The Steelers were ranked 27th in pass defense last season and they plan on improving that this season, and according to two Steelers players they plan on doing that in week one by stopping Rob Gronkowski. Yes they seriously think they are going to stop Rob Gronkowski.
via fansided.com
Steelers’ linebacker Ryan Shazier and safety Mike Mitchell said that the Steelers have a game plan to stop Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in Thursday’s opening game. The two said that they are going to be physical with Gronkowski and not give him an easy welcoming into the 2015 season. The fact that these two could even say this is just foolish. Gronkowski is the best tight end in the league without question, and when healthy might be the most dominating player in the league at any position. You’re going to be physical with Gronkowski? Gronk is 6’6 and 265 pounds of all muscle while Shazier stands 6’2 229 pounds and Mitchell is 6’ 210 pounds, so if you think you’re going to be able to be physical and stop Gronkowski you can have fun with that because it won’t happen.
via zimbio.com
Gronkowski has played well against every team he’s played against; one team in particular he has dominated against has been the Steelers. In three games against Pittsburgh, Gronkowski has 309 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Saying you are going to stop Rob Gronkowski is a lot easier said than done. Last season Gronk showed his dominance throughout the whole season by staying healthy and not missing anytime. In 2014 he recorded 82 receptions, 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is a defensive nightmare for opposing teams with his size, strength, speed, catching ability and his ability to block and be physical. Not many in the league are able to match up against Gronk defensively and he has shown time and time again that he just cannot be stopped. Gronkowski will have a great game against Pittsburgh, like he always does, and will go on to have another fantastic and possibly his best season yet in New England.
via sportsofboston.com
These guys should think next time before they want to make claims like this and talk before playing against the Patriots. Back in 2007 Steelers safety Anthony Smith guaranteed a victory against the undefeated Patriots. It didn’t work out too well for Smith whose Steelers were badly beaten 34-13, and Smith was embarrassed multiple times during the game by having Brady just constantly throw at him, constantly beating him. Like the Patriots and Tom Brady didn’t have enough fire and anger entering the 2015 season these two are just adding more fuel to the fire. I’m looking to see Brady and Gronk dominate once again and beat the Steelers, and also hope to see Gronk “throw someone out the club” like he did last year to Colts safety Sergio Brown, quite frankly just because its fun to see.
Just when there was an opportunity for things to quiet down and NFL fans could start concentrating on the actual games, the right arm of the NFL, ESPN, struck again. This time it is an article in ESPN The Magazine titled “Spygate to Deflategate: Inside what split the NFL and Patriots apart” and it’s intent is to, as REO Speedwagon sang in 1982, keep the fire burning.
Like the Wells report, it is filled with innuendo and will be read by millions as the “Gospel” according to ESPN, just as the 11 of 12 footballs being 2 lbs underinflated was taken as fact, despite being completely false.
The article, written by Don Van Natta Jr. (author of “First Off the Tee: Presidential Hackers, Duffers, and Cheaters from Taft to Bush”) and Seth Wickersham, Senior Writer for ESPN.com and ESPN is intentionally inflammatory with a multitude of objectives:
Increase the readership of the magazine (understandable)
Sensationalize “old” news
Re-enforce the linking of Spygate and DeflateGate
Show how the Patriots are different, in a bad way, from the other teams in the NFL.
Number four, the Patriots are different, is a fact…but not in the way as highlighted in this piece of “sensationalistic” journalism. The reason the article gives is New England has to cheat to do it. Let’s face it haters, they must have cheated in this day of free agency to become one of the most feared franchises in the history of the NFL. Forget the fact they have arguable the best QB (Tom Brady for those who don’t know) in NFL History and a coach that any other owner (ignore what they say, you know this is true) would love to have as Head Coach or their franchise.
There are no “sore losers” used in this article…except this gem:
“Goodell didn’t want anybody to know that his gold franchise had won Super Bowls by cheating,” a senior executive whose team lost to the Patriots in a Super Bowl now says. “If that gets out, that hurts your business.”
