The NFL season is just around the corner. That means that training camp is in full swing and joint practices are starting up. The New England Patriots open up their 2018 title defense with a preseason game this week against the Detroit Lions. With the Patriots and Lions getting their join practices underway, let’s take a look at a few story lines to look at this week.
Bill Belichick vs. Matt Patricia
This is a classic case of the teacher versus the student in a head to head matchup. We all know that Matt Patricia was the defensive coordinator for the Patriots for two of their Super Bowl runs. Then in the 2018 off-season when the Lions came calling, Patricia took the head coaching job. Keep in mind, the Lions finished 6-10 in Patricia’s first season at the helm. Oh and by the way, his first win was against the Patriots. It’s going to be interesting to see how the dynamic pans out for these two former colleagues. Will Matt Patricia be smart and not tell Bill Belichick any secrets? Will Belichick see something in Patricia’s system that he could use for his own benefit? We’ll see once the week unfolds.
Jarrett Stidham
This is more of a headline that I’m interested in seeing unfold. Jarrett Stidham is the Patriots 4th round selection out of Auburn University. People aren’t paying too much attention to him. Tom Brady obviously signed his extension through 2021 yesterday, and Brian Hoyer is the backup. But, nobody is giving Stidham much of a chance. Think about this for a second. He was a First Team All-SEC quarterback in 2017, and played in arguably the best conference in College Football. Stidham also threw for 36 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Tigers. Could Belichick be getting Stidham ready for the future? Maybe. It will be interesting to see how Belichick utilizes Stidham throughout the preseason.
The Wide Receiving Core’s Health
One of the big questions of the entire off-season has been the Patriots wide receivers. Will they be healthy enough to be ready for the season as perform? Well right now, Julian Edelman is out with a hand injury. Demariyus Thomas has the questions of coming back from an Achilles injury. A guy like Braxton Berrios is on the fence for just making the Patriots roster. This team needs some healthy bodies at wide receiver, and they need them quickly. With a retired Gronk, the wide receivers will be depended upon more than ever for Tom Brady.
In Conclusion
There is a lot to look at between these two teams. The Patriots always win the AFC East with relative ease. The Lions are competing in a tough NFC North division with Green Bay, Chicago, and Minnesota battling it out every season. The Patriots do not play the Lions this upcoming season. Plus, there was a time last season where the Patriots lost in Detroit and people thought the Patriots were done. Maybe Belichick and company want a little payback for last season. Well…maybe not because it’s preseason. But football is back and it’s time to get technical once again. Cue up NFL RedZone!
The New England Patriots’ quarterback room nears the summer break with two locks.
One of those locks is coming off his sixth Super Bowl victory and is scheduled to carry
a cap number of $27 million into the final year of his contract with a
base salary of $14 million. As for the other lock? That’d be the 11th QB
New England has selected since Bill Belichick returned to the war room
as head coach in 2000.
Tom Brady and Jarrett Stidham are eras apart. Now they find themselves in the same one.
Both will celebrate birthdays this August, with the former turning 42
and the latter turning 23. Both will be on the active roster this
September, with Brady entering his 20th NFL season and Stidham entering
his first. But for every commonality there is a contrast. Be it pre-star
or five-star recruit. Be it Michigan or Auburn product. Be it No. 199
or No. 133 overall draft pick.
Time will tell whether there is company.
New England has entrusted a rookie as Brady’s lone understudy twice
over the past decade. In 2009, Michigan State undrafted free agent Brian
Hoyer found himself the second and final quarterback on the roster. And
in 2014, Eastern Illinois second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo became the
next following Ryan Mallett’s trade to the Houston Texans on cutdown
day.
It’s possible such a scenario could play out again.
Hoyer, who has been around the league and back, will have to put his
experience above Stidham’s projection. But the Patriots have shown
confidence in numbers when it comes to the 33-year-old Hoyer. He has an
upcoming base salary of $2.8 million, a cap number of $3 million and
$1.5 million guaranteed remaining on his deal.
That reflects the strong roster outlook of a veteran backup who has started 36 career games. Hoyer has appeared in 10 games since returning to Patriots in the fall of 2017, and gone 5-of-8 passing for 49 yards with 15 kneel-downs in the process.
Now let’s take a look at some of the later round picks by the Patriots. These picks, although not as flashy, solidified some positions with question marks.
