Dolphins' Loss Clinches AFC East Title for Patriots

The New England Patriots (11-2) won their seventh consecutive AFC East title, thanks to the Miami Dolphins' 31-24 loss to the New York Giants on Monday night. 

Since Tom Brady became the starter in 2001 under head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have captured 13 division titles in a 15-year span. The two exceptions came in 2002—when the defending champions went 9-7 and missed the playoffs—and 2008—the season Brady suffered a season-ending ACL tear. The Patriots finished 11-5 behind backup Matt Cassel, but failed to qualify for the postseason.

The dark days of the franchise are long over for the Patriots, who won just five division championships in the team's first 51 seasons (1960-2000). 

The NFL's most prolific franchise of the 21st century, the Patriots have dominated division opponents—posting a 71-19 record in the regular-season against AFC East teams since the start of the 2001 season.

Brady was proud to learn that his team had been crowned the AFC East champions yet again.

"I didn't know until this morning," Brady said. "That's pretty cool. It is a great achievement for our team. I didn't know that was possible last night or else I probably would have stayed up and watched a little bit longer. Obviously there was some tie-breaker that we came up with or something. That's great. That's what you start with, winning your division. We talk about that every year. We've done a good job in our division thus far, being 4-0. We'll have a chance the last two weeks of the year to finish strong, after this Titan game."

Tom Brady Accepts Blame for Patriots' Loss: 'About as bad as you can do for a QB'

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did not mince words when asked about his performance in his team's shocking 35-28 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. The future Hall of Famer threw two interceptions in the defeat, one of which was returned 99 yards for a touchdown by the Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins.

“The first interception was bad quarterbacking,” Brady said. “The team trusts you to put the ball in your hands and make good decisions with it, and that was a terrible decision. So it’s unfortunate because those cost you the game, and I’ve got to do a better job.” 

It was a rough afternoon for Tom Brady, who threw two picks in New England's second straight loss. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

With the score knotted at 14 and 7:42 remaining in the third quarter, Brady tried to force a pass to receiver Danny Amendola at the goal line on third-and-5 that Jenkins returned to the house.

“It was just a dumb play,” Brady said of his pick-six pass. “There was really not much chance of a completion, so I should’ve just probably thrown it out of the back of the end zone or found someone else to throw it to. We would’ve kicked three points...That's about as bad as you can do for a quarterback."

Brady threw another interception later in the quarter. He completed just 29-of-56 passes with a season-low 71.4 passer rating.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick claimed the Patriots did not executive properly in any phases of the game, including defense and special teams.

“Just overall, we obviously didn’t do anything well enough (Sunday),” Belichick said. “Didn’t do enough on offense, turned the ball over, gave up two third-down touchdowns on defense, didn’t play well in the kicking game. Just really didn’t do anything well enough to really win.”

The second consecutive loss for the Patriots (10-2) dropped them to the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff picture as the Denver Broncos (10-2) moved into the No. 2 seed. The Cincinnati Bengals (10-2) vaulted to the conference's top seed. 

NFL 2015 Season Predictions

AFC East	Record	NFC East	Record
New England Patriots	12-4	Dallas Cowboys	11-5
Buffalo Bills	10-6*	Philadelphia Eagles	9-7
Miami Dolphins	9-7	New York Giants	8-8
New York Jets	6-10	Washington Redskins	3-13
AFC North	Record	NFC North	Record
Baltimore Ravens	12-4	Green Bay Packers	13-3
Pittsburgh Steelers	9-7	Minnesota Vikings	9-7*
Cincinnati Bengals	9-7	Detroit Lions	8-8
Cleveland Browns	5-11	Chicago Bears	4-12
AFC South	Record	NFC South	Record
Indianapolis Colts	11-5	Carolina Panthers	9-7
Houston Texans	10-6*	New Orleans Saints	8-8
Jacksonville Jaguars	5-11	Tampa Bay Bucs	7-9
Tennessee Titans	3-13	Atlanta Falcons	7-9
AFC West	Record	NFC West	Record
Denver Broncos	10-6	Arizona Cardinals	12-4
San Diego Chargers	9-7	Seattle Seahawks	11-5*
Kansas City Chiefs	7-9	St. Louis Rams	8-8
Oakland Raiders	5-11	San Francisco 49ers	4-12

