Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Dussault

NFL Kills Draft Fun in the Name of Revenue

Mike Dussault — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:09:42 -0400

I'm starting to see a pattern with Roger Goodell's leadership as commissioner of the NFL, and the cliched phrase that comes to mind is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Or maybe a better choice would be "mo' money, mo' money, mo' money!"

Early on in his tenure I liked what I saw from Goodell, and that was even as he was fining and taking draft picks from my beloved New England Patriots for the video taping incident of 2007. I thought Goodell handled that situation as it should've been handled, and did not cave to the overhyped media frenzy that followed.

Goodell has been strict on player conduct, and that has become the thing he has hung his hat on. However, in almost all other areas we're starting to see change just for the sake of change. As in "cha-ching" change.

There are rumblings of a proposed 18-game season, while axing a couple preseason games. Sure, we can all agree that four preseason games are too many but teams can barely make it through 16 games with all their players healthy. 18 games would only mean more injuries, more fatigue, and ultimately, worsened quality of play.

But that doesn't matter, because 18 regular season games would mean significantly more cash flow, and that's what we're seeing the new NFL is all about.

The last weekend in April has been one of my favorite times of the offseason, as it is for all NFL fans. From the moment our team's season ends we begin to research the new crop of rookies about to enter the NFL. We find players who would be perfect for our team, the missing pieces to get us over the edge.

After three months of research, speculation and mock drafts, it all culminates on that last Saturday in April with the NFL Entry Draft. NFL fans spend two days around the TV, with friends and often reluctant family members. There are pools, predictions and for one weekend in the middle of spring, football reigns supreme.

At least it did. But those days are gone.

On Thursday the NFL announced the draft would be moving to a three-day event. The first round will air at 7:30pm EST on Thursday, April 22nd. The second and third rounds will air at 6:30pm EST on Friday, and the final four rounds will air on Saturday.

The move was painted as a chance to move the NFL draft to primetime (where advertisers would pay far more), while also "making it more accesible" to fans.

The reaction from NFL fans has been overwhelmingly negative. In a Boston.com poll over two-thirds of those polled were against the change. And that's on the East Coast, at least they'll be able to watch it!

How does putting something on TV at 4:30pm on a Thursday for West Coasters make it more accesibile than on a Saturday? I guess we can cross out anyone in the Pacific Time Zone from watching the majority of the first three rounds.

Not to mention Thursday night is the most competitive night of television. Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, The Office, 30 Rock and CSI are just some the shows that occupy Thursday evenings. The draft is sure to lose viewers to some of those shows as well, especially for those football fans whose wives are big Katherine Heigl fans.

Even the many fans who make the yearly trip to New York City to see the draft in person are going to have alter their plans. It's a safe bet that the new incarnation of the draft will no longer have the same overzealous crazies occupying the upper deck of Radio City Music Hall. Even they must have jobs, right?

The loss of that atmosphere will be one of the most disappointing things about the draft format.

The only people I can see happy with this change are the casual fans who live on the East Coast, who will be out of work in plenty of time, and happy to no longer "waste" a Saturday in front of the TV. As opposed to the diehard fans who considered a full weekend of draft-watching anything but a waste.

Sadly the game is no longer being marketed towards those fans.

If a change had to be made, why not have the first round on Friday night at 8pm EST? West Coast fans could still see it, draft parties would still have something to watch on Saturday, and you'd still get the primetime audience on a night where television is far less competitive than Thursdays (which is arguably the most competitive night of the entire week).

It's starting to become clear that the NFL under Roger Goodell is going to be about cashing in, and making change simply to put Goodell's stamp on the league.

Personally I hope this new draft format is a failure. The reasons are many. I won't be able to watch much, if any, of the first two rounds, and it ruined what was one of my favorite weekends of the year.

But maybe most of all I just wish the NFL wasn't the latest victim to become only about money at the expense of the people who love it most.

The casual NFL fan has never cared much about the draft and just because it's on primetime now won't make them care. Casual fans watch the draft for one thing: who their team picks. They are not staying up until 11pm on a Thursday night to find out who the Titans take at 27th overall.

The NFL is now trying to cater to the casual fans but the problem is that it's not the casual fans who made the NFL the booming juggernaut that it currently is.

That was done by the diehards; those who buy the draft magazines, who hang on every Mel Kiper Mock Draft, who buy a new collection of team schwag every season, who used to watch every second of the draft from Saturday until Sunday night.

They write the blogs and the tweets and often have more passion for the teams they follow than the jobs that pay their bills.

By turning its back on these fans the NFL is making a mistake, and biting the hand that fed them in the first place.

We can only hope that the changes will have negative results, and a more fan-friendly schedule will be reinstalled.

If not, the NFL will not only fail to gain new fans, it will lose the ones it already has.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and ready for the season to just start already.

The New England Patriots' Top Five Training Camp Battles

Mike Dussault — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:47:15 -0400

We are mere Fixdays away from the opening of training camps around the NFL, and for the New England Patriots there will be more competition at starting spots than there has been in a long time.

Here is a look at the top five battles at Patriots' camp and our projection of who will come out on top:

5. Right Tackle

Nick Kaczur has been decent in his four years with the Pats, but the addition of monsterman Sebastian Vollmer via the second round of this year's draft could make things interesting. Vollmer played both left and right tackle in mini-camps, and has the size and athleticism to contribute right away. The wild card is Ryan O'Callaghan, who has seen spot duty in three seasons though he missed almost all of 2008 with an injury.

Our Projection: Kaczur holds off the young Sea Bass. O'Callaghan is sent packing.

4. Starting Running Back

The Patriots favor the running back-by-committee approach. No matter how the depth chart looks, all healthy backs will get a chance to carry the rock.

Free agent Fred Taylor will certainly make things interesting for Laurence Maroney, but Maroney has the one thing the other three top RBs on the roster dont: young legs. Sammy Morris has been reliable when not hurt in his two years with the Pats.

Kevin Faulk's role is etched in stone as the third down back/screen nightmare for opposing defenses. Second year back BenJarvus Green-Ellis looked good in spot duty last year. He runs hard, but is ineligible for the practice squad, so he'll have to make the team outright if he's to remain with the Pats.

Our Projection: Maroney comes to camp with something to prove, letting the Pats give him the early carries. Ensuring Taylor stays healthy for the playoffs is paramount. Morris could be the odd man out if the team doesn't keep four backs. A minor injury to one of these guys wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

3. Tight End

Chris Baker, signed as a free agent, and Alex Smith, acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay, were brought in this offseason to compete with Ben Watson and David Thomas. When you look at the stats of all four, no one jumps off the page. Patriots fans are well aware of Watson's athletic ability, but also a collection of drops and fumbles in key moments (see last year's loss to the Jets). Thomas had a critical unnecessary roughness penalty against the Colts that cost the Pats a shot at overtime.

Baker was always solid against the Patriots in his days with the Jets, and Smith has the versatility that Bill Belichick loves. Both should push Watson not only as primary blockers, but as receivers in the spread offense as well.

Our Projection: Watson's familiarity with Tom Brady gives him an advantage, but Baker is signed through 2013 and will have a significant role with the team. Watson may win the starting spot in training camp but it's just a matter of time before Baker is the go-to guy.

2. Outside Linebacker

Mike Vrabel's departure left a huge opening at starting outside linebacker, and there was no shortage of rumors about players outside the organization that might be brought in to take over. First there were the Julius Peppers rumors, then the Derrick Burgess rumors, but ultimately the Pats stuck with what they had.

Tully Banta-Cain, who was brought back this offseason, spent some time starting at OLB for the Pats in 2006 when Junior Seau went down and Mike Vrabel shifted to inside linebacker. He looks to be more like insurance if the youngsters don't emerge.

All signs point towards Pierre Woods being the starter on opening day. Woods was solid while filling in for Adalius Thomas, until being lost with a broken jaw against the Steelers. Note I said "solid" and not "spectacular" or "great"; Patriots fans will still be looking for him to really emerge.

The wild card is Shawn Crable. The second-year player from Michigan showed some promise in the 2008 preseason but didn't play a down in the regular season after going down with a shin injury. No player will be watched closer that Crable in training camp, but it might be a lot to ask for him to take the starting spot from Woods. More likely he will contribute on special teams and spot pass rush duty.

Vince Redd could also be in the mix. And if all else fails, Banta-Cain is a reliable fall back option.

Our Projection: Woods will be the starter, especially on run downs, but Bill Belichick can get creative using Crable and Banta-Cain as third down pass rushers. If Crable shows enough in camp Banta-Cain could become expendable. Redd should remain primarily as a special teamer.

1. Cornerback

After ranking 28th in third-down defense in 2008 it was hardly a surprise to see a revamp of the cornerback position both in free agency and in the draft. The Patriots now have a collection of five cornerbacks, all of whom could potentially start.

The two veteran free agents are Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs. Bodden hopes to revive his career in New England after an impressive start in Cleveland was negated when he spent 2008 with the Lions. Springs might be 34 but he still has something left in the tank, and can always play safety if he's needed to.

The three youngsters are rookie Darius Butler, and second-year players Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley.

Wilhite ended 2008 starting at left cornerback, and looked good in mini-camps. Wheatley was looking promising in 2008 as well, earning his first start against the Colts, but was lost for the season in that very game with a wrist injury.

Butler was a steal in the second round this year, he was an explosive playmaker at UConn. He will push for playing time if he can get the system down quickly.

Our Projection: Springs and Bodden have the experience to win the starting jobs out of camp, but Wilhite and Wheatley will be ready to go and should immediately improve sub-packages with multiple defensive backs. Looks for rookie safety Pat Chung to contribute there as well. Butler will look to make an impact on Special Teams and wait for his number to be called. Injuries always seem to hit the Patriots defensive backfield, but this year they appear to be ready with quality depth that runs five players deep.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and just bought his annual Patriots hat, a fitted red throwback in honor of the AFL 50th Anniversary.

The New England Patriots Have Reason To Fear Rex Ryan's Defense

Mike Dussault — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:44:04 -0400

It's still only June, not even five months since Rex Ryan was hired as the newest head coach of the New York Jets, and he's already been stirring up drama in the AFC East.

First came Bart Scott, the Inside Linebacker Ryan brought with him from Baltimore, proclaiming the Jets to have a new "swagger-licious" attitude. Practices were now fun and vocal, a swift departure from how things were run under Eric Mangini. After just a few OTA practices, the Jets already had a new confidence under Ryan.

Then came Ryan stating he wasn't there to kiss Bill Belichick's rings, a statement that the even-keeled Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss found to be in a disrespectful tone.

Miami's Channing Crowder took on Ryan's comments that the Jets would contend for a Super Bowl, saying Ryan was "going absolutely nuts".

Ryan didn't hesitate to shoot back at Crowder, without even being prompted to by reporters, welcoming the back and forth and saying he wasn't afraid to "ruffle some feathers".

All in all, this offseason has been a far cry from business as usual in the AFC East, and we all have Rex Ryan to thank. Usually the pinnacle of controversy was the Patriots signing a former Jet or vice versa.

Even as a Patriots fan, I'm enjoying the chatter. It's a breath of fresh air and a nice switch from the current boring norm of head coaches not saying anything that could be used as "bulletin board" material. Plus it's building the anticipation for the Jets-Patriots Week Two clash even more than before.

For those that thought Eric Mangini's departure would weaken the Pats-Jets rivalry, it seems to have only gotten stronger.

Whether or not Rex's team can back up all the talk remains to be seen, but should the rest of the AFC East, and specifically the Patriots, really be concerned about the new swagger-licious Jets?

The only way to get a sense of what Ryan might try to do to stop Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and company, is to look back when the mighty 2007 Patriots met Rex's Baltimore defense in Week 13 of that season.

The results might make Patriots fans uneasy.

While the Patriots won the game 27-24, on a last minute touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney, this was the game New England should've lost.

Randy Moss and Wes Welker were held to a mere seven catches for 52 yards and one touchdown combined. That was the lowest receiving yardage total for both in the record-setting 2007 year.

Tom Brady was sacked three times, which tied for a season high, and completed just 47 percent of his passes, a season low. He was also intercepted once.

Of course, Ryan no longer has the same players he had in Baltimore. While David Harris is not Ray Lewis, Calvin Pace isn't quite Terrell Suggs, and Kerry Rhodes is not (yet) Ed Reed, the Jets defense does have talent. Bart Scott is still in fact Bart Scott so that's the only starting player analogy that works, assuming Jim Leonhard isn't starting.

However there's no doubt that Rex will run a similar pressure defense in New York, and that's not something you want to see coming in Week Two if you're Tom Brady's reconstructed knee.

Will we see Kris Jenkins lining up at Linebacker like Haloti Ngata did for the Ravens? Will Vernon Gholston blossom into a pass-rushing terror? It's impossible to tell at this point, but it's clear there will be lots of pre-snap movement and a variety of looks and rushers.

The weakness of the Baltimore defense, and why they ultimately lost to the Patriots in 2007, was because they imploded.

New Jet Bart Scott was one of the main offenders in that implosion, taking an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the Pats scored the go-ahead touchdown. Scott picked up the referee's penalty flag and fired it into the stands.

Rex himself called a timeout just before the still-trailing Patriots tried a fourth-down QB sneak that was snuffed out by Ray Lewis, giving the Pats a second shot at a comeback. Had Ryan not done that the Ravens would've put an end to New England's undefeated regular season then and there.

Baltimore ended the game with 13 penalties for 100 yards.

Was the implosion that day a result of the "swagger-licious," and seemingly undisciplined, attitude Ryan seems to impart upon his defense? Perhaps.

But what is undeniable is that Ryan's defense shut down the holy trinity of Brady, Moss, and Welker in a season when if you stopped only one of them it was a successful outing.

Whether or not Ryan will be able to shut them down again with the Jets personnel is a question that will have to wait until September 20 to be answered.

But Patriots fans should not be overconfident when they see a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach in the Meadowlands on Week Two, instead they should leave that to the Jets' defense and see if they put their money where Rex Ryan's mouth has been.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and has tickets to the Patriots opener vs. the Bills on 9/14. He can be reached at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

The Play That Cost the 2008 New England Patriots the Playoffs

Mike Dussault — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:53:47 -0400

It would be easy to say that Tom Brady going down in Week One was the defining moment of the 2008 New England Patriots.

Sure, in many ways it was, but with Brady going down just fifteen offensive plays into 2008 there was still a full season of football to be played. So, ultimately the 2008 Patriots were not defined by a lack of Tom Brady, they were defined by not being able to beat any of the elite teams they faced.

In a season where the AFC East was decided by the third tie-breaker (conference record) there were a handful of plays that, had they gone the other way, might've put division champs crown upon the Patriots' lofty brow.

You never truly know when you're making the mistakes that will come back to haunt you.

At Indianapolis, some may point to Jabar Gaffney's dropped touchdown pass or David Thomas' unnecessary roughness penalty as the moments that cost the Pats at least a shot at overtime, and potentially a win.

But there was another play that I believe was truly the difference in the 2008 Patriots season and that play came in overtime against the New York Jets in Week 11.

At half-time it looked like it was going to be a Jets romp, but the Pats clawed their way back into the game, culminating with Matt Cassel threading a touchdown pass to Randy Moss as time expired to force overtime.

New England had amassed over 500 yards of total offense and looked primed for a huge come-from-behind win. But, as fate would have it, the Jets won the coin toss and chose to receive the ball in overtime.

