SB Nation - Terrence Wheatley

MHR Chalk Talk -- New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (Week 5, '09)

Steve Nichols — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:30:14 -0000

There are three sides to a football team, which we call the offense, the defense, and special teams. The best teams are elite on all sides of the ball. So after 25% of the regular season is complete, consider this for Denver...

Offense -

QB Orton has thrown at least one TD in every game and zero interceptions. He has a very respectable rating of 97.7 and a completion rate of 59%. And he's done this with a restrictive glove on his hand to protect an injury. The glove comes off this week.

RB Correll Buckhalter averages 7.2 yards a carry. 7.2 YPC!!! Is that a statistical fluke? 37 carries should be enough of a base to demonstrate that this amazing stat isn't based on just a few carries or big plays. (Denver's "other" RB, Knowshon Moreno, is up currently up for NFL Rookie of the Week).

Defense -

It doesn't get better than this - after four games, Denver's opponents are averaging less than a touchdown per game. That's just plain "scary good".

Denver has been playing Super Bowl-level defense so far. They've given up the fewest point in the NFL, the second-fewest total yards, the third-fewest passing yards, and the fifth-fewest rushing yards.

Special Teams -

Kicker Matt Prater was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September.

Denver has beaten the Bengals. The Bengals would be undefeated except for that loss, having also beaten the Steelers, the Packers, and the Browns. Denver also beat Dallas, a team that many considered "a real test for Denver". Dallas lost a close game against the potential Super Bowl-favorite Giants 31-33, and won the rest of their games minus the game against Denver. Denver's schedule also included two teams that are struggling (the Browns and the Raiders), but the message is clear; The Denver Broncos are back.

This week, the team will face their toughest challenge to date, the New England Patriots. My gut has been that the Patriots have the edge for this game for several reasons. First, the success that Denver has is due in large part to Denver's desire to copy the NE approach to preparing and growing a football team. Denver is doing a great job, but the genesis for the program is in NE. While Denver is proving themselves to everybody, NE is a cornerstone of football excellence and has been for the decade. But as I dug deeper, I found some tidbits that give me hope for a historic start for Denver. Let's break down the matchups and see what information comes off the chalk board.

The New England Offense

It all starts with Tom Brady, easily one of the top three QBs in the League. Brady does many things very well. First, he spreads the ball around so that opposing teams can't focus on one threat. His movement within the pocket is the best I've ever seen. With a quick step, Brady avoids hits and buys crucial extra seconds to throw the ball. Brady is accurate, and can throw deep. He is very good at reading defenses, and makes good adjustments at the line. Chicks dig him (I'm told).

The NE receivers and TEs are all very good, but three of them are freakishly good. If you know nothing about football, you've heard of Randy Moss. Randy Moss is a deep threat at WR, and deadly. He has the speed, the hands, and the quick stutter step to create distance between himself and just about any defender. Moss has been widely considered one of the best WRs in the League for several years, and with different QBs on different teams. Complementing Moss, Wes Walker specializes in routes in short- to middle-ranges. His quickness and physical play makes him enough of a legitimate threat that no defense can throw everything at stopping Moss. Moss and Welker are arguably one of the top receiving tandems in the League, and playing with one of the best QBs.

It doesn't stop there. One of my favorite TEs in the game is Ben Watson. He has 2 TDs so far this season, and is averaging 14.5 receiving yards after 12 passes. Many players are good at what they do, but Watson is a pure athletic specimen. His speed is frightening, and he has very good hands. He is too fast to be covered by a linebacker, and too physical for most defensive backs. You may recall the 2005 AFC Divisional game in Denver during which elite CB and speed demon Champ Bailey got an interception and ran the ball back nearly the length of the field, only to be hit at the last second by Ben Watson, who took a perfect angle (starting as far back plus the width of the field) with smoke and flames flying off of his patented Iron Man Jet-Boots.

But this year, NE hasn't looked great at running back. They are getting at least 100 yards a game on the ground, but only rank 17th in the run. Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Fred Taylor are all capable RBs, and only need to do enough to make the passing game a threat. In short yardage, they can cause most defenses to choose between stopping the first down or a major play, but they aren't causing a lot of concern for most teams.

The Patriots run the same offensive system as Denver. They will use a lot of 3-WR sets, and like to use two-TE sets as well. They like the edges of the field. When they bring in a FB (Laurence Maroney) he blocks - nothing more. He has no receptions this year, and only 2.9 yards per carry. Brady will throw screen passes to the edges that set up complex blocking schemes to get the receiver downfield, or he will throw to Welker and rely on Welker's solid routes and evasive skills, or he will go to Moss for the deep threat. Watson at TE is the threat always lurking in the passing game, as he can catch the quick hook or just streak up the middle and "split the safeties".

Whatever is a defense to do? That's right. They call in the Blue and the Orange.

The Denver Broncos Defense

Denver can take Welker out of the passing game with their fantastic pass rush. That rush is so effective, it really doesn't require Denver to blitz much at all. (Denver hasn't even really blitzed much this year!) The face of the Denver pass rush attack is Elvis Dumervil. Look at the following two video clips. The first shows Neo (from the film "The Matrix") dodging bullets. The second shows Elvis Dumervil avoiding a face mask with same move as Neo, and going after QB Tony Romo for the sack. Yes, the same back bending move.

NEO -

Dumervil -

(click here, then go to the 1:46 mark, and watch until 1:52)

A defense beats Tom Brady the same way that they beat Peyton Manning of the Colts; they pressure the QB. Denver is doing this better than anyone right now. This is also how the Jets managed to beat Brady.

