SB Nation User Blog: MaPatsFan

Ten Patriots for 2009: No. 7, WR Wes Welker

MaPatsFan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:43:53 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

about 1 month ago: New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker stretches during football practice in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, May 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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Here we go again; another "I love Wes" story from MaPatsFan. This will, no doubt, be the collective response from long time readers. They know, all too well, about my giant man crush for Wes Welker. In my humble opinion, he is one of the most influential New England players to put on a Patriots helmet in recent years. Many point to Randy Moss' 23 TD record and his many circus catches, but Wes is the chain mover, the guy grinding it out underneath, game after game.

We all know the history by now. Considered too short to by many colleges, he finally landed at Texas Tech where he went on to be one of there most prodigous athletes. Originally drafted by the Chargers in 2004, he was waived and picked up by the Dolphins in September of that year. After the 2006 season culminated in a very disappointing AFCCG loss to the Colts, Belichick went about the business of acquiring targets for Tom Brady.

Good coaches watch players from other teams and remember the good ones. Who knows? They just might become available. While on the Dolphins' squad, Welker had given the NE defense fits when trying to defend him. When Wes became available, Belichick and the FO jumped at the chance and handed Miami a 2nd round and 7th round pick in the 2007 draft. Crazy, right? Not so fast. This, from Wes' bio:

In 2004, Wes became the first NFL player in the Super Bowl Era (since 1966) to return a punt, return a kick, kick a field goal, kick an extra point and return a kickoff in the same game. He accomplished the feat against the Patriots.

Belichick notices this stuff. That's what makes him the best coach in the NFL. NE picked up Welker for the 2007 season and we all know what happened. Posting 1,000+ yard seasons in both 2007 and 2008, Wes also ranks tied for first in 2007 and second in 2008 for receptions. Stats like receptions, yards, and yards per game doubled when he made the jump to NE. This suggests Miami either didn't know what they had or didn't have a quarterback who could take advantage of him. Whatever the reason, he seems to have found his niche with the Patriots. He is one of the best underneath receivers in the game today and we have him through 2011.

2007 was a storybook season, but I believe 2008 was the year we most needed him. The newly minted starting quarterback, Matt Cassel, was having trouble connecting with Randy Moss and would check down a lot. He needed a dependable safety valve and Wes became that guy. Essentially throwing "long handoffs", Cassel would come to depend on Welker to move the chains. Welker finished the year with only 3 touchdowns, down from 8 in 2007, but that wasn't his role. His role was to be there when needed and he did just that.

I think #83 will again be a critical factor this year. As Tom Brady gets his sea legs back, he'll need someone to go to when the pocket starts to collapse. Wes did that for Cassel in 2008 and he'll do it for Brady in 2009. Welker has said he thinks 2009 will be better; two years with the playbook has made him a hardcore veteran for the Patriots. It's hard to imagine better production than 2007.

Or is it?

If you're looking to relive the Patriots' three Super Bowl championships this decade the NFL...

MaPatsFan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:02:30 -0000

If you're looking to relive the Patriots' three Super Bowl championships this decade the NFL Network is giving you the chance this Fourth of July weekend. NFLN is airing a marathon of its Emmy Award-winning "America's Game" series.

The hour-long documentaries on the 2001, 2003 and 2004 Patriots teams will air on Sunday, at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively.

NFL Network special on Patriots' SB wins

The Patriots today announced the practice schedule for the first week of training camp and the...

MaPatsFan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:11:20 -0000

The Patriots today announced the practice schedule for the first week of training camp and the first seven days (Thursday, July 30 through Wednesday, August 5) will feature double sessions with practices scheduled at 9:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.

Practices are open to fans, but the schedule can change, particularly due to weather. The Patriots encourage fans to call (508) 549-0001 for the latest updates.

The morning sessions typically run 9:30-11:15 a.m., the evening from 3:45-5:30 p.m.

Boston Globe: Patriots Training Camp Schedule

Willie McGinest as a Patriot...again?

MaPatsFan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:30:12 -0000

via bostondirtdogs.boston.com

View full size photo uploaded July 1, 2009

I must own up to a soft spot for Willie McGinest. Joining the Cleveland Browns for the 2006 season, Willie spent 12 years prior on the Patriots. He was a monster at OLB, in the prime of his career and eating dirt long before Belichick arrived. He paid his dues and when he got his rings and decided to cash in, I had no problem with that. He deserved every good thing that came to him because he always gave everything to us fans.