The Patriots certainly solidified the offensive line, at least for now. With Cajuste and Frohodlt, the Patriots now could very well contend for one of the best offensive lines in the league. Even with Trent Brown leaving for Oakland.
101. YONDY CAJUSTE, OT
WEST VIRGINIA
Yondy Cajuste said in interviews that West Virginia ran some Patriots plays in their offense. That might be one reason Belichick liked him so much. With Marcus Cannon getting older by the day, Trent Brown leaving, and Isaiah Wynn rehabbing from a gruesome achilles injury, it is no secret the Patriots needed to address the tackle position early. Cajuste is the quintessential Trent Brown replacement pick. He is a large man who will play the swing tackle role that we saw Trent play last year. This pick and the selection of Hjalte Froholdt indicates to me that if Isaiah Wynn’s achilles looks good to go, the Patriots will trade Joe Thuney or Marcus Cannon with no hesitation. Thuney is in the last year of his contract and Cannon is probably in the last year the Patriots could trade him. If Cajuste is solid and Wynn impresses, Patriots could flip either one at their max value for a defensive lineman or tight end.
What he does right:
-Wins with his length
-Balanced, well-framed stance
-Good hand technique
-Very powerful player, overwhelms rushers at times
-Good body awareness
-Does little things really well
-Displays strong football IQ
-Good functional athleticism
-Scrappy, angry player, is a bully on the line
-Strong effort and hustle
Some nuances in his game:
-Can look flat-footed against faster rushers on the edge
-Too many gaps of time of sliding feet in protection
-Not bendy, not flexible
-Struggles immensely at lateral redirection
-Has been ejected for some fights
Pro comparison: Jermon Bushrod
Instant impact: Will fight for starting tackle job, depends on Wynn’s health
Grade: B
118, HJALTE FROHOLDT, OG
ARKANSAS
This pick spells out Joe Thuney insurance. As mentioned before, Joe Thuney is in the last year of his contract and he will get paid big bucks. Hjalte is by no mistake one of the better guards in this year’s draft. Belichick figures he will draft Thuney’s replacement now and then get another third round comp pick for letting Joe leave. Hjalte will not have an immediate impact on this team unless one of our guards or David Andrews gets hurt. He will spend year one mostly learning from his colleagues and coach Scar. He will probably compete with Ted Karras for that swing guard role.
What he does right:
-Very solid in pass protection
-Good footwork, suitable for both guard and center
-Sturdy, wide base
-Can anchor vs power
-Sees twists and blitzes from mile away
-Under control on the move
-Effective puller
-Flexibility
-Moves well at 6’5, 300
-Good athlete
Some nuances in his game:
-Hand placement needs lots of work
-Leverage and drive can improve
-Not overly physical
-Never creates movement at point of attack
-Lacks power and tenacity
-Poor mental processing
Pro comparison: Sean Harlow
Instant impact: Will compete with Ted Karras for swing guard spot
Grade: B
133. JARRETT STIDHAM, QB
AUBURN
Well, I personally wanted the Patriots to draft Brett Rypien, but after doing some more investigating Jarrett Stidham’s game grew on me a little more. A very solid quarterback when he has the time to throw, he throws a great ball. Jarrett received a bad rap at Auburn for their terrible offense, but the people he had around him were really to fault for their poor performance and production. If Jarrett had some better guys around him, he would have been in the conversation with Haskins, Jones, and Grier. While I do not think Stidham is the answer in a post-Brady world, he might be able to develop himself into a starting quarterback in the NFL. This, however, would take a lot of work.
What he does right:
-Good decision-maker when given the opportunity
-One of the best in class at going through progressions
-Can run the option game, RPOs
-Nice display of anticipation, more at Baylor than Auburn (was previously at Baylor)
-Great touch on his footballs
-Looks off safeties, pump fakes
–Low interception numbers, safe with football
-Good footwork
-Strong in play-action game
Some nuances in his game:
–Ran a very prototypical college offensive scheme, will need to adjust to Patriots scheme and make more complex reads at next level. Year one might just be studying film and the playbook.
