Time Out for Sports Talk: Going ‘Round the Wide World
Todd: So all it took was last week’s mention of the Cony Rams to motivate the Patriots into playing their best game of the season? Guess we’ll keep Coach Rob Vachon’s number on our speed dial, just in case.
More on the Pats in a few paragraphs, but it’s a busy sports month.
Here in New England it’s felt like the MLB season ended months ago. But for those baseball fans who follow more than just the Sox, it’s already been an exciting postseason with several come-from-behind wins and even a record-tying eighteen-inning marathon.
Now it’s on to the LCS, where the Orioles and Royals have previously played a combined 15 times, but 2014 is the first time they’ve faced each other in October. Both teams are a great story, but particularly the Royals, who made the playoffs for the first time since winning the 1985 World Series. They also became the last of the 30 MLB teams to reach the postseason during Bud Selig's tenure as commissioner, which probably makes Bud pretty happy as he retires after the season.
The ALCS boils down to Baltimore’s power versus Kansas City’s speed, with both teams featuring strong bullpens. Call me sentimental, but I like the Royals to win it in seven.
Over in the Senior Circuit it’s a more familiar pair of foes, as the Giants and Cardinals have won the last four NL pennants and four of the last eight championships. And for you Sox fans, the NLCS features both Jake Peavy and John Lackey, although their clubs dropped the ball not having them start against one other. San Francisco won the WS in 2010 and 2012…what year is this again? Let’s say Giants in seven, so I’ve got both Wild Card winners advancing to the Fall Classic.
I also have a thought on the eliminated LA Dodgers, their $238 million team payroll and why they keep falling short. But first, is anyone around here surprised that Carl Crawford made the last out of their season and that Josh Beckett has decided to retire?
LA’s problem lies with their pitching ace, Clayton Kershaw. In seven seasons, the 27-year old southpaw has won 98 regular season games with a 2.48 ERA, and he’ll likely win his third Cy Young Award in the last four years after going 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA this season. But in 11 career postseason games, Kershaw is 1-5 with a 5.12 ERA. In particular, he has seen red the last two Octobers against the Cardinals, going 0-4 with a 7.15 ERA. Until those numbers change, the Dodgers will continue to be a perennial postseason disappointment.
Moving on to the ice, the Boston Bruins season started this week (I’ve said it before, but the NHL season starts too darn early for my liking) with a win and a loss, which may be the pattern for a while as Claude Julien figures out his line combinations.
Right now the B’s don’t appear to be as good as the team that ended last season, especially after the departures of Jarome Iginla and Johnny Boychuk and no established veterans to replace them. It’s going to be up to the likes of Carl Soderberg, Riley Smith, Dougie Hamilton and Torey Krug to make the leap from youthful players with upside to core guys that can be counted on deep into next spring.
The Black and Gold still have a strong nucleus of talent with Tuukka Rask, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara. But can all of those guys stay healthy come playoff time? How many more years left in Chara’s window? The big blueliner has been running out of gas the last couple of postseasons, so managing his time on the ice is a big key.
Speaking of 37-year old athletes whose windows are closing, how about Tom Brady and the Patriots bouncing back with that impressive effort against the Bengals last week? Call me surprised, but how did I not see this coming? Since 2003, the Pats are 36-4 after losses, not to mention 23-1 at home in October. Would’ve been wise for me to have looked those numbers up before the game.
Several differences for the Pats between this game and their first four this season were that Brady and the offense drove 80 yards for a touchdown on their opening drive instead of going 3-and-out, and the offensive line started showing some consistency. Here’s hoping the combination of Solder/Connolly/Stork/Wendell/Vollmer can form a cohesive unit that can stabilize the offense.
To me the O-line played a big part in Brady’s numbers (292 yards, 2 TD), on a night when he became just the sixth quarterback in NFL history to pass for 50,000 yards. Brady’s performance had the boisterous Gillette Stadium crowd chanting his name.
But one great game does not immediately vault the Pats back into the league’s elite. They’ll have to prove they put forth this type of effort week and week out, and a solid test of that will come over the next two weeks against a pair of divisional rivals appearing to go in different directions.
The 3-2 Pats first travel to western NY to take on the 3-2 Buffalo Bills in a game that will be anything but easy. While I’m happy to see Rob Gronkowski rounding into form just in time for this homecoming matchup, the offense will be pushed hard. The improving Bills defense is led by run-stopping old friend Brandon Spikes and pass rushers Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes and 331-pound defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, coming off a 3-sack game in Detroit that earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Defensively, it looks like Brandon Browner will finally make his Pats debut. But has he grasped enough of the system to make an impact? Maybe he can try to neutralize tight end Scott Chandler, who has always played well against the Pats. Guess I’m back on the pick-NE-to-win bandwagon, but it’s going to be a grinder. Patriots 17, Bills 16.
Since we’re not posting another column till next Friday, I’m picking next week’s game too. Rex Ryan’s Jets look like a bigger mess than the Pats did in KC, but I think they’ll play their game versus the Pats like it’s their Super Bowl and put up a good fight, at least defensively. Patriots 20, Jets 10.
My other game picks (2-1 last week, 7-5 season): Broncos over the Jets, Bengals over the Panthers and Falcons over the Bears.
Mike: Wow--I really don't have all that much to add, except to put in a shameless plug for the Town of Terror happening at the Pittston Fairgrounds on Fridays and Saturdays through Halloween!
OK, shameless plug aside, I like what I saw last week from New England. I have never been more happy to be wrong. And I'm hoping that they can continue on this roll with a couple of key AFC East games in the coming weeks.
I like them to beat the Bills, because that's just what they have done over the years. Patriots 24, Bills 13.
As for the Jets, they are simply pathetic. Pats win 31-6.
For my other picks (3-0 last week, 10-2 season): Green Bay over Miami, Seahawks over the Cowboys, and the Eagles over the Giants.
Our next LIVE show is coming up on Monday night, October 27 from 8-9pm. You can post your questions via Twitter using the hashtag #TOSToct27 or call in at (617) 484-2443.
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