A second benefit of the pass rush is that it keeps Watson in check. I wrote that the deadly weapon against the Broncos that the Cowboys possessed was TE Jason Witten. Denver's amazing pass rush forced Witten to stay on the line to protect Romo, and took Witten's potential mismatches out of the game. With an effective pass rush, and moving Dumervil around on the line, Watson should be kept in a blocking role.

So we see how the pass rush helps Denver in two key areas - it minimizes Brady, and it takes Watson out of the game. What else does Denver need to do?

The run game isn't a threat for Week Five. Denver's players can play their own brand of football (plugging the gaps with five lineman in a 5-2 look, allowing the LBs enough protection at the second level to stop runs).

In the passing game, Champ Bailey will match up with Moss. This is the best a defense can ask for against Moss; having the best CB in the League to match up against an elite WR is a major help. Against Welker, Denver will have CB Andre' Goodman. He already has an INT for 30 yards (it came against Oakland), and has been playing extremely well opposite Bailey. Anything that can get through either of these high quality CBs faces legendary safety Brian Dawkins and play-making strong safety Renaldo Hill. That's right, both Goodman and Hill have turned into playmakers in Denver, giving Denver a secondary for the ages. (I'll repeat, as I do each week, that there is an argument to be made that Dawkins and Bailey are the best players to have ever played at free safety and cornerback, respectively).

Unlike the last couple of years, Denver is wisely playing both safeties in deep zone coverage, which takes away deep plays and gives both safeties added time to assess and react. As readers of MHR's Xs and Os authors HoosierTeacher and TedBartlett905 know (if I may say so myself), the two best ways to help your cornerbacks to look elite is to have a good pass rush (from the front 7) and solid protection over the top (from the safeties). Denver now has both.

The Denver Offense vs The New England Defense

Denver's offense may not have Tom Brady, but they have some advantages. The offensive line features two of the best tackles in the NFL in Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris. Denver is loaded in depth at WR. Let's look at the list.

Brandon Marshall - We knew he could run over defenders, but after the game against Dallas, we learned that he has amazing cut-back skills. If he gets the ball, he's very hard to stop.
Eddie Royal - Doesn't shine as much in an offense that spreads the ball around. But his route skills, agility, speed and hands make him a deadly threat if any team dares to leave him in single coverage with no support in the deep secondary.
Brandon Stokley - Excellent hands, excellent experience, excellent route runner, and willing to take punishment to make the dangerous catches. Colts' loss, our gain.
Jabar Gaffney - Familiar with the NE system, he came to Denver already knowing how to play in the new offense. Both he and Stokely can play at #1 or #2 in the event of an injury, and the team would carry on.

Now here's my question for the average fan. You've heard of Shawn Springs at CB, but can you name any other CB on the NE roster? Terrence Wheatley was the only name that came to my mind before I looked up the roster (and no, he's not the #2 CB). In fact, when you move past Vince Wilfork at NT and Ty Warren at LDE, most of the names wouldn't be recognizable to most fans. This isn't a bad thing, since many non-Denver fans probably couldn't name many of the Denver front-seven's players. Name recognition isn't everything, but the point is that NE has had turnover on the defense, and is even currently in talks to bring back Junior Seau.

New England plays the Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4, and relies on multiple looks out of this base to confuse and adjust to opponents. They are well coached, and will improve as the season moves forward. As it is, they rate above average in each vital category (points against - 9th, yards against - 7th, pass against yards 7th, run against yards 11th).

I think Denver will do what they always do, with little change. They'll run the ball and try to establish an early running game. They'll mix in screen plays (which sometimes include the RB in the slot), and spread the field with multiple receiving threats. It will be interesting to see how much difference we might see with Orton's protective glove off.

Matchups in Terms of Rankings

(advantage in italics and bold)

Denver vs New England

Offense Defense

Points scored (avg and rank) 19.8 (19th) 17.8 (9th) Points against (avg and rank)

Yards for (avg and rank) 365 (9th) 287.5 (7th) Yards against (avg and rank)

Pass yards (avg and rank) 217 (18th) 192.2 (7th) Passed against (avg and rank)

Run yards (avg and rank) 148 (4th) 95.2 (11th) Ran against (avg and rank)

Defense Offense

Points against (avg and rank) 6.5 (1) 21.8 (14th) Points scored (avg and rank)

Yards against (avg and rank) 239.8 (2nd) 376 (8th) Yards for (avg and rank)

Passed against (avg and rank) 162.5 (3rd) 273.8 (5th) Pass yards (avg and rank)

Ran against (avg and rank) 77.2 (5th) 102.3 (17th) Run yards (avg and rank)

Keys to the Game

Denver

Go after Brady. With a good pass rush by Denver, the Patriots lose Watson in the passing game, and Brady has trouble getting the ball to his receivers without risking interceptions.
Establish the run. Both teams demonstrate better defenses than the opponent's offense in this game except in one matchup. Denver's run game is better than the NE run defense. Denver needs to exploit this in order to keep Brady off the field, and to assist Orton by keeping the defense from focusing on the pass.
Don't allow the big play. Denver likes to shut down offenses, and to plod along on offense until they see an opening to exploit. This makes for a low-scoring game, and low tempo. If NE is able to create some quick strikes, it may take Denver several possessions to score.

