NFL Karma Falls On Patriots

The NFL Gods are frowning on the New England Patriots! Don’t believe me? Let me take you back to early February when New England lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Can anyone explain how that happened? The Pats had been perfect all season and had the Giants on the ropes until Eli Manning put together the drive of the season. Seriously, who catches a football off of the top of their head?

There is no doubt that the loss weighed heavily on the minds of New England’s players as the world talked about what could have been. The 2008 season was supposed be a new opportunity and a clean slate but fate wouldn’t have it that way as the Patriots lost something much worse than a Super Bowl. As NFL MVP Tom Brady dropped back and passed the ball to Randy Moss Kansas City Chiefs’ safety Bernard Pollard rolled into Brady’s left leg causing the knee to buckle and tearing the ACL. Ironically it was the first time in 57 games that Brady hadn’t been listed on the team’s injury report.

“It kind of looked bad,” Patriots receiver Randy Moss said. “I know the show must go on and, hopefully, Matt Cassel is ready to step in.”

Matt Cassel, you may remember him from USC fame. Well, maybe not. He was a back-up to Matt Leinart and was picked with the 16th pick of the 7th round in the 2005 NFL draft.

Where does New England go from here? Rumors are that Chris Simms will be in on Monday for a physical but I would say that it’s Cassel’s job to lose. He has two things going for him right now. First, the Patriots are loaded with talent. They have some of the best skill position players in the AFC and one of the top defenses in the NFL. Second, the Patriots are in the AFC East and even without Brady they are still the best team in that division. Just a little closer to the New York Jets now!