Tag Archives: Julian Edelman

AFC, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, NFL

Patriots vs Bills Preview

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THE 9-0 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS WILL BE HOSTING THE 5-4 BUFFALO BILLS MONDAY NIGHT AT GILLETTE STADIUM FOR THE SECOND MATCHUP OF THE YEAR BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMS.

IN WEEK 2 THE PATRIOTS DEFEATED THE BILLS 40-32 IN A GAME THAT DIDN’T SEEM AS CLOSE AS IT LOOKED ON THE SCOREBOARD. THE PATRIOTS LED AND CONTROLLED THE TEMPO FOR PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE GAME. TOM BRADY DID TOM BRADY THINGS THROWING FOR 466 YARDS AND 3 TOUCHDOWNS AGAINST A GOOD REX RYAN COACHED DEFENSE THAT CAME OFF A BIG WIN AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS THE WEEK BEFORE. TIGHT END ROB GRONKOWSKI ALSO HAD A BIG GAME IN HIS HOME COMING GAME AGAINST THE BUFFALO BILLS HAULING IN 7 RECEPTIONS FOR 113 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN. FOR THE BILLS THEIR QUARTERBACK TYROD TAYLOR, WHO WAS ONLY MAKING HIS SECOND CAREER START, PLAYED VERY WELL BOTH PASSING AND RUNNING THE BALL AGAINST THE NEW ENGLAND DEFENSE WHICH HELPED BRING HIS TEAM BACK LATE IN THE FOURTH.

NOW IN WEEK 11 SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE WEEK 2, NO DION LEWIS OR JULIAN EDELMAN FOR THE PATRIOTS AMONGST MANY OTHER INJURIES FOR THE TEAM INCLUDING LINEBACKER JAMIE COLLINS WHO LOOKS LIKE HE IS GOING TO MISS HIS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME WITH AN ILLNESS. FOR THE BILLS, THERE NOT GETTING THE SAME CONSISTENT PLAY OUT OF THEIR QUARTERBACK TYROD TAYLOR AS THEY ONCE DID, HAVE HAD DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES AT POINTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND HAVE ALSO DEALT WITH INJURIES TO PLAYERS INCLUDING PERCY HARVIN AND LESEAN MCCOY WHO HAS MISSED TIME THIS YEAR.

A KEY FOR NEW ENGLAND THIS GAME WILL BE TO GET SOME GUYS BACK FROM INJURY, ESPECIALLY ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE. THE OFFENSIVE LINE HAS PLAYED PRETTY WELL SO FAR EVEN WITH ALL THE INJURIES BUT AFTER LOSING ANOTHER KEY PIECE TO THE OFFENSE IN JULIAN EDELMAN, HAVING A HEALTHY OFFENSIVE LINE AND GIVING TOM BRADY MORE TIME TO HOLD ONTO THE BALL AND MAKE A DECISION WILL BE CRUCIAL.  ANOTHER KEY TO THE GAME THIS WEEK FOR THE PATRIOTS WILL BE TO COVER BILLS TIGHT END CHARLES CLAY. THE PATS HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE THIS YEAR IN COVERING OPPOSING TIGHT ENDS, MOST RECENTLY AGAINST THE GIANTS WILL TYE, WHO I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF BEFORE LAST WEEKS’ GAME. CLAY HAS GOOD SIZE AND GOOD SPEED AND GOOD SIZE AND CAN MAKE DEFENSES PAY IF YOU LEAVE HIM OPEN IN THE FIELD. ANOTHER KEY TO THE PATRIOTS DEFENSE WILL BE TO NOT ALLOW TYROD TAYLOR TO ESCAPE THE POCKET, TAYLOR IS MORE DANGEROUS RUNNING THE BALL THAN HE IS THROWING THE BALL AND IS DANGEROUS WHEN THROWING ON THE RUN, BUT DOESN’T HAVE GREAT POCKET PRESENCE. IF YOU CAN KEEP HIM IN THE POCKET AND CAN GET THE LEAGUES LEADER IN SACKS IN CHANDLER JONES GET AFTER HIM IT WILL CERTAINLY RATTLE TAYLOR AND FORCE HIM TO MAKE MISTAKES.