New England

Don't leave points on the field. Denver won't score on most possesions. A score on every or most possessions (even a FG) will be hard for Denver to catch.
Get the lead. Denver can protect a lead with the running game easier than they can play catch up. Against Dallas and Cincy, Denver had to rely on big pass plays near the end of the games to get their wins. Get the lead, and force Denver from playing their 4th ranked running game into playing their 18th ranked passing game.
Protect Brady at all costs. This is the direct inverse, but it is the number one key for both teams, so it bears repeating. In my opinion, the game comes down to whether Brady gets pressured or not.

Conclusion

Before the season, I would have called this game for NE. In fact, going into my preparation for this article, I would have given NE the edge. The more I look at the matchups, the more I see that the teams appear to be very balanced. Both teams will use two TE sets to stop the 3-4 (or Denver's 5-2, if you prefer). NE has the advantage at QB, but both teams have fantastic WRs and TEs. Denver may have the advantage at OL. Right now, I'll take the Denver defense over the Patriots defense in terms of personnel and effectiveness, and I'll take Denver's running game over the Pats.

The key always seem to come down to the trenches, and this game is no different. In this case, if Denver can get to Brady throughout the game, I predict a Denver win. If Brady has time, the game goes the other way. I tend to think the Broncos can get to Brady, but I also think NE will make adjustments throughout the game to protect Brady (including quick passes, screens, and check downs more so than actual blocking adjustments).

This game is too close to call. I really have to give many advantages to Denver (including homefield, the running game, and the elite defense), but NE has the intangible of having the coach from whom our own coach learned from. I ran a very good defense when I coached, and learned everything from my own head coach as well as the first (and only) DC I worked under. Still, I have to admit that I can't begin to fathom coaching against my old mentor and having any success. I'm sure McDaniels is more confident than I am, but when you hold up a mentor as the best coach in the League (and I think McDaniels holds Belichick in this regard), it is hard for me to believe that the butterflys aren't in the gut right about now. McDaniels will do everything in his power to ready this team, and the players won't be intimidated. So may be this really is "just another game".

If Denver wins, they move beyond being for real and become real contenders for a deep playoff run. If they lose, the doomsayers will claim that the Broncos aren't so great after all.

Denver has a two-game lead over SD in the AFC West playoff race. SD has the week off to nurse wounds, then plays Denver, then plays two games they should win (KC and OAK). Denver needs all the padding they can get for their lead in the race.

Win or lose, Denver has already proven that they have a very good team. We should shake off the concerns for how the media folks see Denver, and do what fans of good teams do. Let's focus on the race for the playoffs now, and use this game as an early gauge for how well we might fare. (And let's not forget the revenge factor after a beating last year at the hands of the Patriots. The engineer of that beating is now on our side, so it should be a very interesting game).

Poll

So who's going to win?

Denver

644 votes

New England

112 votes

Too close to call

273 votes

I'm a Patriots fan, and I just came here to screw up your poll.

28 votes

1057 votes | Poll has closed

More Bills/Patriots chatter with NEPatriotsDraft.com

Brian Galliford — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:00:27 -0000

You can bet that we'll be talking about the New England Patriots for much of this week; we've got a little more Pats content for you this afternoon, as we swapped some questions with NEPatriotsDraft.com about the Buffalo Bills' first game of the season.

You can see the Bills-centric interview (complete with my own glowing optimism) right here. James from NEPatriotsDraft.com was kind enough to answer a few of my own questions about his favorite team, which appear - with some thoughts of my own - after the jump. (Warning: some of the territory covered has been charted by Pats Pulpit; more than one take on a specific situation, however, is never a bad thing.)

Rumblings: Is there any possible chance the Pats stumble out of the gate in their home opener, just to give the Bills a chance?

James, NEPatriotsDraft.com: The Patriots have stumbled in openers to the Bills before - who can forget Sam Adams rumbling into the end zone? The only way I see it this year is if T.O. can beat double coverage on a consistent basis.

Since when does an opposing player have anything to do with stumbling? Plus, if Owens is doubled, Lee Evans is going to have a fun time torching Terrence Wheatley all night - particularly if Trent Edwards can get him the ball when he does.

Rumblings: I've heard Tom Brady described as "rusty." How accurate is this?

James, NEPatriotsDraft.com: His shoulder might need some "oil," but other than that, he is at where he usually is. If anything, Joey Galloway is the player that is rusty - he can't seem to learn how to run routes in the Patriots offense.

Honestly, Joey Galloway is one of the very last players on New England's roster that I'm worried about in this game.

Rumblings: How legitimate are the claims that the Pats are switching to a 4-3 defense? Is it a base defense, or more of a wrinkle? How has it looked?

James, NEPatriotsDraft.com: As legitimate as any claim can be about a Belichick defense. I can see the Patriots employing the base 4-3 in quite a few games this year, as our LB corps is pretty thin. Meanwhile, our D-Line has shown that it is very tough to run on in a 4-man front. Pressuring the quarterback out of the 4-3, however, has proven difficult.

That's the strangest part about the Pats' apparent transition to a 4-3 scheme to me - it's being pegged as a move to not only fit personnel, but to increase the pass rush. That makes no sense. It's certainly possible to generate a pass rush out of a 4-3 alignment, but it's much more difficult to disguise things. This has to largely be a personnel matter; nothing else makes much sense.

Rumblings: How concerned are you with the Patriots' completely-revamped (and as I hear it, struggling) secondary?

