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Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

I wish I were more surprised. Tough day overall, with a no-show in Cleveland and the Lions serving up another Jets win on a silver platter (trying to keep up with Denver, I guess).

Then tack on an absurd Raiders victory (KC was in control throughout but couldn't seal the deal) and a Minny win and those 2011 draft picks (which they desperately need to hit) don't look as good. The releases of Wheatley and McKenzie over the weekend were reminders that this organization has not drafted all that well recently. That's a second-rounder from 2008 and a third-rounder from 2009. The Cowboys recently cut IIRC a second-rounder from 2009 and it was "evidence" that the organization was in shambles. Hmmm.

They need a lot more players, especially on defense but also on offense to compensate for Brady's decline (which I guess we're all supposed to pretend not to notice even as he collects the highest salary in the league). I still like what they've done and they're 6-2 at the halfway point. Great first half. I have no huge complaints. It's just a letdown from where things have seemed headed, I guess. They might not be favored to win again until Dec. 12 at Chicago.

One issue I do have is with special teams. They were great through four weeks and they've been outplayed for the last four. Anyone have a clue as to why that's the case? I'm lost.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Netman said:
Sniper!
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Looked like it! Sucks, it cost the Pats a chance for a quick first down, and to keep moving the ball, saving clock.

He even looked to the bench as if to say, "Should I go down?!"

Should be unsportsmanlike.
 
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Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Pats catch another injury-related break as it looks like Stafford is out for the year. If only he could've played long enough to secure the win against the Jets, then missed the Thanksgiving Day game . . .

That's in addition to:

"Laundry list" of Steelers injuries includes three concussions
Posted by Mike Florio on November 9, 2010 12:29 PM ET

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin met with the media on Tuesday to address the team's 27-21 win over the Bengals. Among other things, he reviewed the injuries from Monday night, which he described as "somewhat of a laundry list."

The fourth-year coach said three players suffered concussions on Monday night: safety Will Allen, running back Mewelde Moore, and fullback Isaac Redman.

Tomlin said that center Maurkice Pouncey, who returned after suffering a leg injury in the first half of the game, has a tibia bruise. Guard Chris Kemoeatu has a knee sprain, and he's expected to be limited in the first part of the week.

Tight end Heath Miller has fluid on his knee, tackle Max Starks suffered "stingers," and defensive end Brett Keisel continues to deal with a hamstring injury. Tomlin said that Keisel "was really quite unable to get it going last night."

The Steelers host the Patriots on Sunday night. On NBC.
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Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

The Steelers host the Patriots on Sunday night. On NBC.
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As opposed to "On CNN". I just like that this is two sentences and not one.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Ugh.
Adam_Schefter
Turns out Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski, who went on IR today, has a torn quad muscle that might need surgery. He's expected back in 2011.
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This year's IR list::(
Bodden (DB)
Warren (DE)
Kaczur (G/T)
Gostkowski (K)
Faulk (RB)
Holt (WR)
Jenkins (WR)
McGowan (S)
Barrett (S)
Lockett (S)
Richard (DE)
Weston (DE)
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Sometimes I forget Taylor is even on the team. Or alive, for that matter.
MikeReiss Patriots downgrade OL Stephen Neal, RB Fred Taylor and DL Myron Pryor to out for Sunday's game.
17 minutes ago via Mobile Web
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Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Very impressive and satisfying win. Indy coming up next Sunday afternoon.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Patman said:
to be fair, he has been out of the league for 5 years ;)
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I think his original groin is in the Smithsonian.

And nice game. Totally picked apart the Stillers. This Pats team could really make a serious run. Not flashy, not outstanding in any single aspect....just solid. Ring a bell (hint: SB years)?
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Tom Curran:

The Steelers found a motivated Brady was far too much for them to handle. By the end of the game, they were taking runs at him. LaMarr Woodley's roughing-the-passer penalty was an example. So too was Troy Polamalu grinding Brady's head into the turf after Brady scored, touching off a pushing match in the end zone.

I was told that, as that scrum continued, Brady yelled to the Steelers defenders to get their attention, then unleashed a vicious ground-denting spike punctuated by a simple two-word expletive.

Point made.
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I'm thinking the two words weren't "point made.":D
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

the first TD, could there have been a better pass/catch? Talk about throwing it in the one place possible, an inch in any direction and that is incomplete.

Also re: first drive...It wasn't that the Pats scored, it was how they did it; like they were going for 16-0 again. Wow that was impressive.

