Not that those presenting their case for the NFL seem to care, but Judge Richard M. Berman obviously still doesn’t buy into their case against Tom Brady. He has done everything but hit them over the head with a baseball bat and they have continued to stick to the “We did it because we can” defense…and I have to admit, either they are very smart (confident) or really dumb (over-confident.)
Why does the NFL stick to their story?
In my humble opinion it’s simple, the Supreme Court is very strict in their interpretation of what powers a Judge has in cases involving arbitration and has been known to overturn a Judge’s decision. Using the MLBA vs Steve Garvey ruling as a possible basis, the NFL feels if Judge Berman rules in favor of the NFLPA (Tom Brady) the Supreme Court will overturn his decision. And guess what? They may be (gulp) right. Many of the points the Supreme Court listed in their finding in that case are, for Patriot fans, a little scary.
You can read the entire opinion by clicking on the green highlighted section above, but it is long and written in legalize with a ton of footnotes. To save you that problem here are some points that may give the NFL lawyers hope, and should worry Patriots’ fans no matter what the Judge rules.
Steve Garvey, another “nice guy,” spent a lot of time in court. He lost when the Supreme Court over-turned the Judge’s decision
SUPREME COURT HIGHPOINTS IN MLBA VS STEVE GARVEY
The court voted 8-1, in an unsigned opinion, that courts have only limited power to review the decision of arbitrators
…established law ordinarily precludes a court from resolving the merits of the parties’ dispute on the basis of its own factual determinations, no matter how erroneous the arbitrator’s decision
The Court of Appeals usurped the arbitrator’s role by resolving the dispute
No serious error on the arbitrator’s part is apparent in this case. The fact that an earlier panel of arbitrators rejected the owners’ testimony as a whole does not compel the conclusion that the panel found Smith’s specific statements with respect to Garvey to be false
The arbitrator’s analysis may have been unpersuasive to the Court of Appeals, but his decision hardly qualifies as serious error, let alone irrational or inexplicable error.
So, now that you know where the NFL is coming from, can Judge Berman issue a ruling that won’t be overturned if he rules in favor of the NFLPA (Tom Brady)? And the answer is…(drum roll please)…no one knows for sure. Yup, no matter how much you read about the Judge bashing the NFL now, he is a very smart man and does not want his credentials challenged and his ruling overturned by the Supreme Court.
JUDGE BERMAN MAY HAVE “THE SMOKING GUN”
Judge Richard M. Berman enters the courtroom- (photo Don Emmert/AFP/ Getty Images)
While everything above explains why the NFL is so confident, Judge Berman should have them concerned with some of his points from Wednesday’s hearing. How about this for starters:
Judge Berman questioned why NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash wasn’t available to NFLPA lawyers during the suspension’s appeal. Berman went on to point out that there was precedent for a penalty to be rejected on such grounds.
Could that be the “smoking gun” everyone has waited for? Most expected the NFL to have more evidence and produce their “smoking gun,” but instead they may have shot themselves with their arrogance in this case. Maybe, just maybe, Judge Berman has found the link to not getting his decision overturned.
A few other points that Judge Berman had trouble with, and there were many:
“How are deflating footballs and not cooperating with the commissioner legally comparable to steroid use and a masking agent?”
In other words, he still doesn’t buy into the NFL case. He has set up another hearing, this time to include Commissioner (King) Goodell and Brady, for August 31 and dropped the bombshell that he isn’t certain he will have the decision written by the original September 4 target date.
Let’s be honest, it’s a long way from over. The question I haven’t seen answered is, can Judge Berman issue a “stay” on Brady’s suspension if he doesn’t reach a decision in time for the regular season?
As I have often stated in the past, I am not an attorney, so my assessment of the information is strictly as a layman and my opinions only. The items in quotes are directly from legal documents which help lead my to my conclusions. Oh, by the way, I’m also a lifelong Patriot fan and acknowledge that upfront…so please hold on the hate mail. Thanks
As you have most likely heard by now, ESPN issued an apology to the Patriots in the middle of the night. Nice attempt at sincerity, but no dice.
If you are like myself, I barely watch or listen to anything from ESPN. Being on social media, I have a great amount of respect for Mike Reiss and his coverage of the Patriots organization, however it stops there. To call ESPN the TMZ of sports would be an understatement, and an insult to TMZ.
