Tag Archives: NFL

AFC, New England Patriots

New England Patriots: Five Positions To Watch At Patriots Training Camp

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It is one of the callings of fall. The days are slowly getting shorter, the grass is freshly cut, and the man in the visor swinging his whistle ferociously, who is better known as the hoodie, is once again patrolling the practice fields of Foxborough. Patriots training camp is upon us. After a very tumultuous offseason in which the Patriots were under heavy fire most of the time, (even though they had just won the Super Bowl) it is time to strap on the pads, buckle up the chinstraps, and play some real football.

This year, more than in years past the Patriots have a plethora of question marks heading into training camp. Who is going to make up for Revis? How will they replace Wilfork? Is this the year Chandler Jones finally makes the leap? Position battles will highlight this summer, given the vast amount of starting roles up for grabs.

If you are going to training camp, you will realize that there is a bunch going on at once as the team breaks off into positional groups. Therefore, your probably thinking to yourself, what positions should I pay closest attention to? Well, here are the five most important positions to watch out for at Gillette this summer.

5. Quarterback: I trying my best to not mention, “deflate-gate” in this article, but I can’t get around it. There is a very good chance that Tom Brady will miss time early on in the season, so now more than ever Patriots fans need to evaluate the back up quarterbacks.

Personally, I will be watching Jimmy Garoppolo very intently. We need to see how he progressed over this offseason. The offseason between a players rookie season and their second season, is the most important of their career. Garoppolo was fully healthy, and I expect nothing less than vast improvement from what we saw in week seventeen last season against the Buffalo Bills.

Photo: masslive.com
Photo: masslive.com

In addition, Matt Flynn will battle with Garoppolo for the back up job. Many are sleeping on him, for good reason. He has never won a quarterback battle in training camp, and he has been apart of about three. Nevertheless, he was a very reliable back up for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, and always answered the bell when called upon.

4. Safety: The Patriots are now set for the next five seasons at free safety with Devin McCourty receiving an extension worth 47.5 million back in March. However, the safety spot opposite of him will be vastly important in 2015. In today’s NFL, you have to be prepared for passing situations on every down. The Patriots will certainly realize this early on in the season. With all the talented young players in the front seven, Bill Belichick maybe tempted to finally, “turn the dogs loose” up front.

Along with the weak secondary, opposing teams will want to throw the ball given these reasons. With teams throwing the ball non-stop the Patriots need another safety that can cover. That means Duron Harmon needs to have a big camp. Other than Harmon the rest of the safeties on the roster such as Tavon Wilson, Patrick Chung, and Nate Ebner are all tackle machines who can lay the boom, stop the run, and contribute on special teams.

None of the those players however can pass cover. Also, it should be interesting to watch second round pick Jordan Richards. I was not in the minority of being very skeptical of Bill Belichick for taking Richards that high in the draft. He seems like another Nate Ebner, which is all fine and well, but you can get that player in round five.

3. Running Back: No more Shane Vereen in New England, means it is time for a battle for the third down back role. One of the most important positions on the Patriots roster, because for a vast majority of the time your protecting Tom Brady. In my mind, the battle will come down to three players; Brandon Bolden, Travaris Cadet, and James White.

Last preseason, James White did not impress. He was soft and did not show that burst that he had in college at the University of Wisconsin. Travaris Cadet had a decent season in 2014 racking in thirty-eight receptions. Lastly, Brandon Bolden has seen little time at the third down back role, and when he did in 2013 he had a tough time getting on the same page as Tom Brady.

brandon bolden

Bolden’s pass blocking ability is better than any other running back currently on the roster. That is what makes this battle an intriguing one. Which player can put all three phases together, Running the ball, catching the ball, and pass blocking. Personally, I am going with the hulk, Brandon Bolden. Why? He has the most experience in the offense, and two years is enough time to fix the deficiencies he showed in 2013.

