[zoo youk]

theres your 10 point tease of the day

[zoo youk]

Pats OVER 39. sorry.

[zoo youk]

By Michael Rushton, Contributing NFL Editor
(Sports Network) - It has been over nine years since the New England Patriots last found themselves under the .500 mark, but that is exactly where the franchise stands heading into a big divisional matchup with the hosting Buffalo Bills this Sunday.
While it is only three points that stand between the Patriots and another two victories, the fact remains that the defending AFC champions are just 1-2 following a two-point loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 16 and a close 31-30 setback to the hosting Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.
In a rematch of last season's AFC title game won by the Patriots, New England took a nine-point edge on Stephen Gostkowski's 20-yard field goal 50 seconds into the fourth quarter, but Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco connected with wide receiver Torrey Smith for a five-yard score through the air with 4:01 remaining to pull the Ravens within two.
Following a 27-yard pass interference call on New England cornerback Devin McCourty and a kneel down to center the ball, Ravens rookie kicker Justin Tucker was true on a 27-yard field goal try as time expired, setting off Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
Tucker's kick went straight over the right upright and Belichick grabbed an official and argued adamantly for a review. He declined to talk about his contract with an official after the game, but did offer an explanation on Monday.
The coach told reporters that he was trying to get the official's attention to see if the play was under review, but was unsuccessful. He added that he never meant any disrespect or abuse toward the officials, but was simply looking for some communication.
"I'm trying to focus on coaching our football team and doing the best that I can with them," he said. "That's my job and that will continue to be my job. We can control what we can control and that's what we need to do."
The coach was fined $50,000 on Wednesday for the incident.
Belichick's club is now under the .500 mark for the first time since losing in Week 1 of the 2003 season to the Bills. New England, though, ripped off two straight wins and 16 in 17 games to close out that campaign with a Super Bowl win.
New England's NFL record run of 145 straight games at .500 or better is no more, and the franchise is now in danger of losing three in a row for the first time since a four-game slide from Sept. 29-Oct. 27, 2002.
The Bills would love to be the ones to hand the Patriots a third straight loss, but history is not on their side. After edging out a 34-31 win at home over New England on Sept. 25 of last season, snapping a 15-game losing streak in this series, Buffalo saw the Pats reel off 49 unanswered points to notch a 49-21 victory in the Week 17 rematch in Foxboro.
New England's 62 wins over Buffalo is the franchise's highest total against any opponent.
The Bills come in having won two straight despite losing their top two running backs to injury over the first three weeks.
After a 20-point loss to the New York Jets in Week 1 in which Fred Jackson suffered a knee injury, C.J. Spiller had to be carted off the field in Cleveland on Sunday because of a shoulder issue.
Much like Spiller stepped in for Jackson, Tashard Choice was effective off the bench and Buffalo snapped an eight-game road losing streak with a 24-14 win over the Cleveland Browns.
"We won on the road; we got that monkey off our back," said Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
More good news came during the week when it was learned that Spiller's injury isn't as serious as feared and that Jackson has a chance to return for this game.
Jackson said early in the week that there is a 70-to-75 percent chance he will play, shortening his expected absence by at least a week. The back was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and said there is still stuff he has to work on, such as cutting and adjusting to contact.
Facing off against the Patriots and a chance to drop them to 1-3 should leave Jackson with a little extra motivation however.
"Yeah. Without a doubt. It is a big game for us, but at the same time I have to be smart. Make sure I am out there able to make plays for my team and I am not hindering them. We have guys who can step up like Tashard did last week. At the same time, it is the Patriots. We need all guys on deck to go out there and get a win for us," said Jackson, who will also have to adjust to playing with a brace on his knee.
WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL
Much was made about Wes Welker's supposed diminishing role in the Pats offense through the first two weeks, but with tight end Aaron Hernandez out with an ankle injury, quarterback Tom Brady made good use of his starting wideouts.
Welker and Brandon Lloyd were targeted 22 times, with Welker making eight catches for 142 yards. Dating back to his time with the Miami Dolphins, Welker has caught a pass in 97 straight regular-season games since last going without a reception on Dec. 24, 2005.
