Tag Archives: Tom Brady

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Patriots Training Camp Day Three Evaluations

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Day number three of New England Patriots training camp has come and gone, and now the real football has begun. Saturday marked the first time that the team has worn full pads during practice, which could only mean one thing, contact! Of course since the new Collective bargaining agreement came out in 2011, the amount of hitting teams can do in practice is limited, but there was certainly still some popping in Foxborough on Saturday morning. Here are my three biggest takeaways and observations from day three of camp.

1. Blount and Easley Back In Action: On Saturday morning, media members and fans were delighted to see the return of both LeGarrette Blount and Dominique Easley to the practice field. After failing his conditioning test on Wednesday, Blount had to spend the following days getting himself in shape so he could get on the field and help his team.

It was evident that Josh McDaniels wasn’t going to just hand Blount all the reps, he had to capitalize when he had them. When it came down to it, he did capitalize. He doesn’t look like he has missed a step at all since we saw him in February. During a drill in which a linebacker had to cover a running back one on one on a passing pattern, Blount made a phenomenal move on Jamie Collins leaving him in the dust as he reeled in a catch from Tom Brady down the sideline. In addition, during goal line drills, Blount showed his power once again plowing through the defense into the end zone. Although, he was stopped on his second attempt by rookie first-rounder Malcom Brown.

patriots.com
patriots.com

There was a report on Friday, stating the Patriots coaching staff was going to be cautious with Dominique Easley. This did not appear to be the case on Saturday as Easley was full go. Even though he was mostly phased out of first team reps by veteran Antonio Johnson, Easley did impress during interior lineman three on three drills. The drill was simulated with a center, guard, and tackle going up against two defensive lineman and a linebacker. Easley really gave it to un-drafted rookie center David Andrews during the drill. The two were really going at it, that could stem from their Georgia versus Florida college rivalry days.

Rookie Offensive Lineman Jumping Right Onto First Team: With the left guard position wide open, and with Ryan Wendell still on the physically unable to perform list, rookie guards Shaq Mason and Tre Jackson have been able to see plenty of action over the past three days. Many believed that Jackson would have the best chance at the starting job based on his size, but Shaq Mason was the one that really stood out on day three.

Mason was in the left guard spot during live team drills, and he stood his ground giving up zero sacks of Tom Brady. Furthermore, during the interior lineman drill period, Mason made a fantastic cut block on veteran linebacker Jonathan Freeny, taking his feet from right up under him.

patriots.com
patriots.com

Miscellaneous Notes: The story with the quarterbacks was very much similar to what it was on Thursday when I was at training camp. Tom Brady took the majority of the reps with the first team with a little Jimmy Garoppolo mixed in. Brady was borderline flawless, and Garoppolo still needs to make quicker decisions. Brady went seven of ten during seven on seven drills, and a perfect twelve for twelve during live team action. Garoppolo also went seven for ten, and seven for nine during team action.

The defensive back group continues to put things together with some bumps in the road, as expected. The two quarterbacks for the most part carved up the secondary. Nevertheless, there was some bright spots on Saturday. Logan Ryan shined by breaking up multiple passes from Tom Brady. That is key because Ryan is the most experienced corner in the Patriots system, which is scary. Second round safety Jordan Richards also continues to impress the doubters.

On Thursday he had a very nice interception of Jimmy Garoppolo, and today he made a great play by knocking the ball out of Scott Chandler’s hands in a one on one drill. The 6-7 Chandler towers over 5-11 Richards.

Lastly, the play of the day for me had to go to one Aaron Dobson. During one of the seven on seven periods, Dobson made an outstanding grab on a post corner route from Tom Brady, over former college teammate Darryl Roberts, who was all over him.

I will also be in attendance at day four of Patriots training camp, so stay tuned for more updates.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

Kensil accusations prove Patriots vs NFL

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News broke this morning that NFL Executive and former longtime Jets employee Mike Kensil was the reported main source for who leaked out false information to Chris Mortensen about 11 of the 12 Patriots footballs that were used in the AFC Championship against the Colts were two pounds under the legal limit the balls could be at.

Kensil is the same guy that told the Patriots equipment manager “we weighed the balls and you’re in big f***ing trouble.” If all this information is true it makes it out to look like the league is out to setup the Patriots, which some people already believed. Per reports, Kensil leaked out information to Mortensen who then reported the information which ended up being false and ended up starting this whole BS “DeflateGate” debacle were in now. Reporting false information like this was sure to make all the headlines and attempt to ruin the reputation of the Patriots and Tom Brady, which the league is trying to do it appears.