James, NEPatriotsDraft.com: Shawn Springs needs to be healthy and productive quickly if the Patriots are going to have a good defense in the first half of the season. Darius Butler shows the skills, but you can tell that he doesn't have all the nuances down yet. Jonathan Wilhite and Leigh Bodden have shown flashes of greatness, but there are still too many mistakes. Our safeties have played well at times, but Patrick Chung has not proven himself worthy of a second round pick as of yet.

The secondary was a concern last year before Rodney Harrison got hurt (he's now retired), and since then, Ellis Hobbs has been traded. New England's secondary is very young, and veterans like Bodden and Springs are crucial to fielding a competent unit this year. If they falter, New England's young guns will swap between brilliant and mistake-prone. For now, they are talented and vulnerable.

Rumblings: I'd love to hear your predicted order of finish in the AFC East.

James, NEPatriotsdraft.com: I originally predicted the Jets to go 6-10, but Mark Sanchez has looked better than I thought. Miami and New England will both be in the playoff hunt at about 11 or 12 wins. Buffalo and New York will both hover around .500 in my opinion. I would agree with you that all four teams have the ability to make a playoff run if the planets align just so.

1. New England
2. Miami

3. Buffalo
3. New York

New England Patriots 53 man roster - some thoughts

MaPatsFan — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:04:36 -0000

by Stephan Savoia - AP

7 months ago: New England Patriots head football coach Bill Belichick looks over his rookies during football minicamp at the team's practice facility in Foxborough, Mass., Friday morning, May 1, 2009 (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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We stay with 2 QB's, LB is a bit weak, TE will be a position to watch, OL is stacked on the interior...let's break it down position by position (props to NESilver for his comment in this thread)

Offense: 25

QB: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer (2) - Odd we keep only 2, but that could change when the season starts.
RB: Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis (5) - Solid group.
WR: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Joey Galloway, Greg Lewis, Saim Aiken, Julian Edelman (6) - Break out the air raid sirens. Edelman looked like "Little Welker".
TE: Benjamin Watson, Chris Baker, Michael Matthews (3) - Like this group, Matthews is a big man which must mean "blocking TE". Baker has good hands which we haven't seen in NE TE's for a long time.
OL: Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, Nick Kaczur, Sebastian Vollmer, Rich Ohrnberger, Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell (9) - Deep on the interior, Vollmer is the next stud.

Defense: 25

DL: Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, Jarvis Green, Ron Brace, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor (7) - Liking the depth, glad to see Pryor make the roster
DE/OLB: Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain (2) - Can you say, "4-3?" I knew you could. Here comes the pass rush.
LB: Adalius Thomas, Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, Rob Ninkovich (6) - Might be considered a little thin, possibly why NE is experimenting with a 4-3.
CB: Leigh Bodden, Shawn Springs, Jonathan Wilhite, Darius Butler, Terrence Wheatley (5) - Wheatley barely hung on to his spot. I hope a "shutdown corner" emerges.
S: Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, Patrick Chung, Brandon McGowan, Matthew Slater (5) - Good group, although Slater will, most likely, be IR'd.

Specialists: 3

K: Stephen Gostkowski - What can I say? One of the best kickers in the league. A machine through the uprights and consistently boots kickoffs into the endzone.
P: Chris Hanson - Game changer. Massive hangtime and very good accuracy.
LS: Jake Ingram - Many laughed when Hoodie drafted Ingram. The rookie wins the long snapper battle.

Injured Reserve

OLB: Shawn Crable - Depressing. The dude can't catch a break.
RB: Chris Taylor
OL: George Bussey - Adds depth for next year.
LB: Tyrone McKenzie - Looking forward to seeing him inside for 2010.

Poll

What do you think of the roster?

Lovin' it!

524 votes

Too early to tell.

722 votes

Hate it.

66 votes

1312 votes | Poll has closed

Postgame Analysis: New England Patriots defeat Washington Redskins, 27-24

MaPatsFan — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:26:57 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

3 months ago: New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) and holder Chris Hanson (6) celebrate after Gostkowski kicked the go-ahead field goal with eight seconds remaining in a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2009, in Landover, Md. The Patriots won 27-24. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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Yes, ladies and gents, it was a Stephen Gostkowski field goal that put this game in the win column for the New England Patriots. Yes, I know, it takes the whole team to pull off a win, but we won by 3. I think you get the point. There were some shining moments, some average ones, and some downright horrendous play. But that's what preseason is all about - it's like a rehearsal, a time to work out the kinks and see what's what.

As we've discussed before, Hoodie uses preseason games like they're supposed to be used - to try stuff out and give players, especially the ones who need them, valuable NFL reps. I thought it was interesting that, amongst others, Wes Welker, Kevin Faulk, and Shawn Springs were not present. There could be any number of reasons from personal issues to the need to rest, but I have a different theory: Belichick wanted to see how the team would do without those weapons in the arsenal. It forced the team to play differently, using Greg Lewis and Randy Moss in close. It also gave Laurence Maroney a chance to rack up 3 for 30 yards receiving without Faulk to take charge. And with Shawn Springs not present, Darius Butler got far more reps than he normally would.

More after the jump...