2. Guard: With no more Dan Connolly, and Ryan Wendell recovering from a shoulder injury, Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo will be rotating his young guards around. Tre Jackson was drafted in the fourth round of this years draft along with Shaq Mason.

It would be better off for the Patriots to have a rookie take over the role of Dan Connolly, as oppose to players such as Josh Kline and Jordan Devey. They have proven time and time again that they can’t get the job done.

If neither Jackson or Mason can grasp the complex Patriots system, expect to see Marcus Cannon to slide over to guard. Lets hope we don’t have to see that. Don’t be surprised if there is a repeat of the offensive line debacle of last September this year.

1. Cornerback: Obvious choice here. No more Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Alfonzo Dennard, or Kyle Arrington on the roster, thin would be putting it lightly when talking about the cornerback depth chart on the Patriots. What the Patriots need to do is rely on the few veterans they have right now. Tarell Brown and Bradley Fletcher.

I am in the minority, but I believe that Bradley Fletcher will bounce back and be a serviceable player. The real player to focus on is Malcolm Butler. A young player that shined in year one, and shined in the brightest moment. Can he finally break the trend of Patriots cornerbacks flopping in year two?

Darryl Roberts will also be a player to keep an eye on. He is a seventh round rookie that looks to have the physicality of a player like Brandon Browner. Logan Ryan will receive a ton of reps as well, however he has also proven he can’t fill the cleats. He is targeted immediately when he is on the field.

Photo: Masslive.com
Photo: Masslive.com
AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Patriots and Patriots Nation Stand Firm Behind TB12.

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As all of you know by now, the league and it’s idiotic commissioner Roger Goodell (the money making machine) has stood fast on its 4 game suspension of Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady.

Brady issued his first public statement since this whole debacle (to keep it clean) started, via his Facebook site this morning. In the post he maintained his and any of the Patriots organization’s innocence of any wrongdoing (or knowledge of) pertaining to the inflation of footballs. Brady also mentions that his legal team assured him that his cell phone would not be called into question or need to be turned over to the league. He also addressed the fact that at the time of his appeal, he supplied a list all the recipients of phone calls and text messages for the time frame in question. (Which the league wanted, but refused to look into anyhow)

If all these text messages were so important to the investigation, wouldn’t a fair investigation for BOTH parties involved warrant checking at least a few of these phones? After all we all know that one phone gives you Both sides of text conversations.

This whole process was ridiculous from the start, Once the Wells Report (all 243 pages of nothing more than bird cage floor liner) was disproved as insufficient (by itself and real independent science) the league shifted focus to the fact that Brady didn’t turn over his cell phone as the main reason for the suspension being upheld.

If you’ve ever gotten into an argument with a Patriots hater, this tactic should look very familiar to you, when you point out where they are wrong or ignorant of the facts, what do they do? Yep, they change the subject. Do you think this is any different? If it smells like garbage, that’s probably what we’re looking at.

Robert Kraft as well as Belichick and some of Tom’s teammates had a chance to speak today. Kraft and the Patriots team members spoke of their unwavering support for Brady, and Belichick declined to comment (all of which would be expected).

What was totally unexpected was Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s comments on how the league which he is a very large supporter of, essentially spat in his face (not his words). This is an excerpt from his statement.

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It takes a very strong man to admit his mistakes and basically discount his faith in the League as a whole.

The word “Integrity” has been thrown around by alot of individuals over the last 7 months, and that right there, Mr. Goodell  is the finest example you will see in your lifetime! Are you paying attention? See you in court.

I am proud to be a member of Patriots Nation! #FreeBrady

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Brady finally responds to upheld suspension

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After spending 11 hours in the NFL‘s headquarters appealing the 4-game suspension for his involvement in “deflategate”, and months of waiting, Commissioner Roger Goodell had finally reached a decision. Brady’s 4-game suspension would still be upheld.  Now, Brady and company are going to court.

We have heard and responses all over social media from fan bases, players, and a response from the New England Patriots organization. However, we have not heard from the man himself, until now.

This morning, Tom Brady released a statement on his Facebook page about the whole situation.  This post sheds a new light on the whole investigation and handling of the whole controversy.

As expected, Brady stated that he did “nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either”. When it came to the issue about phone records, Brady had said the following, “I also disagree with yesterdays narrative surrounding my cellphone. I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances. As a member of a union, I was under no obligation to set a new precedent going forward, nor was I made aware at any time during Mr. Wells investigation, that failing to subject my cell phone to investigation would result in ANY discipline.” He continues by stating that he and his team of lawyers did everything they could to provide the league with all the electronic communication needed in the investigation.

“I also disagree with yesterdays narrative surrounding my cellphone. I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances. As a member of a union, I was under no obligation to set a new precedent going forward, nor was I made aware at any time during Mr. Wells investigation, that failing to subject my cell phone to investigation would result in ANY discipline.”

Brady continues to state that he feels that there is not a smoking gun.

With Brady and Commissioner Goodell getting ready to clash in the courts, everyone else plays a waiting game. Will Brady start week one, or will the courts uphold the suspension? From the way things have looked, Brady may have the odds on his side.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

Three Little Birds: The ballad of Tom Brady

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Removing the rose colored glasses from a New England Patriots fan’s face, July twenty eighth looks pretty bad. Four game suspension upheld. Tom Brady reportedly destroyed his cell phone on the day he was was asked to turn it in. Everybody outside of New England thinks Tom Brady is a cheater. The opportunity for an injunction being granted allowing Brady to play until a definitive judicial decision can be made, is in doubt. The sky is falling in the six states of New England.

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It is fitting that the day after Shane Victorino leaves the Red Sox that the song “Three little birds”, by Bob Marley, in which Victorino is so closely identified with, encapsulates so much. In actuality, even though the thought seems ridiculous, every little thing is going to be alright. Tom Brady will always be one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football. No amount of tuck rules, spy gates or deflated footballs will stop that from being fact.
Is Tom Brady a cheater? Perhaps. Destroying his phone doesn’t scream innocent but what if he did bend the rules? What if Tom Brady knew that the footballs were being tampered with after the officials checked them? What does it change? In short, not a thing. In essence it makes him human. It paints a picture of a man willing to cut corners in order to achieve ultimate success. Winning is clearly everything to him. Has Patriot nation not lauded this man for this very reason over the last fifteen years?
What pains many people in the New England area is the very idea that their quarterback is looked at as less than perfect. It’s as though acknowledging that all this drama could be fact, suddenly allows for Peyton Manning to cease choking in big game situations or the New York Jets will be more respected. Skill and precison make Brady a fantastic quarterback, not the opinions of NFL message board trolls.
Facts need to be admonished. Regardless of what can be overturned, thrown out or proven in a court of law, the court of public opinion believes that Tom Brady is a cheater. If it were Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger in the same situation, New England fans would feel as the rest of the country does about Brady.
Although this situation stings quite egregiously at the moment, history looks back on athletes in a filter which usually represents them in the best possible light.Nothing Tom Brady may have done will ultimately change his incredible legacy.
My advice is to weather the storm, embrace the hate because if it wasn’t “cheater” fans in other regions would have another name or excuse to prod Patriot nation with. In the end, every little thing truly will be alright.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: The Deflation of Tom Brady

The verdict is in, and the Ginger Hammer strikes again!

A decision that should’ve brought out the duck boats on Boylston street again has left all of Patriots Nation in a state of upheaval.

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I can’t imagine that any of you can find a silver lining to what has unfolded in the past few hours, but I have one. At least you’re not in Miami, listening to incessant rants from delusional Dolphins fans who are banking on the Harvard College Sports Analysis Collective’s Super Bowl 50 predictions (not to mention the humidity, which makes you feel like you’re a walking fried egg).

The fate of Deflategate, or “Deflatefate” is currently a four-game suspension for the four-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady. Let me be the first to point out that I am in no way looking to berate the league or its commissioner, however, I have read the Final Decision and the evidence Goodell finds sufficient enough to arrive to this conclusion, and I’m still inconclusive here.