Now here’s where I draw the line, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, as long as it’s based in fact, with no facts to back up an opinion it’s only biased lip service. I also understand that many sports media personalities either played or have ties to other NFL franchises other than the Patriots. However that does not excuse putting out false reports that are later proven false and not corrected right away (hello Chris Mortensen). Do you hear me ESPN?
NOW YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO DO IT AGAIN?
So ESPN puts out the rumor that was reported (and disproven both in 2008) that the Patriots filmed the Rams walk through prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. They did this not once but twice in the last week. Then issued a 17 second apology in the middle of the night. Very touching, pardon me while I reach for a tissue. (Not really)
Problem is is that media is driven by hits or responses, create a stir if you will. The personalities having other allegiances will always dispise the success of the Patriots, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the team (no other team has a winning record against these 2) because it’s easier to call them cheaters and constantly put out false information intentionally, than admit that no matter how good they think their team/teams are… the Patriots are just that much better.
That’s my rant for the day… and yeah, #DefendTheWall #ExonerateBrady and by all means #BoycottESPN
Last season, the biggest surprise on the entire Patriots roster was arguably wide receiver Brandon LaFell. The reason why he was such a pleasant surprise for Patriots fans was due to the fact that the team had struck out on so many free agent wide receivers in recent years.
Brandon, “Jojo” LaFell started his professional career with the Carolina Panthers when they drafted him in the third round out of Louisiana State. LaFell was a part of the 2008 BCS National Championship squad in Baton Rouge. In total, LaFell’s four seasons in Carolina were all very similar. In his four years, he finished with 167 receptions, for 2,385 yards, and 13 touchdowns.
zimbio.com
He was always the number three receiver on the depth chart, playing primarily in the slot. At 6-2, 208 pounds he is not your normal slot receiver, size wise. LaFell has always talked about how he learned a lot from veteran and perennial Pro-Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith. It is never a bad thing to spend every day in the meeting room as a young player with someone who will have a spot in Canton one day.
In March of 2014, LaFell became an unrestricted free agent. A few days into free agency LaFell signed a three-year nine million dollar contract with New England. At the start of his Patriots career, LaFell had a very tough time getting on the same page with Tom Brady. He did not even have a reception until week three against Oakland.
In garbage time in a week four Monday night blowout at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, “Jojo” had six catches, for 119 yards, and an impressive touchdown where he broke free from multiple defenders. That second half really light a fire under LaFell and spring boarded him for the rest of the season.
Brandon LaFell did not have a lot of big time statistical games, outside of week eight against Chicago. In that matchup he brought in eleven receptions, for 124 yards, and a touchdown. He finished the season with 74 receptions, for 953 yards, and seven touchdowns.
LaFell’s biggest attribute to the team was his ability to shine in big moments. In a week thirteen matchup against the Green Bay Packers, LaFell had two huge touchdown receptions. One in the second quarter on a third and goal situation and one in the fourth quarter in the back corner of the end zone that brought the Patriots back into the game.
In the divisional round of the playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens Brandon LaFell had the go-ahead touchdown on a picture perfect play with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Patriots were at the Ravens twenty-five yard line on a first and ten play, when Brandon LaFell toasted Ravens cornerback Rashaan Melvin on the outside on a beautiful fade route.
fansided.com
Brady put the ball right in LaFell’s hands for the touchdown putting the Patriots ahead 34-31. In addition, Brandon LaFell had the first score of Super Bowl XLIX with his eleven yard touchdown catch, putting a great move on Seattle cornerback Tharold Simon.
So far in the 2015 season, Brandon LaFell has yet to participate in a practice, spending all of training camp thus far on the physically unable to perform list. He is believed to have some sort of lower leg injury that has derailed his offseason. However, he was recently seen walking without a boot, which is a promising sign.
LaFell’s injury would be more alarming if it were his first season with the team, or if he was a younger player with less pro experience. He gained the trust of Tom Brady faster than any free agent wide receiver that I can remember, (Randy Moss and Wes Welker were acquired via trade).
Once LaFell makes his return he should be able to jump right back into that second wide receiver spot behind Julian Edelman. He is not an outside threat, but he is a big body that can be very effective in the red zone. Keep an eye out for him in your fantasy drafts.
