Take away draft picks. Suspend their star quarterback. Nothing seems to faze the New England Patriots, who just keep on winning no matter what obstacles are thrown their way.OK, its time to get serious.Lets come up with something, anything to bring these guys down.All suggestions accepted.Clearly, these are desperate times for the rest of the NFL. The Patriots are off to a 3-0 start even though Tom Brady is stuck at home with his perfect family, serving out a four-game suspension for an unhealthy obsession with football air pressure and hastily downgrading his cellphone before the contract was up.New England didnt even have its backup quarterback for Thursday nights game against the formerly unbeaten Houston Texans. Jimmy Garoppolo was sidelined with a shoulder injury, so Bill Belichick -- surely thumbing his nose at the rest of the league -- sent out somebody named Jacoby Brissett to run the offense.While the rest of us were surfing the web, trying to make sure this supposed third-stringer wasnt just Brady in disguise, Belichick installed something resembling the wishbone with only three days to prepare. Brissett, naturally, guided the Patriots to a 27-0 shellacking of a team with one of the NFLs top-ranked defenses.Look, we just try to go out there every week and win, Belichick said during a conference call Friday, his voice droning somewhere between contempt and superiority. Try to go out there and put the best game plan together with the players we have against the opponent were playing against and win.Not long after Belichick hung up the phone came a report that Brissett injured the thumb on his throwing hand and may need surgery. If so, we can only assume that Steve Grogan will be suiting up for the Patriots next game. Heck, hes only 63 and cant be much worse than Matt Cassel, who somehow led the Patriots to an 11-5 mark the year Brady went out with a knee injury.Since Brady will be back in one more game anyway, time is running short.Heres a few ideas to get the conversation started:SPIES, LIES & VIDEOTAPEIn the first of his Gate scandals, Belichick was caught videotaping an opponents defensive signals in violation of NFL rules back in 2007. Spygate led to a half-million-dollar fine against the coach and the Patriots being stripped of their first-round pick. Turns out, that was about as effective as Brangelinas marriage counseling.Maybe we should allow opposing teams to sit in on Belichicks film sessions, so they at least have a sneak preview while hes formulating his latest Coppola-like game plan.LETTING THE AIR OUTDeflategate revealed that Brady is very particular about how much air is in the footballs he throws, and his actions before an AFC playoff game after the 2014 regular season showed that hes not above skirting the rules to get a better grip.Wonder how hed do with a ball that is inflated to 0.0 pounds per square inch? He should give that a try when he returns from his suspension, no doubt with the Patriots sitting at 4-0.OLD SCHOOLThe Patriots roster could be capped at 11 players, forcing everyone to play both offense and defense, just like the good ol days. Better yet, in footballs formative years, touchdowns counted for only five points instead of six. Sounds like a good way to even things up. Oh, wait, the Patriots still wouldve won their last two games and gone to overtime in the season opener at Arizona. Next.MISTAKE BY THE LAKEBelichick wasnt always the evil genius of the NFL. Remember when he coached the perpetually hapless Cleveland Browns? Remember when he got fired? For five seasons in the early 1990s, Belichick and his hoodie compiled a record of 36-44 with only a single trip to the playoffs. It didnt even help to have soul mate Nick Saban as his defensive coordinator. The Browns wound up moving to Baltimore and changing their name to the Ravens, while then-owner Art Modell gloriously decreed that to get to the next level, a change at head coach is necessary.Maybe its time to banish Belichick back to Cleveland. It worked before.GOING TO THE MAILBAGActually, since we dont have time for everyone to mail in their letters, lets hit up social media for a few suggestions.Defensive linemen must count one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi before rushing. Belichick has to coach in a suit, tie and houndstooth hat, instead of the latest fashions from the Hobo Collection. The training table gets catered by Dunkin Donuts or, better yet, Krispy Kreme.Field goals can only be attempted after a pile of snow is dumped on the spot, in honor of another Belichick classic (why wasnt that called Plowgate?). No Patriots player is allowed to use his hands, like that sport known as football to the rest of the world.Or maybe we could ... ahh, who are we kidding?It doesnt matter what you do to the Patriots.Belichick & Co. will find a way to keep on winning.Sigh.(Corrects season for Deflategate game)---Paul Newberry is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Terry McLaurin Womens Jersey . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Montez Sweat Youth Jersey . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. http://www.redskinsrookiestore.com/Redskins-Derrius-Guice-Jersey/ . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota. Earnest Byner Womens Jersey . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Doug Williams Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Jimmy Garoppolo made his preseason debut, spreading the ball around for 168 yards, and Jamie Collins added a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown as the New England Patriots beat the New Orleans Saints 34-22 on Thursday night.Garoppolo played the entire first half as he preps to start the first four games of the regular season in place of Tom Brady, who will be serving a suspension for his involvement in the Deflategate case. Brady was not in the building Thursday, excused by the team to attend memorial services for a family member.Saints running back Mark Ingram had an early fumble, but also had two 1-yard touchdown runs in an extended night that saw him play most of the first half. Second-year quarterback Garrett Grayson threw an early interception, but completed a few long passes to finish 10 for 16 for 133 yards.Defensive end Kasim Edebali had two first-quarter sacks.After a slow start, Garoppolo completed several long passes and finished 11 of 18. He converted a fourth-down run.Trey Flowers added a 17-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, scooping up the loose ball created by his sack of Luke McCown.INJURY UPDATEPatriots: It wasnt all good news for New Englands offense. It likely lost rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell for the foreseeable future after he sustained a left elbow injury late in the second quarter.Mitchell, a fourth-round draft pick out of Georgia, caught a pass near the sideline. But as he was dragged down from behind by Saints cornerback DeVante Harris, Mitchells arm bent awkwardly as he landed on the ground. He held his elbow as he was helped to the locker room by trainers.ROOKIE WATCHSaints: WR Michael Thomas was targeted five times in the first half. He caught four for 67 yards, including a long of 28.Patriots: CB Cyrus Jones, New Englands top pick of the second round, had a fumble recovery and started in the base defensee while handling the early punt return duties.dddddddddddd Undrafted free agent CB Crevon LeBlanc might have had the defensive play of the night, intercepting McCowns pass in the end zone with one hand. LG Joe Thuney also was in the starting lineup.SHORT TIMERGaroppolos extended night was in contrast to a very short one for Saints quarterback Drew Brees. He played in only the opening series of the game before taking a seat. He made the most of it, completing a 37-yard pass to Brandin Cooks on the first offensive play of the night.FAVORITE TARGETMartellus Bennett, who New England acquired from the Bears in an offseason trade, was Garoppolos favorite target early on. He was targeted four times and had three receptions for 33 yards.MISSING IN ACTIONPatriots: Including Brady, a total of 20 players did not play for New England. The list included TE Rob Gronkowski, WRs Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan, CB Logan Ryan and RB Dion Lewis. Also out was Rob Ninkovich, who has been absent since leaving practice Tuesday with an arm injury.Saints: Eight players did not see action, including WR Jake Lampman and CBs Keenan Lewis and Damian Swann.QUOTABLESaints: I think that was important. I really came out and the first play, I said, `Hey, got to set the tone. Start the game off right, Edebali said. I thought (the defense) was able to do that, and we just have to continue to be better.Patriots: The scramble play, it didnt make the sideline very happy. But it was fourth down, so the football player inside of me kicked in, I guess, Garoppolo said of his 4-yard run in in the second quarter to pick up a first down.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '
