But a line between the two has never really existed.
Not when it comes to this team and this family.
It’s been the hardest, most surreal week we’ve ever had.
But I’ll save the personal details for the end.
–That, and I want my two other brothers' doctors to call them “soft.”
That seems to work on sick patients.
But more on them later.
To say, “Fools!
Your post-Dynasty karate is no match for our Jets Fu!”
Burning all their time outs in the 1st quarter.
A fumbled snap out of one of those time outs.
A missed extra point.
A missed field goal.
These are just many of the ways you become the entire NFL’s Get Right team of choice.
Let’s take these factors one at a time.
Here’s a supercut of yesterday’s drops to demonstrate:
And the most egregious one.
Drake Maye proving once again he can do more off-platformthan SpaceX.
A precision 40-yard strike that looked good in any language:
… until it didn’t.
It still ended up on the turf like just another Bailey Zappe misfire.
The Jets were carried to the end zone on a magic carpet made of yellow flags.
A pass interference on Christian Gonzalez no one could identify.
A phantom hands to the face on Marcus Jones that came from the back judge 30 yards away.
A blatant offensive hold that was missed or ignored.
I think it’s more incompetence than them trying specifically to screw the Patriots over.
I’m glad the Patriots locker room was reportedly livid about it.
–And here’s a note for CBS.
Especially when the Chosen One is 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.
Every one in the stadium noticed it.
Twitter exploded with it.
–That’s enough of my bellyaching.
Let’s talk about the positives.
Beginning with this frigging guy:
Great play design by Alex Van Pelt.
A two-tight end set out of gun.
Kayshon Boutte ran a post from the play side to clear out the corner and occupy the post safety.
Hunter Henry ran a shallow cross that took corner Isaiah Oliver with him.
Maye’s speed is crazy deceptive.
(As a reminder: I’ve memory-holed the Cam Newton year.)
–Let’s then move to Jacoby Brissett.
I can say without fear of contradiction this was his best game in a Patriots uniform.
In this one, he did everything they hoped he’d do when they signed him.
And possibly lead a 4th quarter comeback whenever possible.
Check, check, check and checkmate.
And this throw to Boutte was his finest hour.
The Jets were in a quarters coverage look on 3rd & 10, with Sherwood over center showing blitz.
But who doesn’t turtle.
Keeps his head in the game and makes a money play when the game is on the line.
And while we’re on the subject of Boutte (yes, I hear it too.
The Jets didn’t simply forget about Stevenson on the goal line.
He was open because Boutte executed the perfect pick play.
And all those 3rd down defensive penalties to keep drives alive seemed to have demoralized them.
Keep making blocks like that and you’re able to keep that No.
–Defensively, this represents a huge bounceback game for Christian Gonzalez.
Not that he was terrible against Jacksonville in London.
This week Gonzo mostly drew the short straw that is Davante Adams.
He drew Garrett Wilson, and once again was faced with trying to overcome a mismatch.
It’s not for lack of effort.
Jones can stick and is seldom left in the dust.
Jonathan Jones is only marginally bigger, but plays like he’s got more size than he does.
And I’d love to see them either put him on teams' No.
2 or give Marcus more help with bracketed coverages than he’s getting.
–Credit to DeMarcus Covington.
Which still has a ways to go after giving up 112 yards on 28 attempts for 4.0 per.
Payable in chunk plays.
And Covington and Jerod Mayo gladly picked up that tab.
I lost count at four Jets plays of 20+ yards.
–Overall, the defense was just more disciplined.
The front-7 sticking more with their assignments.
Controlling their gaps in the middle.
And generally disrupted wherever he was, with 4 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 QB Hit.
It’ll be the Crossover Event of the Year without a doubt.
–This Week’s Applicable Movie Quote, Halloween Edition: “Look!
-Frankenstein
–So now the personal stuff.
Maybe a victim of theTakotsubo “Broken Heart” Syndrome, which is very real.
Right now both brothers are doing as well as can be hoped.
Two different crews of EMTs have been personally thanked, and one got homemade cookies for their efforts.
Jim’s wake had roughly the turnout of the Queen’s funeral.
Which made things all the more absurd.
(Though he would’ve wanted it that way.)
It’s good luck.”
Which is a fair point.
These are the men who raised their youngest brother like a veal calf to be a Patriots fan.
Who took me to games during some of the best and worst times in franchise history.
So it makes sense that this bizarre game would be baked into such a gut-wrenching, emotional week.
We fully believe the other two are on their way to full recoveries.
Until they do, I’ll be kept in an undisclosed location as the Designated Thornton Survivor.
In the meantime, keep sending those signs, Jimbo.
And thanks for reading this to the end.
Now click out of this and go call your brother.
