Pats Squished By Fish

A couple of media items before we launch into the ugliness that is the Patriots stories this morning…

David Scott has a number of media items this morning, including:

• Bob Costas at Farm Aid
• Ron Borges still a frontrunner to join the Herald
• Cold Hard Football Facts signing a content agreement with Boston.com
• WEEI’s Marconi Award 

In looking through the stories posted at WEEI.com this weekend, it appears that Joe Haggerty has been hired as the new Bruins/Hockey writer for the site. A Celtics/NBA writer is also expected to be hired and announced soon as well.

Scott Benson has the gory details of the Patriots 38-13 home loss to the lowly Miami Dolphins, ending their 21 game regular season winning streak.

Christopher L. Gasper has both the defense and Matt Cassel struggling mightily in the loss. Karen Guregian has the Dolphins running wild with trick plays. Shalise Manza Young has the Patriots with no answers for Miami’s trickery on offense. Douglas Flynn has the Patriots in need of some serious remedial education after yesterday’s loss. Mark Farinella says that it hurts to have to say Joey Porter was right. David Brown says that you can’t sugarcoat this listless clunker. Eric McHugh has Cassel and the offense showing absolutely nothing yesterday. Rich Garven recaps the Dolphins’ stunningly easy win over the Patriots.

Dan Shaughnessy says we can only try to move forward in a world that no longer makes any sense. Ron Borges is at his best, sneering self this morning, reminding us that coaching “genius” comes and goes, sort of like quarterbacks. Gee, I just can’t wait to be able to read this exact same garbage in the Herald each week too. OK, maybe if you throw out the unnecessary opening line, the article isn’t horrible, but the opening line is clearly meant as a shot, which is easy to do after an embarrassing loss, and what the disgraced-but-apparently-rehabbing-Borges is here to do. Steve Buckley has the Dolphin’s tricky game plan too much for the Patriots. Jim Donaldson says that the Patriots better hope that what happened yesterday was an aberration. Bill Burt says that there will be plenty of humble pie served up in the next two weeks.

Mike Reiss has a look at the alternative offensive packages employed by the Dolphins which the Patriots had no answer for. Christopher Price pumps out the 10 Things We Learned Yesterday. Ian Clark has Miami’s “College Plays” confusing the Patriots defense. John Tomase says that the Patriots defense should be embarassed for being caught unaware more than once yesterday. Donaldson has Richard Seymour saying that the defense played like “chickens with our heads cut off” yesterday. Chris Kennedy has the Patriots having no answers for the Ronnie Brown show. Farinella observes that the Patriots defense suddenly looks old out there. James Schneider says that the trick formations were no treat for the defense. Tim Weisberg notes that when you have Ronnie Brown as an option…why not run the option, which the Dolphins did, with tremendous success.

Chris Forsberg has Seymour hoping to learn from this game, and then just bury it. Buckley has Matt Cassel struggling for answers. Dan Ventura says that the outcome was shocking to all. Jennifer Toland has the Patriots ending their winning streak in lifeless fashion. Tomase notes that the Patriots still haven’t been able to get Randy Moss going.  Farinella reaches to try and find a difference of opinion between Cassel and Moss. Young has Cassel trying to be philosophical after the loss. Young notes that Ellis Hobbs was one Patriot that showed up yesterday. Farinella says that this was not how one of the more memorable weeks in Patriots history should’ve ended. Glen Farley notes that the Patriots’ bruised bodies and egos both need the rest that the bye week with provide.

Michael Vega has Joey Porter backing up his talk from earlier in the week. Dan Duggan has Porter feeling more disrespected with the Patriots antics in the pregame. Lee also touches on the pregame slight from the Patriots. Glen Farley has more on Porter walking the walk yesterday.  Duggan also looks at the monster afternoon for Miami’s Ronnie Brown, who was lined up behind center in the shotgun and scored four rushing touchdowns and threw for another. Robert Lee has the Patriots having no answer for Brown yesterday. Lee also has Porter playing a good game after talking one all week. Lee notes that the Dolphins dedicated the win to first year coach Tony Sparano. (Wow, even my spellchecker wants to change that name to “Saprano.”)

Gasper’s notebook gets into reading Randy Moss’ body language on the sidelines. Guregian’s notebook has the Patriots fuming after a low hit from Ricky Williams at Mike Vrabel’s knees after a TD had already been scored. Flynn’s notebook has the Patriots with no answers for the spread offense of the Dolphins. Schneider’s notebook has Joey Porter proving to be prophet. Weisberg’s notebook has Ellis Hobbs saying that he would gladly exchange the return record he set yesterday for a win. McHugh’s notebook has more on the bittersweet day for Ellis Hobbs.

Red Sox

With the Patriots off for two weeks, New England fans can turn their sole focus to the Red Sox, who clinched at least a tie for the wild card spot yesterday with the 3-0 shutout win over the Blue Jays.

Daisuke Matsuzaka improved to an amazing 18-2 with the win. The Red Sox can clinch their playoff berth with a win tonight over the Cleveland Indians. The Sox send Josh Beckett to the mound.

Get all the Red Sox stories and coverage from today over at RedSoxLinks.com.