Edelman…. not sure you’re a kickoff return guy. Love ya as a punt returner though.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/edelman-not-sure-youre-a-kickoff-return-guy/
nfl
Taylor Price, another standout. Andy Hart called this one. Wow. Brandon Tate better start bringing his A game.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/taylor-price-another-standout-andy-hart-called/
I think Matt Light just realized this is his last season in NE.
Thanks for the memories Matty, you’ll be missed when your gone, but wow…. Solder + Vollmer + Gronk = LOOK OUT!
https://www.patspropaganda.com/i-think-matt-light-just-realized-this-is-his-last/
Dueling Breer-Gasper “Patriots/Belichick All In!” Articles
In case you were wondering Bill Belichick is finally going to stop messing around and actually try to win a Super Bowl this year. At least that’s what Chris Gasper and Albert Breer are saying.
Of course either of these articles could’ve been written in 2004 or 2007. Just scratch out “Haynesworth” for “Dillon” and “Ochocinco” for “Moss”. These are just the kind of paint-by-numbers articles that annoy the sleeves off me.
Things like:
This could be the Patriots’ last shot to win with this current core group, and Belichick knows it. It’s a smart play. (Gasper)
Current core group? You mean Koppen, Light, Welker and Branch? Okay, that’s a core I guess, even though Light will only leave if they think Solder is ready, and they have plenty of cap room to re-sign Welker, Branch and Koppen if they want to. So wait, what is Gasper talking about? The real core on this team is about to be the young defense that is loaded with talent. The old core was gone in 2009.
The acquisitions of Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco represent more than a potential low-risk/high-reward investments for New England. They also signal that a) Belichick now feels comfortable with his team’s rocky recovery from losing the championship leadership of players like Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison and Richard Seymour, and b) he believes this new group of Patriots is ready to make a run at a championship. For the Patriots, it’s time. (Breer)
Last year’s 14-2 team was not ready to make a run at a championship? Okay. Granted they had a bad playoff team, but come on, they beat every team that played in the conference championship games* (no Aaron Rodgers I know but still).
And it’s not the locker room that needs to handle Chad and Albert. BB has already made it abundantly clear: fall in line or I’ll cut your ass no matter who you are. You don’t need a strong locker room to remind people of that. All you need is a cut off hoodie.
Part of the reason I write this blog are articles with perspectives like this. When will people understand that BB is “all in” every year, even if he doesn’t go out and sign a bunch of name free agents?
It’s the same thing every year. Sign Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss and Wes Welker and he wants to win a Super Bowl. Only sign Alge Crumpler and Gerard Warren and he’s throwing in the towel on that season.
Acquiring Haynesworth and Ochocinco is nothing outside of the norm. They are low risk, high reward players who may or may not pan out. They also both filled huge needs. I don’t care what year it is or what the locker room chemistry is like, if BB sees a potential steal who can fill a need he’ll give them a shot.
We all remember the the ones who worked out, but there have been plenty who haven’t. Jonthan Sullivan, John Lynch, Fred Taylor just to name a few. Just because this year’s guys come with some past attitude issues doesn’t suddenly make this year any more special than last year.
The Patriots are set up to win for a long time. Every off-season they do what they think is best for the team to improve, and as much as every lazy writer out there wants to take the angle of “trying to get Tom Brady one last ring”, the truth is that the Patriots are thinking about getting rings no matter who is at quarterback.
One crazy rich man, two pretty rich (and fat) men.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/one-crazy-rich-man-two-pretty-rich-and-fat-men/
Top 5 Patriots things to watch vs. Jaguars
And just like that Patriots football is back tomorrow. Of course the Boston media will enjoy overanalyzing every play of the preseason as if it’s some sort of predictor of how things will shake out in the regular season. Anyone who remembers the 0-4 2008 preseason knows how that goes. No one in a million years would’ve thought we’d win 11 games with Matt Cassel after that preseason.
For a game plan specific team like the Pats you really can’t read too much of anything into preseason performance. I’d call the schemes and plays the Pats will run “vanilla” but I like vanilla ice cream too much. The Pats aren’t going to tip their hand to anything they plan to do in the regular season, but they will want to be strong in their fundamentals and base plays.
So here’s what I’ll be watching tomorrow night.
1. Defensive Scheme: you can bet this is one area that will be beaten to death after this game. While the Pats will try to keep as much of their planned defensive tweaks close to the vest they will need players to get experience running a new front. I expect to see some of this 4-3 front we’ve been hearing about, but I also expect it to be as basic as they can make it. This is probably good for us as it will be a bare bones view of what changes are coming. We should also see a lot of basic nickel and dime packages running simple man and zone coverages. Players who are exposed when things are this straight forward can hardly be counted on when complicated game plans are installed.
2. Rookies:As expected it’s been a rough training camp for rookies. Both Ras-I Dowling and Shane Vereen haven’t been seen on the field since their first and second practices respectively. But there are a handful of rookies left that I am excited to see in game conditions. They are:
- Stevan Ridley: Ridley has been one of the most consistent Pats at practice, hasn’t missed any time, and has impressed with his receiving skills. He should get a lot of carries.
- Lee Smith: Smith has also been a bright spot of camp so far. It’s hard to say definitively if he made Alge Crumpler expendable, but Smith has shown better than expected receiving skills, and as-advertised blocking skills.
- Nate Solder: I think they’re going to throw Solder right in the fire to see how he does. Can’t wait to see how the big fella looks out there.
- Ryan Mallett: Mallett has a ways to go, but I’m most interested to see his rifle arm in live NFL action. Expect him to rocket a short pass or two that drill his intended receivers in the chest.
3. Development of 2nd/3rd year players: The key to the Patriots Super Bowl hopes will depend largely on the development of many 2nd and 3rd year players. The guys I’ll have my eyes on the most:
- Butler vs. Wilhite: In nearly every 53-man roster prediction it comes down to one or the other. Based on what I saw last year I lean Wilhite though Butler still has a lot of fans for his high ceiling. It will be interested to see how they’re being used.
- Patrick Chung: As anyone who reads this blog knows I loves me some Patchung!. After a full year as a starter I expect to see even more out of Chung this year, hopefully he’ll emerge as a real leader of the secondary.
- Brandon Tate vs. Taylor Price: I think Tate’s spot is safe for what he brings on kickoff returns but it sounds like Price has had a great camp. If the Pats like someone else as a kickoff returner and Price outperforms Tate as a WR could it make Tate expendable?
4. Brady/Ochocinco Chemistry: It’s still early and I’d prefer to keep how they truly plan to use Chad a secret like they did with Moss in 2007 (thanks to a hamstring tweak for Moss), but it will be interesting to see how this relationship is developing. I’ll tell you what, one dropped easy catch and the Boston media will be all over Chad like white on rice.
5. Gostkowski: You can’t understate the effect that losing Gostkowski’s kick off distance had on field position last year. It sounds like he’s completely healthy, but seeing a booming kickoff that goes deep into the end zone would be a nice reassurance that The Ghost is back.
Players I’m disappointed we probably won’t see:
- Brandon Deaderick – picking up where he left off last year, and that’s not a good thing. Needs to get back asap if he wants to keep his job.
- Albert Haynesworth – not too worried about him… yet. I’m just excited to see him and Wilfork dominating together. Patience…
- Ron Brace – Could be in real danger of getting cut if he doesn’t get out there soon.
- Ras-I Dowling – Still don’t know how the Pats plan to use him.
- Josh Barrett – Pats were using him as a Safety/Linebacker hybrid.