Patriots To Fake It

The surface at Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots, is about to undergo some plastic surgery.

Even though Bill Belichick likely prefers the muddy track that the sod turf becomes late in the season, the bottom line is the playing surface at Gillette Stadium has been an embarassment to the team, and subsequently, the league. The NFL reportedly has ordered the Patriots to clean up their act, and the easiest way to do so is by installing a synthetic surface.

Contrary to what Joe Theismann stated on Monday Night Football 3 weeks ago, FieldTurf does not require a "breaking in" period. It does require getting some used to, but the surface installed (according to the article, it will be in place before the 11/26 home game against Chicago) does not get "matted down" like natural grass. It also isn't affected by other stadium events, like soccer games, rock concerts, etc...

In all, this is a good move by the NFL, and in the end, it'll be a good move for the Patriots. Bob Kraft's team is looked upon as a model franchise, now their field will have model looks.

Fassel Out As Ravens' Offensive Coordinator

WBAL in Baltimore is reporting that the Baltimore Ravens will announce that current offensive coordinator Jim Fassel is about to be named "former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel".

Not a surprising manuever, considering that the Baltimore Ravens haven't improved as they hoped offensively, after acquiring an actual NFL quarterback (Steve McNair).

What is surprising is that Fassel, one of head coach Brian Billick's best friends, is the one on the chopping block for this. Billick is allegedly an "offensive genius", but look at his team's offensive ranks since he's been in Baltimore:

1999 - 14th
2000 - 14th
2001- 18th
2002 - 24th
2003 - 8th
2004 - 20th
2005 - 24th

Thus far in 2006, Baltimore ranks 21st. So while Fassel hasn't made much of a difference (he was hired as a consultant in 2004), he hasn't really hurt the cause, either.

Linehan Still Upset Over 10 Second Runoff Rules

St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan is still expressing his displeasure that Ed Hochuli's officiating crew interpreted the 10 second runoff rule correctly.

From the AP article:

"If you have a long play now, what I would say is I think Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce should run up and snap the ball to each other," Linehan said. "Everybody stand still. It's an illegal formation -- there's only one guy on the ball and an ineligible taking the snap. Snap the ball and clock it. It's only a five-yard penalty, right?"

Linehan admitted the scenario isn't likely to play out often, but if it does, "you save approximately 10 to 15 seconds.

"I promise you they're going to have to figure out a way [to look at the rule] because that's what we're going to do," he said.

That's all well and good Scott, but are you really expecting the officials, who are anywhere from 10-40 years older than the players, to be in place to spot the ball and allow a snap to take place after a long completion?

This isn't pick-up football, and the sight of two wide receivers attempting to complete a snap forty yards downfield, with no one around them, is likely going to mistaken as a bizarre public display of affection.

Rams defensive end Leonard Little continues to assert that he heard two fouls being called on the play, and that someone on the Seahawks committed a false start penalty. A false start penalty would've resulted in a 10-second runoff, but after reviewing the video of this game, no infraction of this nature exists, thus, no flag was thrown.