Pats Down Pat

Court ruling would only solve present

2011-03-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

NFL fans shouldn't be losing faith in there being football this season.

The future? That's a different story.

The 2011 season is certainly in jeopardy, especially after war was declared when the players' union decertified and the league locked the players out. Neither side is happy with the other, and though both express a desire to continue negotiating, it's clear that neither expects the other to concede any ground in discussion.

The labor crisis is in the right place for a full 2011 season, however. The union's decertification makes a lawsuit imminent and makes federal judge David Doty the key player, just as he was in 1987 during the strike. If he rules on behalf of the players, as expected, he'll force the old CBA to be put into effect, and the 2011 season will commence as scheduled.

It's if he sides with the owners that will give the lockout court backing and really make the confrontation a mess. But historical precedent suggests that won't happen.

The present would therefore be settled. The future, however, could be compromised.

We'd face this situation again next year, only with increased bitterness. The owners, already a stubborn bunch, would be even more ardent that they need the cash, having worked an additional season under a CBA they disagreed with in the first place. The players, whom everyone expected to be the weaker side going in, would be even more confident and even stronger with a court victory under their collective belt.

We'd again go through venomous negotiations, possibly without extensions this time. It would be two sides absolutely convinced they are in the right. Labor discussions would resemble a tug-of-war between the cliched unstoppable force and immovable object.

Of course, we could see an agreement before all this happens. But if this lockout has taught us anything, it's that when rationality's involved, take the field.

Looking at Logan Mankins's situation

2010-06-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

The Patriots have, potentially, a major problem on their hands. Star guard and restricted free agent Logan Mankins refused to sign the restricted free agent tender, had his salary slashed, and is demanding a trade.

This time, it's hard to point the finger at the Patriots' front office for this negotiating breakdown.

Mankins isn't in the company of Asante Samuel and Richard Seymour, premier players who were allowed to walk rather than given fair offers by New England. The Patriots have tried to sign Mankins, and it hasn't been enough.

The Patriots have the reputation of being cheap with impending free agents and fiscal with contracts, but that isn't the case with this situation. New England's offered Mankins, a Pro-Bowler and important part of the offense, a five-year, $35 million deal. It would make him one of the top five highest-paid players in the NFL at his position.

And it's not enough.

It appears Mankins is taking the same stance Darrelle Revis is taking in New York. Both saw others at their position break the bank earlier (Nnamdi Asomugha with Oakland, Steve Hutchinson in Minnesota), so position in the top group doesn't matter anymore. What's important is being close to that top contract.

Making seven million a year may be more than almost all the other guards in the league, but if it's still three million (for example) less than the top contract, it's not good enough.

The Patriots have made their offer, and Mankins isn't backing down. This could be a lingering issue for New England throughout the summer.

Jets the new AFC East favorites?

2010-05-17T10:41:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of things New England fans would be happy to say about the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets - many of which aren't printable if we want to protect the PG nature of this blog.

But early 2010 has provided us with something else you have to say about Rex Ryan and Co.: They knew what this year meant.

The Jets have taken a no holds barred approach to a no holds barred offseason, gleefully working with the absence of the salary cap to bring in veterans such as LaDainian Tomlinson and Jason Taylor, stars like Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie, and a potential dynamic rookie in cornerback Kyle Wilson.

They're all moves that signify that this is the year for the Men in the Meadowlands - but is it?

The Jets have reloaded an already stocked defense. With Cromarite, Wilson and stud cover man Darrelle Revis, it'll be hard to throw on the Jets. With Shaun Ellis and the return of vaunted nose tackle Kris Jenkins, it'll be hard to run on the Jets.

The offense has arguably gotten better. With Holmes, electrifying (albeit drop-prone) Braylon Edwards, emerging tight end Dustin Keller and a fearsome duo of Shonn Greene and Tomlinson at the running back position, it'll be hard to defend the Jets, as well.

The Jets, however, did lose productive running back Thomas Jones, Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, and hard-hitting safety Kerry Rhodes.

So are the Jets better? And have they passed the Patriots?

Conventionally, one would say no. The division champ is still the champ until taken down, and in football, individuality is thrown out more than in any other sport. The Jets unquestionably added talent. Did they add the right team pieces, however, is a different question, and one that won't be answered until the 2010 season gets underway.

Still, a look at the roster shows the Jets will be incredibly difficult to match up against. Their defense gave teams fits throughout the year, and was almost enough to carry New York, not even a playoff team entering the final week, into the Super Bowl. That defense has gotten better, and more versatile.

Furthermore, the Patriots don't have the playmaking ability (as of yet) to match up with New York. Brandon Meriweather is New England's big play hope. Otherwise, the defense is filled with steady players that make the play that comes their way, but rarely branch out of their roles to make the plays that can turn a game around. The Jets, on the other hand, are built for those chances.

The Patriots had glaring issues that were only partly addressed in the draft. They still can't rush the passer. They'll still be questionable in defending top-tier quarterbacks. The wide receiver position is still deteriorating, more so with the loss of Wes Welker, though the addition of Torry Holt helps.

That's not to say they don't have talented players. But the Patriots will have a weekly edge in only two spots: the quarterback and head coach. Everything else can be neutralized.

And with the Jets ready to make a statement this year, that's not a good thing.

Wheatley out of room?

2010-05-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

Terrence Wheatley appears committed towards making an impact with the New England Patriots.

The problem is, he might have run out of time already.

In an article written by ESPN.com's Mike Reiss, Wheatley (shown left defending Randy Moss in training camp) said he is determined to show what he can do, and that there are no more "free years".

Well, that's the problem. There never were "free years". In the NFL, and especially as a relatively high pick, you are judged and evaluated from the second you step on the field. Every play you make says something. And every play you miss says something about you as well.

Wheatley, after being drafted in 2008, was expected to begin making progress in establishing a spot in a weakened Patriots secondary that had already lost Asante Samuel and Randall Gay.

Flash forward to today. It's been two years, and due to injuries, the Patriots staff has no more idea of what to expect from Wheatley than they did when they took him 62nd overall out of Colorado.

Furthermore, the Patriots have moved on. Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden have been added via free agency, and the team has given significant playing time to Jonathan Wilhite and promising sophomore Darius Butler.

And, in what might be the sign that Wheatley is on life support, New England passed over other areas of concern to address the cornerback position once more in this year's draft, selecting Rutgers product Devin McCourty 27th overall.

Add it up, and there's at least five corners on the depth chart ahead of Wheatley, with no reason to expect a full season out of the brittle 5-foot-9, 183-pounder.

Wheatley may be ready to play. Whether the Patriots are ready to let him is a different story.

Moss at a crossroads

2009-12-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

On a snowy Wednesday morning, Patriots fans awoke to find an unfortunate news flash. Four team members had been sent home for the day (i.e. banned from practice) by Bill Belichick for showing up late to an 8 a.m. meeting. The players were linebackers Gary Guyton, Adalius Thomas and Derrick Burgess, and...

Randy Moss.

The inclusion of #81 was the most surprising. Moss is a team captain, and has produced more highlights than anyone not named Tom Brady. And it's important to give Randy a break, considering that the weather was absolutely deplorable, and traffic was likely a mess regardless of where people were coming from.

A report even said that one player called to let a team official know he was delayed. Considering how serious Moss has been about the well-being of the team, it's quite possible he was that player.

But we can ponder the effect a statement like this will have on Moss. Fact: He's been taken out of games recently. Fact: His past reactions to team slumps has been to disappear.

Fact: With a chance to erase those worries off the minds of New England fans, he didn't get off to a good start.

Moss should know that a disciplinary stand by Belichick, this one included, is hardly ever personal. Bill has his rules, and they are etched in stone. If you abide by them, you get to practice and play. If you don't, go home. Nobody gets preferential treatment, and that's true whether you're Isaiah Stanback or Tom Brady, Rob Ninkovich or Randy Moss.

Moss has two roads he can go down. One is to take this in stride, to learn that Belichick won't cut him any corners. He can use it as a learning experience, leave the house 20 minutes earlier and set an example for a team that will be looking for him to provide leadership during the most important four-game stretch of the season.

The Patriots will need Randy Moss to give it his all the rest of the way. He could start at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The other road? Do what he would have done if Dennis Green or Mike Tice in Minnesota, or Norv Turner in Oakland tried to do this. He could pout, get angry and decide that he just doesn't feel like making that much of a commitment. He could finally appease the naysayers who have just been waiting for him to implode since he came to Foxboro in April of 2007.

It's unfair for us to assume Moss will take the second road. He has been a great fit since leaving Oakland, has gained Brady's trust, and has transitioned effortlessly from enigmatic talent to role model and clubhouse leader. We should be shocked if Moss makes this a far bigger problem than it is.

But there are still people out there waiting for the old Randy Moss to resurface. Here is a chance for the new Randy Moss to prove them wrong again.

How good are the Saints?

2009-12-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

No need to go into Monday night's debacle. The Patriots lost to a clearly superior (at this point, at least) Saints team, featuring an extraordinarily explosive offense.

The question is, how explosive?

New Orleans ripped the Patriots defense for 38 points, giving them 407 points through 11 games, an average of 37 points per contest exactly.

The record? That would be 589 points and 36.8 per game, set by - you guessed it - the 2007 Patriots. So it begs the question: how does this Saints squad stack up against the record-setting attack New England employed en route to a 16-0 season two years ago?

Contrary to the opinion of various experts, this Saints squad appears to hold the edge. New Orleans has four top-notch receivers (Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and Jeremy Shockey), all of whom had their moments Monday night, an intimidating trio at running back (Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Bush), and a quarterback in Drew Brees who has the perfect mix of brains and physical gifts to conduct this elite orchestra of talent.

Not to slight that Patriots team, which saw Tom Brady (50 touchdown passes) and Randy Moss (23 touchdown receptions) set records no one on this Saints team will break this year. But New England was unbalanced over the season. Many of those points came early on. In a stretch from weeks 6-11, the Patriots put up 48 points (on Dallas), 49 points (on Miami), 52 points (on Washington), 24 points (on Indianapolis) and 56 points (on Buffalo).

That Buffalo victory was the turning point, as the Patriots went from awe-inspiring to merely efficient. The rest of the season went: 31 points (against Philadelphia), 27 points (against Baltimore), 34 points (Pittsburgh), 20 points (N.Y. Jets), 28 points (Miami) and a final 38-point outburst against the New York Giants. Four of those victories were by 10 or fewer points, three were by a field goal.

Furthermore, that Patriots team was one-dimensional compared to this Saints team, or to other offensive juggernauts in recent memory such as the 2004 Indianapolis Colts, 2001 St. Louis Rams or 1998 Minnesota Vikings (whose record the Patriots broke).

New England had no running game to speak of. It was Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris, and when Morris went on injured reserve during the season, there was hardly any cause for concern. It was Brady to Moss, Welker, Donte' Stallworth or Jabar Gaffney. All the time.

Those other teams had more weapons to stop. In 2004, Manning was throwing to Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley, en route to 49 touchdown passes, but he was also handing off to Pro-Bowler Edgerrin James. In 2001, Kurt Warner threw for 36 touchdowns and 4,830 yards to Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Ricky Proehl or Az-Zahir Hakim. He also had future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk in the backfield, the previous year's MVP.

Here's how I would rank the top offenses of the past 11 years:

1. 1998 Vikings
2. 2009 Saints
3. 2007 Patriots
4. 2004 Colts
5. 2001 Rams

Why the Vikings? Pure depth. A reborn Randall Cunningham had two of the greatest receivers in history to throw to. Cris Carter caught everything, and paired excellently with an explosive rookie named Randy Moss. Robert Smith made the Pro Bowl as a dangerous option at running back. The Vikings went 15-1, won every game at home, and came within a fluke miss by kicker Gary Anderson of going to the Super Bowl.

The ill fate of the '98 Vikings highlights an interesting trend. Each of the high-octane offenses mentioned above got tripped up short of the ultimate goal, with the '01 Rams and '07 Patriots falling one victory short of Super Bowl triumph.

Will the Saints show that offense can win in February? Stay tuned.

A little more focus

2009-11-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

Even on a Sunday in which the Patriots didn't take the field, they still got good news regarding the AFC East race.

Buffalo shocked Miami at Orchard Park, 31-14, sending the Dolphins to 5-6. At this point, the Patriots lead the division with a 7-3 record, while Miami and New York are two-and-a-half games back at 5-6, while the Bills bring up the rear at 4-7.

The surprising result takes some of the importance off of the Saints matchup tomorrow night. Had Miami done what was expected and won, New England would have had to give New Orleans its first defeat in order to avoid having the Dec. 6 rematch in South Florida be for first place in the division.

Now, even if New England loses at New Orleans, they'll still have a comfortable lead (two games) with five games left. The Patriots could clinch the division with an 11-5 mark, which would allow for two losses to a group of opponents including the Saints (10-0), Dolphins (5-6), Bills (4-7), Jaguars (6-5) and Texans (6-5).

Of course, that doesn't make a victory in the Superdome any less attractive.

Tale of two halves

2009-11-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

The New England Patriots are 7-3. As always, there are many ways to look at that.

One is the popular take endorsed by Tom Brady. New England has lost three games, all as a result of playing essentially three halves (out of 20) of bad football.

Three halves? That's 1.5 losses, right? So the Patriots are really 8.5-1.5, and only a game-and-a-half behind Indianapolis, correct? That's not so bad!

Well, the problem is, those three halves are all the second half. The end game. It's a disturbing pattern, a worrisome trend.

Against the Jets in the Meadowlands, the Patriots had the lead at halftime, and allowed Mark Sanchez to bring New York back. At Denver, against a then-undefeated Broncos team, New England had a 17-7 lead before watching Kyle Orton save the day in overtime.

And of course, 10 days ago, the Patriots led the Colts by 10 at halftime, and 17 in the fourth quarter, before...

...I won't finish that sentence. The point is, Tom, you're mathematically right and logically incorrect. The Patriots, two years after being the ultimate go-for-the-jugular team, simply aren't going for the kill when they've achieved the stun.

If you're ready to dismiss that, maybe a history lesson will convince you otherwise. The 2002-2008 Patriots were 66-1 when leading at halftime. Sixty-six. And one.

This year? Six-and-3. And of those wins, games against Baltimore, Miami and the rematch with the Jets came oh-so-close to going in the loss column.

Cue the Vince Lombardi tape: "What the hell's going on out here?"

Of course, you can't expect teams losing at halftime to throw in the towel. They're NFL teams. They find out why they've been getting stomped on for 30 minutes and they correct it. They adjust. And they play harder and better in the next half.

But that's not always what happens with the Patriots. Take last Sunday's game. The Jets were emotionally and physically finished. They didn't show up. And yet, they were a few Sanchez implosions away from pulling off a comeback that would have - this is not exaggeration - crippled the Patriots' season.

Bright spots? The Patriots are 7-3, and notice the 6-3 record mentioned above. The Patriots often come out of the gates hard, and it's easier for a coach to teach his team to keep the foot on the gas than teach his team to climb out of a hole.

And with a matchup with the Saints coming up, the Patriots have a golden opportunity to enforce themselves as a power, even despite these shortcomings.

As Bill Belichick has said, the season starts after Thanksgiving. And the Patriots will have to improve their own second halves to make noise in the second half of the season.

Trade rumors abound

2009-10-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Patriots just played their best game of the season, but they could be about to undergo some changes.

The trade deadline (Tuesday) is approaching fast, and - don't let yesterday's 59-0 romp over the winless Tennessee Titans fool you - this is a team that can use some personnel adjustments.

For starters, the weak pass rush, lack of a versatile third receiver and the unclear running back scenario have been targets for criticism during the up-and-down start to the Patriots' season.

New England may have heard some of the questioning. Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain was released, linebacker Adalius Thomas was inactive against the Titans, and wide receiver Joey Galloway - surprise, surprise - was also inactive.

What does this mean? Galloway's days have been numbered for the past few weeks, and he could be on his way to Baltimore. Thomas's benching has led way to rumors as well, and Banta-Cain's release opens a roster spot - perhaps for an upgrade to the pass rush.

Remember the Julius Peppers talk? Nothing that drastic may be up Nick Caserio's sleeve, but if the Patriots make a move, it'll be soon.

Stay tuned.

No go on Welker

2009-09-27T09:42:00.001-07:00

Disregard the last post - Wes Welker will miss another game.

Welker was declared inactive for the game against the Atlanta Falcons, putting him on the bench for the second straight game.

Fortunately, Randy Moss (also declared questionable due to a back ailment) was activated, and will suit up.

Wild Wild Wes

2009-09-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

After struggling to find a rhythm last Sunday in a loss to the Jets, the New England Patriots offense appears to be catching a break.

According to various sources, Wes Welker is on track to start Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium, one week after missing the first game of his career.

The news isn't too surprising, considering that Welker was testing his banged-up knee on the field before the Jets game, and the decision to declare him inactive was unexpected.

Nonetheless, the decision is reassuring. Welker is Tom Brady's favorite target, and he is instrumental in the short-pass and screen game that converts first downs and keeps the offense on the field. With Welker out of the mix last Sunday, the offense visibly suffered.

Ugly

2009-09-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well, cancel the order for another "16-0" banner.

The New York Jets backed up their talk on Sunday, defeating the New England Patriots, 16-9, at the Meadowlands. It was the first loss for New England (1-1), while New York improved to 2-0.

It was a tough game all-around for the Patriots - just like the Jets said they were aiming for. The offense reverted back to its form from the first half of the Monday Night game against Buffalo, showing little chemistry and often appearing lost at the hands of Rex Ryan's aggressive, pressuring scheme.

On the other side of the ball, it wasn't too much better. It's not often that you can complain about a defense that allows 16 points, but in this case, it's warranted. The Patriots were stout in the first half, holding rookie Mark Sanchez to three completions in five attempts for 15 yards, and the Jets as a whole to only a field goal.

It was a whole new ballgame in the second half. Sanchez threw for 148 yards and a touchdown, and a steady running attack led by Leon Washington and Thomas Jones kept the Patriots on the field. Tom Brady had limited opportunities to figure out the difficulties with his receivers because the Jets dominated the time of possession.

The result was a game that, despite the one-score decision, was frustrating due to the large amount of things that went wrong. Brady looked out-of-synch, the defense faltered late (before finding enough resolve to stymie the Jets on their last two possessions, giving the offense a chance), and with 11 penalties, New England could not get out of its own way when it appeared to be nearing a breakthrough.

The game was the opposite of a standard Bill Belichick operation. He's a stickler for preparation and mental awareness, and instead, the Patriots came out without an answer to the Ryan defense, and made penalties that came often and at bad times.

In the first quarter, the Patriots were looking for the game's first score and had a first down at the Jets 17. Brady completed a pass to Julian Edelman for 10 yards and a first down, but a holding penalty on Stephen Neal brought the ball back to the 27. Another holding call, this time on tight end Chris Baker, put the ball back on the 37 and forced New England to settle for a field goal.

In the third quarter, down 13-9 but driving to the Jets 36, the Patriots' chances at a field goal or better were lost when Brady was called for consecutive delay of game penalties. Two scoring situations resulted in a meager three points for New England, a potential 11-point swing that, given the final score, could have changed the game drastically.

In the end, there just wasn't enough from New England. Brady completed only 23 of 47 passes for 216 yards and no touchdowns, Randy Moss caught only four passes for 24 yards, and Joey Galloway hauled in five catches for 53 yards while dropping several passes.

Rookie Julian Edelman caught eight passes for 98 yards in place of the irreplaceable Wes Welker, but given the overall inconsistency, it wasn't enough. It was the merely the highlight of a game that was, to put it nicely, ugly.

Just the way the Jets wanted it.

Let's get it on

2009-09-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

All right, enough talk. The Jets and Pats are ready to settle things on the field.

New York has made it clear what they expect to do to New England. The Patriots, as is always the case, have said nothing.

