Author Archives: Robert Lewis

About Robert Lewis

I am a 20 year old aspiring journalist. I am in the process of completing my Journalism degree. On the side of being a full-time student, I write for BostonSportsExtra.com

The Rise and Rise of Female Jockeys In Australia

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Recently a story came to light about a woman originally from Western Australia, who moved to North Queensland with a dream of becoming a jockey. Of course, back in her time that definitely wasn’t allowed, so for the rest of her life, she masqueraded as a man and managed to have quite a successful racing career without anyone discovering her secret.

Her name was Wilhemena “Bill” Smith, also known as Bill “Girlie” Smith throughout her racing career. Her secret was only discovered upon her recent death at the age of 88.

During the 1970s when women were allowed to race professionally, initially they could only race in horse races designated for female jockeys. It wasn’t until the very late 70s that they were finally allowed to compete against the men in professional racing. Linda Jones and Pam O’Neil were the first women jockeys to be given professional licenses.

In the modern world female jockeys are now competing with the men in a big way, and the number of female jockeys competing at the highest level in Australia is only going to rise.

In fact, regional race meets are now being somewhat dominated by women riders, likely a precursor to them also dominating at the major race meets around the country. In 2015 Michelle J. Payne made history in Australian sport by beating the field and winning the coveted Melbourne Cup.

However, she wasn’t the first Australian female jockey to compete in the race that stops the nation. That crown belongs to Clare Lindop, who competed in the race in 2003 riding Debben. Clare is now rated as one of Australia’s most successful female jockeys, with over 700 victories in Australia and overseas. She has lifted the SA Metropolitan Jockey Premiership trophy twice in her distinguished career.

Since her inspirational performance there’s truly been a surge in female riders not only taking up the sport and career, but competing in more and more major races, and winning them too.

When you think about it, it only makes sense that women should be heavily involved in this career. For a man to be a jockey he has to be of small stature and light weight. He also has to strictly maintain that weight or he’ll be too heavy to ride.

Generally a male jockey needs to maintain a total weight between 50kg and 60kg at the very maximum. That’s a figure that’s really hard to achieve for most guys.

In comparison, most women on average, are naturally smaller than men, slighter in build and it’s far easier to find women who are the right size and weight for horse racing. This fact alone ensures a very bright future for women in racing; not only within the boundaries of Australian racing, but all around the world. And that’s a good thing.

In fact, many “punters” firmly believe female riders are the future of Australian racing. Experts and veterans claim that men are actually becoming too tall and heavy to remain competitive enough to dominate the racing circuit as they have in the past. Women definitely have an edge in this sport and they’re taking full advantage of it.

At the moment, out of all the jockeys registered in Australia, women still only comprise 30% of the field, but that number is sure to rise as more and more women are signing on for jockey apprenticeships. Already women are dominating the regional meets, particularly in Western Australia, and it’s a fair bet we’ll see female riders dominating Group 1 racing more and more over the next decade or two.

To list details of all the champion and up and coming female jockeys competing in Australia would likely take up way more space than this article is allotted, but rest assured, female jockeys are on the rise and look set to dominate major Australian racing in years to come.

Four Amazing Present Ideas for the Sportsman in Your Life

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Whether it’s a friend, family member, or partner, buying a present for someone you love can be difficult. This is likely your one opportunity in the year to express how much this person means to you through what you decide to get them, so there is no room for error. When giving gifts, you’d always want the recipient to feel appreciated and happy, not become stressed the moment they start opening the gift you gave them.

For someone who loves sports, there are a huge number of options out there for you to choose from–in fact, too many that you’ll be clueless on what to pick and give. There is literally something for everyone from cricket betting to swag from log throwing. This is especially true if you never gave a gift to the sportsman in your life.

Fortunately, this handy guide has narrowed it down to a top four choices to make your life that little bit easier. Choosing a gift from this guide will ensure whoever you are buying for is going to be happy and have a great time.

Seeing the action up close

One of the strongest ideas for a gift is to get someone an experience. This hands-on gift will give the person you care about precious memories that they can look back on and treasure forever.

A good place to start with this idea is on www.ticketsales.com, which is one of the premium sites for concert and sports tickets. Here you will be able to find a broad range of events your loved one would love to go to and give them a meaningful surprise for their birthday this year.

Depending on your budget, you can also buy a ticket for yourself and see the action up close with the recipient. If you want to take it up a notch, you can also invite some of their friends and watch the game or concert together.

Help them put fitness first

If they love watching sports, then the chances are they love participating in them as well. With a quick look online, you can source some of the best gym membership deals on the market and give them the gift of sport in their lives.

With a gym membership, the sportsman in your life will be able to dive into a big selection of classes and training programs all year long. This will be a practical present, helping them to train and explore new sports as often as they want.

