With just less than a full quarter left to play the Patriots had gained momentum in a game that had previously been deadlocked in a near stalemate, with the Falcons leading 3-0 off of a first quarter field goal.

Late in the third quarter Tim Fox gobbled up his second pick six of the year, returning an errant Scott Hunter throw 60 yards for the go ahead score. Later the Falcons decided twice that they would go for it on fourth down in their own end. The first time they managed to keep the drive going, but on the second chance the Patriot defense waived the `Dikembe Mutombo’ finger. This led to a Grogan TD pass to Daryl Stingley. The Patriots were riding high, finally out of the woods, ready to leave the Falcons in the dark of the forest. But we are all too familiar with the game of Tecmo stealing one`s good fortune lickety-split. Like a gang of bandits from the bushes, the Falcons assured that New England`s spoils would be temporarily held.

The Patriot defense played perhaps its best game of the season, with cornerback Mike Haynes completely negating Atlanta`s biggest receiving threat, Alfred Jenkins. What is the scourge of many a Tecmo team, the Patriots immediately gave up a score following their second TD of the game, after Hunter found a leaping Jim Mitchell (TE) for 60-yards. It was the only cheap catch the New England gave up all game. In fact, 60 of the Falcons total 138 yards passing came on that play.

Could the Falcons pull off the onside kick, forcing the Patriots to defend their lead? No. New England made no contest about it, as they promptly recovered the kick, settling in at midfield with about two and half minutes left. This is where poor play calling meets a poor player. New England ill advisedly called a play action pass that was called by Atlanta, but Steve Grogan refused to stop the negativity there. Grogan, hit by a bevy of Falcon defenders, fumbled the ball. Atlanta scooped up the loose ball, returning it to the Patriot 1-yard line, scoring one play later on a run up the middle.

The Patriots now had 1:30 to try and tie or win the game. After two straight incompletions, one of which was a completely off target duck that traveled toward the center of the field when the receiver was running a streak down the sideline, New England debated on whether to pop in back up Tom Owen, an equally ineffective QB with a penchant for missing targets. Instead the Patriots gambled, running the ball with Sam Cunningham, as Atlanta was in a pass defense, and coach Chaos was commanding the 13 HP cornerback, Roland Lawrence. By all intents it was not a bad option, as Cunningham burst past midfield with the clock winding down. Perhaps Sam-Bam stepped out of bounds a second or two early (there were :04 left when Cunningham did so), but he did allow John Smith one last attempt at redemption (Smith was 0-2 on the day until that point). The current attempt would be a 57 yarder. Smith`s kick for the third straight time hit the upright, bouncing harmlessly away from the goal posts. Atlanta won the game on the wings of the Tecmo two-minute drill, and Steve Grogan, the turnover maestro, should get much credit for chipping in.

Grogan has 9 turnovers this season (7 INTs and 2 fumbles). He has SUCKED. He has more INTs than TDs, an amazingly difficult feat to accomplish in Tecmo. Last season only two regular starters finished with more INTs than TDs. This season Grogan shares that distinction with Gary Huff, Jim Hart, and Steve Bartkowski. Worse, for Grogan, is the fact that he only threw five total INTs last season, and that was in an offense that liked to frequently chuck the ball up into coverage.

New England, after two straight losses (one of them a SKP game loss), is sitting at (3-3), good for a second place tie in the AFC EAST. Meanwhile Atlanta, also (3-3), positioned themselves into second place in the NFC WEST, behind the undefeated Ram-Its.

No Movie (Yet)

New England Patriot star running back Sam Cunningham admits he has been frustrated at times this season, despite earning his third OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD, being a key cog toward leading New England into the playoffs, while finishing the season fourth in the league in rushing. After Cunningham opened the season with back to back player of the week honors, gaining nearly 300 yards rushing and scoring 6 TDs, the league was on high alert.  

"They were afraid," said Cunningham.  "They were playing scared.  I sure as hell wasn't scared, but they were playing me scared."  Following the Buffalo game, New England entered a rematch with the Miami Dolphins, a game brooding with playoff implications.  In the game Cunningham saw the ball but 4 times, gaining 59 yards.  The Patriots barely hung on to win 21-17, needing a late defensive stop inside the red zone to seal the deal.  Against Pittsburgh in Week 14, Cunningham gained 83 yards on only 6 carries.  New England fought valiantly, but lost in overtime to the powerhouse Steelers.  "I felt like I was watching that game from the sidelines half the time.  I mean this was a huge game, huge for the fans, huge for the city, huge for us.  And there I was blocking Joe Greene and Jack Ham for Steve Grogan.  It was strange."  

In arrived Week 15.  The Patriots had defeated the New York Jets in their first meeting 31-17, in Week 2, which also so happened to be Cunningham's last player of the week honor.  The Patriots were clinging, barely, to the 6th seed, desperately needing a win against the feisty Jets, a team boasting a potent offense.  In what would end up being a game without defenses, New England would end up winning on a late drive 38-35.  This time Cunningham was an important reason why.  It was as though Cunningham balled up the entirety of his frustrations and unleashed them upon New York. Fury had rang down.  'Sam Bam' saw the rock 9 times and with it he carved out 187 yards (20.7 AVG), and 2 scores.  

Stanley Morgan – New England Patriots

Stanley Morgan is great. You know he is. Look at him. Those chiseled abs, long legs and beautiful eyes. His greatness cannot be argued.

That is off the field. On the field, Stanley Morgan surpasses greatness like a beggar scoffs at pennies outside the 7-Eleven. In week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, 2^nd year receiver Stanley “The Man” Morgan caught passes for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead his team to a 21-17 victory.

His quarterback, Steve Grogan, was quoted asked after the game what he thought of Stan's performance , “Stan is the fucking man. He accounted for, what, every yard of passing I had today? Those other guys couldn't do shit. He was a man possessed. He makes me look good.” It was later found out that Mr. Grogan was having sex with one of our reporters in the locker room after the interview and she has been promoted to my secretary.

No offensive player outshined Morgan this week, and I would expect many more great things from this kid in the future.