But whether they've stated their cases to the media or not, it's clear that both are expecting another physical game to add to the rivalry. Tom Brady said it'll be a "heavyweight fight". Kris Jenkins labeled it the Jets' "Super Bowl".

The matchup does have all the makings of being a close game. The Jets showed last week that their offense, led by rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, isn't lacking in firepower, and their defense, led by defensive tackle Jenkins and linebacker David Harris, is always stout.

The Patriots come into the Meadowlands fueled by a dramatic victory against Buffalo, but showing some bruises from it. Jerod Mayo, nursing a sprained MCL, was ruled out for a few games in the middle of the week, while slot receiver extraordinaire Wes Welker was a last-minute scratch.

The two injuries will have a big impact on both units. Mayo was the playcaller and leader on the defense, and Welker was Brady's go-to guy for short receptions and first downs. To pick up the slack, the Patriots might look to preseason fan favorite Julian Edelman, the former college quarterback who surprised with his offensive and special teams work in a victory over the Eagles. Joey Galloway and Sam Aiken will also be in the mix.

Despite the injuries, this should still be a game the Patriots can control. Bill Belichick has earned a reputation as a nightmare for rookie quarterbacks to go up against (they're 1-5 against him since 2000, throwing five touchdowns against 12 interceptions), and he has undoubtedly been hard at work at a scheme to stop the talented Sanchez, who started only one season in his USC career.

This is also a familiar situation for Tom Brady. Before 2007, Brady consistently had to make the most out of a receiving corps that dealt with injuries and didn't feature superstar talent. Brady was successful, and with Randy Moss at his side for this game, he should still be able to keep the offense moving today.

It'll be a close game, but if New England plays its game, it should still be able to pull out a victory. But this will be another tough AFC East matchup to start the season.

Week 2 picks

2009-09-18T15:18:00.001-07:00

It's still early on in the season, but Week 2 can be an important week in the NFL schedule. Some teams are looking to prove their Week 1 performance wasn't a mirage, while others are trying to prove just the opposite.

Here goes:

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans: I was high on the Texans coming into the season, however, though it's only been one game, I think Houston looks overhyped. They played with no passion against a Jets team that was young, learning on the go and could have been taken advantage of. Add in the fact that Houston was at home, and it looks even harder to imagine the Texans regaining that swagger against a good Titans team. Go with Tennessee.

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: Jake Delhomme bounces back from an awful opener against the Eagles, but the Falcons are a dangerous football team. At home, go with Atlanta.

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles: This is an intriguing matchup. Everyone knows the Saints can light up the scoreboard, and the Eagles were picked by many to be among the final teams standing in the NFC playoffs. The loss of McNabb to a rib injury puts a damper on it, and it'll be up to Kevin Kolb to keep things close. He won't, and the Saints will go to 2-0.

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: Everyone wants to get it right when the Lions finally win a game, but they'll have to wait at least one week. Easy win for Minnesota as Adrian Peterson (pictured) rolls again.

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs: Matt Cassel or no Matt Cassel, it won't be enough against an apparently improved Raiders team.

New England Patriots at New York Jets: In-depth pick coming

Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers: Tough loss for the Bungles in Denver. A tough loss turns into the makings of a tough season as the Packers go to 2-0, and the Bengals stay winless.

St. Louis Rams at Washington Redskins: If there's any team that faces a must-win every week, it's the Redskins. The NFC East is football's toughest division, and it is not unusual to see an 11-5 team win the division and a 10-6 or 9-7 team miss the playoffs. Look for that urgency to settle in for the Skins.

Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars: The Cards are not a fluke. And after a tough loss to San Francisco (at home, no less), it's time for Arizona to prove it. They will. Take the Cardinals.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills: Boy, the Bills had better win this game. Awaiting them afterward are the Saints and Dolphins, so Buffalo could be 0-4 and essentially done when the season's a quarter finished. Buffalo clearly has the talent (they're 1-0 nine times out of 10), but whether they can move on from a crushing loss in Foxboro is another. I say they do. Take the Bills, but this could easily go the other way.

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers: Both teams are struggling for the division title that eluded them last year. On one hand, the Seahawks are trying to regain what was annually theirs for most of this decade, and on the other, the Niners are trying to fulfill their promise as a team waiting to break out. Unfortunately for Seattle, 49ers head coach Mike Singletary has this talented bunch under his thumb. San Fran becomes the league's most surprising 2-0 team.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears: Take the Steelers. No Troy Polamalu, no problem - for now.

Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers: It's been a bad week for Philip Rivers. He struggled in the opening victory over Oakland, and then got fined for - surprise, surprise - running his mouth. He had better get the Chargers up and running this week against the always-tough Ravens, or things will go bad very quickly.

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos: The Broncos are bad, the Browns are bad. The difference is, the Broncos got lucky in Week 1 while the Browns were busy getting stomped on by Minnesota. Look for the Browns to even the score. Both teams move to 1-1.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: The $1.2 billion Cowboys palace opens its doors as two NFC East rivals square off. The G-men have a strong squad, but Dallas appears focused and on top of their game. And this has been a safe selection slate so far. Time to take a chance. Dallas gets the victory and becomes the division's only 2-0 team.

Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins: Many people jumped off the Colt bandwagon once Tony Dungy and Marvin Harrison departed. I don't buy it, and you shouldn't either. The Colts are still tough, still dangerous, and it's because they still have Mr. Manning throwing to Mr. Wayne. Indy wins, and will be busy - once again - clinching playoff berths when November and December roll around.

By the skin of their teeth

2009-09-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Bet you didn't expect this, Pats fans.

Whether it was the late fourth-quarter, 11-point deficit, the fumble by Leodis McKelvin with around two minutes left, or the last-minute comeback, there was plenty of room for the unforeseen and surprising in Monday night's season opener between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

The return of Tom Brady against a perennial punching bag was supposed to be the return of 35-point games, three Brady-to-Moss touchdowns and everything else we associate with 2007.

It wasn't.

Instead, the Gillette Stadium crowd had to wonder what was going on as the Brady-led offense suffered bouts of sloppiness that derailed promising drives, and the Jerod Mayo-less defense (Mayo was sidelined with a knee injury) allowed the Bills to stay ahead, and eventually, strike again for a 24-13 lead with 5:32 left.

And then, the Patriots came alive - though the Bills were happy to oblige.

Brady finally found the endzone on a pass to Ben Watson with 2:06 left, and after a failed two-point conversion kept the score at 24-19, the Patriots were kicking off. The only question was whether to onside kick or kick it deep, not whether New England needed help to have a chance at the dramatic victory.

Stephen Gostkowski kicked it deep, into the endzone, and into the hands of Leodis McKelvin. Last year's top kick returner in the NFL took it out. He was hit first by Brandon Meriweather, then by Pierre Woods. The ball came out. Gostkowski, a kicker whose athleticism, toughness and heads-up mentality provides many memories of Adam Vinatieri, recovered at the Buffalo 31.

Patriots ball. Somehow, someway.

From there, it was just a review of what has made the Patriots the NFL's top franchise since 2001. Brady took the field and took command, finding Randy Moss (12 receptions, 141 yards) for six yards, Wes Welker (12 receptions, 93 yards) for nine, and then, on an identical play that resulted in the first score, Watson in the back of the endzone.

New England 25, Buffalo 24. After a last-ditch effort by the Bills to get into field goal range, that's how it ended.

It was a remarkable win for the Patriots, and a crushing loss for the Bills (who lost in similar mind-blowing fashion to Dallas in 2007). Despite the excitement, there are several questions that have to be addressed:

1) Can the Patriots figure out how to stop the screen? Last year, the Patriots were consistently burned by deep passes. On Monday night, it was the screen pass that was a thorn in the Patriots' side. The linebacking corps of Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods and Gary Guyton had a difficult time containing Fred Jackson, who caught five passes for 83 yards. One was for 18 yards on a 3rd-and-15 on Buffalo's final scoring drive, and another was for 10 yards and the touchdown. Screen passes are deadly to a defense; they negate good schemes to shut down the rest of the scoring attack, and they can completely reverse the momentum the defense is building.

2) What is the situation with Jerod Mayo? The new defensive co-captain, expected to be the top linebacker in only his second season, was injured when Gary Guyton stepped on his leg early in the game. He didn't return, and the Patriots had a tough time finding an adequate replacement for him, as Woods and Guyton had the above problems. News broke today that the injury shouldn't be serious, but there is no exact timetable out yet. If he misses any action, the Patriots will have to figure out a solution. Fortunately, they have Bill Belichick, who has made a legacy out of finding the best way to plug big holes on defense.

3) How much more offensive sloppiness will we see? Compared to the top two questions, this is less of an issue. Brady and Co. struggled to find a rhythm in the first half, but they found a way to get it done when they had to - twice. Simple rustiness seemed to explain the first half. With a full game under the belt, the offense should look more like the potent unit we were expecting

Thoughts from around the league

2009-09-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

The Patriots may not play until tomorrow night, but that didn't keep yours truly from taking a look around the league at the rest of the NFL action on a busy Sunday.

A few thoughts:

-It is no longer a question if Adrian Peterson is the most destructive offensive force in the game today. He already had two touchdowns before scoring a third on a brutal 64-yard run. He showed everything; quickness to get to the outside, a slippery move to get through the line, and strength to break a tackle and stiff arm a defender at the same time. Favre will get the publicity for the victory, but it was Peterson that the entire Browns roster had no answer for.

-Brandon Stokley scored on an incredible, flukey, once-in-a-lifetime 87-yard reception with 11 seconds left in the game, in which he caught a deflected pass and raced untouched to the endzone. But despite the crazy, hectic nature of the moment, Stokley, an 11-year veteran, never lost track of the game. Knowing he had no defenders near and time to burn, he ran parallel to the endzone for three or four seconds, running down the clock to make a Cincinnati comeback even more improbable. Kudos to Stokley and coach Josh McDaniels, who won his first game at the Denver helm.

-The league's best offense going against a team coming off a winless season seemed to be a mismatch, and it was. Drew Brees, who became the second quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 5,000 yards passing last season, wasted no time finding his regular-season form, burning the poor Detroit Lions for six touchdowns. Five New Orleans receivers caught touchdowns, with Jeremy Shockey scoring twice. Brees appears on track for another incredible season, and if he is, the Saints could find their way back into the playoffs.

-The public's prognosis for the New York Jets was not good entering the season. Losing Brett Favre and replacing him with USC rookie Mark Sanchez was considered a step down offensively, but the Jets proved the doubters wrong in their opener. Sanchez was not spectacular against a good Houston team, but he was poised and collected (18-of-33, 166 yards), and he made a good read on a 30-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Chansi Stuckey. There was an ill-advised interception that Houston returned for a score, but if Sanchez can limit those mistakes, there's little reason to think he won't be a standout starter in the NFL.

Disaster (apparently) averted

2009-08-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

It appears we won't have a 2008 redux.

The latest Tom Brady news to shock the Patriots fanbase is reportedly not severe. He has a sore shoulder, but according to an unnamed source with the team, there is no damage to it beyond that.

Brady was hurt in the midst of a 27-24 victory over Washington on Friday, when he was hit and driven to the ground by mammoth Redskin tackle Albert Haynesworth after releasing a third-down throw to Greg Lewis.

Three-hundred and fifty pounds brought Brady down with his arm still extended, causing an awkward landing more on his underarm than on his forearm. Brady got up, went to the sideline, stretched his arm, and went to the locker room for halftime. When the second half started, Brady came back, threw a few passes, and left with a team doctor.

The injury overshadowed what was a truly impressive showing for Brady, who was in command and dominant, shredding the Redskins defense for two touchdown passes to Randy Moss. He was poised, composed, accurate and even looked willing to move in the pocket again, and for the first time since last September, minds were finally eased about his knee.

But then the Haynewsworth hit happened, and any concerns turned into panic when Belichick refused to give any information on how severe the injury was, or if Brady had received X-rays. All Bill said was that it was "bumps and bruises just like everybody else has," and left it at that. He said removing Tom was due to a desire to see backups Kevin O'Connell and Andrew Walter, not due to injury concerns, but many fans weren't buying it.

Brady will be held out of the final preseason game against the Giants, but it looks like he'll be ready for the season. After the news from last year, that should be music to any New England fan's ears.

Selflessness embodied

2009-08-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

You want another reason to like Tom Brady?

After Eli Manning received a lucrative extension (six years, $97 million, $37 million guaranteed), and Philip Rivers (six years, $93 million, $38 million guaranteed) got one too, Tom Brady's relatively modest six-year, $60 million deal (of which two years remain) is starting to appear cheap.

But here's the thing: Tom's not complaining.

Brady recently said he's focused on winning, not money, and that contracts work out in the end. He obviously feels comfortable in negotiating with the Krafts, and doesn't feel a need to resort to complaining to ESPN reporters about how he feels disrespected.

True, it can be argued that Brady shouldn't have much to complain about when he's throwing to the league's best receiving corps, while under the supervision of the league's best coach, but this is still a stand-up move on his part.

There isn't much difference between the comfort of a life on $50 million and a life on $100 million, but athletes don't know that. They view money has an evaluation of talent, and less money than an inferior player is regarded as a slap in the face.

It's nice to know that someone can take the high road - even if he can expect to cash in again in an offseason or two.

The return

2009-08-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Tom Brady is back. And everything is just the way it was before.

Well, not everything. There was one difference.

The difference wasn't in Brady. Tom looked every bit the quarterback Patriots fans remembered, going 10-for-15 for 100 yards and two touchdowns. With the exception of one floated pass to Randy Moss that was picked off, Tom was Terrific. He stepped up to pressure, looked poised, and looked confident. And the stat sheet showed it.

The difference was in where most of those 15 passes were going. With Randy Moss catching only three passes (albeit for 54 yards) and Wes Welker sidelined, Brady found undrafted receiver and former Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman five times for 37 yards, and new tight end Chris Baker for two touchdowns.

It appears Brady's confidence is not an issue, whether it be with himself or his new targets. Even considering the small sample size, that means good things for the Patriots' offense in 2009.

Pass rush gets a boost

2009-08-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the offseason, the Patriots' pass rush weaknesses were brought to the national stage with their pursuit of Panthers star Julius Peppers.

On Thursday, the Pats plugged some of those holes. And they didn't need to spend $16.7 million to do it.

New England made a trade with the Oakland Raiders for defensive end Derrick Burgess, adding a player who, as evidenced by his 16 sacks in 2005 and 11 sacks in 2006, provides an instant improvement to a beleaguered pass rush that saw its leader (Mike Vrabel, four sacks) leave for Kansas City.

Here's a breakdown of the acquisition:

Positive
Burgess is a legitimate player, and at 30, he should have stuff left in the tank. The defensive line, with Richard Seymour, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork, was already stout, but Burgess provides it with an extra dimension. It also allows the linebackers to help more in pass coverage, an area where the Patriots were burned last year, because they won't have to contribute a man to the rush as often. If Burgess is helping to disrupt the passer, the linebackers' pass coverage won't be compromised.

Negative
This could be Deltha O'Neal all over again. Burgess is a two-time Pro Bowler, one who also had eight sacks in a season in which he didn't make the Pro Bowl, but he missed games last year, and saw his numbers decline sharply. Also, the fact that he was essentially given away by the Raiders raises questions. O'Neal was the same way last year; a former Pro Bowl cornerback who was picked up off the Bengals' scrapheap to rediscover his form and shore up the secondary. It never worked, and O'Neal turned in one of the more miserable seasons by a Patriot defensive back in the Belichick era. Will Burgess have similar problems?

Overall
This appears to be a good move for the Patriots. While the O'Neal signing was a desperation move to fix an urgent need, Burgess appears to be a player that the Patriots like. They didn't sign him, but traded for him, meaning they were willing to make an effort to get him, and therefore must see something in him that was worth the cost. The Patriots have earned praise for consistently getting players that fit Belichick's scheme, and this appears to be another instance.

Thoughts on Vick, Part II

2009-07-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post, I commented that the hypothetical signing of Michael Vick would ultimately be a bad idea for the Patriots.

Now, after a press conference given by Bill Belichick on Friday, I maintain my stance. Because it might not matter.

In typical Belichick fashion, when asked several questions about Vick, Bill didn't give a yes, no, maybe, or anything of the sort. What he did do, however, was give a revealing amount of nothing:

Q: Have you and the organization ruled out signing Michael Vick?

BB: Have we ruled it out? I don’t know that it’s ruled in or ruled out.

Q: Some teams have said, ‘We are not going to sign him.’

BB: Well I’m just answering your question and I’m saying I don’t think it’s ever been put that way, so I can’t really answer it.

Q: Are you interested in signing Michael Vick?

BB: We are coaching the players that we have on the field right now, so that’s who’s here. So anybody who isn’t here, is there a potential that they could be here? Yea, there probably is, but right now they’re not. We’re coaching the 80 players that are here, so until we get somebody else we are coaching them. If we get somebody else in here, which I am sure at some point we will, then we’ll coach them [with] the players that are here. Who that’s all going to be, right now it’s the 80 players that are here. That’s all I can tell you.

Q: It sounds like you’re not ruling that out?

BB: Karen [Guregian], I am coaching the players that are here, that are on this team. I am not coaching anybody else. I’m sure at some point somebody else will be here, I don’t know who that’s going to be. If I knew they would already be here.

Q: Is that something you need a couple weeks to assess?

BB: I don’t think there is any time frame or any set criteria, no. We signed players a couple days ago. We signed players last week. Last year we signed a player or two at the beginning of camp. I don’t know. If we need somebody and we feel like that player can help our team and puts us in a better situation than what we had, then we’ll do it. If we don’t than we won’t.

Belichick is not one to affirm or deny anything. Had either of those reporters asked if Tom Brady was going to start at quarterback, he'd answer "Every position is up for grabs." Had they asked if he was hoping for a Super Bowl victory, he'd answer "We're not thinking that far ahead."

So with something like a potential Vick signing, whatever he says has to be read between the lines. And that seems to show a coach intrigued with the possibility of adding a fallen NFL superstar to an already potent mix.

If Belichick were absolutely not thinking of signing Vick, he would have used the opportunity to protect another aspect of his strategy: dispelling rumors. But considering that he was told that other coaches have flat rejected the idea of signing the former Falcon, and he still remained vague, implies that he's not denying anything because, simply, there's nothing to deny.

There's nothing to affirm, nothing to deny. Welcome to Bill's world.

The only reason that this looks like more evidence towards a Vick signing is that this is the routine Belichick and the media go through with every Patriot target. Whether it be something like the Randy Moss trade (which the Boston Herald reported was a possibility months before it was done) or the Rosevelt Colvin-Junior Seau signings in the second half of last season, the shtick is the same.

Belichick doesn't tip his hand, and when the deal is done, it's always a surprise.

It's too early, way too early, to say that Vick is busy getting on the next flight to Logan Airport. But there's a lot in Bill's seemingly nothing response that implies the New England brain trust is thinking of him. Sometimes, a compelling indication can be nothing at all.

Thoughts on Vick

2009-07-30T15:34:00.001-07:00

As the storm of speculation over where Michael Vick is headed has been growing by the minute, seemingly every organized football team has been included as a landing spot.

With Brett Favre now retired (again), the Vikings have been mentioned consistently, as have teams like the Jaguars, the Dolphins, the 49ers, every team in the fledgling UFL...

And the New England Patriots.

Don't believe me? Check it out. And don't worry, I didn't believe it at first either. Because, simply put, it doesn't make sense.

Don't get me wrong, the thought of getting Vick is an exciting one, and even two years removed from the game, there are few in the NFL that can match his pure, blinding speed and athletic gifts.

The thought of Vick running a Wildcat scheme with Sammy Morris and Tom Brady is tantalizing, and the idea of No. 7 simply standing on the same field, in the same uniform, as Randy Moss is frightening for defensive coordinators.