If you want to make sure that the recipient regularly goes to the gym and participate in their fitness classes, you can also choose to enroll in the gym with them. Aside from being an excellent way to improve the recipient’s health and fitness, going to the gym with them can also strengthen your relationship with them.

Something special to keep

The third option for their special gift is memorabilia. There are plenty of places to buy great sports memorabilia online that offer both affordable and unique gift ideas.

This idea is best for someone who follows a particular sporting team or is always reading the news about their favorite athletes’ career. A signed piece of memorabilia and limited-edition item from the club they support will be a gift they will love and display for the rest of their lives.

For example, if you’re going to give a gift to someone who loves to play and watch baseball, you can look at Boston red sox gifts or others from their favorite teams. You can also choose to buy them any item signed by their favorite athlete, like a mug, batting helmet, baseball cap, sliding shorts, or even a uniform.

Look the part

This final gift idea is fantastic for those who like to play their sport as well as watch it. With some simple research, you can find out the top sportswear pieces they need to have to perform like a pro.

When you look good, you feel more confident, and this is how they will feel when you get them some premium sportswear as a present. There are many quality brands to choose from that help people preserve their style and identity when they workout.

You can choose to give your recipient a piece of clothing or complete the ensemble by giving them sportswear from head to toe. Either way, the recipient will surely thank you for your efforts in making sure that they’ll look the part.

Compare Options

Every option in this guide is a strong choice for the sports enthusiast you love and will mean the world to them. If you’re clueless about what gift to give to the sportsman in your life, start doing some research on the options presented in this article. This will allow you to weigh the pros and cons, allowing you to end up giving a gift that’ll surely make your recipient happy!

Every option in this guide is a strong choice for the sports enthusiast you love and will mean the world to them.

Why is it important to wear a mouthguard when playing basketball?

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Luckily the use of a mouthguard can prevent the majority of dental and facial injuries caused by playing basketball.

A mouthguard is a dental appliance that is made out of high-grade dental plastic, it acts like a cushion in your mouth that protects your teeth, mouth and jaw against impact.

Let’s take a closer look at why it is important to wear a mouthguard when playing basketball.

Mouthguards protect both your teeth and your jawbone

Flexibility within our mouths are limited, a small accidental blow to the face can cause severe damage to not only your teeth but also to your jawbone.

The cushioning from a basketball mouthguard acts as a crash helmet that protects your jawbone against unexpected blows.

An injury to your jawbone is painful and very uncomfortable, this can all be avoided by wearing a well fitted mouthguard.

Mouthguards reduce the risk of dental injuries

As mentioned earlier basketball yields the highest number of dental injuries amongst all sports.

Statistics show that there are 7 dental injuries sustained for every 16 basketball players. The odds are definitely not in your favor, but with the help of a well fitted mouthguard you will be able to prevent majority of dental injuries. Mouthguards are particularly important for kids that play basketball, dental injuries can cause serious long term dental problems.

Mouthguards are a lot more affordable than dental care

Dental procedures are known to be very expensive, especially if an injury requires repeat visits. The cost of a injury prevention tool like a mouthguard is way less in comparison.

Spending $50 dollars on a mouthguard is a lot cheaper and less painful than a trip to the dentist.

Mouthguards safeguard the soft tissue of the buccal cavity

The mouth is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body, it is composed out of mostly soft tissue and fine nerve endings that rupture very easily due to traumatic blows.

Mouthguards act as a protective barrier between teeth, the tongue, your cheeks and gums. A blow to the mouth can result in a cut in your mouth as well as excessive bleeding, basketball players that wear braces are even more prone to such injuries. A good mouthguard will protect your mouth against such injuries, and it will also protect orthodontic appliances such as braces from sustaining any damage.

Mouthguards aren’t just something that the pros wear, it is a dental application that should be worn by all basketball players regardless of skill level. Accidents and injuries happen in the blink of an eye with any contact sports, invest in a good mouthguard to prevent painful and expensive trips to the dentist. And don’t worry, a well fitted mouthguard won’t hinder communication, calling your favorite play won’t be an issue.

Under the Radar Players for Super Bowl LIII

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The Rams and Patriots are advancing to the Super Bowl. And while there’s been a lot of talk about the well-known stars for their respective teams, there are some under-the-radar NFL players to watch during the title game.

Clearly a lot of the attention will be on Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Jared Goff, and Sean McVay. However, football is the ultimate team sport and many players who aren’t household names will have a major impact in determining which team gets to hold the Lombardi trophy.

If you are going to bet on the Super Bowl it’s important to make an informed decision. That means knowing both the stars for each team as well as the lesser known players on defense and special teams. Betting on the Super Bowl gets larger every year and there are plenty of sports books that are available to place a wager with. Just like you need to be informed about the players, you should know the site you are betting with and which sports books are offering the best deals. Reputable sites like betbrain offer great deals to fans interested in betting on the Super Bowl and other big sporting events.

