Tag Archives: Tom Brady

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots Player Profiles: Will Brandon LaFell Have Another Successful Season?

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Last season, the biggest surprise on the entire Patriots roster was arguably wide receiver Brandon LaFell. The reason why he was such a pleasant surprise for Patriots fans was due to the fact that the team had struck out on so many free agent wide receivers in recent years.

Brandon, “Jojo” LaFell started his professional career with the Carolina Panthers when they drafted him in the third round out of Louisiana State. LaFell was a part of the 2008 BCS National Championship squad in Baton Rouge. In total, LaFell’s four seasons in Carolina were all very similar. In his four years, he finished with 167 receptions, for 2,385 yards, and 13 touchdowns.

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zimbio.com

He was always the number three receiver on the depth chart, playing primarily in the slot. At 6-2, 208 pounds he is not your normal slot receiver, size wise. LaFell has always talked about how he learned a lot from veteran and perennial Pro-Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith. It is never a bad thing to spend every day in the meeting room as a young player with someone who will have a spot in Canton one day.

In March of 2014, LaFell became an unrestricted free agent. A few days into free agency LaFell signed a three-year nine million dollar contract with New England. At the start of his Patriots career, LaFell had a very tough time getting on the same page with Tom Brady. He did not even have a reception until week three against Oakland.

In garbage time in a week four Monday night blowout at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, “Jojo” had six catches, for 119 yards, and an impressive touchdown where he broke free from multiple defenders. That second half really light a fire under LaFell and spring boarded him for the rest of the season.

Brandon LaFell did not have a lot of big time statistical games, outside of week eight against Chicago. In that matchup he brought in eleven receptions, for 124 yards, and a touchdown. He finished the season with 74 receptions, for 953 yards, and seven touchdowns.

LaFell’s biggest attribute to the team was his ability to shine in big moments. In a week thirteen matchup against the Green Bay Packers, LaFell had two huge touchdown receptions. One in the second quarter on a third and goal situation and one in the fourth quarter in the back corner of the end zone that brought the Patriots back into the game.

In the divisional round of the playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens Brandon LaFell had the go-ahead touchdown on a picture perfect play with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Patriots were at the Ravens twenty-five yard line on a first and ten play, when Brandon LaFell toasted Ravens cornerback Rashaan Melvin on the outside on a beautiful fade route.

fansided.com
fansided.com

Brady put the ball right in LaFell’s hands for the touchdown putting the Patriots ahead 34-31. In addition, Brandon LaFell had the first score of Super Bowl XLIX with his eleven yard touchdown catch, putting a great move on Seattle cornerback Tharold Simon.

So far in the 2015 season, Brandon LaFell has yet to participate in a practice, spending all of training camp thus far on the physically unable to perform list. He is believed to have some sort of lower leg injury that has derailed his offseason. However, he was recently seen walking without a boot, which is a promising sign.

LaFell’s injury would be more alarming if it were his first season with the team, or if he was a younger player with less pro experience. He gained the trust of Tom Brady faster than any free agent wide receiver that I can remember, (Randy Moss and Wes Welker were acquired via trade).

Once LaFell makes his return he should be able to jump right back into that second wide receiver spot behind Julian Edelman. He is not an outside threat, but he is a big body that can be very effective in the red zone. Keep an eye out for him in your fantasy drafts.

LaFell is also a great drive starter as he proved last season. In addition to his pass catching ability, LaFell is the Patriots best and most physical blocking receiver. He is not afraid to scrap with opposing defensive backs and clear lanes on outside run plays. Also, he successfully pulled off the, “pick play” a couple of times last year.

In conclusion, if Brandon LaFell can fight through nagging injuries once again, expect him to be as consistent as he was last season. Pencil him in for about sixty or seventy receptions with a high number of touchdowns.

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: Deflategate, Why would Roger Goodell Go After Tom Brady?

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Generated by IJG JPEG Library
Generated by IJG JPEG Library

From the first pages of the Wells Report, it’s clear that Tom Brady was in the NFL’s crosshairs. It took a logical stretch, but Mr. Wells was sure to hang that “more probably than not… generally aware” label on old number twelve, opening the door for Troy Vincent and Roger Goodell to slap him across the teeth with a good, hard punishment.

The suspension itself proves that Brady must be guilty, some people say. Why would Roger Goodell go after Tom Brady, maybe the most recognizable face in the NFL, a man who has done nothing but promote good sportsmanship and class for the past decade and a half? Why would he punish him so severely, unless he had no choice?