Despite all of these highs, there is one reason for Patriots fans to be very, very low on Vick. And it has nothing to do with dogs.

It has to do with our cleft-chinned, knee brace-wearing Wonderboy.

Any team that signs Michael Vick will be signing a quarterback. Pure and simple. They won't be signing a running back, or a wide receiver, or some freak combination in the Kordell Stewart mold from the mid-90s.

Vick can't play those positions. He has the talent, but not the body. Fans in Atlanta would hold their breath every time he took off past the line of scrimmage, in fear he would suffer an injury like 2003's fractured ankle.

You think that sounds like a guy who should be catching 40 passes a season?

Instead, Vick still has the rocket arm. He still has the leadership qualities. He still has the sense in the pocket from playing quarterback all his life. He IS a quarterback.

If the Patriots signed Vick, his most significant role on the team would be as the backup quarterback, and over time, questions would rise as to the point of having a marquee QB like Vick on the depth chart if the starter is entrenched in his spot.

Nobody in the NFL has more job security than Tom Brady. The idea of signing Vick is doomed to failure.

So Patriots fans can still dream of a Brady-Vick tandem tearing up the league the way the Dolphins did last year. They can still hope to see Vick sprinting down the field, catching an arcing pass from Brady, and burning everyone else into the end zone.

But that won't happen for long. Vick will realize his roots. You can't teach an old quarterback new tricks.

Buzzkill...for now

2009-03-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

On Monday, the NFL Network provided the spark to the Julius Peppers-to-New England rumors. On Tuesday, it provided the water.

A day after Vic Carucci reported a deal for Peppers was developing and almost imminent, his colleague, Adam Schefter, pulled the plug on the topic of major conversation in New England.

"This trade is not gonna happen," Schefter said on the WEEI radio station. "Julius Peppers will not be a New England Patriot next season."

Schefter is renowned around the league and in the media for being a reliable source with often breaking news about injuries and transactions, and his definitive words seem to be a severe blow to any hopes of landing the four-time Pro Bowler.

At the same time, Carucci, a senior columnist, has access to the best sources around, and it's unlikely his reporting would be based on anything but an insider's true word.

With two opposite statements, it's clear someone is telling the truth. The other is admirably misled.

Carucci's reasons for the deal made sense. Carolina doesn't want to pay first-round pick money, especially when they can get a player only two picks away from the opening round (No. 34 overall) for a bargain price. Not to mention, Peppers wants a defense like New England's, and New England wants a rusher like Peppers.

Schefter's doubt in the deal's possibility makes sense. Carolina doesn't want to give up a franchise player for a single second-round pick. Not to mention, New England wants Logan Mankins and Vince Wilfork back, and Jason Taylor as a free agent, more than Peppers.

This is nothing new to the way the Patriots operate. New England rarely broadcasts its retooling plans, and its business can be difficult to follow and interpret.

In February of 2007, the Boston Herald reported that the Patriots had serious interest in acquiring Randy Moss from the Raiders. Over the next two months, other media outlets contradicted the rumor, and killed off any speculation of the move occurring. The Herald even came full circle, reporting Moss was headed elsewhere.

On draft day, Moss became a Patriot.

Even last summer, the Patriots made John Lynch a late preseason cut, sparking belief in the media that the move was a salary tactic, and that Belichick intended on having Lynch back.

Lynch remained on the free agent wire, and retired. Months later, hampered by injury, the Patriots were again expected to make an emergency offer to the former All-Pro safety. Didn't happen.

Now, with the Patriots seeking ways to prepare their team for 2009, the media again is as mixed as a Brandy Sour. This time, the subject is Julius Peppers. Once again, the outcome may be a surprise.

Pats seeking Peppers

2009-03-16T14:34:00.000-07:00

A busy offseason for the Patriots could get kicked up another notch.

According to numerous sources, first reported by NFL.com's Vic Carucci, the Patriots are in the midst of negotiating a deal with the Carolina Panthers that would send a second-round pick to Charlotte for star defensive end Julius Peppers.

The career sacks leader for Carolina, Peppers has expressed a desire to both become an outside linebacker, and do so with another team besides the Panthers. Both truths are apparently music to the ears of Bill Belichick and Co., as the Patriots are short at the linebacker position, and adding the four-time Pro Bowler would be an instant upgrade.

The news is also the latest in a startling turnaround for the Patriots financially. New England began the offseason almost at the $123 million salary cap figure, but shed Matt Cassel's $14 million franchise tag number and Mike Vrabel's $3.15 million salary in a trade with Kansas City (more on that later) at the start of free agency, while also releasing Rodney Harrison ($3.05 million), Jabar Gaffney ($2 million) and Rosevelt Colvin.

With the breathing room, the Patriots went to work. They signed Jaguars castoff Fred Taylor and former Jet Chris Baker at the start of the free agency period, while also acquiring wideout Greg Lewis from Philadelphia. New England upgraded the secondary by signing former Pro Bowler Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden to fill the weak cornerback positions, and also added a deep threat in four-time Pro Bowl alternate Joey Galloway. New England capped off the shopping spree by luring back defensive end Mike Wright.

But with the Julius Peppers talk swirling around, the Patriots might be ready to make the biggest offseason move since acquiring Randy Moss in April of 2007. The trade would happen a few days or weeks into the future, but it also brings us back to the past - the trade of Cassel and Vrabel, specifically.

For months, it was out in the open that Cassel would be traded. The question focused on what the Patriots would get in return. Some pundits felt a first-round pick was a fair asking price, others said a second-round pick was more appropriate.

But when the Pats gave up Cassel AND Vrabel for that second-round pick, the reaction was mostly negative. A second-round pick was nowhere near enough to get for a potential franchise quarterback and a high-quality linebacker.

Well now, we see New England's logic.

A second-round pick is easier, financially, to sign than a first-rounder. The Panthers have said they'd be "happy" with a second-round pick for Peppers, for that reason.

Where did that second-round pick, the one that could be dealt to Carolina for Peppers, come from? Kansas City.

In typical, clandestine Patriots fashion, a deal deemed unsatisfactory by many could result in the greatest catch yet.

Pats reach behind enemy lines

2009-02-27T18:38:00.000-08:00

Ty Law, Curtis Martin, Vinny Testaverde, Tom Tupa, Hank Poteat, Victor Hobson.

All players went from the Patriots to the Jets, or vice versa. Now we can add Chris Baker to the list.

The tight end agreed to terms with the New England Patriots on Friday, keeping his home in the AFC East but moving it from the Meadowlands to Gillette Stadium.

Just as the Fred Taylor signing was a boost to a thin running back corps, this signing does the same for the tight end position. Baker is a versatile player with decent pass-catching (he caught 41 passes in 2007) and blocking skills. While Ben Watson will likely still be the top receiving option at tight end, Baker provides some able blocking that New England has missed since seeing Daniel Graham and Kyle Brady leave as free agents in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Double whammy

2009-02-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

Friday saw the Patriots gain an icon and lose another.

The start of free agency didn't take long to prove fruitful for New England, which added star running back Fred Taylor, but then turned around and dealt fan favorite and eight-year Patriot Mike Vrabel to Kansas City (get used to hearing the Chiefs in negotiations).

Though a dip into the free agent pool was peculiar for a team facing the salary cap problems that New England is, Taylor is a smart addition. The 16th all-time leading rusher, Taylor has defined the word 'consistent' throughout his career with Jacksonville, and will be in the running for a bust in Canton when his career finishes up.

Taylor will also provide depth to a running back corps that was riddled with injuries in 2008. Laurence Maroney lasted only four games before landing on IR, while LaMont Jordan and Sammy Morris both missed substantial time with injuries, forcing Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to take on starting roles. Taylor will certainly help create a deep backfield that preserves the health of its members.

But while the offense gained another weapon, the defense lost one. In 24 hours, the Patriots went from potentially gaining an impact defender (DeAngelo Hall, who re-signed with Washington) to actually losing one in Vrabel.

From a depth chart point of view, Vrabel's trade (for an undisclosed draft pick) is understandable, as the team is looking to cut salary, and linebacker is the deepest defensive position.

It makes financial sense as well, as Vrabel's contract was set to expire in 2009, and the trade takes another deal off the books that the Patriots would have had to spend valuable dollars and cap space to renew.

Furthermore, the $3 million-plus that is now off the roster frees the Patriots to make another run at another impact player, via free agency and trade. With Julius Peppers mentioned in various rumors, an essential Vrabel-for-Peppers swap would benefit New England greatly.

Emotionally, however, this deal makes little sense at all. Vrabel was still an effective defensive player, was the team's best pass rusher, and was a leader in the huddle and in the locker room. While Tedy Bruschi was the symbol of New England's grit, determination and heart, Vrabel was easily 1A, a guy who went from being a cut Pittsburgh Steeler to being Mr. Versatility with three Super Bowl winners.

So day 1 of free agency gives the Patriots a former Pro Bowl running back, and deprives them of a former Pro Bowl linebacker. With plenty of players remaining in the market, these seismic moves could very well be joined in the next few days.

Cassel's tag sets up interesting offseason

2009-02-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

It was hinted at for months, but on Thursday, the Patriots made it official: Matt Cassel is the 2009 franchise player.

News broke that the Patriots were going to do this several weeks ago, but now that it's happened, it's still a jolt to the New England offseason to-do list.

Though the franchise tag would keep Cassel in New England for next season, and provide a hell of an insurance policy should Tom Brady have an iffy return from knee surgery, it is hardly cost-effective. The tag amounts to $14.65 million against the cap, and along with Brady's $14.62 million hit, helps amount to almost a quarter of the Patriots' salary cap space.

Though both Cassel and Brady are slated to be on board for next year, the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of one of them (most likely Cassel) being traded before the start of next year.

The Patriots aren't built to shell out nearly $30 million a year to two healthy quarterbacks. They are the ultimate team, and being this top-heavy in one position violates the balanced structure they've been gunning for and accomplishing since Bill Belichick took over in 2000.

Furthermore, the Patriots have financial work to do elsewhere on the depth chart. Richard Seymour, Logan Mankins, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Vince Wilfork all have contracts set to expire in 2010. All five will likely want to stick around New England (Wilfork has been adamant about it), but it will take money to keep them.

The Patriots will do all possible to extend most, if not all five, players, but to do that, they'll need cap space. Giant contracts given to Cassel and Brady will make contract extensions a tough commodity.

However, the Patriots are also about preparation, and what this move does do is address the gap between February, i.e. the start of free agency, and late July. The Patriots could not afford to let Cassel walk away, wait four or five months and find out that Brady could not be back in time for the season opener.

They love Kevin O'Connell in Foxboro, but not that much. Not yet.

So the Patriots have bought themselves flexibility. If Brady can start, Cassel gets a thank you and the boot. If not, Matt returns to the helm of an offense he figured out in remarkable speed last year. They can bite the bullet of a healthy quarterback and unhealthy quarterback chewing up cap space. What they won't tolerate is keeping an expensive trade chip.

Is Tom Brady's knee the only problem?

2009-01-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

Okay.

It was just a few minutes ago that I saw the photos of Tom Brady in Mexico. With Gisele Bundchen. If you've seen them, you know the one's I'm talking about.

The ones where he's being fed by his girl, and where the two of them are snuggling in the ocean. There may be more, but thankfully, I haven't seen them.

A lot of emotions hit me when seeing those photos (none of them synonymous with "happy" or "excited"), but with a deep breath, I stifled them down, and...

*sigh* Okay.

The problem is obvious: While Patriots fans hope, plead, beg for Brady to be healthy by the beginning of next season, the only glimpses of Tom that we see have nothing to do with football. He barely even talks about football.

At points this offseason, there's been a better chance of seeing a ring on his finger than a football in his hand. And these pictures did nothing to ease the anxiety.

Sure, Brady's love life is none of our business. If he wants to spend every waking moment of the next few months all over the world, in any town but Foxboro, Massachusetts, that's his deal. After all, who can blame him?

Well, as fans, we make it our business to blame him. It's our responsibility to hope he hangs out less with a supermodel and more with guys like Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Matt Light.

But here's the truth, that Patriots fans both hate and fall back on: Tom Brady has earned the right to keep it his business.

This isn't Tony Romo. Tom Brady didn't throw a few touchdown passes, win a few games, and decide he was the biggest star in the league. He doesn't have people wondering if he can handle the big game.

And he has shown that whatever the distraction, he can deal with it.

He had an open relationship with Bridget Moynahan while leading New England to Super Bowl XXXIX. When his son was born during training camp for the 2007 season, he responded by throwing for 50 touchdowns. The fact that the Patriots didn't win a fourth Super Bowl is by no means Tom Brady's fault.

And even as we Patriots fans shield our eyes from Tom Terrific looking like a soft lover-boy in Mexico, we can't forget that only one day earlier, a story broke about how Brady is dropping back, throwing, running and preparing for 2009.

Does that sound like a player whose interests are elsewhere?

The point is, Tom Brady is focused on football. He's focused on leading the New England Patriots. And after missing 2008 and hearing his days numbered by the media, he's likely more focused.

It's just that, when he goes to Mexico, he doesn't show it. He doesn't have to.

So I see the photos, I feel my frustration rise, and I get on with my life knowing that Tom Brady will be one of the NFL's best players next year as quarterback of the New England Patriots.

Just like he always has.

Brady breaks silence on Toronto radio

2009-01-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

Tom Brady lives!

Don't believe me? Just ask Toronto's Fan 590 - the station that, on Wednesday, held the first interview with Tom Brady since news of his knee infection got out to the public seemingly years and years ago.

As wild a ride as the 2008 season was for the Patriots, Brady's offseason and recovery from his season-ending injury was just as volatile. First he was out, then he was fine, then he was infected, then he was fine again, then he was behind schedule, and then he was gone. News about Brady disappeared, and with the exception of a Thanksgiving appearance serving pumpkin pie and engagement rumors with Gisele Bundchen, No. 12 did too.

Until now.

Brady didn't say much (injuries happen, you recover for them, I'm looking forward to more rehab, etc.), but the fact that he was in the studio should come as a relief to Patriots fans. Injuries are always a mystery with Belichick and Co., but it's another thing when the injured player (let alone one of Brady's importance) is neither seen nor heard from.

By appearing on the radio, and shedding some, any light on his injury, Brady at least reminds New Englanders that his mind is on football, and returning as the leader of the offense.

Matt Cassel did an admirable, Pro Bowl-worthy job stepping into Tom's NFL MVP shoes, but unless he physically can't make it onto the field, this is still Brady's team.

It's nice to have him back - even for a few fleeting moments on the airwaves.

Pats need help as playoffs near

2008-12-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

The New England Patriots, the walking hospital ward of a team, are halfway through a perfect December, which was recognized as a must-do after the home loss to Pittsburgh, suddenly the NFL's hottest team.

And as the 49-26 thumping of the Oakland Raiders showed, New England is still capable of handing it to a team, including the kind they may have to face come January.

And yet, despite all of that, despite the fact that the Patriots have done nothing but their job since the last day of November...it might not be enough.

Because the Ravens kept winning. And the Dolphins kept winning. And for a stretch, the Jets looked unbeatable.

And those close calls? Those unnecessary roughness calls on final drives, those lost coin tosses, those times spent overwhelmed by a team's throwback scheme? Those actually aren't as forgettable as we tried to convince ourselves when it was happening.

That close loss to Indianapolis? The overtime defeat by the Jets? The fluke loss to Miami? Each time, the thinking was the same. Once we get to the end of the season, it won't matter.

Welcome to the end of the season. And it matters.

The Patriots, Dolphins and Jets have all lost five times. But unlike the Jets, the Patriots lost two of those games in the division. Unlike the Dolphins, the Patriots saved all of their losses for the AFC. So here we are, at the end of the season, where everyone dusts off those tiebreaker rules...and finds out the Patriots don't own any of them.

So the Patriots need to do more than win. They need others to lose.

They need the Ravens to lose this Saturday to the on-again, off-again Cowboys for a wild card. Or they need the Jets to get tripped up by Seattle, or the Dolphins to get toppled by the Chiefs. And if one of those teams should lose, New England needs that team to win when the Jets and Dolphins play each other in the season finale at the Meadowlands.

And of course, above all else, the Patriots need to win. At home against Arizona, on the road against Buffalo. One loss doesn't mathematically nail the coffin, but it makes divine intervention the only other hope.

Hard to imagine an 11-5 team out of the playoffs. But unless other teams get into the Christmas spirit and give the Patriots a few games, that's just what will happen.

Bleacher Report: The final project

2008-12-09T22:03:00.000-08:00

The Internet has spawned rises in popularity of many fields and interests. Journalism is one of them.

From the massive amounts of blogs to creations as specific as iReport on CNN, the standards have changed. Originally meant to be reported by people with journalism degrees and press passes, the news is now being brought to consumers by anyone, from anywhere, with an enthusiastic interest and some free time.

In sports, it’s the same way. Fans from all over the country are getting a chance to follow their favorite teams, and notify the public of what they see. And they’re doing it on Bleacher Report.

Thought up in the summer of 2005, with a prototype appearing in 2006, Bleacher Report has quickly become what it labels itself on the home page, “the open source sports network.” Anyone can join. Anyone can write. Anyone can participate, evaluate and criticize.

But Bleacher Report isn’t just the home of massive amounts of sports journalism. It’s the home of good writing. Articles cover all ground, ranging from objective and balanced to slanted and opinionated, and include predictions, commentary, running game notes, and even advice for that other growing sports trend, fantasy.

And the site is only growing. Bleacher Report moved into an office in San Francisco shortly after the February 2008 formal launch, pays its staff members, and has its articles appear at the forefront of several hot sports topics. The writers are in the thousands, the funding is in the millions.

“We certainly hoped it would (reach this point),” site creator Dave Nemetz said. “The idea was that there was a gap in the world of sports that wasn’t being put on display, and if we got fans together, there’d be more coverage than anywhere else on the web.”

The beginning (map available here)

The success has come fast for a site that began with such modest expectations. The concept for Bleacher Report originated when Nemetz was a student at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. A Bay Area native and avid sports fan, Nemetz grew tired of the limited coverage he could find of his favorite teams, namely the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks and Oakland-based Golden State Warriors.

Nemetz noticed his best chance of following his teams was on the internet. Soon after, he found blogs, a sign that sports news existed beyond the pages of the Los Angeles Times.

“What drove me to create the site was that I grew dependent on the internet to get news on my favorite teams,” he said. “I discovered blogs about my favorite teams, and some of them were good. It struck me that there were fans out there capable of good insight.”

He wasn’t alone. Enlisting the help of close friends and fellow Bay Area natives Dave Finocchio, Bryan Goldberg and Zander Freund, the group went to work on a website prototype. Though they had an idea of what they wanted the site to be, and websites to serve as inspirations, the specifics had not yet been worked out.

“When we started out, we didn’t know where we were headed,” Nemetz said. “College Humor was an example, and Wikipedia has been an example of what we try to do. And ESPN has been the golden standard of things.”

According to Freund, now the site's community general manager, in charge of promoting member interaction and building up the site's community, it was clear amongst the four what they didn't want the site to become.

“We didn't try to be a catch-all web 2.0 sports site from the get-go. We created an identity early on and have stuck to that identity for the most part,” he said in an e-mail. “We didn't try to be a sports betting site/fantasy games site/sports chatroom/celebrity sports gossip site all rolled into one. We started out as and continue to be the place where fan-journalists come to publish their opinions on the world of sports and engage in stimulating debate.”

With continued effort from Nemetz in Los Angeles, Finocchio in Chicago, Goldberg in San Francisco and Freund in New London, Conn., the prototype was finished. Soon after, in Menlo Park, Calif., the website was launched. The content, originally, was provided only by the co-founders and focused only on Bay Area teams.

It didn’t last that way for long.

