AFC, New England Patriots

New England Patriots 53 Man Roster Projection 2.0

Leave a comment
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline in the first half of Saturday's preseason game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline in the first half of Saturday’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Now that the New England Patriots are halfway through the preseason, roster cuts are rapidly approaching. Clubs have to be down to seventy-five players by September 1st. Throughout training camp practices and the two preseason games the team has played, players who were unknown have made a name for themselves.

On the other hand, some players have struggled to even get on the field and make their case for the Patriots roster. Before training camp began I projected what I thought would be the Patriots 53 man roster at the time. Now that we have more intel as to what players are making names for themselves, here is my second roster projection.

patriots.com
patriots.com

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo.

As the whole Tom Brady versus the National Football League court proceeding continue, it seems more and more likely that Tom Brady will do anything to avoid a suspension. Also, the league and Roger Goodell are making themselves look stupider by the second. Therefore, I believe that Tom Brady will be out there week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team and coaching staff are also taking that approach as well, as Brady continues to take the majority of first team reps.

Jimmy Garoppolo has been decent so far this preseason. Particularly against the Saints this past Saturday when he went 28 for 33. Ryan Lindley has yet to see any time in the preseason, which leads me to think that the coaching staff is not comfortable with his progression after two weeks. I can’t see him making the final roster, unless Brady were to be suspended.

at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 22, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 22, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Running Back: Brandon Bolden, Jonas Gray, Dion Lewis, James White.

With LeGarrette Blount suspended for the Patriots week one match up against the Steelers, the team is a bit strapped for opening night at running back. Thus far in the preseason, James White who had question marks going in has risen to the occasion and has taken hold of the third down back role. In addition, fourth year veteran free agent Dion Lewis has also sparked at times. At 5-8, 195 pounds Lewis has flashed some Danny Woodhead like ability this summer. Travaris Cadet has been fighting a hamstring injury and has barely been on the field. He may be a surprise cut at the start of September.

bostonglobe.com
bostonglobe.com

Wide Receiver: Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Chris Harper, Brandon LaFell, Reggie Wayne.

Probably more than any other the position, the injury bug has hit the Patriots wide receiver group hard this summer. Brandon LaFell has yet to come off the physically unable to perform list. However, some are hinting towards a return to action very soon for LaFell. Also, Brandon Gibson is now on injured reserve with a torn ACL that he suffered in Saturday’s preseason game against the Saints.

Furthermore, Brian Tyms is more than likely heading to injured reserve after he suffered a leg injury last week. Injuries such as these open up chances for a player such as Chris Harper. He has really stuck out in the preseason games proving to be Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite target. Harper is the perfect example of an undrafted rookie taking advantage of the chances he has been given.

Reggie Wayne’s veteran leadership and savy should be a good contribution to the Patriots, no matter how productive he is on the gridiron.

patriots.com
patriots.com

Tight End: Scott Chandler, James Develin, Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanwanui.

No real surprises here. The tight ends that the Patriots had brought in through free agency and the draft have yet to show anything spectacular in a Patriots uniform. Fred Davis never even made it to training camp, and AJ Derby was put on injured reserve the first week of training camp. Also, Scott Chandler has been on the sidelines with an injury for the majority of camp. A player like Hoo-Man now can breathe easily because it seems as if he job is now safe. However, the team knows what they have with All-Pro Rob Gronkowski and he can easily carry the whole group.

Offensive Tackle: Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Cameron Fleming.

No real shockers here either. The Patriots should have two Pro-Bowl caliber tackles that keep Tom Brady upright with Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer. Marcus Cannon has had a tough go of it at guard, but is a serviceable reserve tackle. Cameron Fleming was good last year as the, “tight end eligible” in jumbo sets. Due to his contract, some people have speculated towards a possible end of training camp trade, much like that of Logan Mankins last year.

Guard: Ryan Wendell, Tre Jackson, Shaq Mason, Josh Kline.

There is a lot of question marks at the guard position for the Patriots heading into the regular season. Some of those questions have been addressed thus far in training camp. The two rookies that were selected in the fourth round of the draft with Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason have impressed at times. Jackson in particular has shown burst and power in his run blocker ability. Mason struggled at times taking on Saints defensive tackles last week. The Patriots hardly had any success running the ball. Josh Kline has always been a sporadic player, therefore I don’t feel comfortable putting all my chips in with him. It is safe to say, the Patriots need Ryan Wendell to come off PUP as soon as possible.

