Mass The *New* Official Boston Sports Thread

Friday's injury reports...

Patriots

Doubtful: LB Eric Alexander (DNP, hamstring), CB Lewis Sanders (DNP, hamstring), WR Kelley Washington (DNP, ankle)

49ers

Out: OT Jonas Jennings (shoulder), CB Shawntae Spencer (knee)
Doubtful: LB Manny Lawson (DNP, hamstring)

For the Patriots, WR Wes Welker, limited in practice with a groin problem yesterday, returned to full practice today and was removed from the report.

 

I'm sure many of us were thinking the Red Sox would win last night and the Pats would probably lose yesterday, but as it was, it was the other way around. Oh well, at least Matt Cassel looked like Brady on that 66 yd. hookup w/ Randy Moss.

 

ALCS... here we come!

I don't think I have any finger nails left after the game last night... LOL

Can't wait for the ALCS. Going to be a great series I think!

 

Michael Felger's report card for game @ Niners

An all As and Bs performance. Felger noted with his special teams grade that kicker Steven Gostkowski has become quite a weapon for the Patriots.

 

This week's power rankings round-up...

ESPN: #9
CBS SportsLine: #9
Fox Sports: #11
Sports Illustrated: #6
Football Outsiders: #23
Cold, Hard Football Facts: #11
ESPN SportsNation: #9

This week's power rankings mostly have the Patriots still a playoff contender, but, as Dr. Z at Sports Illustrated said, the jury's still out. The Giants, Super Bowl winners and the unanimous #1, have something in common with the Patriots, as Cold, Hard Football Facts pointed out: neither team has yet to recover an opponents' fumble this season.

 

Wednesday's participation reports, late because both teams are on the west coast (the Patriots opting to stay and practice on the west coast rather than fly back home)...

Patriots

Did Not Participate In Practice: LB Eric Alexander (hamstring), RB LaMont Jordan (calf), WR Kelley Washington (ankle)
Limited Participation In Practice: CB Lewis Sanders (hamstring)
Full Participation In Practice: RB Laurence Maroney (shoulder)

Chargers

Did Not Participate In Practice: WR Chris Chambers (ankle), RB LaDanian Tomlinson (toe), LB Jyles Tucker (hamstring)
Limited Participation In Practice: FB Mike Tolbert (ankle)

 

Thursday's participation reports...

Patriots

Did Not Participate In Practice: LB Eric Alexander (hamstring), RB LaMont Jordan (calf), TE David Thomas (flu), WR Kelley Washington (ankle)
Limited Participation In Practice: K Stephen Gostkowski (right thigh), RB Laurence Maroney (shoulder), CB Lewis Sanders (hamstring)

Chargers

Did Not Participate In Practice: WR Chris Chambers (ankle), WR Vincent Jackson (knee), LB Jyles Tucker (hamstring)
Limited Participation In Practice: CB Antonio Cromartie (hip), FB Mike Tolbert (ankle), RB LaDanian Tomlinson (toe)

 

Friday's injury reports...

Patriots

Doubtful: LB Eric Alexander (DNP, hamstring), RB LaMont Jordan (DNP, calf), WR Kelley Washington (DNP, ankle)
Questionable: RB Laurence Maroney (LP, shoulder), CB Lewis Sanders (LP, hamstring)

Chargers

Doubtful: WR Chris Chambers (DNP, ankle), LB Jyles Tucker (DNP, hamstring)
Probable: CB Antonio Cromartie (FP, hip), WR Vincent Jackson (FP, knee), FB Mike Tolbert (FP, ankle), RB LaDanian Tomlinson (FP, toe)

 

Michael Felger's report card for game @ Chargers

Cassel certainly got his share of the blame (a D), but the D-line (which had no pressures all day) and secondary (which kept getting beat deep) got the Fs.

Anyone think the Sox can still pull this out?

 

Wednesday participation reports

Figured I'd link the participation reports from yesterday rather than type them out b/c I got a late start today & the Broncos' report was rather long.

 

JUST KEEPING THE FAITH WITH THE RED SOX!!!! GO SOX!!! NEVER COUNT THEM OUT!!! SOX IN 7!!!

 

That link I gave yesterday should be good for the Thursday participation reports, too.

BTW, Go Sox!

 

GO PHILLIES!

 

Yes GO Phillies.