When the New York offense took the field on their 20-yard line it was impossible to know that the playoff fate of the Patriots hung in the balance.

On first down, Pierre Woods, in his first start filling in for an injured Adalius Thomas, sacked Brett Favre for a loss of five yards. Then Gary Guyton broke up a pass intended for Leon Washington on second down, forcing the Jets into a third-and-15 situation.

This was the defining moment of the 2008 season.

Given how the Patriots offense was clicking on all cylinders, it's likely a stop on this third down would've given New England a good shot at winning the game.

But that is easier said than done. Third down was the Achilles Heel for the 2008 New England Patriots, where they ranked 26th in the NFL in forcing a punt.

As Brett Favre dropped back, the Patriots rushed only three defenders, dropping the rest into coverage. Unfortunately, Jerod Mayo, who had his "coming out party" this game with a game-high 20 tackles, dropped to the wrong zone leaving Jet TE Dustin Keller with a seam down the middle.

Favre saw the mistake and exploited it. Keller made the catch and busted through Brandon Meriweather to pick up the first down.

You can see this play here at the 5:10 mark.

In and of itself, this was just another third down conversion given up by the New England defense. There were a lot of them in 2008. The Pats gave up a first down on 44 percent of the third-downs they faced.

The Jets were still 35 yards from the edge of Jay Feely's field goal range, so yes, there were other chances for the Pats to make a stop.

But none were as favorable as the 3rd-and-15.

The Jets' drive continued and it was Jay Feely's 34-yard Field Goal that put the final dagger through the hearts of the Patriots.

The Patriots only lost one more game in 2008, a blowout to the Pittsburgh Steelers, before sweeping their final four games to bring them to a tie record-wise for the division lead at 11-5.

But it was too late, the tie-breaker went to Miami by virtue of their AFC conference record which was one game better than the Pats', after the Dolphins feasted on the easiest schedule in the NFL.

Miami and Arizona were the only playoffs teams the Pats were able to defeat in 2008. They lost to the Colts, Chargers, Steelers and of course the week three Wildcats.

You never know when your fatal flaw is going to hurt you the worst, but now it's clearly fitting that a mistake on third-and-long was ultimately a play that might've kept New England out of the playoffs.

It's amazing that a simple mistake by a rookie linebacker who had, until that point, been playing the best game of his pro career, might've been the difference between hosting a playoff game against Baltimore or booking tee times.

Who knows, maybe the Jets would've stopped Cassel, Moss and Welker even if the Pats had gotten the ball back. Or maybe it would've ended in a tie. Or maybe Brett Favre would've spontaneously retired before their next possession.

"Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda" is not something the New England Patriots dwell on, however it's still interesting to look back upon the seemingly insignificant plays that will define your season.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and the author of numerous unproduced screenplays. He can be reached at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

Rodney Harrison: Love Him or Hate Him, You're Going To Miss Him

Mike Dussault — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:25:35 -0400

Rodney Harrison made his presence felt on the New England Patriots in just his second day of training camp in 2003.

While doing "light contact drills" Harrison laid out star Patriots receiver Troy Brown. Brown fired the ball at the former Chargers safety and the two almost came to blows.

Anyone who knows the easy-going Troy Brown can attest to how uncommon a display of emotion that was for him. And anyone who has watched Rodney Harrison play a down of football can attest to how common a hit like that was for him.

Harrison had that effect on players throughout his career.

"We knew what he was about," said Patriot cornerback Ty Law of the incident, "but after that, we really knew what he was about."

With Harrison's retirement from the NFL on Wednesday, he leaves behind a legacy of hard, and sometimes just a wee bit late, hits and clutch plays on the biggest stages.

While Harrison only played six seasons for New England, it was there that he cemented his place in NFL history with a pair of Super Bowl rings.

Despite being the only player ever to record 30 sacks and 30 interceptions, he is by no means a lock for the Hall of Fame. Especially if you factor in the slew of fines he received over the course of his career, along with the suspension for four games in 2007 for using HGH.

But what cannot be argued is his place near the top of the list of Patriot and NFL greats.

Every time Harrison finished a season healthy with the Pats they were playing in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that has only happened once since their last Super Bowl title in 2004.

In 2005, Harrison was lost for the season when he tore multiple knee ligaments against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week Three.

In 2006, Harrison was first lost against the Colts after breaking his right shoulder blade. He returned in Week 15, only to injure his knee in the season finale against Tennessee thanks to a low hit from Bobby Wade.

In 2008, Rodney was lost in Week Seven against the Denver Broncos after tearing his right quad, in what would be his last football game. His final wave to the crowd as he was driven off the field on the back of a cart was an unfitting end for such a spectacular player.

It's no secret why the Patriots were so successful in the playoffs when Hot Rod was healthy.

In nine playoff games with the Patriots, Harrison recorded a Patriots record seven interceptions (one for a TD against Pittsburgh in the 2004 AFC Championship), two forced fumbles, two sacks, and led the team in tackles three times.

That kind of game production is not easily replaced. Nor is the intensity and leadership that Harrison brought to every practice and meeting he ever attended.

Perhaps that was where Rodney Harrison's greatest contribution to the Patriots came, which is saying a lot when you look at the numbers he put up. Bill Belichick's comments upon Rodney's retirement sum up how much he meant to the franchise both on and off the field.

He, along with current players like Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi, and past players like Mike Vrabel and Willie McGinest, are the ones who established the culture of hard work and dedication inside the New England locker room.

Harrison has always had his critics, those who called him the "dirtiest player in the NFL," but he's a player that everyone would want on their team. You knew when you were playing against Rodney Harrison; he made sure of that.

He played the game with as much passion and intensity as the game has ever seen, and will be missed not only by Patriots fans, but by football fans everywhere who loved to hate him.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and ready for the 2009 season to start asap. He can be reached at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

The New England Patriots Rookie Eyeball Test

Mike Dussault — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:51:36 -0400

The best way to get over your draft hangover is to see what the new rookies look like in their new uniforms. Well, maybe just in their new helmets/facemasks and what numbers they choose, but it's still fun to make a snap judgement . Even the small details such as these can give you an impression of what kind of player the rookie might turn out to be. It's called the "Eyeball Test" and here's our review of the newest Patriots after today's Rookie Mini-Camp. By the way, Belichick is only rocking a B+ in this shot for his Eyeball Test. His sleeves are rolled up instead of cut off. What the heck is with that!?

Begin Slideshow

New England Patriots: Notes on Draft Weekend

Mike Dussault — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:24:34 -0400

It was yet another long and anti-climactic draft weekend.

The Patriots again did what no one thought they would and selected a dozen players. Only a couple will be in any position to help the team immediately, but the rest will restock the depth at the positions that good football teams value the most...along the lines.

As expected, the Pats were frequent trade partners. In fact, only two of the Pats 12 picks were even their own non-compensatory picks. The rest all came via trades.

When the dust settled the Pats had four picks in the first two rounds of 2010, and a number of uniquely talented prospects.

Patrick Chung, S, Oregon

He's a good complement to James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather. He's sturdy, plays with an edge, and should excel playing close to the line of scrimmage. With Sanders and Meriweather both signed thru 2011 and now the addition of Chung, the Patriots have a solid young corps of safeties.

Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

This pick scared me, or at the very least put the possibility of seeing Vince Wilfork depart in my head. Though Todd McShay says he could play defensive end, this guy looks like a nose tackle to just about everyone. Hopefully, he's a three-technique as well and he's more like a replacement for Jarvis Green rather than a replacement for Wilfork.

Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

Don Banks had us taking him at 23rd overall, a move I wasn't a big fan of, but at 41 I'm excited to get Butler. He's played some receiver as well, not a shocker, he's versatile. Ultimately Butler made Ellis Hobbs expendable and now we're looking at a Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden, Terrence Wheatley, Jonathan Wilhite, and Butler battle this summer.

Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston

Sometimes I think Belichick just does it to mess with us. There were two times in the first two rounds where a pick was made and the mock draft-wielding experts didn't have a graphics package prepared.

The first time was by the Raiders and it was met with utter shock and disapproval. The second was Vollmer, which of course, because it was Belichick, was met with awe and admiration. He's from Germany, barely speaks English and is now a second round pick by the Pats. Oh, by the way, he's 6'7" and nicknamed "Seabass." You can't make this stuff up.

Brandon Tate, WR, North Carolina

Tate and Percy Harvin were the only two morons to test positive for pot at the combine. I'm pretty sure 70 percent of the NFL smokes weed so I don't really see what the big deal is. I think Randy Moss and Wes Welker will show young Brandon what it takes to succeed in the NFL and either he'll get it or he won't. It's not like Chad Jackson left any big shoes behind to be filled.

Look, it's always exciting when you add a playmaker even when he's got some negative baggage, just ask Bills' fans. And Brandon Tate looked like a playmaker before tearing his right ACL against Charlie Weiss' Fighting Irish. He can basically take the year to get healthy if he needs too and in 2010, we'll see what we've got.

Tyrone McKenzie, LB, South Florida

It's pretty clear this guy will project inside and he fulfills a definite need. Now McKenzie, Ruud, and Guyton will compete to see who could be Tedy Bruchi's eventual replacement. I came across McKenzie in my draft research and if you haven't heard his story you should definitely check it out. This guy's going to be a lot of fun to root for.

Rich Ohrnberger, G, Penn State/George Bussey, OL, Louisville

Two developmental players to enroll in the "Dante Scarnecchia School of Blocking and Mauling."

Jake Ingram, LS, Hawaii

I guess when you're as good as the Patriots, you can afford to spend picks on guys who are known only for their long snapping prowess.

Myron Pryor, DT, Ketucky/Darryl Richard, DT, Georgia Tech

Ok, so these two at the bottom mean the Patriots drafted three players all who look more like Vince Wilfork than Richard Seymour. I am starting to wonder if Wilfork's looking to break the bank.

Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State

This is another guy not even invited to the combine. From the limited information available on the internet about "Ju Ju" I'm pretty sure he's the white Pat White. Edelman ran the short shuttle so fast at his pro day that the scouts asked to see him do it again, and he lowered his time. The time would've been the fastest of anyone at any position at the vaunted combine, so yes, I'm kinda curious to see what he can do.

Overall, this was yet another example how you never know what the Patriots are going to do. With everyone saying there was no way they would ever draft eleven players, they drafted twelve.

Clearly the makeover of the defense is nearly completed. With the departure of Ellis Hobbs the Pats cleared up $2.4 million in cap space. Whether or not that's enough for Jason Taylor remains to be seen.

But the stage is set for the fierce battles that will take place at both cornerback and linebacker once training camp rolls around.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and just getting over a cold. If you wish to send him an email as he descends into the Second Void of the NFL year, you may do so at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

Draft Day Is Christmas for NFL Fans

Mike Dussault — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:08:51 -0400

The countdown to draft weekend is a long and tedious one from the moment your favorite NFL team's season finishes.

For most of us, the season comes crashing to a bitter and disappointing end. While the start of Free Agency and the release of the NFL season schedule are dates to look forward to, it's the draft that is the ultimate start of the new season, and the first gold star day to put on the calendar.

For those fans lucky enough to witness their team win the Super Bowl, the draft is a chance to remind the other 31 how last season ended.

Pittsburgh fans can look forward to plenty of highlights and constant praise for their team.

And for Arizona Cardinals fans, there will be constant kicks in family jewels as they see James Harrison running back that fumble for a touchdown over and over again.

But with the draft comes the hope that springs eternal for all fans. It's the Christmas Day of the NFL season, when every team gets a fresh batch of new toys to play with. The missing ingredients from last year's failure, those who will take them to the Promised Land.

Like Christmas Day, many fans have their traditions for how to celebrate the day. For those out there lacking a Draft Day itinerary I will share my own, and I encourage other fans to share their plans below in the comments.

The first part of a successful draft watching is preparation. I begin by purchasing any draft magazine I can get my hands on, usually in mid-February, and putting it in the place where it will be most likely to get read: next to the toilet.

This research can be done over the three months leading up to the big day, so by the time Draft weekend arrives I will know what players my team might be targeting. Think of it like putting together your Christmas list.

The second part is the setting up of the war room which is kind of like putting up the Christmas Tree or hanging the stockings.

This year I am planning on the following set-up:

The main TV will be tuned to ESPN since the stupid stalemate between NFL Network and my local cable service, Time Warner, rages on.

However the folks at NFL.com will be kind enough to stream their draft coverage live, so I will also be bringing in a computer to show it. NFL Network's coverage is far superior to ESPN's. I much prefer access to team war rooms than interviews with drafted players, but that's just me.

But one computer will not be enough on Draft Saturday. You need a second for research and analysis as the picks start to roll in.

By the time the second round rolls around, the odds of your team selecting someone you've never heard of greatly increase, even if you've been diligent in your research. So you need a free computer to check the stats and reaction.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the food. What would Christmas Day be without the meal?

The draft is six long hours. Sure you can just order out, but for me a lot of the fun about watching football is cooking. Call it an in-home tailgate.

This year I will be serving sloppy joes that I make in the crock pot. It's easy, and the aroma will fill the house as the first picks start to roll in. Nothing like stuffing yourself with a homemade meal as the Raiders make another misguided pick.

All of this will make for the ultimate draft experience. Unfortunately the draft can often be somewhat anti-climactic. You wait all this time, then you're team picks their players and that's it until training camp.

So having lots of distractions and good food are solid ways to make the day a little less tedious. Just like you do on Christmas when you have to deal with unruly relatives and gifts you don't really like.

Cheers to all NFL fans this weekend; the 2009 season is upon us, and we're all back at the bottom of the pile.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and can be reached at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com. He also got sucked into Twitter at PatsPropaganda. He plans on blogging and tweeting throughout Draft Weekend but that could be dependent on his alcohol intake.

For NFL, Sports Fans, It's Okay to Say "We"

Mike Dussault — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:40:48 -0400

There's a debate that arises from time to time on any popular team message board, and that is whether or not it's okay for fans to say "we" when referring to their team.

"We really need let L.T. go, he's on his last legs," as opposed to "the Chargers have to get rid of L.T. because he sucks now and I am sick of watching him suck."

Can fans really say "We?"

They're not on the team. They don't score touchdowns. They don't block anybody. The only thing they're kicking is a can down the street.

Plus, who is so bold to qualify his or her comments as the voice of the team's collective fan nation?

We're obviously drafting Reggie Bush. Mario Williams is a workout wonder.

We are going to unleash Vernon Gholston on Tom Brady!

We're gonna finish last in the NFC West like we always do.

If you told me a year ago we'd trade Cassel and Vrabel for a second-round pick I would've thought Cassel was the the throw-in.

"We" bothers a lot of people. It's too pretentious, and they don't like being told what their opinions are. Especially when they thought the Patriots would've gotten a first-rounder for Vrabel alone.

Those who use "we" feel sufficient and confident in their loyalty and almost part of the team. It comes naturally to them.

So, should it be okay for fans to say "we?"

I believe that the debate is solved with a simple look at college sports.

If you were talking about your college's football team, and you went to the college, or at the very least had a parent or sibling go there, it's pretty acceptable to say "we."

Nobody's going down to the Swamp to tell Gator Brandi, a sophomore communications Theta Beta, that she didn't win the national championship, the varsity football team did.

Brandi won the national championship that night, along with every other Gator player, alumni, and fan.

There might not be a New England Patriots University. But if there was, myself and many like me would all be filling out applications tomorrow.

