NFL: New England Patriots Post

2008-11-25T15:25:00.001-05:00

New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel is a finalist for FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week honors for games played on November 20-24. You can vote for him here.

2008-10-30T14:29:00.001-04:00

Okay, the team ain't named the Patriots for nothing! Get out there and do your patriot duty by voting next Tuesday, November 4th...

2008-10-20T11:51:00.000-04:00

Waiting for game time! Ready to whoop up on the Broncos!

Randy Couture vs Brock Lesnar

2008-09-03T20:35:00.001-04:00

I watched an interview between these two UFC fighters, and it just struck me as hilarious how polite they were. They’re speaking eloquently, praising each other’s skills and talking about the great opportunity it is to meet in the ring. Meanwhile, ESPN is showing video clips of the two beating the bloody crap out of other fighters, looking more like animals than men. It was very amusing.

Thank you, Celtics!

2008-06-18T14:39:00.002-04:00

Did you see this article about man caves a while back on CNN? Pretty funny stuff, although I still think it's odd it made it to their homepage.

Anyway, my friend saw it, too. He lives in LA, and is a huge Lakers fan. We joked at the time about a similar bet the next time our two cities competed in sports. And then the finals came to be. And the bet was made.

I am happy to report that I will not be the one sporting a dress and mowing the lawn. His wife tells me she'll get some pictures for me. I wish he was doing my lawn, but that's a hell of a commute.

Have fun, Todd! Don't forget the stilletos!

What will they think of next?

2007-10-22T15:47:00.000-04:00

Patriots Halloween Gear

Okay, I love the helmet-shaped trick-or-treating jack-o-lantern! (Good lord, how mnay hyphens can I fit into a single sentence?) If only I were still young enough for trick-or-treating...

Counting down already?

2007-06-11T15:31:00.001-04:00

Is it just me, or does summer drag without football? I've got the first pre-season game on my calendar already... August 10th vs. Tampa Bay, 7:30 pm.

Only 60 days left till pre-season starts!

Four Play

2007-03-23T00:02:00.000-04:00

Baker, Mays, Wright, and Mru ru z k what sky (you know the offensive lineman) re-signed. I can't wait to hear the details about their new contracts ... nobody's cheap these days in the NFL.

2007-01-16T13:19:00.000-05:00

So Rodney Harrison's knee is healing and he's rejoining the New England Patriots--I wonder if and how he'll play on Sunday against the Colts? Wish I had tickets to the championship!

Pats One Win Away from Title

2006-12-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

The New England Patriots won yesterday against the Houston Texans in impressive fashion. The Patriots have all but tied up the division with this win and just need to win one of their next two or have the Jets lose one of their next two. The next two games for the Patriots are not going to be a cake walk by any means facing the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6) and Tennessee Titans (7-7) (winning their last 5), but I have that they will win the next 2 games.

Sad Performance for Pats

2006-12-11T12:07:00.000-05:00

The New England Patriots were shut out for the first time since the first game of the 2003 season against the Buffalo Bills. This disappointing loss was handed out by the Miami Dolphins, who are showing that they are as good as everyone hoped they would be before the season started. But the Patriots still have a 2 game lead in their division so they have not put themselves in any immediate danger, but they really need to learn from this loss and make sure the fix the cracks for the postseason.

Should be 3 in a Row

2006-12-01T16:12:00.000-05:00

After this Sunday, I should be talking about the 3 game winning streak for the New England Patriots, and how it should be 4 the next week. Looking at their upcoming schedule it doesn't seem like it'll be a stroll in the park for the Patriots, but they definitely won't be playing the cream of the crop in the NFL. The remaining 5 games on the Patriots' schedule are all against teams that are below .500. So it would be nice to have that momentum going for us into the playoffs.

Snapping it in Green Bay

2006-11-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

No better place to get out of our bizarre Gillette Stadium funk than on the road, where the New England Patriots are currently six and oh, or 7 of the last 8. So I think we'll be snapping out of it when we're over there breathing in the brisk wintry air of Lambeau Field.

Peyton and Tom—why the hype?

2006-11-03T13:38:00.000-05:00

Because this Sunday night is gonna be one of the best matchups of the whole 2006 NFL season, that’s why! I’ve been watching the commercials and reading the chat. People want to bury us in stats, most of which reinforce the fact that the Colts and the Patriots are going into this game very even.

Personally, I think the historical numbers are interesting, and they may even have a little psychological impact. But the thing to look at is last week’s games. That won’t help you figure out who’s going to come out on top—Manning and Brady both had terrific, 300+ performances. But it will help explain how this will be the NFL not to miss in 2006! I wonder what Patriots tickets will be going for?

Way to rock over Minnesota, Patriots!

2006-10-31T13:58:00.000-05:00

I thought they said they were going to try to set up some of the best challenges for Monday Night Football, but I guess that isn't that easy to do. a lot of people, myself included, were expecting the Pats to have more trouble with the Vikings. This one was a knife through butter!

He Set Up An Institution

2006-10-29T14:29:00.000-05:00

And he became an institution. Red Auerbach, coach emeritus of the Boston Celtics, and an inspiration to coaches -- and cigar smokers -- everywhere, has passed away. He got together an amazing collection of talent and brought out the best they had in them. All of Boston will miss you, Red.

For NE Patriots, Winning Isn't Everything

2006-10-25T16:41:00.000-04:00

Two different reviews I read of our 28-6 win over the Buffalo Bills focused on the same thing: our Pats did great, yet they still weren't satisfied. Luckily, there was nothing bloodthristy about the comments, just fine athletes challenging themselves. One had a quote from Tom Brady, evaluating a pass that could have gone wrong (but didn't) as "stupidity by me." Rosevelt Colvin was happy about the win, but pointed out "I feel we can get better."