C.J. Anderson, running back, Rams

Things couldn’t have worked out better for Anderson this season. After getting cut by the Broncos, Panthers and Raiders, the veteran running back has burst on the scene with the Rams, rushing for over 400 yards in the last three games. He and Todd Gurley punished the Cowboys in the Divisional Round, win thanks in large part to a dominant performance up front by LA’s offensive line.

Anderson led the way with 123 yards and two touchdowns against a Dallas defense that ranked fifth against the run during the regular season. Yards on the ground will be harder to come by against the Patriots run defense, but Anderson should continue to have success running behind an offensive line that has been owning the trenches.

James White, running back, Patriots

The Patriots have quite the duo at running back in White and rookie Sony Michel. The latter has shown to be most effective on the ground, with 931 rushing yards on the year. White, on the other hand, is the better receiver of the two, with 87 catches. Only Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley had more receptions at the running back position this season.

In the Divisional Round win against the Chargers, White finished with a game-high 15 catches on 17 targets. In what should be a pass-heavy approach against the Rams, White appears set for another heavy workload in the game.

Aqib Talib, cornerback, Rams

The last time the Rams and Saints met, Thomas went off on the LA secondary, catching 12 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. However, it’s important to note that Talib missed that game with an ankle injury. With Talib back for the rematch against New England, it will be far more difficult for Thomas to potentially explode for another big game. And if the Rams can keep him in check, it’ll put a lot of pressure on the rest of the Patriots receiving corps.

Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver, Patriots

After watching Julian Edelman pick apart the Chiefs’s secondary, it’s safe to say the Rams defense will be devoting a lot of attention to the Patriots’ scrappy veteran receiver. That could create some opportunities for other players to step up.

One player in particular is Phillip Dorsett, who saw a lot of targets the first four weeks of the season when Edelman was suspended. It’s also worth mentioning that Dorsett’s snap counts have increased since Josh Gordon’s departure from the team last month.

If L.A. succeeds in taking away Edelman, look for Dorsett to step up for New England in an increased role.

Cory Littleton, linebacker, Rams

Littleton was voted to the Pro Bowl this season as a special-teamer, but he’s also been one of LA’s best players on defense. His 90 solo tackles ranked eighth in the NFL, and he led all linebackers with 13 passes defended.

In addition to Thomas, the Patriots have a running back in Sony Michel, who’s just as lethal catching passes out of the backfield as he is running the ball. As the Rams’ best coverage linebacker, Littleton will often be matched up with Michel on Sunday, and it will be his job to limit the damage done by the Patirots’ dynamic running back.

Dont’a Hightower, linebacker, Patriots

One of the more intriguing matchups this Sunday will be Jard Goff going up against the Patriots defense. The Patriots are well known for having creative gameplans on defense, and Hightower is one player in particular who they like to move around. It will be interesting to see what New England throws at Goff in the Super Bowl

The best essay writing guide

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No matter how good it is to write essays, there will be a time when you are asked to assign an assignment in this style that is unacceptable to you. If you’ve never written before, the whole process can be very long and very confused. However, one way to know faster is to know what you need to do and need to write in a specific way, to find and search for an essay writing guide. However, you can get the maximum amount of survival in Google as your previous search; there were 2.5 million results that you could choose from. If you do not have an account yet, register now! I’m sorry to hear from you.

It is best thing to hire if you cannot write so well enough to submit so you can hire at assignment.essayshark.com.

When considering the first tip to consider the essay writing guide, it is to make sure that you are among the selected universities. Although the Internet and the World Wide Web is an extremely easy and popular way to publish itself, you need to make sure that the guide you choose is from a recognized institution. This is very important because you do not have to start writing an essay based on false or old information.

Good writing is structured

The second foundation for a good writing is structured. Without any structure an essay is like a human body without skeletons. The phrase and paragraph organization within an essay makes a huge difference in how well it can be at your point of view. The first sentence is the punishment of the subject and should set basic ideas in the entire paragraph. Provide details and arguments of the following phrase. The final punishment eliminates the paragraph and provides smooth transfer to the following paragraphs.

All the essays contain basic introduction, which includes introduction, key body and result. They can be considered in the future, in the present and past. Introduction (future) is a Kandahar version of the entire essay, and you should talk about it which should include the essay and the promotion of the approach.

Choose the appropriate guide

Another to consider is that you need to make sure you choose the appropriate guide for the essay type you are doing. In this case, there is nothing such as “one size is perfect.” As you know, there are various styles of essays like logical, research, story, and so on. And in every way, there are requirements for writing and similar terms. This is how you choose the guide that closely ignores your desired essay. It is important that you should be sure that you have found the right guide for your specific type of assignment.

A final tip to consider is that you do not have any recipe to find, it is important to ensure that not only the specific course rules and your specific college rules when using the guide put it. Of course, each other’s option is to go to old practice and speak to our professor and see what they suggest about a hidden guide. He or she can also suggest more general guides.

