Tag Archives: NFL

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

Cautiously Optimistic

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Musketfire.com
Musketfire.com

Optimism exists in the heart of every fan regardless of what team they root for at the start of each and every NFL season. In some cases it would be ludicrous to think your team wasn’t a front-runner, such as the case with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, or Green Bay Packers. For a Minnesota Vikings fan, Jacksonville Jaguar fan and especially a New York Jets fan, the beginning of the season is really the only time that you are allowed to be so assured of your team’s potential abilities.

The New England Patriots are used to being heavy favorites to compete for a Super Bowl title and this year in theory should be no different. Oddly enough, coming off a Lombardi Trophy win, the Patriots are a bit more of a wild card than one would typically expect. In the shadow of Deflategate many things have changed since the beginning of February. Under center we have a scenario like no other in Patriot’s history. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo probably pictured that he would gain the starting position job a bit differently than by a trumped up suspension of Tom Brady over a loss of air pressure. Garoppolo for better or for worse is currently the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots for the first four games of the 2015 season. If the suspension holds up this could either be a chance to shine or an unmitigated disaster.

During free agency the Patriots lost several key components to last year’s winning formula. The secondary was stripped clean with the losses of superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington. Vince Wilfork, the veteran run stopper on defense, now plays for the Houston Texans. Shane Vereen, a dynamic third down back, is now the New York Giants’ shiny new toy. Dan Connolly, stablizing offensive lineman, retired. Like with any team these are parts that can and have been replaced but the current mix of players lacks the former’s track record.

The injury bug has crept its way into the New England Patriots locker room as well. Popular slot receiver Julian Edelman and wide receiver Brandon LaFell have both been battling nagging injuries which have kept them off the field. Newly acquired wide receiver Brandon Gibson and dynamic receiver Brian Tyms Have both suffered season-ending injuries. Offensive line Center Bryan Stork has missed quite a bit of action due to injury, which has been hindering the offensive line during much of the preseason. As recent as Saturday night, the Patriots lost fullback James Devlin for an extended length of time. Granted, these are the more notable injuries but they do play a large part in the New England Patriots’ chances to repeat as champions.
Still there is room for plenty of optimism. The preseason football games are hardly a barometer for how well a squad will perform during the actual season. That being said, the Patriots defense has shown that the absences of top cornerbacks doesn’t mean they won’t go down fighting. Super Bowl hero, cornerback Malcolm Butler has looked exceptionally strong. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard looks as though he may have been the perfect free-agent pickup for this defense. Sheard’s fight and tenacity help make the defensive front seven a force to be reckoned with. The offense, once healthy and stable, has the potential to be world class. An angry and focused Tom Brady throwing to the likes of Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski, slot receiver Danny Amendola, tight end Scott Chandler and future Hall of Famer, Reggie Wayne could make an awful bit of trouble for most NFL defenses.

Do the 2015 New England Patriots have their share of doubters, when it comes to the burgeoning success of back to back championship seasons? Of  course, but like the other 31 clubs you can’t tell their rabid fan base that this season doesn’t belong to them. Lest we forget, the month of September 2014 which at the time did not look so promising for the Patriots either. How did that season end again? So, let’s all just agree to be cautiously optimistic.

NFL

2015 Preseason NFL Power Rankings

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It is crazy to believe we are ten days away from the start of another NFL season.  With so many story lines completely unrelated to football, I’m not giving any of them one syllable of press.  Will we see our first repeat Super Bowl champions since the Patriots did it over a decade ago?  Will Aaron Rodgers get his second ring?  Will Big Ben and Elijah get their third?  Is this Peyton Manning’s last year under center?  These are just a few of the burning questions facing the 2015 NFL season.  Let’s kick off the 2015 season and take a look at our first weekly power rankings.

 

  1. Seattle Seahawks – I believe Kam Chancellor will be back in time for the season opener. Ciara’s Bitch (Russell Wilson for all you newcomers) got a new toy in Ginger Graham (Jimmy Graham) and the Seahawks defense is still the best in the league.

