Our round table continues…
What does your opening day offensive line look like?
Pete Smith: Solder – Kline – Stork – Cooper – Vollmer
Rick Starke: Solder, Mason, Andrews, Stork, Vollmer.
Niko Davos: Nate Solder, Shaq Mason, Brian Stork, Jonathan Cooper, and Sebastian Vollmer.
Jamie Conway : I’ll go Solder-Kline-Andrews-Mason-Vollmer. Really just the fact that Scar’s back and hopefully that rotation garbage is vanquished should improve any line.
Adam Magnacca: I think opening day line is Solder-Cooper-Stork-Shaq-Vollmer
Which running back gets the most touches week one?
Pete Smith: LeGarette Blount. The Patriots need to ease Dion Lewis back into the game plan.
Rick Starke: Whichever running back not named Brandon Bolden is on the least fantasy rosters.
Niko Davos: Lewis will probably be brought back slowly, I’ll go with LeGarrette Blount. I think McDaniels will try to establish the run against a stiff Cardinals’ pass defense, putting the young gunslinger in the best situations to succeed.
Jamie Conway: Will do a longer piece about this the week of the game, but this RB positional group will be more match-up oriented than any other on the roster. I’d say whoever our big back will be used up the middle and off tackle (hi, Chandler) against the Cardinals, just to keep them honest. 9-10 touches – Blount.
Adam Magnacca: In an ideal world, Dion Lewis gets the most touches for a back. However, they might be gentle with him coming off of injury and I’m fine with that.
What team in the AFC scares you the most?
Pete Smith: Kansas City. While it may seem like a distant memory now, this is the team that dismantled us in week 4 of 2014. Granted this loss also gave us the greatest montage intro content ever (thanks Trent Dilfer!), but it should serve as a reminder that the Patriots, especially on the road, are still capable of losing big on occasion.
Rick Starke: The New England Patriots IR squad. Maybe Pittsburgh.
Niko Davos: Has to be Pittsburgh. That offense is silly talented. Luckily the defense is a sieve and Brady consistently shreds them.
Jamie Conway: It’s only a half-team really, but Denver’s D.
Adam Magnacca: In the AFC I’m the most afraid of the Bengals. Their Defense is no joke with a formidable pass defense and Andy Dalton has only gotten better. Let’s not forget the Bengals were competitive in the post season with AJ McCarron at the helm.
Favorite Non-Super Bowl Pats Win?
Pete Smith: 2014 AFC Division Game vs Baltimore. Down 14-0 then 28-14. BB’s “do your job” speech. Terrell Suggs as the perfect villain. Ineligible, eligible receiver play. Double pass. The dime to LaFell. Harmon’s clinching interception. One of the most satisfying and electric games I’ve ever watched.
Rick Starke: 2004 AFCCG vs Steelers…or divisional round that year vs the Colts. Both just thorough thrashings that really encapsulated everything about the “Patriot Way”. Let your play do the talking.
Niko Davos: The 2013 comeback from down 24-0 at half against the Broncos. Why? Can’t stand the Broncos, can’t stand Peyton Manning. That one felt good, real good.
Jamie Conway: Ravens Divisional Round ’14, cuz @#$% them.
Favorite Current Player? Favorite All-Time Player?
Pete Smith: LeGarette Blount. LeGarette Blount.
Rick Starke: For non-Brady current favorites, either Ninkovich or James Develin. All-time: Tedy Bruschi.
Niko Davos: Other than the obvious (Brady), I have to go with Big Vince Wilfork for all-time, and Dont’a Hightower for current. You’ve got to love those lunch pail blue-collar type defensive studs.
Jamie Conway: A. Edelman, he’s top 3 WR in the NFL but gets treated like a system guy. B. C’mon. I mean I like Ben Coates, but there’s only one true love.
