I Think I May Have Been Brain Washed

In the last forty eight hours since Tom Brady collapsed on the field, I've somehow gone from the Patriots being 1-15 this year to them going 11-5. At first, I didn't think a torn ACL was that big of a deal and that Tom Brady would be back after the week four bye. At the latest, I thought he'd be back for the Colts game in week nine. How long does a torn ACL take to heal anyway? But apparently even Brady is human and will miss the rest of the year (I just threw up in my mouth).

So, yes, I officially drank the Cool-Aid that Bill Belichick passes out during practice and am brainwashed into thinking that Matt Cassel is going to go from being the ultimate clip board holder to leading this team back to the Super Bowl even though Cassel hasn't started a game at quarterback since before his high school prom.

Somehow I believe that this is all just part of Belicheat's plan to level the playing field around the NFL. He looks around the league and figures that they have a pancake schedule this year so let's give Tom Brady a year off to hang with Gisele. Remember last year how the Patriots were simply crushing their opponents early on by scores of 52-7 at halftime? Well, now Belicheck wants to show that he can win the close games, too, and do it without Brady. Gotta love a guy up for a big challenge.

So in comes Matt Cassel to save the day, just like Tom Brady did when Drew Bledsoe went down in 2001. I have no doubt that Cassel will be breaking Brady's TD record this year. In fact, I'd be shocked if he isn't already dating some super model. Remember- he's been learning from Brady the last four years.

And for all of the people out there who want to quote Belicheat's record without Brady, which is 42-58, I say it has no relevance whatsoever. Seriously, have you seen the team he was handed in Cleveland? That team stunk and he took them from being a perennial loser to a playoff team. And once that team bolted for Baltimore, it took years for them to be any good again. Same thing when Belichick took over the Patriots- the team was a mess because of what Bobby Grier and Pete 'jacked and pumped' Carroll did with the draft and free agents.

So how are the Patriots going to go 11-5 without Tom Brady. Well, as Mayor Menino would say, "They'll do it with teamwork." Here's what I think:

Kansas City Chiefs W 17-10
@ New York Jets W (Belicheat would rather get caught cheating again than lose this game) 2-0
Miami Dolphins W 3-0
Week 4 Bye Week
@ San Francisco 49ers W 4-0
@ San Diego Chargers W (we own the Chargers) 5-0
vs. Denver Broncos L (Monday night in Foxboro) 5-1
vs. St. Louis Rams W 6-1
@ Indianapolis Colts L 6-2
Buffalo Bills W 7-2
vs. New York Jets W 8-2
@ Miami Dolphins L 8 - 3
vs. Pittsburgh L 8 - 4
@ Seattle Seahawks W 9 - 4
@ Oakland Raiders W 10 - 4
vs. Arizona Cardinals W 11 - 4
@ Buffalo Bills L (starters rest after Patriots clinch a first round bye) 11 - 5

I have no doubt that Belichick probably threw up when he saw Brady go down but I love the fact that he never even went over to check on Brady. It may as well have been the 53rd man on the team being helped off the field for all Belichick cared. And that's the message he sends to the entire team- no one player is any more important than another. If that means using Cassel in an efficient manner that utilizes a lot of short drop passes and screen plays while grounding it out with their running game, so be it. All I know is that this team is still Super Bowl bound.

See, I told you I drank the Cool Aid. In Belichick we trust.