With Julian Edelman, The Patriots Will Be Fine Without Wes Welker posted by Colin Linneweber

The revived Houston Texans defeated the New England Patriots 34-27 Sunday in Reliant Stadium.

The Patriots (10-6) loss to the Texans (9-7) in the regular season finale will ultimately prove to be meaningless.

However, the severe injury that Pro Bowl wide receiver Wes Welker suffered this weekend will be a substantial obstacle for the Patriots to overcome.

Welker, 28, a two-time second-team All-Pro selection who is the only player in NFL history to record at least 110 receptions in three consecutive seasons, tore both the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee after he caught a pass from quarterback Tom Brady in the first quarter.

Welker is out indefinitely and his status for the 2010 season is currently in jeopardy as well.

Despite his diminutive frame and unassuming appearance, Welker is absolutely one of the grittiest, toughest and most accomplished players in recent football times.

Welker, a star at Texas Tech University who was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004, was a vital piece to the Patriots still explosive offense unit.

There is zero question that Welker’s absence will hinder the Patriots offensive production in some capacity.

“We’ve been going through that all year – people up, people down,” said Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas of New England’s injury-plagued campaign.

“Will we miss Welker? Yes we will. But the guys behind him have to step-up and make plays.”

Pick Six: Week 17 posted by Randolph Charlotin

It’s the kind of injury that believers in playing it safe use as an example. WR Wes Welker injured his knee when he planted his left foot to change direction, but the knee gave away. People believe he tore his ACL and MCL, ending Welker’s season just before the playoffs.

When Indianapolis’ head coach Jim Caldwell benched his starters with about 5:30 left in the third quarter in week 16, it was an injury like Welker’s Caldwell wanted to avoid to a key player. The Colts are already without safety Bob Sanders and had several others nursing injuries. It’s better to rest the starters and not put them in harm’s way.

That line of thinking is sound, but playing it safe wasn’t as important as playing to win. There wasn’t a player on the Patriots that would rather sit out a game than suit up and take the field, Welker included. New England needed the best players if they wanted to beat Houston.

Also at stake is momentum for New England. They won their last three games and they were playing better as the season was winding down. Riding the groove through the season finale and into the playoffs by winning the final regular season game, especially a road win, would build positive vibes going into Wild Card Weekend.

For those that think Welker’s injury is proof New England should had protected the starters, don’t forget that no one touched Welker when he injured his knee. Maybe the injury was bound to happen at some point. It could had happened in the next game for all we know. Maybe it wouldn’t happen ever if Welker sat. All we know is Welker collapsed trying to change direction like he has done thousands of time.

Joe's Final Drive: Week 17 posted by Joe Anello

Though it means nothing, I am required by football law to point out I was 7-0 in my Opening Drive predictions for week 17. Woot. Multiple teams lost because they did not keep their starters in while one NFC East leader got railed on. Now, onto the last week of the regular season with this edition of the Final Drive! 

(12-4) Minnesota Vikings 44
(8-8) New York Giants 7 

Way to not show up for the last two weeks of the season G-men. You're ensured some massive roster changes with your less-than stellar effort. Meanwhile, the Vikings jumped back into the two seed with the Eagles' loss, giving old man Favre a week off before mounting a Super Bowl run. There's cause for concern in Minnesota after the Vikings have failed to get Adrian Peterson going heading into the playoffs. We'll see how that plays out in two weeks.

(9-7) Houston Texans 34 
(10-6) New England Patriots 27

The biggest injury of the weekend is clearly the loss of Wes Welker for the Pats. For those of you screaming that Belichick shouldn't have been playing his starters, Welker was injured on the first drive of the game without being contacted. It could have happened warming up. His loss will leave QB Tom Brady without his favorite receiver and plenty of double coverage for Randy Moss. For the Texans, congratulations are due for the first winning season in franchise history, but they couldn't sneak into the playoffs. Regardless, QB Matt Schaub, who led the league in passing yards, gives them hope for the immediate future.

