Optimism exists in the heart of every fan regardless of what team they root for at the start of each and every NFL season. In some cases it would be ludicrous to think your team wasn’t a front-runner, such as the case with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, or Green Bay Packers. For a Minnesota Vikings fan, Jacksonville Jaguar fan and especially a New York Jets fan, the beginning of the season is really the only time that you are allowed to be so assured of your team’s potential abilities.
The New England Patriots are used to being heavy favorites to compete for a Super Bowl title and this year in theory should be no different. Oddly enough, coming off a Lombardi Trophy win, the Patriots are a bit more of a wild card than one would typically expect. In the shadow of Deflategate many things have changed since the beginning of February. Under center we have a scenario like no other in Patriot’s history. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo probably pictured that he would gain the starting position job a bit differently than by a trumped up suspension of Tom Brady over a loss of air pressure. Garoppolo for better or for worse is currently the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots for the first four games of the 2015 season. If the suspension holds up this could either be a chance to shine or an unmitigated disaster.
During free agency the Patriots lost several key components to last year’s winning formula. The secondary was stripped clean with the losses of superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington. Vince Wilfork, the veteran run stopper on defense, now plays for the Houston Texans. Shane Vereen, a dynamic third down back, is now the New York Giants’ shiny new toy. Dan Connolly, stablizing offensive lineman, retired. Like with any team these are parts that can and have been replaced but the current mix of players lacks the former’s track record.
The injury bug has crept its way into the New England Patriots locker room as well. Popular slot receiver Julian Edelman and wide receiver Brandon LaFell have both been battling nagging injuries which have kept them off the field. Newly acquired wide receiver Brandon Gibson and dynamic receiver Brian Tyms Have both suffered season-ending injuries. Offensive line Center Bryan Stork has missed quite a bit of action due to injury, which has been hindering the offensive line during much of the preseason. As recent as Saturday night, the Patriots lost fullback James Devlin for an extended length of time. Granted, these are the more notable injuries but they do play a large part in the New England Patriots’ chances to repeat as champions.
Still there is room for plenty of optimism. The preseason football games are hardly a barometer for how well a squad will perform during the actual season. That being said, the Patriots defense has shown that the absences of top cornerbacks doesn’t mean they won’t go down fighting. Super Bowl hero, cornerback Malcolm Butler has looked exceptionally strong. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard looks as though he may have been the perfect free-agent pickup for this defense. Sheard’s fight and tenacity help make the defensive front seven a force to be reckoned with. The offense, once healthy and stable, has the potential to be world class. An angry and focused Tom Brady throwing to the likes of Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski, slot receiver Danny Amendola, tight end Scott Chandler and future Hall of Famer, Reggie Wayne could make an awful bit of trouble for most NFL defenses.
Do the 2015 New England Patriots have their share of doubters, when it comes to the burgeoning success of back to back championship seasons? Of course, but like the other 31 clubs you can’t tell their rabid fan base that this season doesn’t belong to them. Lest we forget, the month of September 2014 which at the time did not look so promising for the Patriots either. How did that season end again? So, let’s all just agree to be cautiously optimistic.
Corruption. Power breeds it, no matter how good one’s intentions are when push comes to shove power destroys ideals. It doesn’t have to be malicious, it rarely is at first but when absolute influence goes unchecked the results are no less poisonous.
Article 46 of the collective bargaining agreement has given Roger Goodell absolute autonomy to rule the NFL. What exactly is article 46 of the CBA? In a nutshell, it allows the commissioner to impose the discipline and to designate the hearing officer (this can also be the Commissioner himself) to handle all appeals in regards to matters relating to conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in, the game of professional football. This effectively makes him Roger GODell.
Why would the National Football League’s Player’s Association agree to such a grand deliverance of power? To be honest, article 46 has been around since the very first CBA was drafted back in 1968. In a game of give and take the NFLPA for whatever the reason, they always felt this was a car that was better left on the showroom floor. If the past few years abuse of power are any indication, it would seem that the next time the NFL and the Union meet, this will be a point of contention.
The year 2014 is more than likely a year Roger Goodell would like to forget. The Ray Rice scandal was devastating to his tenure as commissioner. In the interest of protecting “the Shield”, Goodell and the NFL thought it best to ignore and deflect rather than hold Ray Rice responsible for assaulting his then fiance. The Commissioner lied about seeing a crucial piece of evidence (elevator video), the world reacted with disgust and Goodell has been over compensating ever since.
It’s safe to say that at the start of the “Save Roger” reclamation project, much of the public was thrilled when he rescinded Ray Rice’s mere two game suspension and changed it to indefinite. Never mind that this act showed that he was inconsistent but it reeked of desperation. Roger mishandled an important case and tried to cover his tracks ultimately leading to the case being overturned and making his power seem less omnipotent.
