Category Archives: Patriots

2011 NFL Playoff Seeding Predictions

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Playoff Prediction:

AFC

1. Steelers (13-3) – Pittsburgh has one tough game remaining on their schedule and that’s this weekend against the 49ers. I got them winning that one and also beating the Rams and Browns.

2. Patriots (13-3) – I have the Pats winning out against their rather easy remaining schedule, unfortunately they lose the tiebreaker to the Steelers.

3. Texans (12-4) – They luck out and get to play Carolina and Indy the next two weeks, but then have to face the Titans who I think will be fighting for their playoff lives in week 17. I see them losing that one.

4. Denver (10-6) – They lose this week to the Pats but then win out. If that is the case it doesn’t even matter what the Raiders for Chargers do.

5. Ravens (12-4) – They have two reasonably tough matchups remaining with the Chargers and Bengals. I see them losing one of them and getting the Wild Card.

6. Titans (10-6) – This is the sleeper team that I see passing the Jets. I see both the Jets and Titans finishing at 10-6 but the Titans will hold the tiebreaker by having a better conference record.

Left Out: Jets (10-6), Raiders (8-8), Chargers (8-8), Bengals (8-8)

NFC

1. Packers (16-0) – They should win out and clinch the 1 seed

2. Saints (13-3) – They have a reasonably easy remaining schedule as long as they can beat the Falcons, which I see happening. They steal the 2 seed from the 49ers.

3. 49ers (12-4) – They have two potential losses when they play this week vs. the Steelers, and when they go to Seattle the following week.

4. Cowboys (10-6) – It will more than likely come down to week 17 and I see them holding it together for a full 60 minutes and beating them. The overall conference record will be the tiebreaker.

5. Falcons (10-6) – I see them along with the Giants and Lions finishing at 10-6. Atlanta beat Detroit so they get the tiebreaker here.

6. Lions (10-6) – They will finish 3-3 in their division, as will the Giants, but it looks like Detroit will have the better conference record.

Left Out: Giants (10-6), Bears (8-8), Seahawks (8-8)

Check back in at the end of the Regular Season and I will have a full NFL Playoff prediction including who will win this years Super Bowl.

Gronk Nation Lives On

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20111212-113212.jpgWelcome to Gronk Nation! (as if you needed an introduction) You can talk about Tim Tebow all you want, and don’t get me wrong I’ve hopped on the Tebow bandwagon, but we’ve got our own Messiah right here in New England. Rob Gronkowski. Fourteen weeks into his breakout season, Gronk set the NFL tight end receiving touchdown record with 15 thus far, passing both Vernon Davis and Antonio Gates, both with 13. Now, there’s no need to complain but what gets me here is the whole “receiving touchdown” record. The all-time single season record for touchdowns, in general, by a tight end was also 13, by the same two guys. Gronkowski had 14 total coming into this week’s game, so as far as the record is concerned, he broke it last week against the Colts. This week merely improved his record to a total of 16 TDs. But the NFL is the NFL and they have their guidelines and what not on how to determine records so I guess he did it this week. In a sense, he actually broke two records. Receiving touchdowns and total touchdowns. Gronk now sits pretty in the record books two “receiving touchdowns” (three if your want to be realistic) ahead of the the next guy with a bit more football to play.

And on a side note, Gronk went absolute beast mode (per usual) on those two Redskins defenders. I mean having the skill to make a diving catch, the intelligence to get up and run immediately, the power to drag them 5 yards down the field on his back, the command to stay in bounds, again the intelligence to keep running with the play, and finally the absolute beast mode mentality that it takes to turn a short pass play for a first down into a 49 yard explosion that set up his record breaking touchdown reception. Boom! Get Gronk’d!

 

Weekend Recap

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No complaints this weekend. Although a semi quiet stretch, Boston fans can start the week off on a good note. Both the Pats and Bruins continued to show dominance in their leagues, pushing themselves further ahead of the pack at the top of their division standings. After what seemed to be a complete blowout through 3 quarters, covering the 21 pt spread was denied as the Pats seemed to let up a bit entering the 4th quarter. Whatever though, a win is a win. And besides, it was the Colts. We felt bad. The Bruins on the other hand had no remorse for Toronto, as they swept the Leafs in their back to back games this past week and all four on the season. An AFC East leader and a Northeast Division leader. These weekend recaps are starting to seem repetitive, but who’s going to complain? Happy Monday folks.

Kraft Casino?

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I am not a huge fan of the Pats. I admire the organization’s emphasis on winning and how Belicheck could be the best coach of all time. The front office is fantastic at football related decisions, and that’s illustrated by their ability to draft the likes of Tom Brady in the 8th round, Wes Welker, Gronk and Hernandez, all while still making deep runs into the playoffs. ESPN.com just reported that Robert Kraft – who is an absolute boss – is looking into adding a Casino-like resort in Foxboro right near Gillette Stadium. Honestly, big props to this guy for bringing something to the table. I’ve been to Foxboro, and the entire city revolves around Gillette Stadium, regardless if it is a Sunday or a Wednesday. He just dropped millions into this place making it more than just a stadium and now he wants to combine two things that go together better than spaghetti and meatballs – Football and Gambling. Kraft just become an even bigger ‘G’ in my book with this move. If this thing goes through, Foxboro could become one of the greatest cities on the east coast. Because let’s get real, nothing good has come out of Foxboro besides the Pats.

Patriots Q&A

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As I was browsing through some Patriots news on the Internet today I came across some common questions that Patriots fans were wondering. I’m sure a lot of you are asking the same questions so I’m going to give you my answers.

1. Toughest remaining game for the Patriots and what will their final record be?

This has to be the Denver game. Yes, I still see the Patriots winning this game, as I also see them beating Miami, Indy, and Buffalo all at home, and also beating the dismal Redskins in Washington D.C. The reason I see the Broncos giving the Patriots the hardest time is because of one person. Tim Tebow. His record shows he has what it takes to win. They also have a defense that keeps them in games and allows Tebow to put victories away down the stretch. Regardless, I see the Patriots at 13-3 with a first round bye.

2. The third receiver spot and its importance to the team.

I don’t see the Patriots having a set third receiver down the stretch. It looks like it will be a rotation of Ochocinco, newcomer Tiquan Underwood, and Matthew Slater might get a few shots at the deep ball. I was hoping Taylor Price would be that guy but I just haven’t seen Bellichick show confidence in him quite yet.  That being said, the third receiver spot isn’t as important to this team as most others simply because of how great their tight ends are. They line Gronkowski and Hernandez out wide all the time and it has paid off. I expect to see it continue.

3. Julian Edelman the cornerback.

Julian Edelman has done very well defensively so far. He hasn’t let the team down by getting beat for a big pass when he’s on the field. The best thing I have seen so far from Edelman is his tackling. He’s had a few great tackles defensively and has continued that on special teams. I don’t see him being a starting corner for them this year but he will get his reps.

4. Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and the overall state of the secondary.

With Ras I. Dowling on Injured Reserve, and Leigh Bodden being cut I see Chung and McCourty as a big part of this secondary right now. Even if they are out there I don’t see this secondary holding up against a Packers or Saints passing attack, but without them I don’t see any hope unless Andre Carter can get to the QB another 4 times per game. The Pats might sit Chung and McCourty this week only because they are playing the Colts, but expect them back by week 14 as they both said they were feeling good and are ready to go

  5. Deep thoughts on the defense — is it going to be good enough in the playoffs?

The question is do I think the Patriots defense is good ENOUGH in the playoffs.  My answer is yes. The reason being, the best defense is a good offense. The Patriots offense is good enough to make up for a less than mediocre defense.

Patriots Weekly Preview

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The Patriots will take on the Colts this weekend in Foxboro. The Colts come in at 0-11 but don’t be the one to tell Bill Belichick that. (Ask the blonde chick at Wednesday’s press conference) Belichick refuses to let his players give into the mentality that they can just walk in and stomp all over the Colts just because of their dismal record. Belichick coached teams are trained to be that way. The Patriots (8-3) are 21-point favorites, which is the biggest point spread in the NFL this year. The only Patriots players that missed practice Thursday were Sebastian Vollmer, and Brandon Spikes. There were several players limited in practice such as Chad Ochocinco, Matt Light, and Devin McCourty. The Patriots defense is beginning to gain more confidence and hopefully they can take this week to beat up on the inexperienced Dan Orlovsky, who will be replacing Curtis Painter under center for the Colts this week. The Patriots schedule the remaining of the season is one of the easiest in the NFL and they should look to continue preparing this defense for a playoff run. There’s no way the Pat’s let this one slip away.

Prediction: Patriots 45 Colts 10

A Fall for the Ages

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Since when is it already December? I could of sworn we had a beach day a little over a week ago. Regardless, it’s been one wild fall season so far in sports, especially in Boston.

We should probably get the most drawn out news out of the way, so let’s start with the NBA. One of the biggest factors in this notion of a unique fall has to be the fact that we just began the month of December and there hasn’t been any basketball (professional) yet. Not to mention we still have to wait til the end of the month to see the Celts hit the parquet. Better late than never.

The Red Sox put us through a world of shame back in September. Since the fallout, constant bad news followed. A poor club house, unhappy players, losing Theo, Tito, and Heidi (most importantly Heidi). We could blame the Red Sox for possibly one of the most incredibly depressing starts to fall season in Boston. At least the team’s recent headlines have them moving in the right direction.

With all this chatter, it was an unusually difficult transition into Pats season. We watched as a weary Patriots team showed signs of slipping, despite Brady having, once again, a career season at the helm. It’s crazy that we’ve already reached Week 13, but it’s great to see the team entering the home stretch with continuous improvement and constant dominance from the QB spot.

Finally we get to our reigning Stanley Cup Champs. After a slow start, the Bruins managed to shake off the hangover and get back to work. The month of November was good to hockey fans in Boston. The B’s finished off the month 12-1, gaining points in each of their 13 games, an incredible feat.

With the way things started off, it looked like we were in for a lengthy autumn in Boston. Everything seemed to be working against us. But of course, title town prevailed. With the closing of a memorable fall on the horizon and winter quickly approaching, Boston fans can’t help but smile. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future gave Stern a visit, leaving us with an NBA season for our Celtics. The Red Sox have pushed their demons aside and began to focus on greener pastures circa April 2012. And finally the two teams currently in season are representing Boston with pride as they sit atop their respective divisions. Smile sports fans. It’s a good time to be from Boston.

11′ Colts vs. 08′ Pats

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There is a reason the Colts are 0-11 this season and it is not all because Peyton Manning got injured. I’m not saying they are a playoff team without him, but they are not an 0-11 team. Tom Brady went down week one of the 2008 season and the Patriots finished 11-5. When you lose you’re All-Pro QB for the full season you are forced to change your offense, not keep it the same as the Colts have this year. The Colts pass/rush ratio is 32.9/22.5. A difference of over 10 more passes than rushes per game. Why would you revolve your team’s offense around the passing game with a quarterback you know can’t throw the ball? In 2008 when Brady got injured the Patriots pass/rush ratio was 33.3/32.1. A difference of just over 1 more passes than rushes each game. When you lose your star quarterback you must change your offense around your other strengths. The Patriots used a running tandem of Sammy Morris, Green-Ellis, Faulk, and LaMont Jordan. You can’t tell me that’s a better tandem than Joseph Addai, Donald Brown, and Delone Carter. We all know the Patriots as a passing team, but in 2008 they were forced to change their strategy and the results showed. When Jim Caldwell gets fired at the end of this season everyone will be saying it was undeserved because Manning was injured, and that certainly is not the case.

NFL Power Rankings – Week 13

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1. Packers (11-0) – Their record speaks for itself.

2. Patriots (8-3) – Their offense is still great and the defense is improving each week.

3. Ravens (8-3) – They shut down the 49ers on Thanksgiving without Ray Lewis. They’ll be even better when he’s back.

4. Saints (8-3) – 49 points against the Giants defense is no fluke.

5. Steelers (8-3) – Big Ben looks good and they’re defense is strong as always.

6. 49ers (9-2) – They hung in there with the Ravens. Their shaky offense is why they are here.

7. Cowboys (7-4) – If they played up to their talent level they could be in the top 5.

8. Lions (7-4) – They still have Megatron and a solid defense. If they can survive without Suh the next two weeks they should make the playoffs.

9. Giants (6-5) – Similar to the Cowboys. Still have a great pass rush and a solid offense.

10. Falcons (7-4) – Their offense is getting better.

11. Raiders (7-4) – Palmer looks great and Bush has helped them miss McFadden a little less.

12. Jets (6-5) – They still have Rex Ryan, but to counter that they also still have Mark Sanchez.

13. Bengals (7-4) – The rookie combination on offense continues to shine, the defense looks solid also. Unfortunately they have to play the Ravens and Steelers twice each season.

14. Broncos (6-5) – One name is all you need to know. Tim Tebow, he’s a winner.

15. Bears (7-4) – We saw what Caleb Hanie could do. It reflects in this weeks ranking.

16. Texans (7-4) – Now officially the worst 7-4 team in the league. Who is the QB in Houston again?

17. Titans (6-5) – If Chris Johnson can play like he did last week, they have a solid playoff shot.

18. Eagles (4-7) – The best 4-7 dream team in NFL history.

19. Chargers (4-7) – My bet is Norv Turner won’t be living in San Diego next season.

20. Redskins (4-7) – Teams don’t make the playoffs with quarterbacks like John Beck and Rex Grossman.

21. Bills (5-6) – They have completely fallen apart and have basically no shot at the playoffs.

22. Buccaneers (4-7) – Josh Freeman has had an off year, and so has a lot of the team.

23. Seahawks (4-7) – Similar to the Washington situation, you usually don’t make the playoffs with QB’s like Jackson and Whitehurst.

24. Dolphins (3-8) – They look like they are turning around, its a little too late though.

25. Cardinals (4-7) – Same as many other teams in the NFL, Kevin Kolb doesn’t look like the solution.

26. Panthers (3-8) – Imagine if they didn’t have Cam Newton?

27. Vikings (2-9) – Hey at least they’ll probably have a top 5 pick.

28. Browns (4-7) – Their offense is just terrible.

29. Jaguars (3-8) – I’ve been surprised Jack Del Rio lasted this long.

30. Rams (2-9) – What a disappointing year for Sam Bradford.

31. Chiefs (4-7) – Tyler Palko just isn’t gonna cut it.

32. Colts (0-11) – Doesn’t get any worse.

Saints vs. Pats Superbowl?

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Alright, let me start this post out by saying that this is not my prediction for the Superbowl. As good as both teams are, I just don’t see them getting past some of the more balanced teams in the league. With that being said, I would love to see this matchup come February because it has the ingredients to create one of the most delicious offensive showdowns in history. Looking at the figureheads of both squads, Brady and Brees, these guys are out of their minds this year. With both teams really using their entire wide-receiving core because each team lacks a Randy Moss / Calvin Johnson like superstar, it is truly incredible that these guys are both (yes, both) on pace to break the record for yards in a season. It’s a testament to their preparation and dedication to the game (if you watched the post-game last night, you could see Steve Young draw full as he described Brees). With that being said, this Superbowl matchup would be an all out slugfest. I legit think the over-under might be 409. With neither team possessing much of a secondary, players like Sproles and the super tight-end that is Gronkandez stepping up, the offensive display will be a masterpiece. Watching two of the best in the history of the game battle it out is something that I am undoubtedly looking forward to. That is unless Rogers continues to perform the same way he has in the last 11 games. In which case it will go down as the greatest QB performance ever (yes, even better than ’08 Brady).