LaFell is also a great drive starter as he proved last season. In addition to his pass catching ability, LaFell is the Patriots best and most physical blocking receiver. He is not afraid to scrap with opposing defensive backs and clear lanes on outside run plays. Also, he successfully pulled off the, “pick play” a couple of times last year.
In conclusion, if Brandon LaFell can fight through nagging injuries once again, expect him to be as consistent as he was last season. Pencil him in for about sixty or seventy receptions with a high number of touchdowns.
The AFC East for a long stretch of time has been ragged on for not being very relevant, outside of the New England Patriots. Some followers have discounted the Patriots reign of success because of the lack of competitors in the division. However, this past offseason there was a great amount of turnaround on all four teams within the division, which should make things a lot more interesting this upcoming season. So without further a due, here is my full breakdown of each team in the AFC East, with with a prediction of their final record and playoff standing.
New England Patriots: Once again the New England Patriots enter the season as the favorites to win the AFC East. Nevertheless, with the departures of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, and Kyle Arrington the secondary is now a work-in-progress that could cost the team some games early on in the season. In addition, with Vince Wilfork signing with the Houston Texans and Dan Connolly retiring, both sides of the line of scrimmage are in a transition period with a lot of young players that are still a bit unknown.
If the Patriots offensive line can figure out some early struggles, like they did very well last year, the offense as a whole should be very explosive. With weapons such as Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, and Brandon LaFell all with at least a year or more in the Patriots system under their belt, the offense should be able to move the ball up and down the field very effectively.
Also, the offense should not have to pick up the slack for the defense constantly if the front seven of the defense lives up to their potential. With young talented players on the rise like Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, and Jabaal Sheard, along with unproven players such as Dominique Easley and Chandler Jones with potentially high ceilings the front could carry the defense and allow Bill Belichick to, “turn the dogs loose.” Something they haven’t been able to do for a long stretch of time.
Prediction: 12-4, second spot in AFC Playoffs.
Buffalo Bills: Certainly one of the most talked about teams in the offseason, the Buffalo Bills are now filled with all sorts of bravado with new head coach Rex Ryan. Buffalo added tons of fire power on offense, with continued additions to their already strong defense. With Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, and Marcell Dareus plugging up the interior, with an extremely talented player such as Jerry Hughes coming off the edge, the Bills should cause all sorts of headaches for opposing quarterbacks. The secondary still has some question marks in Buffalo, but Rex Ryan has been known to make up for a weak secondary with his phenomenal pass rush.
The Bills offense can be described with in one word, speed. With speedy wide receivers such as olympic track star Marquise Goodwin, along with Percy Harvin, and future superstar Sammy Watkins the passing game has some burners that can really stretch the field. To add to the insanely fast wide receivers, the Bills added Lesean McCoy via a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. McCoy along with grizzled veteran Fred Jackson will contribute greatly to Rex Ryan’s run heavy offense. Also, McCoy can come out of the backfield and be effective in the passing game.
The biggest question for the Bills this season is the quarterback position. A three-way competition has spurred throughout training camp between Matt Cassel, EJ Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor. None of those three will strike great fear in any opposing team, especially the New England Patriots who are their biggest competition in the division. Unfortunately, their lack of quarterback talent will lead to their offense not reaching their full potential.
Prediction: 10-6, sixth spot in AFC Playoffs.
New York Jets: Much like the Buffalo Bills, the New York Jets have added a lot of new talent to the roster along with some old friends. The biggest additions of course being Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Brandon Marshall. In addition, the Jets now have a Todd Bowles as head coach who was the architect of the defense in Arizona that is now one of the league’s best.
On offense, the Jets have a plethora of weapons starting with an elite wide receiver such as Brandon Marshall whom they acquired through a trade with the Chicago Bears this past offseason. Marshall is a freakish athlete that is a threat to score anytime he is on the field. The only problem is keeping his head on straight.
nypost.com
To compliment Marshall the Jets have a solid veteran in Eric Decker and promising rookie Devin Smith, who was a great player on Ohio State’s national championship team last year. Again, the Jets biggest question mark will come at the quarterback position. With Geno Smith now out for a long stretch of time, the team will have to rely on veteran cast off Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead them. That is something that fans of the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans will tell you not to be over confident about.
On defense, the Jets have possibly more all around talent than any team in the National Football League. When you have the best cornerback in the game in Darrelle Revis on your roster, you can do all sorts of things because he essentially takes away the opposing offenses number one target. On the other side of Revis, the Jets have Pro-Bowler Antonio Cromartie who is also a menace for quarterbacks and wide receivers to deal with.
Based off of those two players alone the Jets should have a top three secondary. In addition to their secondary, the front seven of the Jets will be one that can get to the quarterback. With Muhammed Wilkerson coming off the edge, and first-round pick Leonard Williams who was considered to be the best overall player in the draft.
In the end however, the Jets will probably not live up to there potential simply because they are the Jets and their locker room is already starting to collapse. With Sheldon Richardson likely out for the season because of his antics, and Geno Smith not commanding the respect of his teammates, Todd Bowles already seems to be letting the inmates run the asylum. That is something that has not bode well for former head coaches of the NYJ.
Prediction: 7-9, Miss playoffs.
Miami Dolphins: The Miami Dolphins have given the New England Patriots the biggest run for their money over the past couple of seasons. Head coach Joe Philibin has been able to keep his team in the playoff race until mid December, and then his squad falls apart. This was never more evident than last December when they had a chance to make a statement against the Patriots in Foxborough. The Dolphins came out with zero energy and fell flat on their face getting walloped by a score of 41-13.
This past March, Miami made arguably the biggest move of the offseason by signing perennial Pro-Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a six-year, 114 million dollar contract. Their defensive line should be able to get in the backfield with ease with Cameron Wake coming off the edge, and Suh up the middle.
cbssports.com
Furthermore, the Phins extended fourth-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a six-year 97 million dollar contract extension. Therefore, the Dolphins are spending big cash to protect their most valuable assets.
However, when you spend big money like that you can be left vulnerable at other positions. For example, Miami continues to have a weak offensive line, in a division with three stout defensive fronts. What good is your expensive quarterback if you cannot keep him upright. Also, the Dolphins offense is not exactly filled with offensive power, and Tannehill is not the type of player that can make players around him exceedingly better.
Overall, the Miami Dolphins on paper seem to have a very talented roster, but they just don’t have the coaching. That will be proven this year once again when Miami fans are disappointed that their team is golfing in January once again.
From the first pages of the Wells Report, it’s clear that Tom Brady was in the NFL’s crosshairs. It took a logical stretch, but Mr. Wells was sure to hang that “more probably than not… generally aware” label on old number twelve, opening the door for Troy Vincent and Roger Goodell to slap him across the teeth with a good, hard punishment.
The suspension itself proves that Brady must be guilty, some people say. Why would Roger Goodell go after Tom Brady, maybe the most recognizable face in the NFL, a man who has done nothing but promote good sportsmanship and class for the past decade and a half? Why would he punish him so severely, unless he had no choice?
I have just about convinced myself that neither the NFL (Roger Goodell) or the NFLPA (Tom Brady) are willing to move enough to settle their differences. At this stage it really doesn’t help either side to settle.
The NFL would look stupid (gee whiz, ya’ think?), after fighting for this long, to suddenly acknowledge the flawed Wells’ report was…well, flawed!
The NFLPA (aka Tom Brady) would have to admit guilt if they accepted any penalty other than a fine, and Mr. Brady has stated from the beginning he “did nothing wrong.”
GUNS A BLAZIN”
Guns A Blazing (photo: genius.com)
Both sides came out firing and emptied their weapons Friday, leaving little doubt they are still at war. When you read their filings you get the definite impression Judge Richard Berman is not going to get what he’s looking for when they gather again in his war room…oops, courthouse. The rhetoric is strong and if you haven’t seen it, here are a few excerpts from the filings.
NFLPA: “At every turn, the NFL misstates the record-from the discipline that was actually imposed”… “…to the Award that was actually rendered (which ignores-not “distinguishes” – settled law of the shop and the binding Peterson decision), to undisputed arbitration evidence (even the NFL does not deny Brady’s lack of notice – the League merely tries to explain it away). “
That was just the beginning, the filing also stated:
“The NFL’s seismic shifts are nothing short of breathtaking, “
“…the “independent” (Wells’) Report has now been relegated to “thorough,” the “independent” law firm has been relegated to “experienced and highly respected professionals,” and the whole façade of “independence” has been relabeled as “irrelevant.”