Roger hid behind his stature and tried desperately to find a scapegoat to get him out of this mess. Star running back Adrian Peterson’s child abuse case and defensemen Greg Hardy’s assault case weren’t enough to scrub the perceived ineptitude from Goodell’s hands.
The NFL Commissioner needed to deflect all this bad publicity, much to his delight the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts were about the hand him a gift. Deflategate arrived like a proverbial wrecking ball and suddenly the world was now focusing on the fall from grace of Tom Brady the cheater.
It’s been a headache for both Roger Goodell & Tom Brady
Roger got his diversion.
Goodell has made his share of mistakes with Deflategate, the most recent being when he came under fire due to his admittance that (after months of saying otherwise) the entire investigation was never really independent. Remember Article 46? Once again, Roger has been delighted to hide behind his greatest weapon, his magic wand.
In the eyes of the NFL, it doesn’t matter how Roger has handled any of this, Article 46 states he can conduct himself in any manner he sees fit when protecting the integrity of the product. “Save Roger” is in full effect, leaving many players in the NFL to ask who will save them?
In the first half of the Patriots preseason week three matchup against the Carolina Panthers, the starters came out of the gates very slow on offense. Tom Brady did not have his key targets on the field in Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, and Brandon LaFell once again. He was left with players like Danny Amendola, Jonathan Krause, Michael Hoomanwanui, Aaron Dobson, Scott Chandler, and newly acquired Reggie Wayne to throw to.
For the better part of the half, all players had a tough time getting open leading Brady to scramble on multiple occasions. Once for a first down on a third down and three play. After Brady had set the Patriots up nicely with his first down scramble, Aaron Dobson spoiled the drive by dropping a nicely placed ball inside the ten-yard line into the hands of Panthers cornerback Charles Tillman.
Carolina then took the ball all the way down the field. However, they were stopped inside the five yard line when Devin McCourty blanketed Panthers tight end Greg Olsen on a third down in the end zone. It is safe to say McCourty proved Friday night that he belongs at safety. The starting secondary looked good as Tarrell Brown and Malcolm Butler made multiple pass breakups. That gives you confidence as a fan seeing how those are your two starting corners.
Patriots.com
On the next possession by the offense, the unit was off the field quickly as Brady fired the ball into the hands of Panthers safety Kurt Coleman. The defense once again picked up the slack of the offense, thanks to two very nice pass breakups by Malcolm Butler. Nevertheless, the offense continued to struggle due to bad interior offensive line play by the three rookie starters, not allowing running backs to go anywhere.
Also, Reggie Wayne’s only target was a terrible drop on an easy seven yard pitch and catch play. Cam Newton then proceeded to take his team down the field in a drive that should have ended with seven points. However, Panthers wide receiver Corey Brown dropped a ball in the end zone that couldn’t have been placed anymore perfectly in his hands, after he broke the ankles of Malcolm Butler. The drive ended in yet another Panthers field goal, putting them up by a score of 6-0.
With little time remaining in the first half, the Patriots offense had yet to accomplish anything and were concerning fans due to their lack of production throughout the preseason. This would be the last time fans would see Tom Brady on the field until possibly week six.
Brady did exactly what he needed to do, he brought his team down the field feeding the ball often to first-year Patriots tight end Scott Chandler. The Patriots were looking like they were stalling once again, until Tom Brady hit Danny Amendola, who was wide open, on a post route that put them inside the red zone. Then, Brady lobbed the ball up to the 6-7 Scott Chandler on a fade route in the corner of the end zone for his first touchdown pass of the preseason. The Patriots lead going into the break by a score of 7-6.
Patriots.com
At the start of the third quarter, it was obvious that Bill Belichick had told his starters in the locker room that their night was over. That was obvious for the Patriots defense, as Cam Newton took the Panthers right down the field and scored on a play action touchdown to Mike Tolbert in the flat. The coverage was awful, and they should have expected that play on third and two inside the five yard line seeing how that play is Carolina’s bread and butter. Panthers lead 13-7.
Jimmy Garoppolo then came into the game, and he started out a little bit to rambunctious. His first pass of the game should have been taken back for a touchdown by cornerback Bene Benwikere, on an out route intended for Jonathan Krause. Two plays later on a pass intended for Chris Harper, Josh Norman dropped a ball right in his hands that also would have been taken back for six. Those are mistakes the Patriots can’t afford for Garoppolo to make in the regular season. If that were to happen on opening night, they would be trailing early against one of the league’s top offenses. Not acceptable.
Later in the drive the Patriots were facing a tough third down and six situation. Garoppolo made a pro level play by stepping up in the pocket and firing the ball to Asante Cleveland right over the first down marker. Television broadcaster Dan Roche called the play, “Brady esque” which may have been a bit overzealous, but made some sense. However, on a fourth and four play a few plays later, Garoppolo made a another mistake throwing the ball to Jonathan Krause short of the marker where he was stopped. Not smart decision making on his part.
