After a tough loss last week over the Bills, the Patriots will look to rebound as they prepare to take on the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan joins Jason Horowitz to preview this game. Watch the game at 4:15 PM ET on CBS.
Showing posts with label Patriots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patriots. Show all posts
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Playbook mailbag: Should Patriots be concerned?
Every week, our cyber sack of mail gets heavier. More questions come in, and the quality isn’t deluded one bit.
Heading into Week 4 of our WRWW (War Room Wisdom Wednesday) mailbag, we have received inquiries from coast to coast – and some from overseas.
What went wrong for the Patriots this past Sunday in Buffalo? Should the Patriots be concerned — @ gus_vaz
Nobody on the Patriots defensive line can get to the quarterback, and that exposes some of their problems in the secondary. New England’s corners cannot cover man-to-man – and not for the eons of time opposing quarterbacks have to sit in the pocket and dissect the Patriots’ secondary.
We wouldn’t be too concerned about Tom Brady, though. He isn’t going to be throwing interceptions off of defensive tackle’s helmets on a weekly basis.
What’s up with Frank Gore? He’s been less than amazing so far and now he has an ankle injury? — @redaeRS
The main issue doesn’t rest with Gore. Sure, he’s older. But it could be Grandma Gore back there and the results wouldn’t be any worse, because the offensive line isn’t blocking. It shows they have a new center (Jonathan Goodwin for David Baas) and 2010 rookies Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis haven’t taken that next step.
On top of that, the 49ers aren’t much of a threat in the pass game and opposing defenses stack the box. Last week, nine of Gore’s 17 carries were versus an eight-man front. On those nine carries, he averaged 1.3 yards per carry.
What are the Bills doing differently than last season? A lot of their pieces are still the same. — @i_klek_tik
Offensively, the pieces haven’t changed, and continuity is a positive. Last year was Chan Gailey’s first with the Bills and it takes a while to implement a system. This year, you are seeing an offensive line that works in tandem, running backs who burst through running lanes and a quarterback who understands where his wide receivers will be.
Defensively, Buffalo improved its front seven dramatically, pairing Marcell Dareus with Kyle Williams, creating a ripple effect from the front line back to the linebackers. The defensive line is eating up blocks in the run game and getting a more consistent rush versus the pass. The secondary could be a little more consistent, however.
Is Jahvid Best more suited to be a third-down running back? Is the Lion’s running game their weakest link? — @D_DreadKBM
Detroit drafted Mikel LeShoure hoping he could be a more traditional, every-down back for this offense. But he got hurt. So, yes, in an ideal world, Best is a change-of-pace back in a pass-heavy offense for the Lions. They aren’t a power running team in the first place, they don’t use a fullback, and they love to spread it out with tight ends and wide receivers and let their offensive weapons stretch the field.
It’s not that Best isn’t talented enough to be a three-down back. He can be used in a variety of ways in the run and pass game. But he isn’t built for more than 15 touches a Sunday at this level. Best isn’t a “between-the-tackles” kind of guy and that limits him a bit.
Can the Ravens overpower the Jets like they did the Rams? — @ravensNcanes96
On defense, Baltimore is more than capable of pushing around a depleted Jets offensive line. But we aren’t so sure they can have the same kind of production offensively against the Jets defense.
You never know what you are going to get week-to-week with Bryant “Mount” McKinnie (or how much he is going to weigh). The Ravens also plugged ex-Cowboy Andre Gurode at left guard. And while Torrey Smith impressed with his speed last week, let’s wait for a repeat performance before declaring him a true threat.
The Ravens wideouts will be tested by the Jets’ more athletic corners, who play a lot of man coverage, something Baltimore struggled against versus the Titans in Week 2.
The last 10 Games, is it safe to say the Raiders have had a high powered-offense? Thirty points a game. — @ _Mr_Potts
Because of Al Davis, the Raiders will always have the biggest and fastest players. And for the first time in a while, these specimens have talent. Darren McFadden is living up to his potential and Denarius Moore has made a huge impact in his rookie season.
The Raiders’ offense centers around the ground game. Their offensive line has been outstanding in opening up running lanes. And in Jason Campbell, the Raiders have a steady quarterback who consciously takes care of the ball. This Raiders offense is clicking on all cylinders.
