February 2011
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A Patriots fans' Super Bowl Prop Bets
As a Patriots fan it will be hard to watch the Super Bowl without throwing things at the screen, especially knowing that we beat both of these teams. Yes, the Pats throttled the Steelers in Pittsburgh and squeaked out a meaningless home win over the Matt Flynn-led Packers, but that’s really not making any of us feel any better about the “incident” a couple weeks ago.
Of course...
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“NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and Commissioner...”
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“Patriots coach Bill Belichick was a busy guy in the AFC locker room after the...”
January 2011
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Reiss: Patriots should think outside the system →
Reiss finally has the numbers up for how much the Patriots were in the 3-4 and sub packages and the numbers aren’t too surprising (Sub Package: 57%, 3-4: 40%, Goaline: 3%).
This is all well charted territory in these parts. For the second year in a row the ultimate question is will the Pats be less rigid with their 3-down player rules when drafting in the 1st/2nd round. Last year he had...
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Fascinating NYT Patriots article: How Belichick...
Not quite sure how I missed this article from a few weeks ago but it is a definite must-read. The author put together a formula to determine the average draft slot of offensive players for each Super Bowl winner and 2010 playoff teams.
The results? The three Super Bowl winning Patriots teams had three of the bottom four rankings. This year’s 2010 Patriots had by far the lowest score of the...
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Nick Saban's Belichick-influenced defensive...
I found this quote a while back on the great site SmartFootball.com. Saban was Belichick’s coordinator when he was in Cleveland so surely this philosophy is largely influenced by BB. First here’s Chris from SmartFootball’s background on Saban:
Saban has been coaching defense – and coaching it quite well – for decades. But there is no question that the defining period of his...
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Meriweather gets drilled at Pro Bowl
This video sums up how I feel this Monday morning, if I was Meriweather and Monday was Jordan Gross.
Is it even worth pointing out that it’s Darrelle Bevis’ half-assed block that got BM killed?
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Patriots Devin McCourty wraps up dominating rookie...
Remember when Devin McCourty was billed as just a great special teams player (ala Matthew Slater)? Well praise hoodie that he proved to be an every down player in the pros as well. McCourty turned in a seven interception rookie year while playing every meaningful down of Patriots football. He was durable, he made tackles, he made plays. And yes on special teams too.
On Sunday he put a nice cap on...
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America's Game 2001 New England Patriots
““New England once again took a surgical, long-range approach to the draft,...”
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“BB miked for sound at the Pro Bowl? It just went from “eh whatever”...”
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Top 5 Patriots who could be on the chopping block...
The Patriots have nine draft picks in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft and while it’s unlikely that they will take nine players there is sure to be some talented new blood at training camp this summer, including any free agent acquisitions.
What it really comes down to is replacing the “solid but not spectacular” types with guys who “could potentially develop into...
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Today in things Patriots fans can feel good...
One Patriots rookie hasn’t gotten much love at all so far this offseason but how about Zoltan Mesko? Look, I’m no punting expert but just the fact that he didn’t get cut and didn’t mess up holding any Field Goals or Extra Points (though there was one botched play clock expiration) while being 14th in the NFL in net punting bodes well for the rookie’s future.
Is...
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“SC: Bill Belichick has said that you’re one of the best players he’s...”
– Shutdown Corner interview with Rodney Harrison
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Jeff Howe: Larry Fitzgerald Available →
Now this would be an acquisition I could get behind. Fitz is 27 (6.5 years younger than Ochostinko and none of the off the field baggage) and clearly would be an explosive playmaking addition to the Pats.
The question becomes how much should the Pats be willing to give up for Fitz? I’d say the 17th pick overall is out of the question. But the 28th and Brian Hoyer I’d consider. We all...
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NEPatriotsDraft.Com: Mock Draft #3 →
In this latest mock draft NEPatriotsDraft.com has us taking Aldon Smith and BC tackle Anthony Castonzo, while waiting to grab a DE until the first pick of the second round.
In the grand scheme of drafting there are certain positions that are far closer to locks than others. Wide receivers can be hugely difficult to project, while offensive lineman tend to be a little safer.
A defensive end,...
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Sportz Assasins: 10 best teams of last decade that... →
Obviously the 2007 Patriots were number one, but the Pats also ended the season of or defeated five of the remaining nine of them.
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Don Banks Mock: JJ Watt to Patriots at 17 →
As I said a couple days ago it looks like there will be some definite 3-4 DE’s that fit the Patriots scheme that they can choose from at 17. Pencil it in, there might not be a need to trade up unless there’s a run on them early. Otherwise cheer every pick that is not a defensive lineman.
