AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Best Linebackers of the Belichick Era

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Previously I had written about the Patriots secondary during Belichick’s tenure, now lets take a look at the best linebackers of the Belichick era. Some of these players were in New England prior to Belichick’s arrival and continued to play well after Belichick taking the reins, and others were either drafted or brought in by Bill via trade or free agency. The players listed are in no specific order or ranking.

JEROD MAYO

via utsports.com
via utsports.com

Mayo was drafted 10th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Patriots. Mayo was a key contributor to the Patriots defense right away starting all 16 regular season games and leading the team in tackles with 98. Mayo went on to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Mayo suffered a sprained MCL injury during week one of the 2009 season against the Buffalo Bills. Mayo returned quicker than he was expected, returning week 5 against the Denver Broncos. Even with the missed time due to injury Mayo went on to lead the team in tackles again recording 103 tackles on the season.

The 2010 NFL season was Mayo’s best season as a pro. He was named a captain prior to the season and backed it up in his play, recording a league high 175 tackles on the season. Mayo was named to his first Pro Bowl and was also named a member of the 2010 All Pro team. Mayo cashed in on his amazing year signing a 5-year extension with the Patriots towards the end of the year.

Mayo again surpassed the 100-tackle mark in both 2011 and 2012 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 for the second time in his career. Mayo then went on to have two injury riddled seasons in both 2013 and 2014 and though he wasn’t able to play won his first Super Bowl championship in 2014. The Patriots still think Mayo can get back to his pre-injury form and restructured his contract in order for him to stay on the team for 2015. With Mayo’s on-field play making and leadership he for sure is one of the top linebackers of the Belichick era.

MIKE VRABEL

via hhweb.com
via hhweb.com

Mike Vrabel signed with the New England Patriots prior to the 2001 season and was a member of the team’s first three Super Bowl championships, remaining with the team until being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2008 season.

Vrabel was the face of versatility being able to play both inside and outside linebacker, as well as being able to put his hand in the dirt and play defensive end and even some tight end on occasions. Vrabel was clutch and loved the big games and wasn’t afraid of the moment. He caught a touchdown pass on offense and recorded two sacks in the Super Bowl victory against the Carolina Panthers. Vrabel was named to the Pro Bowl for the first and only time in his career in 2007 as well as being selected to the All Pro team for his first and only time in 2007 after recording 12.5 sacks on the year. Vrabel was a great player for the Patriots during his tenure with the team from 2001 to 2008.

 

ROB NINKOVICH

via indystar.com
via indystar.com

Like Vrabel, Ninkovich has been an extremely versatile player for the Patriots since joining the team. Though he now plays defensive end Ninkovich played at linebacker for a few years at the beginning of his tenure in New England I’m adding him to the list based on how well he has played in New England and the fact that I love Ninkovich and have often said it the past few years that in my opinion he is the most underrated player in the NFL.

Ninkovich signed with the Patriots in August of 2009 and made the team’s 53-man roster. During his first year in New England Ninkovich finished with 23 tackles and a sack playing limited snaps. Ninkovich became a starter at outside linebacker prior to the 2010 season. With an increase in snaps Ninks production increased as well, finishing the season with 6s tackles, 4 sacks and 2 interceptions. Ninkovich continued to improve in 2011 and finished the season with 74 tackles, 6.5 sacks and two interceptions and started all 16 games of the regular season for the first time in his career.

Ninkovich moved to defensive end for the 2012 season where he has played since. During his first year at defensive end Ninkovich shined, recording 58 tackles, 8 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries, again starting all 16 games. With Ninkovich moving to the line he was replaced at linebacker with rookie first round pick Dont’a Hightower. Ninkovich continued to play well at defensive end during the 2013 season collecting 91 tackles and 8 sacks. Ninkovich was towards the top of the league in snaps played during the 2013 season. The 2014 season was nothing different for Ninkovich who finished the year with 53 tackles and 8 sacks, yet again starting all 16 games of the regular season. Ninkovich was a leader of the 2014 defense and went on to win the first Super Bowl championship of his career.

WILLIE MCGINEST

via bostonglobe.com
via bostonglobe.com

The soon to be Patriots Hall of Famer is arguably the best linebacker during the Belichick era and one of the best defensive players in the teams franchise. McGinest was drafted by the team in 1994 but for the sake of this article am just going to look at his time in New England under coach Bill Belichick. Like both Vrabel and Ninkovich, McGinest played both outside linebacker and defensive end in New England and under Belichick.

