I'm back after yet another long wait. I hope I can get this done by the time the season starts. At this point, I'm talking more about regular season than preseason.
I'm a big video game fan, and Madden is coming out in about a month, I've been excited and enjoying the previous edition a lot.
Anyway, on to the defending Super Bowl Champions—wait—I mean nearly defending Super Bowl Champions. But they lost, so they are just defending second best team.
They lost some pieces, and didn't replace the pieces they lost that well.
So what are they going to do this season?
Key Addition/Subtraction
Marcus Pollard—From the Seahawks
Asante Samuel—To the Eagles
Key Games
Oct. 12, at Chargers—The Chargers are going to be tough, and this is going to be a game between two titans.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Nov. 2, at Colts—Another clash of the titans where the Pats take on the Colts in an always fun rivalry.
Nov. 13, vs. Jets—The Jets rivalry is always fun, and hearing the fans in Gillette Stadium yelling at the Mangini is going to be fun. Also, offensive blowout on the Patriots side should result in a lot of exciting big plays.
Nov. 30, vs. Steelers—The last really losable game of the year for the Pats, should be interesting how the strong defense of the Steelers holds up against the firepower of the Patriots.
Season Outlook
The Pats lost Asante Samuel and Randall Gay. They also lost Donte Stallworth and Kyle Brady.
The Stallworth vs. Welker battle of who is better is debatable, but there is no argument that the Pats are better off with Welker.
Also, Welker seems like a player who plays better when he is an undercover guy who is running underneath routes.
The loss of Samuel means that they lost a top-of-the-line corner who can shut down most receivers. Gay doesn't give you the same fear that Samuel did.
However, Tom Brady is still Tom Brady, Randy Moss is still Randy Moss, and the Pats aren't in any position to be worried about another deep playoff run, and possibly another Super Bowl.
Also, did anybody hear about Randy Moss buying a NASCAR Craftsman Truck team? That one caught me by surprise, and he is also going about it the right way by building from the ground up, which also caught me by surprise.
My Prediction
The Pats aren't going to pull together another dream 16-0 season, but they are going to be strong.
I would place them at 14-2, but they can finish anywhere from 13-3 to 15-1.
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4 months ago
Joe, I think Samuel went to the Eagles not the Phillies. I agree with your analysis...good stuff.
I think it's great that they are defending runner up.
from 4 months ago
What, it doesn't say he went to the Phillies, I don't know what you are talking about! Just kidding, I fixed it, I've been out of it lately, which is why it has been so long since I put in a new edition.
from 4 months ago
Joe Dub, you know I had to get you a little bit since you got me on the Willie Randolph thing. Good article though.
from 4 months ago
Haha, I know. Thanks for pointing that out, I was e-mailing my predictions for the week right before I wrote this so my mind was still in baseball mode a little bit.
4 months ago
Marcus Pollard was not a key pickup, you could call him depth chart material at best. In fact he may have trouble even making the roster with Watson, Thomas, and Stupar already there. If you're really looking for some big pickups that weren't drafted the Patriots picked up Victor Hobson who is projected to start at MLB and Fernando Bryant who will start at CB.
4 months ago
16-0 Is Possible un america anything is possible
4 months ago
Loses to Denver and @Miami:)
4 months ago
I could see them losing to Miami more than Buffalo or NY because Miami always plays them tough.
from 4 months ago
I wish I didn't agree with you after Miami coming off a one win season, but for some reason they do. They were one of the Patriots 2 losses in '04.
4 months ago
I still don't believe that Asante is the shutdown corner everyone thinks he is. I guess we'll see how he fares in Philly.
from 4 months ago
Agreed. I wouldn't have given up the $60 million if I were sitting in the Patriots seat either.
4 months ago
16-0 is possible, seeing as the only good teams on their schedule are the Bolts and the Colts. If they can beat them, like they did last year, and avoid trap games, like Baltimore, Philly, and the Giants last year, then they can go 16-0 on the easiest schedule in the league.
from 4 months ago
Careful there are not Steeler fans around when you say that.
I think you are right, but Steeler fans are still in denial. You'll never get them to admit that with Cowher's retirement the Steeler "mystique" is gone. Discussion with them can get tiresome quick.
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