Michael Jordan: The Greatest Ever

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34 Years ago, Michael Jordan graced the ring and world of basketball changed forever. Basketball enthusiasts went crazy, players didn’t try to compare, and retired players hailed him as the best they have ever seen. It wasn’t always like this for Michael Jordan; he achieved it through gritty hard work on his talent. As said by him, “Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work.” He is still considered by most basketball fans to be the greatest of all time, or, the GOAT (as sports enthusiasts put it).

Among his achievements, he has the highest career scoring average, five MVPs, six NBA championship titles, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the most MVPs in finals. Maybe all of his records will be broken, but all won’t be broken by the same player. He had a combination of athleticism, skill, pace, and power that others couldn’t just match.

In his first year of competition, he won the NBA rookie of the year. As soon as he arrived, Chicago Bulls started becoming a force to be reckoned with smashing teams left and right. Michael was the clock that made it all tick; a whirlwind which was moving, jumping, and dunking that ball in time after time, smashing all records while doing that.

Nobody had any idea at the time that this player will go on to become a true legend of the game. He developed quickly and players were just amazed at the way he carried himself and played. He still has a record of smashing most points in a game, this was a hammering, an unprecedented one which went on to establish the credentials of this player.

He did what others couldn’t do; he had an inimitable style which was a trademark on its own. He had a special clause in his contract called the love-of-the-game clause which allowed him to play basketball in off-season. Sal from CDR-Report comments on this, “You could see how he was unlike other professionals. He played more for love of the game than the money involved. That’s inspiration for every schoolboy.”

Nike went ahead and created Air Jordan which was a brand of shoes created only for Michael Jordan. They weren’t released to the public until later on and are still recognized and purchased around the world. It only shows how influential he was as a player and a personality. He was also fined for wearing those shoes when playing because the colors broke the code of conduct of NBA.

He is one of the most widely recognized players throughout the world; and in the world of basketball, he is the most famous worldwide. Much can be understood by seeing the success of his movies; Space Jam being a real popular one with the kids which featured the basketball star along with cartoon characters. He is an inspiration and an icon to the rest of basketball players throughout.

Gabriel of EssayWriter4U opines, “Lebron James is being considered who could go on to become the GOAT by winning a title with his hometown team; I cannot comment on that, but no one can bring so much to the court as Michael Jordan did.

He retired twice during his career. The first time he did so, was after a truly tragic incident when his father was shot by robbers. Michael went on to try his hand at baseball, trying to make his father’s dream come true. But, he was not able to do that and returned to basketball going on to win another title. He retired for good a few years later, much to the sadness of basketball lovers.

J.D. Martinez Is Not the Only Way Boston Can Return to Contention

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I will be the first person to tell you how badly the Red Sox need a bat like J.D. Martinez’s in order to make a deep run in the playoffs. This article isn’t going to back up the opinion that this team, as built, is ready to contend with NYY/WAS/LAD/HOU.

Down Year 2017

All of last season, the void that David Ortiz left in the lineup went unfilled. There was a clear home run surge in the MLB last year, and Boston was left out.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had a season that earned him a spot on Yahoo’s “most overrated players in the MLB” list. Something JBJ looks to use as motivation to get back on track this season:

🙌🏾 RT @bigleaguestew: The whole @YahooSports MLB crew voted and these are the most overrated players in baseball: https://t.co/zssB0ZdjSE pic.twitter.com/4uCaqti56k

— Jackie Bradley Jr. (@JackieBradleyJr) February 13, 2018

Xander Bogaerts was snuffed by a lingering hand injury last year. One that even he says he probably shouldn’t have played through. On regaining some pop after recovering from his hand injury, Bogaerts said, “I’m not saying I’m going out and hitting 60 like Stanton or something, but I can definitely go out there and put up the same numbers as ‘16, maybe a little bit better”. In 2016, the season Xander is referring to, he smacked 21 home runs.

Hanley Ramirez was battling a shoulder injury from right out the gate last season. In an interview, Hanley said that he plans on playing another ‘10 years’ and sees himself returning to ‘Miami Hanley’ this year.

After being an A.L. MVP candidate in 2016, Betts batted .318 with 31 HR and 113 RBI. He as well found himself slumping (by his standards) in 2017 where he batted .264 and had less home runs and RBI’s.

In the Red Sox first season without their locker room leader and best slugger in the middle of the lineup, four other key parts of their lineup found themselves in down years… Boston still managed to win 93 games.

As it stands right now, Boston is still the favorite to sign J.D. Martinez. If Boston snags J.D., and gets bounce-back seasons from at least three of the four guys listed above, they will have submitted themselves back into the World Series discussion.

Alternative to J.D. Martinez

Let’s say that Arizona ends up bringing back J.D. Martinez.