Let’s begin with what the report claims as “the most significant new information” – a destroyed cellphone.

Tom Brady admitted to having his assistant destroy a cellphone he had been using since November 2014 at his appeal hearing in June. It is presumed (because NOWHERE in this report can an exact date be determined) that this was deliberately done “on or around” March 6th, the day the Patriots quarterback met with Ted Wells, the independent investigator hired by the league. During the appeal, Brady’s representatives presented a letter from the destroyed phone’s carrier indicating that text messages sent to and received by this phone could not be retrieved, but offered to devise a spreadsheet of all the individuals he had contact with from November 2014 – March 2015.

So, if the league cannot access phone records for a phone that was presumably destroyed, how can they estimate that around 10,000 text messages were sent during that time period?

The intention of devising a spreadsheet that includes all of the individuals Brady had contact with during that time period was for the league to use it at their will (you know, contact these individuals, receive their consent and review their phone records for any evidence). But of course, the league decided this was not practical. The most significant new information is really no information at all then. Brady was tampering with evidence and obstructing the investigation? How can that be proven when you can’t even bother to try an alternative method of obtaining information that can potentially substantiate a 139-page report that concludes “more probable than not” manipulation of footballs?

The report continues with a section called “Factual Determination and Findings” where for the millionth time we are reminded of what the weight of the footballs should be. Pop quiz: How many pounds per square inch should an NFL football weigh in order to be used in a game? (If you didn’t answer 12.5 to 13.5 psi, you must be a Dolphins fan.)

According to the report, inflation levels of footballs were “a matter of particular interest to Mr. Brady.” (Wouldn’t that be a detail of particular interest to any quarterback, or any ball handler for that matter, Mr. Goodell?)

Tom Brady informed his equipment staff he preferred the footballs to be inflated at the “lowest permissible level” and was even gracious enough to have the equipment staff present a “highlighted copy of the provision of the Playing Rules” to game officials. What happens after that cannot be proven to implicate the three-time Super Bowl MVP.
Another factor that played into Goodell’s decision was the fact that neither John Jastremski nor James McNally were called to testify during the appeal in June. The report indicates that there were important topics that could’ve have been addressed, particularly text messages where McNally refers to himself as “The Deflator”.

Wait, that and those other important topics that needed to be addressed were kept out of that infamous 139-page report?

Goodell concludes that the evidence in these reports support the idea that Brady was involved in an elaborate scheme to tamper with footballs after they had been inspected by game officials and obstructed the investigation by destroying his phone. He drew “upon his experience of more than thirty years in the National Football League, including nearly nine as a Commissioner.”

Hmmm…

Did he draw upon his extensive experience in the NFL when he initially suspended Ray Rice for two games after he brutally beat his wife unconscious on camera?

Did he also draw upon his extensive experience in the NFL when he reduced Le’Veon Bell’s suspension to two games after he was arrested and charged with a DUI and possession of marijuana?

Look, there’s no denying that rules were broken here. Brady was appealing the punishment itself and it was upheld after more than six months of investigation that still fail to prove that he DEFINITELY played a role in this ridiculous scandal. So if this is sending any message to the league’s teams, players and fans, it’s one that implicates that the man at the helm’s judgement is deflated. (Too soon?)

AFC, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL News Dump: Bell’s Suspension Reduced at Same Time Brady’s is Not

Over the last hour, the NFL pulled off perhaps the most impressive news dump. As they announced they were upholding the four-game suspension of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, they slipped in another story about Steeler’s running back Le’Veon Bell.

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The third-year running back was charged with a DUI and marijuana possession in August of last year. The NFL suspended Bell for three games, and Bell appealed. The league finally ruled on Bell’s appeal today, reducing the suspension from three games to two. Bell’s attorneys argued that he was being suspended based on the new drug policy, when the infraction occurred during the old one.

