Tag Archives: Patriots

Patriots Defeat Redskins In Preseason Opener

After a heartbreaking super bowl and crazy offseason, Patriots’ football is finally back with some preseason action vs the Redskins.

First Half

In the first defensive drive, the Patriots forced a punt. Stephon Gilmore was completed on twice, one of them being conservative in a zone and the other he was turned out on a comebacker. Patrick Chung made a tackle on a run, and he dId a great job coming down to the box on a run down. Chung was also the one to cause the punt by making a stop on third and seven. After Riley McCarron returned a punt, the Patriots went 3-and-out.

A run to Gillislee and throw to Hollister did not go far and a go route to Phillip Dorsett was incomplete on third and long. After a good return on a Ryan Allen punt, the Redskins cashed in on an opportunity to score. Stephon Gilmore was burned for a big gain. Then, Kyle Van Noy was burned by a running back on third and eleven to allow the first touchdown. The Patriots went 3 and out again, with a short Gillislee run, a coverage sack, and a throw over the middle to Dorsett that he could not haul in.

Courtesy of Washington Post

First Half Continued

JC Jackson made a tackle on a ten yard in route. Deatrich Wise Jr. got pressure, but McCoy dumped it off to a fullback. A few plays later, Keion Crossen made a big hit. The Pats were able to execute the “bend but don’t break” play, and the Redskins led 10-0. Jeremy Hill had a good run to start the next drive, but nothing happened after and they punted again.

JC Jackson could not break up a precision pass. Then, pressure by Derek Rivers and a deflection by Crossan caused a punt. Jeremy Hill had another good run up the middle, showing much more explosiveness than Mike Gillislee. However, a drop by Chris Hogan forced yet another punt. Keion Crossen looked silly and the tackling was awful as Sims got a big gain. The Redskins cashed in on a bootleg TD a few plays later. The Patriots’ offense finally got some points when Devin Lucien got wide open for two plays. Then, Stephen Gostkowski converted on a 52-yard field goal. The Redskins led 17-3 at the end of the first half.

Second Half

The Patriots started off the third quarter with a clock-consuming drive. Brian Hoyer connected with Cordarrelle Patterson on third down and Mike Gillislee had some nice runs, including two fourth-down conversions. Jeremy Hill evaded a tackler on third down to extend the drive. Finally, he punched it in from the one to cut the deficit to seven.

The Redskins went three and out on the next drive due to a holding penalty that lead to third and long. The Patriots had a couple nice runs to start the third and final drive of the third. After three, the Redskins led the Patriots by a score of 17-10.

Ralph Webb, an undrafted free agent got some carries and had some good runs including a third-down conversion. Cordarrelle Patterson made an impressive juggling nineteen-yard catch to get the Pats on the fringe of the end zone. Webb finished off the drive on a seven-yard run. Then, he made a catch on a two-yard conversion to give the Patriots an 18-17 lead.

Courtesy of Pats Pulpit

Second Half Continued

After a penalty, the Redskins went 3 and out again. On the next drive, Danny Etling and Mike Gillislee had a bad exchange and the Redskins recovered the fumble. The Patriots forced a fumble in return and Gino Grissom brought it back to the one yard line. Ralph Webb walked into the end zone for his second score of the game. Bill Belichick went for two again, and Ralph Webb punched it in. Dustin Hopkins hit the upright on the following drive and the Patriots maintained a 26-17 lead. It would prove to be the final score.

What Does Tom Brady’s Latest Contract News Mean For His Future? (@steveA1127)

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Brady Gets No Years Added To Contract

With the NFL preseason getting underway tonight, the Patriots released some contract news on the 41 year old quarterback. Tom Brady’s contract was not extended past the 2019 season. Brady, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, will have “a variety of performance-based incentives to bring him closer to market.” The deal will be completed by Friday.

He’s Top Ten In Highest Paid QB’S In The League

Tom Brady, after winning the MVP last season, was scheduled to make $15 million this season, $14 million of which in base salary and another $1 million in a roster bonus. Brady will now earn an additional $5 million in 2018, making the maximum $20 million. That would put him at tenth in the league as the highest paid quarterback. Brady is now tied with Blake Bortles of Jacksonville.

