Pats Pulpit: Front Page Posts

In like Flynn? Or just in chaos?

JohnHannahRules — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:55:44 -0000

Greetings Patriots fans, from your designated trenchman. Seems I've assumed default oversight of the pig-pen, where the big boys battle, so in an effort to continue to uphold that role I bring you the latest in the ongoing saga of the Patriots' offensive line.

After bringing him in for a workout yesterday, the Patriots have signed Massachusetts homeboy Mike Flynn to a one year contract. The former standout at Springfield's Cathedral High and the University of Maine has played in the big leagues for 10 seasons, all of them for the Baltimore Ravens.

Flynn is the latest signing in a bewildering array of free-agents old and new that the Pioli/Belichick team has brought in to shore up the front wall. Spurred by a merry-go-round of injuries all along the front five, the Patriots now enter officially desperate waters. To bring in an o-lineman this late in camp is beyond cause for concern--it's indicative of a serious issue. That issue is depth.

More on Flynn and the rest of the fat guys over the jump.

[Reprising some of my earlier comments] In the opinion of this Pats-watcher, Mike Flynn is a better class of re-tread than we've had here lately. For the last ten seasons, Flynn has been the rock at the center of the Ravens' offensive line. Signed as a non-draftee free agent in 1997, Flynn was a four-year letter winner at Maine and a team captain. He battled his way onto the Ravens' roster and was a starter at guard during their run to the '01 Super Bowl. Later moved to center, he started 115 of 134 games.

The rock began to crumble a little bit over the last two seasons. He was hurt early in 2007 and although he did return to the field he wasn't quite the same. Blamed by many Ravens fans for their offensive line woes over the last part of his career, Brian Billick and Ozzie Newsome finally caved to Flynn's age and his salary-cap hit, releasing him this winter. Said Newsome:

There are sad, tough days in this business, and this is one of those...Mike Flynn represents everything good about the Ravens. [JHR: I know, I know. Just bear with me.] He fought his way into the NFL, fought his way into our starting lineup and he fought to help us win,'' Newsome said. ``When we list the true Ravens in our history - and there is a Ravens way that includes respect for your teammates and opponents, toughness, intelligence on the field, passion for the game - Mike will be high on that list.

Forgetting for the moment everything you instinctively feel about the Baltimore Stabbers, every clubhouse is a family--or it should be. Dysfunctional locker-rooms often can be picked out by the team's game-time performance. Flynn was a leader of the o-line there, but not above (or below) locker-room b.s. During last year--his tenth with the team--one of Flynn's teammates made up a "Mike Flynn Farewell Tour" t-shirt with the team's schedule printed on the back. The not-so-subtle swipe at the veteran was not exactly out-of-the-blue: "[W]hen you dish it out, you've got to expect some punishment back," said Flynn.

It's one thing to be a character, but it's much more important to have character. As near as I can tell, Flynn has that. In addition to Newsome's encomiums, Flynn made a strong impression at Maine:

In his first training camp with the Ravens in 1997, Flynn was an undrafted free agent offensive lineman from Maine who labored under a hot Westminster sun as a quiet, anonymous rookie just trying to make the team.

One day, in the middle of that set of circumstances, Flynn looked over toward the fan barrier and saw a member of the Maine coaching staff who had traveled south to see him practice. It may have seemed like a rather innocuous moment. However, it was proof that not only was Flynn the kind of player that inspired belief in those around him, he was willing to work to reinforce that belief.

He was elected to the University's sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

A final note of optimism: When he arrived in Baltimore, Flynn's position coach was Kirk Ferentz, now HC at the University of Iowa. Ferentz, a holdover from the franchise's years in Cleveland, coached Flynn through 1998 when he left for the Hawkeye job. In Cleveland he was offensive line coach under Bill Belichick. It's a strong bet that Belichick and Pioli consulted with Ferentz for some inside perspective and got a firm "thumbs up" before signing Flynn. [Note: It was erroneously reported by myself and others that Flynn played under Ferentz at Maine as well. The timing for that scenario isn't right. While Flynn may have been recruited by Ferentz, Kirk was gone by the time Flynn showed up in Orono where he is considered a member of Coach Mike Cosgrove's first recruiting class.]

But can he still play? Certainly that's the $64,000 question--though I've no idea what kind of a contract Flynn signed. He was released in the winter. I don't know what kind of shape he's kept in, but I do know that he was thinking about moving on. It was only in June that the Baltimore Sun reported Flynn was almost 100% sure he'd finished with football and was trying to transition into broadcasting.

Dan Connolly botched a shot-gun snap against the Bucs, and Russ Hochstein got banged up against the Ravens. Billy Yates has a pinched nerve in his neck. Barry Stokes and Anthony Clement are on IR, lost for the season. Ryan O'Callaghan isn't practicing regularly. That's almost all of your depth nicked up--unless you count these kids still in diapers: Ryan Wendell, Jimmy Martin and just-signed Stephen Sene. John Welbourne, signed only last week, is a likely starter tomorrow. Yikes.