I won’t bore you with a lot of the legal language of the filing, but thought this one summed up the NFLPA’s stance in a nutshell
(The Award) is more a smear campaign than reasoned decision-a propaganda piece written for public consumption, at a time when the NFL believed the transcript would be sealed from public view, to validate a multi-million-dollar “independent” investigation”
In other words, liar, liar, pants on fire. I don’t know about you, but where I come from those are fightin’ words pardner and, if nothing else, Commissioner Goodell has always been ready to fight, despite his losing record and no matter how much it costs.
Not to be outdone, the NFL lawyers retaliated with a bombshell of their own when they filed later that day. How’s this for headline news:
Well now, we have definitely escalated from “generally aware” to actual pay-off huh? That doesn’t sound much like settling language to me. Of course, there’s still no direct evidence of this, but so what? As the old Wendy’s commercial asked “Where’s The Beef?”
Asking the NFL to play “Where’s The Beef?”
HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON?
If (and they will) the losing party appeals whatever the judge’s decision is we are talking years, not months. Tom Brady has stated he wants to play for 7 or 8 more years (good luck on that Tom), but what happens if he retires before all the appeals are heard and ruled on? Think about this:
Would all this have been for nothing?
Could the courts, the NFLPA, the NFL and all the football fans in the world finally relax and forget about this much-ado-about-nothing case?
Will Roger Goodell continue as NFL Commissioner at a multi-million $$$ salary (sorry Pats fans, but the answer to that is yes)
Is anyone really optimistic that a settlement will happen after reading this? You have to believe even Judge Berman is doubtful. He once again grilled the NFL Wednesday yet they are sticking to their guns on four games. No room to negotiate when one side is ignoring the Judge! A roomful of lawyers and a judge, sounds like a new TV series to me!
To read both filings, click on the green highlighted text, go to your favorite reading room (in my case the bathroom) and set aside a few hours. It took me about that long to read/re-read it all and I still don’t get all the legalize.
As I acknowledged in my ” The Judge Doesn’t Buy It” column, this was written with my own bias as a lifelong Patriots fan, so please hold off on the hate comments. Thanks.
In March of 2013, the New England Patriots acquired Danny Amendola via free agency after the departure of long-time, and extremely productive receiver Wes Welker. Patriots fans were irate with the decision, seeing how Welker had fought through injury throughout his six-year Patriots career and hardly missed any time.
On the other hand, Amendola had missed a total of twenty-two games in four seasons with the St. Louis Rams for various injuries, including a serious collar bone injury that could have taken his life. Amendola entered Foxborough the same way he entered Texas Tech, taking over for a record breaking Wes Welker at slot receiver.
Amendola’s first year and a half in Foxborough was tough and frustrating for himself and the fans. Not only did he struggle to stay healthy, which was his biggest question mark heading in, he also could not get on the same page as Tom Brady. He was the polar opposite of Wes Welker at the beginning.
Amendola’s career really jump started in week seven of last season against the New York Jets on a rainy Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. The score was 20-19 in the fourth quarter, and the Patriots were hanging on to the lead by the skin of their teeth. On a third and nineteen play, Tom Brady rolled out of the pocket to his left side and looked as if he was just firing the ball into the back of the end zone, when out of nowhere Amendola snagged the ball out of the air while getting hit by Jets safety Antonio Allen, for a touchdown. The Patriots prevailed in the end with a 27-25 victory.
musketfire.com
That single play helped carry Amendola throughout the season, and particularly into the postseason. In three playoff games Amendola finished with eleven receptions, for 137 yards, and three touchdowns. The divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens is where Amendola contributed the most.
In the fourth quarter the Patriots faced a huge third down play while trailing 31-28. Brady fired a quick out-route to Amendola, and he then shook off Baltimore defenders to dive over the first-down marker, setting up a fresh set of downs. The Patriots would later score on a touchdown reception from Brandon LaFell, which gave the team the lead 35-31, the score they would win by.