Brady will not be making as much as Jimmy Garoppolo, who singed a 5 year, $137 million dollar contract with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. With no years added past 2019, Brady will likely be retiring at the end of the 2019 season.

The Contract Is To Appease Brady

This contract had to come from the Krafts, who did this to appease Brady for just a bit longer. All of the talk of family time and skipping OTA’s this offseason was unusual for the star quarterback. Brady also has had a light training camp thus far. He has not taken a lot of reps and looks shaky, according to multiple reporters.

Brady is not expected to play when the Patriots take on the Washington Redskins tonight. For the final time, Brady will have to earn his money and show he’s still elite in the league. The talent he has is subpar, but Eric Decker has the potential to help.

Get Ready For A Danny Etling-Josh McDaniels 2020 Season

Overall, the succession plan was all set; they could’ve kept both quarterbacks. They would’ve let Brady ride off into the sunset after 2019 and had Jimmy Garoppolo and McDaniels for the next decade. Instead, that’s all wishful thinking now, as Brady is done in 2019 and handing over the reigns to Danny Etling.

Breaking: Patriots Release WR Malcolm Mitchell

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Mitchell Showed Serious Promise

The New England Patriots have released 25 year old WR Malcom Mitchell. Malcolm was drafted as a fourth round pick out of Georgia and showed some potential his rookie year. In 2016, Mitchell had 32 receptions for 401 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was also a key part of the Patriots Super Bowl Win against the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie hauled in 6 clutch catches for 70 yards. Winning a championship as a rookie, he looked like Brady’s new favorite outside weapon for the future.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports images

Injuries Kept Piling Up

After such a great start to his career and being a part of the biggest Super Bowl comeback in NFL history, Mitchell never had a sophomore season. The youngster played one preseason game, and spent the rest of the 2017 season on the IR due to a nagging knee injury.

The Patriots have spent the past two weeks trying to find a trade partner for the 25 year old wideout. Other teams declined, as they are concerned about his knee issues. Mitchell was attempting to come back for the 2018 season, but couldn’t get his knee right.

A Somber Conclusion

Now, teams around the league won’t have to give up any of their assets to acquire Mitchell once the release becomes official. Looking back on Mitchell’s time in New England, it’s safe to say he was nothing short of unrealized potential. At times, Mitchell showed the flashes of a future deep threat receiver. Recall his sprint to the endzone in San Francisco a few seasons ago.

We wish the best of luck to Mitchell as he strives to continue his career elsewhere. If he’s given another shot and can get healthy, he is sure to shine. Here’s to the next time we see him on the field!

Gronk Is Looking like His Old Happy Self at Camp

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Gronk Is Back and Healthy

Training camp wouldn’t be the same without Gronk, and it sure is good to see him on the practice field. Both Brady and Gronkowski decided to skip voluntary OTA’s earlier this offseason. Tom was away to spend time with his family, and maybe a little time away from the boss. Meanwhile, Gronk could’ve been away for many reasons. Retirement, as he stated after the loss to the Eagles last year, is not one of them. If my opinion matters, I think that a contract restructure could’ve been the cause for skipping OTAs. Gronk is about to make $9 million dollars this upcoming season. He could possibly want an extension or some guaranteed money up front. He is the best TE in the NFL, and arguably of all time, and he’s still playing with the best QB in the world.

Gronk Having Fun Again

Courtesy of Getty Images

Watching training camp, Gronk seems to have a little spring in his step mentally. He’s been acting like the Gronk of old. Rob Gronkowski has seemed to have done a complete 180 from a year ago at this time. He’s been actively helping the new faces, showing them the dedication it takes to play for Bill Belichick. While at the same time he’s been noticeably happier out on the field and after practice. His agent Drew Rosenhaus was spotted at camp recently, which could mean his contract situation is being taken care of. Rosenhaus is the agent of multiple Patriots, so it may have nothing to do with Gronk at all. With the expectation of the contract being done a week ago I believe it is no coincidence as to why was there.