Neal is still a PUPpy. Matt Light is nowhere to be found. (Though BB insists they're both "getting better every day." Whatever the hell that means.) Nick Kaczur, just a few weeks off the PUP list himself, is playing out of position.

It should by now be obvious that things are not where they should be, particularly at the interior of the line. We're lucky that (knock wood) Koppen and Mankins remain healthy. There's at least a good core there for Dante to anchor the movable parts to.

If I had to guess (and I do), I would say that you won't see much of Brady tomorrow, even if he is fully healthy. The offensive line is, for all intents and purposes, a brand new unit every day. I've said some before about relying on versatility as a substitute for depth. It has succeeded for the Patriots in the past, particularly in the linebacking corps and the secondary. We made it to the 'Bowl last year without Rosey Colvin in part because everyone back there could be moved mostly interchangeably (though you can argue that we really missed him on Black Sunday). We added Troy Brown as a slot-corner in the past with limited success--he even got a pick back there. Hochstein has at times filled in admirably for Koppen and Neal. In spite of my panning him for that day, Belichick continues to defend Russ's performance in the Super Bowl. But the fact is that having the same five guys work together consistently is the only way to develop reliably great line-play.

1-15 Rod Rust

So where does that leave us? It leaves me with my fingers crossed. This will be a winning season. But if it is to be a success by the New Patriot Standards (and thank god for that), it will be because the offensive line plays itself into form over the first 5-6 weeks and the defense holds the fort in the meantime.

After the display our defensive front 5 put on in Tampa, that is not assured--at least to this fan's eyes. But I remind myself, and you, gentle reader, that this is not the team we grew up with.

So here's to hope. Go Pats!

Chris Gasper of the Boston Globe talks about what to look for in Friday nights preseason game aga...

MaPatsFan — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:14:58 -0000

Chris Gasper of the Boston Globe talks about what to look for in Friday nights preseason game against the Eagles

Tom Brady back at practice today

MaPatsFan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:38:21 -0000

Our own New England Patriots wunderkind, Mr. 50 TD pass record holder for 2007, and the NFL's MVP Tom Brady is back on the practice field. As reported by Mike Reiss:

The media-access portion included stretching, some light throwing for quarterbacks, and Brady handing off to running backs. Brady did not appear to be limited in his movements.

Read that last sentence again - did not appear to be limited in his movements. Now it's not, as of yet, time to schedule the ticker tape parade in Foxboro center. More importantly, noone has said whether or not Brady will see reps against the Eagles this weekend. My opinion? Unless he absolutely needs the reps, let him watch from the sidelines or the comfort of his living room. He needs to be rested for the regular season and, more importantly, the long haul. If I were to be a homer, I'd say, "No problem. Tom's ok and we're all set." But, I'm not feeling that way right now. Given the pre-superbowl foot issues as well as this past week's escapade, I'd rather he let the darn thing heal. Oh, and there's that issue of the QB backups not fairing so well, especially #2.

The bottom line, however – and most likely the primary source of all the criticism he’s received – is he’s yet to lead the team to a touchdown, which will be a major point of emphasis in his next appearance, presumably Friday night if Brady isn’t ready to return.

He needs to come out against the Eagles and make some plays. Between 2 preseason games and countless hours in training camp and OTAs, Mr. Cassel has had enough time on the field and with these players to come up to speed. Brady was only doing 1 practice session for a long time which left the field to the backups, and Cassel was the main guy. Matty, for the sake of the team, I hope you do well. I'll be rooting for you to do well.

When it comes to safeties, I'm still depressed about Tank Williams. I was so looking forward to seeing him jump into nickelback or safety/linebacker hybrid roles when teams start fielding 3 or more wide outs. That's when things get exciting on a defense, in my opinion. But nooooooooo! He's on IR. Now I'm REALLY depressed. Until, in walks John Lynch. Rodney and John have become fast friends and have respected each other for many years:

"I’ve always had tremendous respect [for him]; our careers have kind of paralleled each other in that we’ve played the position of safety – he’s going into his 15th, I’m going into my 16th [year]," he responded.

In case you're wondering what kind of a hitter John Lynch is:

Ouch!! Oh, and there's more. Check out Youtube and you can get a plethora of "School's in session" hits from Mr. Lynch.

On to shoaring up the O line, the Patriots worked out Center and Guard, Mike Flynn. Mike has played his entire career, from 1997-2007, with the Baltimore Ravens. A hometown boy hailing from Springfield, MA, Mike is excited about the prospect of coming to New England. He will most likely see time as a backup to right guard Stephen Neal given that Neal and his backups Hochstein and Yates are banged up. JHR, thoughts?

Poll

Should Belichick sit Brady for the preseason?

Ya think the media would learn by now that BB won't answer these types of questions. If this w...

MaPatsFan — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:46:19 -0000

Ya think the media would learn by now that BB won't answer these types of questions.

If this was a regular-season game, would Tom Brady have played?