That's how they've gotten to 5 and 1 as we head into Week 8 of the season.

Hopes for this sunday...

2006-10-05T11:01:00.000-04:00

Well, this weekend we go up against the Dolphins....now this shouldn't be a tough victory with the fish at 1-3 but I'm just hoping that possibly having Hobbs out won't kill it. I know that one team member isn't the team but I am not without my concerns. Good luck guys.

Can New England Patriots End Cincinnati's Streak?

2006-10-01T16:14:00.000-04:00

I'm glad to return after an unplanned hiatus and get back to the fun of football! Especially New England Patriots football! Evidently they are holding their own without my assistance, tied with the New York Jets at the top of the AFC East. Of course, we'd have preferred to do without last week's loss, but...

Let's concentrate on this week. Even as I sit here typing, the game against the Cincinnati Bengals has just started. Cinci has been undefeated and so have their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. Ha! Just got word that the Ravens beat the San Diego Chargers 16-13 in the last couple of minutes, so their streak continues. Think I'll go watch my Patriots put an end to Cincinnati's.

Patriots Add Players, Subtract Coaches

2006-06-20T13:16:00.000-04:00

New England has another nice addition in former San Diego Charger Reche Caldwell, and also some promising draftees including RB Laurence Moroney from the University of Minnesota, WR Chad Jackson from Florida, and TE Dave Thomas from Texas. But after losing defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel to the competition last year, Bill Belichick now needs to break in a replacement for Eric Mangini, who will be head coach for the New York Jets.

More of the good stuff from the Pats

2006-05-08T20:02:00.000-04:00

The New England Patriots have signed the two linebackers for the 2006 season. Barry Gardner from the Philadelphia Eagles and Jeremy Lloyd of the St. Louis Rams. I think the Patriots have made strong decisions this off-season in the draft and free-agent signings.

Call them what you want. Just give them a chance.

2006-04-16T23:03:00.000-04:00

I read an article on the New England Patriots official web site that characterized 5 running backs in the draft as on the decline. I don’t know how they can really say that without even seeing what these players can do at the NFL level of competition but I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion. Read it and let me know what you think.

http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=16071&pcid=46

Keeping up with all the changes.

2006-03-19T19:51:00.000-05:00

The New England Patriots released veteran corner back Tyrone Poole and have signed free agent wide receiver Reche Caldwell. This will be Caldwell’s fifth season in the NFL. Reche Caldwell played for the Chargers in 2005, gaining 352 yards in just 28 receptions. I think these were both good moves for this New England team.

Patriots Can Be Choosers

2006-02-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

The New England Patriots are in an interesting position now that the 2005 season has come to a close. We have 17 players that are now eligible to become unrestricted free agents. Who do you think we should keep and who should we let go?

Let’s Give it Up for the Seahawks!

2006-01-30T20:46:00.000-05:00

I am still a little shocked that the New England Patriots didn’t make it to the Super Bowl this year. We had been doing so well. I am glad to see a team like the Seattle Seahawks make it, though. This is the first time the Seahawks have ever played in a Super Bowl and I hope they win.

Bye Sweet Bye

2005-10-19T12:46:00.000-04:00

The bye week couldn’t come soon enough for the Patriots with 4 of their first 6 games on the road, and 3 of these teams very serious playoff contenders. Last week was another disappointing week for the defending Super Bowl champions, losing 28-20 to the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium. After this much need bye week the Patriots look to have a bit easier of a schedule with 6 of their remaining 10 games at home. They will have some tough opponents, the undefeated Indianapolis Colts is the most notable team, but they are also hosting the struggling New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. But the Patriots are still in first and that’s good news after such a hard start to the season.

Patriots In a Tight Place

2005-10-08T07:37:00.000-04:00

The 2-2 Patriots are to face the 3-1 Atlanta Falcons and possibly lose back to back games for the first time since 2002. Unfortunately it looks like it’s going to happen as well. With the injuries the Patriots have had to endure this year, it seems like they no longer have the replaceable parts that they can just stick in to cover up injuries. This weekend will definitely be a test, more so than any other game, to see if the Pats have what it takes.

The Quarter Time Stood Still

2005-09-27T00:55:00.000-04:00

The Patriots pulled out a big win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-20, thanks to a clock error in the 4^th quarter. Early in the 4^th quarter the clock jumped from 13:59 to 14:51, and no one noticed, amazingly. A huge mistake which eventually gave Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri enough time to kick the game winning field goal with 1 second left on the clock. Monday morning the NFL officially recognized the mistake, “The on-field officiating crew, which oversees the official game clock operated in the press box, failed to recognize that the clock was improperly reset,” said director of officiating Mike Pereira. This acknowledgement doesn’t change the score though; sometimes the ball just bounces your way. I’m not complaining.

No "I" in Team

2005-09-13T01:34:00.000-04:00

Something has officially gotten under my skin. All this questioning about whether the Patriots are a dynasty. When a team wins 3 of 4 Super Bowls, and has a very good chance of being the first team in NFL history to win 3 in a row, it leaves no doubt in my mind that the Patriots are not only a dynasty, but quite possibly one of the best ever. I feel it has everything to do with the lack of a traditional superstar, the player that grabs the headlines every week with some statement or wild escapade at a night club. The Patriots are the true definition of a team, no one person in front of the whole. Only a matter of time before the rest of the league realizes what the Patriots have hit on.

