Pats Squeak by Bills

On Sunday afternoon, things didn't start spectacularly for the New England Patriots, but they sure did end that way. The Pats prevailed in Foxboro yesterday in front of a full house at Gillette Stadium by the score of 19-17.

The Pats season started in what looked to be a disastrous manner. The season's first play for the Pats was not what Pats fans had envisioned for the inaugural play of the 2006 campaign. On 1st and ten, Patriots signal caller Tom Brady dropped back to pass and was absolutely leveled by Buffalo LB Takeo Spikes. London Fletcher-Baker then picked up the fumbled pigskin and rumbled 5 yards for the game's 1st score, a mere 15 seconds into the contest. Things did not look super for the Pats, who were supposed to help Bostonists forget about the Red Sox dismal 2006 season.

But, in true form, Tom Brady and the Pats marched down the field on the next drive and tied things up. Brady hooked up with Troy Brown for a 9 yard TD reception that tied the score at 7-7. The catalyst on this drive, and for most of the day for New England's offense, was Laurence Maroney. Maroney ripped off a 27 yard run and a 22 yarder on the Pats second drive of the game, which put the Pats in position to tie things up.

But, Buffalo wasn't on the bus back upstate just yet. The Bills answered the Pats TD with a score of their own, a 53 yard blast from place kicker Ryan Lindell, putting the Bills up 10-7. In the second quarter, Buffalo marched 52 yards, capped off by an Anthony Thomas 18 yard TD run that gave the Bills a 17-7 lead in the first half, and began giving Bostonists that all so familiar Red Sox "Oh Shit" feeling. The Pats went into half-time trailing 17-7, and the hometown fans let the Pats know they weren’t happy, by sending them off with a chorus of boos.

But this isn’t the Sox, its Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. The Pats, in a critical 1st drive, were able to stuff the Bills on a humongous 4th and 1 from their own 7 yard line, and took over on downs. Brady, being the man that he is when he needs to be, orchestrated an efficient 6:24 second 93 yard TD drive that ended with a 17 yard TD pass to always reliable Kevin Faulk, tightening the game to 17-14.

The Pats D, less than stout in the first half, made necessary second half adjustments, and was able to pull out a necessary 3 and out after the TD, and the Pats took advantage through a 32 yard Stephen Gostkowski field-goal to tie things up with 9:42 remaining in the game.

Then the D took over even further. On the ensuing kickoff, Buffalo was forced to start at their own 9 yard line after a marginal return and a holding penalty. On third and log, the Pats front 4 broke thru, and Ty Warren tackled Bills QB J.P. Losman for a 2 point safety, and that proved to be the difference as the Pats went on to victory, 19-17.

Brady finished 11-23 for 163 yards, 2 Touchdowns and 1 interception. Brady wasn’t as sharp as he usually is, mostly due to being sacked 3 times and taking several hits as Pats tackle Matt Light had a heck of a time dealing with Bills DE Aaron Schobel and LB Takeo Spikes.

In the end, the Patriots did what the do best, win the game. To take a quote from Al Davis, Oakland Raiders owner, “Just Win, Baby”. The Patriots still seem to do that well. Now, if we could just get the Sox, Bruins, and Celtics to do the same….

The guy who wears #12 on Sundays is pretty good. Photo courtesy of Patriots.com.