FOR BUFFALO IT WILL BE TO GET TAYLOR OPEN ROOM TO MOVE, WHETHER IT BE IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, HE CAN BE SCARY WHEN HE WAS ROOM TO MOVE WITH HIS ARM STRENGTH AND SPEED. ANOTHER WILL BE FOR THE BILLS DEFENSE TO STOP THE PATRIOTS MACHINE OF AN OFFENSE. EVEN WITH ALL THE INJURIES IT WILL BE A LOT HARDER SAID THEN DONE, AFTER EDELMAN LEFT LAST WEEK’S GAME DANNY AMENDOLA STEPPED UP IN HIS ROLE AND CAUGHT 10 BALLS FOR 79 YARDS. THEN OF COURSE THERE IS THE BEST TIGHT END IN THE LEAGUE ROB GRONKOWSKI, BILLS CORNER STEPHON GILMORE CAME OUT THIS WEEK AND SAID THE TEAM HAD A GAME-PLAN TO TAKE GRONK OUT OF THE GAME. THEY SAID THE SAME THING LAST TIME, THE BILLS HAVE TWO YOUNG VERY GOOD CORNERS IN STEPHON GILMORE AND ROOKIE RONALD DARBY BUT LET’S FACE IT, YOU CAN NOT STOP ROB GRONKOWSKI HE IS TOO GOOD OF A PLAYER TO BE STOPPED. AND THEN OF COURSE THERE’S TOM BRADY WHO’S JUST PLAYING OUT OF HIS MIND AND PLAYING THE BEST FOOTBALL OF HIS LIFE AT 38 YEARS OLD.

THE BILLS COULD MAKE THIS A GAME, BUT JUST LIKE LAST TIME THE SCOREBOARD WONT TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH. THE PATRIOTS WILL WIN THIS GAME IN GILLETTE WITH EASE FOR THE MOST PART OF THE GAME AND MOVE ON TO 10-0.

 

New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: The Survival Of The Best Coached Team In The NFL

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The NFL is a game of attrition and teams know that coming into every season. It’s not shocking when players start going down…and it happens to everyone. Some teams use injuries as an excuse and fall by the wayside. The best teams use a step-up mentality and overcome the adversity.
Dion Lewis went down for the season in the win against Washington (Photo Patriots.com David Silverman)
Dion Lewis went down for the season in the win against Washington (Photo Patriots.com David Silverman)

 Survival Of The Best Coached

Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia and Bill Belichick ( Photo: salemnews.com)
Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia and Bill Belichick ( Photo: salemnews.com)

To this point in the 2015 season the New England Patriots, with arguably the best coaching staff in the NFL,  have clearly  taken the second approach, and it has paid off with a 9-0 record.

All NFL teams are forced to  dig into their back-ups, make trades or move players around to help fill the holes created… and New England has done that with the best of them.  What seems to be the biggest difference between the Patriots and most other teams is (drum roll please) they always seem ready for everything, and that, my friends (I hope) is  all about coaching.

Bill Belichick has always liked players with versatility and, in  2015, it has paid off. As injuries piled up we’ve seen players we never heard of (alright, maybe a slight exaggeration) playing positions they  never played in the NFL!

  1. Offensive lineman goes down – plug-in a tight end
  2. Wide receiver out for a while, go to two and three TE sets and throw in the next man up
  3. Defensive line struggling against the run, adjust the personnel package

Doing It Again

Julian Edelman is out with a broken foot ala Dez Bryant of the Cowboys (Photo: Julie Jacobson/AP))
Julian Edelman is out with a broken foot ala Dez Bryant of the Cowboys (Photo: Julie Jacobson/AP))

So now the Patriots face another hurdle. How do you replace the unique qualities of Julian Edelman? The simple answer is: you don’t! Fans are once again bringing up names (remember Reggie Wayne?) of players who may be available. It’s time to take a deep breath and let Mr. Belichick and his staff do their thing.

Danny Amendola (Feature Photo: Patriots.com David Silverman) has played his best football since becoming a Patriot. No, he doesn’t play the slot, as Edelman does, but here’s where coaching steps in again. The ability to change on the fly has been unbelievable this season…and the Patriots will do it again.