Belichick’s first year as head coach in New England was the 2000 season. During that season McGinest played in 14 games, recording 63 tackles and 6 sacks. To be honest I cant write too much about McGinest for this season due to the fact that I was only 5 at the time and though I was watching football regularly, don’t remember too much. The 2001 season McGinest missed 5 games due to injury and his production diminished only recording 33 tackles on the year with 6 sacks. The injuries didn’t stop McGinest from playing in Super Bowl 36 and playing a key role in the team’s defense. McGinest was back to being fully healthy during the 2002 season and saw his production jump back up recording 62 tackles with 5.5 sacks. 2003 was a similar one production wise for McGinest with 67 tackles and 5.5 sacks, as well as another Super Bowl championship and being named to the Pro Bowl team. During the 2004 season McGinest collected 9.5 sacks, tied second highest in a season of his career and went on to get his third Super Bowl championship. The 2005 season was McGinest’s last as a member of the Patriots, during which he recorded 56 tackles with 6 sacks. McGinest went on to set two NFL playoff records during the 2005 playoffs. One record was most career playoff sacks, 78, and the other for most sacks in a playoff game, 4.5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

McGinest was a great player for the Patriots and was a great leader of the defense. McGinest was putting up good sack numbers when the league was still a run focused league and teams weren’t passing as much. McGinest was also clutch and lived for the big moments. My favorite McGinest moment was his game saving tackle at the goal line on fourth down against the Colts, stuffing Colts running back Edgerrin James at the one-yard line.

TEDY BRUSCHI

via boston.com
via boston.com

Last but not least Tedy Bruschi. Bruschi was the leader and the face of the Patriots defense for years. Bruschi played his heart out and was a winner and was an example of a perfect Patriot, he would do whatever needed of him to win and always got the best out of the guys he was playing with. Bruschi was a seven-time team captain and was often overlooked throughout the league only making one Pro Bowl during his career. Bruschi was in New England prior to the arrival of coach Bill Belichick, and was a contributor the New England ever since his time as a rookie when he was primarily a special teams player.

During his first season under Belichick in 2000 Bruschi recorded 105 tackles. The 2001 season saw Bruschi’s production decrease only recording 75 tackles, as well as recording his first of three Super Bowl Championships. The 2002 season was diminished by injury for Bruschi appearing in only 11 games on the season. In those 11 games Bruschi recorded 66 tackles. Coming back from injury in 2003 Bruschi had his best statistical season as a pro, playing in all 16 games and recording 131 tackles as well as 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions. Bruschi went on to win his second Super Bowl Championship, as well as being named an All Pro for the 2003 season. The 2004 season was another strong one for Bruschi, recording 122 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions. Bruschi won his third Super Bowl championship, was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career and was again named an All Pro.

Bruschi then suffered a stroke just days after playing in the 2005 Pro Bowl. It was unclear is Bruschi would make a full healthy recovery, never mind play football again. Bruschi remarkably made a speedy recovery and even came back to play in the 2005 season, just months after suffering the stroke. Bruschi appeared in 9 games and was back to his old form picking up 62 tackles during those 9 games, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. With being fully recovered medically from his stroke Bruschi appeared in 15 games in 2006 and was again back to his old ways, recording 112 tackles. During Bruschi’s last two seasons in the league in 2007 and 2008 he collected 92 and 75 tackles.

Bruschi is arguably the best linebacker and defensive player of the Belichick era. Bruschi was named to the Patriots Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013 and I believe that he should and one day will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

All of the players listed above have played great in New England and under coach Bill Belichick. With the emergences of young star linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them on this list somewhere down the line if they can continue and improve on the early success both have displayed in the NFL.

AFC, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, NFC, NFL

NFL Stars Ink New Deals

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Generated by IJG JPEG Library

Wednesday  was the deadline for all player’s given the franchise tag to sign a long-term deal.

The deadline came and went yesterday, and when the dust settled all major players aside from Jason Pierre-Paul signed. Justin Houston, a pass rusher for the Kansas City Chiefs, signed a six-year $101 million deal, the biggest contract for a linebacker in NFL history.

The two deals that everyone is more interested in are for the two wide receivers, Dallas’s Dez Bryant and Denver’s Demariyus Thomas. Both signed nearly identical five-year $70 million deals, Bryant’s with $45 million guaranteed, Thomas’s with $43.5 million guaranteed. There were four observations I had from what went down wednesday.