Center: Bryan Stork.

Last season, the Patriots did not carry a true back up center. During training camp this season, David Andrews has taken the majority of reps with Bryan Stork recovering from injury. Also, Josh Kline has taken reps at center on multiple occasions, and when Ryan Wendell comes back he can provide some decent relief for Stork. Andrews has been okay for an udrafted rookie. He comes from a very competitive program at Georgia, and I can see a practice squad placement for him.

bookofbelichick.com
bookofbelichick.com

Defensive End: Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard, Trey Flowers, Geneo Grissom.

The defensive end position is what many fans have expected throughout training camp. The veterans have stepped up as always, with Jabaal Sheard looking as good as advertised. In addition, the rookies in Flowers and Grissom have shown their athleticism, and Flowers in particular seems promising.

Defensive Tackle: Malcom Brown, Sealver Siliga, Dominique Easley, Antonio Johnson, Chris Jones.

One surprise thus far during training camp has been veteran Antonio Johnson. The eight-year NFL veteran has received a great amount of first team reps so far. I’m not sure if its because he is impressing the coaching staff, or if Bill Belichick is trying to make Dominique Easley prove himself. It is more than likely a mixture of both. Nevertheless, Johnson’s veteran presence and the mixture of young talent should be decent. The interior of the defensive line does need to have more production because they have not impressed so far.

Linebacker: Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Dane Fletcher, Jonathan Freeny.

Again no surprises here. When fully healthy, the Patriots should have one of the best linebacking corps in the National Football League. Jamie Collins flashed in week one of the preseason, but was very sub par in week two having one of the worst games he has ever played. Jonathan Freeny’s veteran leadership has been a good addition, and he has shown the ability to be a signal caller on the defensive side of the ball.

patriots.com
patriots.com

Cornerback: Malcolm Butler, Robert McClain, Tarell Brown, Bradley Fletcher, Logan Ryan.

By far, cornerback had the most question marks out of any position heading into training camp. Now that we are halfway through camp, the only question that has been answered is whether or not Malcolm Butler is legit, and as we have found out it seems as though he is. Also, Tarell Brown has taken hold of the number two cornerback position, and Logan Ryan has been as advertised, terrible. Even with all the chances to be a starter, Ryan still can’t impress. He is too slow for nickel back and can’t cover big outside receivers.

Safety: Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Patrick Chung, Jordan Richards, Nate Ebner.

As all Patriots fans found out on Saturday Devin McCourty needs to be playing safety, not corner. Not only can they not have him at corner, that can’t survive without him in the back end. Duron Harmon and other safeties would be lost without him. Jordan Richards has been a nice bright spot so far this summer. He has flashed in practices proving the doubters wrong the questioned Bill Belichick’s decision to draft him. His emergence will eventually lead to Tavon Wilson being shown the door.

Special Teams: Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater.

The four full-time special teams players for the Patriots are these four that I have just named. With the exception of Cardona who is a rookie, all the players are among the best in the league at what they do. All three have recently received brand new contracts, and they are well deserved. They are the key reasons why the Patriots should be in the tops of the league in special teams.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Reggie Wayne and Other Thoughts

Leave a comment

157275789-bill-belichick-head-coach-of-the-new-england-gettyimages

The Reggie Wayne signing means a few things. First, the Pats aren’t satisfied with the depth at the position. With the starting three players (LaFell, Edelman and Amendola) all nursing injuries, Wayne comes in and add some quality depth. Yes, he isn’t the player he used to be, but he’s smart and knows how to run routes, which is essential in the Patriot offense. With the Jordy Nelson injury, it’s safe to say that if he would have left New England without a contract, he would be quickly snatched up by the Packers or another WR needy team. With Aaron Dobson still enigmatic and two WR put on IR on Monday (Brandon Gibson and Brian Tyms), Wayne can step in and help right away. With promising undrafted WR Chris Harper showing some great signs in these two games, everything behind him is a question. Wayne can be a reliable stop gap while they identify the players who make this offense click.

at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 22, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 22, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

With James White and Dion Lewis both showing a lot of promise as the passing back, the Pats could be facing some tough decisions. Who will be the winner here? The money is on White due to spending a 4th round pick on the player, but Lewis is looking like the player that he should have been when he was drafted by Philadelphia a few years back. If they keep him, that means they will keep 6 RB’s (Blount, Gray, Lewis, White, Boldin and Develin as a FB). That’s a lot dedicated to one position, but this is something to keep an eye on. The winner will go to the one who is best at pass protection.