Brandon LaFell is hard to take down once he has the ball (Photo Patriots.com David Silverman)
Brandon LaFell is hard to take down once he has the ball (Photo Patriots.com David Silverman)

Brandon LaFell is back close to 100%, Gronkowski is…well, Gronk, Scott Chandler needs to step up and make catches he’s supposed to (Chandler has just 13 catches for 137 yards and two TDs this season), Keshawn Martin is about ready to come back and has looked good in his short tenure and it’s time to fish or cut bait for Aaron Dobson.

Will The Patriots Still Roll Over Opponents?

Quick answer, probably not. To expect the team offense to continue to perform at their current level minus an offensive line (which returns some bodies this week, thank God), Dion Lewis and Julian Edelman is completely unrealistic. Yes, Tom Brady is Tom Brady, but you could start to see his frustration Sunday against the Giants.

He’ll move on, but his comfort level of always having Edelman there when things aren’t going right won’t be the same with Amendola.  He made that plain in this weeks press conference when he said “ Julian Edelmans just aren’t sitting out on the street or else they’d be playing for another team” As Mike Reiss quoted in an article on ESPNBoston.

Lewis had added something this area hasn’t seen since the days of Curtis Martin, an elusive running back who made tacklers miss. James White and Brandon Bolden don’t come close to filling that role.

Can The Injuries Continue To Pile Up

By December there are very few bodies that aren’t battered and bruised. Most players accept it and are able to play through the pain. Many  just can’t because of the severity of their injuries.

You also have the rookies, who hit a wall around game 12.  No sir, the NFL isn’t quite like college!

  • The intensity is higher (it’s a job now)
  • The players are better and more physical
  • The speed of the game is about twice what anyone saw or played against at their alma mater
  • …and you play more games

So, logic says there may be more decisions to be made as the second half of the season rolls along. Don’t hang me here, but 16-0 may be unachievable, yet, looking at the rest of the NFL the New England Patriots are still the Super Bowl favorites.

Follow me on twitter @snowdonbob

 

AFC, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL

New England Patriots: The New Tom Brady

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Let’s start with stating the obvious, Tom Brady is not from this planet. He is a real life “Superman.”

Tom Brady is Superman

After Sunday’s 30-23 win over the New York Jets even the most skeptical Brady hater has to be in awe of the unhuman things he is doing in his 16th year as an NFL Quarterback. Brady literally took the team on his back and refused to lose. We all knew he didn’t need any help in passing the ball, but:

  • 10 (or more) drops and he still throws for 355 yards
  • 2 TDs
  • 0 interceptions
  • 1 rushing TD
  • If that’s not enough he also leads the team in rushing for the 1st time in his career…at the age of 38

C’mon fans of the Steelers, Jets, Colts, Ravens (and on and on and on), admit it, you have to respect what this man has done. I know you may not be willing to admit anything publicly. Deep inside you still think he had to be cheating to do what he has, otherwise you’d have to admit your team actually lost to a “human” and you don’t want to do that. Among your fellow fans, when you belly up to the bar, you still mock him and talk about deflated footballs.

But when you take a moment and are honest with yourself you would love to have Tom Brady QB your team. You know it…I know it…and, don’t feel bad, your team feels the same way.

Is Tom Brady better now than he has ever been? 

Brady fires away in 30-23 win over the Jets (Photo: David Silverman Patriots.com)
Tom Brady fires away in 30-23 win over the Jets (Photo: David Silverman Patriots.com)

You can click on the above green link to find and compare Brady’s career statistics and decide for yourself. So, the question is, what more can he do? What is left to challenge the greatest QB in the history of the NFL (that will trigger some debate)? Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL owners provided the motivation he needed -or maybe he didn’t – to rejuvenate him for the 2015 season by questioning his honesty and integrity. His response has been to quietly embarrass them and their position. Hell, even the most avid Patriot fan has to admit he has surpassed any expectations we had for this season. Think about it:

  • 2,054 yards passing in 6 games
  • 16 TDs with just 1 interception
  • 2 rushing TDs after going the past two seasons with 0

With a mobility in the pocket that he has never shown before he looks like a “new” Tom Brady.  Don’t get me wrong, he has always been great, but this year he has moved into a new stratosphere. It’s not hyperbole, it is a fact and the eye test backs it up. Game-by-game he meets and exceeds expectations.