The first observation I had is this: I told you so. Here’s something I wrote on Monday after Dez Bryant threatened to sit out games: https://goallinegazette.com/2015/07/13/dallas-cowboys-dez-bryant-threatens-to-sit-out-games/

Bryant’s threat proved to be empty. The Cowboys were able to sign him for $2 million less a year than Calvin Johnson, even though Bryant had better production last season. Like I said Monday, deadlines have a way of making both sides more reasonable, and that’s just what happened today. The Cowboys have their top receiver locked up for his prime years now.

461349044-demaryius-thomas-of-the-denver-broncos-wait-gettyimagesThe second observation was the fact that the two deals for Dez and Demariyus were nearly identical. Both teams were in similar situations. They had two top talents at the wide receiver position. They wanted to sign both to long-term deals. They also both wanted to be cautious about how much they paid each, because both have young talent that they want to be able to sign down the line. The Cowboys want to keep their young offensive line together, particularly second-year guard Zack Martin, who was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season. The Broncos’ top pass rusher, Von Miller, is entering a contract year, and will likely be given the franchise tag at the end of next year. Neither team wanted to let deals made with these receivers affect their ability to resign their other young players down the road.

Also remember that earlier this week, there were reports of collusion between the Broncos and Cowboys. Notice that these deals were exactly the same, yet they were signed within about an hour of each other. The NFLPA said on Monday that if the two players didn’t sign long-term deals by today, they would move forward with the collusion charges. However, the similarity of these contracts shows that there was likely collusion not only between the two teams, but likely between the two agencies that represent each player. And by the way, this isn’t a bad thing, as it creates a fair market value for two players who are at almost equal levels at this point in their careers.

The third observation I had comes from a unique perspective I have of each player. I live in Denver, and I go to school in Dallas, so I see how each fan base view these respective players. Dez Bryant and Demariyus Thomas are essentially the same player. They were both drafted in 2010, Thomas 22nd overall, Dez 24th. Demariyus has played 69 regular season games in his career, and has compiled 351 receptions for 5,317 yards and 41 touchdowns in five seasons. Bryant has 381 catches for 5,424 yards and 56 touchdowns in 75 career games. Each has played a full 16 games over the last three seasons. Thomas is 6’3 229; Bryant is 6’2 220. They’re both big, physical receivers who are excellent at using their unique combination of size and speed.

However, Bronco fans are nowhere near as supportive of Demariyus Thomas as Cowboy fans are of Dez Bryant. Bronco fans are extremely hesitant to put Demariyus in the same class as Bryant and Calvin Johnson. They will never hesitate to bring up the fact that Thomas didn’t seem to give 100% effort against the Colts in a playoff loss last year. The best explanation I can give for why is this: Cowboy fans have another scapegoat in Tony Romo, whereas Bronco fans worship at the feet of Peyton Manning, and need to find another scapegoat when things go wrong. Both have given almost identical production throughout their careers, and Bryant has definitely had more off-the field/immaturity issues than Thomas has; yet Cowboy fans appreciate Dez as a top-of-the-line receiver, and Bronco fans like to criticize Demariyus. The explanation that makes the most sense is that the Cowboys have Tony Romo, Jerry Jones, and a terrible defense to point the finger at for any failures, while Bronco fans would rather kill a family member than blame Peyton Manning or John Elway for anything, even after a horrible performance by Manning against the Colts in the postseason last year. It’s a lot easier for Bronco fans to blame John Fox, or Demariyus Thomas for their shortcomings.

The last observation I have is not only because of these three deals, but also for the big contracts that have been signed over the last few years. If you can play quarterback at a high level, if you can protect the quarterback, if you can tackle the quarterback, or if you can catch the football thrown by the quarterback, you can make a lot of money in the National Football League. Teams have made it clear, that quarterbacks, receivers, left tackles, and pass rushers are the most valuable positions in this league. The Dolphins and Bengals gave fat contracts to their quarterbacks who have all kinds of question marks, yet the Patriots refused to overpay cornerback Darrelle Revis, despite being a vital piece to their Super Bowl run, and the Seahawks traded away one of the best centers in the league for a tight end coming off a bad year. There are four positions where the money is in football, and today’s deals reflected that in a big way.