The reaction to spring training thus far has been less than enthusiastic for most Red Sox fans. People have already mailed in the season because the Bronx got Stanton.

This Red Sox roster is a good one. It may not be a world series contender, but it doesn’t have to be.

They are a wild card team as is, and with good years from Bogaerts/Bradley/Betts, they could potentially snag the division.

Trade Deadline

What I am getting at, is that this roster doesn’t need to add anybody right now. It can wait until the trade deadline. I once wrote an article, here, where I went over every single trade deadline that Dave Dombrowski has been in charge for, and you will see that he has never left a deadline without filling the team’s needs.

If for some reason the Red Sox miss out on Martinez, waiting until the deadline is something that can benefit them. This would give Dombrowski a chance to see the team play this year. By doing so, he can get a better feel for their needs.

Another reason that waiting for the trade deadline may be a good idea is that the impending free agency for next year is loaded. Free agency has a huge impact on the trade deadline. Teams that have players with contracts that are expiring are more willing to move them at the deadline instead of potentially losing them for almost nothing in free agency.

This list of impending free agents that could be dealt at the trade deadline include the likes of Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, and Brian Dozier. All of these players, some for a greater price than others, could be brought in for a playoff run to help this team.

Boston Will Be Fine

Whichever way Boston ends up going, do not give up on this team yet. They managed to win 93 games in a season with a poor manager, locker room drama, and serious lineup slumps. Not to mention they had a down year from their 2016 Cy Young winner, Rick Porcello. Also, Boston lost both Steven Wright and ‘Ace’ David Price to injuries for all if not most of the season.

If J.D. Martinez ends up donning a Red Sox uniform, they will be locked and loaded from game one. If they lose out on J.D Martinez, Boston has the juice to get to the trade deadline, where Dave Dombrowski can load up for a playoff run.

New England’s Defensive State Ahead of the 2018 Off-Season

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In team sports, you often hear, “You win as a team and you lose as a team”. Rarely will you find a coach or staff that believes otherwise. Bill Belichick and his staff do not sway away from this mentality.

With that being said, it may not always be true.

The New England defense allowed over 538 yards on the grandest stage of them all. Philadelphia was an astounding 10-16 on third down conversions, 2-2 on fourth down conversions, and didn’t allow a sack.

This is not to take away from a brilliant performance from the Super Bowl MVP, Nick Foles, but the Patriots defense was non-existent Sunday night.

Aside from Stephon Gilmore, who was virtually lock-down, the Patriots’ secondary got scorched. Jordan Richards looked lost on numerous occasions. One of those included a key third down where he let up a 55-yard play to put the Eagles in scoring position. Eric Rowe allowed over 80-yards in coverage as well as a touchdown while serving as New England’s second corner… We won’t get into that.

If you haven’t figured out how to say goodbye to Malcolm Butler yet, I suggest reading this article.

The defensive-front couldn’t sustain consistent pressure on Nick Foles. Foles wasn’t pressured on play action, three step drops, five step drops, and RPO’s. In other words: HE WAS NEVER PRESSURED.

A combined effort highlighted by LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi rushed for over 160-yards, a touchdown, and six first downs. Blount and Ajayi both gashed the Patriots with carries of over 25-yards.

The Patriots offense, however, was amazing.

Tom Brady, for the second straight Super Bowl, threw for over 500-yards. He tossed three touchdown passes and zero interceptions. All after one of his best targets, Brandin Cooks, left the game due to a head injury early on.

Not counting the 34-second drive to end the first half, Tom Brady led the Patriots on four straight drives of over seventy-five yards or more… each resulting in touchdowns. This strand ended with a beautiful strip-sack by Brandon Graham late in the fourth quarter.

CONCLUSION

After reviewing these points, while it may be a team effort, the defense lost New England the Super Bowl.

While there certainly are a few question marks on offense for New England, there is much more to be happy about. Among the uncertainties are Nate Solder, Danny Amendola, and Dion Lewis’ expiring contracts.

While Gronkowski has had his share of injuries, I am calling his bluff on potential retirement. Next season, health providing, the Patriots offense will have Cooks, Gronkowski, Edelman, and Hogan all at once. Also we can’t forget about the return of Malcolm Mitchell. I am not concerned about the offense.

The defense, however, will require much change.

Cornerback

During the Super Bowl, fans got to see a sneak peek of New England’s secondary without Malcolm Butler and no additions. Newsflash: IT WAS ATROCIOUS.

Outside of miscommunication against the Chiefs and Panthers, and poor performances against the Bills once, and the Steelers, Stephon Gilmore was great this season. It now seems clear to all why New England gave him ‘lock-down cornerback’ money.

PFF gave Stephon Gilmore an 89.1 grade for the season, ranking him the 8th best cornerback in the league.

According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, through the entire playoffs, Stephon Gilmore allowed 4-15 completed passes for 55-yards, with 6 pass breakups.