Bill Has Done His Part

Courtesy of USA Today

Finally, Gronk comes in fully healthy, possibly another reason for him seeming so happy. He’s now able to focus on the little things not having to worry about nagging little injuries, just focusing on the grind and loving every minute of it from what I have seen. Bill Belichick has also done his part during camp. At the end of practice he switched the offense and defense for a quick scrimmage. Camp has certainly seemed a lot lighter this year. Everyone’s still working hard, but things have lightened up. With all the outside noise about this team not getting along, I believe it’s just the same old Patriots, with the same old happy Gronkowski. Come September 9th, we will be watching the same product on the field as always with many Gronk spikes.

A Book About Tom Brady Being Released

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A new book is coming out soon on Tom Brady. It gives an inside scoop on what really happened during the deflate-gate saga. That whole drama about the deflation of the footballs in the 2015 AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts. Tom Brady would play in the Super Bowl two weeks after that and win his fourth ring. The following season he would serve a four-game suspension. That is when we would get a first-hand look at Jimmy Garoppolo. The book, “12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady’s Fight for Redemption” by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge says Brady offered to pay a $1 million dollar fine. But Roger Goodell had other ideas.

Brady Was Offered a Deal in Deflate-Gate

The book says that Brady had to publicly throw former Patriots equipment employees John Jastremski and Jim McNally under the bus. Brady had to state that they purposely tampered with the footballs, even without his knowledge. Brady would say no and serve his four-game suspension. Robert Kraft spoke at the NFL’s owners meetings and Kraft said he would not appeal the four-game suspension handed down on Brady and the team fine. Tom Brady didn’t like that too much.

Brady Didn’t Feel like He Was Getting the Support He Needed

According to the book, Brady was devastated by Robert Kraft’s comments. Tom Brady would call DeMaurice Smith and say.”What the [expletive]?,” Why am I not getting the support I deserve on this thing?”

Smith said that the NFLPA would fight on Brady’s behalf. At this point is when the so-called “rift” started, between the team and Brady. Brady was mad that Kraft didn’t have his back during deflate-gate.

So when it came time to trade Garoppolo, that’s when Kraft stepped in and made sure he was behind Brady and not do him wrong again. Belichick traded Garoppolo for a second-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers.

Spotlighting The Patriots Issues At Wide Receiver

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Patriots Lack Wide Receiver Depth

Via 985The Sports Hub

The New England Patriots have a really weak wide receiver group heading into the season. With Julian Edelman out the first four games of the season, It will be up to Chris Hogan and a bunch of average receivers to step their game up. Danny Amendola had 659 yards last season and two touchdowns. That is more than the current receiving core today, excluding Julian Edelman. Phillip Dorsett had zero touchdowns and just 194 yards last season. Chris Hogan had five touchdowns and 439 yards. Cordarrelle Patterson had zero touchdowns and 309 yards. Riley McCarron was on the practice squad.

This maybe the second weakest group of receivers Tom Brady has had in his career, only behind the 2006 team with Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney.

The Patriots Worked Out Eric Decker

Via Heightline

The Patriots worked out Eric Decker on Monday. Decker had 563 yards and one touchdown last season for the Tennesse Titans. The Patriots also placed Jordan Matthews on IR today after a hamstring injury he suffered at Sunday’s practice.

It’s worth noting there are a few examples of receivers Belichick has brought in who haven’t worked out. Case and point – Chad Ochocinco’s dismal 2011 season. Ochocinco couldn’t get a handle on the offense after all the hype over the summer. Eric Decker could be in line for a similar showing if he makes the team. The lack of depth at the position is a problem, especially during the first month of the season.

Would Dez Bryant Help/Hurt The Team?

Rumors are flying that the Patriots may take a look at Dez Bryant. Would he be helpful or hurtful to the team? He would be a great add because of his production on the field, but not for the drama that comes with him. There would likely come a point where he’ll be complaining he doesn’t get the ball enough.

The Patriots have enough distractions surrounding their team. They really don’t need anymore, so perhaps it would be best to stay far away from Bryant. Eric Decker might be the best option for Brady to throw to at the beginning of the season.

