Tag Archives: #Patriots Nation

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

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.

Sony Michel is a Vital Piece to Patriots Offense

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Sony Michel’s Importance to Patriots

Sony Michel has been one of the most important pieces in this Patriot offense. Since Week 2, all the rookie running back did was improve and get better each week. With injuries to Rex Burkhead and Jeremy Hill, suddenly the rookie was the main focal point.

Michel played his first NFL game in Week 2 and was still getting used to the offense and playbook. He didn’t have a preseason, but he used Weeks 2 and 3 to get himself acclimated to this complicated offense.

Week 4 Was The Turning Point

Of course, James White is still involved as he is on a historic pace for receptions by a running back. He isn’t the early down back this team needs, he’s perfect in his role. Adding more to Whites plate could result in another loss, to what was once a crowded backfield.

Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

James White is teaching Michel everything he knows. It showed in a week 4 win over Miami. Sony Michel broke out for 112 yards on 25 carries averaging 4.48 yards per carry. Week 5 was more of the same as Michel rushed for 98 yards averaging 5.44 yards per carry. Michel scored a touchdown both weeks.

New England’s Offense is playing great football, using the ground game to set up the pass. When week 6 came it seemed obvious that Sony was worth the high draft pick. Sony Michel did not disappoint turning in a great game for the third week in a row, it was no fluke. The rookie rushed for 106 yards averaging 4.42 yards per carry, scoring two touchdowns as the Patriots kept their win streak going.

Patriots Offense Without Sony Michel

Sony Michel was looking like a seasoned veteran, riding a hot streak with 4 touchdowns in his last three games. While his counterpart James White was catching passes out of the backfield, New England’s running backs were playing at a very high level.

Sony Michel somehow dodges season ending bullet

Unfortunately just 4 rush attempts into week 7 against Chicago, Michel went down with what looked to be a season ending injury. All of New England held their breath as they watched this dynamic rookie get helped off the field. Fans and teammates fearful it could be the last time he played in 2018. During Sony’s absence during that game James White and Kenyon Barner stepped in and played well enough to contribute to the win. James White is a great running back, he’s not a guy who is going to take it 25 times a game and hit the hole. He has his own role carved out, and he’s done it better than anyone before him.

Sony Michel’s absence really showed up against the Bills on Monday Night. Barner was nowhere to be found, while White was still amazing as a pass catcher. New England was really missing the early down back Michel had turned into. Josh McDaniels used WR Cordarrelle Patterson and James White to fill Michel’s spot and it wasn’t pretty. Without Sony, this offense is very unbalanced, and the red zone may be where the rookie is missed most. Field goals instead of touchdowns were an issue Monday night, the Michel and White combo will change that.

To Play or Not to Play…What Will the Patriots Do?

New England needs Sony back to get those short yards on third down or in the red zone. He’s questionable for Week 9 against GB, his importance can’t be understated. I’m not sure if Bill Belichick is going to play him Sunday night, or if we won’t see him again until after the bye in week 12. Michel seems to be trending in the right direction and could quite possibly play against the Packers. New England knows the positive effect this rookie running back has on every single player on this team. So they will not rush him back if he’s not ready, he is the only early down back N.E has. When he does return, Sony will allow the offense to look like it did Weeks 4-6 and the offense will run much better than it did last week.

Tom Brady-200 WIN QB

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200 WINS FOR THE 199th DRAFT PICK

Tom Brady is the only Quarterback in NFL History to win 200 regular season games. He has been a part of great teams throughout his career, which have contributed to this milestone. Brady would be the first one to deflect this achievement and speak about all the great players who have helped him get to this point.

On the other hand, Brady has put this team on his back many of times and won in spite of poor defensive play. That is something Tom would never say, so I’ll say it for him. He’s done more with less than any QB in history.

Via hubwav

Brady already held the record for most regular season wins for a quarterback. He passed Peyton Manning and Brett Favre last October, winning his 187th game, passing the previous record of 186 in a win against the Jets.

NUMBER 200 WAS A SHOOTOUT

Number 200 came against the hottest offense in the NFL through 5 games, the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Because of Tom’s age, the media wanted this game to be a passing of the torch. A loss for Brady and a win for the young gun slinger.

Brady, just as he started his career, drove his offense down the field like he has, well 199 other times. His 39 yard strike to Rob Gronkowski set up Stephen Gostkowski’s game winning field goal. New England won 43-40 in this week 6 track meet, as the offense stepped up and traded punches with the Chiefs.

