Category Archives: NFL

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots Player Profiles: Will Julian Edelman Be Healthy Enough To Be The Top Receiver?

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Without a doubt, the best wide receiver on the New England Patriots roster over the past two seasons has been Julian Edelman. Over the these last two years, Edelman has brought in 197 receptions, for 2,028 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Edelman’s role has greatly increased since Wes Welker departed for Denver in March of 2013.

Edelman was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 draft out of Kent State, where he was a read option style quarterback. In his rookie season he played in only eleven games. However, he still managed to be a solid third string wide receiver catching 37 passes, for 359 yards, and one touchdown.

In the years 2010 through 2012, the Patriots had the league’s best offense, with the emergence of the two tight end attack of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, along with Wes Welker consistently catching one-hundred balls. With all that production, with some injuries added in Edelman took a back seat on offense.

patriots.com
patriots.com

Nevertheless, in 2011 when the Patriots had some serious depth issues at the cornerback position, Bill Belichick used Julian Edelman’s athleticism to his own advantage. During that season, where the Patriots were at the bottom of the league in pass defense, Edelman was used heavily in nickel defense at nickel back. He was exactly Deion Sanders, but he was better than expected for a guy who played slot receiver. His versatility has made him a prototypical Bill Belichick Patriot.

In 2012, with Welker’s future with the Patriots in jeopardy, Bill Belichick began to plug in Edelman more at the top slot receiver spot. However, as was the case throughout most of his career he got injured. A fractured foot on Thanksgiving against the Jets, lead to Edelman being placed on season ending injured reserve.

In the offseason of 2013, Edelman became and unrestricted free agent. After receiving virtually zero interest from other clubs, besides one visit of the New York Giants, Edelman returned to the Patriots in April signing a one-year veteran minimum deal. He needed to prove that upcoming season that he could stay healthy and be a reliable number one receiver.

He did just that, beating out Danny Amendola for the top wide receiver spot and catching 105 passes, for 1056 yards, and six touchdowns. In a season where Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola were hurt for most of the time, and rookies such as Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins had to be first team players, Edelman was the one saving face.

This past season, Edelman was as reliable and clutch as ever. His regular season number speak for themselves, but in the playoffs is were he really shined. Most notably in the divisional round and in Super Bowl XLIX. Late in the third quarter of the divisional playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens the Patriots were driving down the field trailing 28-21. Brady threw a parallel pass to Edelman on what looked to be a screen. However, he pulled up and fired a picture picture perfect pass down the sideline to a wide open Danny Amendola for the game tying touchdown.

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sportsrants.com

In the Super Bowl, the Patriots trailed by ten points in the fourth quarter facing a third and fourteen play that could end the game. Brady rolled around the pocket and fired the ball into the middle of the field right into the hands of Edelman who was absolutely clobbered by Kam Chancellor. Later in the game Edelman caught the go-ahead touchdown pass to give the Patriots the 28-24 lead.

So far this season, Edelman has not been able to get on the field to often due to a nagging ankle injury. He did not travel with his team to West Virginia for joint practices with the New Orleans Saints. It is a bit alarming that Edelman has not been on the field hardly at all this summer, but for a player with as much experience in the offense that he has you have to expect that he can just jump right back into action. It is best to be precautionary with him because of his importance to the team.

Julian Edelaman is such an important player to the Patriots offense because he serves almost as a spark plug. Whenever you need a first down conversion or a big gain, go to Edelman. Also, he has always been able to spark the team with a solid punt return to put them in good field position.

In conclusion, health will be the biggest question mark for Edelman in 2015. At a position where players take such as beating the risk of injury is so high. In addition, Edelman has not suffered a serious injury since 2012, and you have to believe that he is at a high risk of injury this year. If he can manage to stay healthy, pencil him in once again for about 90 receptions and near one-thousand yards and being Tom Brady’s favorite target.

NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans

Winston vs. Mariota will be Decided by Offensive Schemes

Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston?