"It’s not a regular-season game."

Was it a last-minute decision with Tom?

"Was it a last-minute thing? I don’t know. We had a lot of players that didn’t make the trip. Guys that were here played, and the ones that didn’t, didn’t. If they weren’t going to play, they weren’t going to make the trip."

Are you concerned about him at all? How would you characterize the injury?

"I wouldn’t characterize it."

Postgame with Coach Belichick

Buccaneers defeat Patriots, 27-10

MaPatsFan — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:24:19 -0000

Every time I hear that monicker for a swashbuckler I think of the old joke my father used to tell me:

Father: Where are your buccaneers?
Me: I don't know.
Father: On the side of your buccanhead.

Bahdum, ssssss. Thank you very much - I'm here all weekend.

Ugly is my word for this game. Ugly, messy, stinky. There were very few bright spots in what was an abysmal showing. However, as I've mentioned before, relax. This is preseason and it's not about winning, although winning would be nice. It's a science experiement. It's about putting players in situations and examining the outcome. It's about getting as many players on the field as possible. And it's about getting a look at players so coaches can decide who to send home. A few rambling thoughts:

A most excellent observation by standingpat during the game thread, the defense was "bend don't break" and very generic, as if BB was purposely "hiding" his good stuff. This was evidenced by CB Ellis Hobbs playing very soft for the first part of the game. Bucs QB Brian Griese made the same observation.
Adam? We heart you and thanks for the rings, but DANG!! G-man spanks a 53 yarder. 2 games in a row he's money.
Welker looked like he'd shaken off the rust from a post season groin injury which put him on the PUP.
Cassel stretched out Moss midfield and I thought he was going to get crushed. Brady never does that as it spells disaster for tall skinny guys like Randy or little skinny guys like Wes. 2 de-merits, Matt.
Speaking of Cassel, he's in the fight of his career and he's losing. No excuses at this point, because the vets were on the field. Matt can't blame "The Chad" or CJ Jones for his woes when Moss and Welker were on the field for a crapload of snaps. He managed only 3 points in 6 drives. Not good.
S Brandon Meriweather appeared to be in considerable pain when he left the game in the first quarter. If it's serious, batter up - John Lynch.
Kevin O'Connell, after looking pretty good in his first NFL outing against the Ravens, throws an interception on his first play against Tampa Bay. Later, he admits he forced that one and the ball should've ended up in the stands.
ILBs weren't plugging the gaps during Tampa Bay running plays. Even veteran Bruschi was having a tough night.

General observations: There were some glaring individual mistakes on the field. But, this is where I gotta say Belichick is smarter than me. He's playing very basic, vanilla offenses and defenses. There's nothing exotic nor is there anything special about what he's putting on the field. It's all about evaluation in a "live" situation, against someone wearing a different helmet.

Buccanhead...I kill myself.

Tom's Foot

MaPatsFan — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:24:52 -0000

I always laugh at this stuff. The scrutiny placed on the health and welfare of professional athletes, especially a team's stars, is nothing short of ridiculous. Remember how fast pictures of Brady's booted foot spread through the blogosphere? Here's the word straight from our record breaking wonder:

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady spoke on WEEI this morning, answering questions about the leg injury that kept him home while the Patriots traveled to Tampa Bay.

While he didn't give details, Brady said the current injury he has isn't the same ankle injury that dogged him in the Super Bowl. "Same side of the body, and same leg, but not the same injury," said Brady. He said it also wasn't related to an Aug. 2 bump during practice, when running back Sammy Morris accidentally kicked him during a drill.

"I spent some time this weekend getting treatment on it, and hoping that it responds quickly like it usually does," said Brady.

"The key is not to go out there and aggravate anything when I'm not ready to go," said Brady. Obviously I'd love to be out there with my teammates, but Coach made the decision that that's not the smartest thing to do right now."

The quarterback wasn't sure about his status for Friday's third preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I'm not sure," said Brady. "I'm trying to get treatment this week, and I'm feeling better every day. It's going to be up to Coach, what he wants to do. I think he's been coaching long enough to know that the first game in September is the most important game for us."

Given the abysmal performance of Cassel and the rookie mistakes by O'Connell, one could assume we're in serious trouble. Relax. If we go 0-4 in the preseason Tom can rest his foot for the really important stuff, you know, like the regular season, that's fine by me. We have 3 backup quarterbacks. Lambs to the slaughter.

Preseason Game #2: New England @ Tampa Bay

MaPatsFan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:00:06 -0000

Preview: New England @ Tampa Bay

MaPatsFan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:18:55 -0000

Yes, New England Patriots fans, preseason game number two is upon us. For your viewing pleasure, tune in to The NFL Network or WCVB / Channel 4 @ 8:00 PM. I'll have the game thread opened up around 6'ish as well.