Of course Amendola’s most notable moments came in the end zone. His second touchdown of the Baltimore game from Julian Edelman which tied the game up at twenty-eight.His second touchdown of the Baltimore game from Julian Edelman which tied the game up at twenty-eight. Then about three weeks later, Amendola helped bring the Patriots back into Super Bowl XLIX, finding the end zone to narrow the Seattle lead to 24-21 in the fourth quarter.
bostonglobe.com
Going into the 2015 season, Amendola looked set to be the number three receiver on the Patriots roster. However, with Brandon LaFell still on the physically unable to perform list, and Julian Edelman fighting injuries, Amendola has received more first team reps and targets from Tom Brady than any other Patriots wide receiver.
This increased amount of reps and comfort with the starting quarterback could very well lead to Danny Amendola’s first full season where he is a productive player on the Patriots roster. He brings a lot to the table. He has the ability to play in the slot, and also at times catch the ball outside of the numbers. In addition, his most underrated trait is his ability to run block. Last season, Josh McDaniels called a lot of sweep plays to the outside where Amendola would come down and stalk block on a defensive back.
Furthermore, Amendola was without a doubt the Patriots best kick returner in 2014. He came onto the scene in week twelve against Detroit where he had two very solid returns that helped jump start the Patriots offense.
In conclusion, now that Danny Amendola is a, “made-man” in the Patriots offense, he can now be apart of a plethora of targets that should be one of the league’s best offenses. With the contributions of All-Pro Rob Gronkowski, and the reliable Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, and now you can throw in Amendola who could bring in about sixty receptions, the Patriots offense should be lethal.
Often times, we rush to conclusions after a loss and think Armageddon is coming and how this is going to be a bad year. To remember that so many people didn’t play against Green Bay, especially starters, is key. We have to take it for what it was and go forward. With New Orleans coming up, here are some things to watch for.
via boston.cbslocal.com
Jimmy Garrapolo had a decent 2nd half after he settled down and was better. I think he showed more good than bad. He wasn’t helped by his WR corps and offensive line (that in a minute), but he showed poise and made some great throws. He has a lot of work to do, but if he has to play, I’m sure McDaniels will do enough to get him ready. Seeing how he plays against an aggressive blitzing package that Rob Ryan likes to employ should see if he learned from the Packers game.
csnne.com
To say that Josh Boyce’s game was a nightmare is an understatement. He seemed disconnected and didn’t fight for any balls. It’s a mild surprise he hasn’t been released yet, but his deep speed might keep him around for a few more weeks. Chris Harper and Jonathan Krause were by far the most impressive WR’s in the game and along with Brandon Gibson, will be vying for that 5th WR spot on the roster behind Edelman, LaFell, Amendola and Dobson. Either way, their presense on the practice squad is almost assured.
The offensive line was a sieve, allowing 7 sacks and countless pressures. Moving Chris Barker to LT made little sense as he was consistently dominated. Like Garrapolo’s play, you can’t judge the whole line by its backups. Shaq Mason had a great block on a pull that sprung Jonas Gray’s 55 yard TD run, but he struggled in pass blocking. David Andrews was surprisingly solid at C and G and could be a keeper going forward. I remember when Ryan Wendell was stuck on the inactive list/practice squad for a few years before he was ready to contribute. Andrews could be a similar story.
Even with the injuries to Rufus Johnson and Trey Flowers being unknown at this point, their play is indicative of how the defense will be this year. They are taking a similar modus operandi of the Giants and having an incredibly aggressive pass rush to make up for an average secondary. Even though the secondary played very well at times, there is a lot of inexperience there. Knowing that Belichick and Patricia will coach them up eases the worry.
The negative of the defense was their run defense, but seeing that Branch and Siliga didn’t play in the middle might be responsible for that. But the missed tackles, especially by Cameron Gordon on the edge was frustrating. Jonathan Freeny had a rough first quarter but seemed to settle down. Seeing how well the DT’s and the LB’s hold up against the new aggressive Saints O Line and running attack could be indicative of how well the Pats can be run on. In spite of all the questions, this defense will be much more aggressive this year than last year and that could be a very good thing.
To remember that the preseason are glorified practices is very important. This is the team figuring out roster moves and experimenting with different plays on both sides of the ball. The game showed that the Pats are going to be chippy and aggressive and won’t back down from a fight. With most people signaling the end of the Pats dominance of the AFC East with the moves the Jets, Bills and Dolphins made, this shows that they aren’t going down without a fight.