Tom Brady went 24 of 35 for 340 yards, with one TD and zero interceptions. He also got his team the lead back in the fourth quarter by scoring a rushing TD to add to his stat line.

THIS ISN’T OVER

For a quarterback to be able to achieve a record like this, it takes talent and longevity. Tom Brady is arguably the greatest quarterback to have ever played in the NFL, and he’s not done yet. His relentless desire to win combined with the way he takes care of himself, has allowed him to be an extremely durable piece for the Patriots.

As Brady has said many times before, he plans to play until he is 45. But I can assure you it’s not for records like this. He is chasing that sixth Super Bowl Championship that New England fell short of last year.

Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Tom is a walking Hall of Famer and he still isn’t satisfied. He is on a different level compared to other quarterbacks. Brady will look to win number 201 next week against a dominant Chicago Bears defense.

At the end of the day Brady has records stacked on top of records, but all he wants is more Super Bowl Rings. His dedication and love for the game makes everyone around him better. His Patriots are now 4-2, despite some writing this team off. Focusing on one game at a time, Brady is already studying the Bears defense to see where he can exploit them next week.

200 wins is quite the achievement, especially when he has 27 postseason wins on top of that. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are on to Chicago, trying to keep these wins coming.

James White’s Sweet Feet For Strikes

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These Guys Don’t Take Days Off

David Andrews arrives

A day after a Patriots win, James white hosted ‘Sweet Feet For Strikes’ formerly known as The Mayo Bowl.

Jerod Mayo passed the torch to James White last year, last night being the 9th annual celebrity bowling tournament to benefit Boston Medical Center. As usual, this great fundraiser had a lot of support from Patriots players. Current and former players were walking the red carpet. Jerod Mayo, David Andrews, Eric Rowe, Sony Michel, Stephon Gilmore, Phillip Dorsett, Kyle Van Noy, Geneo Grissom, Scott Zolak, Matt Chatham were the football stars. Along with New England Revolution star, Scott Coldwell, and former Boston Bruins star Andrew Raycroft.

Sweet Feet for Strikes kicks Off

Once eveyone got in from the rain, James White wanted to get on stage to give a few words. “Boston Medical Center has a great motto, exceptional care without exception, and it’s just a great motto, because it really speaks to how the service is there.” White continued, “every time I visit you can just tell how they truly care about the patients, it’s like they treat them like family, and that’s what you want.” “Because these kids are in dire need, and for us and a lot of my teammates that are back here, we try and do as much as we can to help those who are less fortunate than us, we do as much as we can.”

Sweet Feet for Strikes is a Fun charity for a wonderful cause. Which before last night has raised $2.3 million for Boston Medical Center.

James White aka “Sweet Feet” on the football field is also an avid bowler. His wife Diana Civitello attested to James’s skills. Rookie Running Back Sony Michel introduced carrying his own shoes to the event.

Sony Michel having fun

Last Nights Sweet Feet for Strikes Brought in a lot of players-All having fun at the Auction to Raise more Money

Red carpet

All the Proceeds from the event go to Boston Medical Center. Sweet Feet for Strikes was held last night at Kings Dining and Entertainment in Dedham. Blue Sky Sports and Entertainment was a partner to this great event. In 2017 Sweet Feet for Strikes raised over $400,000.00, This year was a great turnout again. From everyone at Boston Sports Extra we would like to thank James White, and everyone involved, for doing such a great job last night. Boston Medical Center does a great job every day, so a big thank you to BMC as well

A couple more photos from all the fun!

Kyle Van Noy

Red carpet

Rookie Jersey Number Prognostication: Part 2

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This is the epic conclusion to the rookie jersey number prognostication. If you missed the first part you can find it here: https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2018/08/rookie-number-prognostication-part-1

Picking a jersey number is a very important decision in a rookies’ young career. It can mean the difference between Hall of Fame worthy statistics and retiring after only a few years. Below are the Rookie numbers that the latter half of the New England Patriots’ 2018 rookie class chose and how the previous wearer’s career unfolded. Based on the history of the number you can easily see how this will go. So read on and you can forget about any other analysis!

Keion Crossen — No. 35

This number is a veritable who’s who of one hit wonders on the Patriots with a single exception. “Big Jim” Nance wore this number proudly as a hard hitting fullback in the 60’s. Since then it has been filled with running backs that can now be served as answers to trivia questions. Tyler Gaffney, Jonas Gray, Patrick Pass, and Mike Gillislee all wore this number. Even a special teams safety by the name of Ross Ventrone wore it.

Greatness Verdict: He’s got a shot. Given the age and different position of the last great player who wore this number it’s ready for a hero. Crossen could be the guy that ushers in a new age for the No. 34.

