Pats Pulpit: FanShots

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

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

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

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

With Randy Moss not at today’s practice, and Wes Welker remaining on the physically unable to per...

MaPatsFan — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:31:56 -0000

With Randy Moss not at today’s practice, and Wes Welker remaining on the physically unable to perform list, the first-unit offense had a little bit of zip taken off its fastball. Quarterback Tom Brady, whose competitiveness in practice often sets a hard-working tone, seemed frustrated with what was unfolding in 11-on-11 two-minute drill work. At one point, he turned both of his palms in the air, as if to say "What’s going on here?" Another time, he had to hold the ball because there wasn’t an open target down the field, and the play was blown dead. Of course, some credit needs to go to the defense as well, as this practice had a considerably different feel than Sunday night, when the Brady-led offense was sizzling in the red zone. If there was a main positive to the Moss-less practice for the offense, it gave the receivers a chance to work at different spots. That’s where the value of someone like Jabar Gaffney, who plays all the spots, can be seen.

Reiss's Pieces

The Patriots coach was asked questions about the new means of defensive communication, which was ...

MaPatsFan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:18:20 -0000

The Patriots coach was asked questions about the new means of defensive communication, which was approved by the league during the off-season in part as a response to the Patriots' signal-swiping flap. Two defensive players will be designated by teams to have radio receivers in their helmet, but only one defensive player with the headset can be on the field at a time.

Belichick discussed the host of issues the new system raises for head coaches, including whom to give the headset to and how to deal with substitutions. For a team like the Patriots that has a number of sub-packages and gives teams different looks in terms of personnel and scheme, it's a little harder to select players for the headset than it for teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears, who have every-down middle linebackers like Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher.

For that among other reasons, Belichick said he thinks that the system will not completely replace defensive hand signals.

"I think from the coaches that I've talked to in the league, the defensive coaches and the head coaches, everybody feels like you better be prepared to signal," said Belichick.

Belichick said the system is not a huge concern for the Patriots at this point in camp.

"We'll see how it goes. That right now is a low priority," said Belichick. "If we get to it next week, we get to it. We're just trying to get our stuff installed and learn how to run it and make sure that we got it down. We'll deal with that later."

Reiss's Pieces

Safety/Corner Back Brandon Meriweather, a second year player out of Miami, will be playing both p...

GoPats#12 — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:55:19 -0000

Safety/Corner Back Brandon Meriweather, a second year player out of Miami, will be playing both positions this year, according to Patriots.com. He will be the key to the Patriots' secondary success.

Most Over and Under rated players in the NFL?

Marima — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:40:51 -0000

Most Over and Under rated players in the NFL?

For an interesting off-season discussion on the leagues most over and under rated players and coaches, head over to the Eagles' fan blog Bleeding Green Nation.

Jaws1385 put together a pretty cool list, not that I agree with all of it, but it's definitely worth a look.

This clearly proves to me Randy Moss is not human. 3rd down, Indy up by 6. Brady puts the ball ...

MaPatsFan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:43:48 -0000

This clearly proves to me Randy Moss is not human. 3rd down, Indy up by 6. Brady puts the ball where only #81 can grab it. I can watch this over and over and over...

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen visit The Late Show with David Letterman.

NESilver — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:31:16 -0000

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen visit The Late Show with David Letterman.

CFL's ARGONAUTS LIKE PATRIOTS MODEL: The Toronto Star previews the training camp of the Toronto A...

MaPatsFan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:12:25 -0000

CFL's ARGONAUTS LIKE PATRIOTS MODEL: The Toronto Star previews the training camp of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, and the team's head coach Rich Stubler said he'd like to adopt a Patriots-like approach. "The basis of their success is fitting in. It's not raw talent. Most of the teams that go on raw talent are 6-10 down there. It's the same thing up here. If you keep turning people over, continuously looking for greener pastures, you generally don't play in the playoffs. If you can get a good group of kids who have both good core values and can live together as a family and improve as a group you can succeed."

Full CBS Interview with Bill Belichick. Here is the transcript.

MaPatsFan — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:40:35 -0000

Full CBS Interview with Bill Belichick. Here is the transcript.

Goodell press conference following Matt Walsh meeting

MaPatsFan — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:37:09 -0000

Goodell press conference following Matt Walsh meeting

Patriots vs. Chargers, Game 2 of 2007 regular season. Welker jukes DB at 58 seconds into the&nbs...

MaPatsFan — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:51:38 -0000

Patriots vs. Chargers, Game 2 of 2007 regular season. Welker jukes DB at 58 seconds into the video.

"The off-season program is one of the best I've ever seen, because it's not generic. Some teams m...

NESilver — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:11:52 -0000

"The off-season program is one of the best I've ever seen, because it's not generic. Some teams might have a program where everybody does the same thing; everybody is going to bench on this day, run on this day, things like that. Everything here, the first couple weeks, is generic, but then it gets to the point where everything is based on your position -- what you need in your backpedal, if you're a wide receiver it's what you need in your cuts, offensive linemen it's what you need in your pass protection. Everything is based upon you getting better on the field as a football player. Most programs it's based on you getting completely stronger. That's not what this is really based on, and that alone, you have an upper hand on people. The things we're going over now, in my nine years in the league, haven't been in other programs. That says a lot. They know how to win." - Fernando Bryant

Patriots Mailbag/Ask Reiss

Blog for Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe

MaPatsFan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:59:28 -0000

Blog for Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe

Mike Reiss's blog is very good and is one I reference many times during the day.

NFL Draft Tracker

Marima — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:48:43 -0000

NFL Draft Tracker

Quick link with auto-refresh to the draft