LOCAL SHOTS
- Mike Reiss presents the Defensive Snapshot from Sunday's game against the 49ers. Interesting analysis of the game plan and informative to see which players had how many snaps.
- Reiss gives us Wednesday's Practice Report with the news that LaMont Jordan did not practice yesterday because of a calf injury.
- Karen Guregian notes Richard Seymour's response to the Chargers' dirty talk, "I'll let my play do the talking for me," and other team news.
- Chris Gasper points out Matt Cassel's increased confidence after the 49ers game.
- Rich Garven talks up the Patriots' ground attack.
- Kerry Byrne gripes the Patriots' Defense has more issues than Lindsay Lohan.
- Chad Finn suggests the Patriots need someone to step up and become a Genuine Playmaker on defense.
- Tom Wilcox gets Hall of Famer Andre Tippet's view on rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo and on Mayo's transition not only into the NFL, but into the starting lineup.
- Charles Pierce says Randy Moss didn’t get traded from Oakland. He got rescued.
- Mike McDermott updates us on struggling Chargers' running back, LaDainian "Turf Toe" Tomlinson, and other news around the NFL.
- Shalise Manza Young reports Patriots' Bruschi reunited with his college coach in San Jose, and will address the San Jose Spartans before their game.
- Young discovers Deltha O'Neal enjoys playing for the Patriots alongside Rodney Harrison.
FOCUS ON THE CHARGERS
- Kevin Acee (San Diego Union-Tribune) gives us the San Diego perspective, and Chargers' team news and updates.
- Acee writes, LT denies Patriots are a rival. Huh?
- Chargers' head coach Norv Turner and running back LaDainian Tomlinson addressed the media yesterday.
- Gasper rehashes the bad-blood between Pats-Chargers matches, but says "ending the football feud was the theme yesterday for both teams, as they made like Aretha Franklin." I'll believe it after the post-game interviews.
- Guregian says LaDainian Tomlinson is not in his MVP form.
- Wilcox gives us his three keys vs. the Chargers.
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Young says Vince Wilfork has no problem with the fiery leadership of QB Philip Rivers.
LONG SHOTS
- ESPN reports "Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis has received a formal letter from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informing him the franchise is subject to penalties for the public accusation of tampering against the New England Patriots." Could be fines of $250k or draft picks or both.
- Dave Goldberg (AP) talks up the Patriots vs. Chargers matchup and the challenges facing each team.
- Matt Brown (STATS) says inconsistency continues to dog the Chargers, who have to beat the patched-up Patriots to avoid falling into a deeper hole.
POWER RANKINGS
- What If Sports ranks them 18th (+4)
- Fox Sports on MSN ranks them 11th (+4): Bill Belichick engineered the perfect blueprint against a Mike Martz offense, namely playing "Keep Away" on offense by holding the ball for nearly 40 minutes against the 49ers.
- ESPN ranks them 9th (+13): The Patriots got just what they needed after their bye week. They bounced back from their crushing Week 3 loss to the Dolphins with a methodical victory over the 49ers.
- ProFootball Weekly ranks them 9th (+4): Shocking that teams don’t expect a Kevin Faulk direct snap.
- NFL.com ranks them 9th (+4): Maybe this Matt Cassel guy isn't so bad after all?
- USA Today ranks them 9th (+1): Big test looms for Cassel in San Diego this week.
- The Sporting News ranks them 7th (+3): The Patriots have realized no one can replace Brady, last year's MVP, but they can still win with committee contributions from their offense. Matt Cassel just needs to keep leaning on his fine supporting cast.
- Peter King at SI ranks them 6th (+4): The hounds have been released. Matt Cassel has been allowed to throw it way far downfield. See that smile on the sidelines from Randy Moss?
- Dr. Z at SI ranks them 6th (+1): The jury's still out. Don't forget that the Niners, with J.T. O'Sullivan looking like a highly functional NFL quarterback on one play and Ichabod Crane on the next one, were down by only six with 10:22 left. OK, the Pats closed it out, but if you asked me which team on the field showed more fire and spirit, I'd have to say San Francisco.