The Cav Report: A New Era posted by Amari Harris

After the Cowboys beat up on the Washington Redskins a couple of weeks ago I had a chance to catch up with one of my old teammates, John Phillips, who currently plays tight end for the Cowboys.  We only spoke briefly but we did manage to discuss UVA’s recent hiring of Mike London as the new head coach.  I instantly realized that I had yet to publish my opinion on this hire and it is certainly a topic that deserves some discussion.

I’d like to say that I predicted that 2009 would be Al Groh’s last season as Virginia’s head football coach, but I think the writing was on the wall after the loss to William & Mary.  Groh is a good coach, so I think he’ll land on his feet real soon (hopefully in the NFL).  Now, UVA has to find a way back to its former glory.  The first step in the process was hiring a new head coach and I think the AD Craig Littlepage got it right with the hiring of London. 

As the Cavaliers defensive coordinator for 2006 & 2007, London had Virginia playing some of their best defense in over a quarter century.  Virginia finished in the top 20 in the nation in rushing yards, points allowed and sacks and managed to win 9 games that season despite their struggles on offense.  As a defensive line specialist, London turned Jeffrey Fitzgerald into a freshman All-American and Chris Long into the best defensive lineman in the country and second overall pick in the NFL draft.  He also led a shut-out performance against the Miami Hurricanes as the Cavaliers officially closed down the Orange Bowl with a 41-0 thumping of the ‘Canes in 2007.

Hours Before Kickoff: Week 17 posted by Randolph Charlotin

Is it better to rest players for the playoffs or play the final game to stay sharp? This has been heavily debated since Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell withdrew his starters during the third quarter of last week’s game.

Naturally the discussion spreads to the teams with a playoff spot secured. New England is in this category as they have a Wild Card locked up. There are a dozen players on this week’s injury report. Fortunately only DLs Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork are questionable for the season finale.

Assuming head coach Bill Belichick plays it safe, Warren and Wilfork will be held out of the season finale against Houston. After that, it’s a case by case basis.

Quarterback Tom Brady said he will play and I hope every able bodied player joins him on the field. It looks like the Patriots right now are playing great football on both sides of the ball heading into the playoffs. It’s encouraging and they should keep the momentum, if not build on it.

I’m not completely sold on the performances in the last two weeks. These were wins over Buffalo and Jacksonville, two teams with problems. The Pats were supposed to easily defeat those teams. Heck, they had a little more trouble with the Bills than expected. Nothing can be more important than reinforcing the fundamentals in the finale to make sure the team is playing cohesively heading into the playoffs.

A better test of how well the team is playing is competing against Houston’s prolific offense. The pass rush and secondary were great the past two weeks. Some say CB Shawn Springs and SS James Sanders in the starting lineup has solidified the secondary. The best way to know for sure is seeing how they fare against a top-five offense. If the defense can keep QB Matt Schaub under control and contain WR Andre Johnson, then we know for sure if the defense really is playing better.

Joe's Opening Drive: Week 17 posted by Joe Anello

Happy New Year everyone! The NFC is all about seeding this Sunday, with all of the players at the table. In the AFC, the two wildcard spots will be hotly contested with the Ravens and Jets owning the inside track. Let's not waste time, here's the Opening Drive of week 17 in the NFL! *sniffle* It goes by so fast!

(8-7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (7-8) Miami Dolphins

Well they need help, but the Steelers aren't eliminated from post-season play yet. However, every scenario that finds the Steelers defending their title requires at least two teams in front of them to fall plus an obvious Pittsburgh win. After a late rally against the Texans last week, the Dolphins will be focused on getting to 8-8 but will need Chad Henne to play near-perfect along with a large dose of Ricky Williams (who may not play). Even on the road without Troy Polamalu, I like Pittsburgh to win. Though any Steeler (lookin' at you LaMarr Woodley) or Steeler fan who thinks the Colts or Patriots are resting players because they don't want to see the Steelers in the playoffs is delirious. Maybe you shouldn't have lost five straight?