The New England Patriots have their clear-cut #1 cornerback for the future.

Devin McCourty is still playing great ball for New England, and position-mate Duron Harmon has been key as well.

For this last season, both Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon were ranked top-10 out of all free-safeties by Bleacher Report.

Patrick Chung, strong-safety, will also likely be keeping his starting job in New England next season. One could argue that Chung deserved Pro-Bowl honors this year. Chung’s ability to defend tight ends and play at the line of scrimmage makes him vital in New England.

CORNERBACK HELP FROM WITHIN

Cyrus Jones, former second round pick, looks to return from a torn ACL and compete for a job next season. Jones was far from a fan favorite a season ago after muffing multiple punts. The guy damn-near got booed out of Foxborough. Players like Edelman coming to his defense and touting his work ethic shouldn’t go unnoticed. How Bill views Cyrus’ potential could sway the Patriots’ search for a nickel cornerback.

While it may be hard to envision this right now, I would not be all that surprised to see Eric Rowe starting across from Gilmore next season. Most of Rowe’s 2017-2018 season was lost to injuries. Last season, as well as when he was healthy towards the end of this regular season, he looked like the guy to fill Butler’s shoes. There is no denying that Rowe started the Super Bowl on the wrong foot, but he is a good player. Whether he is #2 cornerback material is up to Bill.

The obvious need in this secondary is at the #2 cornerback position. Whether the improvements come from in-house, or not, remains to be seen.

While improvements at the cornerback position will be vital going forward, if the front seven continues to struggle at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the talent level in the secondary won’t matter a bit.

Pass Rush

Looking back, the eight-sack performance against the Tennessee Titans seems to be nothing more than an anomaly. The Patriots’ group of pass-rushers are very young, headlined by the leader of the group, Trey Flowers, and his sidekick, Deatrich Wise. Both having played their college ball at Arkansas, seem to be the head of the pack going forward for New England.

Trey Flowers proved that it is possible to have a good season as a pass rusher with low sack numbers, totaling at 6.5. With that being said, he led the team in that category, which is not close to the number you want your leading sack artist to have.

Things didn’t go as planned with the edge rushers for New England this season. Rob Ninkovich retired shortly before the season started, leaving a hole in leadership and skill level.

Also last off-season, the Patriots acquired former Super Bowl hero, Kony Ealy, from the Panthers. Needless to say, his time in Foxborough was short-lived.

Going into this offseason, there are improvements to be made with the pass rush, some may argue that it is the biggest area of need for New England.

I would expect New England to use one of their three picks in the first two rounds of the draft on pass rush. Whether that be defensive-end, or a 3-4 pass rush linebacker. This unit as a whole has struggled enough to where I wouldn’t be surprised if New England spent a decent penny in free agency to sure it up.

PASS RUSH HELP FROM WITHIN

Also what should be noted is the Patriots’ first draft choice last year, Derek Rivers, missed all of this season with a torn ACL.

Derek Rivers, a pass rush specialist in college, stands at 6-foot-4, 245-pounds. In four college seasons, Rivers compiled a total of 37.5-sacks. Having been the team’s first selection in the draft, expect Rivers to be some much needed help from within.

An obvious addition to multiple phases of the front-seven, is the return of Donta Hightower. Donta is without a doubt one of the NFL’s best all-around linebackers. His ability to play in coverage, manage the defense, and rush the passer was surely missed this season.

The everlasting issue with Hightower is his inability to play a full season. The key with Hightower is to not rely on him so heavily early in the season to give him his rest. Honestly, just hope his injuries come early rather than late, and not season-ending. With hopeful thinking, having Donta Hightower back for the entirety of next season will greatly impact the pass rush.

Linebackers

Continuing on with Dont’a Hightower: His impact on the linebacker core is unmatched. Dont’a takes pressure off of his teammates and does a great job at preventing any confusion. Having Dont’a back would be huge, but relying on his return is not something I recommend.

The Patriots made a great addition when bringing in Marquise Flowers, and the trade for Kyle Van Noy has been a complete success. That said, even with the Pro-Bowl caliber Hightower back, the linebacker position lacks depth. Specifically, they lack athletes at the linebacker position.

Too often, Patrick Chung has to take on a larger role than you would like him to because he is constantly moving down into the box in aid of the unathletic linebackers.

I don’t mean to tug on strings here, but the Patriots are in desperate need of a ‘Jamie Collins’ like linebacker. Someone with the speed to pick up wide receivers over the middle and can keep up with running-backs. The undersized linebacker who moves like a safety is exactly what you should expect the Patriots to be looking for from their first pick, to their last.

INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE

Other than maybe the safety position, interior defensive line may be the most solid group on defense. Led by the young defensive tackle out of Texas, Malcom Brown, this group can usually hold its own against most lines.