It’s a question with no clear answer but with plenty of division among NFL fans and experts alike. Instead of put it to rest, the lukewarm preseason debuts of both signal callers brought up the question once more. In reality, this quarterback debate skims the surface of an issue that’s been a part of the game for the past decade. It boils down to the pro-style versus the spread option offenses, and the effect both have on the quality of NFL quarterbacks.

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Let’s consider Oregon. Arguably no other team plays a tempo offense in a spread formation better than the Ducks. Quick passes and option reads, a running quarterback and lightning fast running backs, all working together to control the clock and confuse the defense. It becomes easy to see why many college programs have switched to this style of play and have found success with the spread option. Not only is it fun to watch, it sounds like the future of football. Compared to the sometimes slower and more methodical play of a pro-style team, it can look revolutionary.

That is, until it’s done in the NFL.

Read options don’t work in the league. Defensive linemen are fast enough to chase down a runningback or shadow and tackle a quarterback. A running quarterback can excel, but he has to be able to check down to a second or third receiver. Though it may have worked just fine in college, reading one receiver and scrambling to the edge won’t be effective (or safe) in the pros. Yet, teams have tried to build this kind of offense around their star QB, and without much success.

Look at Cleveland with Johnny Manziel or Carolina with Cam Newton. Both are incredible with the option and on their feet, but taking a five step drop and finding an open target? Not so much. The same could be said for RGIII in Washington. All three are exceptional athletes, but not great quarterbacks; they just can’t make the throws pocket passers like Brady, Rodgers, or Manning can. The only team who has had any success with this kind of offense is Chip Kelly’s Eagles. Even so, Kelly has yet to find the quarterback to run his offense, and with the roster looking the way it does now, he may still be looking in 2016. Without an electric playmaker behind center, Kelly will never recreate the Oregon offense the way he wants to.

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So if I’m forced to choose between the two former Heisman winners, I’m choosing Winston. Within the pro-style offense of Florida State, Jameis covered ground that Mariota has only recently begun to. Mainly, Winston has the throwing mechanics, footwork, and passing vision the Titans QB just doesn’t have. Pro style teams consistently produce better NFL quarterbacks than option type teams, it’s that simple. Both throwers have a lot to prove, and both will be making big plays this season. I have no doubt that Mariota can become a great player in this league, but I have doubts that it will be happening anytime this season.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying

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Deflategate is a sham. Roger Goodell and the NFL took an equipment violation and turned it into the crime of the century. It’s all part of an effort to buy back trust and confidence from league owners after a tumultuous 2014.
The previous paragraph accurately sums up how the New England fan base feels about the debacle known as deflategate. It’s a bit one sided but not all together the worst summary of 2015’s biggest non story. The NFL and more than likely the other 44 states, look at this organizational massacre as one brand’s comeuppance for seemingly always skirting the rules.
Last week ESPN,which has hardly been in the New England Patriots corner during this mess, polled more than 100 NFL players asking them a variety of questions concerning their take on deflategate. While every fan and media member from around the globe has had their chance to jump on their proverbial soap boxes we have only heard from a select few actual colleagues of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The 13 question survey begins by asking if the player believed the accusations that the Patriots knowingly deflated footballs; 72% said yes and 28% said no. Given the Patriot’s history, this comes as no real shock. Where it gets interesting is when the players are asked if they are upset with the Patriots over the alleged deflation of footballs; 84% said no and only 16% said yes. Take a moment to let that resonate, 84% of their peers look at this alleged reaction as

“no biggie“.