Note: All stats are courtesy of ESPN

NFL

New England Patriots: Jack-Of-All Trades Dan Connolly Retires

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On Dec. 19, 2010 Dan Connolly returned a kickoff 71 yards against the Green Bay Packers in a nationally televised game. He holds the record for the longest kick-off return by an offensive lineman in NFL history. Not bad for a guy who was much maligned throughout his career. In fact, it was probably the only time in his 10 years in the NFL that he was noticed by anyone other than a diehard fan of the New England Patriots.

On Thursday, July 16, to no one’s surprise, Connolly officially announced he is retiring from professional football and the 2014 Team Captain will now quietly fade into the sunset.

As an undrafted free agent, no one expected much from Dan. He went to Southeast Missouri State, not exactly a powerhouse looked at for NFL prospects, and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005. After playing in a handful of games as a rookie he missed the entire 2006 season before being released prior to the 2007 campaign.

DAN CONNOLLY: AN UNDER APPRECIATED PATRIOT

The New England Patriots signed Connolly to the practice squad 11 days later, but he was waived by the Pats on October 20, 2008. The team re-signed him to the practice squad again in October, before he was promoted to the active roster in December. It would be nice to say his career took off and he became a beloved member of the offensive line, but that would be an exaggeration. What he did become was a highly valuable member of Bill Belichick‘s team, mainly because of his flexibility. Belichick loves players who can fill multiple roles, so Connolly fit right in.

Dan Connolly - Your Patriot Family Will Miss You
Dan Connolly – Your Patriot Family Will Miss You

During his tenure with New England, Connolly played right guard when Stephen Neal was out 4 games (2009) then filled in at left guard (2010) when Logan Mankins sat out the first 7 games. Ultimately he played all three interior line positions for the Patriots  and was a valued member of both the kick-off & punt return squads while playing 84 games in a Patriot’s uniform.

In an interview with ESPN’s Mike Reiss Connolly stated “With my football career coming to a close I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by the Kraft family and Coach Belichick”…“It is an honor to have been part of such a great organization for the past eight seasons.”

Going out healthy and on a high note after capturing his first Super Bowl ring meant a lot to him, as he stated in the same interview  “It’s important to me to leave the game healthy,” Connolly said. “I’m able to be here for my kids and walk away on my own terms. I feel like I got everything I could out of football in playing 10 years, winning a Super Bowl, and playing alongside some truly great players.”

So long Big Guy, you will be missed when the season rolls around.

Follow me on twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

The Good, The Great, THE GRONK!

Image:ESPN
Image:ESPN

The winner of this year’s Comeback Player of the Year at the ESPYs almost didn’t make it on stage. Heck, at just 21 years old, he faced the possibility of having to turn away from the one thing that propelled him to super stardom and a Super Bowl ring: football.

During his junior year of college, Rob Gronkowski suffered from a ruptured disk in his spinal cord that sidelined him the entire season. He made the gutsy decision to forego his senior season to keep playing football on the professional level. After getting selected in the second round of the 2010 draft by the New England Patriots, the Gronk roared on to the scene, scoring 10 touchdowns for the season and bringing “The Gronk Spike” to fruition. By Week 13 of his sophomore season, he had surpassed his rookie season’s touchdown total AND broken the NFL record for touchdowns scored in a single season.

Then came the playoffs, which ended in heartbreak for more reasons than one.

Image: Chicago tribune
Image: Chicago tribune

Another Super Bowl loss to the Giants was gut-wrenching. But getting news that Gronk would have to  undergo surgery to repair strained ligaments in his ankle left fans disheveled. He fought back and had another successful season with 11 more touchdown receptions to boast about before breaking and re-breaking his forearm in 2012. Four forearm surgeries, another back surgery and a surgery to repair a torn ACL AND MCL later, the Gronk found himself overcoming adversity once again. This time, one of the twelve touchdown receptions he scored in the 2014 season came in the second quarter of an unforgettable Super Bowl XLIX victory.

Now, he’s everywhere. Daytime talk shows. Late night talk shows. Blockbuster movies. Commercials. Erotic novels. Center stage, at the ESPYs, receiving another accolade that further justifies the hard work and dedication he has put into his career. And probably another viral video filled with reckless and shameless dance moves.

Whether you like it or not, it’s Gronk’s world and we’re just living in it.

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AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: The Front Seven on the Forefront

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As the duck boats rolled through a snowy Boylston Street in February, the sights of Gronk victoriously chugging beers and Brady’s adorable little son kissing the fourth Lombardi trophy for this franchise were all anyone could rant and rave about.