*Indicates Wild-Card Team

AFC Playoff Picture

1.       Ravens

2.       Patriots

3.       Colts

4.       Broncos

5.       Texans

6.       Bills

AFC Playoffs

Wild-Card Round

(3) Colts defeat (6) Bills

(5) Texans defeat (4) Broncos

Divisional Round

(2) Patriots defeat (3) Colts

(1) Ravens defeat (5) Texans

Conference Championship

(1) Ravens defeat (2) Patriots

NFC Playoffs

1.       Packers

2.       Cardinals

3.       Cowboys

4.       Panthers

5.       Seahawks

6.       Vikings

Playoffs

Wild-Card Round

(3) Cowboys defeat (6) Vikings

(5) Seahawks defeat (4) Panthers

Divisional Round

(2) Cardinals defeat (3) Cowboys

(5) Seahawks defeat (1) Packers

Conference Championship

(2) Cardinals defeat (5) Seahawks

(2) Cardinals defeat (1) Ravens

Richardson's Career was Doomed Following Trade from Browns

                Trent Richardson’s career has hit rock-bottom. Richardson, selected No. 3 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL Draft, was released by the Oakland Raiders on Monday. He played just one preseason game for Oakland, totaling 19 yards on five carries. The 25-year-old missed the beginning of training camp while suffering from pneumonia.

                A highly touted running back out of Alabama, Richardson had a (relatively) strong rookie campaign. He rushed for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 367 yards and a score on 51 receptions. He managed these numbers despite playing nine games with broken ribs. It should be noted, though, that Richardson only averaged 3.6 yards per carry—which stands now as his career-high.

                Two games into the 2013 season, the Browns traded Richardson in exchange for a first-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts—a move Cleveland was highly scrutinized for making at the time, but are now universally praised for pulling off. Despite high hopes, Richardson never materialized into a formidable running back with Indianapolis. Richardson averaged just 2.9 yards per carry after being acquired by the Colts in 2013 and followed up with 3.3 yards per attempt last season. Even though they paid a high price to acquire the running back, the Colts parted ways with Richardson following a disappointing 2014 season.

                A major draft bust, Richardson was unable to make the Raiders roster. He signed a two-year $3.9 million deal with Oakland in the offseason—with a whopping $600,000 guaranteed (what were the Raiders thinking?). One of the league’s all-time disappointments, Richardson arrived to camp overweight, leading to his release.

               The struggles of Richardson since his departure from Cleveland underscore how talented the Browns' offensive line has been in recent years. The Browns’ O-line made Richardson look like a capable NFL running back, something the bust has proven to be otherwise since being shipped to Indianapolis. Major props should be handed to Joe Thomas, one of the greatest left tackles in league history, two-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack and veteran guard John Greco.

               The highly-respected Browns’ offensive linemen were able to mask the weaknesses of Richardson. They helped Richardson compile 11 rushing touchdowns in his first year as a pro, breaking Jim Brown's franchise record for most rushing TDs by a rookie. Richardson, who simply cannot break out for big runs, was destined to fail once he departed Cleveland and their formidable offensive line.

               Fast forward to present-day and Richardson’s NFL career may be finished. As for the state of the Browns offensive line? The unit has actually strengthened in the past few seasons with guard Joel Bitonio shining as a rookie last season and with the team adding Florida State standout Cameron Erving with their second 1^st-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. 

Tyrod Taylor Offers Bills Most Hope for QB Stability in 2015 and Beyond

                      Rex Ryan has finally decided who will be under center when the Buffalo Bills open the regular season on Sept. 13 against the Indianapolis Colts. Tyrod Taylor has been chosen as the team’s starting quarterback, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported Monday.

                      Taylor won the job over EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel. He has completed 24 of his 34 pass attempts with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions for 236 yards in the preseason. Taylor has made his mark in the running game in the Bills’ three exhibition contests, rushing for 108 yards on 11 carries.

                      A fifth-year pro out of Virginia Tech, Taylor has not started a game in the NFL. The 26-year-old spent the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he played 14 games.

                      The Bills are a team built on defense and their ability to run the football. Buffalo has put together a perfect offense to compliment a mobile quarterback like Taylor. LeSean McCoy, acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, will take up much of the burden on offense. The receiving core—Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin, Charles Clay and Robert Woods—should be dangerous targets for Taylor as well.

                      Cassel, who has recorded 33 wins against 38 losses in his career, no longer seems like a viable option at starting quarterback. Meanwhile, Manuel’s days as the team’s first-string QB seem over before they had even started. The 2013 first-round selection has been wildly inconsistent this preseason, with most of his reps coming with the third-string offense.