Keep the questions coming by e-mail at playbook@nfl.com or with #askplaybook on Twitter. There is a chance they could be answered — on-air — by Joe Theismann, Sterling Sharpe, Brian Baldinger or Matt Millen. And the debate is always brewing on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.
“Playbook” — the ultimate football Xs and Os show — airs Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Check the NFL Network broadcast schedule for further details. Follow “Playbook” on Twitter @NFLN_Playbook.
Posted in: NFL Network comments Comments may be no longer than 2000 characters and will post to the site shortly after submitting.Monday, January 17, 2011
Jets Head To AFC Championship, Beat Patriots 28-21
The New York Jets will be playing in the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after knocking off the New England Patriots Sunday at Gillette Stadium 28-21. The Patriots were heavily favored going into the contest but for the second straight week the Jets were able to overcome the odds and come up with the win. As they had in Indianapolis the previous week; they were going up against one of the top quarterback’s in all of the NFL in New England’s Tom Brady. The Patriots QB would complete 29/45 passes for two touchdowns and one interception. However New York quarterback Mark Sanchez while not having the yardage of his counterpart went 16/25 for 194 yards and passed for three touchdowns in the victory.
New England with time slipping away in the fourth quarter would try two on-side kicks in the hopes that they could recover the ball and tie the game. Both times the gambit would fail as the Jets would recover both kicks scoring a touchdown on the drive following the first one. The New York defense would rule the proceedings for the entire contest getting the interception and causing the Patriots to fumble three times. They would also make the New England offensive line look like swiss cheese as they hit Brady seven times in the contest and had him running for his life most of the contest.
The Jets would set the tone for the contest on the first drive by their oppponents as linebacker David Harris picked off a Brady pass at the New York 30 yard line and ran it back 58 yards to the Patriots 12. Although the Jets did not score on the ensuing possession they had stopped the New England drive.
The Patriots would score on their next drive as Shayne Graham kicked a 34 yard field goal through the uprights and giving his team a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. New York would take the lead with 10:54 to play in the second as Sanchez would hit LaDainian Tomlinson with a seven yard pass which he ran into the end-zone for a touchdown. After the extra point from Nick Folk the Jets held a 7-3 advantage.
Sanchez would get his second touchdown of the quarter as Braylon Edwarrds caught a 15 yard pass with 33 seconds left in the half. After the successful kick through the goal posts by Folk, New York would enter the locker room at the half leading 14-3.
There would not be another successful offensive drive until late in the third when Alge Crumpler took a two yard Brady pass into the end-zone with with 13 seconds to play. Sammy Morris would run up the middle past the goal line for a two point conversion and the Patriots were just three points down at the end of the third in a 14-11 contest.
New York would get a little more breathing room with 13:00 on the clock in the fourth as Sanchez had his third touchdown of the day when he threw the ball seven yards to Santonio Holmes for the score. The Folk extra point was good and the Jets were ahead 21-11. Neither team would score again until with 1:57 to play Shayne Graham got his second field goal of the day; this one from 35 yards out to make it a 21-14 contest.
The Patriots hoping to get fortunate kicked the ball on-sides but it was recovered by the Jets. Two plays into the drive running back Shonn Green carried the ball 16 yards past the goal line for a touchdown. The extra point was good and New York would have a 28-14 advantage. The Patriots would tighten the game once again as Brady connected with Deion Branch on a 13 yard pass which Branch ran into the end-zone. Graham got the extra point through the uprights and it was back to a seven point game as the Jets led 28-21.
New England would once again try an on-side kick hoping they would recover but New York once again got the football. Sanchez would take the knee on the first play running out the clock and the Jets sent the Patriots home for the year after just one Post Season game.
New York will once again be playing in the opponents house next Sunday as they take on the Steelers in the AFC Championship contest. For New England and their fans, they once again have the off-season to complain how far their team should have gone in the Playoffs.
Patriots DT Wilfork questions Welker’s benching
Patriots coach Bill Belichick does not think much of your backtalk or wisecracking, misters. The Patriot Way is not just a street in a Lowell, Mass., but rather a way that the team conducts business. Speak out of turn, and you will be dealt with severely. Or you will at least be held out of the first series in an AFC Divisional Playoff game — just ask WR Wes Welker.
Welker was reportedly benched for the first series against the Jets because of a Thursday news conference when he made close to a dozen references to toes and feet, a nod to the recent foot-fetish storylines involving Jets coach Rex Ryan.