  2. Green Bay Packers – The Denim King (Aaron Rodgers) may have lost Jordy Nelson, but he still has The Demon (Randall Cobb) and Davante Adams at his disposal. The Packers literally gave the NFC Championship game away to Seattle last season.  They win that game, they beat New England in the Super Bowl.

  3. New England Patriots – Tom Brady’s suspension is still looming and the Patriots have health concerns at WR and OL. They lost three of their starting CBs from last season to free agency, and depth is another issue as well.  Anytime you have BB and TB12, you have a fighter’s chance.  However, how long can they keep this train going?

  4. Indianapolis Colts – The Neck Beard (Andrew Luck) has a freight train in the backfield now in Frank Gore and another weapon to throw to with Andre Johnson. Did this defense get tough enough to win come January?  Is their rat bastard owner going to keep his nose clean or get caught driving a mobile pharmacy again down Route 66 in Indy?

  5. Denver Broncos – Remember how John Elway went out when it was his time? I see the same thing happening for The Forehead (Manning) this year in Denver.  The defense is healthy and vastly underrated.  Kubiak is going to keep the pressure off Peyton having to drop back 50 times a game with a more balanced attack.

  6. Arizona Cardinals – Carson Palmer has all of his extremities intact which is good news for fans of the red birds. Patrick Peterson and the Honey Badger will police the back end of a ferocious defense that didn’t lose their second game into mid-November last season.

  7. Kansas City Chiefs – We all know the story about Kansas City not throwing a touchdown to a WR all of last season. Jeremy Maclin coming on board changes all of that and changes it big time. Travis Kelce will have double digit touchdown grabs as well.

  8. Philadelphia Eagles – Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow. God, I love seeing those names scroll across the ticker on the four letter network.  Chip will keep teams on their toes with the up tempo offense lead by Bradford and newcomer Demarco Murray.  Can the defense hold up their end of the bargain?  Time will tell.

  9. Dallas Cowboys – Locking up Dez Bryant was the best move for all parties involved. Jerry Jones is still the biggest puppet Roger Goodell has in his toy box, but I like the draft and FA moves he made in the offseason.  Can Tony Underwood/Simpson (Tony Romo) finally break through and win the big game?

  10. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers have a scary offense on paper. Regardless if Martevius Bryant decided to eat a few adderalls a few weeks ago, Pittsburgh is going to be solid.  Can the defense survive the switch from years of Dick Lebeau calling the shots?

  11. Baltimore Ravens – No set of twins, besides the Olson twins, piss me off more than the Harbaugh brothers. My feelings were validated Saturday night when he was ready to throw down with Jay Gruden.

  12. New Orleans Saints – The Saints may be ranked a little high here, but Bruce Allen and Rob Ryan working together is going to improve their team drastically. Brandon Cooks is going to be a fantasy monster this year.

  13. Miami Dolphins – Miami is going to win some games this year. Even though the coach is a doppelganger for Mr. Dobeck in Stepbrothers, the Fish are going to be a respectable team.

  14. Houston Texans – Captain America (JJ Watt), Jadaveon Clowney, and Big Vince is a scary defensive front. Can the offense put up enough points to keep the Texans competitive this year?  It will rest of the shoulders of former TB12 backup, Brian Hoyer.

  15. Detroit Lions – Fat Face (Matthew Stafford) needs to take care of the football. Plain and simple.  The loss of Suh is not going to be offset by gaining Ngata.  Stop fooling yourselves Lions fans.

  16. Cincinnatti Bengals – The Ginger (Andy Dalton) is 0-4 I believe now in the postseason. What does that get you?  Let’s say around $100MM.  Ladies and gentlemen, meet your 2015 Cincinnatti Bengals.

