Happy Mo Lewis Day

Football Friday, Volume 4

On this day ten years ago the New England Patriots franchise was changed forever.

The moment that changed the Patriots forever

With 5:01 remaining in an eventual 10-3 loss to the New York Jets their franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe was leveled by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis as he attempted to scramble out of bounds.  It was a monster hit and proved once again how tough Bledsoe was.  He returned to the game for the Patriots' next offensive series before being replaced by Tom Brady on the final possession of the game.  It was later revealed that Bledsoe suffered a sheared blood vessel in his chest.

Bledsoe had been the face of the franchise since his rookie season of 1993.  He, Bill Parcells, and Robert Kraft helped to preserve professional football in New England after James Orthwein threatened to move the team to St. Louis.  It may be hard to remember now but Gillette Stadium could have been called "The House That Bledsoe Built."  Robert Kraft so valued his star quarterback that he signed Bledsoe to a record (for the time) 10 year 103 million dollar contract.  

The Lewis hit complicated matters for Bledsoe and the team.

Bledsoe still believed that he was the franchise, and had every right to believe that at the time, but people on the football side of the business, including Bill Belichick, already had doubts as to his long term future as the team's starter.  There was no questioning Bledsoe's toughness and his ability to get the ball downfield, but his decision making was being questioned more and more.  Tom Brady was already very much on their radar.  Damon Huard had been brought in to be the backup and Brady had already beaten him out.  It was also believed that Brady had a stronger preseason in 2001 than Bledsoe.

Now, with the help of Mo Lewis, Brady was being thrust into the starting role.  The rest as they say is history.  Brady got the job and never gave it back.  Bledsoe returned from his injury and ,despite his displeasure with the situation, took the high road publicly and remained loyal to the franchise he had helped resurrect. 

Everyone fully expected Bledsoe to stand on the sideline for the remainder of the season and then negotiate a trade out of New England.  The wonderful thing about sports is that they do not always follow the script.  Bledsoe eventually got his trade after the season but not without receiving one last opportunity to save the Patriots.  Brady was knocked out in the second quarter of the AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh and Bledsoe jogged in from the sideline.  He bounced back from a hit by Chad Scott that was eerily similar to the Mo Lewis play in Foxboro to throw a touchdown pass to David Patten before halftime.  Bledsoe was unspectacular in the game but did enough to punch the Patriots' ticket to New Orleans.

A champion, but not the way he planned

Brady regained his starting role in Super Bowl XXXVI against St. Louis and Drew Bledsoe saw his team win their first Super Bowl championship, one he dreamed of bringing back to New England but under much different circumstances.  Bledsoe did not return home with the team and did not attend the victory celebration.  He was traded to Buffalo in the offseason and once again proved that he was a class act by taking out full page ads in the Boston newspapers thanking the fans for their support.

Today the New England Patriots are considered one of the model franchises in the NFL.  They have won three Super Bowl Championships in the last decade and play in a state of the art facility.  Tom Brady, as well as Bill Belichick, is the face of the franchise and receives, rightfully so, much of the credit for where the Patriots are today.

But it is appropriate that Drew Bledsoe was enshrined in the Patriots Hall of Fame last weekend.  This season marks the tenth anniversary of his final season in Foxboro.  Brady and Belichick deserve all of the credit that they have received for their contributions to the franchise, but it should be remembed that if not for Drew Bledsoe there might not be a Gillette Stadium or Patriots Place.  He left New England the way he always dreamed of leaving: as a champion.  It just didn't happen the way he planned.  Yet he still found a way to remind New Englanders of his toughness and class and his ability to deliver in the clutch.

Drew Bledsoe helped make the franchise what it is today and he deserves all of the recognition he has received.

But let's not forget to also thank Mo Lewis...

Yet Another Showdown Saturday

College football fans will be treated to a number of big games yet again tomorrow.  There are four matchups featuring top 25 teams facing off.  #2 LSU faces yet another tough game away from Baton Rouge when they head to Morgantown for a primetime date with #16 West Virginia.  I have already argued that if LSU wins this game there should be no argument against them being ranked #1.  They will boast 3 victories over ranked teams, with none of those wins coming in Tiger Stadium.  They will face a raucous road environment for the second straight week though as Morgantown should be fired up for a top-5 opponent and College Gameday's first visit.

Bama will have their hands full Saturday

The schedule makers have helped Nick Saban out this week.  He may have been nervous about his team looking ahead to next Saturday night's showdown in The Swamp with Florida but that is not an option for the Crimson Tide.  #3 Alabama hosts #14 Arkansas in a key SEC West matchup.  The Razorbacks, led by quarterback Tyler Wilson, have been pegged an SEC sleeper by many pundits and look to make a statement in Tuscaloosa.  The Tide's pass defense has yet to be challenged this season but we will have a much better idea of how good they are after tomorrow.

The Big 12 also has a key conference matchup on tomorrow's slate.  #7 Oklahoma State will pay a visit to College Station to face off with the #8 Aggies of Texas A&M.  This could be the Cowboys' last visit to Kyle Field with A&M's impending departure for the SEC and they hope to ruin the Aggies' championship aspirations.  A&M blew a 21-7 halftime lead in Stillwater last season and eventually lost 38-35.  The winner of this game will most likely be Oklahoma's top competition for the Big 12 title and could find themselves in the national championship discussion.

Tomorrow's key ACC Atlantic Division tussle features teams on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum.  #11 Florida State looks to bounce back from their home loss last Saturday night to #1 Oklahoma, while #21 Clemson looks to continue the momentum they gained last week by ending Auburn's win streak in Death Valley.  The Seminoles may be without starting quarterback E.J. Manuel, who was knocked out of the Oklahoma game.  They also are riding a four game losing streak in Death Valley.  A win for Clemson would give them their first 4-0 start since 2007 and make them the favorites to win the Atlantic.

Predictions (Home teams in CAPS)

NCAA
MICHIGAN (-10.5) over San Diego State
North Carolina (+7) over GEORGIA TECH
Notre Dame (-7.5) over PITT
OLE MISS (+10) over Georgia
MARYLAND (-9) over Temple
Colorado (+17) over OHIO STATE
Arkansas (+11) over ALABAMA
Florida State (+3) over CLEMSON
TEXAS A&M (-4) over Oklahoma State
Louisiana State (-6.5) over WEST VIRGINIA

Last Week: 5-5
Season: 16-11-3

NFL
Niners (+3) over BENGALS
Patriots (-9) over BILLS
SAINTS (-4) over Texans
Giants (+8) over EAGLES
Dolphins (+3) over BROWNS
Broncos (+6.5) over TITANS
Lions (-4) over VIKINGS
PANTHERS (-4) over Jaguars
RAIDERS (+3.5) over Jets
Ravens (-4) over RAMS
Falcons (+1) over BUCS
Cardinals (-3.5) over SEAHAWKS
CHARGERS (-15) over Chiefs
BEARS (+4) over Packers
Steelers (-11) over COLTS
Redskins (+5) over COWBOYS


Last Week: 9-6-1
Season: 13-16-3


Finally I'd like to give a shoutout to two of my players and now loyal blog followers Kevin Grey and Timmy Burke, keep reading, spread the word, and hopefully we can play tonight!


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