Brady brings out the best of everyone around him

Brady and Gronk celebrate TD in 30-23 win over the Jets (Photo: David Silverman Patriots.com)
Brady and Gronk celebrate TD in 30-23 win over the Jets (Photo: David Silverman Patriots.com)

Please don’t tell me he doesn’t have the weapons that other great QBs have. It doesn’t take anything away from what Mr. Brady has done this year to acknowledge the greatness of Rob Gronkowski (or Randy Moss in 2007). Julian Edelman and the now healthy Danny Amendola aren’t anything to laugh at, and Dion Lewis has emerged as a top tier running back/receiver.

Danny Amendola makes an acrobatic catch in 30-23 win over the Jets Photo David Silverman
Danny Amendola makes an acrobatic catch in 30-23 win over the Jets (Photo: David Silverman Patriots.com)

However, with that said, Brady makes everyone on the offense look better. The ensemble that makes up the offensive line attests to what he is capable of doing. If you can name the starting five linemen for last night’s match-up with the amazing pass rush of the rejuvenated Miami Dolphins without looking it up, congratulations.

Credit the quick release (fastest in the NFL) of Tom Brady with the fact we’re not in panic as each weeks latest super team lines up on the other side of the ball. Speaking of which, I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of hearing how all these teams are suddenly able to “challenge” the Patriots dominance in the NFL. Before they can challenge they have to show they can beat the best…and so far no one has done that.

Follow me on twitter @SnowdonBob

New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Halloween Arrives Early In Indy!

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Let’s be honest, the Sunday night match-up between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts didn’t go as planned.

  • No, not because the Patriots only won by 7 points, 34-27 (should have been 34-21, but Colts scored a garbage time TD).
  • It wasn’t because LeGarrette Blount “only” ran for 93 yards.
  • It wasn’t even because Julian Edeleman actually dropped three passes, one leading to a pick six by the Colts.

It was because…are you ready?…the Colts thought it was already Halloween and decided it was going to be “trick” not “treat” night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

There were ghosts, goblins, witches and lots of tricks

The ghosts of years past were in the air and on the field as the Colts received the opening kick-off and marched 90 yards with

Julian Edelman scores as he's hit by Colts strong safety Mike Adams (29) and inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (52) . (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Julian Edelman scores as he’s hit by Colts strong safety Mike Adams (29) and inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson (52) . (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

relative ease to take a quick 7-0 lead.

New England returned the favor with an 80 yard drive of their own, culminating withJulian Edelman scoring his fourth receiving TD of the season, knotting the game at 7-7

Things settled down for a while before the witches stepped in and put a hex on Edelman, causing him to injure his finger and start dropping passes. The most damaging drop occurring in the 2nd quarter, when a Tom Brady pass bounced off #11’s hands into the waiting arms of Mike Adams, who scampered 14 yards down the sidelines to give the Colts a 14-10 lead.

The pass was Brady’s 1st interception of the year, but the blame fell squarely on those damned witches as they made the perfect pass bounce off the usually sure hands of the hexed Edelman.

At this point the Goblins entered the head of Indy Head Chuck Pagano. As visions of sugar plums danced in his head, oh wait a minute…back-up, that’s Christmas. Thinking this was time to spring surprise #1 of the game, the infamous on-side kick, Pagano and his special teams coach went for it.

It was just the 2nd quarter, but surely this would surprise New England Head Coach Bill Belichick. As the ball squirted from hand to hand before falling under the prone body of Patriot Josh Kline it looked like the greased pig contest we’ve all seen at the State Fair. As bodies un-piled the officials took the still inflated ball and loudly proclaimed “New England’s Ball.”

…But wait, there’s more

Pagano was in shock. My God, how could that be, he thought, as his head spun (kinda like in the movie The Exorcist). Knowing exactly what to do, he grabbed the red flag from his sock and hurled it on the field to challenge the play.  “Upon further review their was no clear view of the fumble recovery, therefore the initial call stands” blared through the PA system.

Six plays later Blount rumbled 38 yards “giving” the Patriots back the lead, 17-14.

