Tag Archives: #BillBelichick

Martysaurus Rex Returns to New England

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A familiar face has returned to the New England Patriots.

Yesterday, the Patriots claimed tight end Martellus Bennett from the waiver wire. The Green Bay Packers released the ex-Patriot earlier this week after he failed to disclose a medical condition to the team.

The thirty-year old-vet, on the Patriots’ squad last season, overtook a starting job in the offense after Rob Gronkowski had season-ending surgery. Bennett went on to have a statement year, showing fans his prime hadn’t passed by filling Gronk’s role perfectly. He posted 701 receiving yards and seven touchdowns with the Patriots. Three of these touchdowns came from Tom Brady in his first game back from suspension against the Browns. He earned his first Super Bowl ring with the Patriots after playing in the league for now a decade. He anchored the Patriots’ offense in Gronk’s absence, and fans admired what he did on and off the field in Foxborough.

In the 2016-17 off season, though Marty had fun in New England,  he double-downed on his all-business attitude. He left the Patriots for the NFC-giant Packers, who offered more money. This season so far, however, took a turn for the worst quickly for Bennett.  So far, Marty has seen fewer targets than anticipated. His quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, suffered a broken collarbone in October, now out for the remainder of the season. These events all led up to Bennett’s release, a positive note in an otherwise sour season.

Looking into Marty’s Injury

Martellus Bennett has not played in a game since October 22nd. His absence from the field came shortly after he announced that he’ll retire after this season. Currently on a three-year, $21-million contract with the Packers, Bennett showed no signs of nearing retirement prior to this year. His explanation? “Life.” Almost at the same time as announcing his retirement, Marty suffered an unexplained shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined since.  The Packers released him because he did not offer a reasonable explanation of his ailments.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is not fully convinced by this situation. Florio claims that Bennett probably toyed with retirement in order to be traded near the deadline, and afterwards his shoulder injury popped up. This all happened after Aaron Rodgers hit the injury reserve list, so what Florio says makes sense. It would be an advantage for the Patriots if Bennett was not actually injured. Only time will tell in the next few days.

Double Trouble

A healthy Gronkowski and Bennett will pair up in the near future, and the Patriots’ offense can now regain its scary edge. With injuries plaguing the wide receiver core, Bill Belichick could electrify the offense by adding in more dual tight end sets. The Patriots have not seen this type of big-man offense in years, but it worked like a charm. Gronk and Marty share vertical threat similarities. Together they present a nightmare for linebackers and safeties assigned to either of them. Dual tight end sets will relieve the workload the wide receiver core will face. At the same time, it will give Tom Brady more wiggle room with calling play action, which could also spark the running game as well. The Patriots originally were planning to a similar set with Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen, but Allen has not lived up to expectations.

Watch out world, the Martysaurus is back in New England.

UPDATE: 11/10 AT 11:00 AM EST

This morning ESPN’s Adam Schefter has confirmed that Martellus Bennett has a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. Pending Bennett’s physical with the Patriots he could possibly be facing season-ending IR or the waiver wire once more. More to come in the next 24 hours.

UPDATE: 11:50 AM EST

Ian Rapoport has reported that Marty passed his physical with the Patriots and practiced today. He hasn’t attended practice since October 22nd while he was on the Packers.

Belichick breaks the “Patriot Way” for Brady

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I remember my dad swearing at the sight of Bobby Orr in a Blackhawks sweater. I remember Joe Montana in a Kansas City uniform, Jerry Rice in Oakland, and Emmitt Smith in Arizona. The idea of Tom Brady playing anywhere else is nauseating. I get it. As a fan, I’m glad he’s staying in New England.

That said, however, in trading Jimmy Garoppolo, Bill Belichick broke all the rules that have made New England the NFL’s premier franchise since 2001. Remorseless professionalism. Dispassionate player decisions.

I know this will make everyone lose their minds; but rather than laughing at 49ers GM John Lynch at the suggestion, the “Patriot Way” would have been to trade Brady.

The Foundations of Sustained Excellence

Since arriving in New England, Belichick has lived by the adage “buy low, sell high.” Nobody in professional sports has said good-bye to as many high performing veterans as the Hoodie. Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Richard Seymour, Willie McGinest, Logan Mankins, Chandler Jones, Jamie Collins, Vince Wilfork. All beloved Patriots, all will have finished their careers elsewhere.

