Touchdown Patriots!

Patriots Give Chargers A 39 to 14 Zapping

2007-09-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

The Chargers came into this game thinking about revenge - but left with their heads spinning wondering what had just happened to them. The Patriots, who's past accomplishments - their three Super Bowl victory's, players (is Tom Brady really a good quarterback or is it just that he knows the defensive calls, ect) and organization - had come under tremendous criticism from NFL pundits, players, fans and coaches for the previous weeks spying incident. Bill Belichick was fined the greatest amount in the NFL's history, and the Patriots had a first round pick and 250 grand taken away from them as a result of their actions. They moved on, apparently the Chargers didn't. According to NBC's sideline reporter before the game, the Chargers took ridiculous steps to ensure that the Patriots weren't spying on them including not telling the players the game plan until the Sunday and even then - not giving them, as it is usually done, the game plan on paper - to keep the Patriots secret police from getting hold of it.

That's called paranoia. That's living in the past. And that's not how the Chargers won fourteen games last year. They just set themselves up to lose. Plus, they couldn't zip their lips all week. LaDainian Tomlinson's "if they aren't cheating, they ain't trying" and "if we played them ten times we could beat them nine times" comments were the equivalent to shotting a sleeping wounded lion with a BB gun.

What effect did SpyGate have on the game for the Patriots. Well, (without the camera) the Patriots scored 31 offensive points and seven points on a 65 yard interception return by Adalius Thomas. From the moment the Patriots offensive took the field, the only players on the field that could stop them were themselves. And just like last week - they did shortcharge at least two of their own drives that could have ended up in points but resulted in 0's. It's not like the Chargers defense isn't good either. In their week one victory over the Bears they allowed only three points. The Patriots offense totaled 407 total offensive yards and 25 first downs in the game.

On the defensive side, the Patriots were amazing. Even without the camera. The unstoppable LaDainian Tomlinson became quite stoppable and only gained a total of 56 yards receiving and rushing. Philip Rivers, a Pro Bowler last year, looked confused and flustered from the beginning of the game until the end (two interceptions, only 179 pass yards). Overall, the Patriots defense intercepted two passes, made three sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered one. Dan Pees, the Patriots defensive coordinator should sent his defensive game plan to the Hall of Fame. It was that good.

Tom Brady to Randy Moss - Touchdown. Get used to it. After a great season opener, the Patriots had a another great game with Brady wizzing passes to Moss, Wes Welker and Ben Watson and the tandem of Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris running over and around defenders.

Interesting note, the Patriots have not trailed in game so far this season. Patriots win 39 to 14. Next week it's the Bills.

The Good
*Brady to Moss - two touchdowns, eight receptions for 105 yards.

*The running backs - 128 yards and a touchdown. Maroney has a great burst to the outside and Morris can just plain run over defenders.

*Defense - allowed only 201 total yards to the 2006 NFL's best offensive and MVP.

*Rosevelt Colvin - five tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. Defensive player of the week.

The Down
*Stephen Gostkowski - Missed another field goal (a lot of kickers are having bad starts to the season so far)... good thing both games have been blowouts.

CameraGate

2007-09-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

The verdict is in, a $500,000 fine for Bill Belichick, $250, 000 fine for the Patriots organization and the loss of the teams 2008 first rounder if the Patriots make the playoffs or their second and third round picks if they do not make the playoffs.

All I can say is it could have been worse. Losing a first round pick is not good but it shouldn't have significant, negative longterm impact on the Patriots. Hopeful Belichick will stop playing spy games and just let the Pats dominate by the rules.

"The gray sweater made me do it guys!"

Jets Get Mossed: Patriots Win Opener 38 to 14

2007-09-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

Usually the season opener doesn't reflect what a team is going to play like for the rest of the season but Patriots fans should hope this game does. The Patriots offensive gained 431 yards by land and air well only defensively giving up 227 yards. There were questions before the game whether or not Randy Moss or Asante Samuel would be either healthy or prepared enough to play but both were and played key roles in the win. Moss was totally dominate the whole game. Not Jets defender could cover him - and in the instence of his 51 yard TD - three Jets defensebacks were unable to keep up with him. Moss totaled nine receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown and I believe that he caught every pass thrown to him by Brady. The thing about Moss is that he'll catch passes that normal receivers (aka-every other receiver that Brady has thrown to...) will never make. If only Brady had him his whole career... The running game was also very effective with a two headed attack of Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris together totaled rushing 126 yards on 31 attempts. Heath Evans had the Pats only rushing TD in garbage time - with Junior Seau as his lead fullback.

On defense, the Patriots shut down the Jets running game but struggled at times to stop the passing attack. Jarvis Green filled in for Richard Seamour effortlessly and was probably the Patriots defensive player of the game with six total tackles and two sacks. Overall the Pats defense had five sacks, one forced fumble and made generally made Chad Pennington very miserable.

Special teams was special. Ellis Hobbs on the first play of the second quarter ran back a kickoff a NFL record 108 yards for a touchdown. At first his decision to make the return He was almost tackled at the ten yard line but he broke through the attempted tackle and it was just pretty much clear sailing the for the next 80 yards.

The Good
*Offensive line - Brady was not sacked the entire game and only got knocked over once. They also did a great job of opening up holes on rushing plays.

*Tom Brady - 22 for 28 for 297 yards and a touchdown. His 51 yarder to Moss was one of his best passes in his career.

*Randy Moss - talk about having a great debut. So much for that rumor that he was going to be cut at the end of training camp...

*Jarvis Green - two sacks, six total tackles, Patriots defensive player of the week.

*Mike Vrabel - 2.5 sacks, seven tackles; with Thomas playing inside, Vrabel is back in his nature role as an outside linebacker.

*Wes Welker - six receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown reception was the Patriots first of the game.
The Not So Good
*Matt Cassel - fumbled a snap that most likely cost the Pats three points and Cassel his holding job. Good thing they ended up not needing the points.

*Teddy Bruschi - can't cover running backs anymore and it showed. Is still a great run stopper but has lost a lot of his 2001-2005 speed.

The Patriots have two possible NFL players of the week with Ellis Hobbs (special teams player of the week) and Randy Moss (offensive player of the week).

Next week it's the Chargers on Sunday night football.

NFL Opener

2007-09-06T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well.... the NFL season has begun and the Colts are looking like their picking up where they left off last year. Payton Manning is throwing way to easy touchdowns and the Indy defense is still playing the old bend but don't break defense extremely well; so far only giving up three points. Not good - if you're a Pats fan. We get to play them this year in their house and for the last two years the Patriots have been losers in all three matchups.

update - just as I was about to post this, one of the Colts linebackers intercepted a Drew Brees pass and ran it back 83 yards for a touchdown. Now it's 41 to 10 - officially a major blowout. The Saints may have come marching in but my guess is that they'll be crawling out.

Patriots Beat Up Giants in 27 to 20 Victory

2007-08-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

Also titled; Oh Come, All Ye Backups!...Just to do a quick recap of last nights forth and last preseason game of the 2007 season. The Patriots, playing with all backups, won the game by a 27 to 20 score. It's hard to take anything from this game because it was our backups vs the Giants backups, but some players did show that they should be on the team and some should that they really shouldn't (more on that further down). Overall the Patriots backup defensive and offensive units preformed well. The Pats defense had an interception and harassed whoever was quarterbacking the Giants, totaling eight sacks and forcing two fumbles. On the offensive side, Matt Cassel passed for 99 yards (10 -14) and generally looked posed. Vinny Testaverde and Matt Gutierriz also played well with a combined 147 yards (one TD/G, one INT/V) passing on 20 attempts. Heath Evans had another rushing touchdown, his third of the preseason and forth total. The best running play actually came from wide receiver Bam Childress, lineing up as the tailback in the forth quarter, slashed up a hole in the defense for a 25 yard gain. He has quick feet and good hands so if he does make the team as I hope he does, expect to see him in the backfield.