The suspension ensures that Bell will miss opening night in New England and week 2 against San Francisco. Also absent week 1 will be Tom Brady, as it stands, making for an interesting opening night of the NFL season.

Bell will be a central part of what could be the best offense in the NFL this season. The running back burst onto the scene last year, amassing 1361 yards on the ground and another 854 as a receiver. Bell, along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receivers Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, and tight end Heath Miller, make up perhaps the most impressive band of skill position players in the league.

With Bell’s suspension looming, the Steelers signed D’Angelo Williams to add depth to their backfield. Thank goodness the team had more time to come up with a backup plan this year, as they failed miserably last year. Le’Veon Bell was injured in the final regular season game a year ago, and that forced him to miss Pittsburgh’s playoff game against the Ravens. The Steelers panicked and signed free agent running back Ben Tate during the week leading up to the game. Tate combined with Josh Harris and Dri Archer to form a far from formidable Steelers backfield, and those three combined for a measly 43 yards on just 15 carries.

The St. Louis Rams are the big losers in this, as they face off against the Steelers in week 3. Bell goes into the season as arguably the best running back in the NFL, both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield.

New England Patriots, NFL

National Football League: What Is Your Team Looking For In Training Camp?

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As training camps open throughout the NFL every team approaches the season with a different objective in mind. The Lombardi Trophy would be the ultimate goal for everyone, but for many teams that is unobtainable (yes, I know they all start on a level playing field…but really?) Let’s take a quick look around the NFL at last year’s haves and have-nots.

BOTTOM OF THE LADDER – 5 WINS OR LESS (2014)

JACKSONVILLE, TENNESSEE, OAKLAND, WASHINGTON, TAMPA, CHICAGO, NEW YORK JETS 

These seven teams combined for a total of just 23 wins, with Chicago (5-11) leading the pack. All seven are thin at many positions and keep searching to find the formula that will push them into contention. Training camp is more important for them as they take a look at their weaknesses and need as much time as they can get to scrutinize all the players available to take the next step.

Fans of the Jets (4 wins) and Bears will argue they are on the cusp of being a legitimate threat, possibly with a new QB, as they view their teams through “rose colored glasses” (known as the Jeff Kane perspective – Patriots Beat, 2014).  For the first time since he arrived in Chicago six years ago, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is in a vulnerable situation. Head coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace, will have him on a short leash and are under no obligation to keep Cutler beyond 2015.

Jay Cutler may be on the way out in Chicago (photo: Google Images)

Everyone in this group has serious flaws and to expect a turnaround to double-digit wins in one season is setting expectations high. Yes, off-season signings may have helped, but history tells us the odds are strong that most of them will once again bring up the rear end of their division.

The Jets have had the most improvement in talent, but are playing in a division that, with the exception of New England, has stepped up in the off-season. With a new Head Coach (Todd Bowles) and no proven QB (I’m being kind) it’s hard to see them leap frogging Buffalo and Miami, let alone the Super Bowl Champion Patriots.

MIDDLE OF THE PACK – 6 TO 9 WINS 

MIAMI, CLEVELAND, NY GIANTS, MINNESOTA, ATLANTA, CAROLINA, NEW ORLEANS, SAN FRANCISCO, ST. LOUIS, KANSAS CITY, SAN DIEGO, HOUSTON, BUFFALO

The unlucky thirteen need training camp to check who will or won’t be an asset in 2015. Many players will be “on-the-bubble” for this group. In a league that prides itself on competitive balance it’s no surprise they make up the largest percentage of teams in the NFL.

Some teams are on the way up (Houston, Miami and Buffalo???) and are looking at training camp as a chance to see improvement from veterans as well as analyze their youngsters. Others are striving to regain prominence (Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, San Francisco, NY Giants, Carolina, San Diego) and are hoping their veterans are ready to bounce back, some from injuries others from off years, and will use camp to see if they have filled the holes that weren’t apparent until too late in 2014.