And that goes for the fan nations of all 31 other NFL teams. Except for maybe Detroit's, which would probably be akin to a free community college actually located in Detroit.

Fans and players are both part of something bigger than the action on the field, in the locker rooms, weight rooms, and meeting rooms.

We all want the team to win. And the fortune on the field effects us all.

The way a loss on Sunday can ruin Monday, Tuesday, and sometimes Wednesday. Or the confidence a big win over a hated rival brings.

The players feel the exact same way.

I can assure everyone that I was just as depressed as Rodney Harrison when Tom Brady went down in week one. And though I might not have been quite as happy as Tedy Bruschi when he won his Super Bowls, I was pretty damn close.

We might not put on a uniform. We might not risk life and limb for the glory of the gridiron, and probably none of us are driving a Bentley.

But, we are there for every moment, the wins and the losses, the highs and the lows, as the good and the bad transpire on the field before us.

That is what unites fans and players into one nation, united under one flag, all sharing in the joy of victory and the sorrow of defeat.

That is the soul of sports and that is why it is okay to say "we."

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and on a much-needed vacation. He can be reached at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

The New England Patriots Will Do Whatever They Want on Draft Weekend

Mike Dussault — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:35:48 -0400

How is it that every year the New England Patriots end up picking early and often at the NFL Draft, despite being the winningest team of the decade?

This year the Pats could select as many as 11 rookies, but if they did, several of them would have a tough time making the final 53-man roster.

So what's a team to do with such an embarrassment of riches?

It's clear that New England will be active on draft weekend. They'll have to be.

There's no way 11 rookies will make the Patriots' roster, given the depth that last year's draft brought, specifically in the defensive backfield.

Sure, the Pats could use a cornerback or a safety. But even if they got neither they'd still have a deep and experienced pool of defensive backs.

The Indianapolis Colts barely have enough defensive linemen right now to field a team.

On draft weekend, the more picks a team has, and the better they are, the more power that team has.

Based on the rough-estimate draft value chart, the Pats have enough points to get themselves almost anywhere: their first two picks (No. 23 and 34) are theoretically worth the No. 10 pick overall—which just happens to be where they got Jerod Mayo, the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year (in case you forgot).

The Pats might not pick until No. 23, but they have the flexibility to move up if the right player is available.

Even if they don't trade up, they can get great value for any or all of their three second-round picks.

Look back at some of the second-round guys taken last year; you'll find impact players such as DeSean Jackson, Matt Forté, and John Carlson.

Imagine the Patriots adding three players like those to their current roster. Scary.

But there aren't many holes to fill on New England's roster.

It's not clear if Bill Belichick feels that Pierre Woods is a starting-caliber outside linebacker, and capable of replacing the only lost starter Mike Vrabel.

But there are also several young developing OLBs such as Vince Redd and Shawn Crable, along with brought-back vet Tully Banta-Cain.

Nowhere else on the roster is there a glaring problem that must be solved by an unproven rookie.

The only somewhat question mark is at fullback, where Heath Evans' lead blocking and occasional carries will be missed.

Having no major needs will allow the Pats to select the best available player, at whatever point the opportunity arises. Should a top-notch talent, who perfectly fits Belichick's scheme, happen to fall, New England won't be handcuffed.

Whether it's using their picks to move around the draft board, swapping them for ones in next year's draft, or even trading a couple of them for a star player such as Julius Peppers, it's clear that the Patriots should and will improve their football team on draft weekend.

And that's all Bill Belichick ever wants to do.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader and a real jerk, especially to anyone who writes more than three "Peyton Manning is better than Tom Brady" articles in a week. He can be emailed at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

GU! The New "Doh!" For New England Patriots Fans

Mike Dussault — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:39:05 -0500

There was something about September 7, 2008 that felt wrong from the start.

The New England Patriots, coming off the almost-perfect season of 2007, took to their home turf for the season opener at Gillette Stadium, however they weren’t wearing their usual home blue jerseys.

The commentators pointed out that due to feverish temperature the Patriots had decided to go with the white jerseys this day, those usually reserved for away games.

“Another brilliant move by the hoodied one,” thought every Patriots fan across the country. Why had this never occurred to any one else? White shirts are better in the hot sun than dark blue ones are. Revolutionary!

Not that it really mattered. The Pats could’ve not worn jerseys at all, nor shoulder pads for that matter, and Patriots Nation would’ve remained assured of a New England victory, most likely by two to three touchdowns (closer to three with shoulder pads, more like two without them).

But something else was different. A huge GU patch was emblazoned upon the left shoulder of every player for both teams, as a memorial to Raider great Gene Upshaw.

I don’t know who comes up with the memorial patches for the NFL but apparently they draw the line at big, bold initials. I have to imagine someone somewhere could come up with something a little more interesting than just a big “G” and a big “U” and his number 63 at the bottom.

Thanks for everything, Gene. GU! You were No. 63 too, by the way.

I mean no disrespect to Gene Upshaw, he of course deserved to be honored, but can’t we come up with something a little more clever or creative?

Anyway, there was just something about having a Raider legend’s initials on every Patriot that made me feel uneasy. I don’t need to go into a Raiders-Patriots history lesson, but they’ve already had two plays that have gone down in NFL history where each team felt they got screwed.

Let’s just say we don’t need any Raiders stuff messing with the Patriots' mojo.

White uniforms, GU patches… something was off.

But we brushed it off as Ellis Hobbs caught the opening kickoff. This was opening day. We were about to embark on the 2008 season and put the disappointment of 18-1 behind us.

Then the incredibly reliable Wes Welker fumbled to end the Patriots first drive of 2008. It was the first lost fumble of his Patriots career and would be his only for the season.

Strange. Maybe something really wasn’t right.

A three-and-out by a morbid Kansas City offense. “Okay, everything is fine,” we told ourselves.

But seven plays later it happened.

The clock said 7:27 in the first quarter of the first game, but in many ways the season died right then and there. Tom Brady’s MCL and ACL were shredded when Bernard Pollard fell into Brady’s leg as he completed a 28-yard pass to Randy Moss.

Many were too busy holding their breath waiting for Brady to hop up like he always did to remember that Moss also fumbled on the play. He hadn’t lost a fumble since his Viking days.

There was no doubt about it now. This wasn’t just an off day.

This was a historically bad day.

Everyone knew it right away. Brady limped off the field but clearly something was very wrong. At least to me, my wife still thought he’d be fine since they didn’t have to cart him off the field. This would’ve sent sixty percent of Gillette Stadium into cardiac arrest, by the way.

Our worst fears were confirmed later that night when pictures of Brady’s leg being bent like a pretzel appeared on the internet. The kind of pictures that make you slightly nauseous, even when it isn’t your man-crush’s leg.

Then Brett Favre unceremoniously leaked that he “heard Brady had an ACL injury”.

“What does Brett Favre know!,” we shouted at ESPN. “He could barely beat last year’s one win Dolphin team! Go study your Jets' playbook unretired one!”

But deep down we know Favre had some kind of inside scoop. The outlook was grim. Brady was done for the year.

None of us could’ve foreseen the doomsday scenario for the Patriots and their fans unfolding that day. But there were many things about opening day 2008 that felt wrong from the start.

Now, and for the rest of NFL eternity, Patriots fans will forever be reminded of that day when they see the GU patch, the scarlet letter of Tom Brady’s 2007 season-ending knee injury.

When any highlight or clip plays, and you catch a glimpse of a non-Raider with a GU patch, you’ll know exactly what day that was.

The day you knew the next four months would be a whole lot less fun.

The day Bernard Pollard shot to the top of your "Hate" list.

The day the Patriots dynasty and Tom Brady’s career were forever altered.

So in the future, when things don’t go the Patriots’ way, just say “GU!”. That will sum it up in the only way a Patriots fan could understand.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader at Bleacher Report, and also a contributor atBostonSportz.com. His Patriots blog can be viewed here, and he can be contacted atPatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

NFL Combine: The Top Players To Watch for Patriots Fans

Mike Dussault — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:04:14 -0500

For the past couple seasons, I didn’t have a chance to get much of a jump on the prospects with Patriots potential prior to the scouting combine, since the Pats made a habit out of playing into mid-January.

Both fortunately and unfortunately, I’ve had plenty of time this season.

The scouting combine is upon us. It's an event that will have players rising and dropping all based on what they do sans pads. Still, much can be taken from the various drills and interviews that the players are put through—especially at the positions that the Patriots are likely to target.

While the loss of Tom Brady was the biggest story line of the 2008 season for the Pats, it was ultimately their defense that was the difference in them not making the playoffs.

The Pats continually gave up third-and-longs and were consistently atrocious in the red zone defensively. So look for the defense to again be the targeted side of the ball in the 2009 Draft, just as it was in 2008.

Outside linebacker and cornerback are two of the deepest positions in the 2009 Draft and two of the Patriots’ biggest needs. But I must state this disclaimer: They are not handicapped by a lack of depth at either position.

Those of us outside of Foxborough can't say how Bill Belichick sees young players like Pierre Woods and Shawn Crable at OLB or Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley at cornerback. If any of them project to make significant contributions in 2009, it would affect the decision of who the Pats will draft.

With that said, here are the top prospects to keep an eye on, divided into four handy categories. This is just a "snap shot" prior to the combine, based on college careers and performance at the Senior Bowl, so expect much of it to change by the time April rolls around.

Probable Goners

These are the players that are currently ranked so high that the Pats won’t get a shot at them with the 23^rd pick. Of course, a Matt Cassel-for-high-draft-pick trade would alter that. But barring that, these guys fall into the "Probable Goners".

Malcolm Jenkins – Cornerback (Ohio State): Davis is the top-ranked corner across the board and will likely be selected by the 10^th pick.

DJ Moore – Cornerback (Vanderbilt): The best cover corner in the SEC shouldn’t last long. But if for some reason he does, with his kick return skills and coverage ability, the Pats will definitely consider him.

Aaron Curry – Linebacker (Wake Forest): Curry is the top-ranked linebacker, and could be a top-five selection. With so many 3-4 teams picking high, though, Curry will also likely be gone by the 10^th pick.

Rey Maualuga – Linebacker (USC): After the Patriots success with Jerod Mayo last season, it’s doubtful that Maualuga will last past the top 15 picks. Players like him are always in demand, so look for Denver or San Diego to pounce on him.

Brian Cushing – Linebacker (USC): Cushing is a popular pick for the Pats in many mock drafts, but after he blew up at the Senior Bowl, he’s been rocketing into the top 15 of many a pundit.

He’s a weight room beast, so it’s highly unlikely his performance at the combine will do anything other than raise his stock. He could play inside or outside linebacker and is exactly the kind of player the Pats like, but I fear he’ll be long gone by 23.

Conversion Projects

Every year, there’s a collection of defensive ends that project as outside linebackers, especially for the 3-4 defense. This year has a quality crop, but the Pats interest in conversion projects is often left to the lower rounds. Most of these guys should be gone by 23 anyways.

Everette Brown – Defensive End/Linebacker (Florida State): Brown looks like this year’s Vernon Gholston. He's the top-ranked conversion guy, but we saw how that turned out last year. Guys like him rise or fall the most after the combine.

Brian Orakpo – Defensive End/Linebacker (Texas): He’s been talked about as a 3-4 OLB since his sophomore year. He’s up and down in the mock drafts, but his performance at the combine should solidify his draft status.

Aaron Maybin – Defensive End/Linebacker (Penn State): Maybin is just a sophomore, but his stock has gone straight upward since he declared for the draft. He should continue to rise but is young and will need time to develop, though he has tantalizing size and speed for an OLB in the 3-4.

Larry English – Defensive End/Linebacker (Northern Illinois): English erupted at the Senior Bowl, taking himself from second-rounder to potential top-20 pick. His strength is rushing the passer, but he played almost exclusively with his hand down at Northern Illinois.

The Bears could grab him at 18; he’s a popular Pats pick in many mocks, but he’s been rising out of the Pats' range since the Senior Bowl.

Theirs for the Taking

These are the guys that should be there at 23, and fit what the Patriots need most. There’s no way to know if these guys will receive first-round grades from the Pats scouting staff, but based on current info, it’s our best guess at this time that the 23^rd overall selection will come from this group.

Alphonso Smith – Cornerback (Wake Forest): Smith has the physical make-up of a quintessential Patriots corner. You need look no further than Ellis Hobbs, Terrence Wheatley or Jonathan Wilhite to see what kind of cornerback the Patriots like for their system.

Smith is a ballhawk—he was all over the field at Senior Bowl practice, and my personal favorite draft guru Mike Mayock called him "one of the most instinctual corners" he’s ever seen in college. His performance at the combine will likely determine if the Patriots have a shot at him.

Clint Sintim – Outside Linebacker (Virginia): Unlike the conversion projects, Sintim actually has experience playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He also played for a Bill Belichick disciple, Al Groh, at Virginia.

Sintim is known to have a non-stop motor and hit like a truck. This seems like a perfect pick for the Pats, but as we know, they rarely do what you think they will.

Clay Matthews – Outside Linebacker (USC): Matthews obviously has great bloodlines and played for a top program at USC. He started out as a walk-on and worked his way up to potential first-round draft pick status.

He’s had some experience playing in space at USC, and would immediately contribute on special teams. The 23^rd overall slot might be a bit of a reach at this point, but his combine performance could change that.

The Wild Cards

Trying to predict what the Patriots will do at the draft is most often foolish, but there are a couple players, if still available, that could be too tempting to pass up, even if other positions are bigger needs at the moment.

Brandon Pettigrew – Tight End (Oklahoma State): Pettigrew is far and away the best tight end in the draft, being both a receiving threat and a solid blocker. This is something the Pats haven’t had in a while, and with David Thomas and Ben Watson’s contracts expiring after 2009, tight end will quickly be a major need. With the plethora of corners and defensive ends/outside linebackers, Pettigrew just might slip into the 20's.

Tyson Jackson – Defensive End (LSU) : Jackson is one guy who is all over the place when it comes to mock drafts. Some have him in the top 10, others in the second round, so it’s hard to tell if he’ll be available or not. But with Richard Seymour and Jarvis Green both free agents after 2009, defensive end will definitely be a need for the Pats.

Jackson has the size to play end in the 3-4, and Belichick knows players with that build are rare. If you have a chance to grab one, you have to do it.

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader at Bleacher Report, and also a contributor at BostonSportz.com. His Patriots blog can be viewed here, and he can be contacted at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

An Early Look at Some New England Patriots Draft Prospects

Mike Dussault — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:21:21 -0500

The best way to get over the depressing end of the NFL season is to immerse yourself in the NFL Draft. Though I'm sure to be experiencing "Draft Fatigue" by mid-March, nothing puts last season's horror show in the rear view mirror better than researching the potential rookie studs the Pats could be adding in April.

I will be posting an extensive Combine Players to Watch article, specifically targeting the players the Patriots could be interested in, next week. But for the time being here are a few prospects that have caught my eye early on. These five players are the ones who've been popping up the most.

Of course after the combine players will rise and fall, this is just a snapshot in time of the players right now that are projected to be available when the Pats pick. And you never know, the Pats could be picking up an extra first-rounder for Matt Cassel and that would make things entirely more interesting.