Versatile

2005-06-13T13:46:00.000-04:00

Due to the incident with Bruschi and lack of depth in the Linebacker position it is very possible that the Patriots could outside linebacker Mike Vrabel as substitute middle linebacker if need be. Vrabel stands at 6-4 and weighs in at 260 pounds and could very well play the inside position.

Although, it would be more natural for him to continue play outside since he has a very good pass rushing capability. The fact that Vrabel is so versatile is just a plus, the Patriots could use him anywhere on the field if it ever came down to it, well expect quarterback.

The Bruschi Saga

2005-06-01T16:17:00.000-04:00

Good news.

Word on the street is that Peter King feels there is still a decent chance of Teddy Bruschi putting on the Patriots uniform this upcoming season. I believe he even gave a ratio of a 60:40 chance. You might wonder why it would matter what Peter King says about the situation. Well King is close to Bruschi and is a reliable source of information through ESPN. We can only pray he is right.

In Response

2005-05-26T15:30:00.000-04:00

I would have to agree with a comment recently left by ‘Johnny Sox’ about Teddy Bruschi.

It is true, Teddy Bruschi's family is so much more important than his football career. I am sure that if he did retire from the game, that he would receive the respect he deserves. Bruschi is just a great all around person as well as player. I could talk about him in every entry if I had the time.

I also feel that if Bruschi does retire from the game it will only be as a player. I can see him coming back in several years as a line backer coach. I can only hope it is with the mighty Patriots.

Another Bruschi Please

2005-05-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

Following the Teddy Bruschi saga, one has to wonder if he really will play this season or not. When I talked about him before, I said it was uncertain about his future. Well, to top it off, Bruschi said he was uncertain as well if he could play in the 2005 season. The only bit of good news is that he said he is considering sitting out this one season in order to make a return the following season in 2006.

What about Bruschi?

2005-05-19T13:38:00.000-04:00

There is definite uncertainty that surrounds middle linebacker Tedy Bruschi. I would consider Bruschi the engine that keeps the Patriot's defensive going. I don’t know too much about his condition, but my prayers go out to him and his family.

The problem still stands…

If Bruschi doesn’t make it back then who will take his place? Well, the Pats took a step in the right direction by adding Chad Brown, who is more than capable to produce big plays. It does help that outside Linebackers Mike Vrabel and Willie McGinest remain healthy, because they will be huge factors now.

The Underdog

2005-05-12T17:48:00.000-04:00

It seems no matter what, no one considers him a starter. I watched every game last season and gay got better and better every game. With his lack of experience and being undrafted my god he performed very highly. Sure hes a little small but hes quick, smart and has great hands. I am curious to see what he does in this off-season to fine tune his skills.

Would any buy a Randell Gay jersey?

The Mankins of a Good Lineman

2005-05-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

First-round pick Logan Mankins played his entire Fresno State career at left tackle, yet he was projected by NFL scouts as a guard -- and that's exactly where he lined up during the Pats' recent rookie mini-camp. That's also the position where Mankins has the best opportunity to earn playing time this year, as Joe Andruzzi departed to Cleveland in free agency. The Pats love Mankins' versatility. He has the athleticism to play out in space and take on speed rushers, but he also has the strength and aggressiveness needed to take on bigger defensive linemen on the interior of the line.

Survey Says...

2005-04-26T14:41:00.000-04:00

So I am sure everyone knows that the draft order is determined by a teams record. Therefore putting New England at the end of every round, all that means is the Pats kicked a lot of but last year. Yet in Coach Bill Belichick eyes it was a weak draft and left the Pats in a tough position to recruit quality players.

Regardless Belichick has an eye for the type of talent and character that makes the New England Patriots so competitive. Looking for certain intangibles, Belichick found what he was looking for in first round selection with OL Logan Mankins and third round picks CB Ellis Hobbs and OT Nick Kaczur.

Both linemen that were drafted are versatile and have the toughness and work ethic to help replace Joe Andruzzi, who left to the Browns, and injured Tom Ashworth.

I give the Pats a B- for their 2005 draft. What do you all think out there?

Reporting in

2005-04-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

from Foxsport.com

Providing he returns to full health after missing last year with a torn Achilles, DE Rodney Bailey figures to enter the defensive line rotation on passing downs. Not that Bailey is an explosive outside rusher, but his upfield moves are still stronger than his prowess as a gap-plugging run-stuffer. Bailey spent three years in Pittsburgh before coming to the Pats as a restricted free agent last year, so he's more than familiar with the 3-4 defense. He also has the versatility to play either end or tackle when the Pats go to a four-man line. If Bailey has lost a step from his injury, his roster spot could be jeopardy.

Up the latter

2005-03-30T18:05:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

Veteran CB Tyrone Poole was assured of remaining in the mix in 2005 two weeks ago when he received his offseason roster bonus. Now the question is whether he will be able to return to form after missing most of last year with a knee injury. Poole, 33, is at the age when corners generally trend downward, but when you consider that he sat out the entire 2001 season for personal reasons and played in just two full games last year, Poole has actually taken less pounding than other players his age. Poole is a good cover-guy who has the versatility to play man-to-man and zone schemes equally well. He also has the requisite ball skills, as his six interceptions and 21 passes defended in 2003 would attest. Although Poole isn't very physical and is only a marginal run-defender, he still projects as the starting outside corner opposite the newly acquired Duane Starks. If Poole falters or can't stay on the field, surprising 2004 rookie free agent Randall Gay will be there to step in. . . .