Players Who Impressed
*Marcellus Rivers - since joining the team in the middle of training camp, Rivers has done nothing but play very well. He totaled 5 receptions for 47 yards last night and almost made an amazing one handed catch. Now a all but lock to make the team.

*Vinny Testaverde - even though he threw the only Patriots interception, his throws were crisp and he can manage an offensive if Brady goes down.

*Eric Alexander - 13 total tackles, two forced fumbles, 1/5 a sack; makes the team.

*Pierre Woods - after a low profile first three preseason games Woods finally broke out and had the type of game fans were hoping for. Nine total tackles and two sacks ain't bad. He's also pretty good in pass coverage and is a special teams monster.

*Le Kevin Smith - huge game for Smith. As one of the more present surprise starters this year (he has started on the Pats defensive line in every preseason game this year), Smith made 14 total tackles and four sacks this preseason. Three of those sacks came last night when he was just unstoppable.

*Bam Childress - four receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown and three rushes for 27 yards including a 25 yard dash in the forth quarter.

*Brandon Meriweather - ten total tackles, more then a couple huge hits, only negative was that he may have got hurt in garbage time (47 sec left in the game) when the Giants scored their last touchdown. He did talk to the media after the game though which is a good sign.

*C.J. Jones & Kelvin Kight - both have special teams experience but also showed last night that they can play receiver as well. C.J., three recptions for 59 yards, and four kickoff returns for 119 yards, and Kight, five receptions for 61 yards, are going to be hard cuts.

*Dante Wesley - had a good game last night in coverage (one int, five total tackles) and showed enough to make me believe that he could be a decent backup defensive back.

Players Who Didn't Impress So Much
*Corey Mays - he was here last year so he knows the system but he didn't do enough in my view to beat out the other guys around him this preseason.

*Tory James - in the last three preseason games James has a a total of three tackles and has gotten beaten too many times while in coverage. Tough cut but I don't think he's worth keeping over some other players such as Dante Wesley or Bam Childress.

*Quinton Smith - needed to have a breakout game to even make the pratice squad and just didn't. 46 yards and a rushing touchdown are decent but he doesn't seem do have much of a burst, a killer for a guy who isn't a powerback in a way.

Patriots Maul Panthers 24 to 7

2007-08-25T00:21:00.000-07:00

It wasn't a close game. The Patriots, playing on national TV for the first time this season, showed the CBS watching audience why NFL pundits believe that the 07 Pats have the right mix to win a Super Bowl. Defense, offensive and special teams, the Patriots have it all. Even the backups, players such as Le Kevin Smith, Tory James, Jarvis Green and James Sanders, as they showed tonight, have the capability's to start, and play well. This team is loaded from the bottom to the top, expected great things - because their going to be unlike any other team in New England sports history.*

The Patriots opened up the game by running Laurence Maroney nine straight plays. Maroney had missed both of the previous preseason games so you can assume that this was quite a workout for him (he totaled in the game 58 yards on 15 rushes). The Patriots took a three to nothing lead into the second quarter but then burst out in the second and third quarters to score 21 points. Tom Brady had his best game so far this year throwing for 167 yards (17 for 22) and two touchdowns. His longest completion, a 37 yard pass to Donte' Stallworth, was probobly ironically his worst pass of the game. Overall, Brady and the Patriots offense is ready for week one. Randy Moss hopefully will be ready as well (I'm 90% sure he will be) but we do known that barring the unthinkable Stallworth, Welker, Gaffney, Cardwell and Washington will be.

What a game for Heath Evans and Sammy Morris. The two backup running backs combined for a total of 85 yards and one touchdown on 14 rushing attempts and four receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. Evens had a perpendicularly great run in the third quarter when he broke several tackles at the line of scrimmage and scampered for 43 yards. Both of Morris's best plays came on the Patriots second drive of the game, firstly when the Pats had 4th down and 1 situation at their own 25 yard line and opted to go for it. Morris ran it, and he got it. His second great play came a couple plays later when on a third down and long play he caught a pass yards short of the first down and with a guy hanging on to him, threw himself an extra three or four yards to get the first down. All around A + job from this unit.

Defensively, the Patriots were impossible to run against - but they did let up some big passes on third down and long situations. Overall though, it's preseason, but letting up only seven points isn't that shabby. Oscar Lua, who's spot on the team I believe is in danger because of his so far horrific job of doing pass coverage finally caught a break and had the Patriots only interception of the game off David Carr in the forth quarter.

On special teams it was a bad game for both teams in the kicking department as the Patriots blocked two Panthers kicks and the Patriots missed two field goals. The turf or whatever they used at the Panthers stadium appeared to be ripping up way to easily so that could have had something to do with the misses. On the Panthers side, you just have to block the guys coming at the kicker.

The Good
*Heath Evans - two touchdowns and 77 total yards.

*Tom Brady - on target like the good old days with Givens and Branch.

*The wide receivers - Stallworth, Welker, Cardwell and Washington all caught at least two passes and had over twenty yards. Tight ends, Benjamin Watson (4 receptions 26 yards) and Watson lookalike, Marcellus Rivers (2 rec, 27 yards and touchdown) also had great games.

*Defense - when the starters are in - this defense is really good. And thats without Pro Bowlers Richard Seamour or Ty Warren who haven't yet played this preseason.

*Willie Andrews - quickly becoming one of the best special teams players in the AFC and second best on the Patriots behind future Hall of Famer Larry Izzo. But he also is showing that he can do a good job at the defensive back position as well.

The Not So Good
*Stephen Gostkowski - two missed field goals is not a good sign on what has been a shaky preseason for the second year kicker. Just be glad that it's preseason.

Play of the Game
In the third quarter with Matt Cassel quarterbacking the Patriots, Heath Evans takes a handoff and breaks several tackles for a 43 yard run down inside the Panther eleven yard line. Four plays later, Evans would finish off the drive by plunging into the endzone for a touchdown.

Patriots win 24 to 7. Next week they face the New York Giants at home.
*assuming you know who doesn't get hurt...

Patriots Win War But Lose Battle vs Titans

2007-08-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Patriots played their second preseason game of the 2007 season last night vs the Tennessee Titans. They lost by a score of 27 to 24 - and yes - the game was that close. The Titans won the game on a field goal they scored with just 1:45 left in the forth quarter. Looking at the overall picture of the game, the Patriots may have lost but they still played really well. Both the Patriots and Titans had problems with protecting the quarterback which led to some interesting hits. Vince Young and Tom Brady and Matt Cassel all got whacked around like pinatias.... Need work there; but the Pats offensive line group is really a strong unit. Hopefully last nights problems were just an abnormally. The interception numbers may look bad for the Pats (four ints, one returned for a touchdown) but both of Brady's interceptions came as a results of the offensive line and both of Cassel's interceptions were because guys tipped up passes, or as Cardwell did, just dropped the ball into a defenders lap.

The first team defensive played spectacular. They totally shut down the Titans offensive for a full two quarters that they were in allowing zero points. That's good. The backups, making up the Pats second and third team defensive were not so good however and thats why the Titans won. With the exception of a few players, poor game speed, positioning, and tackling are big problems with this unit.