LeGarrette Blount runs for a 38-yard touchdown after the Colts botch an on-side kick (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
LeGarrette Blount runs for a 38-yard touchdown after the Colts botch an on-side kick (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

The Colts scored another TD and the Patriots a last second field goal as the hectic half ended 21-20 and everyone took a deep breath…and believe me, they would need it.

The Play Of The Game

The Colts kicked off to start the second half and Rob Gronkowski scored his first TD in the last 3 games to put New England up 27-21. With the same score and 1:14 left in the 3rd quarter the Colts went to a play that makes the Seahawks Super Bowl loss pass look a great call. And here it is in all it’s glory:
Possibly The Worst Play In NFL History?

You have to give Pagano credit, per Ian O’Connor, ESPN Senior Writer, after the game he said “I take full responsibility for that,” as if he had any other choice.

As far as the Patriots being unprepared for either that play, or the earlier onside kick, here is Coach Belichick’s post-game response “We expected this to be a gadget game in the kicking game,” The man has his team prepared for almost everything, yet other coaches continue to try to trick plays that look foolish.

Talk About Athleticism – Meet Jamie Collins

After the Colts scored their final TD with 1:26 left in the game the Halloween Theme continued when Patriots LB Jamie Collins had the most athletic play of the game…with a little help from the ghosts of games past. Check it out. If you look real closely, you’ll see them pushing him up and over on this extra point attempt http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/0ap3000000560794/Can-t-Miss-Play-Collins-hurdles-line-and-blocks-PAT

Right about now Colts fans are spouting the line “it was a moral victory”…or “we gave them the game”. No matter what, one thing is obvious…the Baltimore, oops, Indianapolis Colts were running scared even though they held the lead at halftime 21-20. Play calling was in respect for what the Patriots could do and in fear of what the night would bring.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

NFL

New England Patriots: You can’t build your future on luck, but it sure doesn’t hurt

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After watching teams other than the New England Patriots play football for the past two weeks one thing jumps out. You can’t build a solid team in the NFL by relying strictly on luck (even if his name is Andrew). Yes, every team in the league has some luck…both good and bad, but the really good ones have the skill players necessary for week-to-week consistency. The surprise was how little some coaches know about the rules, clock management and “common sense” when the game is on the line. That’s not luck, that’s preparation!

LuckQuote

Some Good Luck Along The Way:

The Patriots have had more than their share of good luck leading to 16 years of consistency.

  1. Talk about luck, how about Robert Kraft buying a franchise that was about to move to St. Louis

A season ticket holder since 1971, Mr. Kraft stepped up and refused to let Billy Sullivan and Victor Kiam (former owners) out of their lease, forcing them to play in run down Sullivan Stadium, which he had purchased out of bankruptcy. At that time the two were trying to move the Patriots to Jacksonville. When Kiam had a series of bad investments he had to sell the Patriots and up stepped James (Budweiser) Orthwein, who was intent on moving the franchise to St. Louis.

In 1994, Orthwein offered Kraft $75 million to buy out the team’s lease at what was then Foxboro Stadium. Kraft refused and ended up buying the Pats for $172 million, the most ever paid for an NFL franchise at the time. According to Forbes magazine the average team is now worth $1.97 billion

2.  The decision to hire Bill Belichick

Luck was headed to New England when the NY Jets underestimated how much Bill Belichick wanted to have complete control over a team with an owner who kept his hands out of the mix.  After just one day as the J-E-T-S Head Coach he opted out, no matter what it cost him.  Despite Belichick’s issues as Head Coach in Cleveland, Robert Kraft was willing to spin-the-wheel of fortune on his possible impact on a team that had floundered under Pete Carroll (yes, the same Pete Carroll).  After an 8-8 season in 1999 Kraft made the move and hired Belichick, giving up a 1st round draft pick in return.

It’s hard to believe now, but fans were not happy with the move. No one thought he would become the best Head Coach in the NFL

3.  Drafting Tom Brady in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft

No one can deny drafting of Brady was the luckiest (and best) thing to ever happen to this franchise. No discussion needed

It would be easy to name a dozen other examples of luck that helped the Patriots become the most dominant team in the NFL – the Tuck Rule – Adam Vinatieri Super Bowl kicks – Rob Gronkowski dropping to the 2nd round – and on and on and on, but it still wouldn’t tell the whole story.