Chris Gasper of The Boston Globe reports:

A source close to McGinest said today that the veteran linebacker would like to return for a 16th season and maintains a relationship with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, but there have been no formal talks aimed at bringing McGinest back to New England and no offer from the Patriots.

Willie is the man, no doubt. But this would largely be a sentimental move. Think Troy Brown and ask yourself, "Would Willie McGinest be good for the team?"

Poll

Should Belichick bring back Willie McGinest?

Ten Patriots for 2009: No. 8, OLB Shawn Crable

MaPatsFan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:25:35 -0000

via cache.boston.com

View full size photo uploaded July 1, 2009

Watching the 2009 NFL Draft, many of us thought, and rightly so, that Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio would grab a pass rushing OLB after sending Mike Vrabel to the Chiefs in a package deal with Matt Cassel. BZZZZZZTTTTT!! Were we wrong. When questioning the collective sanity of the Patriots organization, I often try to remind myself that they're much smarter than me about this business called Professional Football. After all, I wouldn't want Hoodie building Linux networks with hundreds of clients now would I? Scratch that. Belichick probably co-wrote Linux with Linus Torvalds during an off-season. Moving on...

I believe we have lacked a serious pass rush since the 2007 season and I don't think I'm alone in this belief. Mike Vrabel will always be one of my favorite Patriots, but I am of the opinion he began to lose a step in 2008. At 34, age is certainly a factor and the trade to KC was a good one for the Patriots, who were looking to get younger, and the Chiefs, who needed a veteran presence on the field and in the locker room.

Speaking of sanity, you may question mine for not putting Adalius Thomas or Pierre Woods on this list. Patience, my friends. This is an organic process. ;-) Adalius and Pierre, I'm fairly certain, are locks at this position. They're the everyday workhorses of our 3-4's edges. While Thomas has shown flashes of pass rushing ability, I'm not convinced he's of the Jason Taylor caliber...yet.

On comes rookie Shawn Crable. I say rookie because he was IR'd with a shin injury for the 2008 season, so we have barely any info on the dude. That being said, he's on this list because I believe he is being earmarked to become the Patriots' main pass rusher. At 6-5 243 lbs, many have said he needs to bulk up to be effective at the position. That may be true, but I believe his greatest asset is something different: he has freakishly long arms and a torso to match. Those long arms will serve to wrap up anyone on the edges as well as block passes, something he did more than once in the 2008 preseason.

So, is Crable the dark horse? Is he the guy they bring in to terrorize quarterbacks? Or am I all wet putting him on this list?

Ten Patriots for 2009: No. 9, RB Laurence Maroney

MaPatsFan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:06:42 -0000

via www.abc.net.au

View full size photo uploaded June 30, 2009

Let's face it. Laurence Maroney has gotten a bad rap during his career at New England. I would say some of it is deserved. I have complained often that Maroney "bounces" off of the line when he should be more decisive, similar to Sammy Morris. However, when he's been asked, he's delivered the goods as he did with four 100+ yard games in the last six of 2007. All that aside, Maroney is in a fight to hang on to his job as RB workhorse for the New England Patriots.

The unfortunate reality of Laurence's career is that he's struggled to live up to his potential. A 1,000 yard season, the yardstick all RB's are judged by, has alluded Maroney for his three seasons with the Patriots, but 2007 proved that's not necessarily his fault. He is regularly compared and contrasted to a member of the same 2006 draft class, the Colts' young buck, Joseph Addai. Addai handily wins the stats battle with twice as many touchdowns and two out of three 1,000 yard seasons. Some of that could be more attempts per game for Addai than Maroney (2006: 14.1 vs. 12.5, 2007: 17.4 vs. 14.2) or it could be a lack of confidence in the coaching staff to hand the ball to Maroney, though 2007 was clearly a pass happy Patriots offense and not a knock against Laurence.

2006 - Selected 21st overall in the 2006 draft, Maroney had a good rookie year, racking up six touchdowns and 745 rushing yards. However, he shined as a kick returner, posting 783 yards and the longest kickoff return average for all NFL players.

2007 - Maroney assumed the starting RB job after the Patriots released then starter, Corey Dillon. Largely marginilized during the regular season by the pass happy 2007 Patriots offense, Maroney would put up 835 yards in 13 games and an average of 4.5 yards per carry. He waited and when asked, got it done. In the last six games of the Patriots' season, including the Super Bowl, Maroney managed four 100+ yard games with two of those games coming against playoff contenders the Jaguars and Chargers. With a 5.5 yard and 4.9 yard average per carry, Maroney put up 122 yards in each game and a TD in each as well. When we needed him most, he was there.