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As a GM, Belichick has ripped emotion from the equation and relied on cold calculus when making player decisions, especially with veterans and especially at contract time. Rarely has he held on to someone only to watch that player decline. He gets rid of them early, gets maximum value in return, and invests in the future. He didn’t do that this time.

Jimmy G, We Hardly Knew Ye

We don’t yet know what Jimmy Garoppolo will be as a quarterback. We liked what glimpses we caught, but the sample size was limited. Belichick knows, and by all accounts he loved Garoppolo.

Is Garoppolo better than Brady? Of course not. Tom Brady is the greatest player in NFL history. Player, not just quarterback. Any argument about Rice, Brown, Taylor, or anyone else is just silly. The QB is the single most important position in all of sports. And nobody has ever done it better.

But that’s not what the Patriots should have asked before trading Jimmy. What they should have asked was: Would the Patriots be a better team in the future by trading Brady? and Will Garoppolo be a better QB for the Patriots than Brady in 3-5 years?

Garoppolo will likely struggle initially in San Francisco as he adjusts to a different system, new coaches, and unfamiliar players. None of that changes the fact that in New England he could have been a top 5 NFL QB.

40 Is Not the New 20

I don’t care how much avocado ice cream he eats or how comfy his magic pajamas are, Tom Brady is old and getting older. At some point soon his performance will decline. I’m not talking about Mad Max Kellerman’s wishful cliff theory. I’m talking about arm strength, ability to come back from hits, and ability physically perform at the same level he mentally performs.

Brady has indicated that he wants to play well into his forties. This is undoubtedly what forced the team’s hand with Garoppolo. Today, at 40, Brady remains the best QB in the NFL. But is a 43 or 45-year-old Tom Brady still among the league’s best behind center? Doubtful. Hell, behind this offensive line it’s a 50-50 proposition that he is even alive after week 10.

Gambling on Alex Guerrero

Jimmy Garoppolo could lead the NE Patriots. Sitting and learning behind Brady for the past three seasons, he was already the second best QB in the division. Under Jimmy the Pats were still winning the division for the foreseeable future.

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By investing in Brady, the Patriots have put all their chips on snake oil salesman Alex Guerrero to keep their investment ahead of father time. That’s not calculated risk taking, that’s gambling. To date, Bill Belichick hasn’t gambled in player decisions.  We’ll see how that gamble pays off when the Patriots face off against the Broncos in Denver on Sunday.

Trading Tom Isn’t as Crazy as You Think

Everyone got a good chuckle at the John Lynch story this weekend. BB’s reported incredulous response to Lynch’s suggestion of trading Brady was, according to FOX Sports Jay Glazer, “Did you just ask if I’d trade the greatest quarterback of all time?” Yeah Bill, he did. And it was a legitimate question that you should have taken a minute to consider.

If Brady had been on the table, the return from SF or anyone else would have been almost incalculable. The Patriots could have addressed multiple roster shortcomings for years – including quality linemen on both sides of the ball. Led by Garoppolo, in whom NE management had complete trust, the Pats would have locked up the AFC East for another decade.

In trading the New England’s future franchise QB, Belichick got a second round pick and retained the better QB for the immediate future. He held serve. That’s it. The future remains very much in doubt.

Johnson Bademosi — The Next Man Up

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Flashback to September.  The New England Patriots brought in corner back Johnson Bademosi from the Detroit Lions for just a 2019 sixth-round draft pick. Originally Bademosi was acquired as a solution to the depth problem at corner. However, his niche on the team might have changed after the past few weeks. Injuries to Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe sent Bademosi to the starting lineup in Weeks 6 and 7, which will influence his role later on.

When the Patriots rolled into East Rutherford to take on the Jets, they did not know how Bademosi would perform. Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe, the number two and three cornerbacks, were both inactive going into Week 6 with injuries. Jonathan Jones took over operations as corner in nickel formation while Bademosi relieved Gilmore’s duties. After a 24-17 victory, Bademosi logged in five tackles, being present in the Patriots’ secondary for 96% of defensive snaps. That following Monday, Coach Belichick praised Bademosi on WEEI’s Dale & Holley with Rich Keefe.

