New England Crack-up

No one can argue with the success the New England Patriots have had in the 21st century.  Three Super Bowls in four years is an incredible accomplishment, so they have clearly been doing something right.

Lately, however, some chinks have been showing in the armor.  And the funny thing is, so many writers have gotten burned for prematurely predicting the Patriots' doom (Bledsoe, Ty Law, etc.) that almost no one is willing to point out what is beginning to seem pretty obvious.  This team is cracking up.

Oh sure, they'll still win their share of games this season.  After all, they have the best quarterback in the league and a great coaching staff.  But the magic touch is gone and their run of success is coming to an end (which doesn't mean they won't be able to reload after this season).

Consider two recent examples.  After an awful week one performance against the mighty Buffalo Bills, the Patriots lost whatever remaining leverage they had over holdout receiver Deion Branch.  The next day they traded him to the Seahawks for Seattle's 2007 first-round pick.  But check out this little nugget (from AP):

The New England Patriots have filed a tampering charge against the Jets in connection with New York's talks with wide receiver Deion Branch...The Patriots contend that they gave Branch permission to discuss only terms of a contract and not what a team would offer the Patriots in trade, according to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. The papers said New England contends the Jets told Branch what they would offer.

Are you freaking kidding me?  The Patriots give Branch permission to seek a trade.  They get two firm offers, one of which they accepted.  Then they turn around and accuse the other team that was talking to Branch of TAMPERING?  Keeping in mind that this other team is even coached by one of Belichick's former assistants.

Nice temper tantrum, guys.

Or consider this dirty move, by a front office that clearly will do anything to win, even if it means treating two guys just trying to hang on in the league like saps:

That Patriots front office never misses a trick. New England signed ex-Buffalo receiver/return man Jonathan Smith at the end of the preseason, just a week before the Pats were to open up against the Bills. New England cut receiver Bam Childress, who had a pretty decent camp, to make room for Smith, and added Childress to the practice squad.

After debriefing Smith all week about the Bills and their new coaching staff's playbook, New England released him last Saturday night, hours before the Buffalo game. Not coincidentally, the Patriots elevated Childress from the practice squad and he was one of three receivers active against the Bills. Predictably, Buffalo's coaches and players weren't thrilled with New England's rather blatant "scouting'' maneuver.

But rest assured, the Patriots don't care. They'll take any advantage they can get.

Well bully for them.  No way Andy Reid would ever pull a move like that.  Which is good, because eventually, that stuff catches up to you.

This is going to be fun to watch.