                      Ryan should be applauded for not going with the percieved safe choice in Cassel, a veteran and one-time Pro Bowler whose career has trended downward in recent seasons. Taylor is a boom-or-bust candidate that can make plays on his feet. He can succeed in the offense if he takes care of the ball, presents a threat to run and keeps the defense honest in the passing attack. Taylor represents the Bills’ best hope at quarterback this season and the only player on the roster that offers any optimism for stability at the position in the foreseeable future.

Texans Make Wise Move in Naming Hoyer Starter

                Brian Hoyer has been named the Houston Texans starting quarterback, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport has reported. Hoyer had been battling with Ryan Mallett for the QB job throughout training camp.

                The Texans inked Hoyer to a two-year, $10.5 million deal this past offseason. The 29-year-old started the Texans’ preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers while Mallett started Saturday's game versus the Denver Broncos. Mallett finished Saturday’s contest with a 75.3 passer rating, failing to make his case to overtake Hoyer for the starting gig.

                Hoyer posts a 10-7 career record as a starting quarterback. Spending the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, he won 10 of his 16 starts. He is the first Browns quarterback to post a winning record since Vinny Testaverde—who played with Cleveland from 1993-95—and the only to do so since the franchise was revived in 1999. Hoyer led the Browns to a 7-4 start last season, before losing his job to rookie Johnny Manziel in Week 15. In 13 starts and 14 appearances overall last season, Hoyer threw for 3,326 yards and 12 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.

Brian Hoyer will be under center for the Houston Texans when the 2015 season kicks off. (Andrew J. Phillip/AP)

                Handing the quarterback duties to Hoyer, a seven-year pro, was a logical move by head coach Bill O’Brien. Mallett, a third-round draft selection in 2011, has made just two starts in his career. The Texans made the correct choice in settling the quarterback battle with Hoyer holding an edge in experience, consistency and decision-making, and throwing less practice interceptions than Mallett. Hoyer gelled with the Texans starters in the first preseason contest. He threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts III on Houston's first drive and also connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 2-point conversion to give the Texans an 8-0 lead in an eventual 23-10 victory.

                The statistics for Hoyer last season—32^nd (out of 33 qualified QB’s) in completion percentage (55.3) and 30^th in QBR (39.8)—were not pretty but the veteran QB was able to record more wins (7) than losses (6), something no quarterback has done for roughly two decades for the once-proud but now woebegone Browns franchise. Hoyer spearheaded the Browns to the greatest road comeback in NFL history against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5 a season ago. He also garnered immense praise last year from former teammate Joe Thomas, one of the most dominant and respected left tackles in league history.

                 "He's [Hoyer] a lot like Tom Brady," Thomas told The Cleveland Plain Dealer last year. "When you look at the way he competes and the way he demands the most out of everybody around him, it's no coincidence that those guys played together. (Hoyer) has a lot of those same mental attributes and that's a great thing for a quarterback to have."

               With Hoyer under center, the Texans will look to make the postseason for the first time since 2012.

Report: Reggie Wayne Took Physical with Patriots

             The New York England Patriots are contemplating signing wide receiver Reggie Wayne. The six-time Pro Bowler flew to New England on Saturday night and took a physical with the Patriots on Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 
               Wayne has spent his entire 14-year NFL career as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. He leads all active receivers in career receptions (1,070) and receiving yards (14,345). Wayne, set to turn 37 in mid-November, played like a shell of his former self in 2014, catching 64 passes for 779 yards with two touchdowns in 15 games. 

Reggie Wayne could be teaming up with Tom Brady in New England this season. (Thomas J. Russo/USA Today Sports)

            The move makes sense for New England, which has been decimated by injuries this preseason. Julian Edelman has been out since Aug. 2 with a leg injury and Brandon LaFell has spent the entire camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Brian Tyms' season is in doubt after injuring his foot on Wednesday, and Brandon Gibson's status is unknown after sustaining a knee injury in the Patriots' 26-24 win over the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night.
            Devoid of a deep passing threat, Wayne might be just what the doctor ordered, despite his decreasing speed and production. He has stated his desire to play one final season in the NFL and the defending champion Patriots could offer him a storybook ending. Wayne, who won the Super Bowl with the Colts following the 2006 season, would give quarterback Tom Brady a veteran reinforcement at wideout. 
             Before New England and Indianapolis played last November, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick called Wayne “one of the best route runners maybe ever in the game.”