  17. San Diego Chargers – Antonio Gates was another “party boy” over the summer. These guys are just crushing vodka sodas and popping adderall in the offseason.  The Bolts just aren’t good enough on the defensive line to stop a mostly run first AFC west.

  18. New Jersey Giants – Eli Manning wants to be referred to as Elijah now. That and OBJ was on the Madden cover.  That is all you need to know about the Giants this year.

  19. Buffalo Bills – Rex went with Tyrod Taylor as his starting quarterback, because he is tough to defend. Rex, let me break it down for you here bud….  That is what decent quarterbacks are, tough to defend.

  20. Chicago Bears – New coach, same puss face quarterback.

  21. Atlanta Falcons – Many people are high on the Falcons this year, I for one am not. I don’t think they are decent enough on the defensive side of the ball and were pretty soft for the most part last season.

  22. Minnesota Vikings – Teddy Bridgewater wants to complete seventy percent of his passes this year? If he does that, the Vikings will be playing meaningful football in December.  Can AP make it back to his 2013 self?  Will the defense take another step forward as they did in 2014?

  23. Louis Rams – The Rams are another team many are high on this season. They have major questions at running back and Nick Foles may have been a product of the Chip Kelly system.  We’ll find out in a few weeks.

  24. New Jersey Jets – Todd Bowles just doesn’t strike me as motivational head coach. With the cast of characters and divas he has in that locker room, it could get ugly in New Jersey…. Fast.

  25. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton won a brutal NFC South last year by the skin of his teeth. He has no Kelvin Benjamin to throw to and I couldn’t tell you who the number two receiver is.

  26. Jacksonville Jaguars – Blake Bortles has supposedly made strides thus far in camp. The bar wasn’t set too high to begin with.

  27. Cleveland Browns – Johnny Football has some elbow issues while Josh Gordon is in Jamaica somewhere enjoying the fruits of the “earth”. They are a mess at RB and have even uglier jerseys than last season.

  28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – King Crab looks like a rookie so far into his preseason campaign. Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson may make things interesting for the Bucs, but they are still a few years out.

  29. San Francisco 49ers – Ebola Head (Colin Kaepernick) lost his head coach and ¾ of his team to retirement or other injuries. It is going to be a long season in the Bay Area.

  30. Tennessee Titans – Marcus Mariota has looked the best out of any rookie quarterbacks so far this preseason. I’m eating crow thus far when I said he would be a bust.  He takes on King Crab (Winston) in week one to open the season.

  31. Oakland Raiders – The Raiders are still a year or two away from being a playoff contender. However, Derek Carr threw over 20 TDs and started all 16 games last season.  Amari Cooper is no slouch either.

  32. Washington Redskins – Can’t decide on the name of the team, building a new stadium, and who their starting quarterback is going to be. That is par for the course for the Redskins.

Feel free to follow on Twitter @mikeprocopio or email at mike.procopio@gmail.com

 

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: James Develin and other Thoughts

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There might not be a more unsung member of the Patriots than FB James Develin. The former Ivy Leaguer can play half back, full back and tight end and is a tough, heady player. His injury hurts, but there are silver linings: First, it’s a clean break, so he’ll be out 6-8 weeks. If he was put on the PUP, it means that either the Colts game or the Cowboys game is an option. By moving Michael Hoomanawanui to Fullback will allow a better chance for Asante Cleveland, acquired from San Francisco last week, a better chance to make the team. With that being said, it might have secured Dion Lewis’ roster spot. After a strong game, he is making a strong case to be New England’s third down back. With Brandon Bolden being able to focus on special teams and be a power back in the place of Develin early, the Pats can see if Lewis’ resurgence can carry over into the regular season.

Lewis’ success might have been one of the few bright spots last week on offense, but while the struggles of the offense was disconcerting, there has to be perspective there. Wendell just came back from injury, no Edelman, LaFell or Gronk. Brady looked rusty, but this mimics what happened last year. The offensive line last year was terrible until they started Stork after the Chiefs game and the team took off. There’s a lot of youth on the team and with the pre-season, continuity is an afterthought. It will be a rough first month regardless if Brady plays or not. Keep all that in mind and brace yourself for some struggles.