All The Luck In The World Isn’t Enough

Despite all this luck, the Patriots wouldn’t be where they are without:

  • A paranoid Head Coach who leaves nothing to chance and knows the rule book better than anyone else in the NFL. Sure, he’s a ornery cuss and likes to push the envelope, angering other teams and causing distrust of the franchise by the rest of the NFL…but there is not a team that wouldn’t hire him immediately if he became available (No matter what they say)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Month Tom Brady, who is still taking revenge against all the teams who let him fall to the 6th round of the draft. Add his rejuvenation and focus from unsubstantiated allegations this off-season along with his willingness to be the hardest working player on the roster and you have, arguably, the greatest QB in NFL history.
Do you still miss Adam Veneteri?
Do you still miss Adam Vinatieri? (Photo: Boston Globe)
  • One of, if not the, best FG kickers in the NFL, AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September Stephen Gostkowski…who hasn’t missed a kick this season. Check out all the games impacted by kickers (both FG & Extra Points) in the last two weeks and you’ll see why the Patriots decided to make him the highest paid kicker in the league.Gronk one handed catch (Photo: courtesy printinterest.com)
  • The best Tight End in all of football who is willing to do much more than just catch the ball. Rob Gronkowski is like a big man-child who enjoys his off time…but when healthy is the most feared player in the league.

I could add to the list of skilled players (Julian Edelman, Chandler Jones, Devin McCourty, Jamie Collins, etc, etc…) but you get the point. It takes skilled, dedicated players as well as some luck and the New England Patriots have an abundance of both.

Going to Dallas this Sunday, without many of many of the Cowboys key players in action, could be considered luck…but it is more than that. Tom Brady is on his 2015 Revenge Tour and the teams they play are very unlucky that’s the case.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

Revenge: Best when Served Healthy

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via gillettesgallerygods.wordpress.com
via gillettesgallerygods.wordpress.com

On Sunday September 27th, the New England Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 51-17, in what can be considered an unmitigated blow out. Quarterback Tom Brady showed that even at the age of 38 he can do what most young gunslingers can only dream about. Brady amassed a respectable 358 passing yards with a passer rating of 119.6, at the age of 38 that is ridiculously impressive, even against a team as lowly as the Jacksonville Jaguars. In fact even when the game was well in hand and there was absolutely no chance of a Jaguar uprising, Tom Brady, the Patriot’s star quarterback and face of the franchise, remained in the game.

Recently, a rash of injuries have befallen a number of the league’s franchise quarterbacks. Dallas’ Tony Romo, Chicago’s Jay Cutler, New Orleans’ Drew Brees, Cleveland’s Josh McCown and most recently Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger have all missed or are missing considerable time under center due to on the field injuries. The 2015 season now more than ever has shown that despite the many rules placed to keep the teams chief signal callers out of harm’s way they just aren’t enough to guarantee the safety of all those under center. A great deal of the a fore mentioned Quarterbacks are over the age of 30 years old and it’s safe to say their ability to bounce back from injury is not what it once was. So, with all these injuries plaguing quarterbacks one must ask, why in the blue hell was Tom Brady allowed to finish a game that was decided by the end of the first half?

Tom Brady is not new to the overall consequence an injury can deliver to one’s season. New England fans remember the beginning of the 2007-08 Patriot’s campaign very well as it led to what is affectionately known as the Matt Cassel era. That of course was the year that Tom Brady coming off of a record breaking 18-1 season was injured in the first quarter of a 17-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, by then-Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard. It was an era that kept New England out of the playoffs and away from the AFC east divisional championship for the first time since 2002. It was something no fan or Brady himself wanted and it’s safe to say no New England fan ever wishes to see again as long as Brady can play.