“We always intended to cover a broad range of sports. We didn’t have just the California focus. We never tried to limit it,” Nemetz said. “We’d take writers from wherever we could get them. We started with ourselves, and kept going from there.”

Freund said that the website is now at a point where its content surpasses that of other sports networks, including the one in Bristol, Conn.

“We provide a far greater breadth of coverage than that of any other sports media outlet,” he said. “We publish 500 and counting original editorials per day, compared to sites like ESPN which publish less than 20. On Bleacher Report you can find original editorial analysis on just about anything that matters in the world of sports.”

Maintaining quality

Shortly after launching, the site began to grow. Writers joined from all over the country, enchanted by the idea of writing about their teams and seeing their names attached to their products. Staff positions were created, some of which were aimed at keeping the writing at a consistent quality.

One of those positions, managing editor, went to Ryan Alberti, who turned his eagerness for people to read his writing into an eagerness to improve the writing of others.

“I got started with Bleacher Report just as the site was getting off the ground,” Alberti said. “I was motivated by authorial vanity as much as anything else. There was definitely an ego kick involved in seeing my work published on the web.

“Over time, that thrill yielded to the satisfaction of helping other writers polish their own work.”

Alberti’s position enables him to clean up the content of the site if necessary, and the site is designed to have the higher-quality stories make it to the front of the page. Even with those steps in place, he said that the writers on the site are talented enough to make his job easier. As the site has grown, some of the stories written by Bleacher Report writers have been picked up by other companies.

As its writers are being featured more prominently, Bleacher Report is getting noticed and regarded more and more by the online community. Mark Hendrickson of Tech Crunch is an example of a fan of the Bleacher Report style, saying that the site reminded him "how knowledgeable and opinionated about sports that [sic] ordinary people can be."

Alberti said there are ways that the site makes sure its best writing is the material getting viewed by outsiders.

“Factors like article relevance, user ratings, and writer ranking are weighted most heavily in assigning placement,” Alberti said. “In general, the system does a pretty decent job of letting the cream rise to the top.

“That said, the quality of the work on the site is and always will be determined by the quality of Bleacher Report writers. Bleacher Report is just a platform. It's the writers who provide the content. If the work is good, it’s because the writers are good—nothing more and nothing less.”

“An open platform”

Bleacher Report’s fast start can be attributed to the same fact that makes for a bright future: There are plenty of sports fans, and there are plenty of sports fans that are determined to have their opinions heard.

“I think the site has become not only a community, but an addiction for some people,” said Bleacher Report editor Tim Coughlin, a Northeastern alum, former Patriot Ledger sports co-op and current Brockton Enterprise part-timer. “Some people are totally absorbed. I've seen people admit they started spending three hours a day on the site cold upon discovering it.”

Joe Beare, a journalism major at Northeastern who worked as a sports writer for the Patriot Ledger and is a Bleacher Report contributor, agreed, while echoing Nemetz’s feelings towards spotty coverage of his favorite teams.

“I originally joined Bleacher Report as a San Jose Sharks writer because I felt that the fanbase was being misrepresented in the main stream media by poor, uninformed journalistic coverage,” he said. “Bleacher Report has managed to do so well because its readership and its writers are one in the same, primarily.”

From the disenchanted fan to the writer looking to see his name published, to the up-and-coming journalist looking to get connected to a growing site, Bleacher Report is giving a pen to a nation of sports enthusiasts, eager to show they can write a little bit, too.

“It’s really an open platform,” Nemetz said. “In many cases, it’s the fan looking to get their voice out there, or the aspiring writer looking to enhance their portfolio.

“I’m incredibly proud. It’s been a lot of hard work, with no guarantee it was going to work out. But it continues to grow, and it’s been an amazing experience.”

Stayin' alive

2008-12-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

It wasn't pretty. But at this point in the season, it rarely is.

After seemingly waiting three quarters for their game to complete the trip to the west coast, the New England Patriots staged a fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Seattle Seahawks, 24-21.

Entering December, it was clear that the Patriots had to win out to have a reasonable chance at the playoffs. Against the lowly Seahawks, it seemed to be an easy way to kick off the high-pressure month. It was anything but.

The same old problems re-emerged. The defense showed its age in its inability to stop the quicker players on the field (such as quarterback Seneca Wallace and wide receiver Deion Branch - remember him?), and an overmatched secondary was again the reason behind New England's inability to stop Seattle on third down.

Another problem - injuries - again hit the Pats hard. Venerable linebacker Tedy Bruschi left the game with a knee injury, forcing Rosevelt Colvin and Junior Seau, who weren't on the team a week ago, onto a lot sooner and more often than expected.

But unlike the Pittsburgh game a week ago, the same old strengths were there to take control of the game late. The defense, led by Brandon Meriweather and Jerod Mayo, made crucial drive stops late in the game, allowing Wes Welker, who returned from a vicious hit to make 12 catches for 134 yards, and Matt Cassel to march down the field.

The Patriots had to work for the victory, however. Wallace had thrown for three touchdowns, two to former Patriot Branch, by the fourth quarter, and New England was down, 21-13.

With the season in the balance, Cassel responded. He drove the Patriots deep into Seattle territory, resulting in a Stephen Gostkowski field goal. Taking over again after a critical New England stop, Cassel's second drive was better than the first. He completed a 13-yard pass to Welker on third down, then hit Welker again with a 25-yard pass that brought New England to the Seattle 6-yard line.

On fourth-and-goal, Sammy Morris scored on a one-yard run for the go-ahead score, with - who else - Welker catching the two-point conversion for the final points.

Though the game was closer than anticipated, the Patriots showed the traits of a playoff team late in the game. The defense, which adjusted to the Bruschi injury admirably and professionally, shut out the Seahawks when it was needed the most, and the offense did the rest to keep the Patriots alive in a suddenly deadlocked AFC East.

The playoffs still aren't a certainty. New England needs help. But at this point, it's good to see that the Patriots are helping themselves.

Universalhub.com

2008-12-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

Good, interesting performance by Adam Gaffin, the founder of UniversalHub.com, on Wednesday. It's always neat to hear from people who started with simple blogs (like all of us in the class) who then see it develop into something huge and renowned. Sometimes, it's a result of hard work and dedication. Other times, it's just what happens when you get a unique idea.

With Mr. Gaffin and UniversalHub, it appears to be a little of both. He had the unprecedented idea of putting together a roundup of Boston news, rather than having to read each individual source for information. He is also very committed to the blog, as his frequent posts and wide range of stories pulled from around the internet would suggest. And yet, I was surprised by what he gave for the hours he spends at work on the site. He said he works on it in his off time at work, and when he's exercising at home. Unless he has around seven hours of free time at his job (which I doubt), he's packing a lot of hard work into the spare minutes he has.

The advertising aspect to UniversalHub speaks more for the uniqueness of the site. Mr. Gaffin said the site pulls in around $15,000 net a year, and he said himself that he doesn't spend the time on advertising that could be spent on a site of this much recognition. That means that companies are looking for and finding him and his site, and are looking to get connected with UniversalHub.

Mr. Gaffin mentioned his main news interests for the site, which included stories about the T, and anything in towns that blow up. That is another reason for UniversalHub's effectiveness and popularity; you don't have to look far to find interesting subjects. Boston is home to plenty of interesting news, and UniversalHub helps you find it.

Sackman Returns

2008-12-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

Of the multitude of problems stemming from the 33-10 loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday, the pass rush was one of the chief concerns. Belichick and Co. didn't waste any time fixing it, and they didn't have to turn too far for help.

The Patriots re-signed linebacker Rosevelt Colvin Wednesday, filling a roster spot left open when nickelback Jason Webster was placed on IR.

New England's pass rush had deteriorated significantly with the loss of Adalius Thomas (broken forearm) and the drop in sack totals from Mike Vrabel (12 last year to three this year) and Jarvis Green (6.5 to zero). If Colvin is anywhere near his form during his prior Patriots career, this could be a major help, just in time for a playoff push.

Colvin's five-year stint with New England was marred by injury (including a potentially devastating, season-ending broken hip two games into his first season), and ended due to a high salary-cap figure, but it was impossible to deny the outside linebacker's pass-rushing ability when healthy. He had 26.5 sacks in 61 games from 2003-07, and led the team in 2006 and 2005 and was third in 2004, his first year back from the career-threatening injury.

Colvin could defend the pass, he was able to stop then run, he could notch an interception or two. But that wasn't what he was paid to do. His job was to rush the quarterback.

The signing also adds another wrinkle to the playoffs, should New England make it. Adalius Thomas, arguably the team's best all-around linebacker, is out with what has been reported as a season-ending arm injury. Despite the ominous diagnosis, we are three weeks removed from the injury, and Thomas, still, is not on injured reserve. Because there is no sense to keep a player with no hope of returning active (see Rodney Harrison and Tom Brady), it's fair to assume that Belichick is holding out hope that Thomas can return in time for the playoffs.

If that's the case, with Colvin and Thomas, New England could see its pass rush improve drastically. But first, the Patriots have to get there.

With the return of the Sackman, those prospects are looking better.

Twitter feeds

2008-12-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

In our class on Monday, we looked at using Twitter as a journalism tool, and at the various news organizations and personalities that have used the site to further their effectiveness. Here are some I noticed on the site:

1. The Boston Globe Patriots feed. Due to the nature of this blog, this would seem to be a good feed to look at. It is pretty complete, with links to all of the Globe's coverage available. Furthermore, it's a fast-updating site. For example, the hot topic of the day was Rosevelt Colvin's resigning with the team, which was made official this morning. There were already four articles published on the subject in four hours, one of which was a locker room interview. That type of attention to updating material is often the sign of a healthy feed, which it appears the Globe's Patriot site is.

2. Barack Obama has a twitter feed as well. Or at least his campaign does. Anybody researching Obama, looking to analyze his approach to the presidency or trying to find an example of his politics can make good use of this feed. You can find a long list of his speeches on the feed, so if you were looking to prove that he is flip-flopping on a particular issue, you could trace down the individual rally that could serve your point. As it may be easy to understand, a Washington reporter could make good use of this feed.

3. The Patriot Ledger is also getting in on Twitter mania. For a newspaper feed, this one isn't great. It appears to just be a glorified RSS, and with hardly enough updates (sometimes going 10-12 days without one), it can't be confused for being the most up-to-date news source in the world. It does have links to the stories, however, so it qualifies as functional.

4. And would you look at that. Darth Vader has a feed. The journalistic merit may not quite be up to snuff, but the feed is essentially a Darth Vader blog. We've talked in class about how the line between blogging and journalism can be blurred or, in some cases, gotten rid of. If you're looking for humorous Star Wars material for a multiple-years-old movie review, this is your site.

All in all, I see the good that Twitter can do, but most sites seem to simply turn their feeds into RSS knockoffs. I'm not sure whether that's a fault of the individual members or the makeup of the site, however, I'm not convinced that Twitter is the same revolutionary tool that sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Google Reader have been.

Rain pain

2008-12-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

Just when you think they're back among the AFC elite, the 2008 New England Patriots consistently return your expectations to Earth.

Riding high after a high-energy victory in Miami, the Patriots returned home to face frigid, drenching rain and the NFL's best defense, factors that didn't bode well in a 33-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After a game in South Florida in which seemingly everything went right, nothing did in Foxboro. In the second half, anyway. In the first half, New England, despite key drops from the ultra-reliable Randy Moss (one for a sure touchdown with seconds remaining until halftime) and a botched chip shot field goal from the even-more-reliable Stephen Gostkowski, was tied with the Steelers, 10-10. Furthermore, they were generating more offensive chances than Pittsburgh and had the ball to start the second half.

It didn't matter, as the Pats regressed at an alarming rate. Fumble on the kickoff. Pittsburgh field goal. Fumble by Cassel. Pittsburgh touchdown. Another fumble by Cassel. Pittsburgh field goal. Interception by Cassel. Suddenly, a game that New England was verging on putting away before halftime was a laugher in all the wrong ways.

New England resembled a heavyweight contender keeping pace through eight tough rounds in the heavyweight championship, then getting floored on the first punch of the ninth. New England was a drop by Moss away from making a statement. They ended up three scores behind the opportunistic Steelers, and a lot further from being a realistic AFC playoff contender.

It's a mistake to count the Patriots out of the playoffs. They have four winnable games coming up, while Baltimore (in possession of the second wild card spot) has to play this same scary Steelers team again, as well as the Redskins and Cowboys. If the Patriots win out, they'll finish 11-5. That should be good enough to play in January.

But who knows how well? On Sunday, Patriots fans saw an offense that compiled over 1,000 yards the past two games fail to catch and hold on to the football, and a defense playing against an O.K. Steelers offense in drenching rain somehow allow 33 points. These factors can't be ignored. For the Patriots to make an impression in the playoffs, they'll have to live with them.

Patriots finish off the Fins

2008-11-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

Tom Brady may be out for the season, but the 2007 Patriots appear to be back in swing.

Led again by a scorching Matt Cassel, New England defeated Miami in a rematch, 48-28, putting them back atop the list of top AFC playoff contenders.

Furthermore, the victory kept the Patriots in contention in the competitive AFC East, while a loss meant a 6-5 record, another conference defeat and sinking to the near bottom of the division.

Cassel didn't let that happen, and this time, he used the services of one Randy Moss early and often. The first-year starter gunned for 415 yards, 125 to Moss, and three touchdowns, all to No. 81. Cassel also ran for a score, was sacked only twice (one of which he negated by throwing a first-down strike to Jabar Gaffney on the next play) and threw only one interception. Cassel even shined on the pick, throwing the ball right to the hands of Moss, who couldn't haul it in and allowed Jason Allen to come away with the interception.

But despite the prowess of the offense, which amassed 500 yards for the second straight game, the game didn't get comfortable until the very end, due to a defense that seemed determined to let the Dolphins stay close. The Patriots stopped the dreaded Wildcat offense, but fired blanks on everything else, allowing quarterback Chad Pennington to march down the field effortlessly and finish with four touchdowns - three throwing, one rushing.

The bad defense didn't rain on the Cassel parade. On the same field where Brady torched the Dolphins for six touchdown passes and a perfect 158.3 QB rating a year ago, Cassel looked every bit a worthy substitute, hitting Moss on a variety of patterns (catch and run, fade route and streak down the left side), helping two receivers (Moss and Wes Welker) reach 100 yards, and spreading the ball to six different receivers.

Most importantly, however, Cassel showed the leadership that has been the hallmark of Brady's career, following up all Miami touchdowns with scoring drives of his own, including two 80-plus-yard drives in the third and fourth quarters that resulted in the winning points.

The defense still has question marks - lots of them. But with Cassel playing as well as he is, Randy Moss finally involved and the team showing it still has the same old ability to buckle down and win a crucial game, it looks a lot better that the Patriots will continue to play meaningful games come January.

The value of NewsTrust

2008-11-24T10:19:00.000-08:00

Quality journalism has an online ally in NewsTrust, and for good reason. The site is very effective at bringing well-written and researched articles to the forefront of hot-topic political issues, and it's easy to leave NewsTrust having read articles that provide valuable insight and, in some cases, opinion and analysis.

The way the site works is that users find articles online, critique them and submit them, therefore (theoretically) bringing the better articles to the forefront of a topic and letting the readers know what to watch out for. I got to partake in this exercise, reviewing an effective Associated Press story about APEC, a decent AFP story about Obama's economic team, and an outstanding Reuters analysis of Lawrence Summers. In addition to the fact that it just makes you feel smart to point out the flaws in a work of professional journalism, I enjoyed the experience. You get a chance to help advance the awareness of quality journalism, while making your own footprint in the reviewer's community. Like reviewing a movie or a song, it's fun to feel like an expert, and the fact that you're doing good at the same time makes it even better.

The strengths of NewsTrust are obvious. You filter out the bad stories, and the better reviewers get higher marks. Therefore, the better reviewers are more prominent, and the stories that they like most become more prominent. When you log on to NewsTrust and see that a highly-rated reviewer is calling a story "excellent, and well-written", you want to read the story, therefore increasing the exposure of articles that deserve it.

However, as much good as NewsTrust does, there are flaws. As was mentioned in class, a bad reviewer who is marked down by a good reviewer could spitefully mark down the good reviewer, therefore hurting the reviewer for a reason that wasn't his fault. Also, the reviewing process could be hindered by something simple. A reviewer could read a story and be pleased with the article, yet rate it a 3 out of 5, because he or she feels no stories are good enough to rate 4's and 5's. However, these issues seem to be acknowledged and taken care of, and NewsTrust continues to run smoothly as an efficient critique forum of journalism.

Week 12 picks

2008-11-22T08:29:00.001-08:00

Here we go into week 12, and here are your winners (Apologies for missing week 11). Picks in bold:

Philadelphia at Baltimore: Philadelphia needs a win to stay relevant in the NFC East race. Go with the Eagles.

Houston at Cleveland: The Texans have shown an ability to play teams tough, and I'm not sold on Brady Quinn just yet.

San Francisco at Dallas: Remember when this used to be a rivalry? Steve Young vs. Troy Aikman? Jerry Rice vs. Michael Irvin? Ricky Watters vs. Emmitt Smith? The good ol' days. Cowboys win it going away.

Tampa Bay at Detroit: Despite a good point by Bill Simmons that an undefeated Lions team at Thanksgiving is hard to fathom, it'll happen. Bucs win it and stay close to the Panthers in the NFC South race.

Minnesota at Jacksonville: The Jags have to have a pulse in there somewhere. Maybe this is the week we see it.

Buffalo at Kansas City: The Bills have been slipping, but they get a win at woeful Kansas City.

New England at Miami: The Dolphins have been one of the better teams in the AFC this year, and few have given them that credit. A victory in Miami will show the critics.

Chicago at St. Louis: After a brief revival, the Rams are back to being one of the league's most putrid teams. The Bears take advantage.

N.Y. Jets at Tennessee: I was tough on Tennessee for a while, but they're legit, and Kerry Collins is showing he can win games. The Titans improve to 11-0.

Oakland at Denver: Against the horrible Raiders, the Broncos move a step closer to winning the division.

Carolina at Atlanta: The Panthers beat a tough Falcons team on the road.

N.Y. Giants at Arizona: The Cardinals are at home, and have been looking good. They take down the NFC's powerhouse.

Washington at Seattle: The Redskins get back in the win column and remain at the forefront of the NFC playoff picture.

Indianapolis at San Diego (Sunday night): The Colts are back, and are looking just as good as they have the last few years. This does not bode well for the rest of the AFC.

Green Bay at New Orleans (Monday night): Facing a Saints team without Reggie Bush, the Packers get a road victory.

Last week: 11-2. Overall: 20-6

Cassel just getting better and better

2008-11-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Some football experts will say it takes years to build a quarterback. Bill Belichick has shown it only takes about two months.

There are few other ways to describe the progress of Matt Cassel, which has been the storyline of the season as the Patriots are somehow still alive and well in the AFC playoff picture. It has been meteoric and complete, the transformation of a quarterback who was, really, at a glorified high school expertise, into a field general throwing for 400 yards and three touchdowns in the biggest game of his career.

Two months. That's it. In late August, Cassel was looking at a release. In late September and mid October, he was looking at the bench. Now here we are, in late November, and Cassel is currently the MVP of a team thought to be dead in the water after a blowout loss to San Diego on Oct. 12.

The difficult-to-imagine blossoming has happened because Cassel has made it look easy. He's utilized his above-average speed and agility into an ability to run and keep drives alive, and he's sharpened his effectiveness at finding receivers for 10-yard gains. That's all. If the man 10 yards downfield is free, hit him. If not, run through the hole for eight yards. First down. And while he was at it, he learned how to lead last-minute drives and throw perfect touchdown passes with a second remaining.