What a difference five months makes.

With a few of the most crucial pieces of this Super Bowl winning team gone, Bill Belichick must find a way to keep his team competitive for a shot at a fifth Lombardi trophy – particularly on the defensive side of the ball, for as the old adage goes, “Offense scores points, but defense wins championships.”

The obvious is clear. With their two star cornerbacks moving on to new teams, opponents are going to try to expose a weaker Patriots secondary. Say goodbye to that glorious lockdown secondary and welcome a new defensive identity – one who will have to rely on interior pressure to push the pocket, disrupt the quarterback and force more passes down the middle instead of the sidelines. Easy to envision for a rushing defense that ranked 9th in the league in 2014, but losing a stalwart in Vince Wilfork along with Jonathan Casillas and Akeem Ayers leave said defense with some holes to fill in order to maintain (and hopefully) improve that ranking.

The spotlight will turn to the unproven and injury-riddled. Enter stage right – Sealver Siliga, the 6 foot 2 inch 325 pound nose tackle who was sidelined with a foot injury last season and Dont’a Hightower, who is recovering from the shoulder surgery he underwent in February. Also stepping up will be Dominique Easley, the second year defensive tackle who is coming off of two torn ACLs and rookie Malcom Brown.

Reason to panic? Not quite.

Versatility is a key component that every player who wants to play for Bill Belichick must have. Thankfully, this defense is filled with guys who can rush the inside and outside or drop into coverage. Chandler Jones can line up as an outside linebacker or help on the defensive line. Jamie Collins excelled as a tackling machine and in coverage, ending last season with four sacks and two interceptions. Free agency brought in Jabaal Sheard from the Cleveland Browns, who is an effective run-stuffer and can cover the edges. The Patriots added another successful edge rusher who can drop into coverage in the third round of the draft by selecting Geneo Grissom.

It will take time to breed cohesion with all of these multi-faceted players, but Bill Belichick and his staff have a knack for maximizing the talent they bring out on the field every game.

Is it football season yet?

AFC, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

The NFL Offseason in Context: A Look at Life In the Absence of Football

Apparently it is a big deal that a spaceship floating billions of miles away, took a few snapshots of a planet (which we already knew existed) and sent it back to Earth.  Bruce Jenner now wants to be called Caitlyn, and Russell Wilson refuses to lay the pipe to Ciara, because God told him so.  If this isn’t proof the world needs the NFL to function on the appropriate axis, I don’t know what is.  Let’s start at the top.

By the time we do anything of remote importance on any other planet but the one I am on right now, I will be checked out with my ashes spread out somewhere exotic.  Maybe Revere Beach? I constantly say I’m not living a super long life, so I will straighten that all out sooner rather than later.

I don’t care about Pluto.  I never have and never will.  I’m happy for the dudes at NASA though.  Can you imagine the pants tent they got over the photos?  The NASA guys were probably all huddled up around their laptops with Hot Pockets and Mountain Dew, waiting for the first image to stream through.  I would compare this to how the rest of the world is waiting for the NFL to rule on Brady’s appeal, which will be any day now.

Now for Ms. Jenner and this big revelation of transitioning and the courage that goes along with it.  According to the GM of the Red Sox, courage is playing left field for $20,000,000/year, ESPN is awarding him with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.   Courage seems to have a completely different definition than the one I was taught in say second or third grade.  I have to pump the brakes on going into this anymore or I’ll have the activists after me again.  One thing that is fact here is everything Bruce/Caitlyn and the tribe of misfits he considers family does, stems from the almighty dollar.  If you don’t think this entire transition, Diane Sawyer interview, and new reality show isn’t triggered by the cash cow that was created once Kim’s sex tape was released, you’re a bit delusional.  Speaking of Kim, for someone who has the biggest self-image issues on the planet, along with her fraud husband, her sex tape performance was beyond amateur.

tom-brady-daughter-golf-course-500x500
You’re Move Roger

Want to know something that is far from amateur?  It is how our shining star Thomas Edward Patrick Brady has handled this suspension/appeal process.  The guy is just continuing to ooze greatness in every facet of life.  National writers and former players whom he repeatedly torched and then pissed on during their playing careers are casting rocks in glass houses.  What does Tom do when this happens?  He just posts angelic photos of him in the middle of a fairway (where else would he be but the middle of the fairway) with his baby girl Vivian crushing it in his bucket hat.  Bucket hats are without a doubt the summer fashion trend and I’m going out and buying a dozen of them right now.

