Here’s my problem: I was never supposed to write this article. The article that I was supposed to write would have lambasted Bill Belicheck and the Patriots for dealing away Drew Bledsoe within their own division. Unfortunately, my column went to heck at about 3:00p.m. Sunday afternoon, just about the time that Smith slammed the ball into the endzone for the second time, giving the Pats an insurmountable 24 point lead over the Buffalo Bills.

Now here’s my other problem: I’m a Buffalo fan. In fact, that doesn’t quite adequately explain the situation. I’m a Bills fan, but, since I have lived in the New England area for nearly eight years now, I also have a place in my heart for the Patriots. I’m proud to say that last year, while my Bills were mired in the hell that is Rob Johnson, I jumped on the New England bandwagon, along with many others in the UVM community, and rode it all the way to the Super Bowl. However, all along the bumpy ride, I always maintained that the Pats would be better with Drew Bledsoe as their quarterback.

I found that most of my friends here in Burlington disagreed. They jumped on the Brady bus, laughing all the way. Despite my allocations that Bledsoe’s arm strength far outweighed Tom Brady’s superior mobility, Bill Belicheck, New England, and my Patriot loving friends here at UVM all sided with Brady. Apparently, Belicheck’s decision apparently worked out… in a world championship. Good for them. Dubbed a “genius” by the press, Belicheck went on to trade Drew within the division.

However, that decision appeared to be a poor one going in to Sunday’s heralded AFC East match-up. While the Patriots have struggled under Brady, the Bills have soared under Bledsoe. Before this week’s marquis game, many a Pats fan here at UVM could be heard grumbling about how New England “never should have traded Drew.”

My, how a 24 point win will clear things up. For those of you here in Burlington losing sleep over your slumping Patriots, relax. Sunday’s game demonstrated that Tom Brady is the right man for New England. Besides getting Tara Reid, he managed to record a 158 quarterback rating on Sunday, the highest ever by a Patriots quarterback. Your team is back on track. With Miami floundering, the road back to the Super Bowl is wide open.

What does this mean for me? One more missed opportunity. While it doesn’t sting quite as badly as the cancellation of Vermont’s hockey season back in my freshman year, or as much as the music city miracle, watching all the Patriot fans celebrating in Ake’s Place, Ri-Ra’s, and R.J.’s hurt. But I’ll be okay. I’m sticking with my man Drew, as well as my team: the insufferable Buffalo Bills.