“[He] did a great job for us”, Belichick reflected. “He played [73] plays on defense, 14 in the kicking game, and we really didn’t know that he was going to play until Saturday- defensively. To have a big role like that, it says a lot for for his preparation, and he came through for us.”

Johnson earned another starting nod this past weekend with Super Bowl 51 opponent Atlanta Falcons. He rose to the challenge of covering Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones, and posted a considerable first half:

At the conclusion of the game Bademosi recorded seven tackles and a pass deflection, letting up only thirty one yards. For the second week in a row he stayed on the field for 96% of defensive snaps, tying Malcolm Butler. Bademosi’s one pass deflection came from a huge third down-and-short stop intended for Julio Jones.

“If you want to win games you have to be able to stop teams on third down, and everybody knows that”, Bademosi reflects. “We have to do that on defense.”

What’s to come for Johnson now that he is on the rise? The Patriots still are not in the clear, still having offensive powerhouses Raiders and Steelers left in their season. In a press conference on Tuesday, Belichick hinted on Bademosi’s future role:

“The guys that play the best play the most. The guys that don’t play as well continue to keep working until their performance either moves ahead of somebody else’s or they get an opportunity because of circumstances.”

As Gilmore and Rowe return from injury hopefully in the near future, the corner could still see an increase in reps after showing success. All the practice and preparation Johnson Bademosi has clocked in will not go unnoticed by Belichick. He will find a way to incorporate him more in the secondary, because he is potentially the next man up.

BSE’s Keys to Pats – Jets Week 6

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As the 2017-18 NFL regular season rolls towards being more than a third finished, very few people would have thought the Patriots and Jets would have the same record. The Patriots have surprised fans by not performing as well as envisioned, and the Jets have had an adverse effect. Coming into the season, a few expressed unwarranted confidence that the Patriots would finish the regular season undefeated. The Jets, on the other hand, were prophesied to finish with three wins if lucky. Yet here we are in a season that has already exceeded fans’ expectations in upsets.

The Patriots’ losses have come from the red-hot Chiefs and the Panthers, who rarely show up on the schedule. These losses have proved to be a learning experience for the team and the coaching staff. The Jets began their season with two consecutive losses to the stingy defense of the Bills and the Raiders. Since then, the Jets have picked up three wins against the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Browns. Though the Jets have defied their odds so far, the Patriots have had little struggle against them in recent years. Tom Brady has only dropped seven games out of thirty against the Jets since 2001.

Stopping the Jets on Defense

New York offensively bullies their way down the field through the run game. Bilal Powell either runs the offense, or sits quietly in any given week. He is questionable for Sunday, but if he does play, expect the Jets to primarily run the ball. Josh McCown has done a considerable job incorporating the pass into the Jets’ offense. Jermaine Kearse,  picked up by the Jets early in the season, and who almost broke the hearts of every Patriots fan in Super Bowl 49, has shown to be McCown’s favorite receiver. The Jets do not have many offensive weapons, but they have gotten by with Robby Anderson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Kearse.

The Patriots could possibly bring pressure to Josh McCown up the middle from Alan Branch and Trey Flowers. McCown tends to throw down the middle with medium passes– Dont’a Hightower and Devin McCourty will be important.

Rolling on Offense

With Mo Wilkerson also questionable this week, the Patriots offensive line can take a breather in the event of his absence. The o-line has let up too many hits on Tom Brady, to the point where last week he injured his non-throwing shoulder. Though Brady will start this week, it is imperative that the offensive line protects him well to avoid injury to that throwing shoulder. The Patriots can open up the run game this week with Mike Gillislee and Dion Lewis to add options. Expect Danny Amendola to be a viable option this week for Brady at medium range. Rob Gronkowskl returns from injury this week as well– a big addition for the offense.

 

 

Patriots’ Player Profile : Stephon Gilmore

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Hello everyone, I am embarking on a new feature for BostonSportsExtra and PatriotsExtra.  We will have a weekly profile of a Patriots’ player so you can get to know more about the individuals on the team.  This week features one of the newest Patriots, cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

 

INTRODUCTION

Stephon Stiles Gilmore was born on September 19, 1990 in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  Gilmore went on to play high school and college football in his home state.  Gilmore was voted third team all-American in 2011 and first team SEC 2010-2011.  The Buffalo Bills drafted him in the first round (tenth overall) in 2012.