Danny Baugher helped to make the game a good one for the special teams unit. After Josh Miller was cut this week, Baugher was basically handed the job and he didn't do anything last night to make that look like a bad decision. He ended up punting three times in the game and had a monster 70 yarder and also pinned one inside the 20 yard line. The kick returners, C.J. Jones and Bam Childress both did excellent job punting the Pats in good field position.

Overall, once some guys get cut from the roster, this will be a better team. The first team vs first team battle is what really matters and the Patriots won that by a landslide. The Titans just had better backups.

The Good
*Jarvis Green - was a total monster. The official game center stats say he only made two total tackles but he was in on every play.

*Danny Baugher - the Patriots have a new punter!

*Keven Faulk -104 total yards in just the first half. Still has great vision for what is going on around him when he's running the screen plays.

*Rodney Harrison - three tackles, one huge sack and a almost interception.

*The starting defense - let up no points in the first half.

The Not So Good
*Reche Caldwell - dropped key passes once again and had a costly pushoff foul in the endzone.

*Oscar Lua - rookie linebacker is making a lot of tackles but he's not doing great in pass coverage.

*Quarterbacks -four interceptions, nuff said.

*Backup defense - allowed the Titans offensive to run over them.

Play of the Game
In the first quarter of the game with the Patriots trailing by seven, Tom Brady threw a 28 yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker after faking out the Titans defensive on a great pump fake. The touchdown tied the game at 7 -7.

Buc's Sink Pats 13 to 10

2007-08-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

The Patriots played their first preseason game of the season today and lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a game winning 32 yard field goal by Matt Bryant. Overall the Patriots looked pretty good. The starting offensive didn't have Moss, Stallworth, Watson or Maroney tonight so it's hard to judge how good they really were but they did move the football - they just really didn't score touchdowns. The starting defense had to be one of the brightest spots in this game. Adalius Thomas was a monster and Brandon Meriweather stuck to his guy in the slot. The Buc's offensive really couldn't do anything against these guys. On special teams it looks as if Bill Belichick may have decided that one of the kids, Thomas Malone or Danny Baugher is the Pats punter of the future. Or at least that he's going to give them the best chance to prove that they should be. Out of the six Patriots punts, Miller only booted one (43 yards). Nothing special happened in the return department other then a great 39 yard kick return by rookie defensive back Gemara Williams.

The Good
*The defensive backs - most people say that the weakest area of the team is the DB's. And although compared to the wide receivers and defensive line this unit may be lacking star power, they pretty much shut down the Buc's air attack in the first quarter.

*Justin Rogers - six total tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery. Not bad.

*Gemara Williams - showed a lot of speed on his one kick return. One more block and he could have brought it all the way to the house.

The Not So Good
*The QB's - it was the first preseason game of the year so it's hard to tell but none of the quarterbacks looked very sharp. Matt Gutierrez especially looked off. In his two quarters of playing time he only passed for 66 yards on 6 completions.

*The backup's, backup defensive linemen - The Buc's ran a lot in the third and forth quarter and for a good reason. Expected to see some early cuts in this unit.

Play of the Game
With the Buccaneers threating to score a touchdown in the first quarter defensive tackle Mike Wright sacked quarterback Luke McCown on a third down play. The Buc's were forced to kick a field goal to make the game 7 to 3.

PTC Trip Two

2007-08-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

We went to a Patriots Training Camp practice yesterday afternoon. The Pat's defensive total dominated the practice. In total they had five interceptions - and they returned two of those for touchdowns. Our defensive looks good. Our passing game - hopefully it was an off day. Moss wasn't at the practice but Donte Stallworth who had missed most of the previous practices was. He appeared to have a lot of speed but he did drop at least two catchable passes.

Of all the pictures I took, I think this one (above left) expresses best what Brady thought about the day (the last pass he threw was an interception to Mike Vrabel...)

I got autographs of Rodney Harrison (as did Peter and Aidan) and also Brandon Meriweather, Eugene Wilson and James Sanders. Harrison's auto was a especially good one to get since this is most likely his last season in the NFL. The Patriots first preseason game is this Friday vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

My pictures of PTC Trip 2

One side of the field...

...the other side

You have to click on the picture to actually see the snap

Brady to Bam Childress

The Patriots 2007 first round selection Brandon Meriweather

Rodney Harrison a split second before he slams into Garrett Mills

Mel Mitchell (24), Brandon Meriweather (31) and Willie Andrews (23) sitting in their thinking spots

Ellis Hobbs (27), Eugene Wilson (26) and Randall Gay (21)

Wes Welker attempts to avoid James Sanders in a tackling drill

Laurence Maroney

Running backs vs Linebackers

Patriots Training Camp: Opening Day

2007-07-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

Well, for the third stright year we attend the opening day of Patriots Training Camp. The Patriots looked good. The big signings, Moss, Thomas and Welker all looked like Pro Bowlers and the guys we already had, Gaffery, Brady, Watson, Maroney and pretty much everyone else looked good. So yeah, wherever they're having the Super Bowl - HERE WE COME!! (maybe...)

Opening day 2007Can you find Peter?

Brady clapping, don't ask me why. Maybe he likes the fact that he actually has some wide receivers now.

Let the hitting begin!

Moss beats his guy and makes the catch on the sideline

Jabbar Gaffney, looked really good. Should be the Pats 3d or 4th wideout

Punting drill, here they come...

...too late

Welker avoiding the sack in the bump and run drill

Sammy Morris, didn't see do anything special but he's really not here to do anything special

Matt Cassel

Brown Is Back

2007-07-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

After deciding not to retire and play one more season, Troy Brown is back with the Patriots.

The crowded Pats wide receiver situation is looking even more crowded. But that's a good thing!

The Patriots now have 13 wide outs currently signed with the team. At least seven (but not more then eight) will probably still be around after training camp but that's not taking injury's into factor.

Here's a list of the guys the Patriots have and my guesses on who's a lock to make the team and who's not.

100% Chance of Making the Team
*Troy Brown
*Wes Welker
*Donte' Stallworth
*Randy Moss

90% Chance
*Chad Jackson

70% Chance
*Jabar Gaffney
*Kelley Washington
*Reche Caldwell

25% Chance
*Kelvin Kight
*Bam Childress

10% Chance
*Jonathan Smith

Better be Praying
*Chris Dunlap
*C.J. Jones

As it looks now, either if the Patriots decide to load up on one roster spot it would seem wise for them to do it here. The depth of this unit over last years unit is amazing. Just think about it, last year Reche Caldwell was Tom Brady's go to guy. This year, Moss, Welker, Stallworth all could be number one wide receivers and Caldwell is going to be playing this preseason for a roster spot.

Culpepper's future

2007-06-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

According to this article, the New England Patriots are a possible landing spot for soon-to-be-former Miami Dolphin and Minnesota Viking quarterback Daunte Culpepper. The article said,

" Possible destinations for Culpepper according to NFL personnel men that speculated on the matter still include the Detroit Lions, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Rams."

I don't know how this trade would make sense, unless the Pats really want some quality backing for Tom Brady. but Matt Cassel is already aboard, so I don't see the need. But keep an eye on this possibility...

If I were to make an educated guess, Culpepper is heading for Jacksonville. It'd be a local move (which Culpepper wants) and Culpepper fits the Jaguars' bill exactly. Big, tough, strong. He would settle the Leftwich/Garrard battle once and for all, and he would also boost the Jaguars' chances of winning the division by 30%.

Testaverde in town

2007-05-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Vinny Testaverde is at the Patriots passing camp (being held four days this week) which appears like a good sign that he may be returning this year to be the Pats 3d QB. He has never won a Super Bowl before (like Junior Seau), and with the Patriots looking as good as they do now, finally getting to the big game may be a strong motivator driving him to return.