Patriots Player To Watch This Season: Phillip Dorsett

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As the 2018 NFL season quickly sneaks its way upon us, there are many questions surrounding the 2018 New England Patriots and some glaring holes some see in our roster. Sure, the Patriots do play in a weak AFC East and will more than likely win the division and get a bye into the playoffs. But there is one group of guys that I think need to step it up the most. No, its not the defensive unit, even though last year they were more than suspect. This year it is the WR core who will need to step up and fill the voids left by Julian Edelman (serving a 4 game suspension for PED’s) and Brandin Cooks (traded to the Rams).

The Deepest Hole In The Roster

With the Patriots, one spot on the field that is constantly in question is defense, especially now under Coach Belichick and first year coordinator, Brian Flores. Sure, Malcolm Butler left and signed with Tennessee. But again, the position to watch on the field early on is the WR position and how some of the new faces will mesh with Tom Brady. With a banged up WR group before the season even starts, there is one name I think will play a huge role this season on the offensive side of the ball…..Phillip Dorsett.

photo credit – youtube.com

Young and Hungry

Phillip Dorsett may not be a household name yet. But this is a guy who was a late first round pick with great speed and tremendous upside coming out of The U. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to really get it going in Indianapolis, which lead to a trade to the Patriots. Dorsett ended up appearing in 15 games with the Pats in 2017 and now has a full year and offseason learning the playbook and becoming more familiar with Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels and their tendencies.

Dorsett is only 25 years old and brings a tremendous amount of talent to the table for this Patriots offense. This is a guy known for his speed, the ability to catch and hold onto the football, and also his footwork – with or without the ball. From an outsider standpoint, we should look for Dorsett to fill the void left by Brandin Cooks as a fast, deep threat down the sideline. Also look for him to get a ton of slot work early in the season, with Edelman being sidelined for 4 games.

photo credit – stampedeblue.com

Prediction

Phillip Dorsett’s career high in receptions is 33 in 2016 with the Colts. But after a full season in 2017, plus an additional off-season and training camp learning the playbook and working more closely with Brady and McDaniels, I would expect him to reach a career high in every category across the board. We can also look for Dorsett to make an impact in the kicking and punt return game.

Phillip Dorsett will be the surprise X-Factor on this Patriots offense in 2018 ….. here is my prediction for Phil:

700 yds

5 TD’s

45+ receptions

60+ Targets

Belichick: Drafting The Next Quarterback Who Will Never Start For Him

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Did Bill Belichick Draft The Next Quarterback For The Patriots?

Via The Kicker

Just like Theo Epstein in baseball, Bill Belichick could’ve been the first coach ever to draft two quarterbacks to have Hall of Fame careers. Epstein built a team with the Red Sox and won the World Series in 2004, erasing an 86 year curse. He then went to Chicago and built a World Series team there, erasing a 108-year curse. Belichick drafted Brady in 2000 and has won five Super Bowls with him. Belichick then drafted Jimmy Garoppolo and saw the same attitude Brady had when he arrived in Foxborough: the willingness to be the best he can be, no matter what. However, Brady saw that coming from a mile away and was having no part of it.

Trading away Garoppolo must have been really hard for Belichick. The head coach wanted Garoppolo to be the next starter. When he was forced to trade him, it clearly upset him to no end. Reports were that he texted Garoppolo after every win in December. Garoppolo is who Belichick wanted to be Brady’s successor. If Tom Brady keeps winning, it helps Belichick’s legacy, but the same canbe said for Garoppolo. Even if Brady does badly, Belichick still wins because he wanted to move on from Brady in the first place. Either way, Belichick can’t lose and he’ll always win.

Belichick Thinks Garoppolo Will Have Success

People will argue that without Brady, Belichick would be nothing. However, we have to give credit where credit is due. Belichick is the one that drafted Brady and saw something in him 18 years ago. The same mentality should apply to Garoppolo. Belichick will watch Jimmy G grow as a quarterback from afar and be maybe become one of the best in the league.

Tom Brady’s drive to keep his job was a win for himself. Brady has done so much for the organization in these 18 years. It truly is amazing. However, Garoppolo will always be the quarterback Belichick wanted and will never start for him.

Brady Talks Relationship With McDaniels, Chemistry With Receivers (@steveA1127)

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In a series of recent interview, Tom Brady has addressed topics such as his relationship with Josh McDaniels, Bill Belichick, and his new core of wide receivers.