Duke Dawson — No. 42

Can former players’ personalities and attributes live on in their numbers? I think so. Ronnie Lippett, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Mack Herron, and Don Webb. Each wore this number and I’m pretty sure that they are all in the Pat’s dictionary under the word “Grit.” Whether its picking off Dan Marino, being an undersized returner scoring touchdowns or having a cool nickname like “Law Firm.” This number has some star power.

Greatness Verdict: Not Great but close. There is no way that he can’t be a gritty, hard-nosed slot DB while wearing this number. I’m pretty sure he was born holding a lunch pail. I can’t wait for him to grab a roster spot with both hands and keep it for the better part of a decade.

Christian Sam — No. 44

If you’re number 44 for the Patriots you’ve got to have a fantastic name, or at the very least a good name. John Outlaw might be the best name for a DB to have hands down. He would’ve rivaled Deion Sanders had he played in a different day and age. It’s a shame he played his best football as a member of the Eagles starting in ‘73. And there are a load of other good names; White Graves, James Idhegibo, Asante Cleveland, The Don Calhoun and even a Heath Evans. I’m not sure if Christian Sam is going to cut it.

Greatness Verdict: Our second “Not wearing this number.” I like his future but clearly the stars are against him on this one. Not only does the number not have a personality identity, but it also needs a good name for it. Switch it quick!

Ja’Whaun Bentley — No. 51

This number is fascinating. A mix of the pious and the illegal. Don Davis the current New England Patriots chaplain vs. Eugene Lockhart who served 3 years for federal fraud charges. Off the field “star” power and on the field star power. Bob Golic of Saved by the Bell: the College years and a member of the ESPN Golics, and Jerod Mayo, a stalwart captain of the defense for the Patriots.

Greatness Verdict: Slam Dunk! Getting Mayo’s old number will serve this young star well. This number will only help him prove he is more Mayo than Spikes as a linebacker.

Isaiah Wynn — No. 76

Not good. Again a personality trait keeps coming up and it screams underrated. Sebastian Vollmer and Brian Holloway are perfect examples of this. You have one bonafide star in Charley Long playing in a long ago age and plenty of workhorse players; Brandon Gorin, William Roberts, Dave Rowe. Its going to be tough to break that mold and remake the number in today’s age.

Greatness Verdict: 50/50 chance. If Wynn returns from his injury healthy and wins a tackle spot he has a chance to make a name for himself. I’m rooting for the kid and would rather see him live up to his 1st round status and outshine the other big men who wore this number.

Ryan Izzo — No. 85

Not only does this number have a Hall of Fame inductee, it also has a member of the 1985 Super Bowl team. But do to unfortunate events it will forever be known as the number held by one of the most infamous ex-players in the history of the league: Aaron Hernandez. Can Ryan Izzo overcome the checkered past of this number and make it his own?

Greatness Verdict: I just can’t see this happening. He’s got to overcome the stain that the former tight end has casted on this number. If Izzo was a linebacker or lineman I would say that he has a shot.

Thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed my humorous take on the numbers that the rookies chose as well as learned a little about the history of some Patriots that have worn them.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all of your favorite Boston sports teams at Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32
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The Case of Ja’Whaun Bentley

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“With the No. 143 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Ja’Whaun Bentley, ILB, Purdue. He is a 6-foot-2, 260 pounds off-the-ball linebacker who’s considered to some as a contact player.”

Following the Super Bowl, a glaring need for the Patriots was a coverage linebacker. When New England drafted Ja’Whaun Bentley, the NFL community didn’t think as much of it. After all, his draft profile from the NFL.com didn’t show much promise.

“…Bentley has athletic limitations that hinder his effectiveness as an NFL finisher and he’s ill-suited to handle coverage duties against the pass. Bentley lacks ideal speed and reaction time…”

He has been proving this profile wrong as he continues to impress in preseason games. In his debut, he logged six tackles (two for loss) and a quarterback hit in addition to four stops in coverage. This performance earned him a 90.0 PFF grade and a spot in PFF’s Team of the Week Defense.

In his second preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he started over Elandon Roberts and ended the game again with six tackles and more notably returned a fumble back for a touchdown. He also forced incompletions against the likes of Jay Ajayi and Dallas Goedert.

Strip sack! Recovery!

