SB Nation - Jonathan Wilhite

Dolphins vs Patriots: Keys to Victory

Matty I — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:15:08 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

I say - what the hell - let him air it out and see what happens.

On Sunday, the Dolphins will look to do what only one team has been able to do since Bill Belichick took over as Patriots head coach - beat the Pats and send them to their second consecutive loss. That's right - since Belichick took over, the Patriots are 24-1 when they are coming off of a loss. Just this year, the Pats are 3-0 following a loss and have outscored their opponents by an average of 30 points. That number is skewed, of course, thanks to their 59-0 drubbing of the Titans. But still, their closest game this year following a loss was against the Falcons in which the Pats won by 16 points.

So no - this is obviously no easy task that the Dolphins face on Sunday and logic tells you that the Dolphins don't have too much of a chance. Luckily, games aren't won on paper - they are won on the field. And below you will find what I consider to be the three keys to a Dolphins victory.

Attack New England's secondary
No - the Dolphins aren't exactly loaded with talent at the receiver position. But at this point, what do we have to lose?

On Monday night, we saw the Saints regularly spread out New England's defense and just pick on their corners all game long. The biggest culprit was Jonathan Wilhite, who gave up completion after completion in that game. In fact, one of the biggest contributors to Pats Pulpit came onto this site and wrote of the Patriot secondary, "Brees picked it apart Monday night, throwing at CB Jonathan Wilhite like he wasn’t even there. In fact, it would have been better if he wasn’t because at least then there would have been an excuse."

Now we all know that these Dolphin receivers aren't even close in terms of talent to what New Orleans can throw at you. But what the hell? Let's go for it.

The last time these teams met, Chad Henne did throw for 220 yards. Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo each had good days. And Brian Hartline has continued to improve each week. In that game, the Dolphins did a good job of picking on New England's weaker corners. They threw at rookie Darius Butler 10 times, completing 7 passes for 76 yards against him. They threw at Shawn Springs four times, completing all four passes for 46 yards. Leigh Bodden was the guy who was most effective, allowing only three completions and just 4.1 yards per attempt in his direction. Bodden was especially good against Bess, allowing just one completion in five attempts to Davone.

Wilhite, meanwhile, didn't see too much of the field in large part because the Dolphins didn't use too many three or four receiver sets. I really hope to see - dare I say - more four receiver sets on Sunday. Spread out that defense, keep Ricky Williams in the backfield, and have Ted Ginn split out wide just running fly patterns all game in hopes of occupying one of the safeties.

What's the worst that could happen?

Mix up the defense
One of the things the Saints did so well against the Patriots was to mix up the defense and keep the Patriots on their toes. Following the loss, when asked about how the Saints were able to contain Randy Moss so well, Bill Belichick responded, "They did what they do. They played zone. They double-covered. They played man. They rushed. They did what they do and they did it pretty well."

There's something to be said about how important it is to not do the same thing over and over again. And we saw back in week nine that man coverage with minimal safety help is not the route to go against this Patriot offense. So I really hope that this isn't the plan of attack that Paul Pasqualoni dials up again.

What should the Dolphins do defensively? I'm no defensive coordinator so I won't try to talk like one. But I know for a fact that this defense has become too predictable. Countless times this year, the Dolphins have used the same boring blitz packages and same coverages in the secondary. Their blitzes have become predictable and their coverages have become tired and old.

I know that Sean Smith and Vontae Davis are only rookies, but would it kill them to play a little zone? Probably not. Sure - zone is harder to learn. But it would keep a veteran like Tom Brad on his toes.

Right now, I can sit at home and read the Dolphins' secondary before the snap just as well as a quarterback can. That, my friends, is a big problem. We've seen all of the good quarterbacks that Miami has faced just eat up this defense with simple pre-snap adjustments. Peyton Manning has done it. Tom Brady has done it. Drew Brees has done it. And now even Ryan Fitzpatrick has done it. Enough is enough. Be different. Take some chances. Grow a set.

Show a little emotion
Sometimes I can't help but wonder about this team and these players. Why was it on Sunday that Tony Sparano was showing more emotion on the sideline than his players were on the field? Did anybody else notice that?

I know - they were just the Bills. But I can't imagine that this coaching staff didn't drill it into their players' heads that any loss - even one to the Bills - would severely cripple their playoff chances. And yet, in a game the Dolphins had to have, these players on the field just looked uninspired for pretty much all of the second half.

Well I'll tell you what. If I don't see much more emotion and fire on Sunday in a game at home against the Patriots, we'll all have to start questioning the heart of this team - and of their supposed leaders.