Top Five Patriots Prospects (for the 23rd overall pick)

1. Alphonso Smith CB (Wake Forest): Smith is the prototypical Patriots cornerback in that he's undersized and really quick but with one major plus, he's a ball hawk. He's currently about the third ranked corner, but was all over the place in Senior Bowl practice, getting interceptions every day, though he did drop one in the game.

Mike Mayock calls him one of the most instinctive corners he's ever seen in college.

2. Brandon Pettigrew TE (Okalahoma State): A tight end!? This is the last thing Patriots fan want to see, but this is a real position of need. Pettigrew is the top ranked Tight End in the draft. He is equal parts pass catcher and pass blocker, and could potentially make an immediate impact for the Pats.

3. Clint Sintim OLB (Virginia): Sintim has a few things going for him. He's played OLB in a 3-4 defense, he played for Belichick disciple Al Groh, and he's likely to be available at 23. This is a rich draft of OLB/DE prospects but very few of them have experience actually playing stand-up linebacker like Sintim does.

He hits like a truck and has a non-stop motor.

4. Clay Matthews OLB (USC): Matthews also has some experience playing in space as an OLB at USC. He would also be a Special Teams demon who would contribute immediately. The Pats have a stable of young OLBs, whether Sintim or Matthews are better than any of them remains to be seen.

5. Tyson Jackson DE (LSU): Jackson's one guy who is all over the place when it comes to mock drafts. Some have him in the top ten, others have him in the second round. But with Richard Seymour and Jarvis Green entering the last years of their contracts never count out the Pats drafting someone at one of the most important positions in the Belichick defense - a five-technique defensive end.

This list operates under the assumption that Brian Cushing (OLB, USC), Larry English (DE/OLB, Northern Illinois), and Aaron Mayben (DE/OLB, Penn State) will be off the board by the time the Patriots pick. We will have further analysis into them and others in next week's article.

The Free Agent the New England Patriots Need

Mike Dussault — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:54:06 -0500

While most of the Patriots-following world are thinking about Cassel and the Franchise Tag, McDaniels and the Broncos, or Pioli and the Chiefs, I'm thinking about how the Pats are going to address a defense that has been the team's weak link for the past three seasons.

One needs to look no further than the two defenses playing in the AFC Championship to see what New England lacks by comparison. Playmakers.

One more defensive play made could've been the difference for the '08 Pats getting into the playoffs. But even if they had gotten there, no one can argue that the Pats D is on the same level as the Ravens and Steelers, and thus it needs to upgraded.

Pass rush and pass defense are complimentary elements of defensive football. If you don't pressure the quarterback, he's going to find open receivers. But if the coverage is poor, the quarterback will be able to get the pass out no matter how fast the pass rush is coming.

It's hard to say which was the weaker link for the Patriots this season but I tend to blame the pass defense more than the pass rush.

With the return of Adalius Thomas and Pierre Woods from injury, along with the progression of young linebackers Vince Redd and Shawn Crable, the Pats pass rush should be okay.

Put it this way: No free agent outside linebacker is going to overtake Mike Vrabel or Thomas as a starter, and Woods and/or Crable should be an adequate third OLB off the bench.

But in New England's defensive backfield things are a lot more murky, with two of their four starters, Deltha O'Neal and James Sanders, up for free agency.

That is why the Patriots must pursue Free Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe as their number one free agent priority this off-season.

Atogwe is a playmaker, coming off a season in which he recorded five interceptions and six forced fumbles, while winning the Rams' defensive MVP award. And, at 27 years old, he's just entering the prime of his career.

By comparison, James Sanders, the starting free safety for the Patriots the last three seasons, has just eight interceptions in his entire career. Sanders is also a free agent so the Patriots will have a decision to make at the position and Atogwe is a clear upgrade.

When the Patriots met the Rams in 2008, Bill Belichick had this to say about Atogwe:

"I can't pronounce his name but he is a very productive guy with eight interceptions last year and he has already had a bunch this year including pre-season. He is around the ball a lot."

Atogwe also picked off a Matt Cassel pass in the game.

This is the kind of player that the Pats sorely need. While it looks like Brandon Meriweather is the future at the Strong Safety position, Atogwe would bring a playmaking backline presence that could elevate the Patriots defense back to elite status.

A ballhawking free safety can make up for sub-par cornerback play, just look at Ed Reed. While cornerback remains a need, Atogwe would instantly upgrade the entire defense in a way that no available corner could.

While some might argue that another hard-to-pronounce defensive back, Nnamdi Asomugha, should be the target, the Patriots have enough depth and youth at cornerback to concentrate on developing talent there. They also can address cornerback with one of their three picks in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft.

The Raiders will probably hit Asomugha with the Franchise Tag anyway.

Atogwe will surely be an in-demand free agent with a high price tag, but as we've seen in the past, the Pats have an ability to get players who want to win without breaking the bank.

After four years in St. Louis, Atogwe just might be ready to sacrifice a few bucks to be part of a winning organization.

The New England Patriots' 2008: Epilogue to an Injury-Filled Season

Mike Dussault — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:29:18 -0500

Way back in July, when Tom Brady was still upright, Rodney Harrison was getting ready to make up for the Tyree catch, and Fernando Bryant looked like our starting left cornerback, Randy Moss told the Boston Globe he was scared.

With the entire record setting offense of 2007 returning, a cream puff schedule that looked like 12-4 at worst and a host of promising rookies on defense, the expectations of what the 2008 Patriots could do frightened the record-setting receiver.

In hindsight, all of Patriots Nation should’ve been scared too.

Perhaps the preseason appearance of crutches in Brady’s locker, a joke played on reporters by the team, was an omen.

It took 14 offensive plays for the 2008 New England Patriots and their reigning NFL dynasty to forever be altered, and become literally scary for it’s fans, players and coaches.

The images of Tom Brady limping off the field with a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, the massive GU patch for Gene Upshaw emblazoned on his shoulder, would define the 2008 NFL season just moments after it started.

In stepped Matt Cassel, who, if you asked most Pats pundits, was lucky to still have a job. What Bill Belichick saw in Cassel’s duck-turd preseason performances that made him a believer in Cassel, we’ll never know.

Cassel led the Pats to a surprising 2-0 start, leading many to believe that even without Brady the Patriots dynasty would keep on rolling.

But in week three the Dolphins unleashed the “Wildcat” on the Pats and the rest of the NFL, something that would take them all the way to the AFC East title, and the cracks in the Pats defense began to appear, along with the injuries.

Thus began a stretch of win one, lose one that would last nine games with the Pats beating the teams they were supposed to beat and losing to the teams they were supposed to lose to.

Like Brady before him, Cassel never killed the team with the Favrean interception at the worst possible time. He might’ve held on to the ball a little too long at times, but the pass protection wasn’t always where it needed to be.

Cassel gained confidence and had his coming-out party in an overtime loss to the Jets, in which he fired a game-tying touchdown pass to Randy Moss as time expired, completing a miraculous comeback after the Pats had been blown off the field in the first half.

Sadly, it was the defense’s failure to get one more stop in that game that was ultimately the difference in how the season ended.

While the loss of Tom Brady was the doomsday scenario for the Patriots, it was not the downfall of their season. That dubious honor went to the defense.

Adalius Thomas and Rodney Harrison going down played a significant role in the defense’s demise, but even with them in the lineup the 2008 Pats D again displayed the problems that plagued it in 2006 and 2007.

When one looks at the teams remaining in the AFC playoffs the first thing that comes to mind is not unstoppable offenses, but unbreakable defenses. The Patriots will have to return to their unbreakable ways if they want to again be an elite team that competes for the Super Bowl.

While the defense did tighten up at the end of the season, albeit against suspect competition, it was a case of too little too late, as the Pats no longer controlled their own playoff destiny in December.

The season came to anticlimactic end when the Jets failed to beat the Dolphins, leaving the 11-5 Patriots on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

While there was talk of the Patriots deserving a playoff spot, the reality is that New England lost to four of the six AFC playoff teams, three of which were by twenty points or more (Miami, San Diego, Pittsburgh).

If you can’t hang with the big boys do you really deserve a spot at the playoff table? No.

The average record of the teams the Pats beat: 6-10. Average record for the teams the Pats lost to: 10-6.

This is just a mathematical way of stating the obvious. The 2008 Patriots, despite injuries that would’ve been catastrophic for most NFL teams, still managed to play solid football and win eleven games, something that is not easy to do. They may not have had the talent to beat the upper echelon teams but they were still coached well enough to beat the bottom feeders.

There are many questions to be answered before the 2009 season starts, the health of Tom Brady being at the forefront. While rumors are already swirling that the Pats will hit Matt Cassel with the Franchise Tag, it’s clear that the defense is the area that most needs to be addressed.

While there are some solid young pieces in place with Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton and Brandon Meriweather, there’s still a great need for playmakers, most urgently in the defensive backfield.

It will be a few years before we know where the 2008 season fits into the legacy of Bill Belichick’s Patriots Dynasty. Whether it was the beginning of the end, or but an injury-filled blip in a decade of dominance, remains to be seen.

However, Belichick once again proved he’s the best coach in the game who will keep the Patriots competitive until his time in New England comes to an end.

Jets, Ravens, and Dolphins Could All Be on Patriots' Playoff Plate

Mike Dussault — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:19:03 -0500

By now we all know what needs to happen for the Patriots to get into the playoffs, but what happens if and when they get there?

There are four potential scenarios that could play out depending on what happens this weekend. Assuming the Patriots beat the Bills, which may be a foolish assumption, but it's no fun to assume otherwise, here they are:

1. Dolphins and Ravens win, Pats out of playoffs: The log jam at the top of the AFC East has a whole lot more to do with the weak schedules the teams have played (AFC West, NFC West) than how improved the Dolphins or Jets are. The only playoff team the Dolphins have beaten is whoever wins the AFC West.

Other than wins over San Diego and Denver, Miami has feasted on the easiest schedule in the NFL. Still impressive considering where they were last year, and when you look at the Jets 0-for-West Coast performance, but it remains to be seen how the Phins match up with top-notch competition.

Though New England has played a slightly more difficult schedule, they've failed to beat a single quality opponent, which could be their downfall should this scenario unfold. What's worse, not playing anyone good or losing to every good team you played?

2. Dolphins lose and Ravens win, Pats win AFC East, host Baltimore: Baltimore's defense is scary, there's no doubt about that. But there's something about a rookie quarterback coming to Foxborough in January making me feel like the Pats could dispatch the Ravens.

If New England could grab an early lead, it might be difficult for Joe Flacco, in his first playoff game, to engineer a comeback. Even last year's junk Ravens team took the juggernaut 2007 Pats down to the wire. This would surely be the same type of battle, but I'd like the Pats chances.

3. Dolphins lose and Ravens lose, Pats win AFC East, host Jets: That's right folks, the final chapter of Jets vs. Pats in 2008 might still be unwritten. I don't doubt Favre can pull off a win against Miami. He's always been the kind of player who plays like junk when you need him to play well but plays lights out when you think he's done, so you can never write him off.

I'd give New England the edge in a third meeting simply because their defense looks SLIGHTLY better than the Jets', while their offense looks GREATLY superior. Had the Pats shown up in the first half of the second time these two teams met the Jets would already be out of it. The Jets can't stop anyone lately, especially not a peaking Patriots offense.

4. Dolphins win and Ravens lose: Patriots take Wild Card, play at Miami: What a game this would be. Not only because the Patriots already throttled the Dolphins at home once, but there's a lot of bad blood between these two teams. Historically the Patriots have a tough time playing at Miami, though it wasn't the case in November. This would no doubt be a hard-fought battle with Miami's home field advantage negating some of the Patriots offensive might.

Even my non-biased gut feels the Patriots are the better team, but the Dolphins play solid football and would not give New England anything.

Regardless of what happens this weekend there is only one season-ending the Belichick dynasty has yet to see: a wild card round playoff exit. The Pats have won the Super Bowl (2001, 2003, 2004), lost the Super Bowl (Giants), lost the AFC Championship (Colts), lost the Divisional Playoff Game (Broncos), and missed the playoffs entirely (2002).

The only ending that remains to be seen is a loss in the Wild Card round. I'd still rather see that than another 2002. Should be a great weekend.

All I Want for Christmas Is the Patriots in the Playoffs

Mike Dussault — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:24:51 -0500

Dear Santa,

I know it's been a while since I've written to you, and I'm sorry about forgetting to put out milk and cookies the last fifteen or so Christmases, but this year I really need your help. As you're probably aware due to all the New England Patriots schwag you've delivered to my house over the years, I'm quite a big fan of the team.

So, the reason I'm writing to you is that in lieu of any presents this year, I am only asking for the scenario I lay out below to unfold. I don't know how much pull you have with the NFL, but I'm guessing given your Vince Wilfork-esque physique you must've played some ball at some point, so you can understand my passion.

While my request comes at the expense of some other teams, I can assure you that none of their fans or players believe in you like I do—plus most of them celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and even Festivus instead of Christmas!

So here's what I need to happen:

First, make the New York Jets lose to the Miami Dolphins in the regular season finale. I know it's somewhat cold-hearted to have Chad Pennington rip the hearts of Jets fans out at the last possible moment on their home turf, but hey, they should've known what they were getting into when they signed Brett Favre. Given how close Green Bay is to the North Pole, I'm sure you're well aware of this as well.

Plus, I don't think we need to get into what Eric Mangini did to Blitzen last Christmas while you were down in his house dishing out presents to the kid he named after Bill Belichick. You know you still owe him some retribution for that one. From what I've heard, Blitzen hasn't flown the same way since.

Second, make the Miami Dolphins lose to either San Francisco this weekend or at Kansas City next weekend. Look Santa, we both know the Dolphins really aren't that good. I don't think it's going to take much magic to make a loss happen in one of these games.

I'm also pretty sure, given how unfriendly the Miami climate is to your sleigh, that you don't have much love for the Dolphins anyways. I also have to assume that Joey Porter is on the naughty list, so it's kind of a two-Dolphins-with-one-harpoon kind of a move.

Finally, I need the Patriots to go 3-0 in their last three games. I know a Patriots fan should not be asking for any kind of undefeated stretch, but since it's against the Raiders, Cardinals, and Bills, I don't think it's too tall an order. Look at all the horrible injuries we've had this year, I think someone owes us at least a playoff game for all the pain our team has suffered.

If this scenario unfolds, there's a very good chance the Patriots would be hosting the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs (I like our chances at home versus a rookie QB), with a potential rematch with the Steelers in Pittsburgh looming in the second round (we all know the Patriots are the last team the Steelers want to see).

I'm sure as a football fan you'd much rather see these matchups than the Dolphins or Jets getting bounced in the first round, right?

Well, that's it Santa. I'm guessing it's a whole lot easier to make my request happen than overloading your sleigh with all that Patriots stuff I asked for this year. You can disregard my requests for the Patriots Model Train Set, the Patriots Bean Bag Tailgate Toss, and the Wes Welker onesie for my new son (he won't even fit into until next season anyways).

If there's any way you could maybe still just throw a copy of NFL Films' History of the New England Patriots DVD in my stocking I'd really appreciate it, but again, all I really want for Christmas is the Patriots in the playoffs.

Patriots Enter Home Stretch Battered and Bruised, but Not Yet Dead

Mike Dussault — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:49:31 -0500

When Tom Brady went down in the first quarter of the first game this season, the first question for Patriots fans was whether or not the team could still contend without their biggest star. What they didn't realize was that Brady's injury was a harbinger of things to come all season long.