TO THE HOUSE. @Patriots #PHIvsNE https://t.co/uxrXTHeJv9

— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2018

Bright Future for the Rookie

One of his biggest concerns about Bentley was his speed and coverage skills. He shined in both of these areas in the two preseason games he had played. He has been able to keep up with both tight ends and running backs which is a good sign for the young rookie and a sign of relief for New England fans. Scott Zolak even noted how Bentley looked like a young Jerod Mayo out there, except Mayo was never that fast.

Another important fact of note is that the rookie donned the green dot on his helmet, meaning that he was the one calling plays for the first team defense. The New England staff has a lot of faith in him.

“He’s always been the middle linebacker, the signal caller, the guy right in the middle of the defense,” Bill Belichick said, citing Bentley’s experience as a four-year captain at Purdue. “He does a good job of handling the communication and some of the adjustments that have to be made from the center of the field, which that’s his position; that’s part of it. He’s been able to do that pretty well since he’s come here… He’s got a long way to go, but he’s handled those things well.” (USA Today)

All in all, Ja’Whaun Bentley has been impressing on all cylinders. He’s smart, intuitive, strong, and possesses a huge build. If he continues to play like he has been, Bentley can take over Elandon Roberts’ spot as the starter.

Robert Kraft Calls out ‘Hogwash’ Reporting

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Lots of Hogwash Reporting

Video: Robert Kraft, after the Myra Kraft Community MVP event, goes on record with strong denial of trade rumors (re: Rob Gronkowski). pic.twitter.com/Sw4ZAtPUlr

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 12, 2018

The Patriots have the next two days off of OTAs. This means the next time the Patriots take the practice field will be when Training Camp starts on July 26th. The Patriots have had a wild off-season, and owner Robert Kraft brought back an old word yesterday: ‘hogwash.’ Kraft used the word in reference to the Rob Gronkowski trade rumors from last Friday. Robert Kraft was trying to be clear that Gronkowski was never going to be traded. Tom Brady took the week off and so did Rob Gronkowski following the mandatory minicamp last week.

To recap the Patriots’ off-season, they had Josh McDaniels come back, and drafted a quarterback and singed Etling to a four-year deal. There has been lots of fake news and hogwash reporting going on according to Gronkowski and the owner Robert Kraft. Tom Brady has been quiet while training at TB12 and throwing to Julian Edelman after OTAs. Julian Edelman got popped for PEDs, but it’s an unknown substance, so who knows if Edelman could win his appeal. Alex Guerrero quickly denied that TB12 had anything to do with Edelman’s positive drug test.

Looking Ahead

Putting all the hogwash reporting aside, it should be a fun season. This may be the last season we’ll ever see from Brady and Belichick. People seem to disagree with that statement, but why else was Josh McDaniels brought back? Rumor has it Josh McDaniels has his eye on a quarterback in next year’s draft. Rumor also is Josh will draft a quarterback next season, so if or when Brady retires after 2019, Etling will be the starter.

On to Training Camp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9c3FOTJxM

That might be thinking too far ahead. We will get a good look into this season starting in a month with Training Camp. Those hot days in July when the stands, grass, and ramps at Gilette are filled with people and reporters. This time around it might be a little different, but it’s exciting to see another football season.

The Importance of Devin McCourty

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The Importance Of Devin McCourty

Via BET.com

Devin McCourty had an MRI last week and a follow-up today according to an insider at Patriot Place. McCourty is a leader on that team and really is the voice of the locker room. He brings that leadership quality and it really shows. I’m not sure why he had the MRI. I just know that he had one and it doesn’t seem serious.

Devin’s Leadership Is Needed

McCourty is also happy about having his brother on the team, telling Mike Reiss last Tuesday, “He brings leadership that I think we don’t have on this team; he knows how to deal with adversity,”Sometimes we get in a routine — we’ve won a lot of football games — and it’s always good to hear a different perspective of what it takes so you’re not kind of getting worn down or thinking this is too much. You get a perspective from him going 0-16. He always tells me, ‘Last year, worst year ever.’ I think hearing that motivates you and lets you know you’re doing the right things that push you.”

Jason McCourty will replace Malcolm Butler at cornerback. Jason is excited to be a Patriot, and to be on the same team as his brother. He also told Reiss last week, “There were times when you thought ‘maybe,’ but kind of towards the end it was just, ‘I don’t know if it’s going to happen. Mostly for our family, this has been really exciting and cool for them just to have the opportunity; our mom, older brother who’s kind of watched our careers our whole lives. So to see us come together at this level is just kind of a special thing.”

Devin McCourty getting checked out by the Patriots medical staff and attending the workouts is a great sign. He doesn’t let the outside noise get to him, and makes sure he does what’s in the best interest of not just for himself: he knows the Patriot Way centers on the team.