Is Johnny Football ready to set aside his demons and become a true NFL Quarterback? (Photo: DallasNews.com)

The remaining three (Cleveland, Atlanta, Minnesota) are working to assure they won’t drop into the bottom rung, where they have all resided in past seasons. Training camp will be used to evaluate key players and positions that could make or break their ability to move up, or, more than likely, fall further in the standings.

Looking at this group, Houston, Miami and Buffalo all look ready to step up. The strength of division/schedule will have an impact, as both Miami and Buffalo play in a dramatically improved AFC East while Houston has only the Colts to contend with in the AFC South (not sure how Indianapolis is in the south…but I digress).

The Bills have serious question marks on offense, but their defense could be the strongest in the league. One player they are looking at for a boost on offense is Charles Clay. The Bills paid Clay nearly as much as Rob Gronkowski and Julius Thomas hoping he can be the blocking and receiving tight end that makes Roman’s offense tick.

Playing in the exceptionally weak NFC South, where Carolina won the division with an ugly 7-8-1 record, will certainly help not only the Panthers, but also New Orleans and Atlanta.

CONTENDERS/PRETENDERS – 10 TO 14 WINS

NEW ENGLAND, PITTSBURGH, CINCINNATI, BALTIMORE, INDIANAPOLIS, DENVER, DALLAS, PHILADELPHIA, GREEN BAY, DETROIT, SEATTLE, ARIZONA

This grouping often has fewer needs and are just hope to get out of training camp without any major injuries. Odds are the next Super Bowl will be played by two of the 12 teams in this group.

New England, last year’s Super Bowl winner, looks to have more question marks then you would expect after losing many key parts from their championship team. With those holes to fill, especially in the secondary, you know teams (and fans) are chomping at the bit to step on them while they are regrouping.

Yes, the Pats could be vulnerable early, especially if QB Tom Brady is out for 4 games. but Head Coach Bill Belichick has led New England to 12 straight winning seasons, so don’t dig the grave too quickly. Commissioner Roger Goodell has just issued his decision to keep the penalty the same, so the courts will now decide if Brady’s sentence fits the supposed crime.

Teams unlikely to repeat their 2014 performance include:

The remaining eight will fight to prove their worth and use training camp to test veterans that may have reached the downside of their careers, draft picks who could step in, free agent signings and those always exciting un-drafted free agents. Training camp is a bother more than need for most of of the chosen few.

Look for the teams that have done it before, can overcome issues and have solid veteran leadership to once again step up and reach for “THE RING.”

My pre-season picks (Lord, its way too early for this to mean anything) are…drum roll please…the angry, hated, underdog New England Patriots (confession time, that pick is with my heart not brain) taking on the always tough Green Bay Packers, for the Lombardi Trophy.

Could this be the 2015 Season Super Bowl Match-Up

To read full articles from the original sources, just click on the blue highlighted portions of this article. The opinions expressed in this article are strictly mine and open for discussion.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Eight Players Placed On Physically Unable To Perform List

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Late Monday afternoon the New England Patriots placed eight players on the physically unable to perform list, (PUP). This means that due to injury these players won’t be ready for the start of training camp. These players are Dominique Easley, Dane Fletcher, Brandon LaFell, Ryan Wendell, Matthew Slater, Chris Jones, Chris White, and Vince Taylor. In addition, quarterback Matt Flynn was added to the non-football injury list.

Jan 1, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE
Foxsports.com

Players can be taken off the list at any time, and more can be added. Don’t be surprised to see players such as Chandler Jones, Jerod Mayo, and Dont’a Hightower be added to the list seeing how they were all absent from OTA’s and minicamp. They are all reportedly recovering from offseason surgeries.

Most of the players currently on the list won’t be hurt by missing time. For the most part they are all veterans who have established roles on the team. However, somebody like Dominique Easley may be hurt by missing time. For the majority of the offseason he has been looked upon as a player that was on the brink of a breakout season.