After preseason game number one against the Ravens, I have a few things I'll be looking for, so here's a breakdown:

Quarterbacks - Matt Cassel did not have a good game. Communication with wide receivers was off, despite a lot of reps in training camp. Hopefully Belichick and the coaching staff worked on that aspect of Cassel's game and he comes out with a little more polish than we witnessed. Matt Gutierrez wasn't much better, but he's backup to the backup; I'm less concerned about him. Kevin O'Connell was a welcomed surprise and I hope to see more of the same. Tom Brady did not make the trip to Tampa Bay due to a sore foot. Which foot it is has not been revealed. Happy place...happy place...ohhhhmmmm. Seriously, relax. Preseason is not the time to push an injury, especially with your star quarterback.

Wide Receivers - After Welker got off the PUP a few weeks back, he commented how it'll take some time to get back in the swing of things, that he was working to get his timing back with the QB's, specifically Brady. Apparently, it didn't take long. Mike Reiss has reported that the triumvirate is looking as sharp as ever. Look for more playing time from Moss, Welker and Gaffney. C.J. Jones is fighting for his job. He did not have a good showing and will need to step up. "The Chad" is another that needs to amp it up a bit. I really hope he succeeds; we could really use the skills he projects to have.

Running Backs - LaMont Jordan was killer against the Ravens. At this point, I really feel like he could own the redzone/goal line RB job. I think Maroney and Morris will see more playing time as well as Faulk. I'd like to see a few successful options to Kevin before a feel better.

Offensive Line - JHR is the guru, but overall the O-line struggled against the Ravens and has been hampered by injuries. Barry Stokes has been IR'd and the boys are getting older. A younger OL is a necessity, IMO but we needed to fix linebacker first. Let's just hope we don't need Kevin O'Connell scrambling skills all around.

Linebackers - An area focused on so heavily, the linebacker corps appear to be shaping up nicely. OLB draftee Shawn Crable is really looking good while ILB Jerod Mayo is turning into a stud and Pierre Woods was an animal against the Ravens. OLBs Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas will see more reps as will ILB Tedy Bruschi. I think if this lineup proves successful, fan favorite ILB Junior Seau will retire. I'd like to see ILB Victor Hobson do well. He's been struggling after moving from OLB for the Jets. Rookie ILB Gary Guyton continues to impress.

Cornerbacks - Hobbs and Bryant continue to be the starters in my mind and rookie Terrence Wheatley has really gotten himself noticed in a field of 10. Why so many? Belichick's looking for something, some secret sauce that'll spell disaster for opposing teams. With that many cornerbacks on the roster, this says to me he thinks this will be a key position for 2008.

Safeties - The Denver Broncos released veteran John Lynch and Belichick promptly snatched him up. Lynch is known for being a super hard hitter and has signed a one year deal with the Patriots. This appears to be a direct response to the loss of Tank Williams, the hybrid safety/linebacker guy who was such a good fit for the nickelback position. I'll be watching John.

Defensive Lineman - Jarvis Green is back and Richard Seymour is feeling pretty good. An interesting note: Belichick had the guys practice switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3. A 4-3 is a good overall defense, but is very effective against the run so look for it during an obvious running situation.

MaPatsFan Interviewed by dynastyrogues.com

MaPatsFan — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:15:44 -0000

Howdy faithful. I just did an interview with Fantasy Football site, Dynasty Rogues. This is a very cool Fantasy site and, much like SBNation, is making a name for itself. You can find the podcast with me as well as other SBNation bloggers.

Whenever I listen to my recorded voice I inevitably say, "I sound like THAT?!?!" At any rate, hopefully I didn't come off like a complete dork. Please be kind. Seriously. My ego bruises easily. ;-)

According to a league source, free agent safety John Lynch has agreed to join the Patriots. T...

MaPatsFan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:38:56 -0000

According to a league source, free agent safety John Lynch has agreed to join the Patriots.

The source did not have terms of the deal, but said Lynch had decided to sign with the Patriots. The Patriots brought the nine-time Pro Bowler, who asked to be released by the Denver Broncos after the team slotted him into a reduced role, in for a visit yesterday.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said this morning that Lynch had met with him and taken a physical, which is often a precursor to a deal.

Lynch, who will turn 37 on Sept. 25, figures to replace Tank Williams, who was placed on injured reserve by the Patriots last Sunday after suffering a knee injury in the pre-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday.

The Patriots were using Williams as a hybrid safety/linebacker in a pass defense package, a role that seems well suited to the 6-foot, 2-inch, 220-pound Lynch.

Lynch is actually coming off a Pro Bowl season. He was named to the team as an injury replacement last year, after starting 12 of 13 games and finishing with 59 tackles, a sack and three passes defended.

The source said the New York Jets also expressed interested in Lynch, but that the 15-year veteran chose to play for the Patriots, who tried to sign him as a free agent in 2004, when he decided to go from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Denver Broncos.