-Never asked to throw into tight windows, all routes and plays were simplified under offensive scheme
-Struggled when throwing into those tight windows, which was every blue moon
-He folds under pressure, which was frequent at Auburn
-Had limited opportunities to impress scouts, failed when had the opportunities
-Average arm
-Not prepared for NFL, although sitting behind Brady is exactly what he needs, according to scouts
-Hard evaluation because both offenses (Baylor and Auburn) did not put all his skills on display
-Loses accuracy when putting any force on his balls
-Not great poise
Pro comparison: Matthew Stafford
Instant impact: A year or two learning playbook, watching film, listening, and intense 1 on 1 work
Grade: C
159. BYRON COWART, DL
MARYLAND
Byron could play either play defensive end or defensive tackle, which is why he is listed as a DL. Many evaluators believe he will play more on the interior than on the edge at the pro level. Belichick loves defensive lineman who can move all over. Trey Flowers moved all over the line, Michael Bennett does that as well. Cowart by no means appears to be an answer to any big questions surrounding this line but he does posses some skills and flashes of ability that would indicate that he can be a contributor to this line. Much like Stidham, Cowart is another player who requires a lot more coaching and being placed into this system is the best news for him.
What he does right:
–Explosive for a man of his dimensions
-Powerful
-High ceiling
-Shows promise as a 3-technique player
-Good lateral ability, nice quick movement for a big man
-Violent tackler
-Powerhouse, stout
-Sheds blocks well
-Has potential to be a solid bull-rusher
-Good pad level
Some nuances in his game:
-Consistency, flash in the pan type player, technique holds him back from more consistent play
-Technique is very weak
-Football IQ is lacking
-Low floor
-Needs a lot more coaching
-Struggles at coming hard off the edge
-Attacking with hands can become more consistent
-Underachiever, was a number one prospect coming out of high school
-Has had it rough, apparently had off the field family issues during time at Auburn, ugly transfer
So, fans were infuriated with this pick. The reality is that Ryan Allen is a pricey punter on a one year deal, and any opportunity to save some money for close to the same production is something Belichick jumps on. Will Bailey beat Allen out for the job? Eh, we don’t really know. However, this right footed punter is very talented and could very well take Allen’s place next year.
What he does right:
-Very strong leg, had an 84 yard punt last year
-Flips the field
-Great hang time, lead NCAA with hang time in 2018
-Good direction
-Can handle kickoff duties as well
Some nuances in his game:
-Touch
-Can sometimes put too much on his kicks, high number of touchbacks
Pro comparison: Andy Lee
Instant impact: Practice squad for year one
Grade: B
252. KEN WEBSTER, CB
OLE MISS
This pick is very much similar to the selection of Keion Crossen last year. Similar skill set, falling down draft boards for similar reasons, and getting drafted in a similar spot to the same team. Webster got off to a great start at Ole Miss, but injuries plagued his college career. He never really was the same player at Ole Miss, but if he could encompass some of what he had there in the pros, he can be a solid contributor in the NFL that much like Crossen is put in for different specific assignments. He will certainly be someone to keep your eyes on during camp.
What he does right:
-Great speed and explosiveness
-Physical
-Redirects receivers in man and zone coverage
-Handsy player
-Great at coming up and covering the run
-Athletic
-Recovery speed
-Aggressive, gritty
-Upper body strength
Some nuances in his game:
-He is impatient in press coverage, press is not a strong suit
-Spacing
-Field awareness
-Football IQ is below average, pays price for mistakes rooted out of lack of awareness and understanding
-Inconsistent technique, especially at line of scrimmage
-Struggles to stay square
Pro comparison: Keion Crossen
Instant impact: Will battle to make team, could contend with Crossen for last cornerback spot
Whether justified or not, at the start of every college football season each fan base has hope. Hope that a committee of thirteen people who eat, sleep, and breathe college football all believe that your team is worthy. I will admit it, I have bias, and have been lucky enough to experience that hope come to fruition on multiple occasions since the start of the College Football Playoff. I am an Ohio State Buckeyes fan living in Columbus who will be attending the university next year. In 2014, when the Buckeyes made that late season run after Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett went down, Ohio State’s destiny was in the hands of the committee. When Ohio State was announced as the fourth and final team to make the playoffs, it was the best feeling ever.
College football is about to have the biggest and most meaningful championship weekend in the long history of the sport. Top-ten match-ups galore, all with an unprecedented impact on the playoffs. Whether your school is still in the hunt, you should be watching. The caliber of football will be amazing, and the stakes higher than ever. However, if your school is still in the hunt, you are probably asking two questions: “Do we deserve it?” and “What needs to happen for us to get in?”