Gilmore went signed one of the richer free-agent contracts in Patriots’ history this past off season.  Gilmore signed a five-year, $65M dea,l making him one of the highest paid defensive players on the team.  This is coming off his last season with the Bills where Gilmore was voted to his first Pro Bowl.  Gilmore also gained notoriety this season in mini camp for his feisty play. Both he and Julian Edelman were thrown out of practice for fighting on August 1st.

Gilmore has teamed up this season with Malcolm Butler to form one of the more formidable CB tandems in the league.  Before you crucify me or them, it is only the first month of the season.  Time should show that this signing was a very good one for both the short and long term of the defense.  Gilmore, a great tackler, has averaged three interceptions a season, which I expect to go up this year.

PERSONAL DETAILS

Stephon Gilmore married his college sweetheart, Gabrielle Glenn, who he met at the University of South Carolina.  She was a member of the track team as a sprinter.  They currently plan to spend their off season time in South Carolina as well.

OFF THE FIELD

Gilmore has a reputation for his feisty behavior on the field, but it turns out Gilmore can be feisty off as well.  Gilmore quickly dissed his former team (the Bills–who doesn’t) after signing this off season.  “My friends and family will actually see me play on TV” highlighted one of his first quotes to the media.  Gilmore can trash talk with the best of them,  and has quick wit on and off of the field.

Otherwise, Gilmore tries to maintain a low profile and hangs out with his new defensive-back mates at least once a week.  They get together as a group and have dinner or do something at one of their houses.  They all say that this brings them closer together and helps with team bonding.

Hope you guys enjoyed my first ever Patriots’ player profile. Check out BostonSportsExtra.com and PatriotsExtra.com for a new profile each week.  Thanks again and Go Patriots.

 

 

 

A Quick Analysis of the Patriots’ Week 5 Match-Up Against the Buccaneers

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A short week of preparation for the Patriots after suffering an unexpected loss at home against the Carolina Panthers Sunday. A defensive breakdown by the Patriots caused a full-blown shootout between Cam Newton and Tom Brady. And it just so happened that the Panthers’ defense showed more resiliency.

There’s no doubt that the Patriots’ coaching staff this week focused solely on improving the defensive game plan. Currently, this season’s Patriots defense ranks as one of the worst since 2006. On average, in the past ten seasons the Patriots have ranked third in the league in touchdowns allowed per drive, out of every drive they have allowed six points 17% of the time. In the past four weeks that statistic for this year’s defense skyrocketed to 31.1%, ranked worst in the league. So far on goal-to-go situations this season the opposing team has scored 100% of the time, being ranked 30th in the league. Though it is early in the season, the Patriots’ defense is statistically slipping already.

Source: ESPN Stats & Information Group

 

This week the Patriots are tasked with another rare opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A Thursday night match-up in Tampa will be more difficult for the Patriots to prepare for than the Bucs. This will be New  England’s third NFC South match-up out of four still early in the season, and have had no trouble against the Buccaneers in the past. However, the Patriots and Bucs have not met in the past four years. Since then the Buccaneers have made a great addition with Jameis Winston. Luckily for the Patriots, the Buccaneers are one of the seven teams Tom Brady is undefeated against in his career.

Stopping the Buccaneers on Offense

Unlike any team the Patriots have faced so far this season, the Buccaneers boast a two tight end set on offense. Tight ends Cameron Brate and rookie O.J. Howard share playing time with either one blocking with the offensive line or both running routes over the middle of the field. Just last week when the Buccaneers squared up against the New York Giants, O.J. Howard burned the defense on a simple bootleg play-action pass because the corners were fixated on Brate and receiver Chris Godwin running the opposite way.

 

In addition to this set, the Buccaneers offense possesses a huge vertical threat in Mike Evans and speedy route-runner and returner DeSean Jackson. Rookie Chris Godwin is up-and-coming as well. At running back, the Bucs have Doug Martin, who in the past has ripped up defensive lines for huge gains. Jameis Winston is the perfect guy to sling the ball them. He has a cannon of an arm and in recent years has become more accurate. The Patriots’ defensive line will get a break this week when it comes to rushing the QB because Winstson does not scramble that often.