The answer is…(click to-> read more)

Story by: Sports Police

New England Patriots, NFL

NFL-New England Patriots: Will Brady Retire Before Deflategate Is Resolved?

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I have just about convinced myself that neither the NFL (Roger Goodell) or the NFLPA (Tom Brady) are willing to move enough to settle their differences. At this stage it really doesn’t help either side to settle.

  • The NFL would look stupid (gee whiz, ya’ think?), after fighting for this long, to suddenly acknowledge the flawed Wells’ report was…well, flawed!
  • The NFLPA (aka Tom Brady) would have to admit guilt if they accepted any penalty other than a fine, and Mr. Brady has stated from the beginning he “did nothing wrong.”

GUNS A BLAZIN”

Guns A Blazing (photo: genius.com)
Guns A Blazing (photo: genius.com)

Both sides came out firing and emptied their weapons Friday, leaving little doubt they are still at war. When you read their filings you get the definite impression Judge Richard Berman is not going to get what he’s looking for when they gather again in his war room…oops, courthouse. The rhetoric is strong and if you haven’t seen it, here are a few excerpts from the filings.

  • NFLPA: “At every turn, the NFL misstates the record-from the discipline that was actually imposed”… “…to the Award that was actually rendered (which ignores-not “distinguishes” – settled law of the shop and the binding Peterson decision), to undisputed arbitration evidence (even the NFL does not deny Brady’s lack of notice – the League merely tries to explain it away). “
That was just the beginning, the filing also stated:
  • “The NFL’s seismic shifts are nothing short of breathtaking, “
  • “…the “independent” (Wells’) Report has now been relegated to “thorough,” the “independent” law firm has been relegated to “experienced and highly respected professionals,” and the whole façade of “independence” has been relabeled as “irrelevant.”

I won’t bore you with a lot of the legal language of the filing, but thought this one summed up the NFLPA’s stance in a nutshell

  • (The Award) is more a smear campaign than reasoned decision-a propaganda piece written for public consumption, at a time when the NFL believed the transcript would be sealed from public view, to validate a multi-million-dollar “independent” investigation”

In other words, liar, liar, pants on fire. I don’t know about you, but where I come from those are fightin’ words pardner and, if nothing else, Commissioner Goodell has always been ready to fight, despite his losing record and no matter how much it costs.

Not to be outdone, the NFL lawyers retaliated with a bombshell of their own when they filed later that day. How’s this for headline news:

Well now, we have definitely escalated from “generally aware” to actual pay-off huh? That doesn’t sound much like settling language to me. Of course, there’s still no direct evidence of this, but so what? As the old Wendy’s commercial asked “Where’s The Beef?”

Asking the NFL to play Where's The Beef?
Asking the NFL to play “Where’s The Beef?”

HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON?

If (and they will) the losing party appeals whatever the judge’s decision is we are talking years, not months. Tom Brady has stated he wants to play for 7 or 8 more years (good luck on that Tom), but what happens if he retires before all the appeals are heard and ruled on?  Think about this:

  1. Would all this have been for nothing?
  2. Could the courts, the NFLPA, the NFL and all the football fans in the world finally relax and forget about this much-ado-about-nothing case?
  3. Will Roger Goodell continue as NFL Commissioner at a multi-million $$$ salary (sorry Pats fans, but the answer to that is yes)

Is anyone really optimistic that a settlement will happen after reading this? You have to believe even Judge Berman is doubtful. He once again grilled the NFL Wednesday yet they are sticking to their guns on four games. No room to negotiate when one side is ignoring the Judge!  A roomful of lawyers and a judge, sounds like a new TV series to me!

To read both filings, click on the green highlighted text, go to your favorite reading room (in my case the bathroom) and set aside a few hours. It took me about that long to read/re-read it all and I still don’t get all the legalize.

As I acknowledged in my ” The Judge Doesn’t Buy It” column, this was written with my own bias as a lifelong Patriots fan, so please hold off on the hate comments. Thanks.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots Player Profiles: Is Danny Amendola Set For a Career Season?

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In March of 2013, the New England Patriots acquired Danny Amendola via free agency after the departure of long-time, and extremely productive receiver Wes Welker. Patriots fans were irate with the decision, seeing how Welker had fought through injury throughout his six-year Patriots career and hardly missed any time.

On the other hand, Amendola had missed a total of twenty-two games in four seasons with the St. Louis Rams for various injuries, including a serious collar bone injury that could have taken his life. Amendola entered Foxborough the same way he entered Texas Tech, taking over for a record breaking Wes Welker at slot receiver.