To say the defense was underwhelming against New Orleans is an understatement. Even without Jerod Mayo and Dontá Hightower in there, Brees picked apart the first team defense. With 7th rounder CB Darryl Roberts facing a potential season ending wrist injury, the depth behind Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan and Terrell Brown is rather disconcerting. Expect another addition here as the coaching staff figures who is going to make the team. Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that the Devin McCourty time back at corner was as short lived as it was. He isn’t the answer and it might take a few more weeks until they find that out.

Football: NFL Scouting Combine: (L-R) Florida State QB Jameis Winston (QB15) and Oregon QB Marcus Mariota (QB11) on field before drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis, IN 2/21/2015 CREDIT: Todd Rosenberg (Photo by Todd Rosenberg /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X159260 TK4 )
Football: NFL Scouting Combine: (L-R) Florida State QB Jameis Winston (QB15) and Oregon QB Marcus Mariota (QB11) on field before drills at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Indianapolis, IN 2/21/2015
CREDIT: Todd Rosenberg (Photo by Todd Rosenberg /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
(Set Number: X159260 TK4 )

The teams that picked one and two in this draft are in a rather interesting predicament. Tampa Bay drafting Jameis Winston and Tennessee drafted Marcus Mariotta means that they set at quarterback (for the time being). Their backups are where it gets interesting. QB Zach Mettenberger has been lights out in these two preseason games for the Titans and QB Mike Glennon has looked very good in his playing time playing after Winston in Tampa. With teams facing some rather horrible QB play (Washington and Buffalo come to mind), you might see these quarterbacks go for a nice price. The Drew Brees/Phillip Rivers situation comes to mind. In Brees’ first 3 years in San Diego, he was underwhelming and was inconsistent, prompting the team to draft Eli Manning and then ship him off to the Giants for Phillip Rivers. Somehow, that turned the light on for Brees and his play took off after that. A similar situation could be going on in Tampa and Tennessee. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

With Kelvin Benjamin, Jordy Nelson and Maurkice Pouncey all going down with season ending injuries, the call for a reformation of the pre-season is already in play. The preseason isn’t to blame for the Nelson and Benjamin injuries since they happened on non-contact plays. The point of pre-season isn’t for the starters, it’s for the bottom half of the roster. It’s usually to figure out a few starting positions and your bench. Without them, it would be hard to field the best team come September. Although the injuries are unfortunate, they are inevitable in any sport, especially football. This is an opportunity to see who can step up in these players’ absences. That’s the real fun of football right there, to figure out who want’s it more and who becomes a star in spite of these circumstances. Silver linings are always there. All Patriots fans know this…

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: A Return To Tight End City?

1 Comment
GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01 : Ron Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots celebrates after catching a touchdown pass over K.J. Wright #50 of the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl XLIX February 1, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Patriots won the game 28-24. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ron Gronkowski; K.J. Wright
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01 : Ron Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots celebrates after catching a touchdown pass over K.J. Wright #50 of the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl XLIX February 1, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Patriots won the game 28-24. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ron Gronkowski; K.J. Wright

In the very beginning of the 2013 Patriots off season, Patriots fans were absolutely delighted with their dual tight ends of terror, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Few in the league can match up with Rob Gronkowski’s versatility at tight end. Gronkowski is able to block and catch, a rarity in this day and age. Aaron Hernandez was lauded for his speed and pass catching ability. Hernandez could still block well while exhibiting the traits of a starwideout.