Coach Bill Belichick often expresses to his players that the game of football is a full sixty minutes. Belichick expects his players to give him and the team everything they have for the full sixty minutes with no excuses provided. Let’s be clear, in the game of football working as a unit is important, and each teammate should be expected to give the same amount of effort as the person next to them. Let’s take into consideration a few facts before we play the game of there is no “I” in team. Both Tight End Rob Gronkowski and Slot-Receiver Julian Edelman were taken out of the game early in order to keep them safe and undamaged. Super star Rob Gronkowski has had his share of injuries; there is absolutely no denying that, in fact it’s feasible the Patriot’s would be willing to place him in bubble wrap in order to preserve him for a possible Super Bowl run. Julian Edelman is a play maker, but someone with a history of injuries that can hamper the team’s overall productivity. The New England Patriots were wise to conserve two of their more prolific, game changing playmakers in Gronkowski and Edelman but what about their biggest game changer, Tom Brady?

Many have said that Tom likes to set an example that Tom likes to play every down and every minute of every game. That may be true, as Tom Brady as known for being one of the more competitive people on the planet. When does pride step in the way of common sense? The answer to that question in this situation is abundantly clear; when the motive is REVENGE. Tom Brady never speaks about Spygate or has even uttered more than a few prepared statements about Deflategate. Tom Brady does his talking on the field and his last three games show a man who has never played better in his life. if you include last post season, Tom Brady has been virtually unstoppable. As wonderful and spectacular as Brady has been it is clear that he may in fact be his own biggest adversary.

Tom Brady needs to see the forest through the trees and place revenge to the side. When the New England Patriots sat Edelman and Gronkowski on Sunday, the game was well in hand. The Jaguars were not going to rally back and defeat the reigning Super Bowl Champions. To be brutally honest, Tom Brady never should have been on the field in the fourth quarter. Fans clamoring for a repeat of 2007’s Scorched Earth tour need to remember that Tom was eight years younger and hadn’t yet suffered a season ending knee injury. The Jacksonville Jaguars are not this year’s Buffalo Bills, they weren’t going to take advantage of Patriot mistakes and rally themselves back into the game. The game was over, all the Patriots needed to do was allow backup Quarterback Jimmy Garappolo and LaGarrette Blount the opportunity to run the ball and allow time to slowly run out. This plan of course never came to fruition.

Call it pride, call it revenge, or call it being accountable as the team’s franchise quarterback. In the end, the choice to stay in the game was daring and undoubtedly a risk not worth taking. This game was not played against the despised Indianapolis Colts, the slimy Baltimore Ravens or even the annoying New York Jets, this was just the pathetic, unimportant Jaguars. A Jacksonville team that did not need a message sent to them about how angry Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are about Deflategate. After spending an entire career doing what is good for the New England Patriots and their fans, Brady must recognize that staying healthy is what is right for both HE and the team. Besides, revenge is sweeter when you are actually there to administer the punishment.

AFC, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Don’t Piss Off Tom Brady

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Can Rex Ryan Back-Up His Bluster

That question was answered with a resounding NO Sunday afternoon as Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and a host of others destroyed the Buffalo Bills “vaunted” defense, 40-32.  Don’t be deceived by the final score, this wasn’t that close. The Bills scored 19 points in the 4th quarter, long after the winner had already been determined.

Rex-Ryan - Who me? What bluster! (Photo meetthematts.com)
Who me? What bluster! (Photo meetthematts.com)

The Bills scored on their first possession and the Buffalo fans were in heaven. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long and many had left the stadium before they got a chance to get loud again. They may have pulled the comeback off if they were playing the NY Giants (sorry Giants fans. I hate to kick you when you’re down…) but nope, they were up against an angry (although they’ll never admit it) Tom Brady & Bill Belichick. Only one team in NFL history has come back from a 24 point fourth quarter deficit.

New England: What Went Right

I’m not sure where to start, but how about this…

  • Tom Brady was so good even ESPN had to admit it. No snide remarks about deflated footballs by anyone after this one was over.

If that wasn’t enough, how about this from Sports Center

Nuff said! Lesson learned? Don’t piss-off Tom Brady! He’s playing like he has something to prove after all the off-season slander he put up with. Bet it will be a little tense if Commissioner Roger Goodell is forced to actually attend a Patriot game this year…or, better yet, give Brady another MVP Trophy.