It's Official

2007-05-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Patriots have resigned Seau.

He's Here...

2007-05-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

Junior Seau is in town

Highlights

2007-05-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

Some of the media outlets have written pieces on Patriots rookies. Links below.

QB Matt Gutierrez, (Boston Herald)
DB Denny Poland
DT Kareem Brown (Boston Globe)
OL Clint Oldenburg (Patriots.com)
CB Mike Richardson (Patriots.com)
RB Justise Hairston (BH)
OL Corey Hilliard (BH)
OL Corey Hilliard (Patriots.com)
LB Oscar Lua (BH)

Patriots cut Warren & Other Rookie News

2007-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

The Patriots released former Texas A&M linebacker, rookie mini camp invite, Justin Warren today. In the Patriots mini camp he couldn't get off the exercise bike and apprently failed a physical for the Patriots. Out of all of the rookie free agents that the Patriots brought in I had thought that Warren had the next to best shot (Matt Gutierrez has the best chance) of making the team.

The Patriots signed two other rookie free agents Georgia Tech wide receiver Chris Dunlap and Air Force defensive back Denny Poland. Poland sounds like an intelligent player and Dunlap played next to you know who (Calvin Johnson) .

Will Seau Return?

2007-05-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Junior Seau may soon be returning to the Patriots. When asked about Seau, coach Bill Belichick gave the same response (I'll talk about the players that are here") as he did for the pre-trade Randy Moss deal questions... I guess thats as good a sign as anything else that the rumors be have substance behind them.

Another reason why the deal makes sense is the lack of depth in the Patriots middle linebacker position. Right now, the Patriots have no clear quality backup for either starter Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi. I realize that Adalius Thomas can play inside linebacker in a situation where the team needs him to (along with safety, cornerback, defensive end or nose tackle....), much like Vrabel. But, Thomas is so effective as a outside LB that moving him inside seems like a waste. How does Seau fit into all of this? Last season, Seau played in 11 games and made 10 starts at MLB for the Patriots until he broke his arm while making a tackle in the week 12 Pats victory over the Chicago Bears. During those 11 games that he played in however, Seau was very effective (69 tackles and had one sack) as a run-stopper and team leader. His importance to the Patriots was seen best though through his absence. After Seau was injured, the Patriots defense struggled to shut down opposing offenses rushing attacks. In the weeks following Seau's injury,the Patriots let three opposing running backs rush for over 100 yards. Houston's Ron Dayne just missed the century mark with 91 yards and a touchdown.

Point? The Patriots lost an important element of their defense when Seau left the field. That's why I think a Seau return for 07 makes since. The Patriots have been beautifully rebuilding their team this offseason and Junior flying around in a Patriots uniform again would make this team, that is so good already, so much better.

Patriots Rookie Mini Camp Day 2

2007-05-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Recaps of the Pats day two action
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
Patriots.com

Patriots Rookie Mini Camp Day 1

2007-05-12T16:24:00.000-07:00

The Patriots finished the first day of their rookie mini camp today. From what I gathered from reports (Patriots.com/Boston Globe) some players impressed - and some depressed

[edit - here's the transcript of the Belichick press conference]

Impressed

Mike Elgin, G/C/T, Iowa - Sounds like he preformed well in the drills.

Justin Rogers, LB, Southern Methodist University - Patriots.com's report said that he looked comfortable in his linebacker position.

Matt Gutierrez, QB, Idaho State - didn't hurt his reputation as a good prospect for the practice squad and apparently threw the ball well.

Depressed

Justin Warren, LB, Texas A&M - nothing really depressing here except Warren just sat on a exercise bike the whole time.

Corey Hilliard, OL, Oklahoma State - had to leave practice early due to inadequate conditioning (might have been feeling sick also). Belichick isn't afraid to cut draft picks so Hilliard is going to have to get in shape fast or risk having to find a job in the CFL soon.

Justise Hairston, RB, Central Connecticut State - dropped too many passes.

The newest "Patriots" rule

2007-05-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

The league is reforming the way teams do their injury reports.

Meriweather Meets the Press

2007-05-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

The Patriots 2007 first round pick, (Miami) free safety Brandon Meriweather, officially met the New England media today for the first time. In a 15 minute press (link) conference he answered questions ranging from his path to the draft to his former Hurricane and now Patriot defensive teammate Vince Wilfork. He may have slipped up a little bit in the middle of his press conference when he said when asked the question by a reporter "What were your impressions about the Patriots before this whole [draft] process started?"

Meriweather, apparently not yet quite fully brainwashed by the Belichick regime answered, "I would say that they are a dynasty."... Not a typical Patriots answer.... We'll see how many times he ever mentions the D word again - but regardless - the Patriots are glad that he's going to be wearing white, red and blue for some time down the road. The Boston Globe had a really good article on the Meriweather character situation that presents a different view then most of what I had heard leading up to the draft.

Randy Moss trade: An ingenius move or a retarded mistake?

2007-05-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

The most prevailing question swirling around in Patriot Nation today is quite simple: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PATRIOT'S STANDARDS?!?!?!?!?

With New England's recent acquisition of former Viking and Raider wide receiver Randy Moss, many Patriot fans are concerned that the Pats are turning into the Yankees. The Moss deal in the last in a long line of free agent pick-ups, and many believe that Bill Belichick & co are straying from what won them 3 Super Bowls.

On the contrary, I would like to contend that the 'standards' is NOT what won the Patriots 3 Super Bowls, and that their standards are still being held strong.

There is a major point that I would like to make before I go any further on Moss. That point is that the Patriots' standards were never as high as people think they were.

After the 2002 season, the Pats went out and got Ted Washington and Rodney Harrison to help them win a Super Bowl. These moves proved to be a smashing success, which is probably why people ignore the so-called 'breach of standards' there. In Washington's days with the Bears, he got called on the carpet too many times to count for using vile words where he wasn't supposed to, and many complained that he was nothing but a nuisance in the clubhouse. Washington definitely did not have the cleanest record when the Pats signed him. As for Harrison, he was known to be a Curt Schilling type... saying whatever is on his mind, no matter how pointed, accusatory or abrasive. And besides that, Harrison, only a 9 year vet, was already the most heavily fined player in NFL history for dirty hits and unsportsmanlike conduct. These two acquisitions were clearly worthwhile, yet they did not meet the 'angel' standard that fans fantasized the Patriots to have. Clearly, the Patriots felt that these acquisitions did not breach their standards, and thus, the Patriots' standards were never as high as given credit for.

This hypothesis is further evidenced in 2004, which prompts me to elevate it to a theory. After letting go of Antowain Smith, the Patriots were in need of a runningback. They consequently shipped a second round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the disgruntled and aging-but-capable runningback Corey Dillon. In his years in Cincy, Dillon was known for being a rude and impatient person who was anything but encouraging. Even in the media, Dillon was always talking about how he was sick of the Bengals and the losing and continually tore his team down. He had also gotten into multiple legal issues. Dillon was a known character issue. Yet, Dillon wanted to win, and was excited about becoming a Patriot, and so the Pats picked him up. We have a similar situation with Moss now.