Hernandez and Gronk presented such a match up nightmare that many in New England figured that it would only be a matter of time before the famed tight ends led the Patriots back to Super Bowl glory. Aaron Hernandez of course, chose a different path in 2013. Rather than a Super Bowl berth, Aaron took to murdering his friend Odin Lloyd and spending his life in prison. The New England Patriots of course won a fourth Lombardi Trophy but the once lauded tight end duo did not arrive to Arizona intact.

via newyorker.com
via newyorker.com

The shock of losing Hernandez, especially in New England’s first days of a Wes Welker-less  season, was intolerable. Left in Hernandez’s stead were several untested rookies, an ailing Rob Gronkowski and a seemingly promising young tight end named Zach Sudfeld. As the season began, Sudfeld’s promise never materialized and before you could say “practice squad” the Jets scooped him up off the waiver wire and all but confirmed his doomed fate.

In 2014 the Patriots in a shocking move traded offensive lineman Logan Mankins for a fourth round draft pick and tight end from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tim Wright. Although many fans lamented the loss of Mankins there was still a considerable buzz in the air for the prospect of having another viable pass-catching tight end. As the season progressed Wright did a serviceable job but was hardly as dynamic as Hernandez had been during his pre incarceration days on the Patriots team.

Tim Wright would show that he was worth picking up, pulling in six touchdowns for the New England Patriots during the 2014 season enroute to an eventual Super Bowl victory. Sadly, Wright was released by the Patriots in June of this year and was resigned, oddly enough, by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s now the start of a new football year and fans are once again clamoring for the now defending New England Patriots to take the field. In an off season filled with deflated footballs, corner back departures and the very real possibility of four games without future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, did a very real solution to an almost forgotten problem slip under the radar? During free agency the New England Patriots signed what could eventually be the perfect compliment to star tight end Rob Gronkowski. He is now known as No. 88, Scott Chandler and is New England’s best offseason value pickup.

At a height of 6 feet 7 inches and weighing in at roughly 260 pounds, Scott Chandler could very well be the answer all Patriots nation has been waiting for. Chandler brings power and pass catching ability and another wild card to the offense. With both he and Rob Gronkowski on field defenses will constantly be guessing, who is blocking and who is catching? When Scott was with the Buffalo Bills he was often referred to as a “Patriot killer”, routinely making plays and scoring touchdowns over New England’s defense. Coach Bill Belichick is clearly familiar with his upside and was eager to add him to the Patriot’s roster.

Scott Chandler isn’t all roses and confetti. Scott isn’t known for his speed and when compared to Hernandez he lacks the overall versatility the once acclaimed murderer was known for. Chandler is currently nursing a minor knee injury which has unfortunately kept him off the field for much of the preseason, giving the fans very little to see.
Ultimately, time will tell if Scott Chandler will become the missing link to a problem yet to be solved. If injuries do not keep him from reaching his full potential, the New England Patriots may very well once again be living in the high-rise section of Tight End City.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots, Malcolm Butler: Star In The Making

Leave a comment

At this time last year Malcolm Butler was an undrafted rookie free agent fighting to make a roster spot. This year he’s the teams number one cornerback going in to the 2015 season, and by the looks of things Butler looks to be the real deal and that he could be a starting number one cornerback in the NFL.

patriots.com
patriots.com

Everyone in the world knows about his Super Bowl winning interception, but that wasn’t Butler’s only good play he made during the season. Butler saw limited action throughout the year playing behind Revis, Browner and Arrington, who are now all playing for different teams. Butler isn’t getting the job because of the departure of the other corners, he’s getting it because he’s deserved it. He’s paid his dues playing and learning behind elite company, now he gets to exhibit his skills as a number 1 corner.  This isn’t going to say that Butler is going to be an elite cornerback like a Darrelle Revis or Richard Sherman, those types of guys are once in a generation type players but Butler is going to be a very good corner in the NFL. Is it possible he could work himself into being an elite corner in the NFL? Sure, but for now its premature to say.

Julian Edelman vs. Malcolm Butler.
Julian Edelman vs. Malcolm Butler.