The Magazine, includes these “findings”to get readers interest and reignite the linking of Spygate and DeflateGate for those who like to believe the Patriots are different, in a bad way, from the other teams in the NFL.
From 2000 to 2007, the Patriots videotaped the signals of opposing coaches in 40 games
Goodell’s handling of Deflategate turned around owners still simmering over Spygate; some say he is now more secure in his job.
Deflategate is seen by some owners as a “makeup call” over Spygate.
ESPN’S Findings Are Nothing New
Let’s take the “findings” as just what they are…a hashed over repeat of what everyone already knew, but with a slant to add some sensationalism, enhance a now tarnished NFL image and put the New England Patriots back in the spotlight as the NFL bad boys (cheaters to quote the article: “Patriots’ coach, Bill Belichick, the cheating program’s mastermind”)
What they fail to mention is Spyhate (oops) was about where the Patriots were filming, not what they were filming.
I’m not going to rehash Spygate (which they did repeatedly in the article), but, will clarify a few misconceptions.
Fact: Videotaping opposing coaches is not illegal in the NFL but there are designated areas allowed by the league to do such taping. The Patriots were videotaping the Jets’ coaches from their own sideline which is not allowed. There is no question from anyone (including Patriot Nation) what they did was wrong, but stretching the facts to “imply” it was illegal to videotape opposing coaches at all is just flat wrong.
Ray Anderson, the league’s executive vice president of football operations to NFL sent a memo to head coaches and general managers. In it, he wrote: “Videotaping of any type, including but not limited to taping of an opponent’s offensive or defensive signals, is prohibited on the sidelines, in the coaches’ booth, in the locker room, or at any other locations accessible to club staff members during the game.”
Belichick obviously ignored that memo and Goodell imposed the biggest fine ever on a coach and took away a first-round draft pick as a penalty for the first time in NFL history.
Owners “Make-Up” Call Inference
When the fines and draft pick were announced it was felt by all, including the owners, to be a stiff penalty. In fact, the stiffest ever in NFL history. Revisionist history is the punishment is now being mentioned as a “favor” to Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft because of his friendship with the Commissioner. The integrity of Mr. Goodell was questioned (my goodness, not by the owners) because he ordered the destruction of the tapes and notes regarding Spygate…supposedly, because of his friendship with Kraft.
Question: If the owners felt strongly about his (Goodell’s) integrity then, why is he still commissioner now?
There’s a lot of discussion in the article about the owner’s emergency meeting on April 1, 2008 where Robert Kraft spoke (“witnesses would later say Kraft’s remarks were heartfelt, his demeanor chastened”), without naming any source (you know, that old first amendment protect your source reason that writers/publishers always use) describing the meeting as if the writers were there. Where’s the source? What great memories they all must have!
Love This One
It was, one owner says, time for “a makeup call.” Have to wonder who that one owner was and if that is what the one quote that lead to the “deflategate is seen by some owners (plural) as the make-up call for spyhate.
I could go on and on, as the ESPN-The Magazine article does, but then I would be doing just what I accuse them of….rehashing and sensationalizing “old news”
Disclosure: I am not an attorney and have been a follower of the New England Patriots since their inception in 1960.
Ahhh it is finally that time. Football is back and the New England Patriots are ready to defend their title. Let’s see how they match up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Quarterback
Do I really need to say anything here? Ben Roetlisberger is a very good quarterback. However, Tom Brady is the best ever. He’s coming off another Super Bowl MVP and is looking to stick it to the NFL.
Advantage Patriots
Running Back
The Steelers have one of the best running backs in the game. However, he will not suit up. Le’Veon Bell is suspended. As if the Patriots’ starting back, LeGarrette Blount. Jonas Gray has been cut so the Patriots have absolutely nothing in the backfield as of right now. While Bell is suspended, Deangelo Williams runs circles around any back the Patriots have on their roster.
