Tag Archives: patriots

Pats Opener

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With the Offensive Line weaker than ever, and the lack of time the starters played in our 1-3 preseason, will the Patriots be able to cover their spread against the energized Titans. I am willing to bet that  Chris Johnson has a huge season just as he did three years ago when he had over 2000 rushing yards and 16 TD’s. Last season was more of a fluke after his big contract extension. This year, he will be ready to play.

However, our young-looking defense is now one year more experienced, and recieved big help from rookies Hightower and Jones. Plus, Wilfork’s 300 pound figure makes it hard for any running back to come up the middle.

The spread on the game is +6 going to the Titans. Will the Patriots be able to cover? I think that they will but I wouldn’t be expecting the same 59-0 blowout from 2009. Although, Brady’s 6 TD passes in that game would be great since he is now on my fantasy team. Enjoy your weekend!

Pats-Welker Cant Agree, Will Play Season with Franchise Tag

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The New England Patriots and Wes Welker could not come to an agreement yesterday. He will play the next season at a 1 year contract worth $9.5 million. Now that the deadline has passed, the Patriots cannot renegotiate with Welker until after the season is over.

Other notable players such as Ray Rice (5 years $40 Million) and Matt Forte (4 years $32 Million) struck deals just before the deadline yesterday, getting the payday they deserved.

Welker, with 330 catches in the past three years, wasn’t as lucky.  He had earlier signed the franchise tender to show the Patriots faith, but by doing so may have cornered himself. The Patriots felt no reason to sign a 31 year old reciever who has previously torn his ACL to a long term contract when they have him for this season. Whether they will franchise him again next year, sign him to a longer contract, or just let him go remains to be seen.

I would have liked to see the Patriots sign Welker to a 3 year deal totally anywhere from $24-28 million. That would have been around the same contract that they gave to Randy Moss. Reward him for always being true to the Patriots and the hard work that he has given them. If he plays well anyways they are going to be on the hook for over $11 million to franchise him again, or give him a new three year contract. This just doesn’t seem to make much sense from the Patriots standpoint, unless they are counting Welker to have a down year.

Patriots Offseason Q&A

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PATRIOTS Q&A

So I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the internet about the Patriots recently and there have been a lot of fan questions about the Patriots and primarily their most recent offseason moves so I figured it was worth my time to put together an article answering some of the most frequent questions.

What are the Patriots plans at the Wide Receiver position after their most recent signings?

The Patriots have made several Wide Receiver moves so far this offseason; with the most notable move being the signing of Brandon Lloyd. The Patriots have an abundance of bodies at the receiver position and clearly they all won’t be able to be on the roster come opening day. What their exact plan is no one can tell. Chad Ochocinco restructured his contract recently to take a pay cut, which in my eyes would be viewed as a sign that he might be back for round two. Anthony Gonzalez is frequently injured but when healthy has potential to be a solid option. The re-signing of Deion Branch was a surprise to me, especially after the signing of Lloyd. I’m not convinced Stallworth will make the team but even that is still a possibility. The bottom line is someone has to get cut/traded. It hurts to even think about it; but with the depth the Patriots have at the position now it could be an option that Welker is traded or released. In no way am I saying Anthony Gonzalez is Welker talent, but if he can get the job done at the same position as Welker I don’t see a purpose in paying Wes over $9mil this season. I believe a lot of the restructured contracts could be leading to a record breaking deal for Gronk. Even without Welker Brady will have plenty of options to go to so if you can use the money elsewhere (AKA defense) I would certainly do it.

Who will carry the load for the Patriots at Running Back?

With Green-Ellis signing with the Bengals the Patriots are left without any experience at the Running Back position. Ridley showed flashes of talent but is fumble prone and that certainly won’t fare well with Bellichick if it continues. Shane Vereen may be a viable option if healthy also. Woodhead is certainly not an every down back in the NFL either. Don’t hold your breath that the Pats will sign that every down back everyone has hoped for since the retirement of Corey Dillon. The Patriots will more than likely use a running back by committee type of game plan which isn’t anything new to them. I’m assuming the Patriots will bring in the Sammy Morris or Lamont Jordan type of veteran to take a few carries and add depth to the position, but don’t expect much.  The Pats don’t rely on the run game like some teams so I don’t see this being a major concern.

What will the Patriots do with their four picks in the first two rounds?

My bet is the Patriots will more than likely trade one or two of the picks like they always do. Something like one of their first rounder’s this year for a third this year and a first next year. Let’s say the Pats change their style up a bit and use all their picks.

Pick No. 27 : The Patriots will more than likely address the defensive side of the ball early and often in the draft so here are a few of their options with this pick.

Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina

Gilmore has good size for a corner standing at 6’1” and has experience at the college level.  He lacks elite speed but with the right coaching he could get by with what he has and be a solid NFL cornerback.

Nick Perry, DE/OLD USC 

Perry is a solid pass rusher and would be a great fit for the Patriots 3-4 defense.

Pick No. 31: The Patriots will probably stick with defense with this pick. I’m thinking they go with a linebacker and then some secondary help with their first two picks.

Mark Barron, S Alabama

Barron has serious talent and was one of the best safeties in the country as a sophomore two years ago. Barron is a three year starter and could be a steal at this pick. He is a hard hitter and has good size for a safety. If Barron is still here I don’t see any way the Pats take anyone else.

Pick No. 48: The Pats will probably also go defense with this pick. They have many holes on that side of the ball.

Vinny Curry, DE/OLB Marshall

Curry has a great combination of speed and size which makes him a very versatile player and that is something Bellichick loves. Curry put up phenomenal numbers in college but those stats can also be skewed seeing as he played in a weak conference.

Harrison Smith, SS Notre Dame

If the Pats don’t take a safety in the first round expect them to take one here.  Smith is a smart player who doesn’t get beat deep often.

Pick No. 63

Options:

Brandon Boykin, CB Georgia

Trumaine Johnson, CB/S Montana

Chase Minnifield, CB Virginia

That’s all for today folks. If you have any Patriots questions for us leave them

Patriots Offseason: Defensive Line

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The Patriots defensive line played better than most had expected coming into the season last year and at times was a bright spot for a primarily bad defense. Andre Carter was a great surprise and played exceptional prior to his season ending knee injury. Mark Anderson proved to be a great signing considering once Carter went down he stepped right in and ended the regular season with 10 sacks. Both Carter and Anderson will be free agents this offseason so keeping both seems rather unlikely. If healthy Carter is the more likely signing but as players age injuries like Carter suffered are much harder to bounce back from. Shaun Ellis and Gerard Warren are also free agents and I don’t expect the Pats to hang on to either, as they are both far past their prime. The anchor of the defensive line is obviously big Vince Wilfork and he will certainly maintain that role next year. Kyle Love and Brandon Deadrick have both been great surprises for the Pats, but they are not exactly quality NFL starters. Through the recent years the Patriots been reluctant to use first round picks on defensive lineman, but I expect that pattern to change this year. Of course if the Pats make a move prior to the draft and sign a top-tier free agent to play defensive end then they will more than likely shy away from defensive lineman in the first couple rounds. There are many quality options this offseason so talent certainly won’t be the issue. Some of the possible Patriots options are as follows.

Mario Williams: Obviously this signing would be a huge stretch, and with a young and very talented Texans team Williams might be more willing to stick around. He would certainly help turn this defense around who ranked 31st in yards against last season. Williams would be used as a hybrid D-Line / Outside Linebacker for the Patriots.

Robert Mathis: Mathis is a great pass rusher with Pro-Bowl talent and would be a huge upgrade for the Pats. Mathis is more likely to leave Indy seeing as they are clearly about to begin their rebuilding process and when that occurs the veterans usually are not a part of their plans.

Aaron Smith: Smith might stay put in Pittsburgh but this would certainly be a viable option for the Pats. Belichick loves to stack depth at the defensive line position with veterans so this would certainly be along the lines of a typical Patriots signing. Smith has shown he can get after the QB.

Other possible options:

Raheem Brock

Amobi Okoye

John Abraham

Patriots Offseason: Tight Ends

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The Patriots clearly do not need to address the tight end position this offseason. With Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez the Pats have two of the top tight ends in all of football. Gronkowski is not only an elite pass-catching tight end; he is also one of the best blockers at his position. I’m sure the Patriots will carry three tight ends on the roster so expect them to go after a veteran as more of a blocking presence to throw out their on the occasional running down. I’m sure the Patriots will be looking to give the tight end tandem some new contracts very soon. Whether or not that will happen this off-season has yet to be determined, but either way Hernandez and Gronkowski have earned themselves a serious payday. If healthy; the Patriots will enter the 2012 season with by far the best tight end tandem in the NFL.