Butler has shown his skills in both man and zone coverage and has continued to work on getting better from last year to this year and wants to be the best player he can be. He has shown good ball skills of course with his interception in the Super Bowl and as well as making great plays so far in training camp. Then one of the biggest things he has is the confidence and the swagger of a great corner. He was on top of the world after the Super Bowl by making maybe the best play in the history of the NFL, he’s shown that he wants to cover the best by covering Edelman and Gronkowski in practice and covering them well, covering Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb against the Packers in week one of the preseason and not allowing any catches, covering Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks in week two of the preseason against the Saints. He showed his speed and hit power by leveling Brandin Cooks on a wide receiver end around by following him and making the big hit after Cooks crossed the line of scrimmage. Cooks has 4.3 speed and is one of the fastest guys in the NFL and tracking him down is no easy task. After the play Butler got up got into Cooks face a little bit and just stood there with confidence and swagger.

via bostonherald.com
via bostonherald.com

He’s drawn praise from coaches and players for his work ethic, ability and his determination to get better and wanting to be a great player. He struggled the first day of doing practices this week against the Saints, he came back the next day and had a very good day of practice and then played well in the preseason game against New Orleans. He knows what it takes and wants to be the best and keep improving, if he struggles he’s going to do something about it and change it and showed the ability to bounce back from a bad performance. Butler is going to be the starting cornerback for the Patriots this season and he’s going to do a great job at it. With the more experience he gets the better he will get and maybe get into that Sherman and Revis category in a few years. For now he’s going to be the Patriots number one corner and hopefully do his job of stopping the opposing offenses number one threat. I wrote about Butler last summer going into the season and how well he performed in camp and had confidence in him being a contributor on defense, now I’m writing about Butler with him being “the guy” in the secondary and I still have all the confidence in him. Malcolm Butler is going to be a great player for the Patriots and can’t wait to see him in the regular season lined up against some of the best in the league and see how he performs.

AFC, New England Patriots

New England Patriots: Chris Harper moving up Wide Receiver Depth Chart

1 Comment

With injuries tearing down the Patriots wide receiver depth chart undrafted rookie free agent Chris Harper has been working his way up the depth chart. Harper has played well so far this season not only as a receiver but also as a return man on special teams. We all know Bill Belichick loves versatility in his players and with Harper showing his ability to do multiple things on the field

via www.heraldnews.com
via http://www.heraldnews.com

Harper has been receiving a lot of snaps with injuries to Edelman, LaFell, Dobson and Tyms and so far has made the most of his opportunities. It seems very likely that Brian Tyms is going to end up on the season ending injured reserve and Brandon LaFell possibly starting the year on the physically unable to perform list and Aaron Dobson battling yet another injury the Patriots receiver depth chart would take a hit and need players to step up, and Harper could be that player. Through two preseason games Harper has tallied 12 receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown as well as averaging 10.7 yards per punt return and 23.8 yards per kickoff return.

via blog.masslive.com
via blog.masslive.com

Though it is just preseason and can never take anything into full effect Harper has gained the attention of coaches and players with his increase of snaps and production. The first preseason game third year man Josh Boyce was the main target for Jimmy Garoppolo, week two it was Harper who edged out Boyce on both offense and special teams. Boyce was not targeted at all on offense and didn’t receive any returns on special teams and I believe didn’t see a single snap in Friday’s win against the Saints. With the lack of depth the Patriots currently have at wide receiver the fact that Boyce didn’t receive a snap goes to show that New England doesn’t see him in their plans for 2015 and maybe the future. Harper seemed to have taken Boyce’s shot at the 53rd roster spot and will continue to fight for his spot over the next few weeks of practice and preseason. I would love to see Harper make the final 53 man roster with how he has played so far this preseason and wouldn’t want to risk losing him by placing him on the practice squad. I think the Patriots receiving corps should look like Edelman LaFell, Amendola, Dobson, and Harper, if all are healthy. Harper may not always be active or see a lot of playing time but keeping him on the roster would get him experience and playing time in practice as well as not risk losing him to another team by placing him on the practice squad.

New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Lots Of Questions, Few Answers

1 Comment

We’ve now reached the halfway point in the pre-season (1-1) after the Patriots defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-24 Saturday night behind Jimmy Garoppolo…and few of the Patriots questions have been answered. Let’s take a quick look at where the team stands as regular season quickly (yes, I’m smiling) approaches.