One of the most unrecognized factors in the almost-perfect 2007 season was the lack of injuries. The only major losses were Rosevelt Colvin and Sammie Morris, both of which were somewhat easily overcome.

But 2008 has been the worst year of injuries the Patriots dynasty has ever faced, which is saying a lot when you consider Troy Brown was playing cornerback in 2004. The fact that they are still in the running for the AFC East Division title is a testament to the organization.

By now everyone knows who the Patriots have lost, how much three rookies are playing on defense, and where Rosevelt Colvin and Junior Seau were two weeks ago at this time. I don't need to rehash all of it, because the only thing that matters is winning football games and that is what the Patriots have continued to do.

They will need help to get into the tournament, but no matter what 2008 can only reinforce how strong of a base Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli have built in New England.

Random Thoughts

I was at the game in Seattle last weekend, and I think the other 31 NFL teams could learn a thing or two from the fans and atmosphere at Qwest Field. From the Blue Thunder drum band to the noise the fans made on every Patriots possession that began as soon as New England huddled up, it was a great place to watch a football game.

It will be interesting to see who starts at OLB against Oakland. Gary Guyton got pulled after the first half against Seattle in favor of Rosevelt Colvin and the Patriots defense seemed a lot tighter.

Brandon Meriweather's strip sack was the kind of play Rodney Harrison used to make. Let's hope he continues to progress as a playmaker. 2009 could be a breakout season for him.

I fully expect Lamont Jordan to run like a rolling ball of butcher knives against the Raiders. I'd also bet Randy Moss has at least one touchdown catch, he'll be going hard on every play, that is for sure.

It looks like the fans weren't that far off in making Deltha O'Neal the whipping boy of the secondary. He was replaced at starting cornerback by rookie Jonathan Wilhite against Seattle, and relegated to nickel and dime back duties. On Meriweather's strip sack play, Seneca Wallace said it would've been a big play for the Seahawks had he not lost the ball as Deion Branch had already beaten O'Neal.

I seriously wonder if a fresh but slightly-out-of-shape Junior Seau is a better option than a slighty injured Tedy Bruschi. Seau will bring a new energy for the last quarter of the season; maybe it's just what the Pats need to win out.

What happens if the Jets lose either this week or next and Miami wins both, setting up a "Jets win New England's In" scenario in the last week of the season (assuming the Pats win out of course)? Would that make up in any small way for Mangini ratting out the Pats last year?

Mike Dussault is a Patriots Community Leader at Bleacher Report, and also a contributor at BostonSportz.com. His Patriots blog can be viewed here and he can be contacted at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

New England Patriots 2008 Three-Quarters Report

Mike Dussault — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:25:30 -0500

I was going to write about the atrocity that took place on the field of Gillette Stadium on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I couldn't write a sentence without vomiting in my own mouth. So instead I choose to sum up where the Pats are as they head into the final quarter of the 2008 season.

The defining characteristic of 2008 is the fact that it's Matt Cassel under center and not Tom Brady. We knew that would be the case within the first ten minutes of the season's start. While Cassel has been better than most expected it still remains to be seen if he can beat a top notch team.

Last week, following back-to-back 400 yard games, Cassel vs. Brady was the talk of Bleacher Report. However, after another loss to another AFC playoff team, that talk should be squelched. Instead, we should be left wondering if Matt Cassel is anything more than an average NFL quarterback.

That's not a knock on Cassel. Average is better than anyone expected out of him. But he's been in this system for four years and is surrounded by arguably the best wide receiving corps in the game. If he's average now how's he going to do in a brand new offense with a lesser cast of receivers. Something to think about Tampa Bay, Detroit, and other NFL teams who might take a look at Cassel.

SAME PROBLEMS PERSIST

It's now December and the teams that are going to compete for the Super Bowl should be starting to put together their best football. The Patriots however continue to be plagued by the same problems that have faced them all season.

In a way, 2008 would've almost been more frustrating if Brady had not been hurt, only to see the defense continue to give up third down conversions and red zone scores that would have resulted in nearly as many losses as the Pats have with Cassel. The Patriots weren't beating the Dolphins (round one), Chargers, or Steelers even if No. 12 was in there.

Maybe it's the losses of Asante Samuel, Rodney Harrison, and Adalius Thomas. Maybe it's the inexperience of the rookie linebackers and defensive backs. Maybe it's just Deltha O'Neal. Regardless, the Patriots defense will need work in the off-season.

While they are building solid depth at middle linebacker (Guyton, Mayo) and cornerback (Wilhite, Richardson, Wheatley) they need to add more playmakers. Unfortunately Pierre Woods and Mike Vrabel have not been able to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks and that has fed into the Pats' third down breakdowns as much as poor coverage has.

LAST QUARTER

The game against the Steelers was the last chance for the Pats to prove they belong in the conversation of AFC contenders. Now, after the 33-10 drubbing, it's clear that they do not. That doesn't mean that they still can't sneak into the playoffs though.

If you had to choose an MVP for the 2008 Pats at this point it would have to be the cream puff schedule. If New England had Pittsburgh's schedule they'd be lucky to go 6-10.

You can beat the Chiefs, 49ers, and Bills behind the strength of your offensive and defense lines. But you can't beat the Colts, Steelers, or Jets without a dangerous pass rush.

Due to the Jets' loss to the Broncos and the difficult schedule that the Ravens are faced with, the Patriots playoff hopes are still not dead. They will need to go 4-0 in December, but it's something they are clearly capable of given they play Seattle, Oakland, Arizona, and Buffalo.

But even if they do sneak into the tournament the Patriots defense isn't striking fear into the hearts of any NFL team at the moment. The new guard in the AFC is comprised of teams with airtight Ds that can shut down any offense. Just see what Pittsburgh did to the Pats on Sunday.

It's still not too late, but it's clear that the problems that plague the 2008 Patriots run much deeper than just a lack of Tom Brady.

Patriots-Steelers: New England Must Beat Pittsburgh if They Are To Be Contenders

Mike Dussault — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:37:01 -0500

When the 2008 NFL schedule came out in April and Tom Brady still had his left ACL intact, the thought of the Patriots going 16-0 for a second consecutive season did not seem out of the question.

On paper, the Pats had the easiest schedule in the NFL, which seemed like a cruel joke after the way they laid waste to their 2007 opponents.

Of course, that all changed when Bernard Pollard bent Brady's leg like a pretzel and Matt Cassel was thrust into the starting quarterback spotlight, to the horror of Pats fans everywhere.

Cassel's improvement has been greater than, even the most ardent, Patriot supporters could have predicted. Despite his solid play, the Pats have still lost four games and the dreams of back-to-back undefeated regular seasons have faded into a distant memory. A memory that was tainted by a Super Bowl loss, anyway.

The Colts, Chargers, and Steelers represented the only iron of the Patriots' schedule before the season started. Of course, now we know, the Jets and Cardinals are both significantly better than anyone expected.

The Chargers and Colts, meanwhile, are significantly to moderately worse, but that didn't stop the Pats from losing to both of them.

Everyone knows how hard it is to win in the NFL. We can't make light of the Pats wins over the Chiefs, 49ers, Rams and Broncos, even if they do only have eleven total wins combined.

A lot of good NFL teams have lost to those four bottom-dwellers. (Yes, Bronco fans, I called you bottom-dwellers. That's what you get when you lose to the Raiders).

While upcoming games with the Seahawks, Raiders, Cardinals, and Bills will all be hard-fought, the Patriots should be expected to win all of them. Doesn't mean they will, but no one's moving the Pats into the top five of their power ranking for beating any of them, especially if New England loses this Sunday.

The Patriots' wins over the Dolphins and Jets, as well as their Monday night demolition of the Broncos (back when they were still considered good), sit as the three feathers in Cassel's cap. But when you look closer, they don't seem all that impressive.

Miami probably won't make the playoffs, Denver might only get in because the AFC West is so atrocious, and the Pats' win over the Jets came in Week Two, when Brett the Jet was still in his incubation phase.

Not to take anything away from Matt Cassel or his progression. He played admirably in losses to the peaking Jets and resurgent Colts, but moral victories don't get you into the playoffs.

Now, sitting at 7-4, the 2008 Patriots will have to beat the one elite team that actually lived up to their preseason billing if they want to be considered elite themselves.

It's a team they have owned for much of the decade. A team they have beaten twice in AFC Championships to get to Super Bowls. A team whose defense precedes them. A team that ended the Patriots' 21-game win streak: The Pittsburgh Steelers.

The black and gold enter Foxborough, Sunday, with the best defense in the NFL, providing the biggest test of Cassel's young career. The Steelers are ranked in the top five of most power rankings and are the highest ranked opponent the Pats have faced in 2008.

Should the Patriots win, it will put them back into the conversation of AFC contenders. If they lose, they will look more like the one-and-done Wild Card team most have them pegged as. A team who can beat the bottom half of the league, but comes up short when they face a playoff team.

Just who are the 2008 New England Patriots? We'll have a very good idea come Sunday night.

Patriots-Dolphins: Notes on The Taming of The Wildcat

Mike Dussault — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:29:46 -0500

It was a must-win for the Patriots and thank Bill Belichick we have Matt Cassel. Holy crap, I never thought I'd type those words, but welcome to 2008. It still doesn't make me miss Tom Brady any less.

So by now you know that Cassel posted back-to-back 400 passing yard games and is now among rare company that excludes even Brady. Those that were calling for Cassel's head after the first Dolphin debacle are now left trying to explain how they were behind Cassel all along.

Suddenly the 2008 Pats offense looks like the peaking 2007 offense and it's a good thing because yet again the Patriots pass defense was shredded. Is it me or are the 2008 Patriots the anti-Ravens? All O, no D. When you're excited for a third-down stop you know how low your expectations have fallen for the defense.

So while even respected football sites like Cold Hard Football Facts are pondering the viability of trading Brady, the fact remains that Cassel still has a lot to prove if he's ever going to be considered as valuable as no. 12. It starts this weekend against a Steelers team that has arguably the best defense the Patriots have faced all year.

My notes on the Miami game:

Even though Cassel's good, I still Won't Forget You, Brady...

Looks like there's a good chance the Pats are without starting left tackle Matt Light against the Steelers. I'd still like to see what Channing Crowder did to provoke such a flurry of blows from Light, he's usually one of the most levelheaded of all Pats.

Nick Kaczur would swing to the left tackle side and Mark Levoir would come in at right tackle if Light is suspended.

Clearly with four interceptions Brandon Meriweather has gotten his dropped-interception problem of 2007 figured out. Now he needs to figure out his 2008 problem of how to separate the ball when delivering big hits. It wouldn't hurt if he wrapped up as well. I'm getting sick of seeing him drill someone, only to have them hang on to the ball and get a first down.

Anyone else think the Jets are peaking too soon? Look, they're a good football team, but I would love another shot at them, even if it's at the Meadowlands. Does anyone need to be reminded how easily Brett Favre can give away a game?

I think the Patriots will need to win out to take the division. If not they will be looking at the six-seed, with their most likely first opponent at Pittsburgh. So this weekend could very well be a playoff preview.

The fate of the Patriots season will come down to their pass defense. They will go as far as the defensive backfield will take them. We know they can shut down the run and can put up points, but they just can't seem to stop giving up first downs on third-and-longs.

The only pass rush the Pats are getting is from their front three of Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren, though Mike Vrabel did finally get a sack against Miami.

The pass rush and pass defense will have to be addressed in the offseason. If Adalius Thomas could come back for the playoffs it would be just the addition they need to get by a team like the Jets or Steelers.

The biggest question of the offseason will of course be what happen to Cassel. I still don't think the Patriots will franchise him regardless of how well Brady is or isn't doing. Experts like Mike Lombardi still think they should franchise him and get some value.

If the Pats could franchise then trade him for some high draft picks it would be yet another savvy move by the Pats front office, but I still think the Pats let him walk, sign a vet backup and wait for Kevin O'Connell to develop like Cassel did.

A little rusty Sammy Morris?

What happened to Lamont Jordan being a "fast healer?"

Safe to say Pittsburgh won't make the same mistake Miami made and Randy Moss will be double-covered all day.

Thank Belichick that Wes Welker is a Patriot. Has there been a more enjoyable player to watch in Pats history?

Welker and Kevin Faulk are reliable as punt returners, but is either really a threat to take one to the house? Add a dangerous punt returner to the offseason need list.

Matthew Slater is close to setting the record for number of times drilled in one season. Head on a swivel, Matthew. You're going to get yourself killed out there.

There is nothing more enjoyable than listening to Chargers sports talk radio the Monday morning after a loss. The mob is starting to turn against Norv Turner. They don't think he's getting the ball to LT or Antonio Gates enough. They're going to miss the playoffs, maybe that will shut them up. Of course it's still all the refs fault.

I made my first appearance at Sonny McCleans, a Boston bar in Santa Monica Sunday and it's always a great taste of home. There was however one lone Dolphin fan in the bar that said "Yessss!" after every positive Miami play. He even won a Patriots hat from the free halftime raffle, which prompted boos from the entire bar. He wasn't saying "yess" anymore by the end.

Got a chance to meet Michael Strahan last week, one of the perks of my real job. I shook his hand and the only thing that came out was "I'm a Pats fan." He laughed and was extremely gracious. We were able to bond over both hating the Jets. It still didn't take any of the sting of 42 away.

Patriots-Jets: Emailing with the Enemy, Part Deux

Mike Dussault — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:36:40 -0500

Jets Community Leader Angel Navedo and Patriots Community Leader Mike Dussault had another email conversation this week to discuss Thursday’s battle for sole possession of first place in the AFC East.

Their analysis and insights into what it will take for their respective teams to pull out the win and take a major step toward the playoffs below:

MD - Alright Angel, our teams took care of business on Sunday, setting up a battle on Thursday night that will go a long way toward determining who wins the AFC East.

But first, I have to say I am pretty disappointed in your Jets for running up the score on the hapless Rams.

Why couldn't you guys just let them stay close like we did? If the Pats learned anything from 2007, it's that it's really classless to run up the score—and karma comes back to bite you. I hope you're happy with yourself for doing that to the poor Rams.

AN - I don't think we ran up the score at all. Brett Favre was benched for Kellen Clemens in the fourth quarter. The Jets took a knee to kill the clock while inside the five, and they even settled for a few field goals throughout the game.

Personally, I think it could've been a lot uglier.

MD - Alright, I'll buy it. From all the highlights I've seen, I still can't figure out where you guys got 49 points anyway.

AN - I was at the game, and it still feels kind of unreal with how many points they put up. It all happened so quickly.

MD - As for my Pats, the score against the Bills wasn't as close as it seemed. Our run defense was rock-solid yet again. I like our chances to prevent Thomas Jones from another three-TD day.

AN - The game may not have been close, but the fact that your guys had to play four quarters of football to secure the win could work against them in a short week.

I wouldn't expect Jones to run for three touchdowns again, but we have to wonder how fatigued your guys are going to be after two tough games and a short week.

MD - Well, after the offense's 19-play drive in the fourth quarter that closed out the game, I'm not too worried about our defense being that tired. Plus, you’re guys are the ones who have to get on a plane—even if it is a short flight.

On the other side of the ball, Matt Cassel has been running the offense with great efficiency and continues to get better each week. They are converting third downs, sustaining long drives, and are starting to finish with touchdowns once they get in the red zone more consistently.