“He’s obviously just a tremendous wide receiver,” Belichick said. “A guy that’s extremely smart, very savvy wide receiver. Understands leverage, understands coverage, can read post-snap coverage disguises, has great hands. He’s really a very dependable and reliable guy. Obviously the bigger the situation, the more you would depend on him to be able to make the play.”

             If nothing else, adding Wayne would spice up New England's boiling rivalry with the Colts, who prompted the ceaseless Deflategate saga that began in January's AFC Championship.  The Patriots play the Colts on Oct. 18 in what would be Brady's first game of the season if his suspension holds.

Mets Need a Boost—Is Jay Bruce the Answer?

            The New York Mets are struggling to finish the job. A day after failing to acquire Carlos Gomez from the Milwaukee Brewers, the Mets collapsed against the San Diego Padres on Thursday at Citi Field.

            Curtis Granderson gave the Mets a six-run cushion with a three-run blast in the bottom of the fifth. Leading 7-1 in the top of the seventh, reliever Bobby Parnell surrendered a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso, a one-out walk to pinch-hitter Brett Wallace and a single to the ensuing batter, Melvin Upton Jr., before getting replaced by Hansel Robbles. The right-handed reliever gave up a grand slam to Derek Nooris, the first batter Robbles saw.

            On the verge of victory with a 7-5 advantage in the top half of the ninth, Mother Nature hit the Mets with an untimely dose of heavy rain. Jeurys Familia recorded two quick outs before a torrential downpour stopped play. Low and behold, Familia couldn’t close out the game for the Mets after the 44-minute rain delay. He allowed back-to-back singles to Nooris and Matt Kemp, before Justin Upton launched a three-run homer to right center field.

            Play was paused for two hours and 52 minutes before the Mets got up in the bottom frame. New York failed to make a comeback though, as Craig Kimbrel pitched a one-two-three ninth for his 39^th save that gave San Diego an improbable 8-7 win.

            Now trailing the Washington Nationals by three games in the NL East following its crushing defeat, the Mets are in search of a bat on Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline to bolster their weak lineup.

            Is Cincinnati Reds’ Jay Bruce the solution to the Mets’ hitting woes? The Reds and Mets are reportedly deep into trade talks that would send the 28-year-old outfielder to New York. Bruce is hitting .257 with a .341 on-base percentage and a .486 slugging percentage. Bruce, owed $12.5 million next season with a $13 million team option for 2017, has 17 home runs and 56 RBIs this season.

The Mets are hoping to acquire Jay Bruce at the non-waiver trade deadline. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

            The Mets may have to relinquish Zach Wheeler to the Reds in order to complete the trade. Wheeler, 28, is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and will not be available to pitch until June 2016. In two seasons in the big leagues, Wheeler has posted a 18-16 record with a 3.50 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP and 271 strikeouts in 285.1 innings pitched.

            A young pitching quartet of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz makes Wheeler expendable in the eyes of the Mets front office.

            A lack of power makes the potential deal for Bruce enticing. The Mets lack pop in their lineup—only Lucas Duda (18), Granderson (16) and Wilmer Flores (10) have double-digit home run totals on the season. 

            Already acquiring Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe last weekend via trades, the Mets have shown their desire to improve their feeble offense. The Mets would like to land San Diego's Justin Upton or the Detroit Tigers' Yoenis Cespedes, both of whom are on the trade block, but neither star is eligible for a qualifying offer after this season, making the trade a risky move for the Mets. Devoid the qualifying offer option, the Mets wouldn’t recover a draft pick from Upton or Cespedes if they were to leave through free agency after the season.

            Bruce would be under team control through next season, an apparent requirement for a player the Mets plan to acquire.

            The Nationals are heading to town for a three-game series at Citi Field. This weekend could be critical in determining the fate of the 2015 Mets, who not only are in need of a series victory over their divisional rivals but also must acquire an impactful bat...a la Jay Bruce.

8-Year Anniversary of Garnett Trade to Celtics

         Eight years ago today, the Boston Celtics traded for Kevin Garnett, who played six seasons for the green and white. We knew Garnett was going to give Paul Pierce a desperately-needed star sidekick—The Truth’s best teammate for the first nine years of his career was Antoine Walker—but we had no idea just how quickly The Big Ticket would change the culture of the Celtics. Six playoff appearances, five Atlantic Division titles, three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, two Finals appearances and an NBA championship (2008) highlighted Garnett's tenure in Boston. He won Defensive Player of the Year in his first season with the team, helping the Celtics capture their first championship in 22 years.