The Patriots typically fall in line behind their coach about such decisions. QB Tom Brady certainly did while talking to WEEI on Monday morning. Brady brushed off the incident, saying that Welker’s benching had “no bearing on the way we played as a team.”
DT Vince Wilfork agreed, but said that he would have done things differently (via the Boston Herald).
“That was something Bill and Wes went through,” Wilfork said. “Me, personally, I don’t know, I don’t know. That’s the head man making a point about what we represent. I wouldn’t have done it. That’s just me. Biggest game of the year so far, and probably one of your biggest players not being on the field. That’s just me. Everybody has their opinion. That’s my opinion. I wouldn’t have done it.”
Did a player just question the wisdom of Belichick? A rather dicey proposition, considering that the Patriots are about as loyal to players as most people are to wire hangers from the dry cleaners. Just Richard Seymour and Randy Moss.
Although Wilfork probably should feel safe, considering the size of the contract he signed this year. But noteworthy, because questioning the coach’s decision does not seem to be the Patriot Way.
Posted in: Around The Web
Patriots Brady: “We Just Didn’t Get the Job Done”
Tom Brady, one of the goats from Sunday’s loss to the Jets, spoke this morning on WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan Show, and gave his thoughts on the stunning loss to the Jets which ends the Pats season after 14 wins in 16 regular season games.
“Just a rough night, rough day, certainly we had much higher expectations and we just didn’t get the job done,” Brady said. “A great regular season, but just didn’t win the game that mattered most.”
On the Jets’ defense:
“I think the Jets did a good job. They got beat up pretty good by us in the Monday night game, and then watching them play the Colts and they play a lot more zone coverage against the Colts as well, and really kept it a close game and won it in the fourth quarter. I thought that definitely crossed our minds that they’d be doing similar type things. I still felt like they were going to try to match up with our receivers, and they did some of that.”
On the Patriots’ offense:
“Scoring points ultimately comes down to, if you’re not making big plays, comes down to consistent plays and we didn’t do that as an offensive unit.”
On throwing his first interception in three months and difficulty passing:
“The interception on the screen pass was just … you never imagine that happening. And the other one, I think what happens is we drop balls, that’s part of playing receiver, we had a third down play there we could have executed better as well, but you’re right, to have two pretty efficient drives to start the game and really only come out of it with three points, was really, I think gave them a lot of fuel…”
“We certainly added fuel to their fire … They played very well, and I’ve been racking my brain all night last night, realizing all the different things I wish I would have done better, but that’s why they won. That’s why they’re moving on.”
On mistakes
“They pretty much played without any errors and we made our fair share.”
“I think the difference was, they didn’t made any mistakes. They didn’t have any penalties. They didn’t have any turnovers. They played well in field position. They didn’t give up any big plays on defense. And the last game they gave up some big plays against us, a couple of 50 yard gains, a couple of 20 yard gains for touchdowns. I think they really came into this game saying we’re not going to give up those plays when we blitz. We understand there are going to be times when they play man coverage, but I thought they mixed their zones in, and there was some pretty tight coverage in the zones. That was the game plan.”
“I think they wanted to say, ‘here’s what we’re going to do,’ we’re going to play just very similar to the way they played the Colts. We had our opportunities, but we’re not going to win games if we turn the ball over, we can’t make critical plays in critical situations. You’re not going to win those games. Obviously, it’s tough to get over. We will get over it but not for some time.”
On the Patriots’ running game:
“I thought we ran the ball well at times, we really tried to stay balanced. When they had their little guys on the field, we were running the ball a little bit, when they had their big guys on the field, we were trying to take advantage of throwing it. We weren’t effective enough in our play-action pass in making big gains out there to take them out of what they’ were doing, and I think more so than anything, that’s what it came down to.
“I was driving home last night and I said, ‘God, we just never put any pressure on them.’ And when you’re playing at home, and you have a great advantage of playing at home, you really gotta take advantage of those situations, and we didn’t do a very good job of that.”
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Patriots earn home-field advantage in AFC
Published: December 26th, 2010 | Tags: New England Patriots, 2010 playoff picture, AFC East, NFL playoffsOfficially, the AFC playoffs will now go through Foxborough, Mass.
