Good News and Bad News

The Good News:

New England earned a solid Week 2 victory by dropping the Chargers this afternoon at Gillette by a score of 35 to 21.  The second quarter was all Patriots and was unquestionably the key to their victory, since both teams scored seven points in the first, shut each other out in the third and battled through a 15-14 (advantage Patriots) fourth quarter.  But San Diego failed to score in the second quarter, and the Pats squeezed ten points out of the first half's final three minutes.  The highlight of the day was big Vince Wilfork making an improbable interception (the first of his career) just before the half.  San Diego was knocking on the door at the New England 29 yard-line before the big fella picked off Philip Rivers and sparked a drive that culminated with Stephen Gostkowski drilling a 47 yard field goal as time expired.

Run, Wilfork! Runnnnnn!

The two teams finished neck-and-neck in almost every statistical category except one; turnovers.  San Diego gave the ball away four times, twice with interceptions and twice with fumbles, whereas the Patriots did not turn the ball over at all.  Most frustratingly for San Diego, three of its turnovers occurred within New England's own 35 yard line and led to 17 Patriot points.

Tom Brady brought his A game again as he shattered Cam Newton's newly minted record for most passing yards in the first two games of the season while also becoming the first player to follow up a 500 yard passing performance with a 400 yarder.  He completed 31 of 40 passes for 423 yards and three TDs (no interceptions), two of which ended up in the hands of tight end Rob Gronkowski (the other went to Aaron Hernandez).  BenJarvis Green Ellis lead the rushing attack with 70 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown with 1:54 left in the fourth to ice the game.

New England's defense was solid once again, limiting the Chargers to just seven points through the first three quarters and keeping their running game in check.  The Pats take on the Bills, also 2-0, next Sunday in Buffalo.

For the Sox, Kevin Youkilis could return from his sports hernia tomorrow and Erik Bedard is set to start against his former team. the Orioles, on Tuesday.  Coolstandings.com still gives us a 90.3 percent chance of making the postseason.

The Bad News:

The Red Sox lost again, making that eight losses in their last nine games against Tampa Bay.  Their Wild Card Lead, four games after Friday night's win, has been cut in half with ten games to play.  I wasn't expecting Tim Wakefield to beat David Price for career victory 201, but I was hoping Timmy could keep Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, Johnny Damon, Desmond Jennings, Matthew Joyce and Ben Zobrist off-balance with his knuckler.  Alas, Wake suffered a disaster start by allowing six runs, all earned, in only five innings of work and watched his ERA rise to an unsightly 5.08.  Price wasn't sharp, either, and departed early after the red-hot Mike Aviles roped a line drive off his chest, but Boston's slumping 3-4-5 hitters (Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz) went 1-11 and were nonfactors in one of the biggest games of the season.  Unfortunately the ball wasn't carrying well this weekend, but the weather is supposed to warm up a bit this week and hopefully will help some of those long fly ball outs reach the seats.

Thursday's loss was just the first of three for Boston

All you can really say is that it was just another tough series for Boston, with that 4-3 loss yesterday with Jon Lester pitching being the killer.  At times they just looked lifeless and beaten, like the long season and pressures of a playoff race are wearing them down.  To make matters worse, it's very possible the Bosox get swept in tomorrow's doubleheader with the Orioles since Kyle Weiland and John Lackey are pitching.  If there's a recipe for losing two games to a last place team in one day, this is it.  Weiland's never won in the Show, Lackey hasn't pitched well since 2009 (in fairness he does have sparkling career numbers against the O's), and as I said before Baltimore has a solid lineup that can make you pay for your mistakes in Fenway.  And while I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, losing both games would trim the lead to a single game. 

Gulp.

Meanwhile, those pesky Rays get the day off tomorrow to recharge their batteries for a critical four game series in three days at Yankee Stadium. Never thought I'd say this, but we really need to root for the Evil Empire over the next week and a half.  They face the Rays seven times and will play a large role in determining Boston's playoff destiny.

My friend doesn't think the Sox will make the playoffs.  I say they will.  This team has come too far to blow it now.

But if they did, I wouldn't be surprised.