The defense looked A LOT better, most notably Tarell Brown and Malcolm Butler. Both were stout and made some aggressive plays. They look like the starting tandem going into Week One. With Logan Ryan and Robert McClain as the reserves, the CB position might not be so dire as once was thought. Even if was against the receiving starved Panthers, they showed enough promise to keep going. With how stout the front seven is, this means that the defense will be better than we all thought going into Week One. It’s nice to remember that Hightower and Mayo have just suited up this week, and there’s promise on the field.

All in all, the starters look pretty much set, but Week 4 will determine who will be the 3rd TE and solve the back end of the running back competition. Also, the LG spot is still being battled for between Josh Kline and Ryan Groy. It will be a non-factor for a lot of teams and it’s also nice to think that the Patriots have a mini bye after Week One with the Pats playing on Thursday and not playing until the following Sunday. If there are huge issues after the Pittsburg game, getting an extra 3 days could do wonders for the team.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

“Save Roger”: What The NFL is Trying to do at any Expense

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A confident Roger Goodell (Photo: ora.tv.com)
A confident Roger Goodell (Photo: ora.tv.com)

Corruption. Power breeds it, no matter how good one’s intentions are when push comes to shove power destroys ideals. It doesn’t have to be malicious, it rarely is at first but when absolute influence goes unchecked the results are no less poisonous.

Article 46 of the collective bargaining agreement has given Roger Goodell absolute autonomy to rule the NFL. What exactly is article 46 of the CBA? In a nutshell, it allows the commissioner to impose the discipline and to designate the hearing officer (this can also be the Commissioner himself) to handle all appeals in regards to matters relating to conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in, the game of professional football. This effectively makes him Roger GODell.

Why would the National Football League’s Player’s Association agree to such a grand deliverance of power? To be honest, article 46 has been around since the very first CBA was drafted back in 1968. In a game of give and take the NFLPA for whatever the reason, they always felt this was a car that was better left on the showroom floor. If the past few years abuse of power are any indication, it would seem that the next time the NFL and the Union meet, this will be a point of contention.

The year 2014 is more than likely a year Roger Goodell would like to forget. The Ray Rice scandal was devastating to his tenure as commissioner. In the interest of protecting “the Shield”, Goodell and the NFL thought it best to ignore and deflect rather than hold Ray Rice responsible for assaulting his then fiance. The Commissioner lied about seeing a crucial piece of evidence (elevator video), the world reacted with disgust and Goodell has been over compensating ever since.
It’s safe to say that at the start of the “Save Roger” reclamation project, much of the public was thrilled when he rescinded Ray Rice’s mere two game suspension and changed it to indefinite. Never mind that this act showed that  he was inconsistent but it reeked of desperation. Roger mishandled an important case and tried to cover his tracks ultimately leading to the case being overturned and making his power seem less omnipotent.

Roger hid behind his stature and tried desperately to find a scapegoat to get him out of this mess. Star running back Adrian Peterson’s child abuse case and defensemen Greg Hardy’s assault case weren’t enough to scrub the perceived ineptitude from Goodell’s hands.
The NFL Commissioner needed to deflect all this bad publicity, much to his delight the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts were about the hand him a gift. Deflategate arrived like a proverbial wrecking ball and suddenly the world was now focusing on the fall from grace of Tom Brady the cheater.

It's been a headache for both Roger Goodell & Tom Brady
It’s been a headache for both Roger Goodell & Tom Brady

Roger got his diversion.

Goodell has made his share of mistakes with Deflategate, the most recent being when he came under fire due to his admittance that (after months of saying otherwise) the entire investigation was never really independent. Remember Article 46? Once again, Roger has been delighted to hide behind his greatest weapon, his  magic wand.
In the eyes of the NFL, it doesn’t matter how Roger has handled any of this, Article 46 states he can conduct himself in any manner he sees fit when protecting the integrity of the product. “Save Roger” is in full effect, leaving many players in the NFL to ask who will save them?

AFC, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers

FANTASY ALERT: Martavis Bryant to Miss First Four Games

at EverBank Field on August 14, 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Gather ‘round kids, it’s story time. Let me tell you a story about a guy who loved to play fantasy football. This guy was in a very high-stakes league, with a lot of money involved. His league-mates were impatient, and loved to have their draft extremely early. So, at the end of July, they drafted. This guy was a very-well prepared fantasy player, and was very happy with his draft. His quarterback was Ben Roethlisberger. Many mocked this selection. He defended it adamantly, believing the Steelers to have the most dynamic offense in the league. The Steelers boast possibly the top back in the league, Le’Veon Bell, who is a dynamic runner who is also arguably the best receiving running back in the NFL. They have Antonio Brown, perhaps the best receiver in the league, who while undersized, is an extremely versatile receiver who can play against all types of coverage. He has the perfect compliment in Martavis Bryant. Bryant was a rookie a year ago, but is the ultimate deep threat, catching eight touchdowns as a rookie and averaging well over 20 yards a catch. This guy also had Bryant on his team, believing he got a steal to put in his flex spot. He sat and laughed as Kelvin Benjamin and Jordy Nelson both suffered season-long injuries. While he felt sorry for the players, he felt it was what his league-mates deserved for rushing the draft. Now karma has struck, and Martavis Bryant will miss the first four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

If you haven’t guessed by now, that guy is me, and I’m still a little sour about it. For a long time now, we knew Le’Veon Bell would not be on the field to start the season. His three game suspension has been reduced to two, however, and it looks like it shouldn’t by too big of a deal for anyone. Now Bryant is out for the same amount of time as Tom Brady, the first quarter of the season. Think about this: on opening night in New England, Le’Veon Bell, Tom Brady, and Martavis Bryant will all be on the sideline. The NFL might think they’re doing what’s best for them, but what they’re really doing is self-inflicting themselves with wounds that will probably drop viewership, and therefore cost them money.

The Bryant suspension is not definite at this point. He is appealing, and as we all know, appeals of NFL suspensions can take forever. Tom Brady appealed in the middle of May, had his appeal hearing at the end of June, and still

it wasn’t ruled on until the end of July. Oh yeah, and the “crime” he’s being punished for occurred in January.

In 2014, there were a multitude of rookie receivers that burst on to the scene. Amidst the rise of Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, and Sammy Watkins, among many others, Bryant kind of got lost in the shuffle. All he did was catch 26 passes for 549 yards, 8 touchdowns, and his deep threat helped open up even more for the already dynamic Antonio Brown. As it stands right now, Bryant will miss games against the Patriots, 49ers, Rams, and Ravens.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Reggie Wayne and Other Thoughts

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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…

NFC, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

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

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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.

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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

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

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

“no biggie“.

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

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

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

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Not that those presenting their case for the NFL seem to care, but Judge Richard M. Berman obviously still doesn’t buy into their case against Tom Brady. He has done everything but hit them over the head with a baseball bat and they have continued to stick to the “We did it because we can” defense…and I have to admit, either they are very smart (confident) or really dumb (over-confident.)

Why does the NFL stick to their story?

In my humble opinion it’s simple, the Supreme Court is very strict in their interpretation of what powers a Judge has in cases involving arbitration and has been known to overturn a Judge’s decision. Using the MLBA vs Steve Garvey ruling as a possible basis, the NFL feels if Judge Berman rules in favor of the NFLPA (Tom Brady) the Supreme Court will overturn his decision. And guess what? They may be (gulp) right. Many of the points the Supreme Court listed in their finding in that case are, for Patriot fans, a little scary.

