NFL Sunday recap: The Patriots sit atop the AFC East

Live at Gillette Stadium patriots Monday mutt and -- 93 point seven WEEI hope you had a great weekend hope you when your said he. Good Thanksgiving mister -- hope you had a good Thanksgiving -- very nice day yes it's always nice it around a slow meal watching football. Get -- continued yesterday because about the patriots playing I'm not sure what you did but I stayed in the red zone for about seven hours or so match I know that. There's this idea out there that -- watch one game at once and maybe you're into it but what the red zone channel. Why Beagle won a world when your team's not playing -- the patriots are involved while they stick on just. You know whatever it was yesterday 49ers saints. Why would just stick on one game in the 1 o'clock and and led a box a good game. But you watch every game wanting to watch the ineptitude of coaches and players and quarterbacks across the league altogether with Scott Hanson. Given you the whole play by play for 78 hours yesterday and he almost had from Thursday yesterday. The patriots -- in the mix for the number one spot in the AFC I guess you 1 o'clock. But you said red zone but that's and bring in New Orleans now watching -- you care about the other ones. Think -- Baltimore keeping an -- at all that was all we -- idea and an eye on it but a I don't -- -- frank gimmick though is was more trees I'll stick with the ones show you wanna go around. -- Gaza a couple of weeks right of of close giving you almost. Had some teams couple weeks ago was the land that is used now last couple weeks it was Baltimore and San Diego kind of getting a gift there was Denver struggling more than you thought. In the but in the end everybody want. You know and I know what's going to elect tough we are looking at the schedules. And you know would've been nice Baltimore game would have been the big game that would have been the big game Houston. This -- nick and probably wrap up this thing and so are they gonna get all the other good team and and be close to the I know -- questions about that team in their defense at the first couple of last couple of games going overtime. Against a Jacksonville and Detroit. But to me you know I almost feel like mentally toughness as far as mental toughness goes I think they showed an awful lot. I think they showed an awful lot of figure impressed by them be able to -- there and ensure a week to overtime games to pull those games they got a gift on Thursday assured it again. Absolute gift tonight Justin Forsett touchdown I'm -- Baltimore I would disagree I think that Houston game was just a big second independent too. And -- got Houston coming into your buildings have you run the table here you could set yourself up where may be Bolton -- at the end of the year. Are what three losses potentially Houston lost that game on Thursday. You want later on Thursday they come in two losses now now maybe three. -- opened the number one seed for them Baltimore is big too because Baltimore because virtue of the head and the only one game back that you're really two games back because of potentially. Other tiebreaker scenario there. I thought they were both big and it was frustrating Thursday. Because it thought Detroit had been dead writes it was we wanna say it was I think was just as big. It was more frustrating yesterday Baltimore winning in overtime 163 permanently now it was fourth and -- 29. And Joseph Flacco who has not taken enough -- for this. Dumps the ball off to re right because it works and makes Ray Rice do -- I think every single inch of the work. On that fourth and 29 they somehow get it. They survive in overtime on the road and a place in San Diego what they should've won backing them they should not have won that game -- R&R. That go to there it is a slight. Thank you get towards tryptophan and the system he's big all conservative their late rivers can't connect on a pass a third down the third down to third down Baltimore showed nothing and for three quarters. At a dead to rights and a fourth and 29. US Ray Rice basically do every inch of that work himself you can't make a stop and look San -- and deserved to exit controls that thing out. But Baltimore played about his magic can't get a win on the road. That -- hurt yesterday on video right to do we look at the schedule. A look at Baltimore schedule now -- Pittsburgh who knows. Roethlisberger the try to get him ready for that game this coming weekend -- we've -- we saw last year and we. He comes back 50% of Ben Roethlisberger better than what -- -- right now it there's no question about it that that team. With that this is not gonna slowly there it's it's better than clearly bad choice F 50% of there's no question. No nobody would download the Pittsburgh Steelers fans that Texans and I'll remember they went three and one without him