On the following possession by Carolina, back up quarterback Derek Anderson picked apart Patriots defensive backs Robert McClain, Nate Ebner, and Logan Ryan leading to a Panthers 39-yard field goal giving them a nine point, 16-7 lead. The Patriots were looking flat for the second week in a row, and Jimmy Garoppolo had to pick up the slack again.
Garoppolo took some time to get back into his groove. He under threw Aaron Dobson badly on a drag route across the middle of the field. Had he put it over his shoulder he would’ve been gone for a touchdown. He did bounce back, hitting Aaron Dobson down the sideline and putting the Patriots in the red zone. On the next play, running back Dion Lewis continued his stellar night by flexing out wide and running a slant route into the end zone where Jimmy put the ball right in his hands for the touchdown.
The Patriots then stopped the Panthers on their following drive thanks to tremendous pass break ups by Logan Ryan and Daxston Swanson, who had multiple on the night. The Patriots ended their next drive with a clutch 53-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski who has earned his money thus far this preseason.
Patriots.com
The points did come with a price. James Develin looked like he suffered some sort of lower leg injury after catching a pass in the flat. He was carted off the field with his teammates, and coaches surrounding him. That is never a good sign. More than likely he will done for the year, which is a huge blow to the offense and he will be greatly missed.
The Patriots then made a very good stop on defense, and got the ball back with just over four-minutes to go in the game. Jimmy Garoppolo managed the offense very well handing the ball off and dinking and dunking the Carolina defense until the clock wore out. On a third down play with less than two-minutes to go, Garoppolo hit Zach D’Orazio on a screen play for a first down, sealing the Patriots victory.
In the end, the Patriots started off the game slow once again on offense Friday night, but Tom Brady’s final possession was very encouraging. The defense as a whole was solid. The starters made some great stops in the red zone, and are already living up to their reputation of, “bend don’t break.”
Next week against the Giants, we will hardly see any of the starters, therefore this was our last glimpse of the starting group before September tenth against the Steelers. That is not something fans should be over confident about, seeing how many of the same questions we had going into the preseason still remain. For example, will the secondary be able to hold up? Will the offensive line be able to protect Brady? I feel the same way about those situations now as I did going in. There are still starters that need to come back, but for right now I am a bit nervous as a Patriots fan.
The third preseason game for any National Football League team has annually been the, “dress rehearsal game.” It is the closest teams will get to a live action, regular season contest. The starters play throughout the first half and into the third quarter. In addition to the in-game level of play, the week lead up is very similar to a regular season game with strategy, film analysis, and most importantly who is going to start.
What Patriots fans should expect to see on Friday night in Charlotte is for Tom Brady to be on the field to start the game with as many starters as possible, that are healthy. Rob Gronkowski has not played in a preseason match up since 2012, mostly due to health. Due to this year’s circumstances, there seems to be a better chance that Gronkowski will play in this upcoming game.
More often than not in the third game of the preseason Tom Brady has played all through the first half. Bill Belichick in his press conference earlier this week finally hinted at, “Tom’s situation” being a factor in the game plan routine. Opening night is less than two weeks away and Bill Belichick still does not know who his starting quarterback will be. Belichick has to take precautionary measures and play both players equally with the starters.
When Jimmy Garoppolo finally gets out on the field Friday night, we will get a look at what he looks like with the first team players against a legitimate pro level defense. With players such as Luke Kuechly, Star Loutulelei, Charles Johnson, and Thomas Davis coming at him Garoppolo will get a taste of what it is really like to be the starter.
Jimmy Garoppolo leads Pats to comeback win vs The Saint (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/NewEnglandPatriots.Com)
Since he was drafted in April of 2014, Patriots fans have been gushing over Garoppolo. He has not been criticized much by fans and some media members. It is almost as if he is being coddled because he, “shouldn’t be compared to Tom Brady.” Well that is too bad because thats who he is taking over for, and it comes with the territory.
Last week he came into the game in the second quarter with all second-team players on the field. He had a very good game bringing the Patriots back from a 21-0 deficit, to win by a score of 26-24. He went 28 of 33 on the night throwing precise passes to Chris Harper and Jonathan Krause. Also, when his down field reads were gone he made the smart decision of dumping it off to James White and Dion Lewis. That was the first time I saw him really control the offense with the poise of a starter.
However, the speed of the game in the second half of the second preseason game against back ups is much different than when you are going up against starters. Even the third game can’t even compare to regular season speed, but it will be the highest level we have seen Garoppolo play at.