This will be an important offseason for second-year S Gus Scott, who missed his entire rookie year with an ACL injury. Scott showed good instincts and a physical nature during his brief stint in the preseason, but no one knows at what level he will return. Unfortunately for Scott, he'll have to start over by proving himself on special teams before he can earn a regular role on defense.

Who wants to Catch?

2005-03-07T16:15:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

The hard push the Pats put on free agent WR Derrick Mason, who ultimately signed in Baltimore, is proof that the Pats are not resting on their laurels. The Pats typically don't reach deep into their pockets during free agency, but they will spend what it takes for the right player. The Mason pursuit also indicates the Pats could be in the market for a receiver with David Patten departed in free agency, Troy Brown still unsigned and David Givens a candidate to receive a restricted free agent offer sheet.

Cap Problems

2005-02-22T13:27:00.000-05:00

The New England Patriots heading into March are starting to look like they will be without WR Troy Brown and/or CB Ty Law, all because of the salary cap issues. I am sure both these player would love to stay on this team, but the problem is; are Ty Law and Troy Brown willing to take a pay cut and reconstruct their contract.

The Patriots are about $3 million dollars over and cutting Brown would give them a $4 million dollars in cap relief. Law on the other hand is due for something along the lines of $12 million dollars in 2005.

Dynasty

2005-02-07T11:37:00.000-05:00

The Patriots did it again. The Patriots have now won 3 of the last 4 Super Bowls and have established them selfs as a dynasty. After watching the game, I have come to believe my self even more, when I say Offense wins games, Defense wins Championships. The Pats D really should have got MVP.

That is not to take anything away from Branch, but the D really stuck it to McNabb. If you look at the play of Harrison, Bruschi, Vrabel, Seymour, and McGinest, you can see these guys all over the field.

There were several times the Pats defense had to bail out the offense with some important turnovers early in the game. Although the Pats didnt capitalize off of all the turnovers they still produce enough points stay ahead.

Brady is a great QB dont get me wrong but why does every think he is better than Montana. Montana has 3 MVP trophies Brady has two. Besides, it is two different quarterbacks in different eras, so there is no comparison. Both are great QB's for there time, lets just leave it at that.

Congratulations to the Pats OC Charlie Weis, who took the job as head coach for Notre Dame and to DC Romeo Crennel who is now the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Question now is... is that good for the Pats?

Pass the Bruschi

2005-01-30T19:52:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

ILB Tedy Bruschi is one of those players who always seems to do the right thing. Bill Belichick said it's an instinctive ability that you coach and can't really explain to other people. It's so valuable, though, that Belichick said he wants Bruschi on the field as much as possible to take advantage of it. A good example occurred in the divisional playoffs against the Colts, when Bruschi fielded a squib kick from Mike Vanderjagt and advanced the ball near midfield. It was the type of play that Bruschi spent virtually no practice time on, but when the situation arose he did the right thing. Belichick said that WR Troy Brown shares that gift.

As a linebacker, Bruschi can do most everything the position demands. He can rush the passer and cover against the pass. He's an instinctive, flow-to-the-ball run defender. He's a sure tackler. He's not going to blow up many blocks like his ILB counterpart, Ted Johnson, but he's usually able to dodge the contact and get to the ball carrier. Most of all, Bruschi's ball skills are outstanding -- which is fortuitous because he always seems to be around the pigskin. Off the field, Bruschi is a fiery team leader and tone-setter.

Give Credit to where Credit is due

2005-01-19T14:15:00.000-05:00

I have said it before and I will say it again, offense wins games but defense wins companionship. This is a re-occurring theme could appear in any sport, but it fits so well in football.

Don't you think?

Unless you think Mr. Corey Dillon deserves the credit for his 100 plus yards gained rushing against the Colts in the divisional playoff game this past Sunday. If that is the case, then the credit should go to the offensive line.

When it comes down to it the final score was 20-3. I think that is more of a defensive win than Offensive. Not to say the offensive wasn't there, but anyone who say the came could easy say, "Wow, that defense stopped Manning without Law or Poole, that is a real good defensive win."

...At least that's what I said.

Go Pats!

Easy come Easy go

2005-01-05T20:21:00.000-05:00

With a 21-7 victory over the humbled and dismantled 49ers, he Patriots end regular season with 14-2 record. Corey Dillon ran for 100+ yard game and finished the season with 1600+ yards rushing, I think he is happier now than he was in Cincinnati. The Patriots will have a bye week as they wait for the wild card round to be over.

Resilient in 23-7 win over Jets

2004-12-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

by Fred Kirsch, from the official site of the New England Patriots

Tom Brady passed for 264 yards on 21 of 32 passing and two touchdowns. Corey Dillon ran for 89 tough yards and the Patriots defense played championship ball in holding Curtis Martin to 33 yards rushing and Chad Pennington to 216 yards passing while intercepting him twice.

It was a spirited win for the Patriots, still jockeying for playoff positioning.

The red hot Jets were showing signs they deserved to be in the playoffs, Chad Pennington was back playing to form and the Patriots were coming off a shocking loss to the Dolphins with a banged up secondary. On the road, a must-win for the Jets -- the scenario favored New York in every way.

Except one. The Patriots were simply the better team.

The Patriots secondary was still the main area of concern going into this one. Rumors had Ty Law perhaps returning to action but the Patriots top cornerback was a scratch prior to the game. That left Earthwind Moreland as the starting corner opposite Asante Samuel. But when the Patriots defense took the field for the first time, it was Eugene Wilson lining up at corner with linebacker Don Davis manning Wilson's safety spot.