2008 - This was a disappointing season for many reasons, but a particularly hard one for Laurence. He was placed on Injured Reserve on 10/20/08 and finished the season with only 93 yards. First advertised as a "shoulder injury" it was later found that Maroney had broken a bone in his shoulder. A mild controversy swirled around the Patriots' injury reporting practices, but was later disproven. Many questioned Maroney's toughness during his silence, but I don't think they have a leg to stand on given the broken bone revelation.

This is Laurence's job to lose. He's said he's ready to prove his critics wrong, so I'm hoping for a good year. I also think Fred Taylor will help Maroney out given he survived some of the same accusations early in his career, too. My hope is Maroney can come out with a monster season and establish his place as a premiere back worthy of the head coach's trust. He certainly displayed flashes of excellence in the 2007 postseason.

Why couldn't he do it again?

Pats Pulpit hits half million visits

MaPatsFan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:39:51 -0000

This is not a huge milestone. In fact, there are many SB Nation blogs who have already surpassed the one million mark and some who have skyrocketed past it. So comparatively, half a million visits is still the toddler phase. However, it's still a milestone worth recognizing.

There are a number of people to thank: for his community building and writing assistance, Dave at Blazer's Edge; for mentorship during my "early days", Brian Galliford at Buffalo Rumblings; for dragging me into the world of sports blogging, BigBlueShoe at Stampede Blue; for league management and guidance, Dave Halprin from Blogging the Boys; for providing this great platform we use every day, the SB Nation management team and our most excellent tech team.

There have been many contributors and co-writers for this site who have given of their time to make this a great place to hang, learn, and add to the collective knowledge of us all. Of particular note is our links guru, Marima. Where she gets this stuff is beyond me, but she always manages to present us with links to hours of material. A big debt of gratitude to her for the tireless work she does.

Most of all, I want to thank YOU, the readers and commentors. I do this because I learn every day. Everything I write is with the hopes that you fine folks add your thoughts and opinions, encouraging my initial ideas to take on a life of their own. That's the coolest part for me.

Thanks again. Go Patriots!!

Ten Patriots for 2009: No. 10, K Stephen Gostkowski

MaPatsFan — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:50:22 -0000

via allproscouts.com

View full size photo uploaded June 28, 2009

I have to admit, during the football void that is the time between OTAs and training camp, many of us bloggers are trying to fill that void with whatever we can get our hands on. The fire hose we normally see from mainstream media sources slows to a trickle, so we're left with All-Decade junk from ESPN or fighting about running backs in the AFC East. It's all good because it generates discussion, but we need a little more analysis, some more meat if you will.

You will see this series on a number of the other SB Nation blogs. Basically, it's a look at what players we think will have the greatest impact on the 2009 season. In my case, I don't have this in any particular order. In fact, I only have a marginal idea who the other 9 will be (well, maybe not marginal; I have at least three other spots figured out). With that said, I give you #10: K Stephen Gostkowski.

We all know the story by now. On January 9th, 2002, the infamous Tuck Rule came into play, Brady completed a pass to David Patten, thus putting Adam Vinatieri in field goal range. Well, if you could call 45 yards, winding, and a snow storm within field goal rang. Adam became famous for hitting one of the most difficult kicks in the history of the sport and sending the game against the Raiders into overtime. Tom Brady and team drove the ball 61 yards to again put Vinatieri in range where he put up the game winning points to send the Patriots to the AFCCG against the Steelers. NE won that game 24-17 and later defeated the "Greatest Show on Turf" St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI by...wait for it...a field goal. Vinatieri would go on to be one of the most clutch kickers in the game, helping the Patriots win two subsequent Super Bowls, both by three points. The importance of his field goals can't be denied. Adam would later move to the Colts after the 2005 season.

These are the shoes Stephen Gostkowski had to fill. And he's done a dang good job of it, too. Opposing coaches used to throw their arms in the air when Vinatieri came on the field, knowing it was practially a guaranteed three points. I think Gostkowski has reached the same status, albeit a little more quietly; he may not have the big kicks that Adam has under his belt, but he's no less prolific. Stats like perfection in the 2006 postseason, an 80 yard touchback during a kickoff (you read that right!!), and three touchbacks in the 2006 AFCCG solidified him as one of the elite kickers in the NFL.

The Patriots' 2007 season was a thing of beauty. Tom Brady, playing with his new toys like a kid at Christmas, led this team to an unprecedented 18-1 season. That "One" will always sting me, but it was a darn good season to watch, don't you think? While much of the credit went to Brady and his new receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker, Gostkowski quietly racked up one heck of a season. Gostkowski is the single season record holder for PATs (Points After Touchdowns) with a perfect 74 points attempted and made.