The Good

Brady & Moss - Tom Brady and Randy Moss connected for two long ball touchdowns, 26 and 27 yards respectively. I'm not ready to declare them in 2007 season form, but it was good to see Tom connecting with #81 on some nice adjusted pass plays (on one TD, Moss had to change his route inside and Brady correctly read the adjustment).
Laurence Maroney - Yes, Maroney was a bit inconsistent, but there were inklings of possibilities to come. He made some nice horizontal cuts to get between the defensive line and linebackers. However, 7 for 16 doesn't necessarily put him at the top of the running back corps. The real reason I have him in the "Good" section is his receptions. Pulling down 3 for 30 yards, he was very Kevin Faulk-ish. Who knows, maybe that's the plan for him. He also had a very nice kickoff return for 35 yards.
Stephen Gostkowski - G Man continues to prove why he's one of the best kickers in football. He's always money when extra points and field goals are needed. But, I think he's just as valuable, if not more valuable, on kickoffs. With two touchbacks, Gostkowski pins Skins on their 20, eliminating the possibility of a breakout return.
Pass Rushing - With 4 sacks to their credit, it appears pressure was the name of the game (DT Steve Williams had 2).

The Bad

Pass Coverage - Allowing 268 yards passing, coverage was weak at best. Our corners are still getting burned, but that could be youth coming into play; Darius Butler, Terrence Wheatley, and Jonathan Wilhite saw a lot of action and they're still learning. Let's hope they learn fast because we need it.
The Backfield - Overall, I was not impressed. I've been hoping Fred Taylor would come in and light the place up, but I'm not seeing it. Laurence Maroney still struggles trying to find the holes. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say the Skins did a nice job of plugging up the holes, but Sammy Morris always seems to find a way through. The lone bright spot in this mess was BenJarvus Green-Ellis with 6 for 49.

The Ugly

Penalties - 7 for 82 yards. When you have an 11.7 yard average, there were some expensive ones in there. Matthew Slater's 15 yard fair catch interference penalty was just plain dumb, a mental error. If the kick returner is clearly waving a fair catch, do everything you can to get out of the way. Stop, fall down, something. A 23 yard defensive pass interference by Darius Butler didn't help either and a 15 yard roughing the passer by Steve Williams was hard to take.
Brady's Shoulder - Having Albert Haynesworth fall on Brady and jam his throwing shoulder into the ground was not fun to watch. Seeing Brady try to loosen his shoulder up on the sidelines was even less fun to watch. But not seeing start the third quarter was the worst. Mike Reiss has a super breakdown of the play which shows just how complex it can be to defend against rushes as well as maintain primary and secondary blocking assignments.

What's your Good, Bad, and Ugly? Who's on the bubble and who made a name for themselves? Don't forget, our armchair coaches will have their analysis up within the next day or so.

Chat with Pats Pulpit for Redskins vs Patriots Game

KevinE — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:30:10 -0000

Continuing our weekly pre-game ritual, David from Patriots' SB Nation blog Pats Pulpit kindly answered our questions entering into Friday night's game against the Pats:

Hogs Haven: How is the Patriots' defense this year (specifically the first Dline, corners, safeties, and LBs)? Do you expect them to control the game against the Redskins first team offense which has sputtered out of the gate so far this year?

Pats Pulpit: The Pats D-line has probably been the most solid unit of the preseason. In a standard 3-4, DE Richard Seymour, NT Vince Wilfork, and DE Ty Warren have been doing a find job of stuffing the line. In the preseason opener against the Eagles, NE almost exclusively played a 4-3 with rookie DT Ron Brace next to Wilfork. Second year CB Terrence Wheatley is on the bubble, but vets Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs are working out well so far. Rookie Darius Butler is a monster and is already showing promise in his first year. Rookie S Patrick Chung has been all over the field; I'm looking for big things from him. LB-wise, newly acquired DE/OLB Derrick Burgess has been a fine addition and second year ILB Jerod Mayo is, as always, in on every play.
I think the Pats D will do well, specifically against the run. But I believe Belichick has to find out a few things so he may be rotating some guys in and out; it'll be a bit unstable for at least quarters two through four.

Hogs Haven: What is the RB situation shaping to look like? It's surprising to see Laurence Maroney is 4th on the depth chart behind Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Fragile Freddy. What caused Maroney to fall out favor?

Pats Pulpit: I wouldn't give too much credence to the depth chart. It's Maroney's job to lose. However, I would say I haven't been super impressed with his performance up to this point. He STILL has trouble seeing holes and looking downfield. I'm pulling for him, but he's gotta step up. Guys like Morris are really doing well.

Hogs Haven: What is the backup QB situation looking like if Brady were to get injured again? Andrew Walter was always good for some laugh out loud highlights in Oakland.

Pats Pulpit: I'm not too impressed with Andrew Walter. I think he was brought in to challenge Kevin O'Connell for the backup spot, but I don't think he's making that much trouble for O'Connell. Kevin has all the natural skills to be a fine QB (great scrambler, rocket arm), but needs to get better accuracy and improve his field management. Hopefully, he can develop a bit with more preseason reps. I think you'll see him for two or so quarters.

Hogs Haven: How is Shawn Springs working out and do you think he will start/play a lot?

Pats Pulpit: I loathe the term starter, so I'd say Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden will get the most snaps due to NFL experience. That being said, I don't think Springs has been lighting up the field. I would label him "serviceable" at this point and give him the benefit of the doubt (learning the system, etc...). He better learn quick because draftee Darius Butler IS lighting up the field. He has great physical skills and appears to be transitioning into the NFL quite nicely.

Hogs Haven: Which defensive starter is looking over his shoulder the most this preseason at a rising youngster, and who is that player to watch?

Pats Pulpit: I'm tempted to say CB Darius Butler, but he's third on the depth chart for left corner behind Terrence Wheatley and Shawn Springs. Wheatley isn't doing so well and Spring, while not lighting up the field, is solid. I think the battle is between DT Ron Brace and Vince Wilfork. Vince is in the final year of his six year contract and is gunning for an extension. This and the fact that Ron Brace is doing so well gives Wilfork less leverage.