Advantage Steelers
Wide Receiver
If Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman were both healthy, they it MIGHT be CLOSE. However, we could be looking at Danny Amendola as the top receiver for Brady on Thursday night. That makes it a pretty easy decision, as Antonio Brown is arguably the best in football.
Advantage Steelers
Tight End
As easy as it was to pick the Steelers in the receiver position, it is equally as easy to pick the Patriots at tight end. Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in football and Scott Chandler is a matchup nightmare with his size. Look for Gronk to have a huge game as he is one of fes targets Brady will have, and he cannot be covered.
Advantage Patriots
Offensive Line
Both teams have solid lines; however, the Steelers are missing their best lineman with Maurkice Pouncey out until week 9. David DeCastro is still a great lineman, though. I am going to give the Patriots the slight edge, but if Bryan Stork does not play, then I believe the Steelers have the edge. Stork totally transforms that offensive line. The Patriots need to have him in there.
Advantage Patriots
Defensive Line
The Steelers do not have much of a defense. The Patriots, while it was totally changed in the offseason, still have some talent. Most of it is in the front seven. Their defensive line could be one of the best in football this year. Malcom Brown will be the big body in the middle that Vince Wilfork was, Dominique Easley looks healthy and ready to go, and Trey Flowers has looked great in preseason
Advantage Patriots
Linebackers
The Pats already have one of the best linebacking corps in football. When healthy, Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, and Jerod Mayo are some of the best. Add Jabaal Sheard to that list and you have the ability to have a great rotation to keep everybody healthy.
Advantage Patriots
Secondary
Yes, the Patriots lost Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, and Kyle Arrington. However, Malcolm Butler looks to take the next step, Devin McCourty is still around, and the Steelers cannot defense the passing game to save themselves.
Advantage Patriots
Special Teams
Bill Belichick prides himself on special teams. Jonas Gray was probably cut because he does not play special teams and Brandon Bolden does. Matt Slater is still the best as is Steven Gostkowski.
Advantage Patriots
Coaching
Bill Belichick went 11-5 with Matt Cassel.
Advantage Patriots
While it may seem that the Patriots should run away with the game based on the positional breakdown, I would not look at it like that. Many of them are close calls. The Steelers are a very good team who can make up for their defensive struggles with a high powered offense. Plus, what the hell does any of this actually mean come Thursday night? We just have to see how it is all played out.
As the final cut down date in the NFL passes everyone tries to analyze who the Patriots cut and who “made the team.” Before you set the roster in stone remember, there will still be some fairly significant moves before kick-off Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is rare (like never) that the original roster stays intact going into game 1. There’s a good chance that by the time you read this article moves will already have occurred.
Who Is Still At Risk?
Those currently still on the roster have outperformed others to reach this point…but, hopefully they won’t relax too quickly. Before going out and buying that luxury SUV or sports car, many need to realize life in the NFL can be very short.
Chris Harper hauls one in against the Saints (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/Patriots.com)
Chris Harper – WR: Reggie Wayne showed he doesn’t have it anymore and asked to be released before he was unceremoniously cut. Sorry Wayne supporters, but Bill Belichick doesn’t keep you if you can’t help and, if he felt Wayne would have, he’d still be a Patriot. With Brandon LaFell on the PUP list and not available until week 7, Harper is hanging on to that final spot. The 21 year old rookie free agent impressed everyone this pre-season, but it is likely at some point the Patriots will try to slip him through waivers and get him on the practice squad.
Dion Lewis/James White/Travaris Cadet – RB: LaGarrette Blount is suspended for the season opener, so the question is who gets the shot Thursday night to show he can fill the big shoes left by Shane Vereen’s departure. When Blount returns, one or two of this trio will be gone, and right now it’s a crapshoot who should stay…and who should go. The surprise cut of fan favorite Jonas Gray left the door open.
To this point Cadet hasn’t been able to see the field because of injuries, White (a 2014 4th round draft pick) has looked better in his second camp and Lewis has risen to the top when given a chance. The injury to James Develin really doesn’t impact this trio, but it did allow a longer look-see for the coaching staff. Right now the only power running back on the roster is Belichick favorite Brandon Bolden.