Setup the Patriots and make them look bad and then have no supporting evidence or actual evidence information to backup what is being reported, sounds smart NFL. The NFL has gone back and forth about things they have said and done and this is another example of the bias the NFL has shown against the Patriots and how they are in a way out to get the Patriots. The NFL and ESPN refused to let Chris Mortensen talk on WEEI about the information that was reported and this whole debacle that has occurred since. Mortensen has not confirmed that Kensil is the one who gave him the information regarding the footballs in the AFC Championship game. (Although several sources have speculated that Kensil was the leak) The league doesn’t want any information coming out from their side about how they were wrong or any talks behind closed doors that they have had to be known by the public but are fine leaking out anything they possibly can that can go against the Patriots in this case and make it look like they are doing so many things wrong. They want phone records from Brady, Jastremski and McNally and anything they can try to get to make it look like their reports and accusations are correct, but wont even let the man who they gave information to, who they let “report”  what has turned into the biggest sports story of the year and most nonsense of all-time, to talk to other media outlets about the situation. To me it sounds like the NFL are the ones who have something to hide and not Brady or the NFLPA.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Patriots Training Camp Day One Evaluations

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Day one of New England Patriots training camp is officially in the books. Fans piled into the practice field stands and the famous hill, to watch their favorite team take the field for the first practice of the summer. Many fans most likely had a very tough time telling which players were which, because in typical Bill Belichick fashion he sent his players onto the field without jersey numbers. The only thing the casual fan could tell was that quarterbacks were in red, offense in gray shirts, and defense in blue shirts.

I was in attendance at practice, and because I spend too much learning every minute detail of these players, I did not have an overly tough time deciphering which players were which. Seeing how the players were in just shorts, t-shirts, and helmets there was virtually zero contact.

7/30/15 QBs and WRs
7/30/15 QBs and WRs

The lack of physicality made it very difficult for defensive players and offensive lineman to stand out. Therefore, I really limited myself to evaluating some of the skill position groups that were really on display. This meant predominately quarterbacks, wide receivers, and slightly tight ends and running backs.

The running backs that were out on the field today were Brandon Bolden, Travaris Cadet, Tyler Gaffney, Dion Lewis, and James White. When it came to first team reps with Tom Brady and company, Brandon Bolden received almost all of the snaps when the offense was in shot gun, (which was almost every snap).

Furthermore, in goal line drills, the Patriots lined up in the jumbo set with six offensive lineman, with Gronkowksi and Chandler on the end, and Jonas Gray running the ball behind James Develin in the, “I” formation. Jonas Gray was big to begin with, now he looks significantly thicker, and Josh McDaniels seems to be looking to get him involved in the passing game.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

Patriots fans got their first glimpse of Tyler Gaffney today, and it was in a limited role. He received decent reps, but mostly just running the ball in simulated goal line situations. He also got some special teams work in.

The wide receivers were harder to tell apart. Obviously Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola are easy to tell apart, but players such as Josh Boyce, Brandon Gibson, and Chris Harper are not as easy. Amendola and Edelman looked impressive as always. Brady targeted Edelman more than any other receivers, connecting every time they attempted, with the exception of one post corner route in the back of the end zone, dropped by Edelman.

Both Aaron Dobson and Brian Tyms saw a lot of time on opposite sides of the field. Dobson was with Brady and the first team, and Tyms with Garoppolo and the second team. Garoppolo targeted Brian Tyms a total of six times throughout the day during team drills, going four for six, based on my observations, and as expected they were all fade routes and skinny posts. Dobson was on the field a lot with Brady, but the ball did not come his way very often.

At tight end, there are few words to say other than, Rob Gronkowski is a freak. He caught multiple passes in traffic from Tom Brady, the most impressive being a skinny post route in which he caught the ball while shaking off Tavon Wilson like he was nothing, and spiking the ball in the process. In addition, Jake Bequette did not impress at tight end. He has the physical stature to be a beastly blocking tight end, however he has stone hands, dropping passes on multiple occasions.

Quarterback was by the far the easiest position to evaluate, given the fact that there was only two quarterbacks on the field. Tom Brady impressed as he always does in training camp. His passes were pinpoint and he also showed a little bit of athleticism. Early on in practice Brady caught a fade in the corner of the end zone from Julian Edelman. Then later on he caught another pass down the sideline from Julian Edelman on a reverse pass, this time he only needed one hand.

garops patriots.com

Many were probably expecting to see a slightly improved Jimmy Garoppolo from the one they had seen in December. If you went to Patriots training camp with these expectations, you left disappointed. His first pass of the day was an interception to rookie Matthew Wells or Jordan Richards. He simply can’t throw the ball down field and he seems to be afraid to even try it. Brady certainly does not have a cannon for an arm, but he makes decisions quickly and gets rid of the football. Jimmy panics when his first read is gone, looks around and then dumps it off to James White. If it were a real game situation he would be put in the turf fairly quick.

I hope to attend training camp more in the coming days, so stay tuned for more updates and analysis of the Patriots practices.