(10-5) New England Patriots at (8-7) Houston Texans

If the Texans are going to make their first ever playoffs, they need losses from two of the following three teams: the Jets, Ravens, or Broncos. Matt Schaub has taken great strides to become a top signal-caller this season and he'll be staring at a weak New England secondary today.  The real question is how long the Patriots will feel like playing. Tom Brady says he expects to play the entire game, but I'm not convinced. Perhaps a half, but anything beyond that would be foolish. Bill Belichick's Pats aren't playing for anything other than the 3 or 4 seed, so unless they prefer to play San Diego I don't envision more than a half for Brady, Welker and Moss. Houston should get the win unless Belichick has a second coach-fart this season. 

Joe's Final Drive: Week 16 posted by Joe Anello

Holy idiotic decision Jim Caldwell! This week in the Final Drive features a barrel-full of storylines. The playoff contestants in the NFC were locked in while the AFC remains a dog-fight for the final two playoff spots. Let's wrap up week 16!

(8-7) Pittsburgh Steelers 23
(8-7) Baltimore Ravens 20

The Steelers took advantage of Raven penalties and missed opportunities to win a physical game and stay alive in the playoff hunt. Unfortunately for them, Baltimore still has the inside track to the post-season, only needing to beat Oakland next week in order to advance. The Steelers may have dug themselves too big a hole of which to climb out.

 
Was it too little too late?

(8-7) Houston Texans 27
(7-8) Miami Dolphins 20

Jumping out to a 27-3 first half lead, the Texans dropped their guard and let the Dolphins rally in the second half. Chad Henne went for over 300 yards passing, but he doesn't have enough weapons to overcome such a deficit. Even if the Texans don't make the playoffs, they have a chance for the first winning record in franchise history. 

(3-12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20
(13-2) New Orleans Saints 17

This game was the WTF? moment of the weekend. The formerly 13-0 Saints have dropped two straight, but losing on a last second field goal to the lowly Buccaneers is inexcusable. Cadillac Williams ran all over the Saints defense, but it was the New Orleans offense struggling to put up points that lost them the game. That defense isn't good enough to keep teams under 17.

Coach Harris Presents: The Art of the Turnover (strip-sack)... posted by Amari Harris

I recently read that the Cowboys were last in the league in terms of forcing turnovers.  Despite playing solid defense(16.5 ppg), they have only forced 23 turnovers this season.  I haven’t seen the defensive backs dropping a lot of passes, so that is not the answer.  I also haven’t seen this team miss out on a lot of fumble recovery opportunities so that can’t be the cause either.  There must be a reason why the Cowboys can’t seem to get the ball back from the other team.  Although it is easy to say that they just haven’t been lucky or gotten the right bounces, there is a definitely a method to causing turnovers and it all starts up front.  The Cowboys front seven needs to be coached up on the value of turnovers and wreaking havoc in the backfield.  Although they do a good job of getting to the passer, they do not get their hands on enough passes and they have not mastered the art of the strip-sack.  These will become necessary habits if the Cowboys wish to make any noise in the post-season.

The easiest way to get an interceptionis for the defensive line to knock the ball up in the air so that an awaiting defensive back, linebacker, or even a fellow lineman can intercept the ball.  I haven’t seen that nearly enough with this football team.  Although they are getting good hits on the quarterback, they are putting their heads down and going right for the chest.  If you are running free to the quarterback you should come under control with your hands up.  If you are blocked at the line and there is no way for you to get to the passer, then you need to watch for the quarterback’s release and get your hands up.  This approach will lead to one of three things:

Joe's Opening Drive: week 12 posted by Joe Anello

With three utterly craptacular contests on Thanksgiving, I’m looking forward to a little competitive football this Sunday. However, it’s not until Monday that the real showdown of week 12 takes place. Let’s get some Opening Drive in your diet!