Reiss's Pieces

Training Camp Updates: 8/14/2008

MaPatsFan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:49:21 -0000

A bunch has happened in the last few days, so let me see if I can break it down:

Recent signings of veterans Jeff Shoate and Ade Jimoh have swelled the cornerback ranks to 10. In addition, the Patriots have been talking to veteran safety John Lynch and have put him through a physical. I can only assume our team from Foxboro is carrying so many defensive secondary players so they can find that elusive combination, that pot of gold that will prove to be unstoppable. In particular, the loss of safety Tank Williams to a knee injury in our preseason opener with the Ravens leads me to believe Belichick and Pioli are looking for that hybrid cornerback/safety player who can fill the nickelback role.
Ellis Hobbs and Fernando Bryant project to be the starting CBs with rookie Terrence Wheatley as third. I'm psyched for Wheatley. With a crowded field of cornerbacks, this draftee is getting noticed. Can you imagine how good he'll be with more NFL experience?
ILB Jerod Mayo is the standout of the rookies. He was supposed to be eased into the rotation, but it appears he's going to see more snaps than originally expected. Given we were hammered in 2007 for an aging linebacker corp, I'm really stoked about this one. This will be the first undergarment put on by opposing running backs:

Trio of Brady-Moss-Welker looks really sharp (See Ogor? It wasn't just about Wes. ;-)) I think this is the most dangerous QB/WR combination in football. They literally carpet bombed opposing teams in 2007 and I see more of that in 2008.
When asked about Belichick's history with the penalty lap, he was quoted as saying, "Maybe the guy who made the mistake gets some advice from some of the guys who are running – but don’t feel like running,” Belichick said, which yielded some laughter from media members.
Brady will see some time in this Sunday's preseason game @ Tampa Bay. The game is on NFL Network / WCVB Channel 4 at 8:00PM.
Finally, public training camp practices have been extended by one day. Friday's practice, starting at noon, is open to the public.

Tom Brady and Wes Welker on the same page. Often times, one hears how important it is for a quart...

MaPatsFan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:59:09 -0000

Tom Brady and Wes Welker on the same page. Often times, one hears how important it is for a quarterback and receiver to be on the same page. When that happens, the chemistry between thrower and catcher can be impressive to watch. That’s the way it was today with Tom Brady and Wes Welker in 11-on-11 no-huddle work. To watch Brady and Welker exchange hand signals and then execute without the benefit of a huddle is to see two players at the top of their profession. It was fine-tuned excellence. Welker had several nice catches in the practice, one up the numbers along the right side that went for a touchdown in 7-on-7 work (CB Jeff Shoate in coverage).

Reiss's Pieces

Training Camp Updates: 8/12/2008

MaPatsFan — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:41:32 -0000

From Reiss's Pieces:

Jabar Gaffney over Chad Jackson. In 11-on-11 work, the top receiving trio for quarterback Tom Brady was Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Jabar Gaffney. Chad Jackson, who struggled at times in the preseason opener, did not got any work with Brady when the team had three receivers on the field in the drill. Jackson came on with backup quarterback Matt Cassel.

Uh oh. "The Chad", heir apparent to the Donte Stallworth crown, is not getting reps with Brady. If I read too much into this, Chad's in a world of hurt regarding his spot at Donte's position. If I relax and take a deep breath, Belichick is trying to spread the wealth, giving "Brady time" to all.

In the spring, it appeared that Hobson was a good bet to help the Patriots this year, but he’s yet to break through in training camp (most recently working next to Bo Ruud & Eric Alexander), and could be in jeopardy of not making the club if a player like Gary Guyton (rookie free agent) continues to excel on special teams.

Victor is moving from OLB in the Jets' 3-4 to ILB in the Pats' 3-4 and appears to be having a tough time of it. Brian Basset from The Jets Blog, in Around the AFC East, Week 1, had his doubts about Hobson's effectiveness:

I think that Hobson is well suited to play inside, but at a minimum, the Patriots should be looking to start their young guys by the end of the season in Hobson's place.

Mike Vrabel and Ellis Hobbs join the first string. Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and cornerback Ellis Hobbs seemed to have their workload increase.

It's good to see these vets back in the rotation after recently coming off of the PUP. Interestingly enough, Hobbs is lining up opposite Fernando Bryant which, at this point, projects to be the 2 starters at cornerback.

The possibility of keeping 5 running backs on the final roster. With Belichick asked several questions about RB LaMont Jordan, the topic of possibly keeping five running backs came up (the Patriots kept 4 out of camp last year). The five would presumably be Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans and Jordan. "We'll keep the best football players, the players that will help our football team the most," Belichick said, pointing out that if the team would keep four quarterbacks (like it did in 2000) it would also consider keeping five running backs.

That's Bill being his usual cagey self. Heck, I don't blame him. You don't want to let the cat out of the bag too early. But, can you imagine that lineup in the backfield? Depth like a Roman Phalanx, mad skills, physicality and youth. I could see Belichick hanging on to 5 running backs just to stuff it to all the pundits who claimed we didn't have a running game last year.

Jerod Mayo -- not a repeat offender. One aspect that the coaching staff and veteran players often stress is that mistakes will happen with young players, but the key is to not let the same mistake happen twice. Belichick noted that first-round draft choice Jerod Mayo has been solid in that regard, as he isn't a repeat offender.