The most feasible way for the Patriots to stop this top-10 offense is to help each other as much as possible. Zone coverage and conservative play calling will help against the pass. Stephon Gilmore has struggled so far making mental errors, including one that cost the Patriots the game last week. If he continues to play as the team’s number-two corner, he should have someone helping in the backfield to reduce the field for him. Patrick Chung would capitalize on coverage like that and could force some turnovers. Dont’a Hightower will have to come up big on coverage in the middle of the field. Devin McCourty will have to hold down the top of the zone as well if Chung drops down.

Getting the Patriots Offense Going

Tom Brady has kept the Patriots’ offense alive, despite all the injuries plaguing his receivers. He has picked up his tempo and slinging the ball more, but there is only so much that he can do individually. Chris Hogan and Brandin Cooks have been lighting up secondaries and finding the end zone without much adversity. Danny Amendola has successfully has been filling Julian Edelman’s slot-reciever role in his absence. With Rob Gronkowski the newest entry on the injury report, and Rex Burkhead continuing to be out this week, the Patriots will bring the next man up. Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes will be tough to get catches over. However, Brandin Cooks has the capacity to out-speed Grimes win in a jump ball situation against Hargreaves. This leaves the middle passing game open for Danny Amendola to get open.

In the backfield, Mike Gillislee and Dion Lewis have shared reps on the team’s dismal running game. James White has gotten few targets in the backfield as well, which could be used against the Buccaneers defense. Linebacker Lavonte David is the only factor to interfere against a halfback screen. Expect this game to continue the trend of being pass-heavy for the Patriots.

It’s Not About Veterans

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Spaceballs

This weekend, the world watched millionaire players and billionaire owners protest the national anthem, speak out against the President, or hide in the locker room. Monday, we saw a decorated Army Ranger who felt compelled to apologize for standing to honor his nation. WTF is wrong with this country?

In the span of a week we have jumped at ludicrous speed from a few guys kneeling to protest social injustice to a full-blown culture war.  The internet flooded with videos of self-righteous fans burning their season tickets and team jerseys. Patriots’ fans booed their team at home – not like in the 70s and 80s when the team deserved it.  Last week, they booed before kickoff.

It’s not about Kaepernick

None of this is new. This didn’t start President Trump tweeting something stupid and divisive. It didn’t start with a bad second-string quarterback in San Francisco taking a knee last year. Anthem protests have been around of years.

Most readers are too young to remember when US Track and Field Olympians gave a Black Power salute during the anthem after receiving their medals in 1968. Some may recall the NBA suspending Denver Nuggets guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in 1996 for refusing to stand for the anthem.

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Tommie Smith and John Carlo’s iconic protest came at the height of the civil rights movement and in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.  The difference between Rauf and Kaepernick is that Rauf was still a legitimate player in the NBA at the time. He was run out of Denver at the end of that season and was out of the NBA entirely shortly thereafter. Don’t forget – Kaepernick voided his own contract and chose to leave SF at the end of last season.

Is his activism a factor in why he’s still unemployed? Almost certainly. Is it the reason? In NFL terms, it’s less probable than not. Back-up QBs should be inexpensive and neither be seen nor heard. Everyone recognizes that that isn’t Kaepernick.

Enough with the fake outrage

I have attended hundreds of professional sporting events in more than 20 different cities. I have overpaid for nachos and beer in 16 different MLB parks alone.  Rarely have I been impressed with how fans honor America while the song plays.

Across the country, in all major sports, fans ignore the anthem as they buy beer, make their way to their seats, talk with friends, or update social media. They keep their hats on, video the singer, and take selfies. Other than the ballpark at Arlington, I can’t remember attending a sporting event that suspended concession sales during the anthem. God Bless Texas.

I graduated from that same little trade school on the Hudson as Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva. I served more than 23 years in the Army and deployed five times. I’ve had friends come home in caskets under the flag. It means something to me. I will always stand in silence for the anthem and will smack my kids if they so much as sneeze before it’s finished.

