Off The Bandwagon Again

Shank's first column of 2012 is the usual offering of optimism regarding the playoff hopes of the New England Patriots:FOXBOROUGH - Maybe it’s because I’m Irish-Catholic and we always expect something bad to happen when things are going great.Maybe it’s because my folks lived through the Great Depression and taught us never to turn down work or free food - the bounty might not be there tomorrow.Or maybe I just saw too many Red Sox games in the 1970s, 1980s, and 2011.Anyway, I’m sure I’ll come to regret this, and I hope I am wrong (happens a lot), but count me as a guy with zero faith in the immediate future of the 2011-12 Patriots. These guys aren’t going anywhere near Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. Something bad is going to happen at Gillette Stadium before this month is over.Given Shank's ability (or lack thereof) to accurately predict this sort of thing, I'm not terribly worried. The rest of the column is readable. See you next week, Shank!