Well, it looks like we won't miss much from "Blue," (Smoot's nickname for Springs). The Pats seem to be in good shape yet again for a Super Bowl run. It's looking more like he won't play tomorrow night. I haven't seen O'Connell play yet, but I'm sure Sugar is getting that tingly feeling in his pants about it given Sugar loves fantasy no-namers.

I hope Cerrato and Snyder are able to spend some quality time with the Pats personnel tomorrow night and get some insight on how a franchise is continually successful.

Preseason loss no need to worry about New England Patriots

MaPatsFan — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:33:58 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

3 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry (15) hauls in a touchdown against New England Patriots cornerback Terrence Wheatley, left, during a preseason NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Yeah, there were 4 sacks against the Patriots, Tom Brady taking a good hit on one of them. Yeah, Terrence Wheatley looks like he'll be job shopping if he doesn't make some pretty drastic changes. Yeah, the offensive line looked like swiss cheese. Yeah, redzone efficiency was 0/2. Chill. Relax. That's what preseason is for.

If preseason is a good indication of how a team will do, the Detroit Lions should've won it all. We all know how THAT story ended. Preseason games are used for many things: to shake the rust off (Tom Brady), to put on-the-bubble players in NFL game situations (Terrence Wheatley), and to see if that star on the practice field is really a star against an opponent (Terrence Nunn or Julian Edelman anyone?). It's a scrimmage. Remember when you were a kid playing a scrimmage? It meant nothing. Why else would Patrick Chung be in as a kick returner (a position which he seems to have failed at)?

Chill. Belichick and the coaching staff are learning. They're learning who their likely starters and backups will be. They're learning who the multi-talented players are. Rookies are getting invaluable reps in NFL game situations. And they're not showing their hand; Belichick will be ridiculously generic throughout preseason, showing a very small percentage of the playbook.

Just for a little context, we went 2-2 in the 2007 preseason. Still worried?

New England Patriots Preseason Predictions

MaPatsFan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:41:46 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

4 months ago: An unidentified fan looks on as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes by signing autographs during NFL football training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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I do love training camp, really. It's a very relaxed, fun atmosphere, even if Foxborough is on the South Shore. ;-) But... THERE'S A PRESEASON GAME 5 DAYS AWAY!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!! Excuse me, I need a moment... Ok, I'm better now. Yes, sports fans. This Thursday at 7:30PM on WBZ, the boys take on the Eagles in Philadelphia. What makes Belichick one of the best coaches in the NFL is how he uses these games. That is, these games are not about winning, but about evaluating players in an NFL-level game situation. It's about playing against players other than your own teammates. And it's about making some decisions - who stays and who goes. At any rate, I thought I'd jot down a few thoughts about what I think we'll see:

Tom Brady - Tom Brady hasn't played against another team since 9/7/2008. He's looked outstanding in training camp and appears to be planting and throwing without any restrictions. Yes, there is the obvious brace, but many players wear them and for the always "immobile" Brady, I don't think this represents that big of a problem for him. Unlike 2008 preseason, when Tom's ankle was a bit of an issue, he needs the reps. I predict he'll play roughly 1.5 quarters per game.
Kick Return - Special teams has been a major priority at camp. New special teams coach, Scott O'Brien, has been working the gang hard. We've also seen a number of guys rotating at kick return duties. With the departure of Ellis Hobbs to the Eagles, we were in dire need of a return man. When I was at camp, Wes Welker was doing a phenomenal job pulling down kicks while Joey Galloway had a drop. Unless Marima's seen something different, I think Welker will become a mainstay at kick returns.
Cornerbacks - There's lots going on at this position. Some say Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs are locks for starting positions, but I think the second year guys (Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite) will challenge for playing time as well as Darius Butler. From what I've read, Butler super athletic, a hard worker, and carries himself with a bit of swagger. In my mind, that's just what we need at the corners. I think you'll see these guys rotating in and out quite a bit.
Vince Wilfork/Ron Brace - As much as Vince Wilfork has said he would never negatively impact the team because of his contract situation, it makes sound business sense to give rookie Ron Brace some playing time. I can see him getting some NFL reps as a 3-4 nose tackle, but let's not forget the Patriots change their alignment based on the team and situation; it's not uncommon for them to line up in a 4-3 which is where Brace will certainly come into play. Scary: Vince Wilfork and Ron Brace lining up next to each other.
Safety - Brandon Meriweather is listed as a safety, but he's the heir apparent for Rodney Harrison's vacancy which puts him at SS. Patrick Chung as classifed as an SS, so it's likely Chung will be Harrison's backup. We know Brandon, but I'd really like to see Chung get some reps here. He's been one of the hardest workers at camp and, like Butler, appears to be progressing well.

Those are some of my thoughts and ramblings. What do you see for this preseason? Got any thoughts on the offensive line? How about running backs? What would you like to see at receiver? Football, football, FOOTBALL!!