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Symbols and Rights

This fake controversy isn’t about disrespecting Veterans. The soldiers and friends I and others lost in the service to this country represented diversity racially and ideologically as any NFL locker room. They didn’t die for the flag or the anthem. They served, sacrificed, and died for their fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.

The flag and the anthem are not totems to bow down to, but rather symbols of the ideals of this country. Those include the idea that all men are created equal, have the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and to free speech. These represent the very things for which people are protesting. You are not a good American if you claim to love our nation’s symbols but not the exercise of someone’s right’s because you disagree with their message.

I am offended by the jerk who keeps his hat on, usually backwards, and won’t shut up during the anthem. That’s disrespectful. Players using the opportunity to make a peaceful statement about social injustice – whether I agree with them or not – doesn’t bother me at all. For 241 years Veterans have fought for them to have that right, it would be hypocritical for us to ask them not to exercise it.

Easy Solution

Americans used to believe in the market place of ideas – that everyone could exercise their right to free speech, that good arguments would win and bad ones would lose. Now, as a nation, we seem to have lost the intellectual courage to tolerate diverse opinions.  We are so threatened by people who don’t believe exactly like us that we demand they be silenced. The left has done that on college campuses and the right is doing it now in NFL stadiums.

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We have two simple solutions to our current national distraction. First, instead of attacking these players we could seek to emulate them. Every team in the NFL has players from every race, religion, and political ideology.  Yet, somehow, they’re not killing one another in the locker room.  Players like Devon McCourty, Duron Harmon, and others have protested during the nation anthem for more than a year.  Kraft, Belichick, and Brady all have relationships with President Trump.  And yet, somehow, these two different groups have good relationships with one another. How shockingly adult of them.

Second, we could just stop playing the national anthem at sporting events. Don’t pretend that it mattered to you before people started kneeling. It probably didn’t.

A Quick Analysis of the Patriots’ Week 4 Match-Up Against the Panthers

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A once-in-a-blue-moon meeting for the Patriots to prepare for this weekend. The Patriots will face the Carolina Panthers, a team they have not played in the regular season since 2013. After a Monday Night Football game in week eleven of that season, the Panthers came out on top in the waning minutes of the match to win 24-20. The game finished with controversy over the referees picking up a penalty flag for defensive pass interference on the last play of the game where Tom Brady took a shot in the end zone to Rob Gronkowski.

Since 2013 the Patriots and the Panthers have been present in a Super Bowl: the Patriots winning two and the Panthers appearing in one. The Panthers have had both successful and unfortunate seasons since this season but have learned from their mistakes. Both teams are very different from four years ago, however Tom Brady and Cam Newton still reign.

Stopping the Panthers’ West Coast Offense

Cam Newton is one of the more popular quarterbacks in the NFL, mostly because of his impressive mobility. He can turn on the burners in an instant and run with the ball himself on a split second decision. At the same time he possesses the arm strength to heave the ball downfield. The Patriots had a similar task last weekend against rookie Deshaun Watson whose pocket presence and speed kept defenders from containing him.

Cam Newton might be quicker than Watson, but the Patriots’ defense should be working on pressuring the quarterback more in this week’s practice. Heavily relying on zone coverage will not fair well against Cam Newton and his strong running back corp. Jonathan Stewart is a well-used power runner who is deadly on screens in the back field. A similar principle goes for rookie Christian McCaffrey, a quick runner and can punish on running an angle or wheel route.  To stop Cam Newton, man coverage QB containment and a few crafty blitzes will come in handy. As for the Panthers’ backs, that’s when cover 3 should be used. Dont’a Hightower, pending if he returns this week from injury, will have a big task covering Stewart and McCaffrey. Malcolm Butler will also have to size up 6’5″ wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

Rallying on Offense

The Panthers used to boast one of the stingiest secondaries in the league two years ago under Josh Norman. Lately, they have become more centralized on building up the defensive line along with the linebacker corp: Charles Johnson, Julius Peppers, Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Mario Addison, Shaq Thompson, Luke Kuechly, and Thomas Davis. All of these powerful defenders work together on the defensive line. To beat a stacked defensive line like that, Tom Brady will have to replicate his performance last week. It is imperative that he gets the ball off quickly on short routes to receivers. The Patriots’ offensive line faces an even bigger task. Coach Dante Scarnecchia this week has more than likely hammered on his offensive line after they allowed Tom Brady to be sacked multiple times.

