Tuesday Midafternoon Interior Lineman- September 17, 2009

Setting: gate C4, Laguardia, waiting to board an 8:15 am to Boston. Someone just skipped through the terminal playing a fiddle. New York’s a strange place. Not so strange were the outcomes from the week 1 games in the NFL. The surprises weren’t who won, but instead how close some of the winners came to losing. The Patriots needed a Leodis McKelvin gift for a chance to beat the Bills at home. A slow start for Tom Brady was expected, but the Patriots defensive struggles must smell like a pie cooling on a window ledge to the AFC contenders. Trent Edwards—that’s right, I said Trent Edwards—was able to move the ball effectively against a gassed New England defense, despite an obvious fear of throwing deep. I know the no huddle kept the Patriots off balance, but I’d be equally worried about that defense wearing down against a strong offensive line and powerful running game, like the one they will face this week versus the Jets. Before the season started...