This Year’s Surprise Cut
Bye-bye Jonas Gray, we hardly got to know you(Barry Chin/Globe Staff)
Bill Belichick is known for his “surprise” cuts and this year’s edition was Jonas Gray. After last year’s dazzling performance against the Indianapolis Colts, Gray literally disappeared and Blount came back to town. Most predicted he was a lock this year, but it looks like he never really escaped Belichick’s doghouse.
Don’t be too shocked if there are more moves to come as the team brings possible additions through the swinging doors at Gillette Stadium. Moves in the secondary still seem likely to occur and the fate of many will be in the hands of the best Head Coach in the NFL. The good news is, no matter what, the Belichick-Tom Brady connection is still intact and ready to punish the doubters.
Everyone in the New England area, and Patriots fans everywhere rejoiced as the greatest player to ever play for their franchise was free. As great it is to celebrate this victory over the NFL, many fans and spectators of the situation learned something. Goodell and the NFL have been beaten again and truly exposed.
This is not the first time Goodell and the NFL lost appeal cases. He’s lost the cases against Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and now this. This time around, Roger Goodell was exposed for being unfair in the appeal process, as well showing bias. There were even reports that it was the NFL who were the ones who leaked the false information to ESPN when the scandal initially erupted. And throughout this court case, Judge Berman completely hammered Goodell and the NFL for it.
Agreeing with the owners and NFLPA, There should be changes, this sort of hoopla can not happen again. This was by far the stupidest thing Goodell could have made an issue about.
There has to be changes, because Goodell is lying right out in the open, exposed.
New England Patriot fans will forever entomb Thursday September 3rd, 2015 as the day that Tom Brady’s four game suspension due to the never ending spectacle known as Deflategate, was overturned by New York Judge, Richard Berman. Deflategate , began on January 18th when several footballs were found to be under inflated during the AFC title game. What ensued in the next six months following Deflategate brought the collective six regions of New England to new depths of misery and redundancy.
The NFL launched an investigation with enough venom, bias and arrogance to destroy all the good will brought forth by this year’s winning Super Bowl season. In fact the NFL’s punishments and insistance on cheating led many in New England to speculate whether the Patriots were being treated so viscerally due to other league owners whom were unsatisfied with how Spygate was handled in 2007. In essence, the fans, owner Bob Kraft and Tom Brady were essentially placed on a proverbial island with the other 31 teams happily laying fire to their escape raft.
From the standpoint of the NFLPA (National Football Players Association) and New England Patriots fans it was a phenomenal thing that Tom Brady was exonerated by Judge Berman. The NFL took this farther than they should have in order to prove a point and save face in the aftermath of the Ray Rice spousal abuse scandal. Were the New England Patriots responsible for deflating footballs? Whether you believe that to be true or a ridiculous falsehood is irrelevant. This appeal was never about Brady’s innocence but more about abuse of power. The fact is the NFL went too far in their punishment and Judge Berman recognized it. The NFL should’ve absolutely allowed the punishment to fit the crime, rather than use Tom Brady and the Patriots as scapegoats for their own misgivings. It was an overreach on something that should have been a fine for an equipment violation.
On the other side of this transgression, although Sept. 3rd was a victory that should be held in high esteem all over New England, it does come with a rather large grain of salt. The New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft accepted a $1 million dollar fine, the loss of 2016’s 1st round draft pick and 2017’s 4th round draft pick. As great as having Tom Brady under center during the first four games of the season, the previously mentioned penalties are still an unprecedented punishment and something that New England fans will be unable to ignore.
With all things being equal, had the NFL and Roger Goodell gone about this correctly, they would have massacred the New England Patriots in every conceivable way by merely sticking to the punishment and leaving what little they thought they had on Brady off the table. Had they not been so shortsighted, the NFL could have come out of this looking incredible. The NFL could have simply stuck it to the hated, “cheaters” and restored some semblance of order after the ridiculous year they had suffered through. Instead the NFL decided to gamble with a lack of concrete evidence which led to their downfall.