Again, the return of a healthy Donta Hightower, even though he doesn’t play defensive line, will help this unit immensely. Donta’s ability to line up over the center and coordinate the young defensive linemen like Malcom Brown, Ricky Jean-Francois, and Adam Butler will help their growth. Another key kog in this unity is veteran, Lawrence Guy. Guy came in as a free agent from Baltimore and contributed a large amount over the second half of the season.

Once vital big-man, Alan Branch, was a healthy scratch for the entire playoffs thanks to the emergence of Jean-Francois and the steady play of Guy. I wouldn’t be all that surprised to see him become a cap-casualty.

The most action I expect from this group would be the Patriots picking up Malcom Brown’s fifth-year option. The young guys will continue to grow and improve here.

Whether it be at the #2 or #3 cornerback positions, pass rush, linebacker position… or all of the above: This defense needs to get better. A lot better.

Uncovering New England’s Offensive Weaknesses- Part 1

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Introduction

Every football team has at least one weakness. Honestly, it may be fair to say two weaknesses. Usually one on the offensive side of the ball, and one on defense. This article I will be dissecting any potential weaknesses on the offensive side of the ball.

Hopefully you can relate to this: when the Patriots have been eliminated from the playoffs, it damn near always catches me off guard. I can’t remember a playoff game that the Patriots have lost and I wholeheartedly expected them to lose. That just doesn’t happen. Us Patriots fans have built this expectation to win the Super Bowl every single season, and anything short of that is a failure. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have instilled this into us.

Year after year winning Super Bowls or being in contention has plateaued our standards at ‘Super Bowl or bust’. So, when the Patriots are in fact eliminated from contention, I am initially in a stage of anger and shock. Naturally, because of how great the Patriots always are, when they are eliminated, it seems like a blown opportunity. A few days after the loss, ‘hindsight 20-20’ becomes reality to me. I begin to understand why they lost, and that their weaknesses couldn’t be masked by Brady and Bill.

As a Patriots fan, even with the weaknesses that the team has, it becomes easy to overlook them or minimize them because “we have Brady and Belichick”. By the end of this article, I intend for you to fully understand the Patriots offensive weakness.

My Attempt at an Non-Bias Uncovering of the Patriots’ Offensive Weakness

Whether you want to use statistics or the eye test, the Patriots’ offense this season has been elite. Arguably they are the best in the NFL. They finished top-2 in total yards, points for, turnovers lost, and total first downs. This New England offense seems like one without a weakness.

One may in fact have a point in believing that, had the Patriots never traveled to Miami this season. In by far the worst offensive performance of the season, the Patriots were 0-11 on third down conversions. A usual staple of success for the Patriots became what derailed the team that week.

Brady Isn’t Connecting with His WRs

Taking a deeper look at what went wrong that game, it became clear that the Patriots could not throw the football down field. To be fair, they didn’t have Rob Gronkowski, who was serving a one-game suspension. Without Gronk up the middle demanding two sets of eyes, there was nothing the Patriots could do to free up their wide-receivers vs Miami’s press-man-coverage. Xavien Howard led the Miami CB group through to a no-hitter vs Tom Brady and company. Playing straight up man-coverage, with a plethora of different blitzing schemes, the Patriots were helpless.

Heading into the next week vs Pittsburgh for the biggest game of the season, New England clearly had to clean up its act. A team that usually plays zone-coverage, played tight man-coverage vs New England, following the blueprint that Miami put together the week before. The difference this time, was Rob Gronkowski, who ate up the Pittsburgh defense. While it was nice to see Gronk back, the Patriots still only completed nine passes to wide-receivers that game.

The next two games against the Bills and Jets, with the season all but locked up, the game plan seemed to revolve around running the rock. Opportunities to throw were still there, and so were the issues. Brady missed Cooks wide open deep down the field vs Buffalo that should have been a touchdown.

Cooks(36yd line) has the safety beat over the top.

An under-throw by Brady towards the middle of the field forced Cooks back inward, helping the safety catch up. Incomplete.

Against the Jets, Cooks stopped running too early, resulting in an incompletion that should have been a deep touchdown.

The Numbers

According to NFL Research, over the first 11 games this season, Tom Brady completed 42.3% of his passes of 20+ yards and had a TD/INT of 5/1. Over the last 5 games, Tom Brady has completed only 27.3% of his throws of 20+ yards and has a TD/INT of 0/3.

Through those first 11 games as well, Brandin Cooks averaged 79 yards per game. Over the last 5 games, however, Brandin Cooks has averaged 42.6 yards per game and has spit out his only two ‘under 20 yard’ games.

The Reason(?)

I want to tread lightly here, but maybe this bye-week is exactly what Tom Brady needs. I am not saying that Tom Brady is done, or seriously regressing, the G.O.A.T will probably win the MVP for crying out loud! What I am saying, however, is that Tom Brady only had to play a twelve game season last year. He had five weeks off. As fit as Tom Brady is, at age 40 the human body needs more time to recover. Tom Brady, to my estimations, has at least two years of great football left.