Just to say about the rays fans, if that place was Fenway, fans would have been at the stadium until they got thrown out. That place was cleared out within 35 minutes of the win..... I bet if the Rays lost, all those fans would have gone home to get their red sox jerseys. Bunch of Bandwagone Florida Fans.... LOL

Just a thought!!!

 

Two nights in a row now... the B's have a great game and lose it in the shoot out.

Hope they get it together soon.

 

Michael Felger's report card for game v. Broncos

Much better grades overall, as would befit a blowout performance. Two of Felger's "Downs", however, were players drafted this year, an indication of the slow start that draft class, other than LB Jerod Mayo, has gotten off to.

I didn't have power rankings last week b/c the Fox Sports one came abnormally late and I missed that one on the day of publication. I should have this week's later, however.

 

And here it is, this week's power rankings round-up...

ESPN: #9
CBS SportsLine: #9
Fox Sports: #16
Sports Illustrated: #8
Football Outsiders: #22
Cold, Hard Football Facts: #12
ESPN SportsNation: #8

It's pretty hard to pin this Patriots team down as either a playoff contender or an also-ran at this point, and that was exemplified by Tim Graham's comment on the Patriots on ESPN's ranking: "Who are these guys, and when are they going to string together two similar performances in a row? Their games will feature a lot of points. We just don't know if they'll be scoring them or surrendering them."

 

I've been slacking all week, so here are Friday injury reports

Of note for the Patriots is that RB Sammy Morris, who had the big first half against the Broncos Monday night, did not practice all week and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Rams. It could be a wash, however, as the Rams list their feature back, Stephen Jackson, as questionable for Sunday.

 

Phillies were so close they could smell it... until the rain came last night!

1st time ever a World Series game had to be suspended for weather.

They finish the game tonight beginning at 8pm and, hopefully, win the World Series!

Go Phillies!

 

Michael Felger's report card for game v. Rams

The defense was the star of this one. The D-line got an A, and I figure Richard Seymour was a big part of that...he's finally fully healthy and playing like his old All-Pro self.

Tonight, we get to see something that was common in the old Boston Garden, but that will happen for the first time in the new building: the Celtics hoisting a championship banner to the rafters.

 

This week's round-up of the power rankings...

ESPN: #7
CBS SportsLine: #7
Fox Sports: #12
Sports Illustrated: #8
Football Outsiders: #23
Cold, Hard Football Facts: #8
ESPN SportsNation: #7

As Cold, Hard Football Facts noted, Sunday night's game in Indianapolis doesn't mean as much now as it looked like it would be in the pre-season, as the Patriots are without Tom Brady and Peyton Manning's Colts are under .500. In any event, November, the month where the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders, is looming.

 

Gotta disagree with that train of thought. While it may not mean what everyone thought it would, it still means alot to both teams. To the Colts a loss means the playoffs are all but a pipe dream. To the Pats, a loss would give them 3 in the conference, not good for the tie breaker at the end of the season if they're tied with a couple of teams.

 

Michael Felger's report card for game @ Colts

The receivers seemed to get the largest share of the blame for this one, due to Jabar Gaffney's drop and David Thomas's penalty. The coaches' grade was higher than it could have been because, other than the 12-men challenge and the timeout on 4th and 1, they did most of the other things well.

 

This week's power rankings round-up...

ESPN: #12
CBS SportsLine: #10
Fox Sports: #10
Sports Illustrated: #9
Football Outsiders: #23
Cold, Hard Football Facts: #9
ESPN SportsNation: #13

Two more-or-less related items from the comments this week:

• Adrian Hasenmayer at Fox Sports thought the Patriots' defense, which has given up the fewest points in the AFC East, can keep them on top of their division.


• Cold, Hard Football Facts notes, however, that the Patriots have intercepted 8 passes in their 8 games so far this season. Last season, after 8 games, they had intercepted 11, and Asante Samuel, now with the Eagles, had 4 of those.

 

Wow...this Bruins team may actually be worth our attention. A couple of things to consider...

• G Tim Thomas is off to a hot start, leading the league in save percentage and sitting in second in goals against average. He posted back-to-back shutouts last week on the road against Edmonton and Vancouver, the first Bruins netminder to record back-to-back shutouts since Byron Dafoe in 1999.


• The Bruins had just one player score a hat trick all last season: Phil Kessel early on. The Bruins have already had two players score hat tricks: Milan Lucic (who's reminding many of Cam Neely) and Blake Wheeler (his hat trick coming last night against the Leafs).