Brady, who has gone over 300 yards passing in the last two games, has plenty of weapons, though wide receiver Julian Edelman did suffer a hand injury versus the Ravens and is questionable. Still, the recently re-signed Deion Branch and tight end Rob Gronkowski are excellent options as well.
Getting pressure on Brady will be tough as New England's line, led by left guard Logan Mankins, is solid, but the Bills have capable disrupters in ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson in addition to outside linebacker and leading tackler Nick Barnett, who has 23 stops on the year.
Williams, signed to a six-year, $100 million contract this offseason, logged 1 1/2 sacks against the Browns, his first QB takedowns of the season. Buffalo hopes that is the spark that the end needs.
"Yeah it was great. You know anytime you have got to make a play to get that sack, that first sack is definitely huge during the season. It feels great, but you know it also feels better whenever you can go out and perform and you can play off one another," Williams said.
Buffalo feasted on Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, sacking him four times and logging two picks, but safety Jairus Byrd and company will be tested by Brady.
The Bills have gotten to Brady before, picking him off four times in the victory last season. Two of those came in Buffalo territory and another was returned for a score.
The Bills still need to keep an eye on the Patriots backfield. Both Danny Woodhead and Brandon Bolden scored touchdowns on the ground last week and running back Steven Ridley is averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
WHEN THE BILLS HAVE THE BALL
Buffalo has one of the top rushing attacks in the league and may have the luxury of easing Jackson back into action thanks to Choice's play in relief of Spiller, who hasn't been ruled out of this game but is unlikely to play.
Choice ran for 91 yards on 20 carries and Spiller caught one of Fitzpatrick's three touchdown passes before getting hurt on a separate 25-yard catch in the game.
While the play of Choice, who started just four games over his first four NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, may have surprised some, it did not take Bills head coach Chan Gailey off guard.
"I am not shocked, as I said (Sunday). Everybody else seems to be but I am not. I know what kind of player he is and what kind of competitor he is. He is great to have on our football team. I have a very high comfort level when he is in the ballgame," noted Gailey.
The Bills ground attack figures to face a stiff challenge as the Patriots have one of the better run defenses through the first three weeks thanks to 325- pound defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, rookie end Chandler Jones and linebacker Jerod Mayo.
Mayo led the Pats with 11 tackles versus the Ravens, who did manage to get 101 yards rushing from playmaking back Ray Rice.
Fitzpatrick has been pretty consistent for the Bills early on, logging 581 yards and eight touchdown passes through the three games to three interceptions. He can join Joe Ferguson and Jim Kelly as the only quarterbacks in Bills history to throw multiple touchdown passes in each of the first four games of the season.
Fitzpatrick, who has been sacked just one time, has hooked up with wide receiver Steve Johnson on three touchdowns and that should have the Pats' secondary on notice. New England will need to bounce back after Flacco torched the unit for 382 yards and three touchdowns.
Like Belichick, McCourty isn't using the officiating as an excuse, even after the Pats were flagged 10 times for 83 yards on Sunday night versus the Ravens, who were hit with 14 penalties for 135 yards.
"It's a football game and we can't control that," said the cornerback. "If a flag is thrown, that's something that we can't worry about. It's a big game and we wanted to get this win. It's simple, you have to go, and execute, and practice and get better."
Safety Steve Gregory, added as a free agent this offseason, snatched his first interception of the season, returning the pick 36 yards to help set up Bolden's two-yard TD run.
The Bills made a bit of a surprising move on Tuesday, releasing two-time Pro Bowl punter Brian Moorman, who was the longest-tenured player on the roster. Rookie Shawn Powell was re-signed to take over the punting duties.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
Buffalo has been a pleasant surprise at the early going, using a high-powered offense to overcome some of its shortcoming so far on defense. This upcoming three-game stretch against New England, the San Francisco 49ers and also- surprising Arizona Cardinals should serve as a solid measuring stick.
The Bills, though, draw the unfortunate task of facing a motivated Patriots club that is staring at a 1-3 hole. Belichick and Brady should be extra focused this weekend and that could spell doom for Buffalo's inconsistent defense.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 34, Bills 24