With that being said, he is going to have to rest more, and continue to nurture his body as he gets older, like anyone would. Tom Brady from weeks 12-16 threw at least one interception in each game. It was the first time he had thrown an INT in five straight weeks since 2002. This bye-week could indeed be what Brady’s body needs to help get him back on track.

It is also completely fair to credit this issue to injuries that transpired throughout the season. Losing Edelman in the preseason changed the entire dynamic of the offense. Before Hogan was knocked out with his shoulder injury, he was on pace for his best season. At the same time, Brandin Cooks was tearing up the field with his deep crossing and go routes. On top of that, Malcolm Mitchell, a Brady favorite, has been out for the entire season.

Hope

The good news is that both Hogan and Mitchell are likely to be back in the playoffs at some point. This would be crucial for the Patriots offense. To have weapons like Gronkowski and Lewis grouped with a dangerous wide-receiver group *that Brady trusts* could make this offense unstoppable. Right now, however, throwing outside is still a big weakness for this team.

Let Dave Dombrowski Do His Job

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In August of 2015, the Boston Red Sox put an end to the Ben Cherington reign. The man who shoveled loads of money to Pablo Sandoval was out the door, and in came a breath of fresh air: Dave Dombrowski.

Before Boston

Dave Dombrowski made his name with the Florida Marlins in the late 1990s under then owner John Henry (current Red Sox owner). In 1997, the Florida Marlins won the World Series with Dave Dombrowski at the helm.

After his tenure in Florida, Dave Dombrowski made his way up to the Detroit Tigers. While he never won a World Series with the Tigers, he always made sure his team was in position to win. Dombrowski was known for bringing in the likes of Miguel Cabrera, David Price, Ian Kinsler, Prince Fielder, and Max Scherzer.

After finally grasping things in Detroit, he made sure Detroit was in contention for almost his entire tenure.

On August 4th, 2015; Dave Dombrowski was released from Detroit, and reeled into Boston two weeks later as the newest President of Baseball Operations.

2016: First Season in Boston

Boston was coming off of two straight last place finished in the AL East. Going into Dombrowski’s first offseason in Boston the Red Sox had two clear needs: starting pitching, and a closer. Dave Dombrowski wasted no time getting to work, his first off-season was highlighted by acquiring star closer Craig Kimbrel, above average reliever in Carson Smith, and the best pitcher on the market: David Price.

Going into his first trade deadline in Boston, the Red Sox had another need for starting pitching. Dave Dombrowski soon thereafter acquired all-star Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. The price that Dave paid was steep, dropping jaws of many around the league. Looking back, Anderson Espinoza had to undergo Tommy-John surgery, and Drew Pomeranz just had his best season in the MLB dawning a Boston uniform.

Also having a need for relief pitching at the deadline of 2016, Dave Dombrowski traded for Brad Ziegler; filling yet another need that the Boston Red Sox had.

In 2016, after two straight seasons finishing in last place, Dave Dombrowski’s Red Sox won the A.L. East.

After finishing at the top of the A.L. East, but not making any noise in the playoffs, Dave Dombrowski was not going into 2017 with the same roster.

2017: Second Season in Boston

In early December, Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox acquired Chris Sale from the White Sox for prospects Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz.

The price that Dave Dombrowski paid was enormous, but to bring in one of the top five pitchers in the world, Chris Sale, truly put the league on notice: Dave Dombrowski will do whatever it takes to win a championship.

With first place in sight again for 2017, Dave Dombrowski was not going to sit still at the trade deadline. The Red Sox again found themselves in need of relief pitching as well as infield help. Dave Dombrowski, to no surprise, went out and filled both needs with Addison Reed and Eduardo Nunez.

There are a few connections that can be drawn in this article:

1.) Dave Dombrowski has put two straight first place finishes on the field.

It is no coincidence that as soon as Dave Dombrowski heads to Boston, they go from two straight last place finishes before, to two straight first place finishes with him.

2.) Dave Dombrowski always fills the Red Sox needs.

Since Dave has been here, the Red Sox have yet to have a need at a position, either in the off-season or trade deadline, and not had it filled. He is always willing to do whatever it takes to put the best team on the field.

2018: Third Season in Boston

So here we are at the Winter Meetings before Dave Dombrowski’s third season with the Red Sox. He has never left us hanging. He has always made moves to better the roster, that cannot be denied.

Dave Dombrowski has been very vocal in saying that the Red Sox need a middle-of-the-order bat. Given what you know about his track record in Boston, what are the odds that he does not fill this need?

Do yourselves a favor and relax. Do not allow other team’s moves to put you in a state of panic. Give this man time. He always comes through for Boston, and will continue to fill every need and put the best team he can onto the field.

In Dave Dombrowski we trust.