Yup, great draft choice. Time will tell, but I'm feeling better and better about Jerod Mayo. Young, smart and big, he appears to be coming along nicely. We're rooting for you, Jerod. Keep up the good work.

"The Tank" loses his treads...and other Patriots News

MaPatsFan — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:55:01 -0000

Who am I to question Bill Belichick? In fact, who am I to question anyone, for that matter? But, this one has me on the fence. Had Tank been in the Patriots system for a few years, you may not have seen him on the field for more than a few plays. However, a veteran of other squads, the coaching staff needed to see what he had and what happened? Whammo! Boff! Boom! He's on IR with a knee injury. I'm really bummed about this one. Tank was never projected to start at safety; those roles are owned by Meriweather and Harrison. But, Tank could've filled that magical hybrid role of safety/cornerback. He would've played that "in between" nickel spot during pass defenses so critical for backing up the corners and giving the safeties time to react. He would've given offenses fits. But NOOOOOOOO!! Tank's season is effectively over. I was looking forward to seeing him play.

The pickup of Jeff Shoate is a mystery to me. Do we really need to carry 9 cornerbacks? You read that right NINE! Most assuredly, some number of them will be cut. What did BB see last Thursday that caused him to pull in another corner? What does he know that we don't know? Tons probably, but I'm not seeing it right now. Head...itch...scratching.

DE Richard Seymour seems to be back. On Thursday, he drew a holding penalty that lead to Adalius Thomas' strip sack. Richard had this to say recently:

I'm feeling stronger. I feel good, just ready to get the season rolling," he said. "At the same time, there is a lot of work we have to do, a lot of fine-tuning. We're excited about the season coming up, and we're looking forward to finishing the season.

Seymour is one of the best DEs in the league and it's good to see him having a productive preseason. Big, smart and experienced, he'll be unstoppable if he stays healthy.

Junior Seau and the team have yet to decide if he'll be back:

"Yeah, we talked, but again there is nothing to report," Seau responded. "Obviously, I have to be healthy enough to get in there and perform at a high level and right now I'm not ready."

At the end of the interview, Seau also pointed out that even if he could return, the Patriots would have to have a need for his services.

I like Junior. I like him a lot. I just don't see where he fits at this point. If Belichick brings him back, it would be a nostalgia move and not one based on logic, IMO.

Finally, there's 3 public training camp sessions left: tue-thu, 2:30-4:30. Given the weather forecast for Foxboro, it looks like Wednesday will be the only day with a ray of hope.

New England Patriots Links: 8/9/08

MaPatsFan — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:35:05 -0000

Bill likes what he sees with our new linebackers:

Some good things, some need to be better," he said. "I think Shawn [Crable] and Jerod [Mayo] both competed well. They played hard. Same thing with [Gary] Guyton and [Vince] Redd.

Asked about the new coin toss rule, BB responds:

I think it will be a regular occurrence and it will probably be what most teams [do].

What is the new coin toss rule, you ask? If the coin toss is won, coaches will have the option to defer their decision to kick or receive to the second half. More than likely, the loser of the coin toss will choose to receive in the first half, but there is the possibility, however remote, that a team could receive a kickoff twice in one game.

Training Camp, at least the portion open to the public, ends on 8/14/08.

Patriots.com analysis of the Ravens @ Patriots first preason game.

And finally, I hope to see more of this:

via cachemediasrv.patriots.com

Ravens defeat Patriots, 16-15

MaPatsFan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:28:15 -0000

With less than a month and 3 preseason games left until the Sept 7th opener with KC, the New England Patriots have their work cut out for them. But, this is no surprise; every team has their work cut out for them. Preseason games are not about winning, they're a science experiment designed to test many hypotheses in a live situation. You'll see play calling I'd term "head scratchers" (pass on the 2 point conversion vs. hand off to Jordan), but coaches are experimenting with different packages, players and situations. There's a lot of ingredients in this soup and we haven't even seen much of the starters.

Positives

Jerod Mayo - as any first rounder should, he's having an immediate impact. Other than a few mis-reads in coverage, he appears to be stepping up to the NFL level and making an impact. One play in particular, knocking of Ray Rice's helmet on a 1 yard run, was of particular note. He smothered Rice.

Stephen Gostkowski - I said it in the game thread - Adam who? I mean no disrespect to one of New England's heroes, but Gostkowski was money. He hits 3 field goals for 36, 44, and 40 yards and was kicking off like a mofo. Thanks G-man.

Shawn Crable - he used his long arms to bat down at least one pass. When he was taken out on one play, I saw his eyes never the play and he bounce up running. It's good to see the "never stop" mentality.

Kevin O'Connell - cool surprise. He handled himself better than Matty Squared. Sure, he may have been up against backups to backups to backups, but I thought he did a fine job and DAMN... he can run.

Pierre Woods - What tha?!?!?! He was all over the field, reading pass coverage and making tackles. I think we'll see more of him.