The Patriots needed a victory in Week 16 for the AFC East title and to clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, and did just that with a 34-3 road win in Buffalo. So not much of a surprise there.
Here’s a look at all of the clinching scenarios in Week 16, and the current playoff picture will be updated here following today’s games.
Posted in: News
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Packers QB Rodgers May Still Try and Go Sunday vs Patriots
Aaron Rodgers may be listed as doubtful to play Sunday night at New England, but today in the locker room he seemed to give indications that he would do what he could to try and take the field.
Rodgers was upbeat after practice, and asked if he might play Sunday night, the quarterback didn’t say a word but flashed a smile and shrugged his shoulders. Coach Mike McCarthy also isn’t ruling him out for the critical contest that could put a dagger in the Packers playoff chances.
“The door is open for Aaron Rodgers to play in the game,” McCarthy said. Rodgers didn’t practice this week, but McCarthy said the he is progressing in his recovery from the head injury that knocked him out of the loss at Detroit last Sunday.
“He’s working his way through the process,” McCarthy said. “There are stages that you work through. But he’s making progress, and I talked to him today. He looks good (and) would like to play.”
Although McCarthy said the team has been preparing since Monday to have Matt Flynn make his first NFL start, the coach stopped short of naming a starter for the game against the Patriots.
McCarthy is hoping to make that decision by Saturday, after he waits to see how Rodgers checks out with further mandatory post-concussion evaluations and testing administered by Packers team doctor John Gray as well as an independent neurologist.
“Number one, he has to be cleared medically, and Dr. John Gray will have the final say on that,” McCarthy said. “And if he does make it to that point, then myself will make a decision on whether he plays or not. Right now, he’s still working through the medical part.”
Rodgers suffered his first concussion in an overtime loss at Washington on Oct. 10. He was cleared to return to practice four days later and made the start in Green Bay’s next game.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Young defense will hold Patriots back
I credit Bill Belichick for rebuilding the Patriots defense on the fly, but the unit just isn’t good enough right now. I’ve said it before, but the Patriots just don’t play a championship-caliber defense.
The Patriots play very soft zones and don’t disguise them well enough to throw teams off. They also don’t have decent edge rushers. If you look at them statistically, they have the worst overall pass defense, they’re the worst on third down and they’ve also given up more first downs than any other team.
Thus, the rest of the league just doesn’t fear the Patriots defensively.
The only reason they’re 9-2 is because Tom Brady has been that good. He’s managed games, he doesn’t turn the ball over and he doesn’t put the defense on a short field. Brady has been excellent with ball-control, short passing game and has led the Patriots to a lot of points.
But I don’t believe the Patriots defense is good enough to beat the Jets, win the AFC East or go deep into the playoffs.
Belichick has rebuilt the defense on the go by working in six first-year players this season — guys who are really still learning how to play the game. But the biggest problem with the Patriots’ 3-4 defense is the lack of strong outside pass rushers. You need just one consistent edge rusher, but they haven’t had that player since Mike Vrabel left. To get to the quarterback out of that defense, you must have a rusher like the Steelers, Cowboys and Dolphins have. The Patriots don’t have that player.
Belichick knows this and it’s why he’s trying to change things up. But he’s ultimately playing much of the same defense he did with the Giants in 1986. In this league, you have to get free hitters to the quarterback, overload pressure and break down protections better than the Patriots do. Belichick is still playing defense as if he has Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks.
I think the deficiencies on defense are part of the reason why the Patriots unloaded Randy Moss. Belichick knows they have to beat the Jets, and his offense couldn’t hold the ball long enough for Moss to get open. Taking advantage of their two rookie tight ends gives the Patriots flexibility with personnel packages and match-up advantages in the passing game. And by utilizing shorter, quicker players like Danny Woodhead, Wes Welker and Deion Branch, it allows the league’s most accurate quarterback to play pitch and catch to keep the Patriots defense off the field.
Belichick had a defense that went to four Super Bowls, and he realized that he couldn’t keep winning by bringing back old players. He drafted the youngsters, teaching them the game and allows them to gain experience while he puts the ball in the hands of his franchise quarterback to carry the team.
Eventually, though, the organization will need to hit on a pass rusher in the draft. It’s the one ingredient the Patriots are missing.
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Posted in: NFL Network
Friday, November 26, 2010
Patriots Struggle Early; Find Stride in 45-24 win over Detroit
Just when the Patriots looked at the scoreboard to find themselves down 11 – they found their stride and turned on the offense.