Jimmy Garoppolo

Jimmy Garoppolo leads Pats to comeback win vs The Saint (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/NewEnglandPatriots.Com)
Jimmy Garoppolo leads Pats to comeback 26-24 win vs The Saint (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/Patriots.Com)

The jury is still out (oops, bad choice of words there) on Jimmy G. At times he looks like the QB of the future. Saturday night’s scramble leading to a TD pass as the 1st half wound down is an example of him at his best. Unfortunately, in the same game, his interception was an obvious mistake that hopefully he will learn from. As highlighted in the Patriots.com post game Game Notes– “When he came in to replace Tom Brady he executed a two-minute drill prior to halftime and completed 5-of-5 passes for 65 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to WR Chris Harper.

Patriot fans need to take a step away from the immediacy of the team need (re: Brady possible suspension) and realize this is just his second year in the NFL. Very few QBs are instant successes and the growing pains can be frustrating for both the player and the rabid team followers.

“Last week the pressure got to me a little bit, and it’s never good to get sacked or hit that many times,”

Defensive Secondary

The only things that seem certain at this stage are:

  • All the worry when the Patriots lost Revis Island, Kyle Arrington and Brandon Browner was justified
  • Malcolm Butler still seems like the real thing. His limited play in the pre-season games is an indication Head Coach Bill Belichick has seen enough of him in practice to feel confident in him and needs to look at others in game situations. How things have changed for Butler since “the play”, going from a question mark that others gave up on to the Patriots best corner!
  • CB Tarell Brown made his Patriots debut after missing the first preseason game against Green Bay with mixed results
  • Devin McCourty, an above average safety, is a below average CB. He has acknowledged he isn’t comfortable at his old position.

Commenting on his play Saturday night in New Orleans he was honest (tsk, tsk, a Patriot player actually saying something) when he said “It didn’t feel great and I don’t think it looked great.” He also acknowledged he doesn’t have much say in where he plays “You can’t control where you play. Everyone’s playing a position for the team, and overall, what’s best for the team. I don’t think what you think or feel matters.”

Devin McCourty breaks up a pass intended for Brandon Coleman in the first half of Pats win (Bill Feig-AP)

Offensive Line

  • Like last season at this time, the offensive line is still a work in progress. The return of Sebastion Volmer and Nate Solder to game shape will give rookies Shaq Mason and Tre’ Jackson a chance to breathe as they adapt to the speed of the NFL.  Neither Mason nor Jackson has yet made that step-up expected of them, but give them time as both show promise and are still learning the game at a whole new level. The hope is that the unit jells as the season progresses, as they did in 2014.
  • Saturday night rookie free agent David Andrews made his second straight start at center

Receiving Depth

Chris Harper against the Saints (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/Patriots.com)
Chris Harper against the Saints (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/Patriots.com)
  • With wide receivers dropping like flies my early optimism for this year is quickly getting clouded with question marks. Brandon LaFell still hasn’t played a down, Brian Tyms may be out for the season with a foot injury, Aaron Dobson’s return to health was an illusion, Josh Boyce continues to shine in practice and disappear at game time. Key players (Julian Edelman-injury/Rob Gronkowski/Scott Chandler-injury) continue to watch from the sidelines, so it is hard to have a true evaluation of just how strong/weak the Pats are, but rookie Chris Harper has taken the ball and run with it in their absence. Seven year veteran Brandon Gibson has looked good, but also was injured late in the game.

The depth looks so bad now that Mike Reiss wrote in his Sunday column “If (Kenbrell)Thompkins doesn’t stick with the Raiders, I could see the Patriots having interest in his return” In addition the Pats reportedly brought Reggie Wayne in for a physical (read my Reggie Wayne article written just before Training Camp)

There’s more, but that’s enough for now to keep fans thinking. No panic, but concern, is in the air. Just keep thinking, Bill Belichick is the best Head Coach in the NFL and he finds ways to win. That’s a fact that can’t be denied.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, NFC, NFL

New England Patriots Immediate Reactions To Preseason Game Two Victory Against Saints

Leave a comment

The New England Patriots won their first game of the 2015 preseason in New Orleans on Saturday night, with a 26-24 come from behind victory. The Patriots started off sluggish in all three phases of the game, falling behind 21-0. Those were the starters out on the field when the team fell behind that badly, and you can be sure head coach Bill Belichick will let his players know about it. However, young players trying to make a name for themselves brought the Patriots back into the game. Here are my evaluations and observations from preseason game number two.