Can we ask for a do-over on the Browns game??
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Speaking of the Browns, if Mangenius simply takes a knee the Pats are alone in first today by a half-game.:mad:

I know I'm biased and I know that good fortune has shone on the Pats throughout the last decade (the game they won in Buffalo because David Patten, lying unconscious on the field, happened to be touching OOB and the ball at the same time comes to mind), but I can't recall seeing a team win two completely-out-of-their-behind games in a row like the Jets have the last two weeks. Stanton hits the back who's standing 6-7 yards away from him (or just falls down) and the Jets likely lose in Detroit. Then the Browns come out at their own three yard line with 95 seconds left in OT, a situation in which even Don Coryell would've just handed it off to Chuck Muncie, and they're firing the ball 30 yards downfield on first down like they're trailing by two touchdowns.

I'm not sure whether I think their luck's going to run out, or whether getting these types of wins will only make them better and tougher as the season goes on (see 2001 Pats).:(

Anyway, just a great, great win last night. Two more wins and they lock up that 9-7 record. ;) If everything goes just right, that could be accomplished by Thanksgiving dinner.:)
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Sort of an odd move that came down yesterday. They must be planning to give Banta-Cain and Cunningham more reps at OLB and playing Woods full-time on special teams. Woods was working on the University of Michigan grounds crew as of last week.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots announced the re-signing of outside linebacker Pierre Woods today. The team had an open roster spot after waiving outside linebacker/defensive end Shawn Crable on Tuesday.

"We made a decision based on what we feel like is best for the football team, a lot of things went into it. We did what we feel like is best for right now," coach Bill Belichick said.

Woods (6-5, 255) played for the Patriots from 2006-2009, and was with the team in 2010 training camp before he was let go at the final roster cutdown. He had not hooked on with another team this season.

Woods' primary contributions have come on special teams, and he also adds depth at outside linebacker behind Jermaine Cunningham, Rob Ninkovich and Tully Banta-Cain.

Crable was serving mostly as a sub-rushing defensive end this season, and that isn't a role that Woods is likely to duplicate. Woods is considered a stronger special teams player than Crable and that could be part of the team's thinking with the Woods-for-Crable switch.

"Based on the circumstances and the situation, all of those factors, we felt like he would be able to help our team this week," Belichick said of Woods. "Whether that is the way it is next week, or if it closer to the way it was last week ... We had been in contact with him, like a lot of players that we've had a long history with. I think we had a pretty good idea of where he is [physically]."
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In the last month they've cut Wheatley and Crable, their second- and third-rounders from the lousy 2008 draft.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

That '08 draft was truly terrible.

I like what they're doing though. It seems like they're just cutting bait on a lot of passengers and telling the guys left to sink or swim. For the most part it's been working. If they can have another draft this coming April anything as strong as the last two I'd say we're well on our way to another good run. I mean, they're arguably an elite team now (at worst in the second tier) and are playing a lot of untested rookies who seem to improve every week.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

CLS said:
Check out http://www.boston.com/sports/touching_all_the_bases/2010/11/the_worst_ill_show_you_the_wor.html for some other thoroughly forgettable drafts.
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Canty will probably be my least-favorite Patriot for as long as I live. I'd take 53 Monty Beisels before I'd take a single Chris Canty.

I have no recollection of Jeff Carlson at all. You could've put him in a multiple-choice question and I wouldn't have ID's him as the guy who started those two games in 1992.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

From today's Reiss chat:
Jim (Portland, ME)

What's the word on Fragile Freddy? I'd like to see us pound up the Colts on the ground (and free up playaction).

Mike Reiss (12:19 PM)

Jim, my opinion is that this is the week for Taylor's return.
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I think Reiss said the same thing last week and maybe before the Cleveland game as well.
 
Re: Patriots 2010: the Year We Make Contracts

Obviously Belichick is chiefly to blame for ignoring the NFL memorandum (and costing the team a first-round draft pick, which when combined with bad drafting from 2006-2008 contributed to the talent decline on this team), but are we really going to have to listen to this crazy, paranoid bull**** until he is either fired or resigns as head coach?
I've always heard, reliably, that the Colts never trusted that they were totally alone in the Colts' locker room in Foxboro, and that when Manning had something of strategic significance to say to offensive coordinator Tom Moore, they both stepped outside into the concourse outside the locker room. So if you're outside the locker room Sunday, don't be surprised to see Manning and his first-year coordinator, Christensen, huddling for a few minutes.
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That's Peter King, the "most respected football writer in America."

I wonder who told him that -- "reliably." Any chance it's his Sunday Night colleague, the completely-beyond-reproach Tony Dungy?:rolleyes:

The whole thing just makes me sick.
 
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