what. The offensive line is not the state that there and right now they're running back situation is an absolute mess Polamalu is not on the field. But did that this Antonio Brown is now while -- a -- some awful happy for you but still. This is not that same team they cannot win games without Ben Roethlisberger so he's going to be. Maybe 50% even if he's in their who knows. But -- go to Washington. And after the game on Thursday was there any debate used to -- this discussion. But it was seven about a year I I -- -- started three year interlocutors are to changes your economy edit my point on Thanksgiving when you'll well aren't the only audio and came up during the Turkey apps for your. They don't a total of the commands are not my day off and ask you about what you thought of young RG three's performance. Vs Andrew Luck it was -- it was out of his mind out of his mind thrown -- Davis Santana -- and a half 2 o'clock they had and that -- -- might I might be changing my -- to do that -- these guys just sticks with an opinion and -- I'm wrong that's -- I said first well. RG three's play out of his my brother right in effect that here's an opportunity drop on his game to a brought them close to the patriots because after he got Pittsburgh area -- to get out Washington for Baltimore and get Denver home which will be an interesting game right for patriots fans. Go to New York giant who and the giants just do what the giants do right I mean. Did they start off great they struggle they look like they're done and people start talking about you know -- wage jobs are talking about Eli Manning being polluted. And next you know they give you performance that it did it turnaround the second half. So they get them and finish up -- Cincinnati. Who will be team that's all that's going to be in the picture as well I believe break down the stretch. They got five pretty difficult games there he's just one may be this week if prospered doesn't play. Houston's schedule is not as difficult as that so I do expect Baltimore comeback. And it's gonna be Denver it's gonna be New England so at Houston I'm giving you I Houston gets the colts twice when it is going to be a. A common theme of your patriots fans turned to look at these scheduled to get the seeding is now becoming. Very tight they're gonna play the colts twice it's a weird scheduling -- right you're talking about I divisional team. Playing -- divisional rival twice in the final three weeks colts vikings colts that's the final three weeks for Houston. At that point by the colts still in a playoff once they're probably still gonna play pretty hard Houston to show last couple weeks. That defensively. I don't know what to make of them I understand that we had them is the best team the AFC we'd be sort of by default zealots -- senator -- Yeltsin the patriots into the mix in Denver. But when he got the points they gave up and back to back games to Jacksonville and Detroit you would make the argument I guess that very mentally tough team gives you feel better about them. On the case that defensively. If Johnathan Joseph not gonna play at one corner and you have Brooks reed pull up -- -- groin injury and they have any sort of other issues. And they start to loosen guys. I think the same team they weren't -- the past what eleven and twelve that they were back two weeks to win three. When they went to Denver beating good Denver team where they yelled -- they've been dead like that the schedule they had after that weeks four and five. They don't look at the same team defensively at all mentally tough. But the -- looks scary as a defense like a juggernaut -- up when you watch them third. Well actually not in any time slot against Jacksonville to open again and again I guess any now is like an absolute stud they have unbelievable talent at wide receiver -- Jacksonville saw it just the way the NFL list. -- in last Vegas Jackson -- -- -- just a fluke thing to pull out a win it's mentally tough team really go to Detroit to do the same thing. And Matthew Stafford is still put up some points but you're right about the injuries -- they just keep racking up. If you go up there perform list they gonna come -- England to be -- the juggernaut offense here a couple of weeks was she with the pats do with that. But I still believe in this defense and I think what they're doing is they're showing another side I think a lot people didn't think existed with the Houston Texans. Is match up to -- a football Andre Johnson has spent an absolute beast. The last couple of weeks where you just look at and say well it's a lot of -- Foster it's an occasional very talented Andre Johnson. Shot kind of doing his thing but it's a defense that carries of this showing another side of that now. Now listen analysts and go up 35 points the next to a three or four weeks thanks to a question that defense is no