New York looked like it had its offense going from the start, driving into Patriots territory with a big third and 11 pass to Martin good for 22 yards along the way. But on first and 10 from the New England 40, Pennington was intercepted by Tedy Bruschi who returned the pick to the Jets 38.

New England could do nothing with the turnover and was forced to punt after three plays.

The Jets took over at the Patriots 14 and began to march once again. Another third down attempt turned into a big gainer when Pennington found Wayne Chrebet on third and five and Chrebet shook would-be tackler Moreland short of the first down and turned the play into a 20-yarder. But on third and two at the Patriots 32, Willie McGinest hit Martin for a 4-yard loss and the Jets were stopped again.

Meanwhile, the Patriots offense was finding things difficult. It began the next drive from its own 9 and Brady immediately hit David Givens for 29 yards. Then, two plays later, Corey Dillon fumbled with Christian Fauria recovering, Brady was sacked for a loss of 6 by Jonathan Vilma on the next play and New England punted.

As the second quarter opened it was the New England offense gaining some momentum. Brady and crew was content to chip their way downfield with Dillon and Patrick Pass runs and short passes to Dillon out of the backfield. That strategy worked until Brady's pass fell incomplete on third and five from the Jets 10 and Adam Vinatieri was brought on for a 28-yard field goal which he made.

The early 3-0 lead marked the 20th regular season game in a row in which the Patriots scored first, an NFL record.

With the Jets defense stuffing the run and Dillon effectively, Brady did his work through the air on the Patriots next scoring drive. After hitting Daniel Graham for 14 yards, Brady looked downfield to Givens and put a perfect pass on his outside shoulder for a gain of 35.

That play moved the ball to the Jets 17. After a Dillon run it was play-action to Graham right down the middle for a 16-yard scoring strike.

The Patriots defense, too, was picking up steam. With just over a minute left in the first half, the Jets tried to answer the Patriots score but on third down, Mike Vrabel sacked Pennington for an 8-yard loss.

Looking more and more like the championship team to which Patriots Nation has grown accustomed, Troy Brown fielded the punt and took it 23 yards to the Jets 43.

With 1:13 to work with, Brady had his team on the New York 11 with three straight passes to Deion Branch and with :23 left. From there, the Jets pass defense stiffened and New England settled for a Vinatieri 29-yard field goal and a 13-0 lead.

The Patriots actually had a chance to add to the lead before the half when Vinatieri's squib kick bounced off several Jets and into the hands of Tully Banta-Cain. That gave Vinatieri an opportunity for a 50-yard field goal with no time left but the kick was just off the mark.

After both teams exchanged punts to begin the second half, Dillon began to get rolling. Up to that point, he had only 21 yards rushing as the Jets were doing a good job defending the run. But on this drive, he had 32 yards alone. It was enough for another Vinatieri field goal -- a 26-yarder -- to up the score to 16-0.

As the third quarter ended, it was Jarvis Green sacking Pennington for a loss of 10 to set up a third and 19 from the Jets own 21 to begin the fourth.

Jason Fabini was flagged for a false start to move New York back 5 more yards. On third and 24, Pennington, perhaps feeling the pressure, threw down the middle right into the arms of Wilson. Wilson took off to the Jets 15, Dillon broke the Patriots franchise record for rushing in a season with a 9-yard run and two plays later, Brady found Branch alone in the end zone from 6 yards out.

The Jets finally got on the scoreboard with 9:32 left in the game, a 15-yard pass to Santana Moss that the smallish receiver made a good play bulling his way into the end zone with after the catch. The extra point made the score 23-7.

Now it was clock-killing time for the Patriots but not before Brady hit Fauria for 23 yards on third and two at the Jets 43. After the next three plays netted 9 yards, New England was faced with a fourth down decision and elected to go for the 1 yard needed for the first down. Dillon got the call but came up short and the Jets took over with 5:26 left.

In the blink of an eye Pennington had his team down on the Patriots 34 in three plays but then stalled. On fourth and six his pass to Justin McCareins was a yard short of the first down marker and the Patriots took over.

The Jets held New England to three plays and had the ball back with just over three minutes remaining. Just like the Jets last drive, Pennington had his team on the Patriots 35 in a flash with a 36-yard pass to McCareins. That was as close as the Jets would come as Pennington was sacked on the next play by Rosevelt Colvin and lost the ball in the process. Green recovered to give it back to the Patriots, this time at the two-minute warning.

With a series of Brady kneel downs, the Patriots had their thirteenth win of the season.

Gay a Consistent Figure in Secondary

2004-12-09T18:50:00.000-05:00

by Frank Tadych, Patriots.com

One Patriots rookie who has certainly exceeded expectations this season is cornerback Randall Gay. The undrafted rookie free agent out of Louisiana State, who made the team out of training camp and has seen his playing time increase during the season, is turning into a consistent playmaker for the Patriots.

Randall Gay recovers a fumble and scores a touchdown vs. Browns - 2004On Thursday, head coach Bill Belichick noted Gay's consistency this season, saying the rookie has had good production considering his opportunities and has established a sustained level of play since starting the season as the team's fourth cornerback.

"I think Randall is one of those guys that has had really a pretty consistent year," Belichick said. "He started maybe in the back of the pack, relative to draft position and so forth. But by the time rookie mini-camps were over and the spring mini-camps were over, I think that the opportunities that he had, he was pretty productive with them."

Gay has played in all 12 games this season, starting the last six at right cornerback, collecting 24 tackles and two interceptions. In addition to being able to play both cornerback and safety, Gay has several factors working in his favor - especially his mental approach to the game.