Throughout training camp, Garoppolo’s biggest issue was holding onto the football. He would sit back in the pocket and scan the field too long to the point were he would have to throw it away in a real game, or he would force it down field and get intercepted. On Friday night receivers are going to get jammed up at the line of scrimmage or they won’t be open down field as quickly as they should. This is when we will learn what Garoppolo is made of.
chowderchampions.com
What Garoppolo should do when everything collapses is use his biggest attribute, his legs. Use your instincts and run for the sideline, get some yards and get out of bounds. That is how he can make a name for himself because it is something that Tom Brady has never been able to do overly effectively.
In the end, I believe that Jimmy Garoppolo will be slightly upsetting for Patriots fans on Friday night. He has just never truly taken snaps in a real full-go situation against big time players. In addition, there will be a patch work offensive line in front of him trying to block one of the league’s best defensive fronts. I think that the pressure will get to him and force him to make bad decisions. I hope I am wrong, but I have a feeling that after Friday night fans won’t feel as good about the situation with Tom Brady if he does have to serve some type of suspension.
The first two pre-season games mean little to nothing. They are an opportunity to shake the tree and see what falls out that may be a surprise among the newcomers. The experienced vets play little and undrafted free agents and draft picks get their opportunity to catch the eye of the coaching staff…and most of all Head Coach Bill Belichick.
Now game three…that’s a different story!
New England vs Carolina: Finally A Game That Means Something
Friday night’s Patriots’ game at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC is important for many reasons. It will give fans their first chance to see most of the veterans in action and evaluate how things are expected to evolve when the season starts against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, September 10 at Gillette Stadium.
What to watch for Friday night:
How much playing time Patriots’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo gets with the first team unit against the Carolina Panthers first
Luke Kuechly grabs Rob Gronkowski in the famous last play non-call loss (Photo: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com
team. Although most teams don’t “game plan” for preseason match-ups and keep things pretty vanilla this will be a true test against an always strong Panther defense featuring former Boston College Eagle Luke Kuechly. Last season the Middle Line-Backer was voted to the Pro Bowl and selected to the NFL All-Pro First Team for the second consecutive season.
Although Garoppolo took a huge step forward in last weeks comeback win against the Saints, every Patriot fan in the world is hoping Tom Brady is the starting QB when the opening bell rings. That said, the Patriots have to be ready if his suspension is upheld and Belichick is the best in football having his team prepared for every contingency. Sure Tom Terrific will play in this game and may get the majority of snaps…but this will be the only chance Garoppolo has to play with the offensive unit that will start the season and against an opponent who will also be using most of their “A” units on both defense and offense.
By 4 p.m Tuesday (9/1) all clubs must cut their rosters to 75 players on the active list.
That means many of the names you see on the current team roster will be gone shortly after this game. Those on-the-bubble players will be showcasing their talents in hopes they catch the eye of another team. With limited playing time in this game they have to make every minute they are on the field count.
This will be a test of the evolving Patriots’ secondary and defense.
Malcom Butler makes the play in pre-season vs New Orleans (Keith Nordstrom Patriots.com photo)
When starters have played against starters this pre-season (a small sampling at best) the Patriots secondary has been (I’m being kind here) challenged and, with the exception of Malcom Butler, have not met that challenge very well. Both the Packers (Game #1) & Saints (Game #2) seemed to march up and down the field with ease. On the positive side, as has been the case throughout most of the Belichick years, the team seemed to suck-it-up once the opponent got inside the Pats 20 yard line. The healthy return of Dont’a Hightowerand Jerod Mayo will be critical to this years defensive unit along with the addition of Jabaal Sheardand continued development of Jamie Collins.
Gronkowski, Chandler and Wayne could see playing time
For the first time we could have a good look at Scott Chandleras he teams up with Rob Gronkowski. Add in the possible sighting of newcomer Reggie Wayneand it could make for an interesting mix despite the continued absence due to injury of Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell. The playing time for Chris Harper will also be an indication of his likelihood to stick with New England while so many WRs are still hurting.
The annual shuffle on the offensive line continues
The return of Ryan Wendell should help quiet down the jitters of rookies Tre’ Jacksonand Shaq Mason, who have both shown promise but also weaknesses that need to be worked on. With Nate Solder and Sebastion Volmer back and the continued development of second year center Bryan Stork this unit should start to jell shortly.
The Shane Vereen question
As training camp started most (myself included) experts (did I just refer to myself as an expert? Surely not!) felt the Patriots would be hard pressed to replace the 3rd down efficiency of Shane Vereen. Although his replacement has not yet been determined, a few leading candidates have stepped up and made themselves known. Last years 4th round pick, James White, has taken a gigantic leap in his second camp and is the favorite to step into the role. Keep a close eye on 24-year-old Dion Lewis who has bounced around since being a 5th round pick by Pittsburgh in the 2011 draft. He was out of football last year (leg injury) but has displayed some explosiveness, especially last week against the Saints.