Now, Cassel is no longer a quarterback that's starting. He's a starting quarterback. He can start in the NFL, and he can win in the NFL. By mastering the simple throws and simple plays, he's improved at the difficult ones. Now, as the Jets found out, putting the ball in Cassel's hands with the game on the line is a pretty good idea.

Sounds a lot like a certain #12. But then again, why shouldn't it? Cassel spent years sitting behind Brady. Now, he's showing he can play like him.

The AFC East race continues

2008-11-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

No Patriots fan likes to play the Jets.

It's the fundamental truth of being a New England fan. No encounter with New York's second team gets looked at with anything but dread and hatred for the thought that the Patriots could somehow, feasibly, lose to these guys. They are our mortal enemies, our archrivals, our nemeses. No matter how good or bad the teams are, most matchups seem to result in struggles that could find themselves going either way at the end.

In other words, every matchup seems to result in the same dead-even tension we had Thursday night. The drama and spectacle of that game? That was new. But the three-point edging, leading to a demoralizing feeling of disappointment and dissatisfaction? The constant stream of what-ifs going through your mind the rest of the night? That's all-too-familiar. When the Patriots win, Jets fans feel it. When the Jets fans, Patriots fans feel it. And it stings.

And guess what? Another team like that is up next.

That would be the Miami Dolphins, the same Miami Dolphins that entered Foxboro in week 3 without a prayer for victory, and proceeded to annihilate the Patriots, 38-13. To add insult to injury, the Fins apparently changed the game of football in the process with the "Wildcat" offense.

The result? The end of a long Patriot winning streak, a shakeup in the AFC East and the creation of a W-word in the New England dictionary of vulgarities.

This time, the Patriots travel to Miami, trying to crack a code that few have solved while the Dolphins have won six of their past eight games. But a lot has changed since September. Nobody takes the Dolphins lightly anymore. And the Patriots have started to look more and more like a team that expects to play in October. Matt Cassel's blossomed into a legitimate NFL starter (more on that later). The defense and offensive line have solidified. And, though 6-4 and coming off of two losses in three games, New England is a personal foul and coin toss away from being 8-2.

But as Sunday approaches, the importance of the past dissolves. When the Patriots and Dolphins play, it'll be about right now. Both teams are a hair from the top of the division, and a misstep away from the cellar. The winner will likely control its destiny as December arrives, the loser will likely need help.

Just as is always the case with AFC East opponents. I've just gotten over that sick feeling in the stomach. Here's hoping it doesn't return.

Sports on the web

2008-11-16T20:59:00.000-08:00

As journalism has progressed into the 21st century, blogging has become more and more of a part of its rising popularity. And as blogs have grown, sports blogs have grown in number, sophistication and range. Just like a column in a newspaper, sports blogs have turned into websites where you can find information and opinion that you wouldn't get anywhere else.

Some of the blogs have turned into sources of honest, credible, straight sports information. The "worldwide leader in sports", ESPN, is an example of both the recognition of the importance of blogs (seeing as every sport ESPN covers has its own separate blog), and the sports blog that seeks to inform instead of offer opinion and controversy. With ESPN's blogs, you get straight journalism: reporting and stories from those qualified to be the top sportswriting minds around.

A similar blog is the Bleacher Report. A comparison can be made between BR and Wikipedia. Like Wikipedia, anyone can write for Bleacher Report, and anyone can join to write comments on stories (similar to edits). Also like Wikipedia, the open-source nature does not contrast with the site's mission to present the reader with quality sports news. As BR develops, it turns into a leading sports journalism website, and becomes more of model for sports blogs. Sure, some of BR's articles are on the lighter side, but that hasn't taken away from the site's becoming an internet power among sports blogs.

However, as was said earlier, the spread of blogging means the inclusion of a wider variety of blogging objectives. Some blogs go straight for the attitude and entertainment of blogging, decency and fairness be damned. Deadspin is a prime example; a blog that will take real sports news and issues, and present it with its own special seasoning.

Take for example, Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel. An issue that is growing in major football discussion groups is how much money the blossoming QB might make elsewhere next year. So Deadspin reports on this, without forgetting to remind the viewer what he or she is viewing:

I can think of about ten thousand better ways to piss away ten million dollars (one of them involves power tools, thirty pounds of cocaine, and Michael Irvin), and I can't imagine any team is going to pony that up. First of all, Cassel has been able to overcome his lack of pro experience with his familiarity of Belichick's system, which he's been learning since 2005. He won't enjoy that benefit with a new team.
Secondly, those shitty teams that need a QB (San Francisco, Kansas City, Detroit) won't be shelling out that kind of money. They're shitty for a reason...okay, a handful of reasons, but one of those is their total absence in the free agent market. Look, Matt. There's nothing wrong with re-upping with the Pats for the minimum and riding Brady's jock for two or three more rings.
You can be America's Favorite Backup Quarterback, or get pummeled in Detroit. Easy choice, really.

Another example of the professional wrestling of sports blogs is BadJocks.com. Not for the kids, Bad Jocks is an R-rated look at the world of crime and sports. And because the website ("Where Cops meets SportsCenter", it brands itself) is so focused on broken laws by athletes that alcohol, sex or sometimes shocking combinations of the two rule the page.

A popular question centers on the value of Bad Jocks/Deadspin-type blogs. And while the writers on those blogs may not be professional journalists per se, it has become increasingly clear that their work has journalistic value. Bad Jocks, for example, fulfilled the role of an investigative reporter when its publishing of hazing pictures by the Catholic University of America women's lacrosse team led to the school suspending the team for three games.

Print journalists have had their say as well, a particularly ardent example being Buzz Bissenger, a former writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer whose book "Friday Night Lights" is among the finer examples of sports writing. In an argument with Deadspin creator Will Leitch on HBO, Bissenger launched into an anti-blogging tirade, saying that blogs allow any person to write the opinions that sports writers work hard to acquire the opportunity to give for a newspaper. Leitch held his ground, saying that if a professional writes a good story and an amateur writes a good story, why is the amateur not as well-considered?

The more time that goes by, the more it becomes apparent that Leitch was right. Blogs are becoming more popular, and more people are starting their own up. They may be all over the sports spectrum, but their points are being absorbed like never before.

The Starbucks summary

2008-11-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

Imagine a machine, well-oiled and well-equipped to handle numerous tasks at once with remarkable proficiency.

Now take that machine and give it a benevolent personality. That, essentially, is Starbucks.

Walking into a Starbucks shop, especially one placed in a hustling environment like Boston's Huntington Avenue, is like stepping on an island. The moment the doors close, the noise outside drops off completely, replaced by the smooth jazz that invites customers to relax, drink a coffee and spend a few hours with the free Wi-fi.

As I made my way up to order a medium old-school hot chocolate, I was greeted at the counter by a young barista that, despite looking like a seamless stand-in for Dr. Gregory House, appeared happy to help me out.

The exchange that followed:

House: "Hello, sir!"
Me: "Hi, could I have a medium hot chocolate please?"
House: "Sure, for here or to go?"
Me: "For here."
House: "And do you want our new signature recipe, or the old school one?"
Me: "Uh, old school. By the way, what would the price of a medium regular coffee to go be?" (A mandatory question from my 'Reinventing the News' class)
House: "$1.94. Do you want that as well?"
Me: "No, it's just for a class."

After that, I remembered that I needed to take photos from inside the Starbucks. When I asked the barista for permission, his face seemed to fall as he apologetically told me that "those have to go through corporate." Bummer.

After the order was placed, I observed the mechanical aspect to it. Cups started cycling back and forth and different levers were pulled to pour different liquids, I heard a machine whirr in the background, and my hot chocolate was ready. Starbucks isn't renowned for its quickness, but they were on their game that day.

After that, you get to enjoy yourself and your coffee (or hot chocolate, in my case). The music is soothing, and the atmosphere is relaxing. You're there as long as you please, and there isn't a rush.

All in all, a good experience. I'd offer you proof, but then I'd have to go through corporate.

Thomas hurt

2008-11-11T19:44:00.000-08:00

What's a Patriots game without an injury to a key player?

This week's winner is Adalius Thomas, who is out for the season with a broken forearm. After a relatively injury-free 2007, the injury bug appears to be working double in 2008. Thomas is the fourth starter to be lost for the season, joining Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney and Rodney Harrison. Granted, Thomas was only the third of those players that served any real value to the team, but hey, a starter's a starter.

This time, it appears that, unlike the Brady and Harrison injuries, there won't be speculation on whether the Patriots will pursue free agent replacements. Belichick has made it clear that they prefer to promote from within the team, and that more injuries means more minutes for starters and backups.

The injury is a big one, especially to a starter as prominent as Thomas, on a unit that was at its strongest all season. Belichick has shown his ability to make up for personnel losses, however, and this season has demonstrated that ability more than any other so far.

Grindout victory

2008-11-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

Between Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan, injuries at the halfback position have been all-too-frequent for the New England Patriots.

But with undrafted rookies with compound names are picking up the slack, they never seem to notice.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for a career-high 105 yards and a touchdown, Matt Cassel ran for another and the defense looked stout again in a 20-10 victory over the division rival Buffalo Bills.

Despite two 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Mississippi, Green-Ellis didn't get the attention of any teams on draft day. On Sunday, he got the attention of the Bills' defense, pounding out consistent yardage and chewing up clock, keeping the Patriots' offense on the field for nearly 40 minutes, and the Bills' offense off it.

Even in the rare occasions that the Bills had the ball, they couldn't move it. The Patriots allowed only 60 rushing yards on 18 carries, and Trent Edwards's attempts to pass downfield, as interceptions by Ellis Hobbs and Deltha O'Neal showed, ended in failure.

The result was a victory in a true grind-out game: New England didn't score many points but allowed fewer, and did just enough on both sides of the ball to come away with the victory. It's a cliche, but after watching Sunday's game, it's the only way to describe it.

As guard Logan Mankins and fullback Heath Evans said, the Patriots are not against playing this way. And why should they? In the Super Bowl-winning seasons of 2003 and 2004, New England didn't have Randy Moss racing to catch 60-yard touchdowns, and Tom Brady wasn't using a glorified spread offense to put six points on the board in one minute or less. Instead, the Pats lengthened the drives and shortened the games. They played close, physical games, and in the end, did all it took to win.

It's another cliche, but as long as the Patriots are dusting off a familar style of play, it may be appropriate to do the same to the phrases used to describe them.

Emily Sweeney's presentation

2008-11-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

Good presentation by Boston Globe reporter Emily Sweeney in class Wednesday on video reporting, a subject that is becoming more and more familiar with every week. Emily was both informative and entertaining, and she had plenty of points to make on what it is like to make videos regularly for a major newspaper consistently.

One of the ones I liked the most was her point that length and complexity are not always the key to a good video. Often, video reporting or video blogging seems intimidating, because it creates fears of having to basically put a documentary together for every story. As Emily said, that's not the case. She pointed out that newspapers encourage their reporters to assemble short clips, videos that are to the point and not a physical burden to put together. And of course, they can be fun. Her Bingo film was a great example. She films herself and her interview subjects, and splices b-roll and music in between. The result is a video that serves as a great compliment to her article, and one that you don't need to be Quentin Tarantino to make.

Speaking of telling stories, Emily also spoke about how videos can not only compliment a story, but be a story as well. She demonstrated this in a video on tractor pulling, using the footage of driving tractors (one of which was driven by her), interviews with people and subtitles to express the story. There is no article with it, and there's no need for one. It shows the value of video in reporting, which was the point of her presentation to the class on Wednesday.

Finally, Emily expressed that, while it is hard to doubt the importance of video to journalism now, writing is still at the heart of the craft. Her story on Simply 2 Impress Auto Club shows the union of journalism with video well. She has the story, an in-depth portrayal of the auto club, and the video at the bottom does not try to tell the story, but provide another dimension to it. Emily said that being web-savvy went from being a recommendation to a requirement, and this is why. Journalists aim to present the story from all angles, a goal made even more possible with video at your disposal.

Week 10 picks

2008-11-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

Picks in bold

New Orleans at Atlanta: Two quarterbacks looking for major honors - New Orleans's Drew Brees for MVP, Atlanta's Matt Ryan for Rookie of the Year - clash in what could be a shootout. The Saints are desperate, and Brees (shown) pulls it out in the end.

Tennessee at Chicago: First the Bears lost Kyle Orton. Then they barely held on against woeful Detroit. Now they take on the undefeated Titans? It'll be close, but Rex Grossman won't beat Tennessee.

Jacksonville at Detroit: What's happened to the Jaguars? An emerging powerhouse last year, they've sunk to 3-5 and are going to need a huge turnaround to get back to the postseason. They'll beat Detroit, but have major questions going forward.

Seattle at Miami: Tony Sparano should be a prime candidate for Coach of the Year. His Wildcat formation is tearing up the league, and affecting other teams' gameplans as well. And of course, he has the Dolphins, 1-15 last year, thinking playoffs. Those aspirations continue as Miami surges above .500.

Green Bay at Minnesota: An intense rivalry gets kicked up a notch, as both teams need wins to keep division and title hopes alive. But Adrian Peterson runs well at home, and the Vikings will benefit.

Buffalo at New England: Last week, the Colts were the team that needed a victory to keep its season alive. This week, the Patriots are the desperate ones, as a loss could drop them from a tie for first place to the AFC East cellar. Randy Moss exposes a suspect Buffalo secondary, and the Patriots march on.

St. Louis at New York Jets: Bad teams (and the Rams are one) have given the Jets problems, as a loss to the Raiders and slim victory over the Bengals showed. New York plays ugly, but wins.

Baltimore at Houston: The Matt Ryan of the AFC, Joe Flacco has emerged to give the Ravens a legitimate passing game. Baltimore wins its fourth straight.

Carolina at Oakland: The Raiders aren't the least talented team in the NFL, but what they lack in bad players, they more than make up for in bad management. Cutting DeAngelo Hall convinces the players that there's no hope of winning this year, so the Panthers do instead.

Indianapolis at Pittsburgh: The Steelers looked impressive Monday night against the Redskins, but that was against a Jason Campbell-led offense that felt no need to try any plays over five yards. Peyton Manning and Co. won't settle like that, they'll make the Steelers work on defense, and the Colts will get the win.

Kansas City at San Diego: The pitiful Chiefs are no match in a division game at San Diego. The Chargers roll.

New York Giants at Philadelphia: The NFC East was supposed to be football's ultra-competitive division. So far, the Giants have been the clear-cut favorite, and their dominance has been astounding. That being said, the Eagles need a win badly to keep pace, and get it in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

San Francisco at Arizona: There was a time when this would have been a 49er blowout. It still won't be close, but it'll be league MVP-hopeful Kurt Warner and the Cardinals putting up the points.

Last week: 9-5. Season: 9-5

Missed chance

2008-11-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

The Patriots missed out on an opportunity to add a significant infusion of talent into their depleted secondary.

DeAngelo Hall, the Pro Bowl cornerback cut by the Raiders for some mysterious reason, ended his brief unemployment by signing with the Redskins on Friday. During his two days on the market, the 24-year-old was recruited heavily by teams including the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Patriots.

It's very possible that Hall was unattainable from the start. He's a Virginia product, and enjoyed a successful college career at Virginia Tech. Hearing the call from Washington, the team closest to his home state, may have been all he wanted to hear. Throw in the fact that the Redskins are a legitimate playoff threat, and the deal may have been done.

But assuming that wasn't the case, and Hall was weighing his options, the Patriots dropped a golden opportunity. At this point, New England is looking for bodies to put into red, white, blue and silver and stick in the secondary. Between Super Bowl XLII and the start of the season, the Patriots saw Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, Eugene Wilson, Tank Williams, Jason Webster and John Lynch depart via free agency, release or injury. During the season, that list has grown to include Rodney Harrison, for the season, and Terrence Wheatley.

Along came a chance to get a mega-talented corner, at the peak of his game, who still managed 43 tackles and three interceptions playing half-heartedly for an embarrassment. In New England's secondary, Hall would have brought his ball-hawk skills and blazing speed to a cornerback position that, joined with Deltha O'Neal, Ellis Hobbs and Jason Webster (resigned), would have become one of the fastest units in the league.

Remember those long bombs that tore apart the Patriots at San Diego? And those slot passes to Anthony Gonzalez that resulted in both touchdowns for Indianapolis? Those passes are a lot riskier with Hall out there, who, while not a physical presence, often is an interception waiting to happen.

Of course, with Hall, there is the attitude problem to account for. But according to his Raider teammates, he couldn't have been too hard to stand. Besides, many of the Patriots' biggest acquisitions (Corey Dillon and Randy Moss spring to mind) were branded chemistry cancers also, before turning it around to post Pro Bowl-caliber seasons.

The common denominator? Players come to play for Bill Belichick. When players join the Patriots, they convert to the Patriot way. Shut your mouth, do your job and play.

DeAngelo Hall won't be doing that for the Patriots this season. It might have made life easier for Belichick and Co. if he were.

Hopkinton at the Polls

2008-11-05T16:07:00.000-08:00

Here are photos from the Hopkinton High School gym as it was set up for Election Day on November 4. The day was a breeze; no wait to register, no wait to vote, and plenty of volunteers eager to give you a hand and answer any questions you had.

Patriots sign Webster

2008-11-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, the Patriots announced they re-signed cornerback Jason Webster, who was released at the end of training camp before the season.

Despite the second part of that sentence, this seems to be a very safe move for New England. Webster, 31, is an eight-year veteran who has been an effective starter in the NFL. Furthermore, there is far less pressure on him now than there was when he was signed March 4. Before, he was being expected to help fill the void left by Pro-Bowler Asante Samuel's departure. Now, he is being asked to simply add depth to a depleted secondary, one that had major question marks after starters Deltha O'Neal and Ellis Hobbs. Webster is not a shutdown corner by any means, but he is a smart, solid player that should be a reliable option for Belichick.

The secondary, which has been bombarded with injuries since the start of the season, took another shot when Terrence Wheatley, who played his best game of the season against Indianapolis, hurt his wrist that game and was kept out of practice Wednesday.

Another rookie, linebacker Shawn Crable, was put on injured reserve Wednesday, clearing a roster spot for Webster.

Video project

2008-11-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

Here's a video I made where I asked a few Northeastern University students who they thought was going to win the Super Bowl in February. As for the local interest in the story, I asked if they felt the Patriots had a chance at a title.

The answers, as you can see, are diverse

Penalty flag derails Patriot comeback

2008-11-03T07:41:00.000-08:00

Maybe he was getting a little rough. Maybe he was just finishing his block. It didn't matter.

Whatever the case, a Dave Thomas personal foul, worthy of a 15-yard penalty, turned a potential winning drive for the New England Patriots into a fruitless ending in an 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

"I thought overall we played a good football game but came up a couple plays short," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "I thought we played very well in all areas and just came up a few plays short."

It's unfortunate to put the blame on Thomas, whose three catches for 29 yards often helped keep drives alive. And it's hard to say Thomas cost the Patriots more statistically than, say, a wide-open Jabar Gaffney, who let a go-ahead touchdown pass from Matt Cassel slip through his hands.

But the NFL is a hard, unfortunate league, and watching the game, there's no doubt that Thomas's penalty took more wind out of the Patriots sails than any play during it.

To set the scene, the Patriots were driving down the field, trailing by three in the final minutes, but in excellent position to at least tie the game with a field goal, especially after a BenJarvis Green-Ellis run made it 3rd-and-1 at the Indianapolis 31.

But a yellow flag flew. Thomas was caught making a late hit after the whistles had blown, pushing the ball back to a 3rd-and-16 from the Colt 46. The drive stalled, Indy wore down the clock, game over.

Thomas gave a mea culpa after the game, albeit saying he thought the play was still going on, but the damage had been done. Scoring position had never melted into fourth-down desperation so fast.

Thomas made a mistake, but it wasn't the only mistake of the game. Gaffney dropped the touchdown pass. Cassel, a solid 25-of-34 for 204 yards with a last-chance interception, missed an opportunity for another touchdown when he didn't see Randy Moss streaking down the sideline, arm raised, in single coverage.

