Is There Cause for Concern in New England?

Derek Lofland from Fantasy Football Maniaxs

Again, one should not worry about New England’s 0-3 preseason record. Brady isn’t playing on offense, and a veteran team with this much playoff experience is not going to go full bore in the preseason.

It isn’t so much for the losses, but how the losses have occurred.

It’s the 17-play, 80-yard drive in which Brian Griese went 8–for-8 to open the game against the first-team defense. It's McNabb going 13-for-17 for 180 yards and one touchdown against zero picks. It’s the fact they have been outscored 70 to 42 in those three preseason games.

Veteran teams struggle in preseason.

The Colts are traditionally a bad preseason team. They went 1-3 in 2007, 1-3 in 2006, and 0-5 in 2005. They went on to start all three of those regular seasons at least 9-0.

However, this also reminds me of the 2002 St. Louis Rams.

That team was coming off a tough loss as a favorite in the prior year’s Super Bowl. That team was the 14-2, unstoppable favorite that lost by a field goal to a big underdog, New England.

That team went 0-4 in preseason in 2003 and looked awful. That team battled injuries and poor play on its way to a 7-9 regular season.

Until we see Brady on the field, it’s impossible to know how this team will do in 2008. Still, it has been a very bad preseason for the Patriots. It is enough to have some people concerned as the regular season approaches.

Dallas Coming Into Form

On the other end, this is exactly what the 0-2 Cowboys needed. Tony Romo was very sharp, going 15-for-19 for 166 yards, one touchdown, and one pick. Barber had 13 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown. Wideouts Terrell Owens, Sam Hurd, and Patrick Crayton had good halves. The Cowboys were up 20-10 at the half before holding on for a 23-22 win.

This is exactly what you want if you are the Cowboys. They got a good game in their most important preseason game. They can build off this performance while going into the regular season.