Other developments will occur during the game, so enjoy this one all the way to the end. Next week the “locks” will sit while the bubble players will get most of the playing time before final cuts are made. The 1st and 4th games are usually the sloppiest and hardest to watch, so it’s nice to finally have a game that means something!
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline in the first half of Saturday’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Now that the New England Patriots are halfway through the preseason, roster cuts are rapidly approaching. Clubs have to be down to seventy-five players by September 1st. Throughout training camp practices and the two preseason games the team has played, players who were unknown have made a name for themselves.
On the other hand, some players have struggled to even get on the field and make their case for the Patriots roster. Before training camp began I projected what I thought would be the Patriots 53 man roster at the time. Now that we have more intel as to what players are making names for themselves, here is my second roster projection.
patriots.com
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo.
As the whole Tom Brady versus the National Football League court proceeding continue, it seems more and more likely that Tom Brady will do anything to avoid a suspension. Also, the league and Roger Goodell are making themselves look stupider by the second. Therefore, I believe that Tom Brady will be out there week one against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team and coaching staff are also taking that approach as well, as Brady continues to take the majority of first team reps.
Jimmy Garoppolo has been decent so far this preseason. Particularly against the Saints this past Saturday when he went 28 for 33. Ryan Lindley has yet to see any time in the preseason, which leads me to think that the coaching staff is not comfortable with his progression after two weeks. I can’t see him making the final roster, unless Brady were to be suspended.
at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 22, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Running Back: Brandon Bolden, Jonas Gray, Dion Lewis, James White.
With LeGarrette Blount suspended for the Patriots week one match up against the Steelers, the team is a bit strapped for opening night at running back. Thus far in the preseason, James White who had question marks going in has risen to the occasion and has taken hold of the third down back role. In addition, fourth year veteran free agent Dion Lewis has also sparked at times. At 5-8, 195 pounds Lewis has flashed some Danny Woodhead like ability this summer. Travaris Cadet has been fighting a hamstring injury and has barely been on the field. He may be a surprise cut at the start of September.
bostonglobe.com
Wide Receiver: Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Chris Harper, Brandon LaFell, Reggie Wayne.
Probably more than any other the position, the injury bug has hit the Patriots wide receiver group hard this summer. Brandon LaFell has yet to come off the physically unable to perform list. However, some are hinting towards a return to action very soon for LaFell. Also, Brandon Gibson is now on injured reserve with a torn ACL that he suffered in Saturday’s preseason game against the Saints.
Furthermore, Brian Tyms is more than likely heading to injured reserve after he suffered a leg injury last week. Injuries such as these open up chances for a player such as Chris Harper. He has really stuck out in the preseason games proving to be Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite target. Harper is the perfect example of an undrafted rookie taking advantage of the chances he has been given.
Reggie Wayne’s veteran leadership and savy should be a good contribution to the Patriots, no matter how productive he is on the gridiron.
patriots.com
Tight End: Scott Chandler, James Develin, Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanwanui.
No real surprises here. The tight ends that the Patriots had brought in through free agency and the draft have yet to show anything spectacular in a Patriots uniform. Fred Davis never even made it to training camp, and AJ Derby was put on injured reserve the first week of training camp. Also, Scott Chandler has been on the sidelines with an injury for the majority of camp. A player like Hoo-Man now can breathe easily because it seems as if he job is now safe. However, the team knows what they have with All-Pro Rob Gronkowski and he can easily carry the whole group.
Offensive Tackle: Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Cameron Fleming.
No real shockers here either. The Patriots should have two Pro-Bowl caliber tackles that keep Tom Brady upright with Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer. Marcus Cannon has had a tough go of it at guard, but is a serviceable reserve tackle. Cameron Fleming was good last year as the, “tight end eligible” in jumbo sets. Due to his contract, some people have speculated towards a possible end of training camp trade, much like that of Logan Mankins last year.
Guard: Ryan Wendell, Tre Jackson, Shaq Mason, Josh Kline.
There is a lot of question marks at the guard position for the Patriots heading into the regular season. Some of those questions have been addressed thus far in training camp. The two rookies that were selected in the fourth round of the draft with Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason have impressed at times. Jackson in particular has shown burst and power in his run blocker ability. Mason struggled at times taking on Saints defensive tackles last week. The Patriots hardly had any success running the ball. Josh Kline has always been a sporadic player, therefore I don’t feel comfortable putting all my chips in with him. It is safe to say, the Patriots need Ryan Wendell to come off PUP as soon as possible.
Center: Bryan Stork.