Adam Magnacca: My favorite current player has to be Gronk. He’s just impossible not to root for and he plays like a champion while having fun. Watching him against the Broncos the last three times they’ve faced off he’s played ferociously. It feels like Brady’s clutch gene is starting to rub off.
Which loss still haunts you the most?
Pete Smith: Super Bowl XLII.
Rick Starke: After working on my first article: 2006 AFC Championship game vs the Colts. HOW did they lose that game after that start?!
Niko Davos: 18-1. And it’s not close. I’ll stop there while I still have my hair and fingernails.
Jamie Conway: ’08 Season. Would have been 19-0, for real.
Adam Magnacca: I’ll never forget “The Super Bowl That Shall Not Be Named” and I think that’s all I will say about that
Favorite Tom Brady moment of all-time?
Pete Smith & Niko Davos: 
Rick Starke: Every time he rushes for a first down/touchdown and is incredibly fired up. I don’t think I’ve seen that in a loss, ever.
Jamie Conway: SNL Sexual Harassment sketch.
Adam Magnacca: My favorite Tom Brady moment of all time might be watching him juke Brian Urlacher on a scramble. A Brady run for more than 1 yard is exciting on its own and to see him fake out an all time linebacker was A.) Hilarious B.) Awesome.
Favorite Deflategate character?
Pete Smith: Jeffrey Kessler. “Your honor is spot on.”
Rick Starke: Whoever finally ends it, hopefully with a pro-Brady conclusion.
Niko Davos: The GOAT Judge, Mr. Richard M. Berman, the one guy who didn’t see Brady through a villainous lens, and was able to make his ruling with practicality and common sense. Sounds crazy, huh? Let’s hope the rest of the gentlemen at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals take a page out of his book…
Jamie Conway: Kirk Minihane: DID YOU READ THE WELLS REPORT!!!
Adam Magnacca: I’m just so sick of Deflategate. I don’t care about the suspension, I’m fine with seeing what Jimmy can do and letting Brady stay fresh. I just hate that people are still convinced that Brady HAD to have orchestrated some evil plot to reduce the PSI by roughly 0.01. People…
Favorite piece of Patriots swag to wear on gamedays?
Pete Smith: #88 Terry Glenn Home Blue ‘90s Jersey. The 90’s Pats “Futbol” jerseys with double flying Elvis shoulders were atrocious and beautiful at the same time. In the market for an Otis Smith jersey if anyone has any leads.
Rick Starke: I actually am against wearing gameday swag with logos on it. Seems like teams I cheer for lose when I wear their logos on gameday.
Niko Davos: This exact look, every weekend: Pats’ winter hat, Blue Wilfork jersey as a scarf, Brady red…
Jamie Conway: Portnoy’s The North Remembers hoodie.
Adam Magnacca: When it’s a big game I go to my original Reebok TB12 jersey. Can’t go wrong
Best live game experience (if applicable)?
Pete Smith: 2015 Week 10 Pats @ NYG (27 – 26)
Rick Starke: My first attended Patriots game was the first ever Brady comeback…against the Chargers in the rain, down 10 with 3 minutes to go. I’ve only been to five games ever.
Niko Davos: November 22, 2012 at the Meadowlands, also known as the “Buttfumble” game. At that point in the season, the Jets fans were so livid with their team that by the second half they were high fiving the New England faithful every time the Pats punched one in. It was electric. A 35 point second quarter…will that ever be done again?
Jamie Conway: Every live game experience I’ve had was in the old stadium where you could walk down. So none.
Adam Magnacca: My favorite live Patriots game experience was seeing Peyton’s last game versus NE as a Colt. I was sitting in the 6th row (through a small miracle) and was on the side closest to James Sander’s game clinching interception. So much celebratory beer flew in the air. It. Was. Amazing.
I agree, the top teams in the AFC are the Pats, the Bengals (who made it pretty far last year without their starting QB, but they lost some key pieces during this off season), and then Kansas City. Oakland could be a surprise this season but I don’t know that they are a threat to win the AFC, just the AFC West.