Moss has always been a wayward and unstable character type, but he truly has a desire to win. He will most definitely straighten out in order to win a Super Bowl. As was evidenced in all 3 cases that I proposed earlier (Washington, Harrison, Dillon), the Patriots have a way of silences motormouths. For one, the peer pressure helps achieve that goal. Secondly, Bill Belichick is a hard-line coach. If you don't follow his rules, he'll boot you without thinking twice, as was evidenced with Deion Branch. Thirdly, if a player really does want to win like Dillon did and Moss does, then they will avoid being a distraction at all costs in order to win the Super Bowl. Moss's desire is definitely genuine, and because of these three reasons, I see no reason to worry about another Moss Mishap. I see reason to be psyched and optimistic about the 2007 Patriot offense. At 6'4 and 210 pounds, Moss will no doubt be the big target that Tom Brady has lacked for his entire career, as well as becoming Brady's first future Hall of Fame receiver. In my eyes, Moss makes the Patriots the shoo-in pick to be the champions of Super Bowl XLII.

Tom Brady+Randy Moss= Super Bowl Championship!

The Next Richard Seymour?

2007-05-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

He might not have been picked as high as Seymour but could Patriots rookie defensive tackle Kareem Brown have the potential to be just as good? His coach thinks he's the steal of the draft... Read the Boston Harald article here.

Davis named assisant coach

2007-05-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

Don Davis was named today as a Patriots assistant strength and conditioning coach. He was a backup linebacker and stud special teams player for the Patriots the last few years and was considered a prime candidate for a couching position after his retirement from the NFL. After he ended last season on the injury reserve list with a knee injury, Davis decided to retire at the completion of the 2006 season. I think it's kind of ironic that a guy can go stright from the injury reserve list to conditioning coach but I guess he'll know where everything is...

Interesting note - Davis played and started at outside linebacker on the 2000 Saint Louis Rams team that played and lost to the Patriots first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Undrafted but still Patriots

2007-05-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Patriots have signed and invited seven undrafted free agents as of today as they head into their first mini camp of this year (starting saterday)

DB Larry Anam (5-11, 197) Boston College
LB Kyle Bissinger (6-3, 255) Alabama-Birmingham
QB Matt Gutierrez (6-4, 231) Idaho State
TE Jake Nordin (6-3, 262) Northern Illinois
RB Quinton Smith (5-11, 195) Rice
LB Justin Warren (6-3, 237) Texas A&M
DL Zach West (6-5, 295) Texas-El Paso

The guys with the best chance of making the practice squad or even the team from this group have to be Matt Gutierrez (college stats) and Justin Warren (college stats). Gutierrez might be a perfect fit on the Patriots practice squad and if Warren impresses the Pats, a team can't have to many linebackers and the Pats are willing to overload the position.

NFL Draft Day Two

2007-04-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, the Patriots just wrapped up a very interesting draft. With the exception of yesterdays sole pick, Brandon Meriweather, the Pats completely confused NFL pundits and Patriot "experts" with their draft picks and moves. For example; who in the world thought that the Patriots would take a defensive tackle with their second pick of the draft? Then in the 6th round (with their forth pick of the draft) take a cornerback from one of the worst passing defenses in college football? Basically, when it comes to the Patriots nothing is ever certain, predictable, rational, conventional or whatever. What we don't know is the apex of what we do know. Nothing. Just take a looksee at their day two draft picks....

Forth round
127 -----Kareem Brown, DT, Miami
Fifth round
171 ---- Clint Oldenburg, OL, Colorado State

Sixth round
180 ---- Justin Rogers, LB, Southern Methodist University
202 ----Mike Richardson, CB, Notre Dame
208 ----Justise Hairston, RB, Central Connecticut State
209 ---- Corey Hilliard, OL, Oklahoma State

Seventh round
211 ---- Oscar Lua, LB, Southern California
247 ---- Mike Elgin, G/C/T, Iowa

If you predicted any one of those picks then give yourself a slap on the back - but don't - because you didn't. Nobody did... I'll have more on the actual players and their impact on the Patriots this year later.

Meriweather & Day One of the NFL Draft

2007-04-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

As I predicted the Patriots drafted University of Miami safety Brandon Meriweather in the first round of the NFL draft yesterday. He can step in and start right away or he can come along slowly as an understudy to his kindness Rodney Harrison. Either way, no matter what he does this year, he's a great addition to the New England secondary and the Patriots.

As far as the rest of the Patriots draft day - in which they did nothing but trade away picks for next years draft. I really have no idea on what their doing but I sort of trust them to do the right thing. It's really impossible to judge anything right now. The teams that everyone is saying made the biggest draft day splash today and yesterday in a few years will be critized for wasting so many picks on players that ended up doing nothing so... don't jump to any conclusions.

However two teams I thought really improved themselves in this draft were the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers. Both of them needed to have excptional drafts in order to stay afloat and it right now appears both did. Starting with the Browns, they got Brady Quinn and Joe Thomas in the first round then got a really good cornerback, Eric Wright, in the second. The Panthers ended up getting three potential first round value picks with linebacker Jon Beason (first round, 25 overall), USC wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett, and the highest rated center in the draft, Ryan Kalil.

Randy Moss is a Patriots!

2007-04-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Patriots traded for Oakland star wide receiver Randy Moss today. From what I know they gave up a 4th round pick to get him. I guess you could say "touchdown Patriots!"
Update on the Moss signing

Final Predictions

2007-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

The Patriots will draft at least 3 players tomorrow. Other then that nothing is certain. Oh yeah, even what I just said is uncertain... I really am hoping for a really good linebacker and cornerback or safety. Moving down into the 2d round is a possibility but if the Patriots decide to stick around where they currently are, they have a lot of opportunities. The possible blockbuster trade of the day might be the Houston Texans trading the Patriots their 10 overall pick for the Pat's 24 and 28. The whole goal of that move for the Patriots in that would be to pick up Mississippi Inside Linebacker Patrick Willis. We'll see....

2007 NFL Mock (Mock) Draft

2007-04-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

-------1) The Oakland Raiders pick with the first overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft bottle consumer/actual position unknown Ingrid*

Very smart choice for the Raiders to not trade down and instead take the best player available in the Draft. Ingrid can't do much but what she can do is meaningful, if anyone could figure out exactly what meaningful contribution she can bring to the Raiders. "I bring a lot of things to the Raiders,"Ingrid said in a post draft conference call with reporters. "I can almost crawl, almost talk and my bottle drinking skills are el la m'ucho - unsurpassed - the best in my class!" She certainty looks to be receiving a lot of bottles from current Raiders quarterback Jeff George in 2007 as the Raiders broke the record for most 4th quarter crybaby losses and hope to further that record this year. "We're a young team man," Jeff George said. "I mean like, when I was around our star player wasn't a 8 month year old carrying and receiving bottles for touchdowns. I guess you could say it's like 19th century phomoma man."

Grade: A - Still lingering questions about weight.

--------2) The Detroit Lions pick with the second overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft - now former Patriots Vice President and Player Personnel manager Scott Pioli

In order to have a good draft in the first place you need to have someone that knows how to actually draft better then special team role players with a top 10 pick. Pioli fills a need greater then any other on a Lions team that has been eaten alive by Vikings, and torn apart by Bears in the last few decades.

Grade: B - Team also needed to address holes at cornerback, safety, linebacker, defensive line, wide receiver, tight end, quarterback, running back and punter.

--------3) The Cleveland Browns pick with the third overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft - now former Patriots Head Couch Bill Belichick

Welcome back! Cleveland Herald headline "Beloved Bill Returns Again".... Wait till the first loss though...

Grade F - Belichick announces surprise retirement after hearing draft news

---------4) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pick with the forth overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft - Calvin Johnson, wide receiver from Georgia Tech.

How can you draft an actual player when you still have Al Gore available at this spot? This pick makes no sense at all. One NFL personal director that I met while walking down the radio ally described the pick as a "a typical Tampa Bay wasted pick on a player with some upside but hardly any negatives or character issues."