Ultimately, the world has focused its attention on Tom Brady’s involvement and subsequent suspension rather than the fact that the Patriots were again punished for apparent cheating. With Tom Brady exonerated, the story is about Tom Brady beating the NFL, not the Patriots and the shenanigans surrounding underinflated footballs and the consequences which followed. In the end, the NFL had the chance to come out of this looking proficient but now must live with yet another loss in judicial, as well as public court. New England Patriot fans may have to live with what is arguably an unprecedented fine, but their quarterback, Tom Brady, is where he should be and the NFL was fed a great deal of humble pie.
That sound you just heard was the cheer that erupted from millions of Patriots fans across the world. Let this day, this third day of September in the year 2015, be a day to remember. Let it be a day of celebration. There will be singing and dancing in the streets. Wounds will be healed, broken relationships will be mended. Hell, the dead may even rise again. The reason for all this jubilation, you ask? After nearly seven and a half months, Tom Brady is free again.
Let’s quickly run through the story that has captured America’s attention since seemingly the beginning of time. The Patriots beat the Colts easily in the AFC Championship game. The next morning, there were some rumblings that perhaps the Patriots played with deflated footballs. This left many fans thinking, “how does a deflated football even give you an advantage?” and every Patriots hater screaming, “SEE! CHEATERS!!!”
Later Monday night, Chris Mortensen reports that 11 of the 12 Patriot’s footballs were underinflated by 2 PSI. The media grills Tom Brady. America grills Tom Brady. A dark cloud is cast over Patriots Nation during the first week of Super Bowl Week. Then the real Super Bowl Week arrives. And, for no apparent reason, Patriot’s fans transform from dark, depressed, somber mode into “F You” mode the following week. It becomes an “us against the world” mentality. The Patriots go out in Super Bowl XLIX with perfectly inflated footballs and beat the Seattle Seahawks, who looked to be a more talented team, in one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory. Snuck into this by the NFL was a leak that in actuality, only one of the Patriots balls was 2 PSI under the legal minimum, the others were no more than 0.2 PSI under it.
Months go by, and the Pats bask in their victory. The NFL sends “Independant” investigator Ted Wells to conduct an investigation. In May, Wells finally comes out with his report. His conclusion is that it is “more probable than not” that Tom Brady was “generally aware” of footballs being intentionally manipulated. This sends America into an uproar. Their villain has finally been exposed, they think. The NFL uses these highly conclusive findings (that was sarcasm if you weren’t sure) to suspend Tom Brady for not one, not two, not three, but FOUR games.
Brady will not go down without a fight. Believing it will aid Brady’s case, Robert Kraft elects not to appeal the team-imposed sanctions, which included a $1 million fine, the biggest in league history, and the loss of a first and a fourth round draft pick. Yes, the Patriots received the harshest punishment in the history of the league over the air pressure in a few footballs.
Naturally, Brady appeals the suspension. On June 26, Brady and his lawyers meet with the NFL to appeal. They spent almost an entire day in one room discussing the air pressure in footballs, a real fun day I’m sure. A month goes by with no new news. Finally, the NFL rules to uphold the 4-game suspension, but not before leaking information they had known for more than a month, that Brady ordered his cell phone to be destroyed before Wells’ investigation.
The next day is the eve of training camp, the day when the team arrives for camp. Robert Kraft, in his press conference, reads a harsh statement in which he rips apart the NFL, his most notable quote being, “I was wrong to put my faith in the league.”
Brady fires back as well, writing a long Facebook post about his disappointment in the suspension. But, as we all know, Tom Brady is no quitter. He elects to sue the NFL in federal court. The case is assigned to Judge Richard Berman, a judge in Manhattan. The location of the case is supposedly slightly in favor of the NFL.
