Tag Archives: NFL

Matt Light: 27th Inductee in Patriots Hall of Fame

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Patriots Hall of Fame Spotlight Shines on Matt Light

Via CLNS Media

The New England Patriots have announced that former offensive lineman Matt Light will be inducted into the Patriots Hall Of Fame this September. Light spent his career 11 seasons with the Patriots, earning three Super Bowl rings in his five league championship appearances protecting quarterback Tom Brady’s blind side.  He joins Troy Brown, Kevin Faulk, and Tedy Bruschi as the fourth player to enter the Patriots Hall of Fame with three Super Bowl wins. Matt Light was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

High Praise For The New England Patriots

Matt Light told ESPN yesterday ” First and foremost, it’s very humbling,” It’s the biggest honor I can think of where you’re being recognized by the people in the community and the fans that really understood you as a player. It’s hard to put into words, really, I mean, I had an opportunity to come to New England, and play football.  There are so many things about my NFL experience that’s truly unique… it’s hard for me to believe I’m a Hall of Famer for the Patriots. It’s tough for me to grasp that.”

Last season when the Patriots were one of the teams taking a knee during the anthem protests, light told the Boston Herald he’d never been so ashamed to be a Patriot. “If you think that it’s OK to take a knee during our national anthem and disrespect openly the national anthem, you are wrong. As a guy that’s been there and helped set up the Patriot Way so they can walk in there and do what they do, it’s beyond disheartening. It’s the first time I’ve ever been ashamed to be a Patriot. And I promise you I’m not the only one.” But when he’s going into the Hall Of Fame he has to praise the Patriots organization.

Did he have to say he was ashamed to be a New England Patriot? He wouldn’t have those Super Bowl rings without the quarterback or the head coach. But congratulations on getting into the team Hall of Fame.

The Patriots Hire Martial Arts Expert Joe Kim

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Bill Belichick Hires Martial Arts Expert

The New England Patriots hired martial arts expert Joe Kim as a pass rushing consultant yesterday. According to USA Today, Joe  Kim has worked with eight other NFL teams. He worked most recently for the Cleveland Browns in 2016. Bill Belichick gave Joe Kim his first job in the NFL with Cleveland in 1992.  Kim began his martial arts career in 1974 and will help the young defenders on the Patriots to develop a better pass rush.

The Patriots tied for seventh last season in the pass rush. They had 42 sacks, but they really never got to the quarterback when they needed to. Most notably, in the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, Nick Foles never went down.

Kim Has Worked With Eight NFL Teams

In addition to the Browns, Kim has helped the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Penn State. Danny Shelton got the opportunity to work with Kim with during his time with the Cleveland Browns. Shelton praised Kim on his Instagram in January 2017. “Got the opportunity to work with [Master Joe Kim] this past year and felt like I really improved from my first year with his help. Appreciate your work Master Kim and I know the best is in store for you. #blessed #masterjoekim.” Shelton posted also on Instagram a video of Kim working with Kim in April  2017.

http://www.instagram.com/p/BSebe9ig0uh/?utm_source=ig_embed

 

The Importance of the Patriots Offensive Line

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Physical Day for the Offensive Line

Half of the Patriots offensive line got their physicals today. The Patriots have to make sure they do a good job protecting soon-to-be 41 year old Tom Brady. The Patriots have Brian Hoyer and Danny Etling, but neither is Tom Brady. Patriots assistant coaches met with the media last week, and Dante Scarnecchia is looking for a replacement for Nate Solder. The Patriots will probably try Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown for the left tackle position.

Newly Acquired Players Will Be Key to Protecting Tom Brady

Scarnecchia has a challenge trying to replace Nate Solder. Scarnecchia said on Friday, “It’s a big challenge, because you get in a real big comfort zone with him, and especially the way Nate played over the last half of the season,” Scarnecchia said. “He’s been given this opportunity and he’s taking advantage of it for he and his family, so now the next thing is we gotta replace him. So, we have guys that we’re hoping will be able to step in there”. Wynn was drafted 23rd overall in the NFL Draft. According to the Boston Herald as a senior Wynn was a second-team All American. He also started all 15 games at Georgia, including the National Championship.

Scarnecchia spoke highly of Wynn on Friday, saying, “He was a really good player in the best conference in America at his position, and he played left tackle and he’s played guard, so that’s what I like about him, He’s got great traits. We look for three traits: Smart, tough and athletic enough to play the position. He’s got all three, so we’ll see if that translates to this level.”

Trent Brown, was acquired from San Francisco for a third-round pick in the NFL Draft. Scarnecchia also had a lot to say about Brown: “He’s attentive, wants to know what we’re doing, kind of a quiet guy, but that’s all right,” He’s listening to what’s going on around him, can answer a lot of questions, so we just have to see how that works. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to see it until we get to training camp, with he and Isaiah.”

Josh McDaniels Speaks with the Media

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Josh McDaniels Spoke Friday

FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 22: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots (R) talks with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Josh McDaniels spoke with the media on Friday on his decision to not take the head coaching job in Indianapolis and return to the Patriots. We know when his next coaching job will be: in New England when Belichick retires. There was a meeting between Kraft, Belichick, and McDaniels, which I’ve stated before, that McDaniels will be taking over for Belichick after this upcoming season.

The way the draft went for the Patriots is starting to make sense. They know Brady has two more years left and they need to start planning for the future. All Brady’s talk about playing until he’s 45 was just to ship Jimmy Garoppolo out of town. When that worked he’s talking about spending more time with his family and missing voluntary workouts. If Garoppolo was still on the team, Brady would be at those workouts- no doubt about it. Brady also had a say about McDaniels coming back to the Patriots.

Josh Will Be a Head Coach Again

Via SI.comMcDaniels was asked what went through his decision to come back on Friday to the Patriots. His response: “I’ll say this, I’ve stated again and again that I definitely want to be a head coach again. At the same time, I love being here. This is where my kids were born and raised. We’ve made a pretty special life here and that’s not an easy thing to leave. There’s a lot to consider.” Remember, he also did an interview with the Boston Globe when he first made the choice to come back, saying he had to know what his future was going to be like. Once he found out what that was, he decided to come back.

From this point forward it’s about the future of the team. They’ll make another Super Bowl run I’m sure. Maybe they’ll win another one more before this 18-year run comes to a close. But all the pieces are coming together in this giant puzzle in Foxborough. The Patriots won’t release right now that Belichick is leaving at the end of the season. With all the rest of the drama, the last thing Belichick wants is a going away tour. Enjoy the final couple of years, because in 2020 we’ll be looking at a completely different team. A team with Josh McDaniels at the helm.

Is Danny Etling the Future?

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Patriots Sign Etling for Four Years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-cePbBqucU

The New England Patriots are trying to plan post-Tom Brady. Earlier this week they signed their seventh-round pick out of LSU Danny Etling to a four-year contract. It looks like Josh McDaniels, Bill Belichick, and the rest of the Patriots staff like what they see out of Etling. Etling is working on his mechanics with Tom Brady’s throwing coaches in California. Etling threw for 2,463 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior at LSU, while also completing 60.0 percent of his throws.

Danny Etling had a 16-7 record as LSU’s starting quarterback and finished in the top ten in school history in passing yards per game. Etling will be a nice addition to the Patriots quarterback position. It looks like Belichick will be keeping three quarterbacks on the Patriots roster for the 2018 NFL season. Etling looks like he can get the ball downfield and find an open receiver. Director of Player Personnel for the Patriots Nick Caserio spoke after they selected Etling and said, “You look at his career production and this guy didn’t turn the ball over. I think it was 16-2 this year, a low percentage. He takes care of the ball, smart, pretty accurate thrower.”

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewib47Wpwu4

Comparing Brady to Etling’s college numbers, their senior years are similar. Etling threw for 16 touchdowns his senior year at LSU. Tom Brady threw 16 touchdowns at his senior year at Michigan. Danny Etling threw two interceptions in his senior year, while Brady threw six. The two quarterbacks had similar senior years in college. I’m not saying Etling is Brady, but look where Brady got drafted and where he is now. Pretty soon we may see Danny Etling over at TB12 to get pliable.

The Patriots Will Groom Etling for Two Years

Tom Brady has two more years left and then he’s done. He knows it, Kraft knows it, and Brady’s wife knows it. Belichick, McDaniels, and Brady will groom Etling for this year. Then it will just be McDaniels and Brady in the 2019 season. Then in 2020, it will be Danny Etling’s time to shine as the starter for the Patriots.

Brad Stevens Has a Great Coaching Mentor

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Bill Belichick Takes Young Average Talent and Makes Them Elite

Bill Belichick is remarkable at taking players with average talent and transforming them to have elite level skills. He’s trained Wes Welker, Chris Hogan, and Danny Amendola and turned them into exceptional players. Can we say the same for another coach in Boston? Brad Stevens? Brad Stevens currently is without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. Stevens has taken his rookies, especially Jayson Tatum, and has turned them to greatness in the playoffs. Tatum is something special and is averaging 20+ points a game. Terry Rozier has taken the place of an injured of Kyrie Irving and has been great. Stevens has taken a page out of Bill Belichick’s book. Since taking over in 2013, Brad Stevens and his Celtics have steadily become one of the top NBA playoff contenders.

Brad Stevens Is Trying to Become the Next Great Coach in Boston

Stevens is always seen at Patriots training camp.  He is fascinated at how the Patriots run their organization. Brad took Isaiah Thomas last year.  Brad Stevens told Cynthia Frelund of NFL Network about his relationship with Bill Belichick: “I think when you walk out of there, and I’ve said this before, you feel inadequate as a coach. Their culture, the way they move from drill to drill, how they pull together, how connected they are, it’s special and it does not happen everywhere.”

Brad Stevens Praises Bill Belichick

Stevens also said, “The one thing that the Patriots have always been great about is they don’t beat themselves. They pride themselves on that. I think the idea of that, plus doing your job or the idea of ‘everyone has a role to play in being a superstar in your role’ those are all things that coaches are talking about all the time. They just do it better than everybody else.”

As of now, the Celtics are moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics were big underdogs  against the 76ers last round; at some betting sites online, their odds were as long as +300 to win that series.

They are similarly discounted in the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron James and the Cavaliers. The just-released odds have the Cavaliers at -290 and the Celtics at +245 to advance to the NBA Finals, even though Boston has home-court advantage against Cleveland and is 7-0 in the playoffs at TD Garden.

Sportsbooks might be making a big mistake there. Stevens hasn’t learned by watching Belichick the importance of teamwork and leadership in the locker room. Having communication with everyone leads to success. Now, we can question whether or not the Patriots are good in the communication part or not. However, the Celtics seem to have great communication, and Brad Stevens has great control of his team.

Look at who the Celtics have next season. With Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back, the Boston Celtics will head to the NBA Finals to compete for an NBA Championship. Not only next year, but for many years to come. Brad Stevens is the best coach in the NBA and he can thank Bill Belichick.

On The Defensive: Who is Brian Flores?

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photo cred. – www.nbcsports.com

Who is Brian Flores and where did he come from?

Brian Flores grew up in the housing projects (Brownsville) in Brooklyn, NY. Brownsville is one of, if not, the toughest areas to grow up in around the country, excluding Chicago. Growing up, Flores and his siblings saw things that kids his age should never have to witness. If you ask Flores it made him into the fearless man/leader he is today.

Flores began playing football around the 8th grade and quickly turned himself into quite the defensive back/running back. Not only was Flores a heck of a player on the field, but in the classroom he was an exceptional student who scored a 1,140 on his SAT. Good grades along with his skills on the field helped him get accepted to Boston College. While at Boston College, Flores was the teams second leading tackler. In 2003, he missed the bowl game and a chance at being drafted due to torn quadriceps.

 

photo cred. – www.medium.com

How Flores became a Coach/Patriot:

In 2004, the Patriots hired Flores as a scouting assistant within the organization. First, lets backup to before Flores being hired and the process of landing a job in the NFL. After his college and playing career ended, Flores desired a position as either a coach or a GM in the league.

According to Flores, “[He] sent a letter to EVERY team in the NFL and the Patriots were the only team to write back”. Not only did the Patriots see something other teams didn’t, but Belichick must have had a tremendous amount of faith in the potential of this guy. Flores was then brought in for the 2004 season as the scouting assistant.

In 2008, Flores work ethic did not go unnoticed as he was then named the teams scouting coach. Two years later in 2010, they noticed his work ethic and again he claimed the title as special teams Assistant. As usual, Flores was quick to climbing the ladder and the name of assistant offensive and special teams coach was given to him.

On the Defensive:

In 2011, Flores was back on the side of the ball where he belonged, the defensive side. He was named the defensive assistant for Belichick and the Patriots and once again his hard work paid off. In 2012, he was named the safeties coach where he held the position until 2016. In 2016 he became the Patriots linebacker coach and held that title until now. After Matt Patricia left to become the Lions head coach, Flores was named the defensive coordinator/play caller for the 2018 season. Flores will be under the wing of Bill Belichick until the 2019 season when Flores can take over. With Flores running the defense it looks like we will see more hybrid 3-4, 4-3 defenses but only time will tell.

High praise and recognition:

What Flores is doing isn’t a fluke and he has been noticed and recognized by other coaches and players. So much so that Flores who was relatively unknown in 2004, became a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals Head Coaching position. Luckily for the Pats, he ultimately came up short. Here is what veteran LB David Harris had to say about his coach:

“Even though he’s only a couple years older than me, his depth & knowledge of football is outstanding. He knows not just linebackers, he knows entire defenses, he knows the offense as well. He is definitely an up & coming coach in this league. Everybody was happy for him even being considered for a coaching job. I think eventually he will be an outstanding coach.”

High praise coming from a veteran guy like David Harris who has been around this league for quite sometime. Another quote from Jeff Howe (Patriots beat writer for the athletic), is one I found intriguing:

“Patriots players hoped Flores would get this promotion. They LOVE him, this will be well received in the locker room.”

Final Take:

With Bill and Flores in the 2018 season, the adjustment on defense will be interesting to see. Also with new additions via free agency and the draft, this season will be fun to watch. The excitement is high as many fans are eagerly waiting to see what Flores can do.

Who Is the Dark Horse to Earn a Spot on the Patriots?

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Every year, at least one hard-working player makes his way onto the Patriots roster. He could be a late-round draft choice, undrafted free agent, previous practice squad member, or just someone completely unexpected. Who will potentially be that dark horse player this year? BSE makes its picks.

Devansh Khanna (@devansh0429) – Keion Crossen

Keion Crossen Photos - 3 of 4

Photo Credit: Getty Images

I have to go with Crossen here. The dude has a work ethic that Belichick loves. He’s ready to prove it to the NFL why he is a diamond in the rough after not even getting an invite to the combine. He ran a 4.32 at Wake Forest’s Pro Day, which would have tied for first at the combine. You will never see Crossen get beat downfield, and his hips and movement are very fluid. He’s stronger than his frame lets on, and his football IQ and character will put him over the top. Crossen will compete with Cyrus Jones, J.C Jackson, Jomal Wiltz, and Ryan Lewis for the sixth cornerback spot.

Matthew O’Halloran (@Prime_Kyrie2) – Cody Hollister

See the source image

Photo Credit: Getty Images

My dark horse pick to make the roster is Cody Hollister. The Patriots are thin at the receiver position and Hollister is 6’4″. If Britt does not play well in training camp, look for him to be cut, allowing for Hollister to be the backup tall receiver.

Steve Atkinson (@stevea1127) – Danny Etling

See the source image

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Will the Patriots keep three quarterbacks? After selecting Danny Etling in the seventh round of the NFL draft, the Patriots now have three quarterbacks on their roster. Tom Brady isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and the Patriots still have backup Brian Hoyer. Danny Etling comes out of LSU and to everyone’s surprise, the Patriots have eyed him for a while. The Patriots don’t usually keep three quarterbacks. However, Tom Brady will be 41 in August and the Patriots need to start looking at options for his successor. Etling is already starting to work with Tom Brady’s throwing coaches in California. Expect to see Danny Etling on the team for the 2018 NFL season.

Michael Clement (@MikeClement_) – Frank Herron

Herron is a senior defensive tackle coming out of LSU who recently signed with New England after going undrafted. Officially listed as a strong-side defensive end in college, Herron possesses enough versatility to play both inside and outside on the defensive line. A versatile player hailing from the SEC is a match made in heaven for Bill Belichick. Though Trey Flowers and newly-acquired Adrian Clayborn will lock down the starting roles each end, Frank Herron can provide some depth on either side. He’ll most likely battle for a roster spot as a defensive tackle, a position that was plagued with injuries last year. Defensive tackles Malcolm Brown and Danny Shelton both had their fifth-year team options declined recently, so if they fail to give New England a reason to re-sign them Herron could make his way up the depth chart this season.

Herron logged 67 tackles, two sacks, and three forced fumbles in his four years at LSU. Though those aren’t the prettiest numbers, the film reel tells all. Frank Herron is the supporting role on the defensive line that the Patriots cannot let go this summer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRPo7ousdV4

 

Who do you think the dark horse will be this year? Let us know on Twitter and Instagram.

Looking at the Patriots Draft Picks

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Going over the Patriots Draft Picks

Via NESN.comThe Patriots waited until the seventh round to select a quarterback. Danny Etling out of LSU has worked out with Tom Brady’s throwing coaches in California and worked on his mechanics. Etling is excited to learn from the greatest quarterback of all time. However, he seemed to go under the radar in the NFL Draft, and it’s a wonder what Belichick has up his sleeve.

The Patriots Plan for the Future

Via Patriots.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ZWI7sQRBo

Nick Caserio spoke after the draft and explained why the Patriots took Etling: “[Etling] was a player that we spent some time with here as a part of the process. Here’s a guy, a Purdue transfer, went down to LSU and the thing about him – he played for Coach [Cam] Cameron in kind of a pro-style offense. He had some experience. The one thing he didn’t do – he didn’t turn the ball over. You look at his career production and this guy didn’t turn the ball over. I think it was 16-2 this year, a low percentage. He takes care of the ball, smart, pretty accurate thrower. There’s some good qualities and traits that we think we can work with and develop. He played against good people on a weekly basis.” We’ll see how he does and sees if he’s a fit for the Patriots. With knowing that Brady has at least two more years they really needed to draft a quarterback.

As for running back Sony Michel who they drafted 31st overall in the draft, he seems to be an explosive force in the backfield. The Patriots could not only use Michel as a running back, but also as a receiver.  The Patriots have Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, and James White also at the running back position. In the 2017, season according to PatsPulpit the Patriots ran the ball 48% of the time. That number dropped to 36% of the time when Rex Burkhead was in the backfield.  Nick Caserio said after the draft, “We think [Michel is] a good football player, so we picked the player. He’s got pretty good skills, he’s athletic, he’s good in space, he’s a strong runner for his size.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UAtbW46JoE

The Patriots Almost Got Baker Mayfield

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The Giants and Patriots Almost Made a Trade for Baker Mayfield

Via Sports Illustrated

Believe it or not, Baker Mayfield was almost a New England Patriot, according to his agent. The Giants and Patriots were in discussion about a possible trade for the Patriots to move up to the number two spot in the Draft. But when the Browns got Mayfield, the talks stopped, and it never happened. What also didn’t happen was Lamar Jackson going to New England. That was a complete smokescreen by Bill Belichick, making people think they are into Lamar Jackson when really they wanted to get Baker Mayfield.

Baker Mayfield was the closest thing to Jimmy Garoppolo in this draft. The next head coach Josh McDaniels was really into Baker Mayfield being the heir apparent to Tom Brady. I still do believe that Belichick is leaving after this season and Josh McDaniels will be taking over starting next season. With everything going on lately, I really don’t blame Belichick for walking away. Imagine Baker Mayfield in a Patriots uniform, though. There are people comparing him to Johnny Manziel. Who knows if any of the quarterbacks will be a bust or not? For some, it goes to their head, and for others, they work their tails off to get better.

People Are Already Judging Danny Etling

Via NESN.com

People seem to want to forget that Tom Brady was taken in the sixth round at pick 199. Dan Etling is no Tom Brady, however, he’s working with Brady’s throwing coaches and that should be taken into consideration. Why is there no talk about Danny Etling? Did the Patriots draft their next quarterback in this draft? Who knows. Let’s see how Etling does before we jump to conclusions that he’s going to suck. Instead of getting Mayfield, they instead loaded up McDaniels for next season with draft picks. I don’t see Brian Hoyer with the team after this upcoming season. Then in 2020, it will be Josh McDaniels, Etling (or another quarterback), and the backup with a completely new Patriots team.