 

Patriots Offseason: Wide Receiver

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20120214-141405.jpgThe Patriots passing attack primarily was not an issue this year. As long as Tom Brady has the reigns of this Patriots offense the passing attack will never be the primary concern. At the same time it is also clear that the Patriots miss the deep threat they had back when Randy Moss would be consistently torching opposing safeties. I expect the Pats to address the receiver position through either free agency or the draft. The Pats will more than likely bring back Wes Welker, but after Welker there are no guarantees. Deion Branch is a free agent and I see that one as a 50/50 as to if he will return. Branch will not require too much of a salary so I would think it would be a good option. With the Patriots having the best possession receiver, and two of the best tight ends in football its hard to imagine it would require much more than a deep threat to bring this offense back to the way it was in past seasons. It’s always very hard to predict the Patriots offseason moves, but some of the options may include:

Randy Moss: This almost seems unrealistic, but we all know Moss loved being here and Belichick has no problem dealing with difficult personalities. Moss, 35, is still probably one of the best deep field threats in the game.

Reggie Wayne: I don’t exactly see this being the ideal fit in New England, but if the Pat’s lose Branch it is certainly a viable option as I see them being a similar type of receiver.

Brandon Lloyd: Lloyd is more of what the Patriots need. His big play ability will keep safeties back a few more yards, which could make the Patriots underneath passing game one of the best ever.

Robert Meachem: Possesses good speed and could be a good fit alongside Welker in this Patriots offense.

Ted Ginn: Certainly will not be the completion to the puzzle as a receiver but with Ginn’s versatility and elite speed he could be a great fit in New England.

 

How Not to Treat a Legend

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Peyton Manning has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in over a decade. As a Patriots fan, he would absolutely terrify me whenever the Colts had the ball. Tom Brady would sustain his drives and grind down the clock so that Peyton would have to sit on the sidelines. Has Brady ever had to do that for another quarterback? Think quarterbacks tore up the Patriots defense this year? If Manning was healthy the Colts would have picked the holes in the Patriots defense all game. The way that the Colts are treating this situation is inexcusable. It is the anti-Brett Favre situation. The owner is creating all the controversy where the player just wants to get back to playing. The Patriots are the only other team who have a quarterback right now who means as much to the franchise as the Colts. While the Patriots have not always been the most loyal to players (Lawyer Milloy anyone?), they would NEVER let Tom Brady play a down for another team.

Peyton Manning’s an 11 time Pro-Bowler, has been named the NFL MVP 4 times, and the AFC Player of the Year 6 times. He is the fastest player ever to reach 50,000 yards passing and 4000 completions. He is the Colts all-time leader in Career wins, Passing Touchdowns, Pass Attempts, Pass completions and Passing Yards. He holds or shares 40 NFL regular season records and 11 playoff records. In 2010, which was just two seasons ago, he had his most passing yards of his career and led the league in completions. He is the Indianapolis Colts.

The funny part of the whole situation is that Peyton has stated that he wants to play for the Colts. It’s where he wants to finish his career. But Jim Irsay just does not seem to want him. When Peyton was cleared by his doctors and announced himself healthy, Irsay tweeted “Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for the Indianapolis Colts.” There is just a lot of bad karma with this move. This player has been the face of your team for the past thirteen seasons. He goes through three neck surgeries and the owner basically throws him to the curb. It reminds me of when the 49ers were dealing with the Joe Montana/Steve Young debate. While everyone knew that Steve Young had a great future ahead of him. Montana was not done yet. In his final two years he led the Kansas City Chiefs to the playoffs twice, one AFC championship game, and beat the 49ers in their only game.  Manning is arguably healthier than Montana at the same stage in his career and has the potential to have about five good years left.

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe the Colt’s doctors decided that Peyton will never play another down in the NFL. But it doesn’t give the team an excuse to alienate the player that has been the team for the past 12 seasons. Even though he is owed 28 million if he stays on after March 8th, remember he was the guy just last year. He took much less money than he deserved just so the Colts could sign free agents around him.