"He's a smart kid, he picks things up very well," Belichick said. "He's had experience playing corner or safety at LSU and a little bit here, so he mentally understands, from a football standpoint, what's going on in the secondary whether as a perimeter player or an inside player."

Gay has gone from a player used in spot duty to one seeing significant action mostly because of injuries to Ty Law, Tyrone Poole and Asante Samuel. But his consistency, and his willingness to fit within the game plan, may mean that Gay will continue to stay there when others return from injury. Several veterans have taken note of Gay's willingness to listen and his propensity to pull even the smallest details from game film.

Randall Gay intercepts a Ravens pass - 2004"He understands he wasn't one of those first-round [picks]," Law said. "I think he understood that fact that his chances of making the team were slim in the beginning, but he just continued to work at it and work and was consistent all through training camp. When he got his opportunity to get in there and play, he showed up."

In addition to solid coverage skills, Gay has display veteran savvy and a knack for big plays on several occassions. He scored his first career touchdown in last week's win over Cleveland on a 41-yard fumble return. During the Patriots 24-3 win over Baltimore on Nov. 28, his first quarter interception of Kyle Boller came on a play where he was caught between two receivers on the sideline but correctly interpreted the read of the quarterback.

According to Law, the play was very similar to his own interception against the Indianapolis Colts in the season opener. Gay pinpointed the play during film work and learned from it.

"You can see every game he's getting more comfortable. He's been out there playing well and holding his end of the bargain. We're so happy for him. I think when we all get back, we're going to still be looking for Blue to come in there and contribute the same way he's always done."

The fact that Gay has progressed steadily and hasn't had an "up-and-down" season, according to Belichick, could be an aspect separating Gay from other young players - or even the player he was earlier this season. Certainly, his production and consistency as a first-year player make him dependable in the eyes of the coaching staff. Belichick pointed to that consistency as an important factor for rookie defensive backs.

"I think when you're a rookie defensive back, you're going to be around the ball one way or another," Belichick said. "They're going to find you. That's the NFL. If you're a rookie defensive back, someone is going to be throwing on you. He expects that, we expect it, and it's just the way it is."

Patriots, home to face Ravens

2004-11-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

from NFL.com

The Patriots return to Gillette Stadium this week to take on the red-hot Ravens in a Thanksgiving Weekend clash. New England has won its last three games and has come out on top in 24 of its last 25 contests dating back to September of last year, but will face a tough test in the Ravens, who boast one of the NFL's most fearsome defenses.

Baltimore has won five of its last six games, with its only loss over that span coming by five points to the 9-1 Eagles in Philadelphia. The Ravens defense has allowed an average of just 14.0 points per game this season, making it the stingiest defense in the NFL. In its most recent six-game run, the Baltimore defense has allowed just 11.8 points per game, and it has allowed more than 20 points just once in 10 games this season.

The Patriots offense, on the other hand, is tied for fifth in the NFL by averaging 26.4 points per game. New England has scored more than 20 points in eight of its 10 games and has averaged 32.0 points per game over its last three contests. Defensively, the Patriots are allowing an average of 17.1 points per game, tying them with Minnesota for fifth in the league.

Patriots Play Rams Tough

2004-11-08T13:58:00.000-05:00

by Fred Kirsch, from the offical site of the New England Patriots

The question of the day was how could a depleted New England secondary possibly stop one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL? The answer was young guys stepping up, creative coaching and, oh yeah, scoring 40 points themselves.

Earthwind Moreland, Randall Gay, Dexter Reid -- and Troy Brown -- were some of the names stepping up on defense. Brown had a pass defensed a few tackles and even a touchdown when time allowed him to play some offense. Even Mike Vrabel had a touchdown, showing the New England coaching staff will do anything, use anyone, it has to to win. And they did it by the score of 40-22.

"I'm really proud of our football team," head coach Bill Belichick said. "I thought that those guys did a tremendous job today. It's really hard to come in here and win. There are so many guys who stepped up and made big plays and came through for us. It's probably as complete a team victory as I've ever been around. Those players really stepped up and played like we know they can play today."

Tom Brady was 18 of 31 for 234 yards and two touchdowns. David Givens had another 100-yard receiving day and Corey Dillon had 112 yards on 25 carries and a score.

For the Rams, Marc Bulger was 23 of 33 for 285 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Corey Dillon and Tom Brady did most of the work on New England's first score, a 42-yard field goal by Vinatieri. Dillon was good for 17 yards rushing and Brady had a beautiful spinning escape from Rams would-be sackers, finding Patrick Pass for 23 yards.

After holding the Rams on third down with Troy Brown in at cornerback during St. Louis' first series of the game, the Patriots went three and out but got a huge break when Shaun McDonald muffed Josh Miller's punt. Lonie Paxton recovered for New England on the Rams 28.

Asante Samuel had left the game during the previous series with an arm injury.

After an 18-yard gain to Brown, New England could get no further than the Rams 10 and settled for a 31-yard field goal after Brady was sacked for a 3-yard loss by Ty Jackson.

That made the score 6-0.

With Samuel out, Earthwind Moreland, just activated from the practice squad, was forced into action at cornerback opposite Randall Gay. Dexter Reid was getting serious minutes at safety and Brown was coming in to cover slot receivers on passing downs. Despite the obvious inexperience manning key defensive positions for New England, the first quarter ended with Jarvis Green sacking Marc Bulger for a 4-yard loss on third and 13.