Brady Does Not Like The Boston Globe

Via CBS Boston

It was an offseason unlike any other for Tom Brady. The QB had some time with his family, traveled the world, and worked on getting ready for another football season. Tom Brady did interviews this offseason with Oprah Winfrey and Jim Gray. In those, he hinted that the end is coming sooner rather than later. Also, he pleaded the fifth when asked if he felt appreciated by Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.

Tom Brady skipped all offseason voluntary workouts and only attended when he had to be there. Brady spoke with local reporters for the first time on Saturday and the question about Alex Guerrero and Julian Edelman really seemed to get under his skin. He abruptly left the podium, sending the mass media into a frenzy.

Tom Has Great Relationship With McDaniels, Mum On Relationship With Belichick

Brady was asked about his relationship with Josh McDaniels and if he had a role in bringing him back. Brady responded, “Josh and I had a great relationship for 18 years, and he’s one of my best friends. I love working with him and we have a very special relationship that I cherish. It’s kind of been that way for a long time. We talk about everything, and like I said, he’s a great friend of mine. I love him, I love his family, and we’re very close. When you work together with somebody for that long, you have a great rapport and relationship. I’m happy he’s on our team, happy he’s coaching me, and I want to go out there and do well by him.”

When Tom Brady was asked about his offseason drama with Bill Belichick, Brady responded, “I have no thoughts.”

It’s been reported that Brady looks rusty through the first four practices of camp. Perhaps his absence from the voluntary workouts has caught up with him. Brady was asked if he was behind with his chemistry with the receivers at the moment. His response was, “I don’t know. Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, we have a long time. We have a lot of work to do. We’ll do the best we can every day to get the work in when we can and try to go out there and have a great year.” The overall sentiment was that it’s probably nothing to worry about long-term. Hopefully, the age doesn’t become the excuse factor; Brady turns 41 this week.

The Ego’s Are Getting In The Way

Every organization has disagreements. Belichick and Brady have been around each other for a long time. They both want to win, but their egos are getting in the way. It won’t stop them from winning, but you might see what happened in last year’s Super Bowl happen again: benching a star player to make Brady do it all himself.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out come regular season.

Malcolm Butler Has No Bad Blood with Bill Belichick (@steveA1127)

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People Need to Get over the Malcolm Butler Super Bowl Benching

Via SI.comPeople still can’t get over why Malcolm Butler didn’t play in Super Bowl LII. Last week, Bill Belichick was asked about benching Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl, but he wasn’t having any part of that question. Belichick is strictly focused on the 2018 NFL season. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. However, Malcolm Butler is one of the reasons they won Super Bowl XLIX. Without that historic interception by Butler to end the game, Brady wouldn’t have gotten his fourth Super Bowl ring. Last season Butler played in 98% of the snaps all season long. In the Super Bowl, he wasn’t on the field for defense except a special teams play.

Malcolm Was Benched Because He Missed the Team Plane

Malcolm Butler was sick and missed the team plane, and Belichick had enough and benched him the entire game. Now as a Tennessee Titan, he’s proving he belongs in the NFL. Butler told reporters on Saturday, “I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me, I don’t want a feel-sorry-for-me story. No bad blood between me and Bill Belichick. One of the greatest coaches ever and I care about him …I know he cares about me. And this a hurtful game sometimes and it can look different than what it is. But that’s my guy. … I got a lot of respect for him.”

Belichick and Butler Have No Hard Feelings

If it wasn’t for Belichick, Butler wouldn’t be where he is at today. Belichick didn’t want to sign Butler long-term, which is why they gave that big contract to Stephon Gilmore. Butler realizes that he wouldn’t have gotten paid either if it wasn’t for Belichick. Belichick called Butler after he signed with Tennessee to congratulate him. Just like he texted Garoppolo after every win in December. Was it a football decision to bench Butler in the Super Bowl? Yes, and also a personal decision. Butler missed the team plane and that is what ticked Belichick off.

Butler has a great coach in Mike Vrabel who also is a former Patriot. The five-year $61 million dollar contract will be worth it for Butler.