Last season, the Patriots did not carry a true back up center. During training camp this season, David Andrews has taken the majority of reps with Bryan Stork recovering from injury. Also, Josh Kline has taken reps at center on multiple occasions, and when Ryan Wendell comes back he can provide some decent relief for Stork. Andrews has been okay for an udrafted rookie. He comes from a very competitive program at Georgia, and I can see a practice squad placement for him.
The defensive end position is what many fans have expected throughout training camp. The veterans have stepped up as always, with Jabaal Sheard looking as good as advertised. In addition, the rookies in Flowers and Grissom have shown their athleticism, and Flowers in particular seems promising.
Defensive Tackle: Malcom Brown, Sealver Siliga, Dominique Easley, Antonio Johnson, Chris Jones.
One surprise thus far during training camp has been veteran Antonio Johnson. The eight-year NFL veteran has received a great amount of first team reps so far. I’m not sure if its because he is impressing the coaching staff, or if Bill Belichick is trying to make Dominique Easley prove himself. It is more than likely a mixture of both. Nevertheless, Johnson’s veteran presence and the mixture of young talent should be decent. The interior of the defensive line does need to have more production because they have not impressed so far.
Linebacker: Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Dane Fletcher, Jonathan Freeny.
Again no surprises here. When fully healthy, the Patriots should have one of the best linebacking corps in the National Football League. Jamie Collins flashed in week one of the preseason, but was very sub par in week two having one of the worst games he has ever played. Jonathan Freeny’s veteran leadership has been a good addition, and he has shown the ability to be a signal caller on the defensive side of the ball.
By far, cornerback had the most question marks out of any position heading into training camp. Now that we are halfway through camp, the only question that has been answered is whether or not Malcolm Butler is legit, and as we have found out it seems as though he is. Also, Tarell Brown has taken hold of the number two cornerback position, and Logan Ryan has been as advertised, terrible. Even with all the chances to be a starter, Ryan still can’t impress. He is too slow for nickel back and can’t cover big outside receivers.
Safety: Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Patrick Chung, Jordan Richards, Nate Ebner.
As all Patriots fans found out on Saturday Devin McCourty needs to be playing safety, not corner. Not only can they not have him at corner, that can’t survive without him in the back end. Duron Harmon and other safeties would be lost without him. Jordan Richards has been a nice bright spot so far this summer. He has flashed in practices proving the doubters wrong the questioned Bill Belichick’s decision to draft him. His emergence will eventually lead to Tavon Wilson being shown the door.
Special Teams: Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater.
The four full-time special teams players for the Patriots are these four that I have just named. With the exception of Cardona who is a rookie, all the players are among the best in the league at what they do. All three have recently received brand new contracts, and they are well deserved. They are the key reasons why the Patriots should be in the tops of the league in special teams.
We’ve now reached the halfway point in the pre-season (1-1) after the Patriots defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-24 Saturday night behind Jimmy Garoppolo…and few of the Patriots questions have been answered. Let’s take a quick look at where the team stands as regular season quickly (yes, I’m smiling) approaches.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo leads Pats to comeback 26-24 win vs The Saint (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/Patriots.Com)
Patriot fans need to take a step away from the immediacy of the team need (re: Brady possible suspension) and realize this is just his second year in the NFL. Very few QBs are instant successes and the growing pains can be frustrating for both the player and the rabid team followers.
“Last week the pressure got to me a little bit, and it’s never good to get sacked or hit that many times,”
Defensive Secondary
The only things that seem certain at this stage are:
All the worry when the Patriots lost Revis Island, Kyle Arrington and Brandon Browner was justified
Malcolm Butler still seems like the real thing. His limited play in the pre-season games is an indication Head Coach Bill Belichick has seen enough of him in practice to feel confident in him and needs to look at others in game situations. How things have changed for Butler since “the play”, going from a question mark that others gave up on to the Patriots best corner!
CB Tarell Brown made his Patriots debut after missing the first preseason game against Green Bay with mixed results
Devin McCourty, an above average safety, is a below average CB. He has acknowledged he isn’t comfortable at his old position.
Commenting on his play Saturday night in New Orleans he was honest (tsk, tsk, a Patriot player actually saying something) when he said “It didn’t feel great and I don’t think it looked great.” He also acknowledged he doesn’t have much say in where he plays “You can’t control where you play. Everyone’s playing a position for the team, and overall, what’s best for the team. I don’t think what you think or feel matters.”
Devin McCourty breaks up a pass intended for Brandon Coleman in the first half of Pats win (Bill Feig-AP)
Offensive Line
Like last season at this time, the offensive line is still a work in progress. The return of Sebastion Volmer and Nate Solder to game shape will give rookies Shaq Mason and Tre’ Jackson a chance to breathe as they adapt to the speed of the NFL. Neither Mason nor Jackson has yet made that step-up expected of them, but give them time as both show promise and are still learning the game at a whole new level. The hope is that the unit jells as the season progresses, as they did in 2014.