You can read the entire opinion by clicking on the green highlighted section above, but it is long and written in legalize with a ton of footnotes. To save you that problem here are some points that may give the NFL lawyers hope, and should worry Patriots’ fans no matter what the Judge rules.

Like Tom Brady, Steve Garvey spent a lot of time in court in 1982. He lost when the Supreme Court over-ruled the Judge
Steve Garvey, another “nice guy,” spent a lot of time in court. He lost when the Supreme Court over-turned the Judge’s decision

SUPREME COURT HIGHPOINTS IN MLBA VS STEVE GARVEY

  • The court voted 8-1, in an unsigned opinion, that courts have only limited power to review the decision of arbitrators
  • …established law ordinarily precludes a court from resolving the merits of the parties’ dispute on the basis of its own factual determinations, no matter how erroneous the arbitrator’s decision
  • The Court of Appeals usurped the arbitrator’s role by resolving the dispute
  • No serious error on the arbitrator’s part is apparent in this case. The fact that an earlier panel of arbitrators rejected the owners’ testimony as a whole does not compel the conclusion that the panel found Smith’s specific statements with respect to Garvey to be false
  • The arbitrator’s analysis may have been unpersuasive to the Court of Appeals, but his decision hardly qualifies as serious error, let alone irrational or inexplicable error.

So, now that you know where the NFL is coming from, can Judge Berman issue a ruling that won’t be overturned if he rules in favor of the NFLPA (Tom Brady)? And the answer is…(drum roll please)…no one knows for sure.  Yup, no matter how much you read about the Judge bashing the NFL now, he is a very smart man and does not want his credentials challenged and his ruling overturned by the Supreme Court.

JUDGE BERMAN MAY HAVE “THE SMOKING GUN”

Judge Richard M. Berman enters the courtroom- (photo Don Emmert/AFP/ Getty Images)
Judge Richard M. Berman enters the courtroom- (photo Don Emmert/AFP/ Getty Images)

While everything above explains why the NFL is so confident, Judge Berman should have them concerned with some of his points from Wednesday’s hearing.  How about this for starters:

  • Judge Berman questioned why NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash wasn’t available to NFLPA lawyers during the suspension’s appeal.  Berman went on to point out that there was precedent for a penalty to be rejected on such grounds.

Could that be the “smoking gun” everyone has waited for? Most expected the NFL to have more evidence and produce their “smoking gun,” but instead they may have shot themselves with their arrogance in this case. Maybe, just maybe, Judge Berman has found the link to not getting his decision overturned.

A few other points that Judge Berman had trouble with, and there were many:

  1. Berman called it a “quantum leap” when it came to Roger Goodell’s reference to what Brady allegedly did being compared to performance enhancing drugs. – See more at: http://www.patsfans.com/patriots/blog/2015/08/19/nfl-takes-some-big-hits-wednesday-in-court/#sthash.atVN6RCd.dpuf
  2. “How are deflating footballs and not cooperating with the commissioner legally comparable to steroid use and a masking agent?”
In other words, he still doesn’t buy into the NFL case. He has set up another hearing, this time to include Commissioner (King) Goodell and Brady, for August 31 and dropped the bombshell that he isn’t certain he will have the decision written by the original September 4 target date.
Let’s be honest, it’s a long way from over. The question I haven’t seen answered is, can Judge Berman issue a “stay” on Brady’s suspension if he doesn’t reach a decision in time for the regular season?
As I have often stated in the past, I am not an attorney, so my assessment of the information is strictly as a layman and my opinions only. The items in quotes are directly from legal documents which help lead my to my conclusions. Oh, by the way, I’m also a lifelong Patriot fan and acknowledge that upfront…so please hold on the hate mail. Thanks

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New York Jets, NFL

Deconstructing the AFC East: The Jets

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

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

Why Pats fans should be concerned:

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

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

Why Pats fans shouldn’t be concerned:

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

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

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

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