LaMont Jordan - the guy's a bull and fills the gap between fullbacks and running backs; he could be the goal line guy to blast through defenses.

Negatives

Cassel and Gutierrez - looked like O'Connell should've looked - deer in the headlights. Whether it was their fault or receivers running bad routes, who knows. I just know how Kevin looked compared to #2 and #3 - they should be worried.

CJ Jones - dropped passes, mental mistake during a kickoff return (should've let the ball hit the endzone for a touchback) and bad routes. If he can't catch the backup's passes, how's he going to pull down Brady's rockets?

Chad Jackson - He's not showing me he can fill Stallworth's shoes. Whether it was Cassel's fault or his, there was clear miscommunication between the 2. Chad needs to build confidence with the QBs and hit the playbook.

Special Teams - FINISH! FINISH! FINISH! That run back was ugly. I mean, how many Patriots had their hands on the guy? Finish the tackles by either knocking his block off or wrapping the guy up.

Head on over to Baltimore Beatdown for blogger Rexx's take on the game.

Preseason Game #1: Ravens @ Patriots

MaPatsFan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:06:38 -0000

Gang,

opening up the Game Thread early as I may be away from my computer for awhile. Believe it or not, I'm visiting the Bass Pro Shop at Gillette with an avid outdoorsman from out-of-town, but won't be staying for the game. :-( Oh well. I'll jump in when I can.

Preview: Ravens @ Patriots

MaPatsFan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:50:01 -0000

The first preseason game is here. The festivities begin at 7:30 tonight on WCVB and many of us will be watching. As I've written before, this is not about winning, but about evaluating players in a game/pressure situation against another team. Vets are looking to get a few reps, younger guys guaranteed a spot are looking to show why the team should have faith in them and guys on the bubble want to impress. Thus begins the evaluation to get us to a 53 man roster. JHR has done a most excellent job running down the O-line, so I won't even attempt to focus attention there. Below are my random thoughts about some positions I'm interested in.

Quarterback - you will see very little of Brady, if at all. The real shootout is between Cassel and Gutierrez. Is Matt G. knocking on the door of Backup QB. It's a tight race, so who knows. A tie will go to Cassel unless Matt G can impress. I think O'Connell will go to the practice squad as insurance for the end of Cassel's contract, up in 2008.

Cornerback - These guys have been impressive in TC, but they're playing against the backup QB's and such. In addition, they've not seen much of Welker and Moss. I'm interested in Wheatley and Wilhite and especially Bryant; many say Fernando will be the heir apparent to the spot vacated by Asante. Hobbs is recently off the PUP, so don't expect to see him take many snaps.

Receiver - I think Moss will take a few throws as he's healthy, but Welker is recently off the PUP with a groan injury, so he won't be in. "The Chad" is the one to watch, in my mind. With so much pressure on him to step up to Stallworth's spot, I want to see something. Recent acquisition Slater will be in as well as Washington and Aiken.

Linebacker - Mayo and Crable will see a lot of action. Vrabel just came of the PUP and Bruschi doesn't need to show anything. Victor Hobson is a new (to the Patriots) guy I want to see and I would like Adalius Thomas to get some reps.

Safety - I don't see Rodney taking any reps, but Brandon will be in a lot. I'm itching to see if he slides into Cornerback or Nickel Back on some plays. Tank Williams is another recent acquisition I'm interested in seeing. Ventrone will be in and is fighting for a spot as he's on the bubble. Matt Slater, ID'd as a WR, has lined up at safety in OTAs.

Running Back - Maroney, Morris and Faulk will all take reps, but not as many as Jordan; I'm really looking for big things from LaMont. Evans will be in and Eckel is fighting for his life; Jordan can play FB and I believe Evans is a lock.

Those are my big position watches for tonight. What are yours?

Remember: You Heard it Here First

JohnHannahRules — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:00:48 -0000

The Globe's Mike Reiss shifts his concern from the defensive backfield to the offensive line.

There have been some "stop-the-bleeding" signings up front in the last couple of days. In addition to first-year free agent Pete McMahon, two long in the tooth vets were brought in. McMahon, who played his college ball in Iowa under the tutelage of Kirk Ferentz and OC Ken O'Keefe, was drafted in 2005 by the Raiders, but has never played a down in anger and was out of the game completely for the last two seasons.

Joining him are Barry Stokes and John Welbourn. You can read Reiss' article here , and I'll leave it for him to put this in perspective. Needless to say, this kind of juggling on the front does not bode well for the early season. With Matt Light out this entire time and perennial back-ups O'Callaghan and Oliver Ross recently joining him, things are even more uncertain than I thought them to be earlier. Here's a run-down on Stokes and Welbourn:

Stokes , 34 years old, is the consummate jouneyman -- emphasis on "journey." It's no mean feat to play football for that long, but with stops at five different teams (including NFL-Europe's Claymores and the Lions on 3 separate occasions), you're solidly in the "average to serviceable" category. Stokes hails from Flint, Michigan and spent 3 stints with his hometown Lions. The guy seems to be a pretty good citizen, creating the Barry Stokes Foundation in that state and garnering some local recognition for it.