The majority of people the Patriots play week in and week out aren’t upset with this supposed travesty of justice.
Questions three and four run a bit closer to a split decision but, none the less, still fall in the Patriots favor. Question three point blank asks if the Patriots are cheaters; 58% said no and 48 percent said yes. Question four asked if the outcome of the game could be impacted by deflated footballs; 52% said no and 48% said yes.
When asked how many games Tom Brady should have been suspended for, the most common answer was 1.5, more than four games was 3%, four games was 19 % and fewer than four was a resounding 78%.
Questions six and seven were once again far apart in results but both in Tom Brady and the Patriot’s favor. Question six asked if the Patriots would still make the postseason without Brady (85% yes, 15% no.) Question seven asked if Spygate still stuck in their craw (80% no, 20% yes.)
Possibly the most indicative of the league’s biggest problems, from a player’s point of view, is Roger Goodell handling player discipline. 88% of players feel Roger should not decide discipline, with only 12% okay with his current role.
What should come as no surprise, to anyone who has ever competed athletically, are the questions and results garnered from inquiries nine through thirteen. When asked if other teams illegally tamper with the footballs, 68% said yes and 32% said no. Mind you, these are actual, current NFL players indicating that most teams tamper with the footballs. When asked about the most common form of on field cheating, 55% of those polled said holding was the most egregious faux pas. The most outlandish form of cheating witnessed were cheap shots and deliberate injuries at 52% It’s safe to say Bountygate would register as a bigger offense to those polled when compared to under inflated footballs.
Question twelve asked the percentage of players they think actually cheat on field which came up at 30%. The final question asked the player if they thought their teammates had cheated; 71% said no, whereas 29% said yes.
Overall it seems that although not every athlete cheats, in the NFL skirting the rules and gaining a competitive advantage is not something that angers many players. Does this ESPN survey prove the Patriots are cheaters or that deflategate is overblown hyperbole? No, it just proves that for some “if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.”

via grantland.com
via grantland.com
New England Patriots, NFL

NFL – New England Patriots: Why The NFL Hasn’t Budged In Deflategate/Smart or Dumb?

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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.

Like Tom Brady, Steve Garvey spent a lot of time in court in 1982. He lost when the Supreme Court over-ruled the Judge
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)
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:

  1. Berman called it a “quantum leap” when it came to Roger Goodell’s reference to what Brady allegedly did being compared to performance enhancing drugs. – See more at: http://www.patsfans.com/patriots/blog/2015/08/19/nfl-takes-some-big-hits-wednesday-in-court/#sthash.atVN6RCd.dpuf
  2. “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

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

ESPN: Nice Try With The Apology, Next Time Try Sincerity

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inforum.com
inforum.com

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

AFC, New York Jets, NFL

Deconstructing the AFC East: The Jets

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<> at Ford Field on August 13, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan.

There might not have been a team that gained more attention this off-season than the Jets. With a new coach, new GM and a plethora of new talent, they have been touted as the most likely team to unseat the Patriots. Even more so, to make a legitimate Super Bowl run. They are a team that can cause concern for Pats fans as well as the rest of the NFL.

Why Pats fans should be concerned:

With the additions of new coach Todd Bowles, the Jets gain another brilliant defensive coach that had some exceptional squads in Arizona over the past few years. They spent a lot of money on improving their talent depleted roster. On offense, the biggest acquisition was Brandon Marshall, who, with Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley, give them a dynamic trio with Kerley manning the slot. They added RB’s Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacy to challenge Chris Ivory. They will be able to pound the rock as good as anyone.

Defense, they have a ton of talent. Although the loss of Sheldon Richardson for 4 games (and probably the year, still undecided), having stud DL Leonard Williams fall to them was a coup. Muhammad Wilkerson is one of the best 3-4 DL linemen in the league and NT Damon Harrison is a massive force. The biggest acquisition was Darelle Revis. He is arguably the best CB in the game (as we know) and with other free agent DB’s Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine and Marcus Gilchrist gives them an entirely new look on defense. This team is just stacked with talent. But…

Why Pats fans shouldn’t be concerned:

With a new coach, there are bound to be growing pains. Especially in his first head coaching job. With QB Geno Smith already knocked out for 10 weeks, it shows that there is a general discord in the locker room due to the lack of retaliation and reaction after, by both coaches and players alike. This doesn’t bode well for chemistry. Relying on journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick is not something that can make anyone truly happy here. He did have his best success under OC Chan Gailey in Buffalo, but that was also 4 years ago. He has struggled in his stints in Tennessee and Houston. It doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon. Also, the offensive line is aging and is under-performing. There might not be a better center in the game than Nick Mangold. But, he’s 31 as is D’Brickshaw Ferguson, who underperformed last year. Free Agent G James Carpenter is mostly just a run blocker and can’t pass block well at all. They have a lack of talent on the other spots that could get this team in trouble.