  • Rob Gronkowski was, once again, unstoppable. It’s hard to believe, but so far he’s been better than ever. Check this out from old friend Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal

  • The question of who will replace Shane Vereen (who?) has been answered with an unknown running back who no one wanted…and he isn’t named Gray. I know it’s only two games, and he has fumbled twice (lost one), but Dion Lewis (remember that name Rex Ryan) has been outstanding. Belichick had enough confidence in him that he put him right back in the offense after his fumble. That doesn’t happen very often, just ask former Patriot Stevan Ridley.
New England Patriots' Dion Lewis, right, celebrates with Rob Gronkowski (87) after rushing for a touchdown during the first half against the Bills, (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
New England Patriots’ Dion Lewis, right, celebrates with Rob Gronkowski (87) after rushing for a touchdown during the first half against the Bills  (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)

Lewis (that’s L-E-W-I-S Mr. Ryan) had 40 yards rushing and a TD on just 7 carries. You’re right, that’s OK, but nothing to rave about. How about this then, 6 receptions for 98 yards. Combine the two and you get 13 touches for 138 total yards. If you aren’t good at math Rex, that’s 10.6 yards per touch. Anyone think Ryan will remember his name when the two teams meet again in November at Gillette Stadium on Thursday Night Football (ESPN)?

I could go on and on about the offense, including the emergence of Aaron Dobson (7 receptions for 87 yards, one drop), THE catch of the day by Danny Amendola to seal the victory and the continued success of Julian Edelman (11 reception, 97 yards, 2 TDs), but the biggest surprise of the game was (drum roll please):

  • The Offensive Line. People needlessly worried about Tom Brady’s life/health coming into this game against Buffalo’s feared pass rush. Brady’s quick release certainly helped, but the youngsters held up just fine, allowing only two sacks…and that was without Bryan Stork and Ryan Wendell.  Can we all please stop holding our breath every time TB drops back to pass?

Yes, the defense gave up 32 points, but it actually was very good. Remember, 19 of those points were in garbage time, just as the 7 they gave up to Pittsburgh in the final seconds of game one.  As is usually the case, when you give up that many points, people will point out your deficiencies. Well, how about these positives:

  • 8 sacks against a very mobile Tyrod Taylor, who, fortunately, escaped without injury

    Taylor sacked again by Chandler Jones (photo: Keith Nordstrom NewEnglandPatriots.com)
    Taylor sacked again by Chandler Jones (photo: Keith Nordstrom NewEnglandPatriots.com)
  • 3 Interceptions (Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon)
  • Held Buffalo to 3 for 13 (30%) on 3rd down
  • 3 sacks from an unstoppable Chandler Jones & 2.5 for Jamie Collins
  • Kept Sammy Watkins to 6 receptions for 60 yards and 1 TD

New England: What Went Wrong

  • Patriots’ had 4th and 1 from the Buffalo 41 yard line in the 4th quarter and went for it. Going for it actually wasn’t a bad decision, but getting greedy and throwing an incomplete long pass to a covered Dion Lewis was not among the smartest things to do.
  • Brady was strip-sacked and the Bills scored in 15 seconds to make it 37-32 late in the game
  • The run defense continues to be soft. Despite trailing, Buffalo ran the ball 27 times for 160 net yards (almost 6 yards per carry).
  • Yes, they sacked and pressured Taylor the whole game, but he completed 23 of 30 passes and 3 TDs. Big lead or not, garbage time or not…that’s not very good. They did contain his scrambles (5 for 43 yds, 1 TD) fairly well, but still need the secondary to step up. Three int’s was nice, completion percentage was not.

Moving On

It’s still a long season and, with 14 regular season games to go, anything can happen. The AFC East came back to earth with Buffalo’s loss and Miami falling to Jacksonville (you know that hurt). The Jets (2-0) kept pace with New England by beating the highly overrated Colts (0-2) Monday night.

The Patriots return to Gillette Stadium against the surprising (1-1) Jaguars Sunday. Bill Belichick doesn’t allow his players to enjoy wins for very long, but it will be hard for his team to “get-up” for Jacksonville after their dominance in Buffalo.  It’s still the NFL and On Any Sunday…..”

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots, Malcolm Butler: Star In The Making

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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

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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.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

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

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

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

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

patriots.com
patriots.com

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

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

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

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

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

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.