Then there was the coach. Some of Belichick's decisions backfired, the biggest of which was a lost challenge where he thought Indianapolis had too many men on the field. Even a win wouldn't have helped the Patriots out too much. As it was, the loss deprived New England of a timeout, a timeout the Pats could have used in the last minute trying desperately to get into field goal range.

Plenty of positives emerged from the game. The often-criticized defense kept the vaunted Colts offense limited with the exception of two major drives, even while continuing to work with a revolving door at the cornerback position (This week's victim was rookie Terrence Wheatley, who appeared to hurt his wrist making a lunging pass deflection). The offense was in position to tie, or even win the game in the final minutes. And it's important to remember that even now, New England is tied for first in the AFC East.

But the facts are the facts. The Patriots had a chance to KO their biggest rival, knocking it out of the game and, possibly, season as well. The chance slipped right through their hands.

At 4-4, the Colts are still alive. That's a scary thought for the rest of the AFC.

Week 9 picks

2008-10-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

Predictions for the slate of games for week 9. Picks in bold

Sunday:

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo: After his six-touchdown effort against Arizona, Brett Favre has looked a little shaky. Coming off a loss to Miami, Buffalo bounces back in front of a frenzied crowd.

Detroit at Chicago: Anyone picking Detroit would be doing so out of sympathy. Kyle Orton has revitalized the Bears' offense, suddenly dangerous through the air, and the Lions are just awful.

Jacksonville at Cincinnati: As bad as the Lions are, they continue to play hard. The Bengals don't. The Jags come out and punish Cincy, and begin a streak of well-played games that should carry them to the playoffs.

Baltimore at Cleveland: The Browns' offense is in disarray, and it won't get easier against a still-vaunted Baltimore D. Pick the visiting Ravens.

Green Bay at Tennessee: Aaron Rodgers is finally healthy, and out to prove he deserves his new extension. Tennessee is the best team in football, but they're not the Patriots from last year. Undefeated isn't happening, and the Packers end the chase.

Tampa Bay at Kansas City: The Buccaneers fell to a desperate opponent in Dallas last week. The Chiefs shouldn't be a problem.

Arizona at St. Louis: I feel bad for the Rams. They wasted an entire fourth of their schedule with an incompetent coach, and though they look like a solid team in that division, they're simply too far back. The Cardinals are the class of the division now, and Kurt Warner (shown) and Co. will prove it.

Houston at Minnesota: The Met is a tough place for any team to play in, but the Texans have been on a roll, and are better than their record shows.

Miami at Denver: I don't know why NFL defensive coordinators can't figure this "Wildcat" thing out, but the point is, they can't. Maybe it just means the Dolphins are onto something truly ingenious.

Atlanta at Oakland: Turner and Ryan have turned the Falcons into one of the NFC's most explosive teams. The Raiders, however, appear fully content being a doormat.

Dallas at N.Y. Giants: This looks like a perfect storm in favor of Dallas. The Giants only lose when everyone believes in them (as they do now), the Cowboys owned New York in the regular season last year, and they still have a chip on their shoulder to prove wrong all the naysayers taking them apart now that were picking them for the Super Bowl at the start of the season. Follow the signs, take Dallas.

Philadelphia at Seattle: The Seahawks are a mess. The Eagles have Brian Westbrook back healthy, as last week showed, and are on a roll. The winning continues in Philly.

New England at Indianapolis (Sunday night): The Patriots have been better than expected since Week 6, but the fact remains that they haven't faced a challenge like Peyton Manning and the Colts will bring. Plus, they have Joseph Addai and Bob Sanders coming back. Indy wins, but in a closer game than would have been imagined weeks earlier.

Monday:

Pittsburgh at Washington (Monday night): I like the Redskins a lot, but with no Santana Moss, against a Steeler team that is getting Willie Parker back and that is angry after last week's loss to the Giants, I can't pick them. The Steelers get a big road victory.

Morris injury shrouded in mystery

2008-10-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

So Sammy Morris's knee injury is not season-ending. As is often the case with medical updates from the Patriots, there are few conclusions to accurately draw from that.

The update is good news/bad news. The good is obvious. Sammy Morris will at some point be back, and the running game that looked so good against the anemic Denver Broncos will, at some point, have its main cog back. At some point, the Patriots won't be relying on undrafted players to shoulder the running load.

The bad news? See all the "at some points"? That's the bad news.

Immediately after the Denver game, Morris was seen walking without a limp. But his status quickly worsened. Throughout the week, he didn't practice. On Sunday, he didn't play.

What appeared to be a little ding-up moments after the game ended last Monday night has turned into the source of endless wonder for Patriots fans. Is "at some point" Week 17? Week 12? Next week? Against the archrival Indianapolis Colts, that would be nice.

As we have seen, whatever the case, Bill will figure out a solution. Will that solution involve Sammy Morris? Until Sunday, we're left to wait and see.

Moss proving doubters wrong...again

2008-10-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

For being one of six active players with 800 career catches, Randy Moss always seems to have something to prove.

Last year, he was called the volatile teammate, who wasn't happy unless he was scoring, dancing and winning, and who couldn't go a season without complaining. Wrong. Thanks in large part to Randy, the Patriots won 18 straight, and he scored and daced more than any player in NFL history.

This year, the naysayers were out again, calling for Randy to explain his lack of production and apparent lack of interest after New England suffered key injuries and a pair of tough losses.

Moss has passed that challenge too. Just as convincingly.

In the past two games, Moss has been every bit the weapon a quarterback like Matt Cassel needs to survive in the NFL. The most impressive part is how he's become it.

Moss, designated a captain before the year, has changed his game entirely, a huge reason the once-inept Patriot offense has posted 64 points the past two games. A deep threat whose job was to run in a straight line down the field for much of last year, Moss has seamlessly switched to doing the dirty work. Against Denver, No. 81 caught screens (one for a touchdown) and passes over the middle, and scored his other touchdown on a jump ball when New England made it down to the goal line.

Against St. Louis, Moss again did everything it took to win. He was out blocking for Wes Welker on several passes, and took shots on slants over the middle in order to catch the 10-yard passes for first downs that he never would have tried last year. The same 10-yard passes that allows a quarterback like Cassel, essentially a rookie despite four years in the league, to feel he can lead an NFL offense.

Consider the naysayers silenced. When the times were roughest, Moss transitioned into a weapon the struggling Cassel could use. Just like a captain should.

Ram tough

2008-10-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

Players keep dropping for the New England Patriots, but Bill Belichick and company keep finding ways to meet the challenges.

A true team effort, led by yet another improved outing from Matt Cassel, got the Patriots their second straight victory, a 23-16 decision over the St. Louis Rams.

The stats don't show it, but Cassel played his best game of the season on Sunday. While the fourth-year player seemed to benefit from playing a simply inept Denver team on Monday, Cassel was forced by the Rams to make plays himself. He responded by showing Brady-esque pocket presence, sliding around and away from would-be tacklers to find playmaking receivers Randy Moss (seven catches, 102 yards) and Wes Welker (seven catches, 79 yards) downfield.

What does this mean? Belichick tempered a growing storm by insisting that Cassel gave the Patriots the best chance to win. On Sunday, Cassel proved his coach was right.

And while Cassel continues to prove why he belongs in the NFL, Belichick continues to prove why he is the best head coach in the league. After his injury-depleted squad defeated Denver, it was struck by the injury bug again when leading rushers Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan were inactive against the Rams, and starting cornerback Deltha O'Neal was hurt in game.

No running back, no problem. Belichick guided his team to a smooth, penalty-free and mistake-free effort. Now, the Patriots are thinking as a team, playing as a team, and have a 5-2 record and first place in the AFC East to show for it.

"Like I told the team after the game, this is a good example of having to play 60 minutes like we always have to do in this league," Belichick said. "Those guys really stepped up and made some big plays in the fourth quarter. I am really proud of them."

As Patriots fans, so are we.

Video blogging

2008-10-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

Steve Garfield's presentation on Wednesday was certainly an impressive one. As prospective journalists, we are bombarded consistently by the progress journalism is making in video on the internet, on TV, or other mediums. While Garfield's subject wasn't revolutionary, the developments he showed us were very interesting, most notably the Qik site. I've known videos are becoming easier and easier to make and quicker and quicker to produce, but it was alarming to see how quick it can be. As the video is being shot, it can be online for people to see. I'm familiar with and watch live streaming video, but to see it happening in front of me was different.

1. I liked his video clips, and the technique he used in filming them. Taking the Jamaica Pond one as an example, he interviews John Tobin extensively, but does not keep the camera on him. Rather, he shows Tobin as he's introducing him to the segment, then shows the pond and the children running excitedly to it. By doing that, Garfield is using the advantages of video. He's not showing Tobin talk about something, he's allowing Tobin to be heard while showing the viewer what the City Councilor is referring to. In class, Garfield mentioned another way he does this, by placing b-roll photos in the shot while the subject is talking, to let the viewer understand what the subject is talking about.

2. I also caught Steve's streaming from the New Media expo. The people he interviewed seemed to be excited with the concept of live streaming, and you can see why. It's a "fresher" look at a news event, and it allows the subjects of the video to be caught in their natural moods and behavior. Sure, they took the opportunity to sell their websites or companies (aka "Women of Warcraft"), but it still allows the viewer to get a better sense of what these people are like.

3. I liked the point Steve made with the "Steve and Carol Show". He showed in his presentation how complex video and live streaming can be, but also used the show to demonstrate how the demand for video is so great, that something far simpler can easily suffice. Garfield is obviously well-rehearsed in the different forms of video media and blogging, yet one of the sources of his success was, as he put it, as simple as filming himself and Carol talking about the debate in their room. The show, especially juxtaposed with his Qik demonstration, showed a wide spectrum of results that can come out of experimenting with video journalism and blogging.

Belichick: Nothing, so far

2008-10-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the Rodney Harrison injury, plenty of names have been thrown around as free agent replacements, most notably safety John Lynch and cornerback - and former Patriot - Ty Law.

According to Bill Belichick, those rumors have no substance to them. For now.

In his press conference on Wednesday, the head coach was his normal, obscure self when asked the chances of bringing in John Lynch, either now or down the road:

Our roster is full. We announced those move so right now our roster is full...Well anybody would be an option that is not with another team. But that would mean we would have to make room on our roster to accommodate someone else. So potentially everyone is an option but we would have to do something.

The essence of Bill's answer: Our roster is full, and to add a player, we would need to release a player. Genius.

Belichick has never been a fountain of information with the press, but going by the words alone, it appears the Patriots have not brought in a player yet, but haven't closed the door to the idea. The trade window has been slammed shut by the deadline, but free agency is still a viable option. Time will tell if New England makes the move.

Johnny on the spot?

2008-10-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

The bad news: The Patriots lost a veteran, Super Bowl-winning, hard-hitting, emotional leader of a safety when Rodney Harrison tore his right quad Monday night.

The good news: New England could be getting one back.

According to "Fanhouse" via AOL Sports, rumors abound that veteran safety John Lynch could be returning to Foxboro, where he spent the preseason.

Lynch's presence would be as seamless an adjustment to the Harrison loss that a team could find. Lynch is a smart player that leads by example and punishes ballcarriers with sure tackles and bone-rattling hits. The downside is that Lynch has lost a step or two in the speed department, but so has the man he'd be replacing. In fact, the Patriots were beginning to show a successful safety combination of Harrison, the smart run- and intermediate-pass stopper, and Brandon Meriweather, the young, speedy, ball-hawking back that is far better at stopping the deep pass. If Lynch were signed, he would likely fit into the first mold.

Rumors, obviously, are rumors, but in looking for a replacement to a future Hall of Famer, a nine-time Pro Bowler isn't a bad place to start.

Harrison done for the season

2008-10-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

If Monday's victory over Denver brought joy and relief to Patriots fans, Tuesday brought them right back down.

After Rodney Harrison wrenched his knee late in the 41-7 victory, the news came out that the safety tore a quad muscle, and is out for the season.

The news gets worse. Harrison is 35 years old with an extensive history of injuries already. Due to the severity of the injury and his age, it is very likely that the future Hall of Famer has played the last game of both his Patriot and NFL careers.

The physical loss of Harrison, a hard hitter albeit with steadily decreasing range, quickness and speed, will not be as felt as the emotional loss. Harrison has been a fiery leader for the team since coming over in 2003, and he was the spokesman for the secondary, answering questions and defending his teammates whenever they were criticized.

Harrison's value to the team was evident immediately after the training crew gathered around the ailing safety. Tedy Bruschi came over and crouched down next to Harrison, offering comforting words that the linebacker didn't tell the public afterward.

"I'm going to keep that to myself," Bruschi said. "Rodney's been one of my favorite teammates of all time."

For six years, he was one of our favorites to watch. It appears those days are over too soon.

Pats buck the Broncos

2008-10-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

Corey Dillon and Tom Brady returned to the Patriots on Monday night.

This time, however, Dillon was wearing No. 34 and going by Sammy Morris, and Brady was donning No. 16 and masquerading as Matt Cassel. Randy Moss and Bill Belichick, on the other hand, were fully content being themselves.

The Patriots used a page from their old playbooks, as Morris chewed up the clock and the Broncos defense for 138 yards, all in the first half, Cassel hit Moss for two of three touchdown passes and Belichick's defense stifled a dynamic offense in a 41-7 obliteration of the playoff hopeful Denver Broncos in the primetime spotlight of Monday Night Football.

To make a mathematical analogy, while the Chargers game was a complete and utter disaster, the Broncos game was its inverse. The Patriots hit Cutler hard, early and often (resulting in lingering finger and thigh injuries), the defense stifled the run and, most impressively, the deep passes, and the offense ran and passed through the porous Denver defense.

True, the Patriots didn't shred a potent defensive unit, as the Broncos defenders have all the strength of a wet Kleenex. But this game wasn't about the matchup, it was about making a statement, showing you can beat a team that can expect to win itself. Mission accomplished. Marked for dead twice this season, the Patriots showed in a resounding 60 minutes that, Brady or no Brady, you can't count out the defending AFC champions.

Credit belongs everywhere. Already facing questions as to whether he can win without Tom Brady, Belichick silenced the naysayers with a shutdown defense that got physical with Jay Cutler and minimized his outstanding receiving arsenal, a sudden, remarkable improvement considering that Charger QB Philip Rivers was essentially unchallenged while launching deep pass after deep pass merely eight days ago.

And as for the crew ardently calling for Cassel's head? After getting the vote of confidence from Belichick, the first-year starter did a spot-on impression of Tommy Franchise, from using screens to maximize passing opportunities, to utilizing Randy Moss in the endzone. True, Cassel has trouble avoiding the rush, as six sacks will show, but he proved that he can throw the ball, and run the vaunted Patriot offense.

Denver doesn't beat teams with defense, but the Broncos do beat teams, especially the Chargers (we know how tough they are) and the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Broncos have shown that they expect to be in the AFC elite, and the Patriots showed that it may be a bit too early to rule them out of that group just yet.

Fenway prepares for Game 5 (Flickr assignment)

2008-10-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

The rain clouds held up for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park, and so did the cloud of gloom hanging over Red Sox Nation.

Hours before the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays prepared to take the field for a 8:07 p.m. showdown, fans began to pack Yawkey Way and Landsdowne Street at Fenway Park. While the smell of hot dogs and sound of opportunistic ticket scalpers have been common properties of every game, the most notable presence was a sense of optimism, belying the Red Sox's dire 3-1 deficit.

"I think, tonight, we're going to do it," said Katie Michaelson, a student at Northeastern University in the waiting line. "We have Daisuke (Matsuzaka) back in, the guy we won with, so I think he'll bring it back. If we win tonight, we'll have the momentum with us. They'll continue that. It's nothing they haven't done before."

Though the Red Sox stand on the verge of seeing their season end, in the eyes of their fans, a round too soon, the fans are not giving up, and continue to have faith in their team's ability to upend a young Tampa Bay team, still new to the idea of postseason success.

"I think if Daisuke can win tonight, then (Josh) Beckett might be able to turn it around," said Brian Michaelson, Katie's brother. "Then, who knows what can happen with (Jon) Lester on the mound, and pressure back on the Rays. If you're loose and you don't have experience, you don't know what kind of pressure to have on yourself."

Bryan Williams, a fan attending the game, also felt the team's history in these situations would help.

"It'd be nice to have a couple more wins than that, but, you look at 2007, 2004, '86, we're used to being three games to one down," he said. "It's happened. No one likes to do it. I think everybody's going to hit, the city's going to get everybody going. They'll get it tonight."

Just like the fans, the park began prepping for the big game early too. Venders were serving crowds before 5 p.m. (more than three hours before game time), while security and news network vans reminded everyone around the park of the spectacle and magnitude of the game.

Williams, a Boston native who's been living in Kansas City, said the sudden attention and growth of interest in Red Sox baseball has been a pleasant development.

"It's fun. To see what the city's become and see what baseball in this city's become is awesome," he said. "It's just so cool. It wasn't like this when I was a kid."

NOTE: Photos to be uploaded soon

Highs and lows

2008-10-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

As most New Englanders will freely admit, last Sunday was pretty demoralizing. But time heals all things. Supposedly. And after a Monday spent watching two League Championship games (one of which saw the Red Sox do their best Sunday Night Patriots impression) and two other teams play a night football game, I came to grips with a simple fact.

Time had healed nothing. The game was no less frustrating, no less ominous, no less revealing of team flaws. Yet, in spite of the downpour of negatives over the past two days, it's important to look at the good, while not letting the bad slip out of focus.

The good:

1. The run defense: Thirty points is nothing to feel proud of, but it'd be harsh to throw any of the blame onto the broad shoulders of Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren and company. After all, up against one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history, the front line keyed a unit that limited LaDainian Tomlinson to 74 yards on 20 carries, and no touchdowns. True, it was all for naught as Philip Rivers gashed the secondary, but it was a good effort nonetheless.

2. The run offense: The Patriots were without half of their running game, as de jurre starting running back Laurence Maroney and de facto starter LaMont Jordan both watched in street clothes. With the running game reduced, the Chargers defense was free to blitz Matt Cassel relentlessly and make it impossible for him to complete a pass. Right? Maybe not, but at least it's an excuse.

3. This isn't a bad football team: The Patriots still have the personnel and coaching staff to make a turnaround. Instead of being stuck in a rebuilding mode, New England appears to be a team capable of hanging with the class of the AFC, that just needs to get in sync.

The bad:

1. The pass defense: The highlights for this group were few and far between. Ellis Hobbs and Deltha O'Neal took turns looking like Owen Wilson during the touch football scene in "Wedding Crashers." Rodney Harrison and Brandon Meriweather didn't provide much help from the safety positions. With the pass-happy Denver Broncos coming up on Monday Night, it's not about to get easier for the secondary.

2. The pass game: As a whole, it was a tough effort. Cassel regressed, therefore allowing Randy Moss to disappear again. Wes Welker, open often as always, caught 9 passes, but for only 73 yards. A unit that finally looked fluid while pinning 30 points on the 49ers went back to square one in San Diego.

3. Coaching: Bill Belichick may not have been the one getting sacked on 4th-and-goal, or the one getting beat on 40-yard pass plays, but he hardly did anything to help his troops Sunday night. One of the staples of a Belichick team is its ability to be prepared for every thing thrown at it, but New England clearly was not ready for several San Diego play choices from the first play on. Also, on the Patriots' best chance to score a meaningful touchdown, Belichick and offensive coordinator McDaniels faced a 1st-and-goal from the 1, and opted to place the score in Cassel's hand three times, resulting in three failures to gain any yardage. By ignoring the run game, New England lost an opportunity to tighten the score, and wouldn't get close again.