Quick slants will help beat a defense that will be trying to capitalize on rushing Brady. Danny Amendola is a perfect receiver for short passes and Rob Gronkowski is always a vertical threat. Chris Hogan might have a mixed role this game where he will catch short passes but at the same time run deep like he has done in the past two games. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Analysis of the Patriots’ Week 3 Match-Up Against the Texans

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A 2016-17 AFC Divisional rematch in Week 3 is quite an interesting pairing. In the past year the Houston Texans and Patriots have clashed on three separate occasions prior to Sunday. The Patriots won two of these games in this short series, but each victory has been on separate terms. In a 2016 Week 3 match-up Jacoby Brissett and LeGarrette Blount brought the Brady-less Patriots to a shutout victory. The Texans and Patriots squared up again in the Divisional Round of the 2016-17 playoffs, where Dion Lewis and Tom Brady were the offensive heroes that brought home a win. And this season the Patriots and Texans played in the preseason and Deshaun Watson secured a decisive win for the Texans.

This upcoming battle will showcase current CFB Playoff MVP Deshaun Watson against prevailing Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. Watson became the starter for the Texans in the second half against the team’s loss against the Jaguars recently. Since then, Watson has racked up a modest 227 yards along with one touchdown and an interception. Texans Coach Bill O’Brien’s offensive game plan in the foreseeable future is to develop Watson as fast a possible. However, Coach Bill Belichick, a friend of O’Brien, is aware of that and will bring defensive pressure on Watson quickly.

Stopping the Texans’ Offense

The Texans run a balanced offense consisting of short and medium passes along with a few different types of run plays. Deshaun Watson is a west coast-schemed quarterback, meaning he likes to throw short slant, curl, and dig routes to receivers. At the same time, he has the skills to tuck and run with the football by himself, as advertised by him against the Patriots in the preseason. For a rookie, Watson has showcased some impressive pocket presence, and knows how to roll out of the pocket to keep the play alive rather than giving himself up for a sack.

Deshaun Watson is able to use an receiving corp that has undergone an overhaul to suit the team. The top receiver on the squad is DeAndre Hopkins, a deep threat who runs primarily fly and cross routes. Will Fuller V is the go-to guy when passing short or medium over the middle of the defense. Ryan Griffin, the team’s primary tight end, mostly pass blocks or runs short routes like a curl off the line. Lamar Miller, the workhorse of the offense, is a one-cut back who can punish the defense on a wheel route.

Expect Bill Belichick to stop the Texans’ offense at the source. The Patriots’ edge rushers and linebackers must step up this week to keep constant pressure on Deshaun Watson. Blitzes and quarterback contain plays will keep Watson in the pocket and make a naive mistake against the Patriots’ secondary.

Tackling the Texan’s Stingy Defense

The Patriots offense redeemed themselves last week against the New Orleans Saints after getting blasted by the Kansas City Chiefs in week one. However, the Saints defense statistically let up a lot of points, and in the last three years they are ranked 30th+ points allowed. The Texans’ defense is on the other end of the spectrum, ranking within the top-five defenses in the league. Stacked on the defensive line the Texans at full strength boast the talents of J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus, and Jadeveon Clowney. This defense makes up for a weak secondary by bringing constant pressure to the opposing quarterback and stopping the run.

With an ailing offense and now Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola being among the eleven players questionable to play this week, the offense needs to be cautious. Therefore screen passes to Mike Gillislee and James White will work like a charm. Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen are both vertical threats that can shred up the Texans’ secondary. Tom Brady on average takes about 2.5 seconds to drop back and get the ball out of his hands. Statistics show as his career has progressed, Brady has become increasingly accurate after passing the ball that quickly. This skill will come in handy against an aggressive Texans’ defensive line. The pass rush will be frequent in this game for the Patriots offense. The offensive line and the rest of the offense can still shine if everyone does their job.

CTE : Is It Going To Be The End Of Football ?

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Unless you have been living under a rock, any true football fan has heard of the medical term CTE.  CTE stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease.  It has gained prominence recently with a study showing that virtually all ex-NFL players brains tested had the disease.  A study published in July of this year revealed that 110 of 111 players tested showed various levels of the disease.