Speaking of amateur moves, let’s look at what Jason Pierre-Paul did over the fourth of July.  I have ZERO sympathy for him or that other knucklehead from Tampa Bay.  Not only did JPP decide to imitate Fire Marshall Bill and blow his damn hand up, but he had a U-Haul Van full of fireworks.  For starters, why have a full van of fireworks?  Do you really need to be “that guy” who outdoes everyone else on the block?  You’re making millions of dollars a year, the dick measuring has to stop at some point right?  Piggybacking on the fact that you’re making million dollars a year, shouldn’t you have “a guy” who lights them for you.  Ninety-nine percent of these NFL players have entourages who designate a “Turtle” to do bonehead acts like this.  Good luck playing with your hand in the dirt this year.  I hope Bryan Stork bites your nub just because he is an animal like that.

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Odds on which Seahawk hits that before Russell Wilson? Bruce Irvin – 5:1 Earl Thomas – 8:1 Doug Baldwin – 3:1 Pete Carroll – 2:5

God told Russell Wilson to “put the other stuff aside” for now. The “other stuff” he is referring to, is him and his girlfriend Ciara banging.  I’m over the Russell Wilson act.  I’ve been over it for a while, but now we are getting to the point I’m worried for his mental health.  Do yourself a favor and go Google some of her lyrics and tell me she isn’t pissed about this.  Hey Russell, did God tell you not to check out of the quick slant at the end of the Super Bowl?  Buddy, you’ve been married before and your wife was NOWHERE near the dime that Ciara is.   Explain to me how this all works and what good this is doing anyone else on Earth?  You remember what happened with Percy Harvin and Doug Baldwin before the Super Bowl right?  My money is on Earl Thomas or Bruce Irvin destroying that behind your back while you’re channeling your inner Tim Tebow in the ice tub.

There will be plenty more to talk about and this whole Brady ordeal will finally come to a head.  I bet Kessler and Brady kicked Goodell around like the big bully on the playground during recess.  Roger’s ass kicking lasted about ten hours though and same goes for that fraud Ted Wells.  I, unlike most, actual read through the entire piece of crap Wells Report and was even more confused than before I started.  Schefter, whom also swings a massive stick for posting medical records of JPP, stated Brady shined with an A+ performance.  Guys like Brady who have wives like Super G, don’t cower into a ball when the pressure is on. What did you expect?  Him to go in there like Geno Smith and completely hand it over to the witch hunters?   Want to see the complete opposite of a witch hunt?  I present week six of the NFL season to you.  The Patriots head to Indianapolis for an all-out bloodbath against the Colts.  I fear for Andrew Luck, I fear for Chuck Pagano, and mostly fear for the drug addict owner and GM.  Start lighting candles now for the Colts in your church, temple, mosque, or community center.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots hang eighty points on them.  Training camps starts in just over two weeks.

Representing all the way in Bora Bora.
Representing the Stool all the way in Bora Bora.
AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots Training Camp Battles: Malcom Brown Vs. Sealver Siliga For Nose Tackle

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After eleven seasons of patrolling the middle of the Patriots defense, Vince Wilfork has taken his talents to Houston to play under former defensive coordinator Romeo Crenell.

With his departure the Patriots are now left with a literal huge hole to fill at the nose tackle position. There will be plenty of competition during training camp this summer and two players that will be going at it for a starting role will be Malcom Brown and Sealver Siliga.

Going into his rookie season, Malcom Brown will have a huge transition period this year. At only twenty-one years old, Brown will be one of the league’s youngest players.

Brown is extremely strong and much like Vince Wilfork applies pressure in the backfield by pushing the guard backward into the running backs.

Brown doesn’t get after the quarterback so much, but he does collapse the pocket well with his extreme size. Bill Belichick is not afraid to start a rookie if they can grasp the system. How well he adapts will determine whether or not he becomes a starter as a rookie.

Sealver Siliga has been a nice surprise since he joined the Patriots in 2013. At 6-2, 325 pounds Siliga takes up a ton of space in the middle of the defense. He is very difficult to move, which makes it difficult for other teams to run up the middle.

Many believe that Siliga can take over the role of Vince Wilfork. It would be very difficult due to the fact that Big Vince is much more athletic and quick on his feet. Siliga is very statue-like in the center.