Saturday night rookie free agent David Andrews made his second straight start at center
Receiving Depth
Chris Harper against the Saints (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/Patriots.com)
With wide receivers dropping like flies my early optimism for this year is quickly getting clouded with question marks. Brandon LaFell still hasn’t played a down, Brian Tyms may be out for the season with a foot injury, Aaron Dobson’s return to health was an illusion, Josh Boyce continues to shine in practice and disappear at game time. Key players (Julian Edelman-injury/Rob Gronkowski/Scott Chandler-injury) continue to watch from the sidelines, so it is hard to have a true evaluation of just how strong/weak the Pats are, but rookie Chris Harper has taken the ball and run with it in their absence. Seven year veteran Brandon Gibsonhas looked good, but also was injured late in the game.
There’s more, but that’s enough for now to keep fans thinking. No panic, but concern, is in the air. Just keep thinking, Bill Belichick is the best Head Coach in the NFL and he finds ways to win. That’s a fact that can’t be denied.
Deflategate is a sham. Roger Goodell and the NFL took an equipment violation and turned it into the crime of the century. It’s all part of an effort to buy back trust and confidence from league owners after a tumultuous 2014.
The previous paragraph accurately sums up how the New England fan base feels about the debacle known as deflategate. It’s a bit one sided but not all together the worst summary of 2015’s biggest non story. The NFL and more than likely the other 44 states, look at this organizational massacre as one brand’s comeuppance for seemingly always skirting the rules.
Last week ESPN,which has hardly been in the New England Patriots corner during this mess, polled more than 100 NFL players asking them a variety of questions concerning their take on deflategate. While every fan and media member from around the globe has had their chance to jump on their proverbial soap boxes we have only heard from a select few actual colleagues of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The 13 question survey begins by asking if the player believed the accusations that the Patriots knowingly deflated footballs; 72% said yes and 28% said no. Given the Patriot’s history, this comes as no real shock. Where it gets interesting is when the players are asked if they are upset with the Patriots over the alleged deflation of footballs; 84% said no and only 16% said yes. Take a moment to let that resonate, 84% of their peers look at this alleged reaction as
“no biggie“.
The majority of people the Patriots play week in and week out aren’t upset with this supposed travesty of justice.
Questions three and four run a bit closer to a split decision but, none the less, still fall in the Patriots favor. Question three point blank asks if the Patriots are cheaters; 58% said no and 48 percent said yes. Question four asked if the outcome of the game could be impacted by deflated footballs; 52% said no and 48% said yes.
When asked how many games Tom Brady should have been suspended for, the most common answer was 1.5, more than four games was 3%, four games was 19 % and fewer than four was a resounding 78%.
Questions six and seven were once again far apart in results but both in Tom Brady and the Patriot’s favor. Question six asked if the Patriots would still make the postseason without Brady (85% yes, 15% no.) Question seven asked if Spygate still stuck in their craw (80% no, 20% yes.)
Possibly the most indicative of the league’s biggest problems, from a player’s point of view, is Roger Goodell handling player discipline. 88% of players feel Roger should not decide discipline, with only 12% okay with his current role.
What should come as no surprise, to anyone who has ever competed athletically, are the questions and results garnered from inquiries nine through thirteen. When asked if other teams illegally tamper with the footballs, 68% said yes and 32% said no. Mind you, these are actual, current NFL players indicating that most teams tamper with the footballs. When asked about the most common form of on field cheating, 55% of those polled said holding was the most egregious faux pas. The most outlandish form of cheating witnessed were cheap shots and deliberate injuries at 52% It’s safe to say Bountygate would register as a bigger offense to those polled when compared to under inflated footballs.
Question twelve asked the percentage of players they think actually cheat on field which came up at 30%. The final question asked the player if they thought their teammates had cheated; 71% said no, whereas 29% said yes.
Overall it seems that although not every athlete cheats, in the NFL skirting the rules and gaining a competitive advantage is not something that angers many players. Does this ESPN survey prove the Patriots are cheaters or that deflategate is overblown hyperbole? No, it just proves that for some “if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.”
Not that those presenting their case for the NFL seem to care, but Judge Richard M. Berman obviously still doesn’t buy into their case against Tom Brady. He has done everything but hit them over the head with a baseball bat and they have continued to stick to the “We did it because we can” defense…and I have to admit, either they are very smart (confident) or really dumb (over-confident.)
Why does the NFL stick to their story?
In my humble opinion it’s simple, the Supreme Court is very strict in their interpretation of what powers a Judge has in cases involving arbitration and has been known to overturn a Judge’s decision. Using the MLBA vs Steve Garvey ruling as a possible basis, the NFL feels if Judge Berman rules in favor of the NFLPA (Tom Brady) the Supreme Court will overturn his decision. And guess what? They may be (gulp) right. Many of the points the Supreme Court listed in their finding in that case are, for Patriot fans, a little scary.