The trade deadline

2008-10-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, the NFL trade deadline passed, with no news from the Patriots' front.

While inaction from teams around the deadline is common, this does mean that the boatload of issues that were painfully evident during the Charger game will be dealt internally by Belichick, McDaniels and Co. It's a tall task, certainly, but we've seen that if anyone can do it, it's Friar Bill.

Radio on the web

2008-10-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Good presentation by Robin Lubbock, the director of New Media at WBUR, showing how putting radio on the internet is helping the radio networks take off. Lubbock's presentation focused specifically on how the internet is helping WBUR, but his point was universal: By using computers as radios, and adopting the unimedia approach, radio content can be expanded beyond what you hear in the car. You can choose what you want to hear, whenever you want to hear it. The internet is making radio bigger.

An example of this is the Worldwide Leader in Sports. ESPN has a prominent radio network, used to broadcast sports events and sports talk shows, such as "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" and the "Mike and Mike in the Morning" shows. ESPN has a prominent website, with content on essentially every sport worth watching and following. Just as Lubbock was saying, the two have formed a symbiotic relationship. Fans of The Herd and Mike and Mike can become internet fans of The Herd and Mike and Mike. The relationship has paid immediate dividends; "The Herd" is one of the leading sports shows on the airwaves, while "Mike and Mike", a show hosted by TV and radio host Mike Greenberg and former NFL player Mike Golic, is a widely-followed radio and TV program.

CBS has also showed an interesting way to go about the radio and internet merger. CBS Radio has undoubtedly become a leader on the airwaves, and its website proclaims it to be "one of the largest major-market operators in the United States." And yet, while CBS has had so much success both in radio and television, it has gone the extra distance to create an impressive website that includes broadcast, HD streaming and not only includes its own content, but merges with AOL Radio to present an even wider selection of radio genres and topics. Unlike ESPN, however, CBS doesn't put access to the online radio on its site as easily, forcing an interested user to have to look for CBS Radio separately. Searching on Google is obviously an easy step to take, but if the overall goal is to get users used to going to the radio, it's a step that CBS might be interested in eliminating.

These two companies show the use of internet to help publicize its radio content. Relatively smaller companies, like WBUR, use radio to remain prominent, while larger companies like CBS and ESPN use the internet to widen their reach. Lubbock said that unimedia is becoming the next big thing for the radio, and it appears he's right.

A giant step backwards

2008-10-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

So this is where all that momentum went?

One week after an inspiring, well-played effort over the San Francisco 49ers, the Patriots traveled to San Diego full of confidence and swagger, ready to show the world that the injured knee of Tom Brady was a temporary setback, rather than a dibilitating loss.

With that new found enthusiasm, New England proceeded to get smoked by the Chargers, 30-10, failing to throw the ball, run the ball, defend the pass or really do something, anything right.

Remember that feeling in the pit of your stomach, that sinking feeling, after New England got roughed up against Miami? That's what you're feeling now. That feeling that despite the presence of Randy Moss, Wes Welker, an All-Pro offensive line, a defense of veteran playmakers and Bill Belichick on the sidelines...this just is not a good football team right now.

Where to start? You can look at the aimless play of Matt Cassel, who seemed to be figuring things out after a 260-yard effort against the 49ers. Instead, Cassel reverted back to the quarterback we saw against Miami, and while he looked poised, the results indicated otherwise. He relied too much on short dump-offs to running back Sammy Morris and Wes Welker, and again failed to connect with Randy Moss while choosing too often to make plays with his feet. If there is a positive to be found in Cassel's effort, it's that he at least tried to hit Moss, rather than forget about him like he did versus the Dolphins. But there's no question that, for this offense to work, Moss has to be involved early and often.

While Cassel looked lost at times, it was the Patriot defense that was sounding alarms. From the first play, a 47-yard pass to Vincent Jackson over an embarassingly-burnt Deltha O'Neal, on, the Chargers consistently pounded New England with deep passes, out routes and throws over the middle. The run defense, which held all-world running back LaDainian Tomlinson to only 74 yards and no touchdowns, was stout. The secondary, notably cornerbacks Ellis Hobbs and O'Neal, was not, and Charger quarterback Philip Rivers converted on nearly every opportunity to exploit them.

Experts declared New England's season D.O.A. after Brady's injury, and while Cassel has not starred as the franchise player's replacement, Sunday's primetime debacle reminded us that Cassel isn't all that's wrong. The defense is in critical condition, and unless something is fixed, so is the Patriots' season.

Where to start?

Memorable Bolt moments

2008-10-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

So, here we go again...the Patriots head to San Diego to take on the Chargers, who are quickly gaining ground on the Colts as the Patriots chief rivals. While the New England-Indianapolis rivalry is dominated by the Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning debate and breathtakingly close games, the Chargers-Patriots clashes are often characterized by player rivalries and players crying foul.

Some of the classic games in the bad-blood series:

Jan. 20, 2008: The Patriots improve to 18-0 with a 21-12 victory over San Diego. While New England came in looking to keep its perfect season alive, the Chargers entered with revenge for the 2006 AFC Divisional Playoff matchup (more on that later) on their minds. San Diego's upset plans were dampened by injuries to running back LaDainian Tomlinson and quarterback Philip Rivers, and thanks to 122 rushing yards from Laurence "The Pony" Maroney, the Patriots made it two playoff victories over "America's Finest City" in as many years.

Sept. 16, 2007: In the first game after "Spygate", New England improves to 2-0 with a 38-14 drubbing of the Chargers. Tom Brady threw three touchdowns, two to Randy Moss, on his way to a record-breaking season.

Jan. 14, 2007: The game that made the rivalry what it is today. Overwhelming underdogs in the '06 AFC Divisional Playoffs against a 14-2 Chargers team that didn't lose once at home, the Patriots nonetheless stunned San Diego, 24-21, to advance to the AFC Championship. Notable moments include Troy Brown's stripping Marlon McCree, who had just made what would have been a game-ending interception, and the post-game incident that saw Ellis Hobbs leading a group of Patriots who danced tauntingly on San Diego's logo, infuriating Tomlinson in a moment many maintain he still hasn't gotten over.

Oct. 2, 2005: The defending champion Patriots are rocked at home, 41-17, to fall to 2-2. This time, it's Tom Brady making the the controversial comments. After Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer defended the injury-ravaged Patriots, who were going for a third straight title, Brady misinterpreted and figured the coach was trash-talking, saying:

I just assumed you talk about your own team. You don't talk about our team. He has no business talking about our team. He's not our coach. We'll let our coach talk about our team. We'll let our players talk about our team. The only thing we ever do is give respect to the other teams because that's what they deserve. They played a good game. They beat us. That's what it is - no more, no less - it's one game.

The first shots in what has become a war of words were fired.

Oct. 14, 2001: Trailing 26-16 in the fourth quarter, unknown quarterback Tom Brady leads the Patriots into overtime and then, after an Adam Vinatieri field goal, to victory. It's the first miracle work of Brady's career, and was the first hallmark game of what became a Super Bowl-winning season.

Dec. 1, 1996 and Aug. 31, 1997: The Patriots beat the Chargers a combined 86-14. Drew Bledsoe throws for eight touchdowns over the two games, and the Patriot defense knocks starting Charger quarterback Stan Humphries out in the second game.

Nov. 20, 1994: The 1994 Chargers may have gone to the Super Bowl, but the Patriots got the best of them in Foxboro, earning a 23-17 victory.

As for Oct. 12, 2008? We'll see...

Tough blow

2008-10-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

According to the Boston Herald, LaMont Jordan has a calf injury, and had to sit out practice on Tuesday.

This is tough news for the Patriots. Jordan was starting to emerge as a punishing alternative to the quickness and speed of Kevin Faulk and Laurence Maroney. Hopefully, the injury will be as minor as it looked (Jordan wasn't hit hard, but fell to the ground with nothing bending awkwardly). Nonetheless, should he sit out Sunday, his absence will weaken the running game and force Matt Cassel to carry the team more with his arm.

The long road back

2008-10-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

After the harrowing events of Sept. 7, Tom Brady has taken his first step in his recovery, undergoing surgery on Monday in Los Angeles.

According to sources in the sports medicine field, recovery time ranges from 6-8 months. This is great news for Patriots fans, as it means Brady should be in fine condition come the start of training camp in mid-July.

Of course, it's not as good as him being back on the field, but at least he's back on schedule.

The Clothesline Project

2008-10-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

Clotheslines filled the Centennial Quad at Northeastern University on Wednesday afternoon. On all sides of the quad, at the Ryder Hall, West Village, Shillman Hall and Egan Science Center directions, t-shirts waved as part of the "Clothesline Project", held to honor those who have spoken out on sexual and domestic crimes.

But the t-shirts were more than a tribute. They were designed and painted by women who had suffered crimes such as rape, sexual harrassment and domestic violence. The t-shirts formed a powerful picture, as a quad most commonly seen with thousands of students walking to class was transformed, momentarily, into what looked like a large laundry area with testimonial t-shirts. The effect of the tribute was twofold; it reminded one both how prevelent these crimes are, but also, how brave the victims are for letting people know what happened.

The Clothesline Project is not new, nor is it limited to Northeastern. It began in 1990 in Cape Cod, and has made its way onto campuses of such schools as St. John's University, the University of North Dakota, the University of Northern Colorado and James Madison University, among others.

Where's the Pony?

2008-10-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

During the Patriots' methodical victory over San Francisco on Sunday, we saw plenty of things from the comfort of our homes, an entire country away.

We saw the incomparable Kevin Faulk catch screen after screen and turn them into first down after first down, while adding two big touchdowns to his effort.

We saw LaMont Jordan resume his weekly ritual of stomping over defenders before leaving with an apparent leg injury.

We saw Sammy Morris come up big with several first down runs en route to 63 yards on 16 attempts.

What didn't we see? Laurence Maroney.

Oh sure, Maroney the Pony (a nickname I can't take credit for, sadly. My dad came up with it in 2006) was there. He ran the ball 10 times, for a hardly robust 26 yards. He was just a non-factor, whose dances behind the line of scrimmage went nowhere, and whose frequent stops at the line of scrimmage threatened to single-handedly derail Patriot drives.

Maroney was there. He just didn't show up.

Even Maroney's best carry, a five-yard rush, was perplexing. The third-year player ran left, neared the first-down marker, and inexplicably continued out of bounds, rather than turning upfield for the crucial additional yard that would have awarded a new set of downs.

Is this the type of production we should expect from a first-round draft pick? Considering the success Maroney has had in the past, the answer is a resounding "no". This is, after all, the same guy who struggled through nagging injuries for most of last year also, though it went largely unnoticed with the Patriots experiencing unprecedented success through the air.

In the playoffs, though, the Pony, out of nowhere, showed up. He ran for 100 yards in both the divisional and conference championship rounds, and scored one of the team's two Super Bowl touchdowns.

Which brings us to this year, his supposed break out year. But we haven't seen it. The Patriots' coaching staff hasn't seen it. And unless he figures out how to get back on track, we won't be seeing the Pony too much in the future.

A few apologies

2008-10-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, the Patriots are back in the win column after a nice victory over San Francisco. Granted, the 49ers aren't exactly an NFC powerhouse, but as the Dolphins showed last week, no team in the NFL can be taken for granted, and marked down for a defeat before you actually play the game.

It'd be great to go into the heroes for the Patriots on Sunday. But first, it's important to apologize for a few things.

1. Apologies to...the Patriots defense. So maligned after the Week 3 drubbing against Miami, the group of old guys proved they can still play football. After the 49ers scored easily twice in the opening quarter, the New England defense stiffened and allowed no points until San Francisco finally got back in sync late in the fourth quarter. The Patriots tackled, grouped up on the ball carrier and, as evidenced by interceptions from Brandon Meriweather and Rodney Harrison, made the big play. Plus, for the fourth straight game, the secondary didn't allow the big 40-yard play that kills momentum.

2. Apologies to...the Patriots offensive line. True, five sacks showed that the concerns aired during the bye week have some substance to them, but Matt Light, Dan Koppen, Russ Hochstein, Nick Kaczur and Logan Mankins had several huge blocks during scoring drives and when the Patriots were trying to run out the clock. And on the decisive fourth-down direct snap to Kevin Faulk for the touchdown, he had a hole to run through that was carved out by Light, Mankins and Koppen on the left side.

3. Apologies to...Randy Moss. Last week (according to the ever generous Boston media), he was the brooding Randy Moss, the Randy Moss who was incapable of putting up big numbers again. The new co-captain of the New England Patriots set the record straight, both before Sunday's game, and during. No. 81 showed that he still has the tools that have made him the game's most dangerous receiver. With five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, Randy showed that he's not just back. He never left.

4. Apologies to...Matt Cassel. New England was able to take a deep breath with the latest outing from No. 16. Against Miami, Cassel looked lost, confused, timid and slow. Against the 49ers, Cassel looked terrific. After two mistakes to start the game, Matt recovered. He sent shockwaves throughout Candlestick Park with a 66-yard lightning strike to Moss for a touchdown, began finding Wes Welker, Moss and Ben Watson for 10-yard gains to put points on the board, and helped set up the running game which kept the Patriots' offense on the field and gave J.T. O'Sullivan and Co. very few chances to work miracles late in the game.

But more important than what Cassel did was how he looked. Early on, he looked like the awkward quarterback we saw against Miami. As the game progressed, he settled, and began to look like the man he replaced. He found the open receivers. He stood in the pocket as the offensive line held around him. On one play, he took a shot from 49er linebacker Patrick Willis, but not before hitting Kevin Faulk with a short pass that went to the San Francisco two-yard line.

A few plays later, Cassel performed his magnum opus. On 4th-and-goal from the two-yard line, the Patriots called a direct snap, one of the hallmarks of the Brady-run offenses. Cassel sold it perfectly. He jumped out of the way, threw up his hands to fake the lost snap, and caught the 49er defense off guard as Faulk scampered in for the touchdown. Vintage Brady, and vintage Patriot result.

If nothing else, Cassel showed he can handle the job. He can hit Moss deep, he can find Wes Welker for eight to 10 catches, and he can read the defenses and move the ball. The Patriots don't need him to be Brady. After what we saw Sunday, this should be good enough.

Words from the local blogs

2008-10-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

A major chapter in the 2008 election occurred Thursday with the vice-presidential debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin. The debate, and the candidates, have sparked plenty of interest around several Boston blogs.

1. Boston Herald blogs: Boston Herald blogger Dave Wedge had an interesting point heading into the debates. As he wrote, the interest before, and heading into, the debate centered not just on who would be better, but who would be worse. Who would show their ineptitude more. Who would look more clueless on the national stage. There was plenty of skepticism floating around both of these candidates, whether it be based on Palin's perceived inexperience or Biden's statements that he might not even be the best man for the job. With that in mind, it can be easy to see why viewers were anticipating a meltdown on primetime TV.

2. WCVB TV: This site commented not on how the candidates looked, spoke, or presented themselves, but on what Biden and Palin said. In particular, it highlighted the factual missteps both took, from Palin criticizing Biden's voting record concerning taxes, to Biden's crying foul about McCain's plan to lower taxes on oil companies, and pointed out how they're wrong. While many viewers judge a debate on how the sides looked, it's important to look at the substance as well, which "The Boston Channel" did.

3. And just like there were sites pointing out the factual flaws for both candidates, there were some Boston blogs pointing out the mistakes for one side, as the Ace of Spades HQ did for Joe Biden. It goes to show that some Boston blogs are focusing on one candidate, while others (like the one in #2, above) weigh both sides to the showdown. Or maybe Joe Biden was just the only one who made a mistake.

4. Michael Paulson's "Articles of Faith" blog put the emphasis on, well, faith. As in how often it was mentioned during the debate, and as he wrote, it was mentioned notably not by quantity, but by quality. He argues that faith worked itself into several key topics that Biden and Palin debated on, including the conflict in Israel, Shia extremists and the religious question surrounding same-sex marriages. Paulson's point is interesting, and it seems fitting that we have a national debate containing religious issues after a presidency that was apparently arranged by the man upstairs.

5. Boston.com: This site provided interesting information about how big the debate was from a television angle. According to the blog article, the debate drew more than 70 million viewers, a larger figure than the turnout for the McCain-Obama clash from Sept. 26. There are many reasons there would be such an interest in the vice-presidential debate, one of which being Palin's recent unflattering involvement in news and culture, as the blog post said:

When John McCain and Barack Obama met in their first debate on Sept. 26, Nielsen recorded 52.4 million viewers. They will have two more debates, the first of them next Tuesday. Palin has been a television star since joining the GOP ticket a month ago. The curiosity factor undoubtedly brought in viewers this week after Palin raised doubts about her readiness for the job with some wobbly TV interviews.

The country's interest in the vice-presidential candidates has grown, but Boston.com just showed by exactly how much it has.

Databases

2008-10-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Good presentation by the Boston Globe's Matt Carroll about databases Monday. His message was clear: Databases can be simple to learn, and yet, can be so helpful towards reporting a story. Figures at face value mean one thing. Figures presented in a certain way can make for a story.

One database I'm going to highlight comes from the Globe's website, and is a list of teacher salaries as of the 2006-07 year. The figures in this study are interesting, and many of them correlate to the wealth and/or size of the towns. Boston, the capital and largest city, tops the list at $71,123, while the state's richest town, Weston, is third at $70,617. The trend holds true on the other end, as Florida, a one-school town of 676 people, is the only town giving its teachers less than $40,000 a year ($34,748). That trend alone interests me, though eight months at the Patriot Ledger has introduced me to towns in the South Shore, and it's interesting to see the various figures for other towns in the South Shore.

Another database of note is one we mentioned in class. I was really impressed with the Congress Votes Database at Washingtonpost.com, to the point that it would be my go-to-source for any story I was doing centered around Congress. Voting records tell you everything, and can reveal a politician's stance on issues more than what they say in a speech. Whether the aim of the article is to inform, praise a Congressman or tear one down, what they do in office is not just helpful to the story; it often is the story. This site should be memorized by every Washington reporter, and not just those with the Post.

The final database is one by the Boston Police Department comparing crime figures from January to July in 2007 and 2008. The department breaks the figures down by district and by crime, including offenses such as homicide, rape, assault, theft and robbery. I picked this database due to an interest I have in crime and crime stories, and due to the usefulness of this site in reporting. If a reporter were doing a story on city crime, this is the site he or she would consult. The statistics are legitimate, from a legitimate source, and can be the foundation for a thorough, investigative crime story.

A story idea comes to mind. In all districts, for all crimes mentioned in the survey, totals went down between 2007 and 2008. Why is this? Were new measures put in to improve safety and crime awareness? Were there more police officers on staff. Plus, less crime means more unharmed citizens. Do they feel safer? Do these numbers ease any tension they could have about more dangerous parts of the city?

Let's see the rookies

2008-09-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

If you watched the Patriots-Dolphins beatdown, you saw a Patriots defense that often looked too slow to stop Miami's athletic running backs, even on the "routine" plays. Once the Fins went to their "wildcat" offense with running backs playing quarterback and quarterbacks at receiver, the Pats looked far from the honed squad that has come up big time and time again through the years.

New England spent most of its past draft stocking up on defensive prospects. Let's see them.

Given, Jerod Mayo, the 10th overall pick, has been in on almost every play. After that, we've seen little of the youth infusion. Shawn Crable (#98, photo) is a 6'5", 243-pound linebacker projected to be the next big pass rusher. Terrence Wheatley, out of Colorado, has big-role potential as a cornerback.

Give them some plays. Let's see if their forecasts are right.

Bye week shows AFC weakness

2008-09-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

Even a bye week can offer encouragement.

At 1 p.m. on Sunday, and with the gloom from the Miami massacre still lingering, there was not much reason for excitement for Patriots fans about their team.