AN - Cassel is definitely playing with a lot more confidence. His mobility added a dynamic to the Pats' offense that never existed with Brady. His touchdown run against Buffalo was a really heads-up play that he might not have made in Week Two.

MD - The first time we faced each other was in the wake of Brady's injury. The game was a tight battle that came down to the end. I'm sure this one will be the same way. What are your Jets doing now that they weren't doing in Week Two?

AN - The operative term there is, "Week Two." My Jets were still working on making sense of the playbook. The chemistry wasn't totally there yet. The offense was still fairly basic while Favre adjusted.

Yes, it was Cassel's first start—but he's been in the system for years and was surrounded by winners that were talented enough to keep him on his feet.

MD - Well, being "in the system" is one thing, not having played in a real game since high school is another. I think the fact that everyone was considering the Patriots as dead in the water after Brady went down went a long way toward how well they played.

No team can handle adversity like the Pats.

AN - Definitely. They're a very resilient team that manages to respond well to pressure.

But aside from just Favre, the Jets still had a new offensive line that was starting to learn one another's tendencies. The whole team, with all of the new pieces, hadn't fully come together yet. And I honestly don't believe they're clicking on all cylinders even now. But it's looking easier every week.

The run defense is phenomenal, and the pass rush has been fast and dangerous. They've gotten stronger throughout the season.

What I fear most is that New England excels where the Jets struggle most. We can't defend screen passes with any consistency. That's been New England's bread and butter and will come in handy again when they try to keep pressure off Cassel.

MD - Yeah, the bubble screens to Welker and Faulk can be deadly, especially with starting guard Stephen Neal back.

AN - Which matchups are you looking forward to the most this week?

MD - Well, I'll tell you what I'm not looking forward to, and that's replacing Adalius Thomas. We all remember him dragging Favre to the ground and basically sealing the Week Two game. It looks like he's done for the year as well now.

As an aside, I have to say I'm just numb to the injuries now. After Brady, Harrison, Maroney, Morris, and now Thomas, this has to be the worst year of injuries the Patriots have ever endured.

No excuses though, I still expect to win the division.

AN - HA!

MD - Anyway, pass rush has been a problem all year for us, and AD was our only semi-consistent threat. Now, third-year backup, and primary special-teamer Pierre Woods steps in—unless Rosevelt Colvin is brought back.

I doubt it though. This stinks because pressure on Favre will be key this week. If he has time, he will make things happen.

That will be the most interesting thing to me. Without Adalius—and Vrabel no longer the pass rush threat he once was—how do we get to Favre and force him to make mistakes?

AN - Losing them is going to make things even easier for our line. Of all teams, the Oakland Raiders showed just how ineffective Favre can be when he's rattled. Favre hasn't been touched in two weeks.

MD - Well, I hope we're going to touch him multiple times on Thursday night, but I'm just not sure who's going to do it. Woods showed some flashes in preseason, so he’ll have to be ready to bring everything he's got. And Vrabel will have to play like he did in the first eight games of 2007.

What do you think your guys are going to try to do in this one? Seems like both teams are playing at a high level and neither will give up anything easily.

AN - I want to say the same thing I said last time—throw intricate blitz packages at Cassel and force mistakes. But that's not going to work.

We have to defend against the short passes. New England's not running anywhere fast on New York. I don't care how good BenJarvus looked on Sunday.

MD - The Pats love the quick throws to Welker on the outside. He leads the league in YAC so you're very right. Nothing brings me more joy than watching the little fella scoot through opposing secondaries.

AN - It's dangerous though. If we try and take that away while playing on our heels, Cassel has shown he can hit Randy Moss from time to time on the deep ball.

MD - It's been a while since he's hit Moss on a deep one, but it's always a threat. Belichick said in the first game the Jets consistently rolled coverage to Moss' side. I assume they will do the same thing.

AN - More importantly, special-teams is going to be of the essence. The story in Week Two was how well Matt Cassel managed the game.

Truthfully, it was Gostkowski that killed the Jets. Winning the field-position battle contributed to the Pats' victory more than anything.

Since then, the Jets have gotten leaps and bounds better.

Mike Westhoff has his unit playing the way we all know they can. Leon Washington is as elusive as ever, and Jay Feely should be feeling good after nailing some nice field goals on Sunday.

MD - Gostkowski is having a Pro Bowl year but missed a tough one against the Bills that was pushed wide by the wind. He'll need to continue to neutralize your return game, since we all know how dangerous Washington can be.

As for our own special-teams, Ellis Hobbs has been pretty quiet in recent weeks. It'd be nice to see him get another 108-yarder like last year's opener.

From my perspective, it's going to come down to whoever can run the ball more effectively.

Both our teams have been shutting down the run and making opponents one-dimensional. Whoever's run game gets going first should be able to take command of the game.

The only thing that scares me is forcing Favre to have to throw it while not being able to generate pressure.

That would be a recipe for bad things.

AN - Definitely. Like you said, without Adalius Thomas, there's going to be less pressure on Favre. There are still very capable players in that system, but losing him hurts you guys a lot.

MD -Any Jets you think could/should have a big game?

One Patriot I think to watch is Brandon Meriweather. He's got three picks and has been delivering some big hits. I expect him to show up ready to go.

AN - Well, it's going to be interesting to see Ty Law out there. I'm not sure how much time we can expect him to really see, but it's going to be fun to see him out there.

It's a funny move to me—feels more like a slap than a personnel decision. If it works, it's brilliant. If it doesn't, ah well—breaks my heart that we had to say goodbye to Justin Miller to make room for the guy.

MD - Better make sure your donut cupboard at Jets HQ is locked up before Law arrives.

It’s an interesting move, and I wonder how much money had to be thrown at him. But seriously, what’s with people thinking he has some kind of insight into the Patriots? Um, Mangini was still a coach in New England after Law left.

I’m not sure Law brings much that Mangini doesn’t already know.

AN - I'm also looking forward to seeing Dustin Keller in action again. He blew up the Rams' defense on Sunday as Favre finally made sense of the mismatch he presents.

It was something I expected to see early in the season against your linebackers, and I think the confidence is there now to be a factor this week.

He's fast, he's physical, and he's got great hands. I'm not sure he can be covered.

MD – Covering the tight end was Rodney’s job. When he went down it became Adalius’ job. Now he’s gone, so it will be interesting to see who covers Keller.

I’d bet it would more likely be a corner than Pierre Woods, but we’ll see.

AN - It's going to be a good game, that's for sure. I promise to send a post card from first place.

MD – Ha right back at you on that one. You might want to wait until December to send it. No matter who wins it’s still a long way from over.

And the Dolphins might still have something to say about it.

New England Patriots 2008 Midpoint Roundtable Discussion

Mike Dussault — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:42:11 -0500

The Patriots are now halfway through the 2008 season—a.k.a. "The Year without Brady"—and resident Pats writers Chris Radez, Ryan Burns, William Berry, and Mike Dussault held an email roundtable to discuss the season thus far.

Matt Cassel is now 5-3 as a starter. With his contract expiring this year and rumors of Tom Brady's rehab not going quite as smoothly as we'd like, what do you think the Pats should do with Cassel? Do you think Cassel is a starting-caliber NFL quarterback at this point?

CR—Matt has done a good job of "driving the bus" in Brady's absence. He seems to be getting more comfortable with the offense, and I do think that he is a starting caliber NFL quarterback.

However, I'm not comfortable with his ability to bring his team back from behind. He seems to get easily flustered and throws errant passes that don't come near their targets. When Matt is under less pressure, his throws look good...but when the game is on the line, his arm stops working. This is something that could change as he continues to get comfortable, but I wouldn't bet the bank on it.

MD—I think this will be one of the biggest stories this coming offseason. Cassel will want to cash in and get a shot to start somewhere, while the Pats will not want to be left with Kevin O’Connell as their No. 1 backup.

I doubt Cassel will sign a one-year deal, but that would probably make the most sense from the Patriots' perspective. My guess is that he walks, and the Pats bring in a veteran QB should Brady not be ready to go.

RB—If the Patriots indeed determine that Brady's knee is not going to be ready for next year, then they have no choice but to re-sign Cassel. I don't see too many teams beating down the door for him if he decides to test the market. The Pats should give him a two-year deal, regardless of Brady's situation.

WB—Let's examine options of keeping Cassel, for the sake of argument. He gets franchised or whatever for one year. Brady comes back and eliminates any doubt over who starts. Even if Brady spends a month like Peyton, getting "right," it is stupid. Now you're backup QB is making more than all but five starting QBs.

Sorry, guys: Cassel is gone after this year. Good luck to him wherever he lands—if it isn't the Jets.

Who has been your biggest surprise Patriot player this year?

CR—This is a toss-up between Brandon Meriweather and BenJarvis Green-Ellis. I know Meriweather was an early-round pick a couple years ago, and we all expected him to do well. But I think he has stepped up and played a big role in giving the defense some direction and leadership. We need as much of that as we can from the younger guys. Brandon has 32 tackles three interceptions at the halfway point.

Green-Ellis probably fits the "surprise" mold a little better, though. With Maroney done for the year—and Morris and Jordan ailing—I'm sure most Pats fans would let out a collective groan at the idea of an undrafted free agent taking on the bulk of the carries. He hasn't done half bad, though, gathering 3.7 yards per carry on 37 carries thus far with three touchdowns.

WB—Cassel—he has not sucked completely, just mostly. That is not fair, I'm comparing him to Brady.

MD—For me, it’s Gary Guyton. He’s an undrafted rookie who got more snaps at linebacker than Tedy Bruschi did against the Colts. Every week, he seems to be playing more and more, and Belichick has given him glowing (by his standards) reviews. For all the talk of how hard it is for a linebacker to pick up the Patriots' complex defense, it doesn’t seem to be a problem for Guyton.

He’s athletic and fast, and along with Mayo, he represents the future of the Patriots' defense.

RB—My biggest surprise has been Jerod Mayo. When he was taken in the first round, no one knew the impact that he would have on this team. He has been an absolute stud and has impressed me by seamlessly transitioning into Belichick's defense.

Who has been your biggest disappointment Patriot player this year?

CR—Ben Watson. I had such high hopes for this guy when he first came to the team, but he's done next to nothing this year. He's been on and off of the injury list, and when he is on the field, he drops passes all the time. He's managed to catch the ball 10 times through eight games and hasn't scored a touchdown yet. Thanks for limiting the potential of my fantasy teams this year, Ben.

WB—Cassel—he isn't Brady.:) Other than that special case? Laurence "Dancing with the Stars" Maroney. Maybe that isn't fair. Maybe next year his "issue" will be cleared up, and he'll be the beast we thought we drafted. I can only go by what I saw, though.

MD—Chad Jackson. No, wait, I guess you actually have to make the team to be a disappointment at this point. I’m going to go with Chad’s draft mate, Laurence Maroney. More injuries, more dancing, see you in 2009.

RB—Without a doubt, Laurence Maroney. He had a chance this year to shake his tap dancing image, but he just cannot stay healthy, whatsoever. I think his time is done in New England.

Team MVP?

CR—Kevin Faulk would be my team MVP at this point. He's averaging 5.9 yards per carry on 46 rushing attempts, as well as 25 receptions for 205 yards. Kevin has always been the heart and soul of this team, and time doesn't seem to be getting in his way. He's probably one of the most underrated players in NFL history.

WB—First off, no one has consistently played extremely well, week after week. If that answer is too wishy-washy; weird as it is to say, Ellis Hobbs.

MD—I like Faulk and Hobbs. They are both really vital to the team, but I have to go with Cassel. The Pats might be 7-1 with Brady, but they could easily be 2-6 if Cassel had folded under the pressure of replacing No. 12.

RB—Matt Cassel. The Patriots are 5-3 right now, and I have to say it is largely thanks to Cassel's performance. Sports experts were predicting a five or six-win season when Brady went down, because of Cassel's weak performance in the preseason, but he has shown that he is competent enough to keep the Pats in the playoff hunt.

What do you see as the team's biggest strength? Weakness?

CR—The Pats' biggest strength so far has been depth at running back. I've never seen a team run the ball so efficiently with their starting back out for the season.

The biggest weakness is probably the lack of depth in the defensive backfield. A late edition, Deltha O'Neal, has been one of our better assets out there, and that's not saying much for the credibility of the secondary. Thank goodness for Meriweather and Sanders.

WB—Strength, Matt Cassel. Weakness, Matt Cassel. OK, seriously. When moderately healthy, the running game looks good. Otherwise, the secondary is all rookies and second-year players. (On the "old" defense," but I digress.)

MD—Strength I see is their defensive line. For the most part, they have shut down opposing running games, and when you do that you have a chance to win any game. Seymour, Wilfork, and Warren are the foundation of this team.

I think their biggest weakness has to be pass rush. Vrabel hasn’t been the Vrabel of 2007, and while Adalius Thomas can be a beast, he isn’t one every game.

RB—The biggest strength was running the ball, but that might get weaker if Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan don't come back. Biggest weakness is obviously the secondary, which is why I advocated to re-sign Asante Samuel.

What would you say, at this point, would be the biggest positional need that should be addressed in the offseason?

CR—Apparently, offensive line is a bigger concern than we initially realized. As soon as Tom Brady went down, the sacks starting rolling in, and they haven't really stopped. These guys do what they can, but they're not the best O-line in the AFC, as we all once thought they were.

WB—Um, besides quarterback?:) Offensive linemen would be good. I'd say D-Line, but Seymour does have games where he looks like, well, Seymour. Maybe he'll string a few Seymour-like performances together.

MD—I’d like to see another playmaker in the secondary and maybe a pass-rushing specialist at OLB.

RB—Secondary. Whether through the draft or free agency, the Patriots need to grab another DB or two. I wouldn't mind signing a tight end and getting rid of David Thomas.

What will the Patriots record be after their next three games—Bills, Jets, @ Dolphins?

CR—I have to be optimistic...What kind of fan would I be if I weren't? I think the Pats will be 7-4 after the next three games, with the one loss coming at the hands of, once again, the Dolphins.

WB—2-1. The loss will be to the Jets, unless bad Brett Favre shows up. It is really hard to sweep your division unless there is a great disparity of ability. With Brady, the Patriots sweep all but the Dolphins. Unfortunately, Cassel is not Brady.

MD—2-1. The Jets game scares me the most. I think Buffalo is too banged up, and the Pats will be fired up to avenge their embarrassing loss to the Dolphins.

RB—3-0.

What will the final standings in the AFC East be?

CR—Patriots (11-5), Bills (10-6), Jets (9-7), Dolphins (7-9)

WB—Patriots, Dolphins, Bills, Jets

MD—Patriots (11-5), Jets (10-6), Bills (9-7), Dolphins (7-9)

RB—Patriots, Bills, Jets, Dolphins

If you made your own Power Rankings, where do you think the Pats would be ranked right now?

CR—Probably somewhere between 10 and 15. They've got a strong team that's capable of beating anyone at any time, but their inconsistency and lack of offensive firepower brings them down quite a bit.

WB—About the top of the "other" teams. Not great, not dreadful, not average, either.:)

MD—Right around 10. They can play with anyone but could be beaten by anyone on the right day.

RB—I hate power rankings, but I would have to put the Patriots around nine or 10.

What will the Patriots' final record be?

CR—11-5, with losses to the Dolphins and Steelers in their future.

WB—12-4 or 11-5.

MD—11-5, losses to Jets and Steelers.

RB—Since Week One, after Tom went down, I said this team will go 10-6. Prove me right!