His career seemed to peak over the 2002 and 2003 seasons when he started in 16 and 13 games respectively for the Browns, playing in both left side spots. He missed an entire year with the Giants due to injury. As he's gotten older, he's been moved to the right, playing both guard and tackle. His career reflects that of a player on the cusp--not necessarily a liability but, for some reason, the kind of guy coaches are looking to upgrade when they can. We pick him up as a Jets retread, released by them in March.

If there's a silver lining here, it would be that the teams he's played for (most notably Miami, Detroit, Oakland) aren't necessarily known for developing linemen -- particularly during his years in town. He figures to be a decent run-blocker once he picks up the scheme. But his failure to stick anywhere does not bode overly well. He seems to be well-liked around the league, but a 34 year old 310 pound guy with a history of back and leg injuries is not going to pop out of the gate like he used to do.

John Welbourn is a couple of years younger than Stokes, and at least at one time was a solid second-rank NFL lineman. Drafted out of Cal in 1999 by the Eagles, he missed much of his first year with an injury. After that, however, he was a solid starter for them until being traded to Kansas City in 2003, who thought highly enough of him to give up a 2nd- and a 4th-round draft pick. He started at RT for the Chiefs for three seasons and at RG for all of 2007.

Looks rosy, right? Not so fast. Welbourn would have cost the Chiefs $2M this year, a contract he was under-performing in '07. He served 2 suspensions for violating the league's steroid policy, one in '05 and one in '06. He "retired" for the '06 benching but made a comeback -- sort of. Definitely in his twilight years at the start of the season last year, the poor performance of the Chiefs right side over the course of the year earned him a ticket out. Our friends at Arrowhead Pride labeled that line "the worst in franchise history."

These guys are bodies -- depth at best, and not too deep at that.

Right now, the right side of the line is Wesley Britt and Billy Yates, with a somewhat healthy Kaczur bumped to LT in Light's absence. Britt and Yates have the advantage of being "system guys," raised from NFL infancy by Dante Scarnecchia. This is a good thing -- relatively speaking. Yates in particular has seen some time on the field in important games. As Reiss observes, now isn't the time for panic. Yet. But it is certainly time for concern.

As I mentioned in my earlier discussion about the o-line, cohesion and mutual anticipation are key attributes of a successful line, and those are things that can only be built through reps. Good thing there's still a month to go.

NFL Fan Code of Conduct

MaPatsFan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:40:32 -0000

The NFL and all 32 teams have released a new "Fan Code of Conduct:

NFL TEAMS IMPLEMENT FAN CODE OF CONDUCT

The NFL and all 32 NFL clubs have created a fan code of conduct to help promote a positive fan environment at NFL stadiums, it was announced today.

The fan code of conduct is designed to set clear expectations and encourage a stadium environment that is enjoyable for all fans. Teams may add additional provisions to the standard code based on local circumstances or preferences. Each team will communicate its code of conduct during the preseason to season-ticket holders and fans through mailings, online, and in-stadium signage, and other messages.

"The in-stadium experience is critically important to the NFL, our clubs and our fans and it will be a major focus this season," said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. "We are committed to improving the fan experience in every way we can -- from the time fans arrive in the parking lot to when they depart the stadium. We want everyone to be able to come to our stadiums and enjoy the entire day."

The code of conduct is intended to address behavior that detracts from the gameday experience. Any fan in violation of these provisions will be subject to ejection without refund and loss of ticket privileges for future games.

In addition to the fan code of conduct, the NFL and its clubs will evaluate fan feedback and existing programs to ensure their effectiveness and shape the development of new programs.

These measures are designed to build on the many outstanding programs already in place at NFL stadiums to enhance the fan experience.

FAN CODE OF CONDUCT

"The National Football League and its teams are committed to creating a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for all fans, both in the stadium and in the parking lot. We want all fans attending our games to enjoy the experience in a responsible fashion. When attending a game, you are required to refrain from the following behaviors:

· Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal in nature

· Intoxication or other signs of alcohol impairment that results in irresponsible behavior

· Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures

· Interference with the progress of the game (including throwing objects onto the field)

· Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel

· Verbal or physical harassment of opposing team fans

"Event patrons are responsible for their conduct as well as the conduct of their guests and/or persons occupying their seats. Stadium staff will promptly intervene to support an environment where event patrons, their guests, and other fans can enjoy the event free from the above behavior. Event patrons and guests who violate these provisions will be subject to ejection without refund and loss of ticket privileges for future games."

I, for one, applaud the measure. Like anyone else, I like tailgating with a burger and a few adult beverages, but unruly, drunken fans spoil it for everyone else. Just because you're at a sporting event doesn't mean it's ok to be a total jerk. Granted, you paid the price of admission, but your right to swing your fist stops at the end of my nose.