After Kevin Faulk fair caught the subsequent punt on the 6-yard line, Brady dropped back to pass on first down and was strip sacked by Damione Lewis. Leonard Little fell on the ball in the end zone and just like that, the Rams were on the board and ahead, 7-6.

Brady then engineered a nice drive that ended with a Vrabel touchdown catch from 2-yards out. The linebacker/tight end made a nice play on a little rainbow that Brady put in the left back corner of the end zone. Vrabel managed to keep a knee in bounds and the Patriots had its 6-point lead back at 13-7. On the drive, Brady converted a third and 10 with a 12-yard pass to Faulk and Dillon had 31 yards on the ground.

"We run those plays in practice and he always comes back and tells us he's open," Belichick said. "He had to get his feet down and make a nice catch there on the sideline. Tom [Brady] made a great throw and that was a big-time catch."

St. Louis bounced right back with a touchdown drive of its own capped by an 11-yard Bulger to Isaac Bruce score. The big play came on second and nine from the Rams 41 when Brandon Manumaleuna broke free from his tight end spot down the middle of the field. By the time Rodney Harrison tracked him down, it was a 48-yard pick up to the Patriots 11.

A 50-yard bomb to David Givens set up the next Patriots score, a 45-yard field goal by Vinatieri. The Patriots began the drive on its own 22 after a false start penalty. The Givens catch came on first down and essentially made up the entire drive.

The Rams took over as the first half approached the two-minute warning and began to pick up chunks of yards with passes to Tory Holt for 15 and 22 yards.

After Bulger tried a little trickery by pretending to walk towards the sideline while the direct snap went to Faulk for only a gain of 4, the Rams were facing a third and 11. Bulger dropped back but saw no one open and took off from the pocket with Willie McGinest in pursuit.

McGinest caught up to the Rams quarterback and forced Bulger to fumble. Jarvis Green recovered close enough to the sideline that the play went immediately into review with the upstairs officials. The ruling on the field stood and New England was first and 10 on its own 28 with 1:02 left in the half.

A very weak -- even from a Patriots perspective -- roughing the quarterback call on the Rams moved the ball to the 43. After two incompletes, Brady hit Patten for 20 yards and again for 14. But the closest New England could get was the Rams 18 and with no time left, Vinatieri hit a 36-yard field goal to end the half at 19-14, Patriots.

Tedy Bruschi sacked Bulger for a loss of 9 to thwart the Rams first series of the second half. The Patriots drive that followed ended with a little Patriots sleight of hand, more successful than the Rams earlier attempt.

When Vinatieri lined up for his fifth field goal attempt of the day, apparently his team became a little tired of not scoring touchdowns. Instead, Vinatieri took the snap and threw to an open Troy Brown for the score and a 26-14 lead.

"It's just the play we thought might have a chance," Belichick said. "Troy [Brown] and Adam [Vinatieri] executed it well. It's hard down there on the goal line to see [how] everybody is deployed."

Joe Andruzzi left the field banged up on the play but returned later in the game.

That lead grew to 33-14 when Willie McGinest tipped a pass that Bulger tried to force into coverage on the next series. Roman Phifer came up with the interception and returned it 29 yards to the Rams 21. Four plays later Dillon eluded DeJuan Groce on his way to the end zone from 5 yards out.

The third quarter ended with the Rams threatening. Bulger had converted a huge fourth and nine from his own 45 with a 17-yard pass to Bruce. Faulk converted a third and five with a 7-yard gain to the Patriots 16-yard line. Two plays later Bulger hit Holt in the end zone with Moreland in coverage. Down by 13 points, the Rams went for the 2-point conversion with Faulk up the middle and he bulled his way in to make the score 33-22 with 14:13 left to play in the game. New England challenged whether or not Faulk actually crossed the plane of the goal line but the call on the field stood.

With the fans back into the game, the Rams defense held Brady and the offense to three and out deep in Patriots territory. St. Louis took over after Miller's punt on its own 40. But the Rams were its own worst enemy allowing Bulger to be sacked for 9 yards and Grant Williams being flagged for holding that negated a third down conversion by Faulk.

Asante Samuel returned to action on the series.

The Rams defense had really done nothing to this point to prove it could effectively stop the Patriots from chewing up clock and that's exactly what New England did going 64 yards in 5:29, ending with a 4-yard pass to Bethel Johnson in the end zone. David Givens kept the drive alive with yet another acrobatic first-down catch on third and 6 from the Rams 45. Patrick Pass had a nice run on a screen pass for 19 yards down to the Rams 10. On the scoring play, Brady ran play-action on third and goal from the 4 and hit Johnson down the middle.

It looked like St. Louis made it 40-28 on the next series with a Bulger to Kevin Curtis pass but the Patriots challenged the rulling as it was clear on replay that Curtis stepped out of bounds before he reached into the end zone with the ball. New England won the challenge and that was big for a number of reasons. Not only did St. Louis fail to score in five more tries, the clock was run down to just over two minutes left to play.

That was the ballgame as all New England had to do was run the ball out and with Brady keeping for a first down, New England had its seventh win on the season against one loss.

"That's what a team is about," Belichick said. "Everybody being prepared and doing their job and when you get called on, step up there and come through. I think it just goes across the board tonight. We got a lot of big plays from a lot of people."

AFC east battle of the best!