The New England Patriots fell short to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 22-11, in their preseason opener on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. There was certainly a lot of bad, but also a few bright spots in the loss on Thursday. As Bill Belichick said after the game, “It’s the first preseason game everybody has a lot to work on, we will watch the film and i’m sure there will be corrections on every play.” Here are my main takeaways and notes from Thursday nights contest.
Malcolm Butler Impresses Again: The majority of Patriots fans were probably hoping to see a lot more of Malcolm Butler than they actually did. He was only out on the field for about two series. However, while on the field Butler made multiple plays in the end zone. Butler locked down his defenders and stayed on them while Aaron Rodgers rolled out of the pocket, breaking up two different passes. Encouraging to see seeing how he seems to be the teams number one cornerback right now.
Patriots.com
The Rest of The Secondary Disappoints: Other than Malcolm Butler and Devin McCourty, the Patriots secondary as a whole was very disappointing. Darryl Roberts was on the field starting, which was a bit surprising. He played decent, but certainly not up to the level that you would comfortable having him as a starter.
Aaron Rodgers took advantage of him playing to far off the line. In addition, Logan Ryan was toasted by wide receiver Jeff Janis on a pass from back up quarterback Scott Tolzien for a touchdown. Furthermore, Duron Harmon had some tackling issues on a long touchdown run by Alonzo Harris when he collided with fellow defenders James Morris and Bradley Fletcher. Just an awful display of defense.
Jimmy Garoppolo Shows No Progression: If you asked me to tell the difference between Jimmy Garoppolo in late December of last season and tonight, I would have a tough time. It does not seem like he has improved his game very much, we could sort of get a glimpse of that in practice.
His decision making still is too slow. That helped contribute to him being sacked seven times throughout the night. He look as if he was making a concerted effort not to use his legs. There were times where he should have scrambled out of the pocket, instead he went to the turf. Garoppolo finished the night 20 of 30, for 159 yards, zero touchdowns, and one bad interception that was intended for Josh Boyce. Garoppolo fired the ball at Boyce on a ten-yard dig route, however instead of hitting him on the outside shoulder away from the defender, he threw it inside where LaDarius Gunter picked it off.
Young Offensive Line Struggles Greatly: The offensive line without a doubt was the lowlight of the game for the Patriots on Thursday night. Players such as David Andrews, Josh Kline, and once again Jordan Devey had a very tough time against a defensive front that is not exactly the 1985 Chicago Bears. The offensive line gave up seven sacks in total, and most came from the interior. Shaq Mason show some potential as a run blocker, but had a tough time keeping up with the pro level speed. There will certainly be a lot of scrutiny placed towards that group this upcoming week.
Josh Boyce Doesn’t Live Up To Hype: After having a very good training camp thus far, Josh Boyce had a very underwhelming performance on Thursday night to put it lightly. Mental errors continue to hurt his career. Simple mistakes like turning for the ball, and running all the way through his routes, and bad drops were some of the lowlights of his night.
Boyce finished the game with one catch after being targeted eight times. It was a rough night to say the least, and disappointing for me because I had him as a player to watch for. He needs to make up for his performance next week, because if he continues to string together lack luster performances he will be looking for a job come early September.
Patriots.com
Miscellaneous Notes: There was a few bright spots on Thursday night behind all the disappointment. Trey Flowers was one of my nice surprises. Flowers made a great move on Packers starting tackle David Bahktiari to get to Aaron Rodgers and bring him down for the sack. It was very encouraging to see that explosiveness from him.
Also, Jonas Gray took advantage of his chances running for 74 yards, with a 55-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Finally, Stephen Gostkowski lived up to his new contract by nailing a 56-yard field goal at the end of the first half to give the Patriots the 11-9 lead.
The time has finally come, sort of. It isn’t the best football, but it is players fighting for their jobs, in live game situations with the bright lights on at Gillette Stadium. Preseason football is here, and that means it is time to evaluate the players that have been hyped up and scrutinized throughout training camp.
With so many players on the roster that will be cut by week one, it is hard to keep track of which players you want to keep an eye on during preseason games. Here are five players that you should watch closely on Thursday night if you are a Patriots fan.
Josh Boyce: The majority of offensive starters for the Patriots will not be playing tonight. That means hopefully no Rob Gronkowski, no Julian Edelman, and maybe a limited Danny Amendola. There is a battle for the fourth wide receiver spot currently brewing in Foxborough, and third-year receiver Josh Boyce is near the top of that battle.