Grade F - With Al Gore still available any other player is a bad pick. Plus, Johnson is an unproven product. In his entire lifetime he has never once played in a NFL game. To many questions and not enough sure answers to pull the trigger on Johnson so I give the Buc’s an F. Sorry.

---------5) The Arizona Cardinals pick with the fifth overall selection of the 2007 NFL Draft - Al Gore

The Cardinals have been lacking big time player since the earth started getting a half degree higher. Gore can scare opposing teams no matter where he lines up and is a constant threat to fool opposing defensive players into thinking that their melting like the polar bears and then running by them as they stand there like icebergs.

Grade A+ - Brilliant pick and the Cardinals will be holding a meeting with the Pope tomorrow to thank him for helping Gore drop this far to their pick.

James is a Patriot!

2007-04-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

The Patriots signed former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Tory James to a one year deal today. He's durable (only missing 2 games in the last 9 years) , and picks off a lot of passes (39 interceptions in his NFL career). Solid pickup, James should start off and on with Ellis Hopps and if Samuel returns the Patriots have three really good cornerbacks.

2007 Patriots Mock Draft: Rounds 1-3

2007-04-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

) 1st Round: 24 Pick Overall - Chris Houston, Cornerback from the University of Arkansas, 5-9, 185 pounds.

In order to survive vs the Indianapolis Colts you need to have at least three good cornerbacks. Houston is the best corner in the draft and would compete for a starting job right away. Further insentive for this pick also has to be the Asante Samuel contract dispute situation. If Samuel were to hold out or get traded without a suitable replacement the Patriots can forget any dreams of a Super Bowl victory in 07.

-Other possible picks for the Pats at this point -Darrelle Revis, Cornerback, University of Pittsburgh (5-11, 204). If Houston isn't around for the Pats, Revis might merit a pick. Also Jon Beason, Inside Linebacker, University of Miami (6-0, 237), is going to be a really solid inside linebacker in the NFL and if the Patriots like him enough they might just pick him here and forget about the spot for the rest of the draft.

) 1st Round: 28 Pick Overall - Brandon Meriweather, Safety from the University of Miami, 5-11, 195.

Rodney Harrison needs a replacement and Meriweather would be a prefect pick to do just that. UM safety's also have a good reputation for being great players in the NFL (Ed Reed, Sean Taylor).

-Other possible pick for the Pats at this point - LaMarr Woodley, OLB from Michigan. Potential All Pro, if Meriweather is gone at this point Woodley would be very much worth the pick.

* If the Patriots were to do a major trade up in the 1st round it would be to get either, Florida Safety Reggie Nelson, or University of Mississippi Inside Linebacker Patrick Willis. Also, a move up a couple spots to the 22 pick make sure that they get Chris Houston won't be a big surprise.

If on the other hand the Patriots decide to move down into the second round of the draft where they currently have no picks, the players they would most likely be aiming at would be Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers, David Harris, Inside Linebacker from Michigan (6-2, 243), or Brandon Siler, Inside Linebacker from Florida (6-2, 241). A potential bonk me on the head and call me Barry Bonds pick could be Antonino Gonzales, WR from Ohio State. With the number of wide receivers on the Patriots though, I would doubt that that would happen.

) Third Round 28th pick, (90th overall) Zak DeOssie, Inside Linebacker, Brown University (6-4, 250). DeOssie would be a great backup to Tedy Bruschi and has all the tools to eventuality could replace him as the teams leader on the defense.

-Other possible pick for the Pats at this point - Michael Bush, (6-3, 253), Running Back, Louisville, if he's still around then the Patriots may be interested. Also Jason Hill, (6-0, 210) Wide Receiver,Washington State would fit well into the Pats crowded receiver unit.

Mock Draft

2007-04-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Eric's 2007 NFL Mock Draft

Here are my picks, 1-32:

1. OAKLAND RAIDERS
WR Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech HT: 6'4 WT: 235

Despite the widespread call for LSU's JaMarcus Russell, Oakland's Al Davis has found his man in CJ. Johnson is universally considered the no. 1 talent in the draft, and even considered by some the best wide receiver ever to come out of college in NFL history. The Raiders like Russell and understand the need for a franchise quarterback (they've given up on Andrew Walter already), but Johnson's talent is too irresistible to overlook.

2. DETRIOT LIONS
QB Brady Quinn, Notre Dame HT: 6'4 WT: 227

Brady Quinn is obviously the Lions' man. The front brass is in love with his style and talent. And Detriot would be a good fit for Quinn, because he'd have a decent corps of receivers to work with (Pro Bowler Roy Williams, Mike Williams, Pro Bowler Mike Furrey, RB Tatum Bell). There have been some rumors that Quinn reminds the Lions too much of Joey Harrington, but these rumors are simply speculation.

3. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (AFTER TRADE WITH CLEVELAND)
QB JaMarcus Russell, LSU HT: 6'6 WT: 260

Minnesota trades their 7th overall pick and 41st overall pick to Cleveland for the 3rd overall pick. This trade may seem highly improbable, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The Vikings, who lost franchise quarterback Daunte Culpepper last year, are in dire need of a quarterback after losing the wildly erratic Brad Johnson. Russell is practically a carbon copy of Culpepper. Same size, same cannon arm, same type of game. He would fit right into the Vikings system. And Cleveland would most likely accept this deal, because it allows them to have a shot at stellar defensive players (LaRon Landry, Jamaal Anderson, Alan Branch) as well as the 4th and 9th picks of the second round.

4. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
DE Gaines Adams, Clemson HT: 6'5 WT: 258

This is a spot in which Tampa Bay could easily trade down, but I do not think they'll get the value they want for no. 4. The Buccaneers need depth on the end of the D-Line, especially since Simeon Rice is now breaking down. Adams is a very well-rounded defensive end who will last for awhile.

5. ARIZONA CARDINALS
OT Joe Thomas, Wisconsin HT: 6'8 WT: 311

This is probably the easiest pick to predict in the draft. If Thomas falls the Arizona, they'll probably take him within the first 2 minutes. Matt Leinart needs protection, and with the release of Leonard Davis, Arizona is looking for a franchise tackle. Thomas fits that bill perfectly.

6. WASHINGTON REDSKINS
DE Jamaal Anderson, Arkansas HT: 6'5 WT: 288

This is Washington's only pick until round 5, so they'd better make it a good one. Since Gaines Adams is already gone, this pick basically comes down to Anderson, Amobi Okoye, and Alan Branch. Whereas Okoye and Branch are extremely tempting, Anderson is the best pure-pass rusher in the draft and Washington needs that right about now.

Click HERE to read the rest of the mock draft

World in danger massive earthquake

2007-03-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

The most earthshattering news of the week - you better sit down. The Patriots signed Eddie Jackson.

Washington is a Patriot!

2007-03-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Former Bengals wide receiver Kelley Washington signed with the Patriots today. From what I know about him he's sort of slow, tall, can make tough catches over the middle, get injured, create touchdowns or just sit on the sideline a be a backup. I really don't see Washington playing a huge role in the Patriots offence this year. However, he can be expected to have somewhere around 25 to 45 receptions for anywhere between 450 to 600 yards and 6 touchdowns (his greatest strength is using his size in the red zone). Overall this is almost risk free signing for the Pats because if he doesn't turn out it's not like they have a lot invested in him - sort of like the Reche Caldwell situation last year - all there really is - is upside. If Kelley doesn't produce or gets injured and never plays - oh well. But on the other hand if he does really great and has a fantastic season like Caldwell had last year - Oh Yeah!!

Stallworth is a Patriot!