You can read the entire opinion by clicking on the green highlighted section above, but it is long and written in legalize with a ton of footnotes. To save you that problem here are some points that may give the NFL lawyers hope, and should worry Patriots’ fans no matter what the Judge rules.
Steve Garvey, another “nice guy,” spent a lot of time in court. He lost when the Supreme Court over-turned the Judge’s decision
SUPREME COURT HIGHPOINTS IN MLBA VS STEVE GARVEY
The court voted 8-1, in an unsigned opinion, that courts have only limited power to review the decision of arbitrators
…established law ordinarily precludes a court from resolving the merits of the parties’ dispute on the basis of its own factual determinations, no matter how erroneous the arbitrator’s decision
The Court of Appeals usurped the arbitrator’s role by resolving the dispute
No serious error on the arbitrator’s part is apparent in this case. The fact that an earlier panel of arbitrators rejected the owners’ testimony as a whole does not compel the conclusion that the panel found Smith’s specific statements with respect to Garvey to be false
The arbitrator’s analysis may have been unpersuasive to the Court of Appeals, but his decision hardly qualifies as serious error, let alone irrational or inexplicable error.
So, now that you know where the NFL is coming from, can Judge Berman issue a ruling that won’t be overturned if he rules in favor of the NFLPA (Tom Brady)? And the answer is…(drum roll please)…no one knows for sure. Yup, no matter how much you read about the Judge bashing the NFL now, he is a very smart man and does not want his credentials challenged and his ruling overturned by the Supreme Court.
JUDGE BERMAN MAY HAVE “THE SMOKING GUN”
Judge Richard M. Berman enters the courtroom- (photo Don Emmert/AFP/ Getty Images)
While everything above explains why the NFL is so confident, Judge Berman should have them concerned with some of his points from Wednesday’s hearing. How about this for starters:
Judge Berman questioned why NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash wasn’t available to NFLPA lawyers during the suspension’s appeal. Berman went on to point out that there was precedent for a penalty to be rejected on such grounds.
Could that be the “smoking gun” everyone has waited for? Most expected the NFL to have more evidence and produce their “smoking gun,” but instead they may have shot themselves with their arrogance in this case. Maybe, just maybe, Judge Berman has found the link to not getting his decision overturned.
A few other points that Judge Berman had trouble with, and there were many:
“How are deflating footballs and not cooperating with the commissioner legally comparable to steroid use and a masking agent?”
In other words, he still doesn’t buy into the NFL case. He has set up another hearing, this time to include Commissioner (King) Goodell and Brady, for August 31 and dropped the bombshell that he isn’t certain he will have the decision written by the original September 4 target date.
Let’s be honest, it’s a long way from over. The question I haven’t seen answered is, can Judge Berman issue a “stay” on Brady’s suspension if he doesn’t reach a decision in time for the regular season?
As I have often stated in the past, I am not an attorney, so my assessment of the information is strictly as a layman and my opinions only. The items in quotes are directly from legal documents which help lead my to my conclusions. Oh, by the way, I’m also a lifelong Patriot fan and acknowledge that upfront…so please hold on the hate mail. Thanks
As you have most likely heard by now, ESPN issued an apology to the Patriots in the middle of the night. Nice attempt at sincerity, but no dice.
If you are like myself, I barely watch or listen to anything from ESPN. Being on social media, I have a great amount of respect for Mike Reiss and his coverage of the Patriots organization, however it stops there. To call ESPN the TMZ of sports would be an understatement, and an insult to TMZ.
Now here’s where I draw the line, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, as long as it’s based in fact, with no facts to back up an opinion it’s only biased lip service. I also understand that many sports media personalities either played or have ties to other NFL franchises other than the Patriots. However that does not excuse putting out false reports that are later proven false and not corrected right away (hello Chris Mortensen). Do you hear me ESPN?
NOW YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO DO IT AGAIN?
So ESPN puts out the rumor that was reported (and disproven both in 2008) that the Patriots filmed the Rams walk through prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. They did this not once but twice in the last week. Then issued a 17 second apology in the middle of the night. Very touching, pardon me while I reach for a tissue. (Not really)
Problem is is that media is driven by hits or responses, create a stir if you will. The personalities having other allegiances will always dispise the success of the Patriots, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the team (no other team has a winning record against these 2) because it’s easier to call them cheaters and constantly put out false information intentionally, than admit that no matter how good they think their team/teams are… the Patriots are just that much better.
That’s my rant for the day… and yeah, #DefendTheWall #ExonerateBrady and by all means #BoycottESPN
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