Washington Redskins (3-7) at Philadelphia Eagles (6-4)

I don’t even know why this is even on my list of games to watch this week. Oh wait, Jim Zorn’s job is on the line. (If he hasn’t lost it already.) If the ‘Skins get embarrassed by a division rival, Zorn is gone for sure. On the Philly sidelines, they still have a chance to catch the Cowboys for the NFC East crown, so expect Andy Reid to come out McNabb’s blazing. I don’t expect it will be close for long.

Indianapolis Colts (10-0) at Houston Texans (5-5)

It may not important for the Colts, but this game is paramount for any chance of a Texans appearance in the postseason. With Jacksonville climbing past them last weekend, Gary Kubiak’s squad is losing pace in the AFC wild card race. Standing in their way is Peyton Manning: Crusher of Dreams, Destroyer of Worlds.

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) at San Francisco 49ers (4-6)

This game has the recipe to be ugly. Jacksonville and Tennessee both love to mercilessly pound the ball at their opponent. The difference will be at the quarterback position. Between Alex Smith and David Garrard, the quarterback that makes the least mistakes will walk away with the win. To me, that means a Jaguars victory as Alex Smith hasn’t shown he’s dependable at all. Keep an eye on these Jags; they’re right in line for a wildcard slot.

Looking Ahead posted by Randolph Charlotin

After the Patriots’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the first thing I did when I started my car was turn off the radio. I almost didn’t turn on my t.v. When I did, I absolutely didn’t tune in to ESPN or NFL Network. This lasted through the next day until the Monday night football game. I didn’t read the newspapers for almost two days.

Yes, I was disappointed by the loss, but more than anything I didn’t want to hear television’s talking heads compete in the “I can sound more outrageous than the other guy” competition or catch knee-jerk reactions on talk radio or through print media.

Two days later, it was still the talk of the town as people chose sides in the argument. Whether head coach Bill Belichick is still a genius or now is an arrogant doofus is your opinion. At this point, I’m done with it.

This argument of Belichick’s decision has been blown out of proportions because of Patriot Nation’s dislike of QB Peyton Manning. It’s a tough loss, but losing to the hated Colts and the commercial face of the NFL left many feeling sick. Feel free to call the ill effects the Manning Migraine.

But look at it for what it is. This was a loss to the best team in the AFC. Sure it has playoff implications, but this won’t determine home field throughout the playoffs. There’s no way the Colts will be caught from behind, even if the Patriots win the rest of their games. Indy’s two-game lead will be insurmountable.

New England’s battle is with the rest of the AFC in hopes of securing second place in the conference. Right now the Pats are still in great position to wrestle it away from the surprising Cincinnati Bengals or Denver Broncos. If the teams finish with identical records, tie-breakers will determine who gets the higher seed.

Reports: Texans, Kubiak OK new deal

Coach Gary Kubiak has agreed to a new contract that will keep himwith the Houston Texans through the 2012 season according to tworeports Tuesday. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Reports: Texans' Kubiak gets new deal (AP)

Coach Gary Kubiak has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the Houston Texans through the 2012 season according to two reports Tuesday. The new deal voids the last year of the five-year contract he signed when he joined the team in 2006 and is for the next three seasons according to the Houston Chronicle and Houston television station KRIV. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Injured Patriots star Brady out of Pro Bowl, replaced by Houston's Schaub (The Canadian Press%

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Tom Brady has pulled out of the Pro Bowl after a season in which he played with rib and finger injuries. He has been replaced by Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Injured Patriots star Brady out of Pro Bowl, replaced by Houston's Schaub (The Canadian Press%

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Tom Brady has pulled out of the Pro Bowl after a season in which he played with rib and finger injuries. He has been replaced by Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Injured Patriots star Brady out of Pro Bowl, replaced by Houston's Schaub (The Canadian Press%

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Tom Brady has pulled out of the Pro Bowl after a season in which he played with rib and finger injuries. He has been replaced by Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports