Tag Archives: NFL

Tom Brady wants to play in 2019 and beyond

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Tom Brady wants to play many more years

Every year at this time we come to question whether or not Tom Brady will play the following year or hang it up. Every year we get the same answer. He’s playing for many more years. He made his point clear to Jim Gray when he was asked if he’s playing in 2019. His lack of production this season could be because of his lack of weapons on offense. With missing key offensive guys like Amendola and Cooks this year, it could be the reason Brady hasn’t looked that great.

Brady will have to be all in

Tom Brady last offseason wanted to spend more time with his family and skipped OTA’s. He took a lot of criticism for skipping the offseason workout program. People thought he should be there because he’s trying to play into his 40’s and it’s not an easy thing to do.  At some point, Brady needs to be realistic as to how many good years he has left. If he wants to play at a high level, there may have to be less family time in the offseason.

The injuries don’t help on offense either. Rob Gronkowski seems not himself this year and is rumored to retire at the end of the season. I like Brady’s confidence that he’s determined to play at a high level at 42 and beyond. He’s said before he wants to play until 45 so that’s three more years to develop a quarterback and build a championship team, so Brady can have receivers to throw to. One bad year for Brady, people will be talking about he’s falling off a cliff. However, there’s nobody with as much confidence as him in sports.

Courtesy of Nancy Lane

If Tom Brady wins the Super Bowl it will be his greatest achievement

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Tom Brady has the chance to make history again

The Patriots have had a roller coaster type of season.  They have lost five games, and all on the road.  That is very rare for this team.  This is now the weakest receiving group since Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney.  That was the 2006 season, when the Patriots lost in the AFC Championship game to the Colts.  Some are even comparing this team to the 2009 team, when everyone was all over the place and not in sync.  After last season, and the loss of Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks, they were missing a deep threat.  They traded for Patterson, and still have Hogan, Dorsett, and Edelman coming back from injury.  Now Tom Brady can lead the way with this group of talent and possibly win the Super Bowl. He needs to remember to focus on his upper back stretches for after the game. We don’t want any injuries this season.

Receivers will have to step up

It’s time now for other guys to step up in big moments.  Chris Hogan, Julian Edelman, and Gronkowski need to have the best games of their careers the last two weeks of the season.  Unfortunately, the teams they play lack stiff competition, but it would be good practice for the playoffs.  Brady is the best at taking mediocre talent, and transforming it into top play-makers in a big spot.  Brady has had a rough year this season, but has the chance to pull something off that he’s never done before.  Win a Super Bowl with less talent on offense than the previous years’.

He can tell the doubters he had that skipping OTA’s wasn’t a big deal.  Taking care of himself is more important, and he has the answers to the test already.  At 41 years old he can be the GOAT he is and lead this team to another Super Bowl.  It’s not going to be an easy task, but it could be done with the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.

Here is why Josh Gordon was on the sideline on final play

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New England has lost its second game in December, the first time since 2002.  The Patriots decided to take Josh Gordon out for the final play of the game.  McDaniels answered questions, and Josh Gordon’s absence on that play was a hot topic.

Josh Gordon Should’ve been on the field on Sunday

4th and Goal

Where was Josh Gordon

The Patriots loss didn’t come down to one single play, but again player personnel was an issue.  After the game Bill Belichick was asked about Gordon’s absence.  The head coach said they opted for Cordarrelle Patterson instead, which didn’t answer anything really.

Patterson is another big, athletic, jump ball receiver.  The answer from Belichick didn’t cut it for me, because having Gordon and Patterson in for the play would’ve made sense.  But that wasn’t the case, Gordon who played 58 snaps compared to Patterson’s 4 were swapped for the biggest play of the game.

McDaniels Explains Gordon’s Absence

The Patriots found themselves in position to tie the game after driving down the field.  The game looked like every other Patriots comeback, until the holding call on second down.  That penalty on second down moved the offense from the 11 yard line, back to the 21 yard line and loss of a down.  The Steelers took a timeout before Tom Brady’s final attempt to win.  Gordon ran to the sideline during the time out and left many scratching their head.

McDaniels wanted fresh legs for the final play?

Via SI.com

Josh Gordon wasn’t made available to the media after the game.  McDaniels said that “the offense had run quite a few plays in a row.”  He Seems to be indicating Gordon was tired.  He went on to say Patterson was sent in as a “fresh guy” to try and make a play.  He stated there is no ulterior motive behind the decision.

Josh Gordon Gives The Patriots the Best Chance to Win

The whole situation is strange, and Tom Brady could have used Gordon’s big catch radius and play-making ability on 4th down.  New England needs to win the final two games of the year, and Gordon needs to be on the field.  Josh Gordon is the teams leading receiver, tied for most TDs, and had quickly become Brady’s go to guy.  The Patriots need to play better on the field, but the play calling and coaching also need to be better moving forward.

 

Is this a repeat of the 2009 season for the Patriots?

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This could be a repeat of the 2009 season

Via SI.com

The Patriots are now 3-5 on the road after the loss to the Steelers on Sunday.  This is the first time since 2009 the Patriots have lost 5 games in a season.  It’s like what Belichick said to Brady in ‘A Football Life’ “I can’t get this team to play the way I want them to.”  He said that after the New Orleans Saints game in 09, and remember they got shelled in the division round that season by the Baltimore Ravens.  The Patriots struggles on the road continue, and Brady looks like he misses the receivers he had last year.

Unusual for the Patriots to lose two in a row in December

The only teams the Patriots have beaten on the road this season are the Bills, Jets, and Bears.  The rest you’re left scratching your head as to why they lost to the Titans, Lions, Jaguars, Dolphins, and Steelers.  Every time they play on the road, that team treats it like the Super Bowl, because it’s the Patriots.  Then the following week they lose because they prepared too much for the Patriots.

I can’t remember the last time the Patriots lost back to back games in December.  Right now is usually the time they play well and not make stupid mistakes.  The Patriots had every opportunity to win that game Sunday and didn’t take advantge of Pittsburgh’s mistakes.  Instead they made mistakes of their own.  The drop passes and interception into double coverage is uncommon for this team, especially in December.  They don’t play a real team until the playoffs start.  The Bills and Jets matchups to end the season are over before they even start.  Not only because the Patriots are home, but the Jets and Bills are terrible football teams.

Don’t expect a Super Bowl run for this team.  As in 2009, they’ll lose in the first round.   Could this be the beginning of the end?  That’s hard to say because of what this team does after having a lousy season.  They rebuild and be better next season.  But at that point Brady will be 42 and who knows if Gronkowski will be on the team.

Running Backs Will Be a Major Factor For This Offense

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Patriots Running Backs Need to Be More Consistent

Michel is important for NEs SB chances

Sony Michel has had great games when healthy this year.  The rookie has been a stud, making opponent’s respect the run game.  Last week in Miami wasn’t the same ground game as we saw against the Vikings. Sony Michel has the talent and football IQ to have great games.  The rookie just needs to be more consistent, weeks 4-6 he was running like a veteran.

New England lost him for a few  weeks after a scary looking injury.  Michel returned in week 10, although limited as the team wanted to be cautious.  He had 11 attempts for 31 yards, and the Pats lost to Tennessee.

New England came out of the bye with Sony looking great, as he rushed for 133 yards on 21 touches and a touchdown.  The last two weeks the Pats featured running back hasn’t eclipsed 65 yards on the ground or a touchdown.

The Running Game With The Return Of Rex

Sony’s Numbers were expected to go down slightly with Burkhead coming back from IR.  The Patriots brought Rex back in week 12, and Michel had his second best game of the year.  Since then, the numbers show that Michel is still getting the same amount of touches as he did weeks 4-6.  The yards and touchdowns haven’t followed.  Sony should get back on track against the Steelers, in a huge game for both teams.

Is Rex resting or still injured?

Rex Burkhead could be a huge playoff addition

Rex Burkhead came back from a long stint on the IR, looking to help the offense.  The hope was to take some pressure off of Michel and James White, since they’ve been overworked most of the season. Rex didn’t play in week 12, while Sony and White ran all over the Jets.  Burkhead’s return hasn’t been what I expected it to be.  Rex has only 11 rushing attempts for 22 yards in two games, with 3 receptions for 24 yards.  The Patriots could be bringing him back slowly, as they know what they’ve got in him from last year.

James White has been the glue, doing his job catching passes out of the backfield, also as the early down back on occasion.

White did have a good day running the ball alongside Michel in week 12, adding 73 yards on just 9 attempts.  This was his highest total of rushing yards of the season.  The following week, White had a great game against the Vikings.  But last week against Miami he had his lowest output of the year rushing and catching the ball.  New England’s on to Pittsburgh, and this running game should get back on track.

The Patriots Run Game Will Be Fine Moving foward

The Patriots have one of the best RB groups in the NFL, and they will need it against a tough Steelers run defefese.  James White and Sony Michel could be used heavily this week to keep Pittsburgh’s potent offense on the sideline.  James White and Sony Michel have been very impressive this year, but because of injury we’ve yet to see both at a high level consistently.  The offensive line, and injuries to Gronk and Dwayne Allen, have also contributed to some inconsistencies in the run game.

Running mates

Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

New England is as healthy as it’s been all year, and the Patriots RBs are going to use that to their advantage.  James White and Sony Michel will most certainly be used heavily, since history shows this is when New England starts to lean on the run game.

Rex Burkhead could have a breakout game, or he could still be getting some rest for the home stretch.  Bill Belichick is impossible to predict, especially when it comes to RBs.  Anyone who plays fantasy football knows that.  The Steelers are having a rough stretch as of late, and I expect Michel and White to run all over them.  New England’s RBs will set up the play action pass, and the Patriots will need the run game the rest of the way to be SB contenders.

The Patriots can’t seem to win on the road

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The Patriots have trouble on the road

Playing in Miami has always been tough

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is pressured by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (90) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots not only have issues in Miami, they have issues with winning on the road.  The Patriots losses this season have all come on the road: Jacksonville, Detroit, Tennesse, and Miami.  It’s not like these are good teams either.  They are beatable teams and the Patriots should be able to beat them.  The problem is these teams treat games against the Patriots like it’s the Super Bowl.  They prepare so well for the matchup with the Pats, then are terrible the following week.  It’s like teams are out to get them.  The defense doesn’t play well on the road either.  They need to or it’ll be a short playoff run.

The defense has been inconsistent all season

The defense at home has 15 sacks, while away they have nine. They also allowed 14 touchdowns at home and 12 on the road.  Not much of a difference there.  Finally, the defense has six interceptions at home, and eight on the road.  That proves the defense really hasn’t been playing well all season,  regardless if it’s home or away.  But to hold the Vikings to ten points one week, then let the Dolphins score almost every time they got the ball in the first half the next week, doesn’t make sense.

The real test will be Pittsburgh this week.  If they lose this week it could be a factor for the number two seed.  The number one seed, of course, is out of the picture after the debacle in Miami.  They need to win on the road if they want to go to the Super Bowl again.  The way they’ve been playing all season, and the mental toughness questions surrounding the defense, might make that a tough task.  Doesn’t mean it’s not possible, but they would have a better shot if they were home.

Goodbye Number One Seed in the AFC

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The Patriots will not be getting the number one seed in the AFC

Playing in Miami has always been tough

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is pressured by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (90) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots are 16-38 all-time in Miami and can’t seem to ever get a win.  This loss for the Patriots is one of the top losses on the season.  With the loss today you can say goodbye to the number one seed in the AFC. Kansas City beat Baltimore today, and holds a two-game lead in the conference.  The Patriots seem to struggle a lot defensively, especially on the road this season.  Last week they just held the Vikings to ten points, but in today’s game every time New England scored, Miami would score quickly. Also, the missed field goals need to stop.  Losing on a play like that to end a game is something you never see.  I haven’t seen that since playing Madden.  No excuse for why you can’t make the tackle.

The Patriots need to work on mental toughness as a team

Now they just made it harder for themselves to get a bye in the AFC Conferene.  They will play the Steelers next week in a big matchup, then finish with the Jets and Bills. Kansas City isn’t losing the rest of the season so the hope that the Patriots would host the Chiefs in the playoffs is gone.  Gronkowski, Edelman, and Gordon looked good.  And finally some life out of Patterson. But that defense is scary, and if people think they can beat Kansas City at Arrowhead it’s not going to happen.

You rarely see a Belichick team lose a game that could risk getting them the number one seed. Gronkowski talked about his mental toughness and the team’s after the game.  Their mental toughness has been in question all season for some reason.  Gronkowski seemed to finally be back on track today but it wasn’t enough.  They just can’t win in Miami for whatever reason.  The defense ranks 9th in points, 22nd in yards, 24th in passing yards, and 13th in rushing yards.

Brady and Gronk-Both Back at Full Strength

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Good News In New England on Thursday

The Patriots had a good practice yesterday, as Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were both removed from the injury report.  Tom Brady has been dealing with a knee injury, and has been limited at practice.

Rob Gronkowski has been fighting through ankle(s), and a a very concerning back injury. The future HOF Tight End has had back issues dating back to his college days, involving multiple surgeries.

Patriots Superstars Not Held Back In Thursdays Practice

Full participants

Via USA Today

The two Biggest Game-changers on the Patriots have been practicing, but both have been limited and listed on injury reports.  Thursday was a nice change of pace for the team and the fans, as both superstars were Full Participants.

Tom Brady’s participation has always been important, although Patriot fans have always known nothing would stop him from playing that week.

The Patriots can always count on Brady, but today’s news that he is completely off the injury report as a Full Participant is great to see.

Getting Healthy at The Perfect Time

Rob Gronkowski has been fighting through injuries his entire football career, this season in particular has been frustrating for him.

Unlike his quarterback, whenever Gronks name shows up on the injury report, the Patriots need to prepare as if he may not play that week.

Gronkowski’s back-Not holding him back this week

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The news that both players were full participants today is noteworthy, as New England is looking to clinch the division Sunday.

New England’s track record against Miami away from home has not been great during the Tom Brady era.  The Dolphins always play them tough, the Patriots can’t afford to drop a game in Miami as they often have.  New England is currently the number 2 seed behind KC, with the tiebreaker on their side.  So a win Sunday is very important if the Pats want home field throughout the playoffs.

Josh McDaniels Rumored in Head Coaching Circles…Again

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Despite his protestations to the contrary, the rumor mill continues to swirl with possible destinations for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels at season’s end. As we all know, McDaniels ripped a chapter out of the Bill Belichick playbook last season when he accepted the Indy head coaching job but before the Colts’ brass had time to say, “Welcome to Indianapolis”, McDaniels had rescinded his acceptance and came back into the lovin’ arms of New England with a five-year deal intact.

McDaniels has already had an unsuccessful run as a head coach in Denver but his uninterrupted success with the New England offense has given him street cred throughout the league and most teams would love to land him. All but the Indianapolis Colts that is, yet, McDaniels continues to insist his loyalty lies with the Patriots. Even the oddsmakers at the well reviewed online sportsbook  5Dimes have McDaniels as the favorite to replace the recently fired Mike McCarthy in Green Bay. Other online sportsbooks, all of which can be seen in one convenient location at Sportsbook Review, have a variety of destinations and accompanying odds for McDaniels next season.

In the here and now, McDaniels is once again propped atop designing one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL led by the greatest quarterback to ever hurl the leather, Tom Brady. In typical Patriot fashion, McDaniels is steering clear of any controversy but not flatly denying an eventual move to the big chair.

“I don’t really worry about the future, and honestly, each week is a tremendous challenge. We try to stay in the moment and focus about the task at hand which this week is considerable considering we haven’t had a lot of success down (in Miami),” said McDaniels.

 

Patriots in Hunt for AFC Supremacy

New England’s 24-10 win over the Vikings cemented their hold on the AFC East and sent a clear shot across the league that they are once again for real. The defense, a bone of contention earlier in the year, has allowed a paltry 11.5 points per game over their last four victories. Sandwiched between those wins was a stunning 34-10 loss to the Titans but that game was the exception rather than the rule and the Patriots may get a redo if Tennessee secures a playoff berth.

The Patriots will be playing three of their four remaining regular season games against divisional rivals which means a 12-4 season is pretty much a foregone conclusion. However, the lone test left will be a visit to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in what could be a precursor to an AFC title tilt, assuming Kansas City falls flat. But defeating New England in December is a daunting task to say the least. When the weather gets cold the Patriots get hot as evidenced by their 65-13 straight up mark in December since TB12 and The Hoodie teamed up way back in 2000. Brady has been a part of all but six of those wins, four as a rookie and two when he was shelved in ’08 with a season-ending knee injury in the opening game of the season.

Now that the Chiefs are without a ground attack, thanks to Kareem Hunt and his complete lack of self-control in striking a woman back in February, the Pats are now the hunter and not the hunted. New England claims divisional titles like UPS picks up packages so another AFC East crown renders only polite applause from Patriots’ fans. What we really want to see is Big Ben in a body bag come December 16th and another evisceration of Pittsburgh’s hopes and dreams of winning an AFC crown. The Patriots look to make it six straight over the Steelers, with Pittsburgh last defeating New England more than seven years ago. May the streak continue.

The Number one seed is wide open in the AFC

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The Number one seed

December is a great time of year in the NFL.  The Patriots could possibly get the number one seed in the NFL even though their star players aren’t playing at 100 percent.  The Kansas City Chiefs have a bit of a distraction with the release of running back Kareem Hunt.  The Chargers came back in the fourth quarter to beat the Steelers and the Patriots can waltz to the number one seed with no problems.  It’s amazing how a team like the Patriots can have an average season and still get the number one seed in the Conference.

The Patriots could still get the number one seed

The Patriots play in Miami Sunday, then it’s the Steelers, Jets, and Bills.  They don’t play well in Miami but the Dolphins will find a way to lose the game.  Then the Steelers, they seem to lose games for themselves lately too.  Pittsburgh completely choked last Sunday night against the Chargers and history will repeat when the Pats play them in two weeks.  The Jets and Bills should be layups and easy wins.  It’s a no-brainer the Patriots have the easiest path to the number one seed.

The Chiefs have a difficult schedule for the next two weeks.  They play the Ravens on Sunday which should be a win for them but then have a quick turnaround and play the following Thursday night against the Chargers.  Those Sunday then Thursday games are tough for obvious reasons, it’s hard playing two games in a week with little or no practice.  Then it gets easier with the Chiefs playing the Seahawks and Raiders to close the season.

The Chargers last four games are the Bengals this Sunday, then Thursday against the Chiefs, and the last two are against the Ravens and the Broncos.  The game of the season for the Chargers and the Chiefs is next Thursday.  Both teams will be tired but it’s a win for the Patriots.  Teams, in general, find ways to lose games to give the Patriots the perfect opportunity for the number one seed.  The Chiefs could lose one more game and the Patriots could get the number one seed which is huge for the potential AFC Championship game be in New England.