Amendola’s first year and a half in Foxborough was tough and frustrating for himself and the fans. Not only did he struggle to stay healthy, which was his biggest question mark heading in, he also could not get on the same page as Tom Brady. He was the polar opposite of Wes Welker at the beginning.

Amendola’s career really jump started in week seven of last season against the New York Jets on a rainy Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. The score was 20-19 in the fourth quarter, and the Patriots were hanging on to the lead by the skin of their teeth. On a third and nineteen play, Tom Brady rolled out of the pocket to his left side and looked as if he was just firing the ball into the back of the end zone, when out of nowhere Amendola snagged the ball out of the air while getting hit by Jets safety Antonio Allen, for a touchdown. The Patriots prevailed in the end with a 27-25 victory.

musketfire.com
musketfire.com

That single play helped carry Amendola throughout the season, and particularly into the postseason. In three playoff games Amendola finished with eleven receptions, for 137 yards, and three touchdowns. The divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens is where Amendola contributed the most.

In the fourth quarter the Patriots faced a huge third down play while trailing 31-28. Brady fired a quick out-route to Amendola, and he then shook off Baltimore defenders to dive over the first-down marker, setting up a fresh set of downs. The Patriots would later score on a touchdown reception from Brandon LaFell, which gave the team the lead 35-31, the score they would win by.

 Of course Amendola’s most notable moments came in the end zone. His second touchdown of the Baltimore game from Julian Edelman which tied the game up at twenty-eight.His second touchdown of the Baltimore game from Julian Edelman which tied the game up at twenty-eight. Then about three weeks later, Amendola helped bring the Patriots back into Super Bowl XLIX, finding the end zone to narrow the Seattle lead to 24-21 in the fourth quarter.

bostonglobe.com
bostonglobe.com

Going into the 2015 season, Amendola looked set to be the number three receiver on the Patriots roster. However, with Brandon LaFell still on the physically unable to perform list, and Julian Edelman fighting injuries, Amendola has received more first team reps and targets from Tom Brady than any other Patriots wide receiver.

This increased amount of reps and comfort with the starting quarterback could very well lead to Danny Amendola’s first full season where he is a productive player on the Patriots roster. He brings a lot to the table. He has the ability to play in the slot, and also at times catch the ball outside of the numbers. In addition, his most underrated trait is his ability to run block. Last season, Josh McDaniels called a lot of sweep plays to the outside where Amendola would come down and stalk block on a defensive back.

Furthermore, Amendola was without a doubt the Patriots best kick returner in 2014. He came onto the scene in week twelve against Detroit where he had two very solid returns that helped jump start the Patriots offense.

In conclusion, now that Danny Amendola is a, “made-man” in the Patriots offense, he can now be apart of a plethora of targets that should be one of the league’s best offenses. With the contributions of All-Pro Rob Gronkowski, and the reliable Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, and now you can throw in Amendola who could bring in about sixty receptions, the Patriots offense should be lethal.

NFL

Patriots vs. Packers – Second Quarter Review

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Let’s just hope Jonas Gray sets his alarm clock on Monday.  The guy who single handily murdered the Colts scampered for a fifty-five yard run down the sidelines to put the Patriots up 8-3.   Gray ran in the ensuing two point conversion. The second string Green Bay offense struggled and wasn’t able to produce more than a first down or two, handing the ball back over to the Patriots.   With Jimmy G at the helm, the Patriot’s drive stalled deep in their own territory with a breakdown on the offensive line allowing a sack on Jimmy G.  The Packers dinked and dunked downfield setting up a third and eight just over midfield.  Green Bay seems to have left their punter at the airport and made Logan Ryan look like Meg Ryan, getting beat on the go route for a Green Bay touchdown.  Green Bay missed the two point conversion, taking a 9-8 lead.  Jimmy G hit James White on a nice little screen pass, but almost coughed the ball up with a poorly under-thrown pass.  This forced the Patriots to punt, pinning the Packers at their twenty.  The Packers seemed to continue treating this like a Madden game going for it yet again on fourth down, this time failing to convert.  This put the Patriots in decent field position at the tail end of the first half, setting up perfectly for the two-minute offense.  Jimmy G under-threw Boyce for the third time, barely avoiding an interception, causing the Patriots to settle for a 56 yard field goal attempt.   Gostkowski smashed the field goal through the uprights, giving the Patriots an 11-9 lead at the half.