The two sides meet three times in front of the judge, and a few others on their own. Berman really wants the sides to settle. They both want a ruling before September 4. In the hearings, Berman goes hard after the NFL. The first thing he asks them is the question we’ve been wondering since the start. Tom Brady played much better in the 2nd half of the game when the balls were re-inflated than he did with the deflated balls, so how was this even an advantage?
During the hearings, the NFL keeps falling back on their power in the CBA to rule however they deem necessary. At one point, Roger Goodell compares Brady’s offense to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Seriously? On Monday, August 31, the sides met for the last time. No settlement was reached. The NFL was only willing to knock one game off the suspension if Brady admitted to the findings in the Wells report, which of course were nothing. Brady was willing to accept a one-game suspension but only because of his failure to cooperate during the investigation.
Judge Berman said he would rule on the case before Friday, September 4th. Today, he vacated Brady’s suspension. Brady’s beaten all 31 teams in the NFL that he hasn’t played for, and now he’s beaten the league as well.
The NFL is a loser in this case more than Tom Brady’s a winner. This opens a huge Pandora’s box. Now, every single player that is suspended will appeal it and challenge it in court, the league’s worst nightmare. That’s why the Deflategate case is far from over.
The league will almost certainly appeal this to a higher court. No matter how weak their case is, they’ve now become the side that has nothing to lose. Roger Goodell has had a rough couple of years. After Ray Rice knocked out his fiancée in February 2014, Goodell suspended him an embarrassing two games. A little while later, a video came out of the actual scene, something the NFL could’ve easily obtained themselves. Goodell used that as an excuse to suspend him the entire season. A lot of people were critical of his handling of Adrian Peterson’s child abuse case.
I defended Goodell for a long time. I feel like handing out punishments in the NFL is one of the hardest jobs in the world. There are so many incidents that no matter how well prepared you are, it’s impossible to be perfect. However, if this job is done badly, it looks horrible. And that’s the situation we have here.
The NFL essentially makes up their discipline policy as they go along. In an industry with as many wrongdoings as they have, this is a problem. Goodell has a long history of his suspensions being overturned, and this is the easy explanation as to why. Roger Goodell is still the commissioner of the NFL, but the more time passes, the more it’s clear that the clock is ticking.
via bostonherald.com
So, after nearly seven and a half months, the NFL’s golden boy has been cleaned of all inequities. That means that, one-week from today, when the NFL season begins in Foxborough, Tom Brady will be on the field facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tom Brady is a winner. He’s engineered 35 4th quarter comebacks in his NFL career, but let the record show, that on September 3, he engineered number 36, against his toughest opponent, the NFL.
On Tuesday, Bill Belichick had to cut his roster down to seventy-five players. The roster will need to be down to fifty-three players by the end of the week. There is probably about forty or so spots that are already locks. However, there is still about ten spots that are up in the air. Those players will be playing for their jobs on Thursday night in Foxborough against the New York Giants. So without further a due, here is my final fifty-three man roster projection for the 2015 New England Patriots.
Quarterback: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo.
Reports have been that Tom Brady is expected to play in the first game of the season no matter what Judge Berman’s decision is by weeks end. Therefore, the team will have no need for Ryan Lindley. He will have his chance to showcase his skills to other teams in Thursday nights game against the Giants.
Running Back: Dion Lewis, Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden, James White.
With LeGarrette Blount only suspended for one week, there is no need for an extra running back for one game. With Dion Lewis able to stay on the field, and Travaris Cadet missing the majority of the preseason, Lewis has played Cadet right out of a job. It is a shame because he looked like he had some ability and could be a good fit in the Patriots system.
Many Patriots fans fell in love with Chris Harper over the summer. He flashed his speed and ability to get open against second and third team players. However, when it comes down to it the Patriots did not invest much in Harper, and they spent a second round pick on Aaron Dobson. It is rare for the team to give up on a player after only two seasons, and they still have the option to put Harper on the practice squad where he will most likely land.
Tight End: Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanwanui, Scott Chandler, Asante Cleveland.