Game Recap: Colts defeat Patriots, 35-34

MaPatsFan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:07:57 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

about 1 month ago: New England Patriots NFL football head coach Bill Belichick speaks at a news conference in Foxborough, Mass. Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in the aftermath of Sunday's 35-34 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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I am stunned, but not surprised. I am stunned because as our biggest rival in the AFC, a win would've meant a lot: a chance to go 2-4 against Indy, a better face-to-face record for potential home field advantage (if tie breakers come into play), seeding... you name it. Most of all, I simply wanted to beat Indy. And for a large portion of the game, New England had the upper hand.

I am not surprised because the Colts are that good. When the Patriots get up on a team with as wide a margin as they had, it's usually lights out. Rivals simply can't recover and usually get stymied in all three phases of the game. Not so with the Colts, especially Peyton Manning. I remember thinking to myself that Manning just wasn't clicking with his receivers Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie. If he DID begin clicking, it would create problems.

For most of the first half, Tom Brady appeared to be firing on all cylinders and doing an excellent job of finding the weak spots in the Indy defense. As I discussed in my game preview, picking on the young, inexperienced Indy secondary was one of the keys to success and Brady did a good job of that. With the half coming to a close, Brady had managed 24 points and our defense held Peyton Manning and crew to 14, an admirable task. I remember thinking, "This is cool. We seem to have control of the game, but it ain't over until it's over." Boy, was I right.

The third quarter remained scoreless which was ok in my book; maintaining a 10 point lead against Indy for 15 minutes is a VERY good thing. Then, as if to guarantee the win, Wes Welker broke loose for a 69 yard punt return to the Indy 7 yard line. A 2 yard pass to Kevin Faulk was followed by a beautiful leaping grab by Randy Moss for a 5 yard TD. Brady put the ball where the 6-4 Moss could catch it and no one else. 31-14 - a 3 score lead with 14:23 left in the 4^th quarter. As if in response, the Indy offense drove down the field with 5 plays in 2:04 minutes to reduce the lead to 10. I remember thinking, "Uh oh." The Patriots, working off of a Jonathan Wilhite interception, marched back down the field, only to settle for a Stephen Gostkowski field goal; 34-21.

Some call it momentum, but I call it pacing. NE seems to have a methodical, calculated approach to pacing a game - much like our head coach is perceived to be. After teams are lulled into this pacing, we switch it up. The Colts' hurry up offense is a major weapon in their arsenal and one that appears to win games on a regular basis. It's built for sprinting down the field and sets a frenetic pace that defenses have a hard time adjusting to. The result is a defense that can't work in substitutions, causing them to get gassed, especially the large defensive linemen.

In yet another sprint, the Colts scored on a 6 play, 1:49 minute drive; 34-28. A really big, "UH OH!!" NE would get the ball on their 20 after a McAfee touchback and before the drive even started, Brady burned timeout #2. Kevin Faulk went up the middle for no gain. Timeout #3. Then, Brady went to his old standby, Wes Welker, for an 8 yarder up the middle, putting us at third down and 2. Another pass to Welker was broken up by Powers, leaving us with fourth and 2. Decision time.

We've discussed the odds ad nauseam on this site. From a statistical perspective, going for it was the right thing to do. And Belichick trusted his offense to convert. Knee the ball 3 times, punt away, and Manning has almost no time to score. That was Bill's calculated risk. There's more. Belichick won't say this, but his defense was exhausted and he probably felt the offenses' chances of converting that fourth and 2 were better than the defense's chances of sustaining another Peyton Manning drive, even if a Chris Hanson punt would've planted Indy at their 30 or so. After all, the Indy offense had just demonstrated how they can score with a pair of 2 minute sprints. Hindsight is 20/20 and we now know Belichick's calculated risk more than likely lost the game. We all know what happened next. Handing the ball to a Manning lead offense on your own 29 is most likely suicide. And it was.

1 single play, player, or coaching decision does not win or lose a game; I have never subscribed to that theory because it ignores the hundreds of plays and decisions that lead up to it. But there are some that are certainly memorable.

To correct a misconception, the Laurence Maroney fumble would not have been the difference maker in the game. Horrid to see, but Indy did nothing with that gift, punted away to Welker for a 69 yard return, and a 5 yard TD pass to Moss followed. The most a LoMo TD could've accomplished was to keep 2 minutes on the clock.
The 31 yard PI against Darius Butler with 3:03 left in the fourth was questionable, but Austin Collie made a veteran play by recognizing he didn't have the ball and slowing down, allowing Butler to collide with him and giving the refs the impression Butler impeded his progress.
A questionable timeout to start NE's last drive. We may never know what the reasoning was, but Brady felt he needed it.
Not converting with 4:17 left in the fourth, forcing a field goal. RedZone efficiency (or lack thereof) strikes again.