<> at Ford Field on August 13, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan.

With the suspension of Richardson, the Jets are in a tough spot. Williams was a stud in college, will that translate in the NFL? Also, relying on 34 year old Calvin Pace and Quentin Coples, who is more of a run stopping OLB, as their pass rushers is concerning. David Harris looked slow last year at his ILB position. They didn’t really do anything to improve the linebacking corps other than the drafting of Lorenzo Mauldin in the 3rd round. Also, the logic of paying that much money to 2 CB’s like Revis and Cromartie, who are over 30 is a little mind boggling. Gilchrist wasn’t that good in San Diego, so I’m not sure how good he’ll be in New York.

What does all this mean? There is a TON of uncertainty in New York. On one hand, you have a ton of talent that, on paper, looks poised to make a run. But, you can already see that there are things lining up in a bad way for New York. From Richardson’s drag race through a neighborhood to Smith getting punched in the face, the dark clouds are definitely on the horizon for this franchise.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots Player Profiles: Will Brandon LaFell Have Another Successful Season?

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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
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
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.

AFC, Miami Dolphins, NFL

Deconstructing the AFC East: The Dolphins

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The Dolphins are probably the most stable team in the division outside of the Patriots. They have the pieces in place to make a substantial run, but there are some serious questions that the team hasn’t answered. Should the Patriots be afraid of being dethroned by the Dolphins? Let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses and decide:

Why should the Patriots be afraid: On offense, Joe Philbin has given the reigns over to QB Ryan Tannehill and have signed him to a large extension (6 year, 95 million) as a sign of good faith. He has improved every year and threw for over 4,000 yards last year. The Dolphins acquired WR Kenny Stills in a trade, signed TE Jordan Cameron and drafted WR DaVante Parker in the first round to improve his weapons. Second year Jarvis Landry looks like a future stud and adding a healthy Lamar Miller gives him a capable runner.

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Generated by IJG JPEG Library

On defense is where the strength is. There might not be a more underrated and dangerous player outside of Cameron Wake and to add one of the best defensive tackles in DT Ndamukong Suh gives them a dangerous duo to team up with steady DE Olivier Vernon. This is a dangerous defensive line that can wreak havoc across the line. CB Brett Grimes is an incredibly talented CB that teams up with probably the most underrated safety in the game with Reshad Jones. He is solid against the run and is excellent in coverage. These core players are the keys to a dominant defense that has the potential to carry them far.

Why shouldn’t the Patriots be afraid: Despite the optimism, there are some glaring holes that the pundits aren’t really addressing. When it comes to the offense, Tannehill might be overpaid, but he produces enough to warrant his new contract. With that, they have only solid offensive line starter with C Mike Pouncey. LT Brandon Albert is 30 and is coming off a major knee injury. Last year’s rookie RT Ja’Wuan James was overwhelmed and they have no real proven starter at either Guard spot. It doesn’t matter who is playing QB, RB or WR, if they can’t protect Tannehill, they are going nowhere. Lamar Miller has trouble staying healthy and they don’t have proven depth behind him. This means that is truly ALL on Tannehill’s shoulders and if you have watched him play, you can question why the team would do that.

On defense, there are some huge holes that they haven’t addressed. The back 7 leaves a lot to be desired. They have a promising LB in Jelani Jenkins and a solid starter with MLB Koa Misi, but they are both unproven and there isn’t a starter outside of him. Grimes is a great corner, but he’s 32. How much longer can he play at an elite level? Also, who is playing opposite him? Right now, their biggest acquisition was slot CB Brice McCain. That’s not the most encouraging sign for anyone. FS Louis Delmas has shown flashes but can’t stay healthy and is coming off an ACL tear.

What does all this mean? There’s obvious talent there in Miami, but it’s too lofty to expect much more than .500 for this team. There is a lot of holes on this team and questions aplenty across the offensive line, secondary and line-backing corps. If they get these resolved, they are definitely a team to be reckoned with, but are still most likely a year away.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: Deflategate, Why would Roger Goodell Go After Tom Brady?