No surprises here. With James Develin out for the season with a broken tibia that he suffered last week when he was unnecessarily in the game in the fourth quarter, an extra spot has opened for a tight end. The Patriots somehow received something for Jordan Devey, and what they got was tight end Asante Cleveland. In his two preseason games with the team, he has been decent. He is built very similarly to Tim Wright. He may posses the same skill set to get open a few times per game.
of the 2015 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Tackle: Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Cameron Fleming.
The Patriots should have two Pro-Bowl caliber tackles this season with Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder. Nevertheless, the team invested a fourth round pick on Fleming in 2014, and this past winter they gave Marcus Cannon extension. Also, Vollmer’s contract is very accessible for a trade. Just keep that in mind in the coming days. The Logan Mankins trade shocked many at this time last year.
Guard: Ryan Wendell, Tre Jackson, Shaq Mason, Ryan Groy.
Josh Kline has proven in the past that he is inconsistent and non-reliable. He is not worthy of a roster spot anymore with the two rookie additions along with Ryan Groy, who they traded sixth round pick Matthew Wells for. If the team was ever severely strapped for bodies at the guard position, Marcus Cannon has experience at the spot.
Center: Bryan Stork, David Andrews.
David Andrews has received almost every rep at center this summer. He has not been overly impressive, but for an un-drafted rookie that was thrown into the fire due to an injury to Bryan Stork, he has been decent. With Ryan Wendell being the only guard on the roster with any real experience starting, he will be valuable to the team and they can’t have him moving back and forth from guard to center.
No shockers here. Chandler Jones has bulked up significantly this offseason and has spent some time this preseason with his hand in the turf as a 3-4 defensive end. That should be an interesting storyline to follow given the fact when Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia tried that strategy last September, it back fired greatly. Jones was pushed around all over the line of scrimmage. We shall see if his added size will contribute to him being able to penetrate more.
bookofbelichick.com
Defensive Tackle: Sealver Siliga, Malcom Brown, Dominique Easley, Alan Branch.
Chris Jones is expected to be placed on the physically unable to perform list to start the season. This means that he will be unavailable until week six. In his place, a player such as veteran Alan Branch will try to take his spot. Most of the Patriots defensive tackles are larger framed players, except for Easley who is more lean. Easley is extremely powerful and strong, and is being vastly under looked for this season.
Linebacker: Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Jonathan Freeny.
In addition to Chris Jones, Dane Fletcher is also expected to be placed on the PUP list. Four linebacker should be just right for the Patriots, seeing how the defensive coaching staff may like to use players such as Rob Ninkovich, Geneo Grissom, and Jabaal Sheard as outside linebackers. Look for James Morris to land on the practice squad.
On any pro team with a halfway decent cornerback depth chart, Logan Ryan would be released. However, the Patriots need bodies at the position and unfortunately Ryan has more experience in the system than any other cornerback on the roster. It is a shame because he truly is a liability when he is on defense.
patriots.com
Safety: Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Patrick Chung, Jordan Richards, Tavon Wilson.
Nate Ebner is the surprise cut here. He is a phenomenal special teams player. Although, he cannot contribute very much on defense. Tavon Wilson is almost just as good of a special teamer and he can certainly contribute more on the defensive side of the ball.
Special Teams: Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater.
Very rarely does a team hold a spot open on special teams for a player that isn’t involved directly in the kicking game. Matthew Slater is just that good at what he does, and he may be a better team leader. In addition, Joe Cardona has not been as advertised thus far. Keep an eye out for that in the early part of the season.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s strong play has made him into a viable NFL starter and will be starting in the 2016 season, but not for the Patriots.