Boyce has seen more time in preseason games throughout his career than in regular season games. Last year he spent the season on the practice squad, and he has impressed thus far in training camp. He has constantly beat rookie cornerback Darryl Roberts for touchdowns. On Thursday night, expect to see Boyce on the field for the vast majority of the game.
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Boyce will be playing alongside and competing against at the same time receivers such as Brian Tyms, Chris Harper and Brandon Gibson. Those four are fighting for roster spots, and Boyce has the most experience in the Patriots system out of the four.
Malcolm Butler: The last time we saw Malcolm Butler on the game field he was intercepting Russell Wilson at the goal line to win the Patriots the Super Bowl, as a fairly unknown un-drafted rookie cornerback. Now he is the teams top corner and he will face heavy scrutiny if he doesn’t perform up to that billing.
Throughout the first three weeks of training camp, Butler has been a pain in Tom Brady’s side, intercepting and deflecting passes left and right. He has certainly locked down that left cornerback spot on the roster. Even though for the time being he is labeled as a starter, he will need to be on the field for a large majority of the time Thursday night.
In the preseason, defensive coordinators do not get to fancy with their schemes. As former head coach Herm Edwards once said, “In the preseason you have two flavors of defense, chocolate and vanilla. In the regular season you get thirty-two flavors.”
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Basically what Herm is trying to say is that in the preseason, you get basic man coverage and light zone coverage from defenses. Therefore, we will get a decent evaluation of Malcolm Butler when he matches up against top notch receivers such as Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb even if it is only for a series or two.
Trey Flowers: In the preseason, we get a pretty solid look at the new rookies on the roster. Seeing how the first-round picks are usually penciled in as starters we don’t get as good a look at them as we do with the mid to late round picks. That is why I will be focusing on a player like fourth-round pick, defensive end Trey Flowers.
Flowers started off training camp slow, but of late has been getting solid reps with the starting defense. He is a bigger defensive end at 6-4, 269 pounds and many think he could play in a 3-4 scheme, as oppose to being just a five-technique defensive end.
Flowers is a work-in-progress when it comes to being a pass rusher, but is a solid run defender. Flowers will be fighting with Zach Moore for playing time, and I am giving the leg up to Flowers on that one. In addition, Pro Football Focus had Trey Flowers as their second best steal of the entire draft.
Jimmy Garoppolo: Obviously with the suspension of Tom Brady up in the air we will not being seeing him on Thursday night against the Packers. Now we get to see back up Jimmy Garoppolo for most of the night. It will be a good look at what might be a reality early on in the season if Brady does have to serve a game.
Furthermore, an annual preseason tradition for Patriots fans is evaluating the back up quarterback. Last summer, Jimmy Garoppolo impressed in preseason action leading many to think that he could be the heir apparent to Tom Brady. So far in practice this summer, Garoppolo has been very underwhelming. He takes too long to make decisions, and with a patchy offensive line full of young inexperienced players, that could be a recipe for disaster against Green Bay.
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Also, Garoppolo needs to test his arm. He will have receivers with him that can somewhat stretch the field in Josh Boyce and Brian Tyms. We saw a little bit of that Garoppolo to Tyms connection last August, and it has transitioned into training as well this year. Expect Josh McDaniels to test Garoppolo against the Packers with a pass happy playbook.
James White: With Shane Vereen gone, one of the most important positions on the Patriots offense has been left barren, the pass catching back. It has been an interesting battle to watch between Brandon Bolden, Travaris Cadet, and James White in Foxborough. If you asked me who was losing that battle as of right now, I would tell you it was White.
However, with Travaris Cadet suffering from a hamstring injury we more than likely will not see him in action against the Packers. Therefore, we will be getting a heavy dose of Brandon Bolden and James White. Most Patriots fans know what they have with Brandon Bolden. He is a very good special teams player who can pass block, and come out of the backfield when needed and be fairly productive.
James White is still an unknown. He was hardly on the field at all in 2014, and when he was he did not show an burst like he did in college at the University of Wisconsin. Thursday night will be his chance to prove that he can come out of the backfield and shine and also run in-between the tackles. If he doesn’t show that ability that he was drafted for, White could be looking at another season where he barely sees the field.
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