Defensive Starters Underwhelm: With the exception of Dont’a Hightower and Jerod Mayo, the Patriots starters on the defensive side of the ball were all on the field for the first three series of the game. It is safe to say that they did not impress at all. On the first offensive play of the game for the Saints, Drew Brees hit Mark Ingram on a wheel route in which he toasted Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins. A lot has been made about Collins athletic ability and how he by far and away the most physically gifted on the field at all times.

However, he has had a lot of trouble covering running backs. Saturday night was not his night. Later in the quarter Collins was blown back by Saints guard Jahri Evans on a screen play, that lead to a gain of seventeen yards. In addition, the Patriots secondary looked just like what many fans have feared they would look all offseason, horrendous. Drew Brees moved the football up and down the field with ease, picking apart New England defensive backs.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

Particularly Duron Harmon, and Devin McCourty who played at the cornerback spot opposite of Malcolm Butler. This was never more evident than in the first quarter when Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks ran straight past McCourty and Harmon for a forty-yard touchdown. It was flashbacks of 2011’s cellar dwelling secondary for many Patriots fans. The secondary is a work-in-progress so fans needed to be ready for games such as this one.

Offensive Line Continues To Struggle: The offensive did not give up seven sacks like they did last week agains the Green Bay Packers, nevertheless they did struggle opening up running lanes for LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray at times. The starting line went from left to right Nate Solder, Shaq Mason, David Andrews, Tre Jackson, and Sebastian Vollmer. Cameron Fleming saw most of the time at tackle in place of Vollmer.

The interior players struggled the most. It seemed as if time after time in the first half and even into the second, the Patriots running backs were just running into brick walls. After having a solid game last week, Shaq Mason struggled on Saturday night as he was blown up often by Saints defensive lineman. David Andrews had many of the same problems. Also, Cameron Fleming had some mental errors setting up in the wrong formation, which lead to a loss of yards for his team.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

The pass protection was solid which was encouraging. Now if the unit can string together a good mix of both the run and pass protection next week against the Panthers, fans should feel good about their offensive line heading into week one.

Garoppolo Has Flashes of Promise: After the Tom Brady lead offense went three and out on three straight series, Jimmy Garoppolo came into the game and looked very flustered at first like he did last week. However, at the end of the first half with just over a minute to go Garoppolo was in position to prove himself in a critical situation with his team trailing 21-0.

Jimmy took his team down the field, capping off the drive with a great hustle play that resulted in a touchdown. The pocket collapsed on Garoppolo, but he managed to break free of a Saints defender, rolled out of the pocket and fired the ball into the back of the end zone to Chris Harper, who had a great game.

At the start of the second half, Garoppolo had his best series of the game. It was a five and a half minute drive that incapsulated eleven plays for 55 yards, that ended with a Dion Lewis eleven-yard touchdown run. Throughout the drive, Jimmy connected with players such as Chris Harper and Jimmay Mundine on key third and fourth down conversions.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

There were some growing pains with Garropolo however. Early in the fourth quarter he made a terrible decision throwing the ball off his back foot to Brandon Gibson who was double covered. The ball was intercepted by Pierre Warren of the Saints. That is a Drew Bledsoe type mistake. He is moving the ball up and down the field looking good, then all of sudden he makes a dumb throw like that one. Also, later in the fourth Garoppolo dumped the ball off to Brandon Gibson on a third and long play. Gibson did not even come close to the first.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s most important drive of the game came with two-minutes to go in the game with the ball at the Saints forty-five yard line down 24-23. Garoppolo made essentially one play, and thats all he needed. On the first play of the series he fired the ball down the middle of the field to Jonathan Krause who made a very impressive catch with a New Orleans defender draped all over him. The catch put the Patriots at about the twenty-four yard line, setting up Stephen Gostkowski for the game winning thirty-five yard field goal.

In the end, Jimmy Garoppolo went 28 for 33, for 269 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception. Not a bad game at all. Fans should feel encouraged about the progression from last week until now, and still be cautious that there is much more for Garoppolo to prove.

