff match-up between the Pats and Broncos is almost here. Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post jumps on later in the hour to talk about the game and “Tebow Madness”…

Guest: Chad Finn of the Boston Globe talk about Penn state, The Patriots, NFL playoffs, and even Jim Rome

Matt and Justin talk about Tom Brady and whether or not he’s in his prime, Josh McDaniels coming to New England

By: Tommy Rowe

The Patriots have been criticized and demeaned by NFL analyst and fans alike due to the problems they have had on Defense all year. They are the 32nd and last ranked pass defense and have given up the most yards in NFL history since the 1981 Indianapolis Colts (whose final record was 2-14). Yet despite these problems being similar to the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, who have won the last two Super Bowls, no one is making it out to be Armageddon for those to because they have Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. No disrespect to either player or Franchises, but since when did Tom Brady become an average Joe??

If defense is so important now, why aren’t the Saints, Packers, or any other team getting as much heat as the Patriots have? We know what this team is now and hopefully they can maintain that image throughout the playoffs, a high scoring team that can win shootouts and keep the other team from surpassing their offense. But it irritates me that the Patriots have the same problems as the last two champions and are being talked about like they don’t belong in the playoffs or they got lucky. The Patriots have done the essentials to survive this season and make it to the AFC’s best record just like the Packers and Saints have. They have created turnovers and have taken advantage of opportunities that has pushed the team to higher levels than any other in their conference. And for the people not giving Tom Brady the credit he deserves for carrying this team all season long, shame on you all.

Without Brady, the Patriots are an 8-8 team at best. With him, they are a title contender that should be and will be feared throughout the postseason. Brady’s numbers are not overrated, yet they can only say so much. His leadership and chemistry with his coaches and teammates is that of an elite level and as for his determination to be the best at his game; we know how deep and passionate he is for winning and what both drives means to the Franchise. The teams has rallied around him and on their 8 game winning streak they have shown time and again the heart and what it takes to be a champion in Pro Football. The Patriots are an elite team once more, not to the comparison of the past teams here that have one Super Bowls, but at the elite level where they can make another run at the Lombardi with the same success as those past squads. It does not matter who they play, whether it’s a banged up Pittsburgh team or an inexperienced Bengals or Broncos team. The Patriots have the motive and upper hand in the all of those three potential matchups. Failure is not an option this year and I have said it all season, just because they have started off slow and have a bad yardage defense doesn’t mean they can’t win it. in my mind, it is an excuse for all Patriots doubters and haters to keep themselves from admitting the Patriots are a great franchise. I do not care how they started the Miami game or the Buffalo game, all that matters at the end of the day is the “FINAL” score. Not the 1st quarter score, or 1st half, the score that is standing after 4 quarters of football is all the matters and the Patriots have basically owned that stat all season long. I picked the Pats to go to the Super Bowl and win it, because of what I just wrote here and I will stand by that win, lose, or tie.

By: Tommy Rowe

The Patriots, for the third straight week, started off poorly as ever against their old time Rivals, the Buffalo Bills. The Bills had beaten the Patriots back in week 3 34-31 for the first time since 2003 and looked like they would be on track to challenge the Patriots for the AFC East Championship, well we are only human I guess. Since that week 3 win over New England, the Bills have fallen back to earth, and hard. After scoring 21 straight on the Patriots yesterday, the Patriots came back in the second quarter and torched the Bills for 49 points. The 49-21 win not only wrapped up the season for the Blue, but clinched the ever so valuable Home-Field Advantage for the AFC Playoffs. Now the Patriots are back in the same position they were in last year, with different intentions.

The Patriots of 2010 were far better from the Patriots of this year. At 13-3, the Pats stand alone as the best in the AFC, but with years of playoff failure hanging over their heads, people expect much of the same; the Patriots to choke in the Divisional Round as they have for 2 straight years all because they have no defense and a “one dimensional offense”. Those people can zip it till February; the Patriots will go to the Super Bowl this year. The Ravens and Steelers would be formidable challenges for the Pats as all team have to travel through Route 1 in Foxbrough, Massachusetts to get to Indy and Super Bowl XLVI. I have said this over and over, the Patriots are the best in the AFC because they know how to fix their mistakes to come from behind, they never panic, they hold teams from scoring over their offense, and work as a unit. No other team as shown me that as consistently as New England did in the regular season.

The Ghost of playoffs’ past will be surly haunting Quarterback Tom Brady and the rest of the team as they get ready to face Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, or Denver. That one factor above all else is a firm dagger on my decision that the Patriots will not fail this year. There is no way with the success and skill this team possesses they will drop a fourth straight playoff game. Brady has been on an emotional high all season long, and he is determined to join the ranks of Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw to earn ring number four and the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl Championship in Franchise history. That is the ultimate goal and that’s all it’s ever been about since the failure of 2007. Brady and the team knows what’s at stake this postseason, win and be crowned champions, lose and expect ground shaking moves in the followings months for the Patriots. The big time stats may say the Patriots have a shot, but the playoffs don’t care for stats. The heart and will of a champion is what the playoffs accept and let through. The Patriots have the biggest heart and drive of any team in the AFC this year and will do whatever it takes to finally get back on top as the NFL’s best. This team has a certain feel to it and is very special, the postseason starts in a week and the Patriots will know by then who it is they have to go through first to take the final steps to Indy.

