Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 12/30/08

His list ticks off most of the things I enjoyed about this season as well.

If you remember, writers on this site predicted that this would be an intriguing season after Brady went down: the pressure was off, challenges greater and expectations greatly lowered. I don’t think anyone could have imagined just how daunting things would become. But what’s truly amazing about this year is that in spite of all the holes that got blown in the lineup, expectations actually got higher as the year went on. True, they never reached the stratospheric level left in last year’s wake. What we had instead, though, was more in my comfort zone: a scrappy, high-character team, playing smart, disciplined, unselfish football with no margin for error. I don’t know about you all, but I honestly felt we had a legitimate chance at the AFC crown, had the Jets managed a win. That’s a far cry from where I was after the Chiefs game. It’s also a testament to the team, from Belichick and Pioli to the lowliest rookie on the practice squad. That was a great, great year. I’m proud.

Enough has not yet been said about Randy Moss. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was waiting for a return to the malcontented Raider now two years in the past. Shoot, the national media were practically drooling with anticipation. In my assessment of our prospects after the Chiefs game, he was my number one concern. In my post, Patriots 2.0, I pegged him as my “key guy.” In my opinion, Randy came through in a big way. He didn’t sulk, he didn’t quit. He accepted a lower-octane offense, and produced when called on. If you say he dropped too many balls, I would agree. Some of them were key touchdowns, too. Nevertheless, he filled the role of “captain” well.

Actually, I have to brag a little on the 2.0 piece—things unfolded pretty much as I imagined. The one thing that needed to happen but did not (for a variety of reasons), was improvement in the secondary. Had things come together back there (and a few key injuries not happened), we’d looking forward to a playoff game right now. That’s going to be priority number 2 this offseason (#1 being what to do about/with Brady and Cassel).

One small quibble with Finn: I don’t think LaMont Jordan was “less durable than expected.” He suffered a freak, non-contact injury to his calf. In spite of that, he was able to come back and turn in signature brutal yards down the stretch. He’s a Kevin Faulk pro, in my book. Hopefully we’ll have him back in the stable next year.