Pucker Factor

Well last night got the Pucker Factor in New England to about 5.5 out of 10. Let’s review the top 10 reasons why it wasn’t any higher…

10. Anyone who took the Pats to beat Vegas and win more than 11.5 games hasn’t been worried in weeks.
9. The AFC East was locked up before the game even started.
8. Since the 2002 Super Bowl and the 2004 World Series, people in New England just don’t worry about that historic collapse like we used to.
7. The Eagles have exactly zero players who went to Appalachian St.
6. Lloyd Carr was no where near Foxboro
5. As nice as an undefeated season would be, barring a historic collapse and a loss in the Super Bowl, this Patriots team has already secured a place among the best 3 or 4 teams in NFL history.
4. Wes Welker is the off-season acquisition of the year (non-Randy Moss category)
3. Randy Moss is the off-season acquisition of the year (Randy Moss category included)
2. AJ Feeley was the Eagles QB
1. Tom Brady is the Patriots QB

Random Thoughts:
Jacoby Ellsbury and either Jon Lester or Clay Buchholz (or worse yet, both) is too much to pay for Johan Santana. Ellsbury is a future All-Star, and the Red Sox leadoff hitter for the next decade, and both Lester and Buchholz have Cy Young potential. Coco Crisp, Buchholz or Lester, and another lesser positional or pitching prospect is all the Sox should be giving up for Santana straight up.

The Patriots have scored 89 fewer points than the other three teams in the AFC East COMBINED!

How much does it suck to be a Denver sports fan right now? Rockies swept out of the World Series; after a promising start, the Nuggets may be losing Kenyon Martin…again; and after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory last night, the Broncos are 5-6 with just one certain win (KC in week 14) left on the schedule (remember they needed OT to beat the Raiders at Mile High). Hey, at least the Avalanche are only 1 point out of first in their division. Apparently pro hockey is still being played. Who knew?

On behalf of fantasy owners everywhere, I demand a DNA test to prove that Eli and Peyton Manning are related. I think this would make a fantastic episode of Maury Povich.

Lock of the Week: no one outside Pennsylvania will be watching Monday Night Football.

Dennis Dixon must win the Heisman. Without him, Oregon couldn’t score once against UCLA. That’s the same UCLA that gave up 44 points to Utah…

Last off-season, the Angels over-paid for an aging, over-rated centerfielder. This off-season, the Angels over-paid for an aging, over-rated centerfielder. Hmm…