Could the prominence of CTE in NFL football players be the end of football as we know it?  I do believe that CTE is a serious health issue that needs to be investigated further.  I would like to give you a little perspective, and tell everyone to not give up hope yet.  There is more to this story and I hope I can share some of my insight with all of you.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CTE

To give you some context, consider the most common signs and symptoms of CTE: Most common sign is cognitive impairment, which is difficulty thinking clearly.  To be a true CTE symptom, it has to be a symptom that lasts beyond 48-72 hours after first being noticed; short term memory loss, impulsive behaviour, emotionally unstable, substance abuse increases, and most importantly suicidal thoughts.  As you can quickly figure out, all of these symptoms are quite scary.  The issue presently is how to diagnose CTE early enough to alleviate long term complications.

 

DIAGNOSIS OF CTE

Here is where the issue lies with CTE and contact sports like football.  CTE presently is the degeneration of brain tissues and the presence of a protein called Tau along with other proteins.  The only way that CTE can be confirmed as a diagnosis is by detection of these markers upon performing an autopsy.  This iwill have to change to make it a disease that can be managed.  Without earlier detection, there is no hope of keeping the condition in check at the earliest possible stages.

Personally, the articles and studies that I have read  now tend to compare CTE to Alzheimers with regard to the importance of early detection.  This makes great sense, because Alzheimers does not have one true test that is definitive, and I doubt that CTE will either.  The key will be educating all parties that will be involved to note symptoms and act appropriately.  Defining what those appropriate actions will be the key, and needs buy in from all stakeholders.

Alzheimers’ sufferers have a few medications available in the last number of years that have the ability to greatly slow the disease’s progression.  The key is early detection, and staringt the patient on the medication as soon as possible.  It looks like CTE may fall into the same category where early diagnosis will be paramount.  That’s lacking right now.

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Chris Long #95 of the New England Patriots kneels before Super Bowl 51 against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

 

IS CTE FROM REPEATED HEAD TRAUMA ALONE?

A lot of research is needed here with regards to CTE and playing football.  Everyone knows that repeated blows to the head will damage anyone.  The odds of this happening in a bone-crunching sport like the NFL is quite a bit higher.  I want to point out the fact that CTE happens in other cases where head trauma is not an issue.  Military veterans, chronic epileptics, and even domestic abuse victims are also people that have shown CTE without the repeated physical head trauma.  This fact leads me to think that the best test is going to have to be detecting the TAU protein and then developing a treatment to “deactivate it”.

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF TAU

Presently the TAU protein destruction method is being explored in treating Alzheimers with relatively good success.  The treatments used could easily apply to athletes and others without any issues.  I think that there should be a pilot project with some current and ex-players and the drug manufacturers to see if there is symptom alleviation.

Believe it or not, the basic substance of curcumin (isolated from tumeric) is among substances under study.  If this turns out to be as good as initial tests have shown, then off to the grocery store we go for this.  This substance has so far been shown to neutralize the TAU protein and allow the body to clear it out.  The keys that are being explored is detection of the disease (CTE or Alzheimers) and then starting treatment.  One study is presently looking at starting some athletes on this before they show any signs.  The issue with this theory centers on  the baseline examined.

DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES

With the recent story of former Patriot Aaron Hernandez having been diagnosed with stage 3 CTE after his death, the CTE debate rages on.  I caution people to look back at what I mentioned previously in this article.  With only one diagnosed concussion in his career, was football the only source of his troubles?  Did his former gang activities, checkered past, or even prison time served have any bearing on his CTE development?  We have to answer these questions so we can stem this tide.

I hope I have demonstrated the threat of head trauma on NFL players. We all have to be more conscious of it and it’s effects. Minimizing illegal hits, late hits and unnecessary hits by players is definitely a good start.  As I have said, I believe there is more to the issue and that is what we have to figure out and fast.  Players should stop playing football unless only as a personal choice.  With further updates in safety and rules, I believe football can be as safe as any other sport.  We need to make sure that head injuries are taken very seriously, and treated as such.  It should have started many years ago, but hindsight is always 20-20.