Now that Easley will be missing the start of camp it will further delay his progression. Last year was basically a red-shirt for him in the National Football League, as he was only available for eleven games. Even in that time he wasn’t nearly as effective as he was in college. I certainly wouldn’t write off Easley’s season just yet, but it is definitely cause for concern that his knee injury from 2013 is still causing him to miss time.

On the bright side, Ryan Wendell’s absence can be seen as a good thing by Patriots fans who have a, “glass half full” mentality. The most under looked position of need in Foxborough this year is the guard position. With Dan Connolly retiring, the Patriots now have to scrap pieces together, as they have done so many times before, and put together a serviceable interior unit.

With Wendell sidelined to start camp, it will give players such as Josh Kline, Shaq Mason, and Tre Jackson valuable first team reps. That is very valuable early on in training camp as we learned last season when a player like Jordan Devey was thrown into the fire in September. The result was Tom Brady spending the majority of his time on the turf. I expect to see much of that this coming September as well. It wouldn’t hurt to still have Logan Mankins still around would it.

washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com

Rookies Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason will benefit most from Wendell’s absence. It is more probable than not that Tre Jackson will be a starter at some point this coming season. It may not come in week one, but when Josh Kline or Jordan Devey once again get exposed, he will be forced into action like Bryan Stork was least season. Also, Jackson seems to have a great skill set for a guard. At 6-4, 326 pounds he is massive in size and he has meat cleaver like hands that can pack a punch.

Shaq Mason is a bit undersized. He may be more of a work in progress given the fact that he is transitioning from center to guard. Nevertheless, the experience can’t hurt.

In the end, the Patriots currently on the physically unable to perform list, will miss valuable practice time, but their veteran mentalities will allow them to come right back to football form when they are ready. However, someone like Dominique Easley may be taking yet another step back in his pro career.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: The Seau Sanction.

The long and torturous wait is almost over.

In just eleven days, NFL fans starving for any on-field action will finally get their first taste of live football. Granted, it is just the Hall of Fame game that will feature second and third stringers on the field for the majority of the time, but I think I can speak for many when I say that fans will take whatever they can get in August. But like most of the news that comes out of the NFL nowadays, the headline overshadowing this year’s event is surrounding the controversial decision the Hall of Fame has made with regard to one of the inductees in this year’s class – former Patriot Junior Seau.

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The “Tasmanian Devil”, whose passionate playing style reflected in every one of the 1800+ tackles, 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions he recorded throughout an illustrious career made him a sure bet as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Unfortunately, he won’t be taking the stage to wear a gold jacket, nor will we hear any speech on his behalf come August 9th, as the Hall of Fame will not allow his family to speak at the enshrinement ceremony. Instead, the NFL Network will produce a five minute tribute video immortalizing Seau’s accomplishments on the field and completely dismissing his life’s tragic end and a little wrongful-death lawsuit that is still ongoing. After the 12-time Pro Bowler took his own life in May 2013, studies of his brain tissue determined he suffered from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a degenerative brain disease that is linked to concussions and is found in many former players.

The elephant in the room thrust itself into the spotlight when over 4500 former players and their families filed a lawsuit against the league in an effort to obtain security and treatment for injuries they suffered during their playing days, something the league dodged for years. The initial measly settlement of $765 million was withheld in August 2013 and a final settlement of over $1 billion was reached earlier this year. There were a couple of hundred players and families who opted out of this suit and subsequent settlement who are pursuing individual suits against the league, the Seau family being one of them. While the Hall of Fame committee claims that speeches for players being inducted
post-humously are redundant and basically a waste of time, it seems that the NFL, who has a hand in putting this milestone event together is trying to tip-toe around yet another controversial topic that has sparked endless backlash.

Sydney Seau, daughter of the 1992 Defensive Player of the Year tells The New York Times, “It’s frustrating because the induction is for my father and for the other players, but then to not be able to speak, it’s painful. I just want to give the speech he would have given. It wasn’t going to be about this mess. My speech was solely about him.”   