New England Patriots Training Camp, Day 4 - MaPatsFan makes the trek

MaPatsFan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:41:23 -0000

Training Camp - Moss

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48.9 miles North of Gillette Stadium, I rustled the family out of bed for the trip to Mecca, Gillette Stadium. We hit the road around 7:30am, a refueling stop at Dunkin Donuts (refueling for us, not the car), and started south. 495S, 3S, 95S, Exit 9 to Route 1 towards Wrentham/Foxboro. Yeah, this North Shore boy was in unfamiliar territory. No, it's not my first trip to Gillette. It is, in fact, my fourth. The South Shore just ain't right. Sorry Marima, but I know you feel the same way about the North Shore. ;-)

I was surprised at how easy a drive it was and how very easy parking turned out to be. You see, every time I go to Gillette, I expect ridiculous traffic and insane parking problems. I know this was training camp and should only expect about 2,000 of the faithful, but in the back of my brain, I still thought it was going to be a nightmare. Not so. Signage was plentiful and easy to follow with very helpful parking attendants waving you into spaces.

We got there at approximately 8:30am, and after a short walk to the training field entrance, were greeted with a line about 200 deep. Around 9:00am, they allowed folks in and the line moved extremely fast. Grandstand seating is provided near the field closest to the Dan Farber indoor practice area (check out this map for more details). A word about seating: the higher rows will provide a better view, but will make it difficult to get an autograph when selected players come up to the grandstand area. My best advice is to know your priorities upfront: great view, sit further back; autograph, sit closer to the front.

The whole event had the air of a High School game. I don't mean to say it was High School level play - FAR from it. The grandstands, the free admission, able to take pictures, it just "felt" that way. It just made the whole experience fun and easy to deal with. This is especially important if you choose to bring your kids (which I highly recommend - I'll explain later); we had a total of five ranging from 10 to 20. Ok, enough about the "experience"; let's get down to brass tacks. Here's a few things I observed:

Tom Brady - Wonderboy looked VERY good. Running, doing drills, dropping back to pass. I didn't see any range-of-motion issues whatsoever. From bombs, to quick passes, to checkdowns, there didn't seem to be any problems.
Randy Moss - He's ridiculously talented. I've said for a long time that when you put the ball where only Randy can catch, only Randy will catch and I got to see that up close and personal. I recalled a few passes where Moss was one-on-one with a DB (Terrence Wheatley is one pass that comes to mind) and Brady put it sky high. Moss turned, jumped, fuhgetaboudit. Wheatley didn't stand a chance.
Wes Welker - Wes is a freak of nature. He catches just about everything thrown his way. As long as he can put a hand on it, he's pulling it down. After the catch is where the real magic starts to happen. On one play, he was juking and jiving. He made a small hop in the air as if to decide where to go, and hits the ground going 90 degrees left. The defensive back was a bit stunned, to say the least.
Laurence Maroney - Maroney not only looks strong, but fast. He made a few "Wes Welker" cuts that had linebackers scratching their helmets. I'm really happy for him and hope this is a sign of good things to come.
Cornerbacks - Leigh Bodden looked good, very good. At one point, he was covering Greg Lewis and just smothered him, causing an incompletion. I'm really excited about him.
Kick Return - Chris Hanson knows how to kick the ball to make it insanely hard to catch. When it leaves his foot, it turns into a spiral with one end facing the sky and the other facing the ground. It then drops straight down, making it very hard to grab. In fact, Greg Lewis dropped one right in his hands. An interesting note: Wes Welker worked on kick returns for a long time. He didn't drop one. I suspect we'll see more of Wes in this capacity.
Bill Belichick - Coach chats with a lot of guys as their stretching. He looks around a lot and when something catches his eye, he's all hands on, becoming a position coach. Then he's off to the next thing.

A few words about autographs. Only select players approach the grandstands. My guess is this is rotated so it's never the same set of players. This morning, it was Brandon Meriweather, Mike Richardson, and Herana-Daze Jones. Bring a sharpie and whatever it is you want signed. Training camp rosters are handed out to the fans and make good autograph material if you don't have anything else to sign. Training camp is broken up into 9 "periods" of different lengths. I believe it was the end of period 9 when all the players came to the center of the playing field for some final words. That's when the mad rush to the ropes takes place; be ready for it. Kids get stuff signed easier than adults.

Those are some of my thoughts as best as I can recall. There's a lot going on and a lot to soak in. The media has a much better vantage point, their grandstand at one end, dead center. No wonder why Mike Reiss gives you better notes than me. ;-)

New England Patriots Training Camp: 5 things to watch for

MaPatsFan — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:49:07 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

6 months ago: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) flips the ball to a coaching assistant during the second day of football minicamp at the team's training facility in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday morning, June 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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Like, has this been the longest off season or what? Like, fer shure, like, ya know? Like, O...M...G!!!!

Sorry, I went into "teenage daughter with teenage niece" mode. But, it has felt like the longest off season I can remember. With rookies arriving Sunday, 7/26/09 and veterans arriving this coming Wednesday, Training Camp starts this Thursday. To say I'm just about crawling out of my skin is an understatement. There will be plenty to write about, plenty to talk about, and games just around the corner.

With little more than mini-camps to keep us going, we've been forced to satisfy our appetites with what amounts to professional flag football. Helmets, but no pads or contact worth noting. Training Camp is where we get to see what's what. 300 pounders bashing into each other, full speed action, DE's bearing down on Tom Brady - it's all good, clean fun. With that said, I started thinking about what it is I'm looking for in this year's camp and thought I'd share it with you.