The Pats need a 3-4 defensive end, and they’ve got some good choices. Watt, Cal’s...
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A study in Patriots playoff loss hoodies
I’m definitely a superstitious person. Once I find a good game day schwag combo I try to stick to it. That’s why I was even more shocked when we lost to the Jets this year and I was in a shwag combo that had not lost all season.
Someday I wish someone (and it will probably be me) will put together a game by game record of every hoodie ever worn by BB, but today we look at the hoodies...
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My first 2011 Patriots draft binky: Cameron Jordan
So it took a little over a week for me to develop a draft crush on a rookie prospect and here he is, Cameron Jordan, DL from Cal. The things that stand out to me about Jordan that make me think he’d be a great pick is that:
3 down player, can play DE on run downs, then shift inside and rush the passer on third down.
6’ 4”, 300 with long arms and big hands.
Physical,...
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OchoJohnson to Patriots? Over Belichick's dead...
It’s a tough time of year for Patriots fans right now. Technically it’s not even the NFL offseason yet, so most Pats analysts and fans are spending their time either gearing up for free agency and the draft, or wondering if Chad “The Chad” Ochcocinco Johnson might look good in New England next year.
Let me go out on a limb and say THERE’S NO FUCKING CHANCE. The...
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““Some think he fits best at left defensive end in a four-man front. I also...”
– Steve Muench of Scouts Inc on Cameron Jordan.
Jordan is fast becoming my Patriots boo for 17th overall.
“Logan Mankins doesn’t rule out a return to the Patriots”
– Boston Herald
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Football Outsiders: White & Slater lead Patriots... →
It’s no secret that I was openly rooting for Matthew Slater to get cut last year. Everyone says he’s a great guy, but I think my problem with him were his horrendous kick returns. He was a master of running full speed, straight on into tacklers. Usually he got himself drilled and pumped up the other team in the process. Well in 2010 Slater didn’t return a single kick and now...
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RapSheet: Patriots have 12 quality starters......
Today on WEEI Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald reported that in his conversations with NFL personnel people he learned that the Patriots only have about 12 players considered to be quality starters. He later tweeted that he was surprised by this number and later confirmed it with some others down at the Senior Bowl.
So who are the Pats 12 quality starters? Our best guess:
Brady
Wilfork
Mayo
...
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Patriots Schwag Hunt: Cheap Wilfork Authentic...
Stumbled upon this website today and they have some authentic jerseys for just $45.99 which is a steal. Could’ve put up a couple different options but I think there needs to be more Wilfork jerseys out there…
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“With the second highest payroll in the league — a large chunk of that...”
– ESPN ranks Patriots as 4th overall “bang for buck” team
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Patriots History Tuesday: 1999 Patriots
We’re taking it back this year to Year 1 BBB (Before Bill Belichick). The reason that this team is an interesting one is because of all the Patriots legends that were on the team, yet they still went 8-8. This is a reminder that championship teams, and especially defenses, are forged over time. I hope that 2009 and 2010 will be building blocks toward another dynasty just like the late...
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Today in things Patriots fans can feel good...
It’s hard to know for sure if Vollmer’s future will eventually be on the left side, but regardless of where he ends up he’s a beast of a tackle that will be a great piece to build around as the OL turnover begins.
Here’s the second team all pro catching a punt in practice. Can you say athletic freak?
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Well this certainly never gets old, does it?
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Early mock drafts have Patriots looking at DE,...
It’s pretty easy to bag on mock drafts. I know because I’ll be doing it a lot over the next two months. But the true value of a mock draft is not as a predictor of what will unfold, it’s getting a general consensus from a lot of sources as to who fits at the spot your picking.
I suggest you check out NEPatriotsDraft.com as well as this mock draft database and start familiarizing...
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Championship weekend proves Patriots are building...
Super Bowl 45 is set and for the third year in a row the Patriots will not be playing in it. It’s a little easier to swallow this year when you consider we’re in the process of building something that both the Steelers and the Packers have… an elite defense.
The ultimate truth is that the Patriots have not won a Super Bowl since the last incarnation of their defense peaked in...
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Today in things Patriots fans can feel good...
Jermaine Cunningham kinda fizzled at the end of the season due to a nagging calf injury, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that a rookie OLB got significant time in a multitude of different roles in a BB defense. Expect a big jump from Cunningham in 2011, he just might be a three-down player.
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Sanchez picks his nose, wipes it on Brunell
“This year’s football team, I can put in that category, that this was a...”
– Troy Brown 