There are a number of positives from last night:

The rust appears to have worn off. Brady and his receivers are connecting well and didn't seem to make any mental errors like we saw in the beginning of the season.
Sebastian Vollmer is a beast. Any rookie who can take on Dwight Freeney and be relatively successful is ok in my book. He's made a case for a starting position at left tackle while Matt Light should be moved to right tackle and Nick Kaczur benched; Colts DE Robert Mathis abused Kaczur, allowing too much pressure on Brady.
The return of Julian Edelman was good to see. The more receivers we have, the more opponents have to worry about. Spreading the field is a good thing.
This game was so close, it came down to a yard. If we can do that against Indy, just think what we can accomplish against the rest of the NFL.

That's all I can stomach for now. I'd like to send a shoutout to the Stampede Blue crowd for a fun week of cross blogging leading up to this matchup. We had many well mannered and thoughtful exchanges which is what it's all about for me.

Post Game Analysis: New England Patriots defeat Buffalo Bills, 25-24

MaPatsFan — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:37:31 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

This picture just about sums up the joy Ben Watson had at that very moment. Thanks Ben, thanks. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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Friggin' WOW!! That's all I have to say. I'm STILL wrapped up in this emotionally. That was both exhausting and exciting to watch. From my experience at Gillette Stadium (which I'll write about later) to the crowd around me, it was just incredible. You've all written some excellent FanPosts, so I won't repeat much of what you said, but simply add a few thoughts of my own from my perch in Section 332, Row 6, Seat 12.

Overall, I thought the Patriots came out rusty, particularly Tom Brady. He rocketed more than a few passes too far ahead of some guys and to far behind others. When he got his rhythm about the third quarter, things settled in and the game was less frenetic for NE. Buffalo worked hard to pressure Brady (the Giants' blueprint), but he was only sacked once for 10 yards while Edwards was brought down four times - twice by Tully Banta-Cain and once each by Adalius Thomas and Derrick Burgess. Who says we can't bring the pressure? In the end, it was big plays, patience, and fundamentals that won this game.

Buffalo would take the lead early and continue to press the Patriots until the last two minutes of the game. Terrell Owens was essentially blanketed by coverage and rendered ineffective, coming up with two receptions for 46 yards and no TD's. However, Bills' QB Trent Edwards made good use of RB Fred Jackson who went 5 for 83 and one TD. Rookie Bills' TE Shawn Nelson accounted for a TD as well. Oh, let's not forget DE Aaron Schobel's Tom Brady interception and 26 yard run for a pick six. Schobel has freakishly long arms that look like they came out of nowhere to pull down Brady's pass. He was within a few yards of Tom, so to pick a ball out of the air like that is quite a feat.

Early on, the Patriots stumbled defensively and had a tough time of it. I had a feeling they wouldn't use a 4-3 alignment that much because the Bills use the same defensive scheme, so Edwards would be familiar with it. The Bills were 1-6 last year against 3-4 teams, so there's your reason. I did, however, see a lot of loading the box which seemed to neutralize Buffalo's rushing attack - 90 yards total. However, it did leave NE vulnerable in the backfield. Where Edwards went 15/25, 212 yards, and two touchdowns. Ya gotta pick your battles.

I mentioned fundamentals early in this post. This game was a shining example of that, ESPECIALLY the forced fumble on Leodis McElvin's kick return. Hindsight is 20/20 and Leodis should've kneed the ball in the endzone for a touchback and a guaranteed 20, but he didn't and a Pierre Woods fumble was recovered by Stephen Gostkowski. Yes, you read that right - G Man was in the mix.

Denver fan Kfustud, in a most excellent FanPost talked about how these things aren't lucky:

McDaniels, while being interviewed about all our team's new fumble drills, said that 40%, or so, of fumbles were caused by the other team going after it. In Denver last year you couldn't buy a turnover and there was a reason. We didn't work at it. On the final kickoff of the game you could see that those Patriots were coached at it. They went out and made a fumble. No luck there.

I believe this team has a lot to work on, but there is significant potential. A few random thoughts:

Brandon Meriweather - If this game is any indication, the torch has been passed. He was a beast on the field, prowling, recognizing offensive looks, and making head's up plays. Welcome Rodney Jr.
Offensive Line - Aaron Schobel was toying with the OL all night. We need to find a way to neutralize defensive ends. Luckily, Brady only went down once.
Cornerbacks - Jonathan Wilhite did a nice job when called on. Leigh Bodden seemed to be in the mix as well as Shawn Springs. I don't think we have any shutdown guys, but this group will only get better. It's a significant upgrade over last year, IMO.
Running Backs - We struggled to pick up yardage, but the Bills were doing a good job of clogging up the gaps. This was not on Laurence Maroney or Fred Taylor.
Receiving Game - Brady was 39/53, 378 yards, and two touchdowns. Wes Welker quietly collected 12 for 93 and Randy Moss went 12 for 141. Kevin Faulk was 6 for 51.
Benjamin Watson - The absolute STAR of this game. I had written in the past few days that I was curious to see if the Patriots would use their newly acquired tight ends for more receiving duties. I figured Chris Baker would be one of Brady's early looks, but I was half right - almost cut Ben Watson became the go to guy. He came up strong when he needed to. Congratulations Ben.