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By John McMullen, NFL Editor
(Sports Network) - Things are never easy for a rookie quarterback in the NFL and Miami's Ryan Tannehill is finding that out rather quickly.
Tannehill, the No. 8 overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, leads his Dolphins into the desert on Sunday to face off with an Arizona Cardinals team off to its beststart in 38 years, thanks in large part to one of the NFL's toughest front sevens.
The Dolphins arrive in Glendale at 1-2 after a heartbreaking overtime loss toAFC East rival New York in South Florida last Sunday. Miami kicker Dan Carpenter missed from 48 yards out in the extra frame before the Jets drove from their own 38 to the Miami 15 with their second possession of the OT to set up Nick Folk's 33-yard game winner in a 23-20 New York win.
Tannehill threw for 196 yards on 16-of-36 passing with a costly interception for Miami, which earned an impressive 35-13 home win over Oakland a week earlier. Daniel Thomas and Jorvorskie Lane each ran for a score for the Dolphins, who racked up 185 yards on the ground.
Miami's star running back, Reggie Bush, left just before halftime with a knee injury. The USC product, who had run for 61 yards on 10 carries was hit in the knee by a helmet during a carry.
"We knew it was going to be a physical game coming in and I think it definitely played out that way," Tannehill said.
Bush underwent an MRI exam earlier this week which revealed no structural damage and he could be available this week.
"It's just a bruise," Bush said during his weekly Tuesday morning appearance on a local radio show in South Florida. "I'm working hard to get back for this week."
The Dolphins will need Bush against an Arizona defense which has fueled an impressive 3-0 start, including a 27-6 drubbing of the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Linebacker Daryl Washington and safety Kerry Rhodes were particularly effective in limiting Michael Vick.
Kevin Kolb haunted his former team, throwing for 222 yards and two touchdowns, in the win as the Cardinals improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1974 when the franchise was still based in St. Louis.
Kolb, who completed 17-of-24 passes vs. the Eagles, was traded from Philadelphia to Arizona in August of 2011, but his tenure with the Cardinals has been marred by injuries and inconsistent play.
The sixth-year pro was originally edged out for the starting job by the strong-armed John Skelton during this year's preseason until an ankle sprain sidelined Skelton during Week 1.
"I'm going to enjoy it, don't get me wrong," Kolb said about beating his former team. "But the biggest thing is being 3-0. To be 3-0 against the teams we have played and the fashion that we have won, it has been exciting."
The Dolphins are 8-2 all-time against the Cardinals franchise but the Cards have taken the past two. including a 31-10 rout in the desert back on Sept. 14, 2008 in the last game in the series.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL
The Dolphins were intent on building a strong running game in order to take some of the pressure off Tannehill and have been very successful early on, averaging. 175.7 rush yards per game, good for third in the AFC.
Bush seems to have finally turned the corner as a complete back. He's always been dangerous in space but now can also do damage between the tackles. Bush is averaging over 111 rushing yards per game over his last seven contests dating back to last season. Rookie Lamar Miller has been a nice compliment, netting nearly 6.0 yards per carry in limited touches (19 att, 113 yards).
Tannehill has been shaky in his first three starts, completing 54-of- 102 passes for 615 yards with just one touchdown and four picks for a dismal passer rating of 58.3. You can imagine how bad those numbers might be if the Dolphins weren't running the ball so successfully.
Protection hasn't been a major problem for Miami's line, which relies heavily on star left tackle Jake Long but the outside threats are lacking. Davone Bess had a had season-high 86 receiving yards last week but he isn't really a home run hitter and he's the Dolphins' best option. Brian Hartline and tight end Anthony Fasano are solid players but lack the speed to stretch the field.
Arizona's defense, on the other hand, is extremely aggressive and athletic. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and Washington have been playing at an extremely high level early this season and Patrick Peterson is developing into a true shutdown corner. Pro Bowl safety Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson could also return from an ankle injury.
The Cards' 12 sacks are tied for second in the NFL and they have at least two in an NFL-best nine straight games.
You can bet Dockett along with fellow DT Dan Williams will be keying on the running came and trying to force Tannehill to covert 3rd-and-long situations.
"We have a swagger and a lot of confidence," Washington said. "We believe in one another and as the season progresses, we'll continue to get better."
WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL
Kolb is certainly no superstar but it's now conceivable he could at least game-manage a Cardinals club with a destructive defense into the postseason. Of course any hiccup could also force coach Ken Whisenhunt to go back to Skelton at some point since the 6-foot-5, 245-pound former Fordham star has the size and big-time arm that Kolb lacks.
For now, however, it's Kolb, who currently ranks third in NFL with 108.6 passer rating, at the helm of a team that is off to its best start in nearly 40 years, has won seven straight home games and taken 10 of 12 contests dating back to last season.
Kolb has plenty of help on the outside. Larry Fitzgerald might be the NFL's best receiver and rookie Michael Floyd has a ton of upside. Andre Roberts and Early Doucet are also solid threats while.
Fitzgerald was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after snaring nine receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals victory last Sunday. On his second catch of the game, Fitzgerald notched his 700th career reception, becoming the youngest player in NFL history to reach 700 career receptions.
In the backfield Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams were a solid if unspectacular duo but Wells was put on the injured reserve-designated to return list with turf toe Wednesday.
The new NFL rule allows Wells, who suffered the injury against Philadelphia, to return this season, but he must remain on the list for at least six weeks unable to practice and is not eligible to return to the active roster for at least eight weeks. The four-year veteran is coming off the lone 1,000-yard season of his career, amassing 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns on 245 carries through 14 games in 2011.
Arizona re-signed running back Alfonso Smith to take Wells' spot on the roster but that's a significant downgrade.
The Miami defense is led by former Arizona playmaker Karlos Dansby at middle linebacker and is at it's best when Cameron Wake is wreaking havoc as an outside pass rusher. Kolb has struggled mightily with strong pass rushes in the past so making him uncomfortable early will be paramount to any Miami success.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
Any team with a rookie quarterback is going to go through some growing pains and that's what is happening with Miami right now. Tannehill has just not been able to make enough plays so far and it's not going to get any easier this week.
Peterson will likely be able shut down one side of the field and enable Arizona to throw some exotic blitzes at Tannehill, which should be enough to secure a perfect September for the Cards.
"I'm assuming that we're playing an excellent football team," Miami head coach Joe Philbin said. "I think there are three teams that are 3-0. So they've got to be awful good and we've got to be ready to play a heck of a ballgame."
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cardinals 23, Dolphins 10