In 2008, Gostkowski was no less prolific, garnering a nod to the Pro Bowl by players and coaches (fan votes didn't put him in the top five). He also made AP's All Pro First Team.

Career-wise, Stephen places in the Top 5 for Field Goal percentage, a tiny 1.2% from the leader. At 20-29 he's 90.9%, 30-39 he's 88.6%, and 40-49 he's 70%. At 50+ he just happens to be 100% with two attempts. He also manages a heck of a lot of touchbacks during kickoffs, in particular five out of six in Week 2 against New York.

Good kickers are difference makers and need ice in their veins. Gostkowski has been there for us, but his contract is up in 2009. Bill, fix that please.

Around the AFC East: Running Back Rankings

MaPatsFan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:17:02 -0000

Hello, Patriots fans. This week, us AFC East bloggers thought we'd try something a little different. Instead of asking my rival writers questions and posting the answers for y'all to cut up, we thought it'd be cool to rank teams by position in the AFC East, starting with running backs. Put your thinking caps on and branch out past the center of the universe, Foxboro, MA let's give 'em something to talk about!

1. New England Patriots - Yeah, I'm being a homer, but so what? I am absolutely stoked about what the Patriots backfield is capable of accomplishing this year. Laurence Maroney, our most likely starter, has a MAJOR chip on his shoulder after being IR'd after game 5 in 2008. Even worse, he was labeled "fragile" and had to keep his mouth shut about his injury. I'm looking for a 1,000 yard season from Maroney and for him to finally shutup all the haters. Joseph Addai who? While we're on the subject of being labeled fragile, ex Jaguar, Fred Taylor, is one of my favorite off season moves. Taylor still has plenty of gas in the tank and will be a great mentor for Maroney, having gone through much of the same early in his career. Not to mention lighting a fire under Laurence. Sammy Morris will be his usual reliable self as a complement to Maroney while Kevin Faulk is, well, Kevin Faulk. Mr. Third Down with incredible hands will be that chain mover, that option threat Tom Brady can dump to when needed. Let's give BenJarvus Green-Ellis a shout out as well. Bumped up from the practice squad in 2008, he showed us the goods. Boom Baby!! So yes, my homerism intact, I'm saying NE will have the #1 rushing attack in the AFC East!

2. New York Jets - You may not have noticed, but the Jets quietly took the lead in rushing for the AFC East. Not only do they lead in total yardage with 2,004, but the Jets own rushing touchdowns with 20. Well, except for our Patriots who best them in both categories with 2,278 yards and 21 touchdowns. Didn't know that, did ya? Returning running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington will, once again, tear up the field. Jones had a whopping 1,312 yards and 13 touchdowns! He's a monsterous runner who will establish a strong running attack for New York.

3. Miami Dolphins - It's hard to argue with the tandem of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. With 14 touchdowns and almost 1,600 yards between the two of them in 2008, they're a one-two threat that's got the goods. Of course, all that Wildcat stuff doesn't hurt, either! Ronnie Brown is a double threat when on the field, taking snaps or running the ball. We Patriots fans know what happened in Game 3 and I definitely know because I was at Foxboro for that embarrassment. It remains to be seen if the Wildcat still has any teeth (turning from Wildcat to Wimpykitty, it was largely "de-clawed" towards the end of the season), but it's still a play NFL teams have to reckon with.

4. Buffalo Bills - The Marshawn Lynch/Fred Jackson tandem had similar yardage stats as Miami, but they're dead last for one simple reason: 11 touchdowns to Miami's 14. All the yardage in the world will do you no good if it don't put points on the board. I'm also of the opinion this will turn into a pass happy offense with Terrell Owens on board. How can it not? I mean, if you had "The Real 81" on your team, wouldn't you want to get the ball to him as often as humanly possible?

That's it folks. Whaddya think? Am I all wet? Should I be seeking therapy? Or did I get it right? Be sure to check out Gang Green Nation, The Phinsider, and Buffalo Rumblings for my fellow AFC East writer's take on the rankings. I'm sure there'll be just as much homerism as you see here.

And now for something completely different - Around the AFC East gets a facelift

MaPatsFan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:22:08 -0000

On Fridays, my fellow AFC East bloggers and I usually ask each other questions that we later post on our respective blogs. This time around, we thought we'd mix it up a bit, add some homerism to the mix. As if there wasn't enough from the recent Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning spat we had recently. Anyway, look for a new twist to this feature Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. Until then, some video of my favorite comedian, Mitch Hedberg.