Tom Brady's knee - I know, I know, stop worrying; there's probably bigger things to get worked up about, but I can't stop being concerned. Peyton Manning showed visible problems and mobility issues a number of games into the 2008 season. Yes, I know Tommy Terrific has had longer to recover and will be participating in training camp while Manning was basically watching film in his training camp dorm room, but Brady's ACL/MCL repair was more serious an operation than Manning's bursa sac procedure. I want to see Brady jiving in the pocket with OLB's and DE's bearing down on him. Even then, I'll most likely be nervous until a few games into the season.
Defensive Backfield - Rated 11th by the NFL (yards per carry) and 16th by Football Outsiders' DVOA, the defensive passing game has got to improve. Unfortunately, it's sliding. Football Outsiders' ranked the Patriots 12th in 2007. What's happened for 2009? Hybrid safety/linebacker Tank Williams' is healthy, Patrick Chung was our first draftee, and there appears to be a battle at cornerback. FA acquisitions Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden add veteran skills to the mix and are the likely starters. Behind them are second year men Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, both having showed mettle and skills in 2008. However, the one to watch is Darius Butler. Apparently, he's got mad skills which includes a 43" vertical leap. That's almost four feet off the ground, folks. Suddenly, we're flush with talent, but can that translate to game time?
Wide Receivers - There is no question in my mind: Randy Moss and Wes Welker are arguably the best wide receiver tandem in football today. Watching the 2008 season, many said Moss checked out on occasion. Hogwash. That's because Matt Cassel never developed a long ball with Moss, so they started turning him inside. He was a target, so he ducked a few hits rather than end his career. At any rate, we know what those two can do. What about Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis? At 37, Galloway is certainly the oldest of the crew, but the questions for me are a) can he be productive when Moss is tied up and b) can he be an effective decoy? What will Greg Lewis' role be? Will he roam the middle or maybe act as another slant guy?
Running backs - I got into hot water when I put the Patriots first in Around the AFC East: Running Back Rankings. Well, I learned something while interacting with rival AFC East fans: I think of Patriots running backs as a whole, not as individuals. It's "backfield by committee". Some teams may have great success with a workhorse running back, but I think the Patriots have always done well with a few general purpose backs like Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Fred Taylor while adding a specialist like Kevin Faulk. Different guys for different situations. It seems to have worked; the Patriots posted the best 2008 running game in the AFC East. The big question for me, however, is will Laurence Maroney live up to his potential? He may not be a workhorse back like rivals think of, but can he be that young, steady, presence in our running game? Maybe Fred Taylor is the kick in the pants who can help him along.
Offensive Line - Last, but not least, we have the 300 pounders. JHR taught me to keep an eye on these guys, that games are won and lost in the trenches. One of my biggest concerns, other than Tom's knee, is the sturdiness of our offensive line. Having drafted three offensive linemen (Sebastian Vollmer, Rich Ohrnberger, George Bussey), I think Belichick's worried about it, too. 2007 saw them simply wear down towards the end of the season. But, can the added youth come up-to-speed to add value? Do they have enough skills to contribute early? Who survives the roster cuts?

That's my list of 5 things to watch for. What's your list? What are you interested in seeing? Is there anything you're particularly worried about or is everything OK? Fire away, sports fans. And yes, I'd love to see a rival fan's perspective, too.

Ten Patriots for 2009: No. 4, CB Leigh Bodden

NESilver — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:00:17 -0000

Note: The big boss (aka MaPatsFan) will be away for a bit, so I'll be taking over for this series while he's gone.

Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs. These were the names Patriots fans had come to know when it came to the defensive backfield for New England. Both of these players are now cornerbacks for the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving us to wonder who our new starters will be once the 2009 season begins. Bill Belichick addressed the position with three draft picks recently, bringing Terrence Wheatley, Jonathan Wilhite, and Darius Butler onboard. Free agency netted us Shawn Springs and...

Number 4 on our list: Leigh Bodden.

Bodden was signed to a one year deal. You know what that means, right? He'll be playing for a big payday in 2010 (in what could be an uncapped year). Whether Bodden ends up being a one-year rental for us or signing long term, we know he'll be motivated to play hard in 2009. Plus, after playing on the Cleveland Browns and the historically bad Detroit Lions, he sounds excited to play for a winner... and it's no secret that we need someone to step up in our secondary.

"I only visited here. I planned other visits, but I didn’t really feel like it was worth it," Bodden said. "You’ve got to love [Belichick]. When I first met with him, when I first came here on a visit, we just sat down and talked, and he’s just a down-to-earth guy. We talked football, background. He wants to win, and that’s what I want to do. That’s all that we’re here for."

We'll have to see if he can repeat his performance from 2007 (career-high six interceptions) rather than 2008 (only one interception). The good news is that his breakout year occurred while he was playing for Romeo Crennel, in a similar defense employed right here in New England. His down year came on an 0-16 team that tried to fit him into a Tampa-2 scheme with little supporting cast. One writer calls the Bodden and Patriot hookup a "match made in football heaven." Chad Johnson (or Ocho-Cinco... or whatever the heck he's named these days) once called him one of the best cornerbacks he's gone up against in the NFL.

"Yes, he is one of the best cover corners that I have gone against," Johnson said. "He ranks right up there with Champ (Bailey), DeAngelo (Hall) and Nate Clements because of his ability to cover a small area of the field with no help."

While our younger cornerbacks come along, keep an eye on Bodden. He should see a lot of snaps on defense and this could be a big year for him. If he's looking to bounce back from his time spent with the Lions, there's no better coach to do it under than defensive guru Bill Belichick.

What do you think, Pats fans? Do you think Bodden will have a good year? Bad year? Should we have signed him for longer than one year, or do we wait for him to "prove it?" Your thoughts are always appreciated.