Kevin Garnett was the anchor of the Celtics' defense for six seasons. (Getty Images)

            The Celtics were unable to win another title mainly because of two cruel twists of fate. The Celtics began their title defense 27-2—an all-time record to start a season—but saw their title hopes dissolve when Garnett suffered a season-ending knee injury. The following year starting center Kendrick Perkins tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, a series the Celtics eventually lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Lakers. Boston got pounded on the glass in the infamous, gut-wrenching Game 7 four-point loss in Los Angeles. Even with some heartbreaking losses—including the defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012—Celtics fans can look back on the Garnett-era in Boston with nothing but smiles. Boston will always cherish the day the Celtics acquired Garnett.

Kris Bryant's Walk-Off Homer Ends Cubs' Bleeding

                The Chicago Cubs could ill-afford another deflating defeat. After getting swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, the worst team in baseball, over the weekend at Wrigley Field—with one loss resulting from a blown save, another in a no-hit effort by Cole Hamels and the finale in a blowout—the Cubs needed a win against the lowly Colorado Rockies.

            The visiting Rockies, who sit in last-place in the NL West, jumped out to a 4-0 advantage after scoring twice in the third and fourth innings off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks. Carlos Gonzalez smacked a two-run home run in the third while DJ LeMahieu plated two with a single in the fourth.

            The Cubs stormed back with seven consecutive runs, six of which coming in the bottom half of the fourth. Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler had RBI singles and Chris Denorfia added a run-scoring grounder in the inning. Starlin Castro then singled to left to drive in two to put the Cubs in front, 5-4, before rookie second baseman Addison Russell laced a double to drive in Castro, ending the evening for Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa.

            Adding a run in the sixth thanks to an error by the Rockies’ All-Star Nolan Arenado at third base, Chicago had a seemingly safe three run lead. But the bullpen imploded again, as Jason Motte surrendered three runs (two inherited runs) in the top of the ninth without recording an out. Newly-acquired right-hander Rafael Soriano gave up a two-run homer to Gonzalez that plated LeMahieu (an inherited run from Motte) that put the Rockies on top, 8-7.

            Staring a fourth consecutive loss in the eyes, All-Star and rookie sensation Bryant came to bat with two outs against Rockies closer Jonathan Axford with the tying run (Dexter Fowler) on first base. Bryant waited for his pitch and promptly clubbed a game-winning two-run blast on a cut fastball to give the Cubs a dramatic 9-8 victory on Monday night.

The Cubs await Kris Bryant at the plate after the rookie hit his first career walk-off home run. (Jonathan Daniels/ Getty Images)

            Needing a victory, Bryant delivered the Cubs’ MLB-leading 10^th walk-off hit of the season. The Cubs were on the verge of beginning a 10-game stretch at Wrigley against the NL’s three last-place teams (the Milwaukee Brewers are next on the homestand) with four losses in a row before Bryant’s heroics saved the night.

            “It just wakes us up a little bit,” Bryant said. “I think we were kind of nonchalant the last couple games – myself included.”

            The near-loss restores questions about the Cubs’ back end of their bullpen. Motte failed to retire any of the three batters he faced—including a homer to power-deprived shortstop Daniel Descalso—who has recorded only three home runs on the season).

            Motte has yielded 13 hits in his past 6 1/3 innings. Soriano, meanwhile, has allowed game-winning home runs in each of his past two outings. The solution to the closing issues may lie in the hands of Hector Rondon, who has given up just one run over his past 17.1 innings pitched.

            The Cubs need to address these issues if they hope to stay afloat in the race for the second wild card in the National League. They trail the defending-champion San Francisco Giants by 2.5 games as the season is roughly at the 100-game mark for MLB clubs.

            For at least a night, Bryant silenced the attention directed toward the Cubs' stumbling bullpen—with the spotlight  instead focused on his game-winning homer, arguably the most important hit of the season for Chicago. The questions will come back Tuesday, particularly those directed at Motte’s ineffective fastball, Soriano giving up yet another late-inning homer and why Rondon hasn’t been handed the closing duties back to him. 

           One swing of the bat by the 23-year-old Bryant, however, bought the Cubs a day of celebration as the team pushed through its roughest patch of the season.