2007-03-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

The Patriots offseason free agent spending splurge continued today as the Patriots added another high profile player to the team in the form of wide receiver Donté Stallworth. Last year Stallworth played with the Philadelphia Eagles after being traded from the Saints before the 2006 season. He had a relatively productive year with 38 receptions for 725 yards (19.1 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns. The only really possible downside to Donte is his propensity to get injured. I'm actually not sure if he's played a full season without missing any starts; but remember - David Givens and Deion Branch were also injure prone as well but they both managed to be impact players well they were here. The deal that the Pats signed Stallworth to may be up to 6 years long.

One reason why the Patriots ended up signing Stallworth had to be the deep threat element that he brings. Currently, no wide receiver on the Pat's roster (with the exception of Chad Jackson when he's not in a wheelchair) strikes fear in hearts of DB's or opposing coach's that a Pat's wideout may burn them on a deep bomb. Three to two years ago Beathal Johnson, Ardra Davis or Deion Branch provided this element for teams to worry about. Last year however - the Patriots best option to go deep to was Reche Caldwell.... And Caldwell isn't considered exactly fast so.... In a nutshell - The Patriots didn't have a deep threat so went out and got one. Having one last year would have helped a lot - but that's the past - the time to solve the problem was now - and the Patriots did just that.

Stallworth a Patriot?

2007-03-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

Donte' Stallworth may be coming to the Patriots. Will wonders never cease? If the Patriots had had Stallworth in the AFC Championship game vs. the Colts the Pats would have run away with the game. The Colts were consistently able to play their safety's way too close to the line of scrimmage the whole game. That meant that pulling off successful screen plays and running the ball became harder because there were really almost 11 guys in the 15 yard box. A deep threat would have kept the Colts from doing that. Should've, could've, would've....

Stallworth at the right price would be a great addition to the Patriots. However, if they don't get him the draft is loaded with guys like Ted Gunn from Ohio State that can give defensive coordinators nightmares so it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Welker is a Patriot!

2007-03-05T18:36:00.000-08:00

At the price of the Patriots second and seventh 2007 round draft picks Wes Welker is now part of the Pats. He's a special teams monster - in one game vs the Patriots in 2004 he filled in for the Fins as a kicker (doing all the kickoffs, extra points and field goals 1 for 1) and also returned punts and kicks.... Maybe the Patriots want Gostkowski to have some competition for the kicking job in training camp..... who knows?

Last year Welker had a great season receiving with 67 receptions for over 650 yards and showed a lot of upside and untapped potential (there's a world of difference between having Joey Harrington throwing to you and Tom Brady tossing footballs your way). I believe he'll fit well into the Patriots system and should be a huge boost to the receiver position for the Patriots. Tom Brady has to be a happy guy.

Thomas is a Patriot!

2007-03-03T22:49:00.000-08:00

Adalius Thomas has signed with the Patriots! Kyle Brady also appears to have signed a deal with the Pat's..... Yes!

5:15 Update: Not only did the Patriots sign Thomas & Brady - to cap off today the Pat's made Miami RB Sammy Morris a Patriot as well.... Busy, busy, busy.... And that's not all, apparently the Patriots are also intensely interested in stealing restricted free agent wide receiver Wes Welker... Here's a wrap-up of the signings so far.

Patriots Free Agency Preview

2007-03-02T20:31:00.000-08:00

The NFL's free agency period began today and it's been interesting to watch teams throwing money around like Congress. So far the Patriots haven't signed anyone new (they resigned Heath Evans and Billy Yates) but with over $25 million in cap space just sitting there waiting to be used - don't expect the Pat's to be frugal. The Patriots greatest positional needs currently are Linebacker, Backup Running Back, (one) Blocking Tight End and Wide Receiver. These are all areas that the Pat's must address either in the draft or free agency.

The greatest need the Patriots have is at the wide receiver position. The draft offers better options for getting a decent playmaking receiver since the best players from the position this year in free agency are all 2d wide receivers at best and there is no #1 type wide receiver available. For example Drew Bennett from the Tenn. Titians is considered in the top 5 of the wideouts available to sign. However - last year Bennett had a grand total of 46 receptions for a average 750 plus yards. And he's in the top five....

Strategy for the Patriots - wait till the draft to get a playmaking receiver. However the Patriots should take a look at players like Dennis Northcutt or Kelley Washington that won't break the bank and would be good targets for Brady and most of all improve the team.

The 2d greatest need for the Patriots is at the linebacker position. Every year the Patriots won the Super Bowl they had an enormously amount of talent at this position. However, due to retirements, free agency losses, and the fact the players that we have are just plan getting old this group of linebackers that once were the strongest part of the team now is a liability. Free agency offers a few very good options for the Patriots to improve this position of the team - Adalius Thomas could just by himself, have a major impact on the team and would be a perfect pickup.

Strategy for the Patriots - get Thomas and perhaps a good part time linebacker such as the one that was on the Patriots last year Junior Seau. Before he broke his arm in the game vs. the Bears Seau was on fire and 2d on the team in tackles. Bringing with back would help the team against the run and make it so Mike Vrabel could play outside LB more often.

Other needs in a nutshell

Backup Running Back - now that Corey Dillion is gone the Patriots need someone to handle to football when Laurence Maroney is taking a breather. Sammy Morris' name has been brought up as a candidate for this position and he may suit it well. I'm not exactly an expert on this though so I really have no idea.

Blocking Tight End - The loss of Daniel Graham creates a position in need of being filled. As a Patriot Daniel Graham probobly dropped as many pass' as he caught but he had incredible blocking skills. To whom will the TE blocking duties now pass? Right now it looks pretty clear. As Belichick favorite, the question is whether Kyle Brady will sign with the Pats this week or next week....

Punter - the Patriots should resign punter Todd Sauerbrun. Josh Miller isn't bad but Sauerbrun is better.

And why not bring along Vinny Testaverde for another try at a Super Bowl ring?

One more year - maybe...

2007-02-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Patriots slapped the franchise tag on Asante Samuel!

-Bill Belichick

"Asante Samuel is an outstanding player who has been a consistent contributor for us for several years. We hope Asante remains a Patriot for many seasons to come."

Round Three - Knocked Out

2007-01-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

Not much to say. The Colts just wanted to win more. The Patriots never got the running game going and were forced to kick too many field goals in the second half. Pats lose 38 to 34.

Great season Patriots! 12 & 4 with 2 wins in the playoffs isn't bad. With a decent draft and offseason signings (linebacker - maybe two new fast linebackers??) this team is Super Bowl bound. The future looks bright - the sun is not setting....

Next year!

Patriots Vs. Colts Preview

2007-01-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how insignificant this game feels - to Patriot fans. I don't know whether it's because the Patriots have already proved enough by beating the Chargers and whatever happens now is just a bonus. Maybe it's because the Patriots have already beaten the Colts and Payton Manning enough that it winning against the Colts is sort of like walking - not that amazing anymore. Either way - no matter what happens Sunday at 6:30 it means a lot more to Colts fans then it does to Patriots fans. Who knows - this game may Payton Manning last chance at a Super Bowl championship.

This game is going to depend on one thing - the Patriots ability to run the ball. If Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk and Corey Dillon can run the ball effectively against the cheesecake Colts run defense (worst in the NFL) then this game is over for Indy. If the Colts stuff the Pats running game then expect a nail biter and perhaps a Patriots loss. Both of the last times the Patriots played the Colts, Indy has effectively shut down the Pats running game and the Colts have come out victorious.