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

Tom Brady Proclaims His Innocence, The Fight Continues

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I went to bed last night, like I have so many times in the past seven months feeling like I can’t defend Tom Brady and the Patriots anymore in the, “deflate gate” saga. The destroyed cell phone almost was the final straw for me. Then, yet again I woke up to a prepared statement, this time from Tom Brady himself.

Brady fired shots at both Roger Goodell and Ted Wells proclaiming his innocence. Some of the key quotes from were as follows; “The fact is neither I, nor any equipment person, did anything of which we have been accused. ”

Also, “Most importantly, I have never written, texted, emailed to anybody at any time anything related to football air pressure at any time before this issue was raised at the AFC Championship game in January. To suggest that I destroyed a phone to avoid giving the NFL information it requested is completely wrong.”

GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01 : Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates holding up the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX February 1, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tom Brady
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01 : Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates holding up the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX February 1, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tom Brady

Lastly, to sum it all up, ” I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either.”

Those are pretty fierce statements coming from Brady. I find it hard to believe that he would keep going to these lengths if he truly did anything wrong. He won’t be backing down anytime soon, unlike his teams owner.

Now the question is, how will this effect his team. Certainly this cloud will hang over the team for all of training camp and until this conflict is resolved. Players with zero intel to the situation are going to be bombarded with questions, just giving the common Patriot answer. ” Im just here getting better everyday, trying to do my job.”

If Brady takes this to court, it will drag out through the season, which makes me feel uneasy as a Patriots fan. Why? The reason is, no matter how confident you are with the case that Brady’s camp has, you never no what can happen in court.

The NFL is taking off and running with their, “destroyed cell phone” case. However, the NFL already had the messages from John Jastremski and Jim McNally, and any other messages that were needed were offered to be retrieved by the Brady camp. That was turned down by the league.

If Brady goes to court and it is heard midway through the season, there is no telling what could happen. What if it goes to court in December and the suspension stays. Then Patriots fans could see Jimmy Garoppolo under center in a playoff game. That is a scary sight to think about.

Nevertheless, the fight must go on from Brady’s side. They have dug in their heels and they are not backing down anytime soon. They can’t, it would look terrible on their part if they talked it up like they have, and then backed down, (Robert Kraft).

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In the end, I think I speak for all Patriots fans, and football fans in general when I say that I want this whole thing to just be over with. It is late July, we should be focusing on position battles and the upcoming season. Instead we are discussing cell phones being destroyed and air pressure in footballs.

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, New England Patriots, NFL

Five Reasons Seeing Brady in Court is a Good Thing

Top 5 Things to Look Forward to when Brady takes the NFL to Court

I for one think Brady had some knowledge about what was going on.  Information came to light today that didn’t look good for our hero .  However, I’ve yet to see cold hard facts that state he tampered with footballs before we gave the Colts an ass kicking.  Here are a few things we should all be looking forward to when 12 takes on the NFL in federal court.

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5) Kraft on the Stand (Again) – The last time we saw Krafty Bob take the witness stand was during the Aaron Hernandez trial.  He looked nervous, but also gave that power stare to the prosecution that just screamed, “I know the exact location of your season tickets counselor.”

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4) That Rat Bastard Jim Irsay Getting Subpoenaed – Chances are fairly high that someone will have to wake Irsay out of an oxy induced coma the morning he is to be questioned.  He and his scumbag GM were the catalysts for this entire debacle.  I said it before and I’ll say it again, “Pray for Indy”.

of the 2015 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

3) Walt Anderson’s Testimony – This has been suspect since day one.  Anderson and his crew had ONE JOB, the day of the AFC Championship Game, and that was to keep an eye on the footballs.  For the first time in nineteen years, according to Anderson, the balls disappeared prior to kickoff.  Does that seem the least bit questionable to anyone but me?

2) Brady’s Testimony – In New England, everything Brady says is typically gospel.  However, he does have some explaining to do.  Why did he order his phone destroyed the day he met with Wells?  What in fact were those conversations about with the ball boys?  All of this is going to come out in the wash.  I do hope they ask him what exactly was on his phone and he answers with homemade videos of him and Super G.

Suit game, casual version
Suit game, casual version

1) Brady’s Suit Game – His suit game is going to be so on point, and you know it.  Does he go double breasted?  Will he rock a pocket square that just screams four titles?  Maybe he goes with the Mr. Kraft power shirt?  Anything he does, will INSTANTLY become to go-to for late summer/fall Men’s fashion.  I’m maxing out my Amex and buying the entire get up the second he takes the stand.

#FreeBrady

Still think Brady isn't going for five?
Still think Brady isn’t going for five?

BOSTON - APRIL 13: Clutching the franchise's four Vince Lombardi Trophies, New England Patriots owners Robert Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady were part of the pre-game ceremonies. The Boston Red Sox hosted the Washington Nationals in their home opener at Fenway Park. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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.

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