What do you guys think? Leave some comments. Also look for an article for potential destinations for Peyton Manning later on this week.

Patriots Offseason: Running Backs

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20120209-110845.jpgThe Patriots least famed position over the past decade has certainly been the running back position. With Kevin Faulk set for retirement, the only other question mark in the backfield goes to Benjarvus Green-Ellis. Green-Ellis has proven himself to be a consistent runner for the Pats and I expect him to re-sign here in the New England. I think Benjarvus knows his value is at its peak here in New England because of the mixture of players they throw out there every Sunday. The Pats also have Woodhead, Ridley, and Vereen under contract going into next season and seeing as the latter two were both 2011 draft picks I don’t expect this to be a position the Patriots address on draft day. There’s a slight possibility the Pats could try to pick up a veteran back but I also don’t see that happening if they keep Green-Ellis. If for some reason they let Green-Ellis walk, then you can expect the Pats to take a look at some of these options…

Peyton Hillis – Hard Runner, coming off a very tough season. Could be a low-risk high reward signing.

Cedric Benson – This is definitely a stretch for the Pats, but at the same time I don’t expect him to be in Cincy next year.

Ryan Grant – Not really an every down back anymore but can certainly take over Green-Ellis’ roll at a similar price.

Other possibilities:

Tim Hightower

Ronnie Brown

Jason Snelling

 

Patriots Offseason: QB Situation

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Well the season certainly did not end the way we were all looking forward to, but nevertheless its over and time to move onto the offseason. Each day for the next few weeks I will go position by position evaluating the talent and depth at each position, as well as ways the Patriots can improve at each of them.

Quarterback: Tom Brady is obviously the starter for the next few seasons and there is no debate there. The backup position however is certainly under question though. Brian Hoyer is a restricted free agent this offseason meaning the Patriots have many ways to keep him. I look at this as a similar situation to Matt Cassel but without that year of experience Cassel had. The Pats would love to keep Hoyer but with many other needs on the team this offseason they will not overspend for a backup QB. I think the Patriots may have realized they won’t be able to keep him and that’s why they drafted Ryan Mallet. Whether the Patriots plan to have Mallet be Brady’s predecessor has yet to be determined. I expect Hoyer to be playing elsewhere next season and the Patriots will reach out to a veteran backup to help season Mallet.

Patriots vs. Giants: Running Backs

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Up second today is the running back position for both teams. Usually I include stats in my comparison articles but when it comes to how both these teams use their running backs, and the depth they both have I just don’t think stats are a key factor in determining their talent.

The Giants have a great combination of size and speed in the backfield. Bradshaw is a hard runner with solid speed. A couple of years back he was second in line to Brandon Jacobs but that certainly is not the case anymore. Last season Bradshaw became more of the feature back with Jacobs coming in during goal line and short yardage situations. Brandon Jacobs possesses size that is a rarity at the running back position. Jacobs being stuffed behind the line of scrimmage for a loss is something that is difficult to achieve. He is bigger than your average linebacker and even if you are lucky enough to bring him down, he’s going to pick up the extra two yards almost every time. Although the Giants don’t rely on their running game too much, they certainly have the talent back there if they had to.

Overall Grade: B

20120203-131125.jpgThe Patriots running game this year is very similar to every other year. They use a combination of guys that each have certain strengths and use them to their abilities. BenJarvus Green-Ellis has good size and never fumbles the football, and when I say never I mean he has literally never fumbled the football during his pro career. Belichick trusts Green-Ellis in the red-zone because he knows the ball is safe in his hands. Rookie Stevan Ridley has shown flashes of greatness at times this year. He’s not huge, and doesn’t have Chris Johnson like speed but he is very elusive and not easy to bring down. Now on to Danny Woodhead…Minus the fumble on the kickoff last week this guy has been a great option for the Pats. He comes in primarily on passing downs, and that helps his yard per carry ratio out a lot because when he does run the ball the defense normally isn’t expecting it. Woodhead has been a solid replacement for the aging Kevin Faulk. Overall the Patriots have a solid backfield, but just like their opponents, they don’t use it to often. My prediction is that will change this week. I expect the Patriots to come out pounding the ball to keep those Giants pass-rushers on their toes.

Overall Grade: B-

Edge: Giants