NFL

Patriots vs. Packers – First Quarter Review

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The opening quarter of the preseason is always is filled with anticipation after being away from the game for over six months.  Tom Brady and the New England Patriots took the field at Gillette Stadium about an hour ago to take on the Aaron Rodgers lead Green Bay Packers.  The first quarter opened with Chandler Jones putting pressure on Aaron Rodgers and forcing the Packers to a third and long.  An offside penalty negated a three and out allowing Rodgers to lead the Packers down the field.  Rodgers being the best in the game with the back shoulder fade hit a few clutch passes bringing the Packers into the red zone.  A great fourth down stop deep in Patriots territory led to a turnover on downs handing the ball over to the Patriots.  Brady led the offense onto the field with second and third string offensive linemen and skill players against the Packers defense with about nine minutes to go in the quarter.  The Patriots were three and out bringing the Packers offense back out onto the field in decent field position.  Green Bay came back onto the field and decided to go for it on fourth and short and was stuffed deep in their own territory.  In a surprising move, Brady came back onto the field for another drive hitting newcomer Brandon Gibson on a slant route to open the drive, but didn’t progress much from there.  The Green Bay offense policed by Rodgers came on for a third drive. Trey Flowers made a great move around the tackle to sack Rodgers but Green Bay converted on fourth down extending the drive.  Randall Cobb then made a great grab on a slant route bringing the Pack deep into Patriots territory.  The first quarter wound down with the Packers settling for a field goal due to great New England defense in the red zone.

New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Judge Berman Doesn’t Buy It

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Let me start by saying I was (gulp) wrong. Now if only NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would just say the same thing and Tom Brady would apologize for not being “cooperative” we could all start talking about football instead of the legal garbage. Unfortunately, that’s too simplistic at this stage.

In my recent article on “Deflategate”, published before Wednesday’s conference between Judge Richard Berman, the NFL legal team and Tom Brady’s attorneys I mistakenly said this isn’t about whether Brady knew about the deflation of the NFL’s balls.  

The inaccurate Chris Mortenson NFL
The inaccurate Chris Mortenson NFL “leak” that drove football fans to a frenzy

Judge Berman, to the NFL’s chagrin, quickly dispelled that notion when he grilled NFL Attorney Daniel Nash about the proof of Tom Brady’s involvement in a conspiracy. And, (use your Gomer Pyle voice please) “sur-prise, sur-prise” …the Judge doesn’t understand how the NFL made their case in “Deflategate.” Here’s what he asked Nash:

“What is (the) evidence of scheme or conspiracy that covers the January 18 game? I’m having trouble with that.”

The NFL’s “So What” Defense

Yup, he went down that road despite everyone’s understanding that the legal issue was whether due process was given properly. And guess what the NFL Legal Team’s answer to just about every question was? You got it, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed off on by the players, including Mr. Brady, states the Commissioner can make the decision based upon his judgement…in other words the nah, nah, it doesn’t matter whether he is proven guilty or not defense.

I acknowledge I may have (OK, did) made the NFL look guilty of any real conspiracy by highlighting the most explosive part of the hearings. Judge Berman did state he still hadn’t made any decision on the case, so not to read too much into the questions he asked…but c’mon. “I’m having trouble with that“ sure sounds like he isn’t buying into why this has arrived in his court.

The judge questioned both sides and asked most of the questions fans, both pro and con Brady, have asked for going on seven months now.

  • Is there a solid link between Brady and any “direct evidence” connecting Tom Brady to the balls being tampered with?
  • Is there an e-mail tie between John Jastremski, the equipment assistant, and Jim McNally, the officials’ locker room attendant on that infamous day.

Dash’s reply, “no,” but (to paraphrase the rest) there’s enough circumstantial evidence to link Brady. Also see the “So What” defense above. At the meeting Brady’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, acknowledged that the Patriots’ QB wasn’t completely innocent in the Deflategate fiasco by not fully cooperating with the investigation on the advice of his agent Don Yee. That seemed like a first step in the right direction.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Now that we have the sensational headline out-of-the-way, the question becomes what went on behind closed doors? No matter what you see, hear or read…don’t believe it until a final agreement is reached or (oh no) it goes to court. Everyone (except me, of course) has highly informed secret sources who can’t be revealed because of privacy agreements (you know, freedom of the press) and “leaks” will occur…but until it comes from the horse’s mouth (sorry Judge Berman, didn’t mean to call you a horse) don’t buy into anything!