2004-10-18T16:58:00.000-04:00

We have pretty much breezed by everybody except the Colts this year, but that is about to change. The Jets, who are also undefeated, are going to come in strong and play it all the way through. We are definitely going to have a tough game next week, so Brady is going to need to attack hard and fast. Corey Dillon really helped make up for Brady not having his best performance against the Seahawks. Although it was a close game, our Patriots never gave up and we came out the victor for the record 20th-straight win. We can't let these wins get to our heads, because we have a tough opponent that wants to stay undefeated and will probably do anything in their power to do so. Lets get em' Patriots!

W's on the board

2004-10-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

19 straight. We have really shown what we are made of this season. We got the Jets coming up the game after next and it will most likely be the power determining game. We havn't had a tough game aside from the Colts this year. If WRs Branch and Brown don't heal up quick, we will have to put our hands in our running game which is going to be tough. I really hope we can make something happen against the Jets and the Seaharks like I know we can. Even though we beat the Dolphins, it was not one of our more graceful wins and we have alot to improve on. Lets get down and dirty with the Seahawks next week and the weeka fter for the Jets and KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE!

make it 18

2004-09-30T17:14:00.000-04:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

The New England Patriots take a string of 17 straight victories into Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. A win at Ralph Wilson Stadium would make them the sixth NFL team to win 18 straight, including playoff games.

The dominance of the Patriots seems to intrigue the whole country, especially us patriots fans. But we can't get too confident because we are jsut as capable of playing sloppy as any other team except that we bring that capability to a minimum. We need to look at the team as a whole and not focus on records. Lets get the Bills and climb back to the top we we belong. Let's get a win after a good rest!

Strong Start to the season.

2004-09-23T16:09:00.000-04:00

This seems like a flashback, with, once again the dominance by our Patriots. Although we are definatley not playing the kind of games we could be, we are still winning. Tom Brady isn't doing as well as he was last year but I'm sure its just one of those things that goes away with more games being played. I do have to say that we got lucky that we intercepted the passes to Fitzgerald because while watching him in the college games, he was unstoppable. Time will tell how we do, but we are getting off to a great start and continuing that winning streak from last year. Keep it up Patriots!

AFC championship rematch, we are back!

2004-09-14T16:49:00.000-04:00

Tom Brady continued to play great during the season opener against the same team be beat last year for the AFC championship, The Colts. We managed to pull off a win by 3 which is, I think , too close for comfort. We need to be able to hold teams off to no points or almost none or else when time comes for the playoffs this year, we will won't be able to step up against teams like the Panthers or the Colts. On a much better note:
From Sports.yahoo.com:

The win was the 16th straight for New England, including the last 12 regular-season games plus two playoff games and the Super Bowl last season. That puts the Patriots two short of the NFL record of 18 set by five teams, most recently Denver in 1997-98, with games at Arizona, at Buffalo after a bye and Miami at home coming up.

Hoping preseason doesnt reflect ability

2004-09-06T17:01:00.000-04:00

After loosing 3 straight, including to the Panthers who we beat last year during the Superbowl. I want to put this behind us and move on and begin fresh with the regular season. I hope we can do better, and that Tom Brady can pull us back together like last season. Now lets get out there and start the regular season!

Amazed...

2004-08-28T16:29:00.000-04:00

The first game was looking good for us, but then WHAM! the Bengals hit us with all they had and it wiped us clear out of New England. I am very quick to put that lose behind me and get ready for todays "superbowl rematch" game. I am excited to see how both teams improved(more so the Patriots ofcourse). So lets beat them down Patriots!

Nothing out of the ordinary

2004-08-19T17:23:00.000-04:00

Another game won and behind us, its the Patriots job to win and it doesn't seem like they are going to be quitting soon. With the pounding of the Eagles( 24-6), it shows yet another that we are the best in the NFL for a reason. Tom Brady played flawlessly as he does all the time and the winning spirit of the rest of the team hasn't changed a bit. Not much more to say aside from Go get em' Pats!

Lets get another!

2004-08-10T14:49:00.000-04:00

Well, we did great last year and we are going to have another great year! If you havn't been keeping up with the NFL draft, heres what happened for the Patriots.
From sports.yahoo.com:

1
21 (21)
Vince Wilfork
DT
Miami (Fl)
(from Baltimore)

1
32 (32)
Ben Watson
TE
Georgia

2
31 (63)
Marquise Hill
DE
LSU

3
32 (95)
Guss Scott
S
Florida

4
17 (113)
Dexter Reid
S
North Carolina
(from New Orleans)

4
32 (128)
Cedric Cobbs
RB
Arkansas

5
32 (164)
P.K. Sam
WR
Florida St.

7
32 (233)
Christian Morton
CB
Illinois

Lets get another Superbowl! Wooooh!

2004 Pats Schedule

2004-07-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

Here's the 2004 New England Patriots schedule from NFL.com:

2004 Preseason
Date Opponent Time/Result
Aug. 13 Philadelphia 8:00 p.m.
Aug. 21 at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 at Carolina 8:00 p.m.
Sept. 2 Jacksonville 6:45 p.m.

2004 Schedule
Date Opponent Result
Sept. 9 Indianapolis 9:00 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Arizona 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 26 Open Date
Oct. 3 at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 10 Miami 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 17 Seattle 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 24 New York Jets 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 31 at Pittsburgh 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 7 at St. Louis 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 14 Buffalo 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Kansas City 9:00 p.m.
Nov. 28 Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 5 at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 12 Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 20 at Miami 9:00 p.m.
Dec. 26 at New York Jets 4:05 p.m.
Jan. 2 San Francisco 1:00 p.m.

All times are Eastern

New Pats site

2004-07-16T15:52:00.000-04:00

Hey, this page is still in its preliminary stages, check back later for updates and content!!!