Garoppolo was selected in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL draft and was thought by some to be Tom Brady’s future successor at quarterback in New England. Garoppolo had a strong preseason his rookie year in 2014 but of course was no threat to Brady. Jimmy G was then put into the game in a blowout loss against the Chiefs where he performed well at the end of the game. The media hype grew even more on Garoppolo with some people saying that Tom Brady was done and that it was Garoppolo’s time to become the starting quarterback in New England. Garoppolo then struggled in the season finale against the Buffalo Bills going up against one of the top defenses in the NFL with a cast of backup players playing for New England.
via thebiglead.com
After the harsh criticism of Brady by some members of the media he went on to have a fantastic rest of 2015 season and of course went on to win his fourth Super Bowl ring. And now with the never-ending “DeflateGate” scandal, Garoppolo may be the Patriots starting quarterback for the first four weeks of the regular season. Garoppolo has played well this preseason after a very inconsistent week one against the Green Bay Packers and has led two comeback victories in the preseason, improving his game each week.
I hated the pick of Garoppolo at the time and even with his improved play still do not see Garoppolo as Brady’s successor and the future quarterback of the Patriots. Though I do not see him as the future quarterback of the Patriots I think Garoppolo could be a good quarterback in the NFL and that he is currently probably better than a few starting quarterbacks on other teams and looks better than quarterbacks such as Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel, who were selected before him in the 2014 draft. With New England losing a first round pick in the 2016 NFL draft it could make sense for the team to move Jimmy G for either an early second round pick in the 2016 draft and even potentially a first rounder in 2017. Brady and Garoppolo’s contracts both expire after the 2017 season. If Brady is still playing at a high level the Patriots would have a tough decision to make on who to re-sign if both were willing to re-sign with New England. Garoppolo may not be willing to re-sign after being a backup for four season and may look to go else where and if that’s the case why not attempt to move Garoppolo at a time when you are low on draft picks. New England may not move him during this season and don’t need to, but moving him after the season would be smart to do. They could trade him to a quarterback needy team like Houston or Cleveland who could have high second round picks which could be almost equivalent to the first rounder New England lost or a first rounder for the following year.
via chowderandchampions.com
Garoppolo could be a starter in the NFL sooner rather than later and I think he will be a full time starter in 2016, but it won’t be for the Patriots.
The good news is we could have Judge Richard M. Berman’s ruling in Tom Brady’s four game suspension, you know, “deflategate,” before I actually get to publish this article. After Monday’s meeting he said he will have a decision by Friday and possibly as early as Tuesday.
The bad news is, no matter how the Judge rules, odds are we won’t be through hearing about this fiasco for another year or more.
Judge Berman: “We did not reach a settlement. … In some cases, it doesn’t happen and this is one of those cases.”
In an abbreviated meeting Monday (8/31) between the attorney’s for the NFL and those for Tom Brady and the NFLPA, Judge Berman gave up. Yup, no matter how hard he pushed for a negotiated settlement neither party was willing to move enough (or at all) off their original position to bring about closure.
All the big guns were there for both sides, including NFL Commissioner (King) Roger Goodell, John Mara (chairman of the NFL Management Council Executive Committee), Tom Brady, Jay Feely (a member of the union’s executive committee) and a horde of Attorneys charging huge $$$$$$$$$. Could anyone really expect a last minute miracle? Not only no, but hell no!
Feely, speaking for the NFLPA outside the courthouse after the meetings, had this to say:
“For us it reinforces the desire and the need for an independent arbitrator in these matters of personal conduct,” … “But we understand Tom’s position and I think the process will work itself out.”
S-L-O-W Is Where We Go Now
No matter what he rules in the next few days, it is highly likely the loser will appeal the decision…and, when that happens, things slow to a crawl. If you think it’s been forever to get to this point your patience is about to be drained.
Judge Berman fast tracked this ridiculous case through his court with the hope he could force a settlement, but the higher courts have more important things to do than to rule on deflated football theories and they will take their time. You can be sure Berman will write his decision carefully to avoid being overturned.
So, nothing has changed from all the discussions everyone has had and, no matter what anyone says…once again…don’t believe anything you hear until the Judge issues his ruling. We’ll be writing a lot more about the silliest court action ever (should work it’s way into Ripley’s Believe It Or Not) once we hear what Judge Berman decides.
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