By: Tommy Rowe

Now if you have read any of my columns on the Patriots, you know I am pro Tom Brady. His intangibles and ethics that make him so great will surely be enough to get him into the top finalist for the 2011 NFL MVP voting. Even though Brady’s contributions to his team have been MVP deserving this season, Aaron Rodgers is having a once in a life time season and has completely turned the Packers from a Cinderella story to a potential Dynasty in the making in 2011. They both deserve the MVP, but the Packers young QB will run away with the votes and in my eyes; Tom Brady will be disrespected once the ballots are counted.

There are 3 players who are deserving of this year’s award for “Most Valuable Player” in the NFL; Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees. Now we know what Brady has done for the Patriots this season and he is the defending MVP from 2010. His numbers are just as good as last year’s; 4,897 yards passing, 36 TDs and a staggering 105.2 QB Rating. He has definitely turned his game around after his first half struggles this late in the season and is completing nearly 66% of his passes once again for the 4th consecutive year. Without him the Patriots are a .500 team at the very best and should get many votes for MVP in 2011, if these other two players were not on a tear like they are now.

Drew Brees broke a quarter century old record the other night owning the new one for the most passing yards in a single season set by Hall of Famer Dan Marino in 1984 and nothing anyone can say or do will ever tarnish that accomplishment by an extraordinary quarterback. His stats are video game like; his 5,087 record yards are enough to say, but he also is currently in pace to break the single season completion record that he set in 2009 with 70.7, and his 41 TD passes are second only to the next guy who I mentioned will run away with the Award. Aaron Rodgers is just as much as a good player as Brees and Brady, but he has been above everyone all season long no questions about it. He is on pace to tie Tom Brady’s, originally thought untouchable, record of 50 Touchdown passes in a single season. His 45 are first in the league along with his staggering passing yardage total of 4,643 and his league leading low 5 interceptions is jaw dropping. Despite that an argument that Brees and Brady are more valuable to their teams then Rodgers is to the Packers can be made; it is useless to do so.

Aaron Rodgers is playing unbelievable football, better than that of Brady in 07 and Brees in 09. You cannot deny the asset he has become to Green Bay and any other team that would be lucky enough to have him. As much as I believe Tom Brady should get considerate regards for MVP due to the problems outside his offense (coaching staff and Defense) he will finish third. Brees will get strong votes for breaking Marino’s record and what he has accomplished as the New Orleans Saints’ QB. Rodgers though is the winner and that’s that. He looks like a machine designed to be the best at his craft with 0 flaws in him. Brady’s flaws are more visible and he is more predictable then Rodgers, you never know what Rodgers will do to you and if you do find a way to figure him out, it won’t be till your down big on the account of his talent, skill and credibility as a true “football player”. Brady is still one of the best in league history, but Rodgers is taking over the spotlight and swiftly.

By: Tommy Rowe

During halftime of week 16’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots sat in the locker room and wondered how they played their worst half of football in recent memory just moments before. The Dolphins were embarrassing the Patriots every step of the way, they outgained New England with 265 total yards over the Pats’ 105. Brady looked like a shell of himself also, he completed only 4 passes out of his first 15; Tebow like in a way. It looked like Miami would once again spoil the Patriots impressive December record which since 2003 the Patriots had only 3 loss in the month; all to Miami. But there was a glimmer of hope when the Blue took the field for the second half and did a complete 180 in their first drive. They went 54 yards in 11 plays to finally get on the board, from that point the Patriots reeled off 27 straight points and clinched their 2nd straight 1st round playoff bye since 03 04.

Despite the slow starts this season, the Patriots have been one of the best second half teams in the NFL. Though the comebacks have been impressive, the Pats cannot expect to pull one out of the blue like they did last week. The Playoffs are a different animal and will hardly ever allow comebacks to happen as often as they have for Brady and Company this year. The keys for the Patriots to make a run at the Lombardi are simple, start off strong and end strong, create turnovers, and focus on one stat; the scoreboard.

Those three keys are the most important ones to focus on for any team wanting to make a run at the Title. The Patriots are more than capable of making those adjustments come time for the postseason and shocking the Pittsburghs and Baltimores of the NFL. They have been the most consistent team in the AFC this season in the sense where you know what to expect week in and out. They have outstanding leadership, determination, and above all heart and s strong chemistry for one another. The Steelers and Ravens may have the best Defenses in the Conference, but if Defense was as important as people make it out to be, they would have won 5 of the last 6 Super Bowls. Truth is, you need to score points, start off strong, and keep the other team from scoring on you and the Patriots have been one of the best at scoring and keeping opponents off the bored. The win against the Dolphins is and should be a wakeup call to the team, especially the offense. They need to realize that this defense will never out due them for an entire game and starts like Saturday’s is not acceptable if they want to make it this postseason. The finally of the 2011 season begins in the New Year, the Patriots will not rest till they clinch the home field advantage and the Bills will have to brace themselves once they take the field of Gillette Stadium; Brady and the Gang will be looking for some painful payback.