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.

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 - first day musings

MaPatsFan — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:37:06 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

4 months ago: New England Patriots rookie defensive lineman Ron Brace (92) talks with Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) during a break in practice at the first session of NFL training camp at their football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday morning, July 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

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Now that there is some poundage, dontcha think? Ron Brace and Vince Wilfork, rookie fighting for a job meets veteran nose tackle giant fighting for a better contract. While Vince sat out of early OTAs as HIS shot across the bow, the Patriots organization lobbed their shot in the form of a guy named Brace. That's one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is we're adding depth at a critical position in a 3-4 alignment - never a bad thing. I prefer to think of it as Mike Reiss explains:

Flexibility is one of the buzzwords of a Bill Belichick defense, and we saw the unit line up in a standard 3-4 but also work some four-man line. This has been commonplace, as the Patriots are a "multiple" defense.

Wouldn't it be kinda cool to see Vince Wilfork and Ron Brace lining up as tackles in a four man front? That's a lot of beef to move around. Not to mention giving Brace some valuable reps. No, I'm not saying we're moving to a 4-3; If you've been around long enough, our base defense is a 3-4, but the Patriots dabble with lots of different formations depending on what the offense throws at them.

It seems the departure of a blocking fullback in Heath Evans will not adversely affect us. No fullback? Let's just move the tight ends into the backfield:

Tight ends and their role in the offense. When the Patriots worked their 9-on-7 inside running drill, tight ends spent time in the offensive backfield in a lead-blocking role. This was expected with no pure fullback on the roster -- Heath Evans signing with the Saints in free agency – and it led to the following thought: When a team has versatile tight ends, it provides an offense with more options, and can stress a defense in the matchup game.

Depth at cornerback has been a MAJOR concern for the past few years, especially since the departure of Asante Samuel to Philadelphia. It's an even bigger concern now that Ellis Hobbs has migrated to the same team. Without actual game situations to evaluate, I'm not convinced we've made significant strides at corner, but statements like the quote below do make me feel better:

Jonathan Wilhite stepping up at cornerback. With veteran Shawn Springs not on the field, second-year player Jonathan Wilhite stepped into his left cornerback spot. Wilhite had an interception of quarterback Kevin O’Connell over the middle. Earlier in practice, safety Brandon Meriweather picked off a tipped O’Connell pass that was intended for receiver Shun White.

Since Michael Vick, quarterback-turned-dog-fighting-mogul-turned-ex-con-turned-unemployed-athlete floating about, just about every reporter on this green Earth is asking just about every head coach what his chances will be of ending up on said head coache's team. Belichick, in his usual evasive manner, said nothing:

"Michael is an outstanding player, you know, hasn’t played in a couple years," Belichick said following practice No. 1. "But right now, our focus is on our team and our player, trying to get the New England Patriots ready. That’s where my attention has been. But exactly where he is right now, I don’t know. "

Thanks Bill. That really sums it up for me. Am I surprised? No. If a reporter asked me the same question instead of Bill, I could've done my best Belichick impression and said just about the same thing. Of course, I'm must some schmuck who writes for a football site. Bill is, well...

Be careful what you ask for. Or, I should be careful what I ask for. I've complained bitterly about the lack of information during the offseason. I should know by now that it's pretty typical. That's when I start poking the hornets nest by calling Peyton Manning overrated (I don't actually think he is) or arguing about stolen flower pots with our compadres at Stampede Blue. Now that camp is in full swing, it'll be like drinking from a firehose. Be careful of what you ask for. I need to remember that.

And for those who get nervous when someone doesn't show up for a practice or isn't seen doing a drill, I give you this rather amusing quote from Ian Rapoport's new blog, Rap Sheet:

Before the Patriots first practice was five minutes old, the fact that receiver Randy Moss wasn’t on the field create, well, at least a murmur. Noteworthy, I’d say.

So where is he?

Good question, if I do say so myself. Of course, the answers aren’t as awesome as the question. There is still a second practice at 3:45 p.m., and it’s definitely possible that 81′ll be out there. Is this just a precaution to rest his legs?

Want a hint?

"They had the morning off," receiver Greg Lewis said. "The guys who were out there had to practice."

Yep, had the morning off. Chill gang, we're loaded.

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.