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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?

The answer is…(click to-> read more)

Story by: Sports Police

AFC, Buffalo Bills, NFL

Deconstructing the AFC East: The Buffalo Bills

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461529290-rex-ryan-speaks-at-a-press-conference-gettyimages

The Bills are looking for their first playoff appearance since the Music City Miracle in January 2000 (Think about that for a second) and the optimism is high in Western New York. They have a coach with enough gumption and bravado in Rex Ryan that wants to return Buffalo to the Jim Kelly/Thurman Thomas/Andre Reed days. After having the 5th ranked defense last year, the Bills will move to a 3-4 and try to create a “bully”. Should the Patriots be scared?

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Reasons why they should be:

The Bills defensive line is a scary quartet. Mario Williams is an incredible edge defender and is a very good pass rusher (14.5 sacks in 2014), Marcel Dareus is a dominant tackle is who is just as good at rushing the passer (10 sacks) as stopping the run. Kyle Williams is quietly a dominant run defender and a leader on the team and Jerry Hughes has come into his own as one of the most dangerous edge rushers in football. Stephon Gilmore is one the best shut down corners in football. On offense, Sammy Watkins had almost a 1000 yards as a rookie with shoddy QB play and the additions of RB LeSean McCoy and TE Charles Clay has gave the Bills more weapons than they’ve had in recent years. WR Robert Woods is a competent #2 wide out and Percy Harvin is one of the most dangerous gadget players in the game. He automatically gives them a dangerous returner and is a threat every time he touches the ball. If they get at least somewhat competent QB play, they should be one of the best teams not only in the AFC East, but in football.

Reasons why they shouldn’t:

The QB play. The trio of Matt Cassell, EJ Manuel and Tyrod Taylor leaves a lot to be desired. Like the old adage says: if you have 2 QB’s, you have no QB’s. Well, the Bills have 3, so the adage still applies. Ryan has boasted a playbook that is 75% run. No team can survive doing that, no matter who is their running back. Even if you could do that, you have to have a great offensive line…which the Bills don’t have. With only one really good starter (LT Cordy Glenn is a stud) and an average/above average C in Eric Wood, the Bills are still trying to find the other 3 starters. They are banking on 32 year old Richie Incognito, who has been out of football for a year, to be their anchor inside (which is telling) and 5th year pro Kraig Urbik and rookie John Miller battling out for the RG spot. Seantrel Henderson and Cyrus Kouandjio are battling out for the RT spot and Henderson was one of the worst RT’s in league last year. Unless they can fix the offensive line, it won’t matter who’s at running back, quarterback or wide receiver, the team isn’t going anywhere.

It’s perplexing to change a defense that was so dominant last year, yet Buffalo has fallen for Ryan’s hubris and arrogance and is changing their defense. Their line backing corps leaves a lot to be desired. Nigel Bradham and Preston Brown will be their ILB’s and are solid, yet unspectacular. I don’t think that will be the problem more than the secondary. Aaron Williams is an average starter at SS and they moved Corey Graham, who was solid at CB to FS, which should make them competent, but who is starting opposite Gilmore? Leodis McKelvin is more of a nickel back at this point and rookie CB Ronald Darby/2nd year CB Ross Cockrell will battle for the other CB spot.

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What does all this mean? It means that for as much optimism there is, there are so plenty of concerns. Will they get a competent QB? Will the offensive line play better? Will the defense move to a 3-4 well enough? Can the defense carry the team to the playoffs? All these are viable questions that aren’t really going to be answered until the season starts. I think that the Pats have nothing to worry about when it comes to Buffalo as long as they are unsettled at QB and Rex Ryan continues to insist that running the ball is going to be what takes them to the next level. Could it work? Sure, but technically, it didn’t work with the Jets and it’s foolish to think that the Bills can do it with a lesser team than the Jets had when Rex took them to two back to back AFC Championship games. Initially, like in New York, the players will buy in early and then his personality will start rubbing guys the wrong way. Until they can prove that they not just run the ball, but throw it consistently, they will be an 8-8/9-7 team.