The parties continued to meet in private until after 7PM Wednesday. That’s a long time to not do anything, provided nothing was accomplished. Now it’s my turn to speculate that, if the NFL insists on Brady accepting the accuracy of the Wells report (as rumored) this case has a long, long way to go.  If however the NFL is willing to exclude that caveat there is some wiggle room.

The problem remains that no matter how many people poke holes in the report the NFL adamantly refuses to budge. Why, oh why, would Tom Brady now say he’d accept the report and acknowledge he lied under oath and set himself up for even more ridicule? It’s not going to happen…in my humble opinion.

SO WHAT NOW

Although both Brady and Goodell were present, they both let their legal counsel do all the talking after introducing themselves to the court. What happens next is up to the NFL (Goodell) and NFLPA (Brady) while Judge Berman awaits for the next get together, scheduled for August 19. He has flatly told them that they must have meaningful settlement discussions and wants them to make progress between now and that conference. Will that occur? Both sides will have to make some major concessions if a settlement is arrived at…and dammit, that’s highly unlikely.

Who Me? (Photo from youtube.com)
Who Me? (Photo from youtube.com)

All the opinions in this article are mine and have been influenced by my skewed look at things through the eyes of a lifelong Patriot fan. I admit it, so please, hold back on the hate comments.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, NFL

Peyton Manning Speaks About Tom Brady

451858997-quarterback-peyton-manning-of-the-denver-gettyimages

Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. The two have been linked for seemingly their entire careers. Not only are they the two best quarterbacks of their generation, they’re likely the two best of all time (sorry Joe Montana). It’s been a fun debate. How often do you have the two best at their position playing at the same time? They’re the same age (Manning is 39, Brady 38), and they meet just about every season. The only other time it’s happened in sports is in the NBA, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson battled it out for an NBA championship every year.

Everybody debates which quarterback is better, it’s an American pastime. Add Tom Brady to those who are a part o the debate. When Brady and the NFLPA filed suit against the NFL for their ruling in deflategate, some of the documents filed were some of Brady’s personal emails. One of the emails leaked was between Brady and a personal friend during the week of the Patriot’s matchup with the Broncos. They were discussing the same thing every football fan loves to debate, Brady vs. Manning. Tom said the difference is going to be that, “[Brady’s] got another 7 or 8 years. [Manning] has 2. That’s the final chapter.”

Yesterday Peyton Manning spoke about it for the first time at Broncos training camp. Manning said, “Hey, Tom sent me an apology text that was unnecessary. The fact his emails got revealed, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.” Manning went on to say, “No harm, no foul, I didn’t think a lot of it. Somebody said I was roasted, I’ve been roasted before and that is not roasted. I haven’t been on a Comedy Central roast, but I’ve been to a couple private dinners and banquets where I didn’t know it was going to turn into a roast of me, but it did. I can promise you that email was amateur night compared to some of the things that were said about me.”

The two are nothing but respectful of each other. Both are ultra-competitive, and you can see here that includes individual competition. If someone were to go into Peyton Manning’s private emails, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to find something similar. That’s not the main takeaway from this instance. The main story is that this should never go public. That’s why people settle cases. When the NFL and NFLPA were first negotiating a settlement, Brady said while he wouldn’t accept any suspension, he would consider accepting a fine. Why would Brady accept a fine if he believed he wasn’t guilty? Isn’t accepting a fine an admittance of guilt? This is why. Paying a fine is getting rid of a headache. It’s getting rid of a long court case. It’s protecting your own privacy.

Here’s the other takeaway most Patriot haters will never admit and don’t want to hear. This is why you destroy your cell phone. What person that’s paid attention to how Roger Goodell has handled his business in recent years would trust the NFL with their private cell phone? Does it look bad that Brady destroyed it? Yes. Is it really an obstruction of evidence? Not really. Brady and his attorneys provided Ted Wells and the NFL with all of the necessary cell phone records. Can you blame him for not wanting his private cell phone to end up in the NFL’s hands? The NFL, who has manipulated the entire deflategate controversy with leaks at calculated times, in order to shape public opinion. While Tom Brady’s personal opinion of Peyton Manning, the real story is the release of personal information, and helps explain some of the actions taken by Brady in his appeal.

New England Patriots, NFL

NFL: Tom Brady and NFL Meet In Court For First Time, Judge Berman Seeks Facts

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Brady suit game, 100% on point
Brady suit game, 100% on point

After 7.5 hours, day one of the settlement talks between Tom Brady, NFL Players Association, and NFL in federal court in New York are done. And there is not any progress to a settlement, as both sides are adamant in their positions, but both sides have put out their arguments on day one.