The Tom Brady Vs. Payton Manning angle on any game inbetween the Colts and Pats is usually overrated since they don’t actually line up opposite each other but its not being over hyped this time. At least according to my prediction… My prediction is that Payton Manning will send the Patriots to the Super Bowl by throwing an interception at the end of the first half to Tom Brady on a “Hail Mary” pass that will be returned for a touchdown by Vice Wilfork (Tom Brady will lateral the pigskin to Vice at the 50 yard line to run in the rest of the way). There will be no more scoring in the second of the game. Pats win 77 to 69. (Adam Vinateri missed an extra point)

Round Two - Chargers Get Zapped Out of Playoffs

2007-01-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

Before the game started yesterday I jokingly mentioned to someone that I was hoping that "this game wouldn't be one of those they show in the greatest NFL games ever videos". I didn't get my wish. Yesterday’s game was one of the closest games the Patriots have ever played and perhaps their greatest comeback ever. Yeah, they have comeback from more points down in less time - but did those games come against any 14 & 2 team playing at home with a nine Pro Bowlers on its roster not to mention the current NFL MVP? I still haven't been able to figure out whether it was more the Chargers lost the game or the Patriots won the game but regardless - the Pats won. Next week Indy (and Peyton Manning)....

Just some game notes

Stephen Gostkowski is still perfect in the playoffs. He's hit the long one the short ones and doesn't even make me nervous when he's kicking anymore.... Who needs Vinatieri anyways? Oh yeah - the Colts....

By beating the Chargers the Patriots also beat their fifth MVP that they have played in the playoffs. Kurt Warner (2001), Peyton Manning - Steve McNair (co MVP's 2003), Peyton Manning (2004), LaDainian Tomlinson (2006).

Jabar Gaffney is the leading receiver in the playoffs with 207 yards. Pretty good for a guy that no one wanted and didn't even start the regular season on a teams roster. And it's not like the Patriots passing offense is simple either - just ask Chad Jackson....

For Marty Schottenheimer it was "the drive", "the fumble", and now "the interception". Poor guy.

Patriots Vs. Chargers Preview

2007-01-12T22:41:00.000-08:00

Isn't it interesting that once again the Patriots are playing the game of the week. This week the Pats opponent is the AFC best 14 - 2 San Diego Chargers. The Chargers have two reasons for their success - an offense that scores points like their playing basketball and a defense that treats quarterbacks like piñatas. The Chargers overall are pretty strong in all areas of their team (remember, their 14 & 2 for a reason) but just as any other team they do have problems - only smaller ones.

First problem that the Chargers have is their secondary - expect Tom Brady to put up some good numbers on this unit. Quentin Jammer and Drayton Florence the Bolts CB's aren't the worse defensive backs in the NFL but they certainly aren't among the best in the league. It’s going to take an above average game from these cornerbacks if the Chargers want to make Tom Brady lose his composure and get frustrated like he did in the games vs. Denver and Miami.

The second area of weakness for the Chargers is the inexperience of Phillip Rivers. How well the first year quarterback will play the first playoff game of his career is a complete mystery. Some quarterbacks have a hard time adjusting to the stress of the playoffs - Ben Rosenburger who performed well all season played terrible in both his first and second playoff performances before he settled down a year later and won the Super Bowl. My point is that Rivers could do really well or really terrible. No one knows. The time off in between the regular season and this week that he’s had to sit around thinking about all the things that could go wrong probably doesn't help his game readiness either.

Now as far as the Patriots; they have to throw the ball effectively to win this game. This includes the short passes and screens that the Pats excel at. One way to shut down Shawn Merriman (the Chargers best defensive player, OLB, 17 sacks on the season) is to send out 5 receivers wide and then force the Chargers to use Merriman in coverage on a running back that is most likely faster then him. Another importing thing for the Patriots to do is pressure Phillip Rivers and get into his head early in the game. Squish the pocket and make him lob the ball up for grab and hope Asante Samuel is somewhere near it. Oh another small thing - stop LaDainian Tomlinson. I believe that just like the Colts shut down Larry Johnson last week the Pats can stop MVP and Offensive Player of the year Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (LT). Bill Belichick was able to shut down Marshall Faulk when he was at his best in Super Bowl XXXVI with his defense game plan, he'll have a plan to minimize the damage that Tomlinson will do.

My prediction is that the Patriots will win 11 to 4 with the game clinching points coming off a tipped pass that Tom Brady will catch and run with for a 34 yard touchdown. The Chargers will score their four points on a field goal and a missed touchdown and completed extra point....

Round One - Patriots Crash Jets Playoff Hopes

2007-01-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

The Patriots had a riot Sunday in their first playoff game defeating the New York Jets 37 to 16 in a game that was closer then the score tells - but not as close as the score tells. It’s really not too complicated - but it’s very complex. Chad Pennington was good - but on the other hand - he was terrible. It was the best of times and the worst of times. It was Pats vs. Jets. New York vs. New England.

I taped yesterdays game due to the fact that I knew that I was going to miss it. It was kind of strange knowing that the game was over but not knowing who won as we watched the game. The strangeness of it all was further compounded by the fact that it was pitch black outside and it was all sunny skies in Foxboro - on the TV screen. Hey - there was one big advantage though of watching it taped - no real breaks in the game. Commercials, obvious penalties, replays of plays we didn't want to see - "fast forward please". . . . The game only took a brisk two hours to watch in full (counting some of the pre-game).

As far as the game - great job by the Patriots. The play calling was some of the best the coaching staff has done all season. They let Tom Brady do what he does best the whole game, dumping off short pass's to open receivers and not making mistakes. The running game was also very effective totaling over 140 yards between Laurence Maroney, Corey Dillion and Kevin Faulk. Kevin Faulk had a great game blocking, running and catching the ball. Also someone forgot to tell the Jets that Vice Wilfork is the 2d coming of Jerome "the Bus" Bettis.

Someone also neglected to inform the Jets that Jabar Gaffney was going to have an All Pro like day. Gaffney formerly known as "yeah, that guy, what’s his name?" caught eight footballs for over a hundred yards. That’s the great part about the playoffs - unknown players become playmakers and great regular season players like you know who, show that the playoffs aren't for everyone. Great win - Chargers up next in round two.

Patriotic Time

2007-01-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

It's NFL playoff time and that means it's time to think Patriotic! The Pats did a great job of winning vs. the Titans yesterday to keep their chances of getting the third seed alive and almost had it fall to them but it turned out that the Colts won and the Pats finished as the 4th. That means that Patriots will face the Greedy Green J-E-T Jets! Jets! Jets! next week in a intriguing rematch. The last time that Pats played the Jets the Patriots lost the game 14 to 17 at home on a field so muddy that you could drown in it (the Patriots soon after that game replaced the mud with FieldTurf). That game was also the first time in something like three seasons that the Patriots lost two games in a row. Doug Gabriel’s big fumble in that game lost him his job as a Patriot even though he ranked fourth on the team in receptions as of then - Bill Belichick wanted that game bad. Really bad.

Bill Belichick isn't going to let his guys lose this game this time. The Patriots are built to win in the playoffs - and on the same note Bill Belichick knows how to play-call in the playoffs. His record as a coach in the postseason is amazing. His overall playoff record is 11 – 2. But here’s the good part – as the Patriots coach - he has won the Super Bowl three out of the four times his team has made the playoffs. There shouldn't be any worries about the coaching - he'll have the team ready.

So based on the fact that Bill Belichick is the Patriots coach, that the Patriots are looking great, and that Chad Pennington has a weaker arm then my sister I'm going to predict that the Patriots will prevail 8 to 2 and Tom Brady will drop-kick a extra point after Vinny Testaverde runs back a kickoff 109 yards for a touchdown....