What has derailed Siliga’s career thus far has been injuries. He spent of last season on temporary injured reserve. If he stays healthy throughout the summer, he will more than likely be the starter come week one. However, that is a monumental if.

In conclusion, rookie first-round selection Malcom Brown will most likely be the starter at nose tackle come week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The reasoning for this is because Brown seems to have all the raw talent and maturity players need to succeed at the pro level. Siliga should be able to take over the position, but once again his inability to stay on the field and his ability to stay accountable will hurt his chances.

New England Patriots, NFL

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

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THE GOOD

Even those now bashing NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, often referred to as “the most powerful man in sports,”  must acknowledge he has helped NFL owners make more $$$ than they can count. That is why owners have been solidly in his corner when controversy has arisen. Don’t kid yourself, the NFL is a highly successful business and he is one reason why.

According to an August 20, 2014 article in Forbes Magazine “the average National Football League team is worth $1.43 billion… 23% more than a year ago, the biggest year-over-year increase since 1999.”  Fans can complain all they want about decisions the Commissioner has made, but he has done what he is paid to do.

For those wondering why Robert Kraft backed down on challenging Goodell’s ruling in “deflategate,” read that highlighted sentence again. Click on the link and see just how financially successful the NFL is. And, by the way, the New England Patriots, worth $2.6 billion, trail only the Dallas Cowboys in value ($3.2 billion).

When Goodell took over the reigns from retiring commissioner Paul Tagliabue on September 1, 2006 the league was on an upswing that started under Pete Rozelle (NFL Commissioner 1960-1989) and has now reached what a few think is it’s pinnacle. The owners are betting there is still has growth to be had (overseas teams?), and Goodell is who they want at the helm…provided the political pressure doesn’t become too intense.

No matter how many cases they lose in arbitration, it’s pennies compared to billions of dollars.  Reputation and integrity be damned, money speaks volumes, no matter how many times Goodell ludicrously claims he is making decisions based on the integrity of the game.

THE BAD

If one word could be used other than “profit” to describe Goodell’s term as commissioner, it would have to be “controversy.” From his start, NFL news has moved from primarily sports talk to the lead front page story. Without going into too many boring detail, here are just a few of the “bad” news stories that have come in the past 8 years:

2007: Goodell disciplined the New England Patriots ($250,000 & 1st Round Pick) and head coach Bill Belichick in what has become known as “Spygate” after New England attempted to videotape the defensive signals of the NY Jets

…and that wasn’t all that happened. Suspensions were handed out galore:

  • Tennessee’s PacMan Jones (entire 2007 season)
  • Cincinnatti’s Chris Henry (8 games)
  • Chicago’s Tank Johnson (8 games) were all suspended under the new NFL Player Conduct Policy. That policy became the guidelines for all future suspensions
  • Atlanta starting QB Michael Vick was convicted and served jail time – Need I say more?

2008: Dallas’ PacMan Jones again (indefinite, ultimately reduced to 4 games)

2009: Cleveland’s Donte Stallworth (entire 2009 season)

2010: Pittsburgh QB Ben Rothlisburger (originally 6 games, reduced to 4) Rothlisburger was accused of sexual assault by a 20-year-old college student after an encounter in a Georgia bar

Ben Rothlisburger Suspended courtesy of ESPN.GO.Com
Ben Rothlisburger Suspended courtesy of ESPN.GO.Com

2011: NFL Lockout March 11 to August 5

THE UGLY

Things started to really get ugly as the 2012 season rolled around.

2012: “Bountygate” – New Orleans Saints – Head Coach Sean Payton and Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams were suspended for the season. Along with other suspensions the Saints were fined a league maximum $500,000 and stripped of their second round draft picks in 2012 and 2013. Commissioner Goodell later suspended players but that was overturned after they appealed.

Also in 2012 the NFL locked out the regular NFL game officials, opening the season with replacement referees. The hired replacements consisted of low-level college and high school officials, none from Division I. The only people yelling about the integrity of the game were fans who paid full price to see incompetent officials drastically effect the outcome of game-after-game.