After trailing 14-3 in the second quarter to the Lions in the first of three Thanksgiving Day games, the Pats offense could not be stopped, as they ran up 447 yards in beating Detroit 45-24 to move to 9-2 on the season.
Tom Brady and the Pats offense found their stride, getting some help from rookie CB Devin McCourty who had two picks both of which set up scores in the big win.
Deion Branch had a big day helping his buddy in Brady, making a 79-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 24 in the third quarter, and then a 22-yard scoring catch that put the Pats up for good at 31-24 with 13:45 to play.
Branch ended the day with three catches for 113 yards and two scores. Who needs Randy Moss?
The Lions started strong, and even led 24-17 in the third quarter till Brady and the Pats offense dominated the final 20 minutes, scoring 28 points.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis had 59 yards on 12 carries with two scores to pace the ground game. Danny Woodhead had 32 yards on the ground and 13 yards through the air.
Brady threw for 341 yards on 21-of-27 passing with four touchdowns and a perfect QB rating of 158.3. Shaun Hill was 27-for-46 for 285 yards with a TD and two picks.
Detroit took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter on a Hill 19-yard pass to Calvin Johnson on the last play of the quarter. They went up 14-3 after the Lions D shut down the Pats, and Detroit went on a drive that ended up with a Maurice Morris one-yard run with 5:58 left in the half.
The Pats came back with a critical drive that ended with a Green-Ellis 15-yard run to make it 14-10, but Detroit got a field goal on the last play of the half to make it 17-10.
New England plays the Jets next Monday night at home, in the critical AFC East game of the year. For the Lions, they have lost seven straight Thanksgiving Day games.
Patriots Ink RB Danny Woodhead to a two-year Extension
The Boston Herald reports the Patriots have signed running back Danny Woodhead to a two-year contract extension.
Signed to a one-year contract on September 18, Woodhead’s two-year extension included a $425,000 signing bonus and base salaries of $550,000 in 2011 and $700,000 in 2012.
Another $1.175 million is available via playing time incentives, the Herald adds.
A former undrafted free agent from tiny Chadron State, Woodhead has 56 carries for 312 yards and 3 touchdowns with 22 receptions for 217 yards and a touchdown in his eight games with the Patriots this season. Woodhead had 64 yards rushing and 87 receiving for the 2009 New York Jets.
Patriots’ Brady active as expected vs. Lions
Published: November 25th, 2010 | Tags: Detroit Lions, Fred Taylor, Jahvid Best, New England Patriots, Tom Brady, Week 12 inactivesTom Brady will start in the Patriots’ Thanksgiving Day showdown with the Lions.
The quarterback missed practice Wednesday because of foot and shoulder injuries and was listed as questionable on New England’s final injury report.
Patriots RB Fred Taylor is active for the first time since injuring his toe in Week 3. He was limited in practice this week and listed as questionable on the injury report.
For the Lions, rookie RB Jahvid Best will be active. The Lions’ leading rusher (382 yards) and third-leading receiver (50 receptions) has battled turf toe injuries all season. He practiced on a limited basis for the second day in a row Wednesday and was listed as probable on the injury report.
DE Cliff Avril (quadricep), LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (knee), C Dylan Gandy (calf) and DT Corey Williams (shoulder) were all listed as questionable on the injury report but will be active.
Full inactives list:
Patriots
DL Brandon Deaderick
OT Mark LeVoir
OL Rich Ohrnberger
G Stephen Neal
WR Taylor Price
DT Myron Pryor
CB Jonathan Wilhite
DL Mike Wright
Lions
Zac Robinson (No. 3 QB)
K Jason Hanson
QB Matthew Stafford
OT Jason Fox
DE Willie Young
TE Tony Scheffler
DE Lawrence Jackson
G Donald Thomas
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Posted in: News
Saturday, October 2, 2010
NFL Football Team Logo Vortex Sublimated Mouse Pad - New England Patriots
Brighten up your desktop with this durable mouse pad featuring the New England Patriots logo on a bright Vortex background that incorporates the team colors. Mousepad surface is smooth fabric with a nonskid rubber back to keep it from slipping during use. This mousepad makes a great gift for any sports fan. Measures 8" x 9" x .25"Price: $13.49
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