Allow me to give you a guide as to what you should want to happen as I analyze each contender’s current resume as it stands as well as the best case scenario that COULD get your team a playoff berth.
Oklahoma has probably been the most polarizing team in college football this season. This title makes sense considering that they have one of the most polarizing player in college football: Baker Mayfield. Mayfield has torn up college football this season. His personality may certainly be questioned, but his talent should not. The resume should be all about what the team has done, but when you have a figure like Mayfield, he stands alone as a reason to consider Oklahoma for the playoffs. Do not get it twisted. If they defeat TCU, Oklahoma deserves a spot. This game is far from in the bag however. Even with the quality win in Columbus versus the Buckeyes, the Oklahoma defense has had a knack for giving up points, which could certainly make this rematch interesting. Oklahoma had one bad loss, and it was to an unranked Iowa State team. Other than that, with a win this Saturday vs TCU, the resume sparkles.
HOW THEY GET IN:
Plain and simple, win and they are in. Let’s be honest, love him or hate him; you want to see Baker Mayfield on the big stage again. While the game itself is far from ‘plain and simple’, if Oklahoma prevails, which is a big “if”, consider them a lock for the playoffs.
In review, Georgia’s season has been a long-awaited return to the top of the college football ranks. Former Alabama defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, in his second season heading the program at Georgia has officially turned things around. Georgia has the fourth-ranked total defense in college football, and has only one blemish on its resume: a blowout loss to a school none other than the one they are about to face, Auburn. Georgia’s resume is highlighted by one quality win against #24 Notre Dame. The biggest test came against Auburn, when Georgia forgot to show up, getting blown out 40-17. Georgia has the chance of a lifetime. Make the committee forget about that loss by defeating Auburn this Saturday.
HOW THEY GET IN:
First things first, if Georgia doesn’t defeat Auburn they will be eliminated from contention. However, if they do beat Auburn, they will have a great case and an amazing chance at the playoffs. They will have a quality win against #24 Notre Dame, and a quality win vs top-ranked Auburn. With that comes the SEC Championship. With a win over Auburn, and assuming Oklahoma defeats TCU, they should be safe.
Auburn’s Resume:
Auburn may very well be the hottest team in college football right now. Led by Jarrett Stidham and Kerryon Johnson, Auburn has defeated both Georgia and Alabama while ranked #1 in recent weeks. One geek may say, “BUT THE COMMITTEE HASN’T EVER PUT A TWO-LOSS TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS”, but do not listen to them. This season there are more teams with one and two losses than before. Auburn only has one bad loss, anyway, with the other probably the best loss a team can have: 14-6 vs Clemson in the second game of the season. The other loss coming to LSU certainly does not look great, but they defeated two #1 teams. ‘NUFF SAID.
HOW THEY GET IN:
If Auburn defeats Georgia again, they are in the playoffs.
However, Auburn fans, I would not lose all hope if Auburn plays well and loses to Georgia. They have destroyed them already, and defeated Alabama. Should Oklahoma lose, Ohio State win, and Auburn lose, I would not be surprised by the idea of Auburn sneaking in with the ACC winner, Georgia, and Ohio State/Alabama.
Crazy to imagine a three-loss team making the playoffs, but it could happen!
(11-1) Miami Hurricanes vs (11-1) Clemson Tigers – Charlotte, North Carolina, ABC, 8:00pm
Miami’s Resume:
Like Georgia, this season has been a long-awaited return to the top for Miami. The recent addition of head coach, Mark Richt, along with good recruiting, has brought back the Miami we all remember from the early 2000’s and before. Standing at a record of (11-1), Miami’s quality wins have come against #13 Virginia Tech, and the breakout game vs #3 Notre Dame. The Turnover Chain swept across the country after the upset victory vs Notre Dame. Their time in the sun didn’t last too long, though. A few weeks later they were upset by Pitt 24-14.
HOW THEY GET IN:
With a victory over Clemson, a team who many assume is the best team in the country, should all but guarantee a playoff spot for Miami. Defeating Clemson is probably the toughest task that any team has ahead of them this weekend. Dabo Swinney has a very good thing going on both sides of the ball for Clemson right now. The Turnover Chain will need to be in full effect against Kelly Bryant and that Tiger offense for Miami to pull through and clinch a playoff berth. Win and you are in.