Miscellaneous Notes: Cornerback Bradley Fletcher stuck out for the first time all season, making two big pass breakups late in the game. Undrafted wide receiver Chris Harper was one of Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite targets throughout the night, and he also had a huge punt return late in the game setting his team up with great field position. Malcolm Butler continued to impress, not so much with his coverage skills but with his physicality. He came up on two run plays in the first quarter and layed the wood down on two Saints players, one being Brandin Cooks.

The team as a whole has a lot to work on, especially on the defensive side of the ball. next Friday’s match up against the Carolina Panthers will be the most important of the preseason as the starters will see the majority of the reps. As fans we will get much more of a decent evaluation against a playoff caliber team.

NFC, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles: Tim Tebow Will Make the Eagle’s Roster, Probably

474983720-tim-tebow-of-the-philadelphia-eagles-walks-gettyimages

A Philadelphia Eagle’s team source said that as long as quarterback Tim Tebow doesn’t make any major errors, he will make the team. A Christian singer named Matt Redman wrote a song that said:

Shout it out, let the people hear

Something so powerful it shakes the whole wide world

Make it loud make it louder still

Savior we’re singing now to celebrate your beautiful news

 

So everyone, I call you all together, to shout it out, scare the dog, wake your neighbors as we all say it together, “TEEEEEEEEBBBBBBOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!!” As long as our favorite quarterback doesn’t screw up too badly, he will be on an NFL team for the 2015 season. Yes, there is a God. This is why you don’t question what He does, because He’ll come through in the end.

Not only does it look like Tebow will make the Eagle’s roster, Chip Kelly seems to be a fan of the former Florida quarterback as well. Kelly said that he’s impressed with Tebow’s running skill, and although he’s not perfect, he’s improved throwing the football. In the Eagle’s preseason game against the Colts on Sunday, Tebow completed six of twelve passes for 69 yards while also running four times for 15 yards and a touchdown.

Tebow was one of the most decorated college football players of all time. While at Florida, he won two National Championships, was the first sophomore to win the Heisman trophy, and won 35 games in three years as a starter. He was also the recipient of numerous awards as well as the holder of many records both passing and rushing. However, an elongated throwing motion and a lack of accuracy on his throws kept Tebow from being a top prospect coming out of school. The Denver Broncos surprised many by taking Tebow late in the first round of the draft.

161215803-the-denver-broncos-tim-tebow-before-taking-gettyimages

Tebow backed up Kyle Orton his rookie year, but after the season went into the toilet he started the last three games of the year, actually winning a game against the Houston Texans. In that game, Tebow rallied the Broncos from a 17-0 deficit and threw for over 300 yards in the win. 2011 looked like it would be Tebow’s year, but he started the season just as he had the year before, as Kyle Orton’s back up. With the team on their way to a 1-4 start, head coach John Fox put Tebow in to play the second half against the San Diego Chargers. He was far from perfect, but Tebow nearly led a comeback and earned the starting job for the rest of the season. What followed was a series of miraculous wins. It became routine for Tebow and the Bronco’s offense to slug through the first three quarters of games, and then pull off a crazy comeback in the fourth quarter to win. It culminated in the Wild Card round. Tebow threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demariyus Thomas on the first play of overtime to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Tebow magic ended after that. Tom Brady and the Patriots laid the hammer down on the Bronco’s the next week. After the season the Broncos signed Peyton Manning and traded Tebow to the Jets. Tebow never started with the Jets, was signed by the Patriots the next season, didn’t make the team, and hasn’t played since.

Now it looks like Tebow will be back in the NFL again. The last time we saw him as a starting quarterback, it was in the playoffs. Tebow won’t be starting for the Eagles. But with the injury-prone Sam Bradford set to lead Chip Kelly’s offense, and the roller coaster of a career with more downs than ups that is Mark Sanchez the only other quarterback likely to make the team, it’s very plausible that Tebow will play a major role at some point in the 2015 Eagle’s season, and at this point, that’s all us Tebow fans can ask for.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

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

1 Comment

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.

sportsrants.com
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.

459837228-quarterback-marcus-mariota-of-the-oregon-gettyimages

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.

484167286-quarterback-jameis-winston-of-the-tampa-bay-gettyimages

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.

Your NFL news. A few laughs and hard nosed opinions and facts. What more could you want? It's a one stop shop.