It's A TD, no It's an INT as replacement offials contradict each other (Courtesy of DallasNews.com
Its A TD, no its an INT as replacement officials contradict each other (Courtesy of DallasNews.com)

After week 2 of the season the NFLPA issued this statement:

It is lost on us as to how you allow a Commissioner to cavalierly issue suspensions and fines in the name of player health and safety yet permit the wholesale removal of the officials that you trained and entrusted to maintain that very health and safety. It has been reported that the two sides are apart by approximately $60,000 per team. We note that your Commissioner has fined an individual player as much in the name of “safety.” Your actions are looking more and more like simple greed. As players, we see this game as more than the “product” you reference at times. You cannot simply switch to a group of cheaper officials and fulfill your legal, moral, and duty obligations to us and our fans. You need to end the lockout and bring back the officials immediately.

On September 26 an agreement was reached to end the lockout after increasing criticism of the NFL and the performance of the replacement officials.

2013: The NFL finally reached a $765 million settlement with  former NFL players over head injuries. The settlement created a $675 million compensation fund from which former NFL players could collect from depending on the extent of their conditions. It turned ugly when, in January, 2014, a U.S. District Judge refused to accept the agreed settlement because “the money wouldn’t adequately compensate the nearly 20,000 men not named in the suit”

2014: The Ray Rice disaster. Another major mis-judgement by the Commission as he determined a punishment of two games was adequate for the third-degree assault Rice had been arrested for. After an uproar and the public saw a video of the incident, Goodell acknowledged he “didn’t get it right” This was the start of individuals questioning his judgement and rumblings began calling for his resignation.

2015: “Deflategate,” which is still under appeal by New England QB Tom Brady, became another national story. Brady was handed a four game suspension because of a “belief that he was generally aware” of the deflation of footballs used in the AFC East Championship game.

The Commissioner once again looked bad as his 10 game suspension of Greg Hardy was recently reduced in arbitration. Arbitrator Harold Henderson stated in his decision that 10 games is simply too much as he reduced the punishment to four games. To read his entire comments just click on the highlighted area.

To wrap it up, the NFL and Commissioner Goodell have not been successful either in arbitration or the courts. They have lost to all the New Orleans players in ‘Bountygate,” Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Greg Hardy and the list goes on and on. Next up will be his decision of Tom Brady.

Training camp is just around the corner and teams/players need some closure. At what point will the owners say enough is enough? As long as the $$$ continues to grow, it is unlikely to happen very soon.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots TE Breakdown: Patriots Success is dependent on Health of Gronkowski

 

Generated by IJG JPEG Library
Generated by IJG JPEG Library

There may not be a more important position for the New England Patriots outside of Quarterback than the TE, with the Patriots ranking 2nd in receptions, and 1st in both yards and touchdowns coming from the position in 2014.

Those rankings are due in very large part thanks to Rob Gronkowski’s monster regular season where he was ranked #1 among all NFL TE in yards, average per catch, yards per game, receptions of twenty plus yards, first downs and touchdowns (NFL.com). The only stat Gronkowski didn’t come in first was receptions where he ranked 4th in the NFL. He is no question the best at his position in the league when healthy, and the Patriots success in 2015 will count on Gronk staying on the field throughout the regular and post season.

No doubt the question at the position is the second and third slots on the depth chart. New comer Scott Chandler looks to be #2 at the TE slot when the 2015 regular season starts and he is absolutely no stranger to the Pats Nation having played the team twice a year since 2011. Chandler was often a thorn in the side of the Patriots defense during those games accounting for 4TD’s and over 350yds in those 8 games (pro-football-reference.com). At 6-7 and 280lbs Scott will be another monster big man for Tom Brady to target down field and in the end zone.

The third slot may be a bit of a question mark. With veteran TE Michael Hoomanawanui, rookie big man out of Arkansas AJ Derby, and converted DE Jake Bequette making the move to the offensive position.
The “Hooman” had a significant drop in production last year catching only 3 passes with no scores and missing blocks all over the place allowing for the edge to get to Brady in the backfield.

AJ Derby was selected in the 6th round with the 202nd pick and has high upside as a TE in the NFL. He is fast for a big man running a 4.69 40yrd dash at the 2015 NFL combine with his only downside being that he had only one year at the position in Arkansas system. The lack of experience shouldn’t outweigh his ability to line up all over the field with speed and size.

Bill Belichick thinks Jake Bequette is “in good position to compete” for a spot at TE after swapping his DE position for the end on the offensive side of the ball. He does have some experience at the position playing TE in high school and his first year as a redshirt freshman at Arkansas.

My prediction TE depth- 1st Gronk, 2nd Chandler, 3rd Derby, reserve Bequette (Hoomanawanui gets cut for $1.38 million cap savings)

 

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