Clemson’s Resume:
Clemson’s resume is filled with quality win after quality win. They defeated Auburn 14-6, at #14 Louisville, and at #12 Virginia Tech. Clemson has certainly proven themselves even with their ugly upset loss to Syracuse. They have one of the best head coaches in football, being the defending National Champion could help, and they seem unstoppable.
HOW THEY GET IN:
There are a few ways that Clemson could get into the playoffs. The first, and most direct way: Defeat Miami. If Clemson defeats Miami on Saturday night, then they will likely head into the playoffs as the #1 seed. The second, if they lose to Miami, but Oklahoma loses to TCU, while Wisconsin defeats Ohio State, and Auburn defeats Georgia, the committee could put them in over Alabama as the fourth and final team. The third, Clemson loses to Miami, Oklahoma defeats TCU, Ohio State defeats Wisconsin, and Auburn defeats Georgia. The committee would have to choose between Clemson, Ohio State, and Alabama.
(12-0) Wisconsin Badgers vs (10-2) Ohio State Buckeyes – Indianapolis, Indiana, Fox, 8:00pm
Wisconsin’s Resume:
Wisconsin’s biggest win this season was against #24 Michigan, a game that many didn’t believe that Wisconsin would win. Wisconsin is the only unbeaten Power-Five team left, and have the #1-ranked total defense. They have a clearly stout defense, withthe offense led by a stud freshman RB, Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin has so many doubters because they haven’t had any “true” quality wins this season. Michigan isn’t truly a quality win. This resume is questioned, rightfully so, but that could all change Saturday night.
HOW THEY GET IN:
Wisconsin defeating Ohio State should, and probably will, get them in. as undefeated Big Ten champions. Unless the win is the ugliest win of all time, I do not see any way that the committee decides to put Alabama in over Wisconsin (assuming Oklahoma wins). With an ugly and unbearably boring win, it wouldn’t surprise me if the committee imagined an Alabama and Nick Saban vs Wisconsin game… who do you think would win? I would take Alabama right now, but this all depends on how Wisconsin plays/wins. Wisconsin just has to play well and win the game to avoid any discussion.
If Wisconsin does decide to win the ugliest type of 14-10 game, the “Alabama or Wisconsin” question would fade away. If Oklahoma loses and Clemson wins, they would both be in anyways.
Ohio State’s Resume:
Four weeks ago, Ohio State was all but eliminated from the playoffs. After a quality 48-3 win vs #12 Michigan State, then running the table, Ohio State’s hopes are alive. They have the quality win vs Michigan State, and they also have the win over #2 Penn State. They have two losses, one not completely awful, vs Oklahoma. The other is probably the worst loss a team can have, at Iowa 55-24.
HOW THEY GET IN:
Ohio State has no guaranteed path to the playoffs. With that said, they will be eliminated if they do not defeat Wisconsin on Saturday. The best thing that Ohio State can do for themselves is to absolutely route Wisconsin. Leave the best impression that they can. The easiest way for them to make the playoffs is to put on an amazing performance in a win vs Wisconsin, and for Oklahoma to lose. That would give the committee another reason for Ohio State to get in. The likely scenario has Oklahoma winning, though. Knowing that, it will come down to Ohio State as Big Ten Champions vs Alabama. Urban Meyer vs Nick Saban.
Alabama’s Resume:
Alabama by far has the slimmest odds of making the playoffs out of the listed teams. They do not have a true quality win, like Wisconsin, but they aren’t undefeated like Wisconsin. Alabama lost its only quality- level game against Auburn this week, two weeks after being on upset alert by Mississippi State. The game resume isn’t great, but again… this is ALABAMA we are talking about. They have Nick Saban, they have multiple first round picks, and they have been to the title game back-to-back years. The benefit of the doubt may apply to them.
HOW THEY GET IN:
Like I mentioned above, Alabama will be biting fingernails all weekend long. Alabama should out-cheer the biggest TCU fans this weekend. If Oklahoma loses to TCU, it practically opens up a spot for Alabama. The only scenario with Oklahoma losing that doesn’t look good for Alabama is if Miami defeats Clemson, and Wisconsin defeats Ohio State. That would put in the SEC winner, Miami, Wisconsin, and either Clemson or Alabama in. That is a tough match-up. Even if Oklahoma wins, Alabama can still make it, they just then become Ohio State fans. That would set up Ohio State vs Alabama for the fourth spot.
Every college football fan in the world should look forward to Saturday. It could be one of the best days in college football history.