The idea that the Seau family would use such an event as a platform to expose the league is blasphemous. Do you think the Hall of Fame conspiring with the NFL to shut the Seau family up is fair?

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: An Explanation of Brady’s “Non-Compliance” With the “Wells Report”

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With still no news on Tom Brady’s appeal lets take a look at why Brady shouldn’t have handed over his phone and phone records to the NFL.

As we know Brady didn’t hand over his cell phone or phone records when requested by the NFL during the investigation of the Wells Report. Some people say that Brady had something to hide and that’s the reason why he didn’t hand over his cell phone, here’s an argument against that.

Any contact between Brady and Jastremski or Brady and McNally would have been on the phone records of the other two, which the NFL had. Though nothing has been said by the NFL it is believed that 2 games of Brady’s current 4 game suspension is due to “lack of cooperation” for not handing over his phone. Anything the league needed to see they could see with the phone records they had of the other two men. With the celebrity status of Tom Brady I don’t blame him for not handing over his phone to the league, he’s married to the worlds most well known super model, as well as being friends with many celebrities and athletes and may not want the league looking into his personal messages, which no one can blame him for.

During the whole “DeflateGate” scandal there was a lot of information that has been leaked by the NFL while the investigation was going on. With all the leaked information coming out from the NFL who knows what the NFL could have done with Brady’s phone. Anything could have been released by the NFL from Brady’s phone, Brady may have photos of him, his wife and his family on his phone that he may not want the public eye to see because Brady is a family man. There also could be personal conversations with numerous amounts of people on his cell phone; no one needs to see whom Brady is talking to and what is being talked about and his personal life doesn’t need to be put out to the public eye. The NFL allows people and its fans to see what the NFL wants them so see, I believe that the NFL and Roger Goodell saw footage of the Ray Rice incident before it was leaked by TMZ and they wanted to hide the video from being put out to the public. The NFL could have put anything out on Brady’s phone with it in their control and could try potentially ruining his public image if they felt like doing so, which they are trying to do with this whole “DeflateGate” joke.

Because the NFL isn’t the law and the investigation that was being conducted by the NFL wasn’t done through a court room and had nothing to do with legal proceedings, Brady didn’t have to hand over his phone, it wasn’t mandatory for him to do so. This means the whole “lack of cooperation” line people use can quickly be diminished. Just because someone asked him to hand over his phone doesn’t mean he has to do so. I guarantee 99% of you that are reading this wouldn’t just hand over your cell phones if you don’t need to and it isn’t illegal for you not to do so. I’m 20 years old I know there’s no chance I’m just gonna hand over my phone to anybody just because they want it and to look through my messages and the content on my phone. Think about it, this is exactly what the NFL is trying to get from Brady. The only real similar NFL case where a cell phone was needed during an investigation was the Brett Favre “picture sending” scandal we’ll call it. Favre refused to hand over his phone to the league and was given a $50 thousand fine. The differences between these two circumstances? Favre’s phone had all the evidence needed on it, Brady’s didn’t and all records with the other people being investigated by the NFL, the NFL already had. So Favre receives a fine for not handing over his phone to the league which had all evidence the league needed and Brady doesn’t hand his phone over to the league when he doesn’t need to, and the league already had records of contact between Brady, Jastremski and McNally and receives a suspension because of it.. Seems legit doesn’t it? No not at all? Oh that’s right because it doesn’t, just Roger Goodell and the NFL looking to target the Patriots yet again.

Another way to view the situation is that Brady needs to give this info to prove to the league that he did nothing wrong. Brady knows he did nothing wrong and if this is the evidence that the NFL needs to try convicting him of any wrong doings he knows he has the upper hand on the NFL if the case goes to court. The league has no evidence that Brady has any knowledge about balls being deflated or anything about this matter and with the league already acknowledging they feel Brady is guilty with no evidence they are looking to him to try hurting his own case. Brady was told by his legal team to not hand over the phone because they felt he did not need to do so and Brady listened to his team knowing they had what was in his best interest, opposite of the NFL.