By the time Monday transitioned to Tuesday at the conclusion of the final Week 4 game, the Patriots hadn't played a snap, but reasons for optimism abounded, and hopes for a playoff return had reignited.

As Sean Crowe at the Bleacher Report said, this is because no team in the AFC took advantage to make a push for the front of the conference. The Patriots sat at home, while the teams looking to snatch New England's crown exposed themselves.

Denver's defense stinks. Pittsburgh almost let a rookie from Delaware (Delaware???) beat them. The Bills are, until further notice, still the Bills. The Chargers don't know if they're these Chargers or those Chargers. The Colts and Jaguars so far have been enigmas. And for some reason, I'm not really afraid of this guy. Or him.

New England still does have work to do, and the clock is ticking for Cassel to prove himself. But the AFC is more open than its been in years, which bodes well for certain Bradyless teams.

Fact-checking websites

2008-09-25T22:21:00.001-07:00

And now for something completely different...

Factcheck.org:

There's a lot to like about this site. There's plenty of information, and with seven posted videos in the past three days and 12 in the past seven, it's clear that the site's managers are serious about keeping the website updated and current with news issues. I also like that the site stays true to itself by concerning itself with the election. The videos all revolve around the election, campaigns and candidates, and answer several pressing issues surrounding them. That's what the people want to hear as Nov. 4 nears, and this website is helping out.

That being said, I'm not a fan of the design of the site. It comes off as cluttered; the video/article section dominates half the page, while everything else seems thrown in at the left side in kind of a mix-and-match of "Facts of the Day" and "Today's Question." You can find what you need, but it can be a chore getting there.

Politifact.com:

This website is balanced, clear and fulfilling. The main plus to this site is its image: It comes off as clearly informative, with information split into sections at the top ranging from articles to the attack file to the chain e-mails. The Flip-O-Meter and Attack File are the highlights of the site, as they give you surprisingly balanced analysis of attacks the candidates have made upon each other with humorous twists to them.

I'm a bigger fan of the layout to this site than to Factcheck. The tabs at the top make for easy searching, and the browse feature on the right-hand side of the page, allowing you to read the Truth-O-Meter for Obama, McCain, Biden and Palin, make it easy for you to get the information you're looking for.

Congress Votes Database (Washingtonpost.com):

This website is just cool. Voting records for all senators? Everything from representatives with perfect records to the Washington Post's opinion on key votes made in the Senate? It's neat, and you can pass the time just sifting through these decisions. You may learn something, too.

Above all, however, is the use this site can provide for information on the election. With both candidates being senators, a lot of the focus and attention has been on McCain's and Obama's voting records, and how consistent their votes are with their stances on key issues. With this site, you can look it up and see it for yourself.

For that reason, there's really not much that can improve this site. It is what it is: Recent votes, the records for congressmen, and key bills. It's a straight database, and when you're looking for straight facts, this is a good place to turn.

Project Vote Smart:

Like the Congress Votes Database, this is a straight reporting and research site, good for finding out, among other things, the politicians from your town and state. There's a lot of good information, including public statements, voting records, registration and internships. And those are just the basic categories.

Still, I'm not quite taken with this site. It just doesn't come off as too accessible, and it feels like getting to even the simplest information would require tunneling around through page after page in the site. But that's the major deal with most of these websites. It's all about preference. Find the site you're comfortable, and work from there.

Farewell to a legend

2008-09-25T19:38:00.001-07:00

The second part to the top Patriot front office moves will have to wait. The Patriots saw an era come to an end today.

After 15 seasons, Troy Brown has retired from the Patriots. For the first time since Drew Bledsoe's rookie season, the Patriots will not have Troy Brown on the sidelines, and though his production had been declining, it was always comforting to see him in uniform. He was a constant; whether it be a win or a loss, losing season or Super Bowl year, he was there. It sounds ridiculous, but when you were a fan of the Patriots during his 15 seasons, you felt like things were going to be okay when you saw Troy Brown playing. He was a consummate professional, and a reassuring presence every time he buckled his chin strap.

The reasons for revering him are numerous. Starting off, he's the all-time franchise leader in receptions (557), and is second in receiving yards (6,366). In 2001, Brown helped Tom Brady kick off his own spectacular career with a 101-catch, 1,199-yard season, leading to his only Pro Bowl appearance.

But that's not what made Troy Brown special. Consider the following:

*In 2001, who had a 27-yard punt return in the Snow Game against the Oakland Raiders, putting New England in position to tie the game? Troy Brown.

*One game later, in the 2001 AFC Championship, whose 55-yard punt return for a touchdown put New England on the board, setting the pace for its 24-17 victory? Troy Brown.

*In the 2002 Super Bowl, whose 23-yard reception in the final minute helped put New England in position for the winning field goal? Troy Brown.

*In 2004, with the New England defense suffering major injuries, who stepped up to play on the other side of the ball at cornerback? And who, with three interceptions, actually played it pretty damn well? Troy Brown.

*And in 2006, in the AFC Divisional Playoff game against San Diego, after Tom Brady seemingly ended the Patriots' season with an interception, who caused a fumble and recovered the ball, in one of the more astute plays made in recent years? Troy Brown.

There have been receivers better than Troy Brown in the NFL, but for New England, there's never been one as clutch, poised, well-mannered and, judging by 15 years of servitude, loyal. Troy Brown was a Patriot for 15 years, and for each of those 15 years, the Patriots were Troy Brown. He may not make the Hall of Fame, but if the Patriots don't retire his #80 and put him into the team Hall of Fame as soon as possible, it'll be a crime. It's the least they can do for a man who helped put the Patriots on the map, and once there, got them to heights few have enjoyed.

Celebrating the front office (part 2)

2008-09-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand...it's the second half of the Patriots front office tribute!

So far here at PDP, we've covered the molding of malcontents (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) into successful teammates, the acquisition of diamonds in the rough (Tyrone Poole, Wes Welker) and the transformation of one castoff (Rodney Harrison) into a New England Patriot icon.

All good moves by Belichick, Pioli and Co. But two other moves stand out above the rest. Without further ado, the cream of the New England front office decision-making crop:

2. The 2003 NFL draft

This is what made "Scott Pioli" a household name, Bill Belichick a gameplan genius and laid the groundwork for the Patriots 2000s dynasty.

The men in the NFL draft war room, led by Pioli and Belichick with New England, are rated on their abilities to get impact players in the late rounds. Anyone can get a good player out of the top overall pick. It takes true scouting and an eye for talent and character that helps mold the third-rounder, on into a Pro Bowler.

And the Patriots went wild in 2003.

In the first round, with the 13th pick, they selected Ty Warren out of Texas A&M. In the second round, with the 36th overall pick, they took Eugene Wilson out of Illinois. Later on in the second round, with the 45th pick, they drew from Texas A&M again, this time selecting fleet-footed wideout Bethel Johnson.

Two picks later, in the fourth round with the 120th overall pick, New England took Central Florida's Asante Samuel. Forty-four picks later, in the fifth round, the Patriots went local and took Boston College's Dan Koppen.

This was an amazingly successful draft for New England. Warren went on to become the Pro-Bowl caliber defensive lineman he is today, Wilson became a starting safety on two Super Bowl teams, and Johnson became a lethal kick returner for the two-time Super Bowl champs. Koppen quickly became the starting center, Tom Brady's good friend and the Pro Bowler he is today.

But the biggest victory in this was Samuel, the fourth-rounder who quickly grew into a Pro Bowl cornerback and shutdown defender. He led the AFC in interceptions in 2006 and made the Pro Bowl in 2007, en route to becoming one of the most dynamic big-play defensive backs in the league.

In one draft, the Patriots turned a soft defense and special teams unit that missed the playoffs in 2002 into units that would be responsible for two Super Bowls, three conference championships and five straight defensive titles. New England would spend the following years adding players to keep the team strong, but smarts and good instincts in the 2003 draft allowed them to build a foundation that lasted through the years.

And who's No. 1? The bigger question is, did you need to ask?

1. Tom Brady

This is the easy answer, the off-the-top-of-the-head answer, and the popular answer. But it's also the right one. When you think about what the Patriots were, what the Patriots are, and how they fared in between, nobody is more important to that success than Thomas Edward Brady, Jr.

Add the fact that he was a then-unknown, the now-famed 199th pick out of Michigan, and you wonder how the Patriots did it. How they saw in a skinny, slow, unathletic kid the ability to become one of the best quarterbacks and leaders the game has ever seen.

There's no need to delve into Brady's accomplishments. Somewhere on the common-sense scale, between the color of the sky and the amount of hours in a day, is Brady's iconic role in the New England sports history. The accomplishments are only part of the genius that was his draft selection. The scouting process was the real magic.

One hundred and ninety-eight selections passed before Brady heard his name called. For each one, the Patriots knew he was their guy, the man to replace the golden-armed Drew Bledsoe. New England had its draft strategy down to two paths - Brady or Louisiana Tech's Tim Rattay, as Pro Football Weekly wrote when Brady had his injury this year:

Rattay has bounced around between a few clubs, with career marks of 31 touchdowns and 23 interceptions mildly besting Simms’ production. The fact that Rattay is on the Pats’ radar screen comes as no big surprise. During the 2000 NFL draft, the Patriots were torn between him and Brady before ultimately selecting the latter who’d go on to lead the team to three Super Bowl titles.

On draft day, the Patriots drooled over those two players, but took advantage of Rattay's and Brady's low stock by selecting Adrian Klemm ... and J.R. Redmond ... and Greg Randall ... and Antwan Harris, all players who would play crucial roles on the Super Bowl winning team the next year.

But not as big a role as the next selection. With Rattay off the board, the Patriots draft crew realized they couldn't wait any longer, and snatched up Brady. The team, and the league, wouldn't be the same.

The great thing about this pick is that it wasn't luck. The Patriots didn't happen to get the best quarterback in the game today. They saw it from the start. They watched him at Michigan, followed him, and kept their eye on him when no other teams knew he existed. The best pick in team history, and the single greatest draft selection ever made.

Celebrating the front office (part 1)

2008-09-24T15:30:00.001-07:00

Well, the Matt Millen era is over in Detroit. I know the Lions have had a long run of success lately, with plenty of highlights and glorious moments to remember, but sometimes, you just have to make a change. Especially when you're 0-3 this year and 31-84 since your General Manager took over.

But while Detroit has been the symbol of NFL front-office futility the past few years, the Patriots have arguably been the best. Whether it be in draft day selections, offseason trades or free agent acquisitions, the Pats, specifically the pair of Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli and Head Coach Bill Belichick, have consistently shown their ability to outwit the opposition. So as Detroit makes the transition to becoming a smart, successful football team, we celebrate the accomplishments of one that already has.

I present to you, the top five moves of the Belichick era (2000-present):

5. The Corey Dillon trade

Heading into the 2004 season, the Patriots were defending Super Bowl champions, albeit with one glaring weakness. The running game, led by Antowain Smith's paltry 642 yards and 3.5 yards-per-carry average, was anemic. Something had to be done, and as the Patriots brain trust wondered, three-time Pro Bowl Corey Dillon fumed in Cincinnati, wanting out after being replaced as the starting running back.

On April 19, 2004, the match made in heaven was consummated, as the Patriots shipped a second-round pick to the Bengals for a seemingly aging running back, who was rumored to be a bad teammate. Dillon ended up running for a team-record 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns, while becoming a model teammate and leading New England to its third Super Bowl title in four years. Cincinnati has made one playoff appearance since then.

4. The 2003 offseason

Just like in 2004, the Patriots headed into the 2003 season with a key area to address. In 2002, New England failed to defend its Super Bowl title by going 9-7 with a defense that ranked 23rd in points allowed and second-to-last against the run. In his first full season, Tom Brady led the league with 28 touchdown passes, but the Patriots were consistently derailed by a flat defense that frequently allowed leads to slip away by letting the opposition run unimpeded.

Belichick recognized the problem immediately, and the Patriots took after free agency with an aggressive approach that beat every team in the league to marquee players. In one swoop, the Patriots signed San Diego castoff Rodney Harrison, Chicago free agent Rosevelt Colvin, former Denver Bronco cornerback Tyrone Poole, and mountainous defensive tackle Ted Washington.

The result? Harrison was second in tackles, won two straight Super Bowls and has since become a defensive captain and spiritual leader for New England, Colvin won a Super Bowl and became New England's best pass rusher in 2005 and 2006, Poole tied for the team lead in interceptions and Washington anchored a defense that led the league in fewest points allowed and was fourth in run defense. Instantly, the team was transformed back into a champion.

3. 2007 offseason

Again, the Patriots had a problem. Again, they fixed it. Despite having a receiving corps of rejects and castoffs from other teams, Tom Brady guided New England to within a few minutes of a fourth Super Bowl in six years.

The Pats rewarded their leader by focusing on the offense in the offseason. They acquired Wes Welker from Miami for second- and seventh-round picks, free agent speedster Donte Stallworth, released by the Eagles, and, in the biggest coup, disgruntled receiver Randy Moss from Oakland for a measly fourth-round draft pick.

The result? The best offense (statistically, anyway) in football history. Wes Welker grabbed a franchise-record 116 receptions, Stallworth became a deadly deep threat, and Randy Moss set a new NFL record with 23 touchdown catches while setting a whole new image for himself. Tom Brady threw for a record 50 touchdown passes en route to the MVP award, and the Patriots were only an incredible combination of luck and mental collapse from capping off a perfect 19-0 season.

Coming next: The top two spots on the list.

Don't let him gather Moss

2008-09-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

So imagine you're Matt Cassel. For three years, all you've had to do is hold the clipboard while Tom Brady, football and model extraordinare, went out and did his job better than anyone on the planet, every week of the season. No exceptions, just the same routine from week one to the final snap of the season.

Until now. Now you've had to start your first game since you were picking out a date for the senior prom, and carry a team saddled with the greatest expectations of any team in the league. Furthermore, it's only been two games and one horrible loss since, and people are already counting you out. Again.

But fear not. After all, you have the greatest receiver in the game today on your team, and a sure Hall of Famer, in Randy Moss. Surely he's your safety blanket, right? The man you go to when the chips are down, isn't he?

Apparently not. Since taking over as the interim driver of the Ferrari that is the New England Patriots franchise, Cassel has alienated its engine. Moss has six catches in two games for a grand total of 47 yards. For the record, Moss had five separate games last season where he had single catches over 47 yards, and three others with catches over 40 yards.

Many would chalk this up to Cassel's inexperience, and it can't be forgotten that he's still adjusting to being a starting quarterback in the NFL. Though if anything, it should mean that Cassel is going to Moss too much. Cassel's trying to learn how to play in the NFL, snap by snap, and he has the luxury of one of the greatest deep threats to play the game at his side, a receiver that can boost his stats by turning bad throws into long gains, ill-advised throws into triple coverage into touchdowns and seemingly score if you throw it long enough.

The NFL has seen plenty of quarterbacks step into Cassel's position and succeed, often by using their star receivers as go-to guys. Tony Romo stepped in for the Dallas Cowboys with no experience in 2006, developed a rapport with Terrell Owens and led Dallas to a playoff spot. Philip Rivers took over at the helm for the San Diego Chargers in 2006, went to All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates 71 times for nine touchdowns, and led the team to a franchise-best 14-2 record and the verge of the AFC Championship Game.

Even the man Cassel is replacing began his career by finding the star receiver early and often. When Tom Brady took over the team in September of 2001, with no career starts to his record, the best Patriot receiver was Troy Brown, who was coming off an 83-catch performance the season before. With Brady at the helm, Brown had career highs with 101 catches and 1,199 yards receiving. Both made the Pro Bowl, and eventually, this happened.

Randy Moss is better than all of those receivers, but he's not a short-gamer. He hasn't made a name for himself blocking, or catching short screens, or taking a hit over the middle for an eight-yard catch. He's a vertical threat, one of the greatest deep options in NFL history, and few are more in need of a go-to scoring threat than Matt Cassel. Getting Moss into the game consistently would please him, put points on the board, and give Cassel the confidence that he can throw the ball downfield with success. Moss has done nothing but show support for Cassel, though there are rumors that three catches on short sideline routes aren't what he's looking for. Throwing the deep ball to Moss would keep him happy and take the pressure off Cassel, and the team will be better for it.

My three favorite blogs

2008-09-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

1. The majority of blogs I read are sports blogs, and the best I've come across so far is the Bleacher Report. Open-source and public, the Bleacher Report contains serious pieces of journalism as well as little humorous bits. Some of the stories come with a straight, reporting point, while others are written with the objective edge of a column. There is plenty of variety, and with a large list of sports covered, something to please any sports fan.

The website is also home to some early-breaking stories, suggesting that the anyone-can-write attitude of the Report can still lead to some writers with connections hopping on board. An example of this was a story that was on the site about the New England Patriots-Randy Moss negotiations. While the entire football world seemed to think resigning Moss was just a matter of time, Bleacher Report Rich Tandler thought differently:

They could have franchised Moss but they chose not to, apparently thinking
that he would give the Patriots a home town discount even though he’d been in
town for less than a year.
Wrong, or at least it appears to be right
now.

It was widely believed that Moss and the Pats had a deal in place
and were just waiting for Friday, the earliest he could sign a new contract, to
finalize it. Well, Friday has come and it’s about to go and Moss is a free
agent. There are reports that Moss is willing to take a free agent tour and
visit other teams.

Oops.

Moss did re-sign, but the two parties did endure tougher negotiations than expected. The Bleacher Report isn't perfect, but is a solid source for sports news from people who take it seriously.

2. What the Bleacher Report is for articles, FireJoeMorgan.com is for satire and humor. Once dedicated to the firing of an ESPN baseball commentator who has actually done pretty well for himself, FJM has become a site for mocking commentary on Major League Baseball, whether it be ownership decisions, games played or articles written by baseball journalists.

The articles at FJM, unlike those at the Bleacher Report, are mostly short, quick and to the point, and are not concerned with a well-written journalistic basis. The blog's tagline is "Where Bad Sports Journalism Comes To Die, and journalism isn't the only thing the site sets out to destory. The following excerpt was taken from an entry where the first paragraph was from an article praising the Dodgers and General Manager Ned Colletti, and the second was the FJM poster's take:

Torre put financial issues aside, benched Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones, and
stabilized the outfield - for now and years to come - with Ethier and Matt
Kemp.

Somehow, the fact of the existence of Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones on the
payroll and the fact that it required one hundred-some-odd games and the
addition of a Hall of Fame outfielder to compel Torre to bench Messrs. Pierre
and Jones are now points in Colletti's and Torre's favor? This is the equivalent
of two gardeners driving to your house, digging a twenty-foot hole in your front
yard with a backhoe, buying two bags of sand, pouring the bags into the hole,
and then getting lavished with praise for the sand part of the whole
operation.

Nice, huh? It's an emobodiment of what makes a blog popular: It's entertaining and opinionated. You just want to read more.

3. Let's leave the stadium and enter the political forum. America Blog is a highly effective source for political commentary, though it is not for the seekers of a middle ground. Instead, it is to the far left and extremely harsh, take for example this excerpt from a John Aravosis post. Like the FJM, the above paragraph is the criticized quote, a John McCain line about the economic crisis in this case, while the below paragraph is the writer's response:

"So, I’d like to tell you that I did anticipate it, but I have to give you straight talk, I did not.”
Yeah, Doug Holtz would be the guy who claimed that McCain miraculously invented the BlackBerry. That's who McCain relies on for economic advice. The tooth fairy's best friend in the land of make-believe.

As you can see, its a site with opinions that many, including my more moderate self, wouldn't necessarily agree with. But that's why I love it. I don't read the blog to educate myself about politics; rather, I look for updates on issues (for example, I first heard about Sarah Palin's email account being hacked into on AB) while looking for attitude at the same time. And AmericaBlog never disappoints. It's not the best blog to read and cite at serious political gatherings, but for a n entertaining spin on news features, I can't think of one I'd rather read.