question about it I just think that they are solid. Well rounded football team and I think they showed mental toughness. The last couple of games between the two games in four days over time people both out. I'll give him credit for that -- -- look drop the other the other teams the -- the weren't we talking about Denver yesterday. Romeo current -- down in the fourth quarter of four minutes to go -- 46 and a punt that thing away no aggressive. -- play calling whatsoever by Cornell at one point yesterday this gets lost in the shuffle but thank god for red zone. They have Jamaal Charles to the Kansas City Chiefs. They ran eight Peyton Hillis throwback to Brady Quinn. At the three yard line yesterday. That's the Kansas City Chiefs right now and they played with the Denver Broncos for large portion that game. I feel better about the patriots and they are at their lot in the may have seen not because of what they did to be dysfunctional jets on Thanksgiving night. But because the rest the contenders this week Houston a second street Denver we just talked about. Baltimore getting a gift win in San Diego Pittsburg who some people want to say. I'll give the patriots an issue -- -- -- stinks Charlie Batch stinks about this -- hurt in the upper running backs in -- -- many of think that will make it to mean brainy kid over Dwyer and Mendenhall and Rexall Place in this unique hits at consecutively people up Pittsburgh with challenger. With Ben Roethlisberger quarterback with him -- not with me new quarterback OK -- -- would that makes all the difference in the world. That's like Tom Brady going down tomorrow executive they've actually thought this pitcher's team was pretty good. If you can't lose Ben Roethlisberger. You're not that team -- is they can't do so with help better this threat actually not with abandon might make the playoffs Cincinnati -- you'll probably overtake them. That's a team now when you look at the rest this AFC we doubled the colts and now they'll play that the Texans twice -- down the stretch but. Cincinnati Bengals -- the son Andy Dalton playing competent quarterback AJ green. Who was on that list right maybe after Manning and Brady but potentially an MVP candidate -- eleven straight games are with they touchdown. But one of those days one of those weeks week twelve we'll look back at this week at the patriots don't end up getting a -- And don't get the set that first week -- hosting divisional game by a winnable game right culture and angles coming in. But what could have been this week Houston getting a gift touchdown. Norv Turner coached in the San Diego Chargers to a loss where Baltimore should've lost that game in Denver. Played a tight game with the Kansas City Chiefs because some coaching moves down the stretch what could have been right things go a certain way. Were taught the patriots not just free to a seat today on a patriots Monday. But potentially the one -- being wide open again -- the top of this conference it's NFL though another really matters is wins I mean that's the bottom line. Deborah didn't look great -- what in the great Houston isn't a great. But they all won the football game management times the papers don't look great when the football game. And we sit the only complaint about how they looked against buffalo buffalo even though they won the football games so it doesn't. It's all about w.s. I'm not ready to sit there like Peter -- still has a number wanna put in their last last week. To out how can you put them they're number one last week when you know you have you lost Rob Gronkowski and you know you'd it looked sharp against buffalo and if you beat Indianapolis great young quarterback. I'm not rate -- say that they got the best team I still think there's a group and I still think that group is New England Denver in Houston. Regardless of what you saw over the weekend regardless of how. Denver didn't look good he says look good distilling group of teams that have a chance that's it. If you still got games to be played such as it -- mysterious game AFC list -- Thank you go up there don't 49ers there -- dietary things top of that the NFL chart you have the 49ers out and I want to argue that beat somebody AFC. I think the 49ers the best team in football right now and have a quarterback who is dynamic and I think will talk a lot today. About this you -- demo -- about week twelve I did it won't get it to apple for the game or after the talked last week before the game elected before and after the Baltic Harbaugh. -- will get your take on that answer to work out here Friday I do wanna get some quick thoughts on the patriots because I found it very tough to. Take a lot from that game on Thursday night because the jets were such a force such a -- has such an abomination for Thursday night prime time game save your season game they laid a big one on Thursday night.