Given the Patriots' remaining schedule, and the parity of the AFC, what do you think is the ceiling for them?

CR—I think the ceiling is an 11-5 record, with maybe an appearance in the divisional round of the playoffs. I can't see them advancing past that this year, with the likeliness of facing either Pittsburgh or Tennessee before getting to the the AFC Championship.

WB—Before the season, with Brady, I said 16-0 would be possible. With Cassel, I adjusted that down. I'm sure some will call me a homer, but 12-4. I just don't see any "unwinnable" games on the schedule. (Problem is, I don't see any "unloseable" games after Brady got hurt, either.)

MD—Right now, I say 12-4. They will lose one more AFC East game for sure. The Pittsburgh game will give us a true sense of how good they are. But I think they could win that one. Best-case scenario is they lose one more game, but 2-3 is more likely.

RB—I truly think that they can get a first-round bye, and if they do, anything can happen in the playoffs.

Playoff prediction (if you think they'll make the playoffs, of course)?

CR—We might get past a team like Baltimore or the Jets, but I don't think we're going to make it past the likes of Pittsburgh or Tennessee this year. The inability to close out games will hurt them too much to win a game of that magnitude.

WB—Win Wild Card game (as home division winner) then lose in Divisional round. OK, seriously? In the playoffs, anything can happen.

MD—Win Wild Card game at home as a No. 3 seed, potentially over the Jets. Lose in the divisional round to Tennessee or Pittsburgh.

RB—I think the Patriots will make the AFC Championship Game. The Conference is so weak that I really think this can happen. Yes, We Can!

Patriots-Bills: Emailing with the Enemy

Mike Dussault — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:09:38 -0500

Though Bills fan Matt Schaefer and Patriots fan Mike Dussault are mortal enemies on the Sundays when their teams clash, they put down their fan-allegiances this week to have a calm and hopefully insightful email discussion about this weekends key AFC East showdown. The results are below and luckily things remained civil….

Mike: Alright Matt, the Pats, Bills and Jets are all tied at the top of the AFC East and Miami is just a game back. Your Bills have lost two division games in a row, and, after a strong start where some had them Super Bow-bound, have fallen back to earth. What's going on with you guys the last couple weeks?

Matt: The Bills have been playing terrible ball. The team is going through some injuries (DE Aaron Schobel, CB Terrence McGee who was BURNED all game against freaking Ted Ginn, and now starting safety Donte Whitner who is a leader on that defense just to name a few) but they are playing awful no matter who is in there.

The offensive line has been terrible and Trent Edwards has come back down to earth. The rookie that has meant the most to the Bills has been Derek Fine who saw his first real action this week (WR James Hardy and CB Leodis McKelvin haven't even touched the field much and when they do they don't make an impact).

I dunno who was picking the Bills to make the Super Bowl but after starting off 4-0, they are now in a 1-3 stretch and need to turn things around.

Mike: Well, luckily both our teams are very much in the playoff hunt since half the teams in the AFC have four or five wins. I'd say the Bills probably need this one a little more than the Pats do, since falling to 0-3 in the division would be tough to overcome. What do you think your guys have to do to pull out a much-needed win?

Matt: Agree with you 100 percent on that point, the Bills need to win this game. For starters the team needs to get healthy and play like they did early in the season. When the Bills were 4-0 and even 5-1, they were playing great on all three aspects of the game.

Their offense was clicking, defense was solid and their special teams unit was game changing. Now nothing is working on all sides of the ball. They have to get back to basics and go with what worked early in the season. Holding onto the football and establishing a rushing game is a must.

Matt: What do the Patriots need to do in order to win this game and take over 1st place in the AFC East?

Mike: Like many Pats fans I think the team has been actually playing pretty well. I was impressed (and even surprised) at how they played at Indy. A dropped TD and a penalty cost them the game but they played solid football save those two plays. I think the final step is finishing more drives with touchdowns.

My favorite saying is "you can't bring knives to a gunfight" and that's exactly what the Pats have been doing. Luckily Stephen Gostkowski is turning in a Pro Bowl year. You can get by against lesser teams like the 49ers and Rams with field goals. But every divisional game is a gunfight and this week we’re going to need at least an Uzi.

Matt: This is always brought up when talking about the Patriots and I would like to know what is happening from a fan not just some talking head in the national media. How is Matt Cassel playing and can this team still make a long playoff run with Cassel at the reins?

Mike: Long playoff run? I don't know about that no matter how drunk I get off the Bill Belichick Kool Aid. Honestly, right now I think the Pats look like a one-and-done type team. Not to say they couldn't win a playoff game if they improve in the red zone offensively.

I think the defense has looked solid and could win a playoff game for them, but there's a lot of youth on D this year and that could mean inconsistency, especially in the tourney. If they got to the AFC Championship Game I’d consider the season a resounding success, win or lose.

Pats fans really shouldn’t complain about Cassel. When you look around at how other backup QBs have performed (see Brad Johnson) Cassel has done a solid job. The biggest thing for me is that he hasn't been turning the ball over.

I'd much rather see him take sacks than force passes that get picked off. He's steadily improved as the season has gone on; how good he can be remains to be seen, but if you had told me after Brady went down Cassel would be 5-3, tied for first in the AFC East and only lost to Indy by 3 points I would've asked what you were smoking.

Mike: So, any special wrinkles, ala ‘The Wildcat’, you think Bills are going to bust out to attack the Patriots defense? They've been vulnerable to the long pass in a couple games this year (San Diego, St. Louis) and have been generally tough to run on.

Matt: I have a feeling that the Bills will be forced to pass the ball more like they did last week against the Jets, but they should be able to have some success on the ground. The Pats do let up 105 yards on the ground a game (15th in the league).

Lee Evans should be covered at all times, if I am the Pats so I would expect the Bills to move him around the field trying to find a better match up. WRs James Hardy and Roscoe Parrish will have to step up their game.

Look for rookie TE Derek Fine to be used a little bit more also. They would love to get Marshawn and the run game going, while also getting some deep balls to Lee. If the running game works for the Bills, the Pats should watch out because that will open up the passing game with the Pats starting to stack the box.

Matt: What would a win do this week against the Bills for the Patriots team? What would a loss bring?

Mike: A win would be an excellent statement and at 6-3 the Pats would have an inside track to the playoffs, but there would still be a long way to go toward locking up the division. The Pats will still have to go to Buffalo and Miami, and face a much improved Jets team in Foxboro.

While a loss wouldn't necessarily derail their playoff hopes it would make the Jets game a must-win and you never want to have must-win games. Not to mention going to Buffalo at the end of December looms large.

I'm sure the Patriots would love to have the division locked up before that trip and not have to worry about taking down the Bills at the Ralph in sub-arctic temperatures.

Mike: Same question back at you, what would a loss or win mean to the Bills?

Matt: This game is a must win game. Sure people might think that 5-4 isn't too bad of a record and they can still make the playoffs but the entire AFC East is deadlocked and odds are the Bills will have to battle with one of these teams for a wildcard spot.

If they drop to 0-3 in the division it will be very hard to over come. A win would put them back on top and even with a still poor division record, 1-2 is not nearly as bad as 0-3 would be.

Who's going to be healthy and who's going to be out Sunday?

Matt: It is still early in the week but I am going to have to say pro bowl DE Aaron Schobel with his foot injury and team captain Donte Whitner with his separated shoulder. WR Josh Reed will also be out. That is the players that will be out for this game as of right now. You will have to check later in the week though to see if any other player is out/coming back.

Mike: Lamont Jordan should be back and he should help. He practiced all last week yet didn't play vs. the Colts. Sammy Morris would be another great addition to get back but he was out of practice Wednesday so it isn't looking good. He has yet to practice or play since tearing up the Broncos in the first half.

Other than those two, I think only reserve defensive back Terrence Wheatley was banged up in the game against the Colts. Other than that the Pats are healthy, if you can call the team their fielding 'healthy'. They also did resign Jason Webster who was on the Bills last year so Wheatley's injury might be significant.

The Bills will win if...

Matt’s Bills Perspective: They are able to get any pass rush at all. The defense will have to create blitz schemes to confuse Casseland force him into turnovers. The loss of Whitner is huge in the secondary so either George Wilson or Matt Scott will have to step up.

On the other side of the ball, the Bills have to get the run game going and not turn the ball over. QB Trent Edwards needs to redeem himself after two subpar weeks and have himself a good game.

Mike’s Pats Perspective: They are able to fluster Matt Cassel and force him to take sacks and throw ill advised passes. If the Bills are able to get some long plays and grab an early lead the Pats won’t play well if they’re in a hole. An early lead would be vital for the Bills chances.

The Patriots will win if...

Matt’s Bills Perspective: The offensive line can control the line of scrimmage. The Bills don't have a great pass rush so if they can keep blitzers out of Cassel's face he should do fine against a Bills beat up secondary. Limit turnovers and ball control will also have to be a must for this team.

On defense, they have to account for Lee Evans on all plays because he will burn you deep if you don't. They also have to stop the Bills running game to force them into passing more (which might not be such a hard task).

Mike’s Pats Perspective: Their offense is able to finish drives with touchdowns. The defense must continue to shut down the run, we all know how dangerous Marshawn Lynch can be and Lee Evans cannot be allowed to get any big gains (as much as my fantasy team needs him to).

It also should be mentioned how dangerous Buffalo’s special teams are, the Pats can’t allow them any points in the kick or punt return game.

If my team lost the score would be...

Mike: 28-17 Bills

Matt: 31-17 Patriots

But the score will really be...

Mike: 24-14 Pats

Matt: 24-17 Bills

Patriots-Rams: Notes on a Fourth Quarter Comeback

Mike Dussault — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:53:33 -0400

A win is a win and that's all you need to know about the NFL in 2008.

For years we've heard Bill Belichick preach this mantra, that it's the National Football League and on any given Sunday any team can beat any team. I don't think any of us Patriots fans ever really believed it when we had Brady under center, but that was then and this is 2008.

In this year's demento season anyone can actually beat anyone (unless you're the Bengals or Lions), and though the Pats have beaten up on some of the bottom feeders, the fact remains they are 5-2 and tied for the lead in the AFC East.

Sunday's game against the Rams was a tight battle, the kind that Tom Brady always used to pull out at the end.

Well, yesterday Matt Cassel took a page out of Brady's book and sealed his first ever fourth quarter comeback with a pinpoint pass to Kevin Faulk with just under three minutes left.

Dare I say it was a Brady-esque performance by Cassel (minus the two picks of course, though they weren't really his fault: Wes Welker: fall down, Randy Moss: off his hands).

It was an all around team win, with great special teams play, a defense that tightened up after giving up a couple long passes, and an offense that made plays when it had to. Not to mention the Pats had zero penalties.

It felt like the old school Pats (2000s old school, not 1990s old school) and puts them on track for a big upcoming game against their rivals, the Colts.

My Notes on the Game

Belichick was rocking the polo shirt underneath the cut up hoodless sweatshirt. I don't know where he comes up with these looks, but I love each and every one.

Looks like there could be a suspension coming for Vince Wilfork after another incident against the Broncos (see last year in the season finale vs. the Giants). Don't mess with Big Vince or you'll get a finger through the facemask.

I wonder if Junior Seau would still be available if the Patriots needed him. We're almost in November and he's almost 40. And the Pats aren't exactly Super Bowl favorites at the moment. Hopefully we won't have to find out.

Cancel out the big plays and the defense is playing really well. Richard Seymour has returned to Pro Bowl form. Should be an interesting matchup against the Colts when he's going against their shaky line. When the Pats generate pressure with their front three good things happen.

I know Bruschi catches a lot of flack for being too slow now, but he can still make plays and was flying all over the place early on against the Ram, setting the tone like he needed to without Rodney in there.

Cassel really needs to learn how to slide when he runs, preferably after the first down marker when possible.

After the big plays yesterday I wondered if the team was feeling the loss of Rodney. But to be honest, they were giving up big plays with Rodney as well.

Brandon Meriweather really looks good to me. With Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley, and Mike Richardson all getting solid time, it looks like the Patriots have one of the youngest secondaries in the NFL. They need to get healthy, though.

For those wondering how the Pats would alter their scheme without Rodney, it looks like they went more to a base 3-4, with a traditional look. Rodney played in the box a lot, covering tight ends, it looks like that job goes to the linebackers now.

At one time the Patriots had rookies Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Jonathan Wilhite, and Terrence Wheatley and second year men Mike Richardson and Brandon Meriweather on the field. Old defense? I think not.

Gostkowski clutch yet again. Pro Bowl, I tell you. Pro Bowl!

Credit goes to the fans at Gillette for being loud enough to draw a huge false start in the fourth quarter. The stadium isn't exactly conducive to noise but that didn't matter on that play. Nice job, Pats fans.

No Patriot is more often criticized than Ellis Hobbs, but let me state now for the record that the guy is a warrior and count me in as a fan. He plays through countless injuries and continues to be as dangerous a return man as there is in the NFL.

For all the talk of the Chargers getting the Patriots monkey off their back, have you ever seen a team have a hangover after a victory? I find it quite enjoyable listening to Chargers talk radio. No one can figure out what the problem is. (Cough. Norv Turner.)

When Stephen Neal returns full-time the Patriots run game will benefit greatly. The fourth down stop was entirely on Billy Yates who was beat on the play.

BenJarvis Green-Ellis ran hard on the limited carries he had. I found it interesting in Josh McDaniel's press conference last week when he pointed out BenJarvus wasn't "a dancer." Did anyone else immediately think of Laurence Maroney?

Adalius Thomas clearly belongs at Outside Linebacker as he has been the pass rushing terror we thought we were getting last year. Now we see why Rosey Colvin was allowed to walk.

Sam Aiken was the reason why Chad Jackson didn't make this team. Why? He's a better special teams player and a better blocking WR. He's got the size that Chad had, maybe not the speed, but he contributes much more effectively in so many more areas.

I haven't seen a single second of the World Series or coverage of the World Series. I really could care less and not just because the Red Sox or Dodgers aren't in it.

I think Randy Moss would've had that touchdown grab in 2007. Not sure what the deal is, but I hope it's where Cassel's putting it and not Moss.

Nice to see Deltha O'Neal get the game-sealing interception. We need him to step up. Hopefully this is a sign he's doing just that. He certainly looked excited, didn't he?

What happens on MNF tonight should be interesting. I think I am rooting for a Colts win to set up a good chance for the Pats to make a solid statement next weekend. I think...

Mike Dussault is the Patriots Community Leader at Bleacher Report, and also a contributor at BostonSportz.com. His Patriots blog can be viewed here and he can be contacted at PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com.

The Story of Adam and Steve: Patriots' Gostkowski Should Be a Pro Bowler

Mike Dussault — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:24:38 -0400

Mar. 21, 2006 was a sad day for the Patriots Dynasty.

Adam Vinatieri, he of two Super Bowl-winning kicks and countless other clutch field goals, including what some call the greatest kick in NFL history in the Snow Bowl against the Oakland Raiders, signed with New England's hated rivals the Indianapolis Colts, leaving Patriots fans dazed in a sea of confusion.

How could the Patriots let such a vital member of the team leave, not to mention to the Patriots' direct competition for AFC supremacy?

Sure, the Pats had seen other key contributors to their team depart, but this was a kicker. How much money could it possibly take to keep him in the Silver and Blue? And wouldn't he be worth every penny of it?

Vinatieri was one of the only kickers in the league to be celebrated by the fans and media as a real football player. He was already a New England legend. He had endorsement deals all over the Boston area and he was, in many ways, as much the face of the organization as Tom Brady.

All that changed on a fateful day in March.

But, as always, Bill Belichick had a plan.

Some called taking Memphis kicker Stephen Gostkowski in the fourth round of the 2006 draft a reach. Sure, he had the strongest leg in the draft, but taking a kicker that high? He might not even beat Martin Gramatica out of training camp.

But things looked good with Gostkowski from his very first minicamp.

Bill Belichick often likes to challenge his players for the reward of getting time off during various camps. Vince Wilfork and Matt Light have been asked to catch punts in exchange for nights off and in the Patriots' first minicamp of 2006, it was Gostkowski's turn.

Mere weeks after being drafted, Belichick gave his new kicker a taste of the kind of pressure that was to come. The Hoodied One lined up a 40-plus-yard kick and told the rookie if he hit it, the team would skip the final conditioning run of minicamp.

Gostkowski nailed the kick, and the rest of Patriots team charged the field, raising the rookie onto their shoulders in celebration.

Thus began the career of Stephen Gostkowski, the man charged with replacing a New England legend.

Gostkowski turned in a solid rookie year in 2006, going 20-for-26 in field goals, including the go ahead and eventual winning field goal in the waning minutes of the 24-21 upset victory over the heavily-favored San Diego Chargers in the AFC Divisional playoff round.

In 2007, far less was required of Gostkowski, as very few of the games were ever close. He went 21-for-24 and hit all his extra point attempts, but he never faced a pressure kick that meant a win or loss for the Pats. He didn't even have a single field-goal attempt in the AFC Championship or Super Bowl.

But in 2008, the pressure has been put back on him. With Matt Cassel struggling to lead the offense to touchdowns in the red zone, Gostkowski has already attempted 14 field goals in just six games, and he has hit 13 of them, most of which the Pats very much needed to maintain any kind of offensive momentum.

But he hasn't only been clutch when it comes to field goals.

What truly makes Gostkowski a Pro Bowl talent is his kickoffs. Currently, he ranks third in touchback percentage in the NFL and has the fourth lowest return yardage average of kickers with over 30 kickoffs.

When you combine his deadly accuracy on field goals and his booming kickoffs, there isn't a better all-around kicker in the NFL.

Meanwhile, old friend Adam Vinatieri has seen a steady decline in both his field-goal percentage and touchbacks since posting solid numbers in 2006, his first with the Colts.

While it was hard to see Vinatieri depart in 2006, clearly the Patriots let him go at the right time without having to overpay for a player whose best years were behind him.

There will always be a special spot in the hearts of Patriots fans for No.4, but Stephen Gostkowski is clearly having a Pro Bowl year. He has delivered on big kicks when he's been called upon to, and his powerful leg has kept dangerous opposing kick returners in check.

Gostkowski has done an admirable job replacing a legend and might just make a legend of himself before his career is done.

Matt Cassel: How You Like Me Now, Patriots Fans?

Mike Dussault — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:59:16 -0400

For all those out there that were calling for Matt Cassel's head on a platter, hopefully last night's performance bought him at least another week or two before you give him the axe for Daunte Culpepper.

Was Cassel perfect? Definitely not.

He took six sacks (though there appeared to be miscues by the line and missed assignments by the running backs on more than a couple of them), was knocked down 11 times, and still looked indecisive at times in the pocket.

But you can't argue with the numbers.

Three touchdowns. Zero interceptions. Passer rating of 136.3 (which ranks in the top 10 all time in Patriots history).

Most importantly, the Patriots are now 4-2.

Oh, and last night's win was the most impressive so far in the NFL of 2008.

Look, there's still a long way to go, and it looks like the Pats will be without Rodney Harrison and Laurence Maroney.

But as we saw last night, games are won in the trenches, and when the Patriots offensive and defensive lines come to play, they can beat anyone.

Cassel's maturation has closely followed that of Tom Brady in 2001. He might not be Tom Brady, but the Patriots certainly are a better team with Cassel at the helm than they would be with any free agent, journeyman veteran.

If Cassel continues to develop the Patriots could make some noise in January.

Other Quick Thoughts

I expect John Lynch to be re-signed any second now. He can fill the linebacker/safety role that Rodney played. You can't help but feel bad for Harrison, one of the true warriors to ever play this game. It was a nice moment when Tedy Bruschi walked out and spoke with him just before he was carted off.

Rodney will surely be missed, but in the wake of seeing Tom Brady go down, no injury seems quite as insurmountable.

I am almost more worried about the Sammy Morris injury. After last night's first half, was anyone particularly concerned about losing Laurence Maroney to season-ending IR? If Morris is out for any length of time, LaMont Jordan better get healthy quickly. Benjarvus Green-Ellis looked good, but show me a running back who hasn't against Denver.

For those Pats detractors who use the "Pats D is old and slow" adage, you're looking even more sorely uninformed now. At times last night, there were three rookies on the field for the Pats, along with second-year player and emerging star Brandon Meriweather. Take Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas out of the equation and the entire D is under 30.

As much of an ass-pounding as last night was, I can't help but wonder how different it would've been if Cutler hadn't banged his hand on the first play of the game. The Broncos were moving the ball early. And the Pats were still bringing knives to a gunfight (a.k.a. kicking field goals).

Seems like the football gods just wanted the Pats to have this one. As has often been a signature of the Pats' dynasty, they allowed the Broncos to kill themselves with turnovers and didn't have any of their own.

Is it possible that second-round pick Terrence Wheatley has been passed by Jonathan Wilhite AND Mike Richardson? Wheatley was inactive last night, while Wilhite took over starting RCB duties for an injured Ellis Hobbs. Richardson, just called up from the practice squad Monday, got a lot of snaps at nickel.

Gary Guyton continues to impress, with an athletic fumble recovery.

Big game versus a revitalized St. Louis Rams squad this weekend. 5-2 would be a mighty nice start.

What Exactly Are Laurence Maroney's "Issues"?

Mike Dussault — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:31:28 -0400

A collection of curious reports have surfaced over the past few days regarding oft-injured Patriots running back Laurence Maroney.

It hasn't been a smooth ride for Maroney since the Patriots selected him in the first round of 2006. There was even a box of diapers spotted in his locker at one point in 2007, rumored to be a prank by some of the other players to let him know it was time for LoMo, a.k.a. Kool Aid, to grow up.

Maroney has always been the affable sort, appearing as the Patriots' representative in various events and commercials. He's never shied away from the camera like he shied away from contact.

It appeared he had turned a corner late in 2007 when he began to run with authority, leading NFL Films' cameras to even pick up Patriots owner Robert Kraft mention, "He's finally running hard."

Maroney was huge in the AFC Championship Game against the Chargers, running for a game-high 122 yards and a touchdown. That included eight carries on the final drive for 37 yards that sealed the win for the Pats.

It looked like Maroney was primed for a breakout 2008 season.

However, after a strong performance against Kansas City in the 2008 opener, Maroney reverted back to his old dancing-behind-the line, injury-prone ways.

In Week Two against the Jets, Maroney carried the ball eight times for a measly 2.1 yards per carry before injuring his shoulder, an injury that would cause him to miss the Miami game.

After the bye week, Maroney returned against the 49ers but again had a lackluster performance, highlighted by a play where he ducked out of bounds short of a first down to avoid contact with San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis.

It was probably safe to assume that Maroney was still hurting, not wanting to lower his injured shoulder and take on one of the hardest hitters in the NFL.

That's when things started to get a little weird, beginning with this slightly strange interview in the week leading up to the San Diego game.

More than a few Patriots fans sensed that something was off with Maroney.

Pats Beat Reporter Mike Reiss seemed to agree in his mailbag this week. When asked if he thought Maroney's mind was "somewhere else besides on football" based on the earlier interview, Reiss responded:

I don't know what to make of Maroney's comments. From talking to Maroney the last two-plus years, he's a likable guy, sort of a fun-loving, good-natured type, the type of person anyone would like to see succeed. He seems troubled. For his well-being, I hope it's simply a shoulder injury and nothing else.

Maroney also missed the game against the San Diego, a game in which Sammy Morris was asked to carry the load and was unable to do so.

Things got a little bit more interesting today when Reiss reported the following from the Patriots locker room:

It did not look like running back Laurence Maroney had been in the locker room at all, as his travel luggage was there, and his chair remained folded up in his locker. [UPDATE: I am told Maroney was spotted walking through the locker room prior to my arrival.]

Hopefully Maroney is simply suffering from another frustrating injury and that's all. But with what we've seen over the past couple weeks, he will definitely be a player to keep an eye on.

Patriots-Chargers: Notes On a Shellacking

Mike Dussault — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:23:17 -0400

I didn't want to admit it before this weekend but I knew that the Chargers needed a win much more than the Patriots did. Throw in the added motivation of the Pats ending San Diego's season the past two years, and I knew deep down there was a strong chance it wasn't going to be pretty.

The Pats sit at 3-2, which is a whole lot better than they looked on the field last night. I drink the Bill Belichick Kool-Aid as readily as anyone, but now even I have to admit this team has concerns that run far deeper than just Matt Cassel keeping Tom Brady's spot warm.

My Notes On What Was Still a Fun Day In So Cal:

There was an excellent contingent of Pats fans that congregated together in the parking lot. This is one of the best parts of attending an away game: getting to meet fellow fans from all parts of the country. We went 2-1 in the bean bag toss.

For all those who asked me at the tailgate, you can get the bean bag toss game here.

Thanks to the sister Mary and the BF-in-law Geno for giving me the single seat down close. I was happy until a guy in a Brady jersey sat down next to me and I found out he was a) from New York and b) did not shut up the entire game.

Props to the knowledgeable Chargers fans who were sitting in front of me. I had to feel for the two guys who had been in New England for the 2007 week two massacre. I enjoyed talking to football fans who knew what they were talking about.

Pats Observations:

The Pats opened up with four down lineman, two linebackers, two cornerbacks, and three safeties. Meriweather and Sanders were the deep safeties and Rodney played down close, mostly on Gates.

It looked like the Chargers went after O'Neal. Rodney was a target in coverage as well.

Cassel took another four sacks and had to throw the ball nearly 40 times. He's been fairly consistent in that he completes a good portion of his passes, takes a couple sacks, and is good for one interception at least per game. That's not a good thing. Now, if Moss can just hold on to the ball we might've made a game of it...

From Michael Lombardi: New England QB Matt Cassel does not make very quick decisions and his accuracy on some easy throws is a concern. He looks like he cannot process the decisions with any real conviction.

I'm not in the crowd calling for Kevin O'Connell, but I'm starting to wonder how high Cassel's ceiling really is. I still think it will be early December before we see a quarterback switch made. O'Connell was far from ready coming out of college, where he took the majority of snaps in the shotgun. Though now that I think of it, why can't he just do that with Moss/Welker and company?

Right now the word that comes to mind for Cassel is: Stop—Gap.

The Pats need Maroney and Jordan back now. Sammie Morris isn't the same runner as he was last year. I'm not enough of an expert to know how much that has to do with the O-line play, but the Pats were unable to produce any kind of consistent run game.

Brady or no Brady, I don't think this team would be going anywhere with the current state of the defense. Where's the pressure? Even against the 49ers when they were collapsing the pocket, they were unable to get sacks.

What I'll be researching this week is where the Pats' rank in number of offensive third downs and where they rank in sacks.

I never thought I'd say it, but I think we miss Asante. I don't know if Deltha O'Neal is still learning the defense or if he stinks, but it seems like teams are consistently attacking him.

Meriweather looks really good to me. He has been one of the few bright spots. Ellis Hobbs has been good as well, despite the PI call.

Nick Kazcur and Jarvis Green were both carted off yesterday. I used to get so depressed when guys got hurt, but after seeing Brady go down everyone else just pales in comparison. Hopefully, they aren't out too long, but come on, how bad can their replacements be? Not getting a single sack? Not allowing more than four sacks?

Today is a day to mourn the loss, but I can't help but have a sick feeling in my stomach with the Jay Cutler and Bronco passing attack coming into Foxboro next Monday. Sure Denver's defense sucks, but not as bad as the Patriots offense stunk last night. The Broncos are a much harder bounce back test than the 49ers were. Let's see the blue jerseys and get this thing turned around.

San Diego Chargers: It's Now or Never

Mike Dussault — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:57:07 -0400

In January of 2006, I managed to get a single ticket to the New England Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers AFC Divisional Playoff game in San Diego and it was the greatest game I've ever attended.

The Chargers were 14-2 and according to just about everyone, especially San Diego fans and "mediots," headed to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots, on the other hand, weren't much of a threat. They lacked any major receiving threats, Corey Dillon was on his last legs, the defense was missing Rodney Harrison, and current non-starting 49er Tully Banta-Cain was starting at outside linebacker.

All signs pointed to a Charger win, if not a blowout. But that's not what unfolded before me in my seat 14 rows behind the Patriots' bench.

New England managed to keep it close, got a key forced fumble from Troy Brown, and a dagger-in-the-back bomb to Reche Caldwell that set up the go-ahead field goal.

When Nate Kaeding missed a 54-yard field goal to close out a 24-21 win for the Patriots, the victorious New England players rushed the field, some doing the Shawne Merriman "Lights Out Dance," for which they would later be called classless by LaDainian Tomlinson.

Thus began one of the best current rivalries in the NFL.

In week two of 2007, the Chargers ran into the buzz saw in the form of a Patriots team fired up in the wake of Spygate. They were blown off the field, 38-14.

In the 2007 AFC Championship Game, the Chargers were banged up after taking down the Colts on the road. Tomlinson was in for two plays, Philip Rivers played on a torn ACL, and Antonio Gates was battling his now-infamous toe injury. The game was still close, though San Diego was unable to score a touchdown and ended up falling 21-12.

Two years in a row, the Patriots ended the Chargers' season, which leads us to this weekend's renewal of the rivalry: a must-win game for the Chargers for so many reasons.

The biggest is not even related to the Patriots. It is that San Diego needs to keep pace with the Denver Broncos or else they might not make the playoffs.

The rest of the reasons pretty much all relate to New England. The Patriots are the proverbial monkey on their back. A win over the Pats could be the thing that sparks the Chargers to turn their season around. They are one of the most talented teams in the NFL. If they start playing like it, look out.

The flip side to that coin is that a loss to the Matt Cassel Patriots could send their season into even more of a tailspin. If the Chargers can't beat the Pats without Tom Brady, when they desperately need a win, at home, in front of a national audience, they might as well just pack it in.

The Chargers have had the Patriots in their cross-hairs for the entire offseason, specifically drafting players to counter the Pats' personnel. (Maybe they should've been focusing on the Panthers', Dolphins', or Broncos' personnel as well, but I digress.)

San Diego's window is closing fast. Anyone who's seen them play this year can tell you LaDainian Tomlinson isn't quite the back he once was. In fact, Darren Sproles has almost surpassed him as a more dangerous home run threat.

Shawne Merriman will be in a contract year in 2009, coming off knee surgery. No one knows for sure if Antonio Gates will ever be the player he was before injuring his toe.

It's now or never for San Diego. They've been waiting all offseason for this one. They desperately need a win. The Pats don't have Tom Brady. There are no more excuses.

I'm glad that, yet again, I'll be there to witness it.