Both Tom Brady & the NFLPA, and the NFL took blows from Judge Berman. For Brady’s side it was mainly the issue of Jim McNally tampering the balls without Brady’s consent. However, the NFL took the biggest blows of the day. Judge Berman continuously asked for direct evidence of Brady’s wrongdoing, which the NFL did not have. It also seems that Berman is “skeptical about the evidence or lack of it linked to Brady and the alleged ball deflation scheme,” according to legal analyst Michael McCann.

<> on August 12, 2015 in New York City.

This court meeting is only the start, and both sides will meet again on Aug 19 for another settlement meeting. But, if both sides do not reach a settlement, Judge Berman will have to make a decision to eliminate Brady’s suspension or uphold it by Sept. 4, a week before the season opener, where the New England Patriots face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, NFL

Things to watch for in Patriots Preseason Opener

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The Patriots start game action tomorrow in their preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers. Though it’s preseason and it isn’t very likely to see many starters playing and getting significant time, its still better than watching the Red Sox. Lets take a look at things to watch for during the Patriots preseason opener.

QUARTERBACKS

Tom Brady has been receiving all of the first team reps at quarterback before Tuesday when he was preparing for his meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell and Judge Richard Berman in an attempt to exonerate his four game suspension handed down by the league. With Brady missing yesterdays practice and being in New York today I wouldn’t expect to see Brady in the preseason opener. If Brady does not play I would expect Garoppolo play the whole first half and some of the third quarter before newly signed QB Ryan Lindley sees the field. It is important for Garoppolo to get as much playing time and experience that he can during the preseason just incase Brady ends up missing time due to his suspension. Garoppolo also knows the New England playbook with more than a year of studying under his belt, Lindley has about two days under his belt and the Patriots would likely use a lot smaller playbook focused more on the run with Lindley under center.

via boston.cbslocal.com
via boston.cbslocal.com

HEALTH

Health has been a big concern for the Patriots early in camp and it will be interesting to see who ends up playing in tomorrow’s game. The Patriots offensive line and wide receivers have been plagued the most by the injury bug with Julian Edelman, Nate Solder, Ryan Wendell, Sebastian Vollmer, Brandon Lafell and Matthew Slater among notable names that have missed time. LaGarrette Blount left last weeks practice with an apparent knee injury but suffered no structural damage to his knee and I wouldn’t expect to see Blount suit up against Green Bay. It will also be interesting to see if linebackers Jerod Mayo and Donta Hightower see playing time. Mayo was placed on injured reserve last season after a torn patellar tendon and Hightower an offseason shoulder surgery, have been active in training camp in both contact and non-contact drills but practiced and games are different and the Patriots could choose to hold the linebackers out or limit their playing time.

via patriots.com
via patriots.com

RICHARDS AND ROBERTS

Two guys who have been making a name for themselves so far in training camp have been second round pick Jordan Richards and seventh round pick Darryl Roberts. To be honest I didn’t like the pick of Richards in the second round, I thought he was a good player and was a good fit for the team but thought the team reached for Richards and could have taken him later in the draft and wasn’t even watching the draft in the seventh round when the team drafted Roberts. Throughout offseason mini camps and OTAs Roberts was making plays and getting strong recognition from coaches and media. Richards could only learn the teams playbook and couldn’t participate in OTAs due to Stanford’s late graduation. Once training camp kicked off, Richards made up for his lost time and Roberts continued to shine, both looking like they could be big contributors to the Patriots defense this season. Tomorrow will be the first NFL game action the two see, and though they likely wont be going against Aaron Rodgers or either of the Packers star receivers in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, one thing I will be looking to see is how the two perform in real game action. Last year, a player I was high on during camp and had high hopes for was Malcolm Butler and wrote about it in articles at this time last year, if these guys can contribute and play as well as Butler did his rookie year and continues to do so during camp, the Patriots again may have found a few diamonds in the rough. The only reason I’m not mentioning Butler as someone to watch is I’m not sure how much playing time the Packers receivers and Rodgers will see, I’m confident in Butler against any of the backups, the real test would be him matched up against Nelson or Cobb with Rodgers at quarterback.

via chowderandchampions.com
via chowderandchampions.com

These are things that I will be watching for when the Patriots take the field tomorrow night. It’s only the preseason but Patriots football is back and that is something we can all be happy about.