The Patriots got back to .500 today with a statement 52-28 victory against the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots got on the board first with a 6 yard TD run by Stevan Ridley. Turnovers and fumbles in the first half plagued both teams, but Ryan Fitzpatrick found Scott Chandler twice and lead the Bills to a 14-7 halftime lead.
Tom Brady and the Pats offense caught fire the second half and didn't look back. Brandon Boldin and Stevan Ridley lead the rushing attack for the Pats. Boldin had a strong game with 16 rushes for 136 yards and 1 TD. Ridley was also impressive with 22 rushes for 106 yards and 1 TD. Brady went 22 of 26 for 340 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Wes Welker stepped up big time today with 9 receptions for 129 yards. Rob Gronkowski had a big day as well with 5 receptions for 104 yards and a TD. Brandon Lloyd and Danny Woodhead each a a touchdown reception.
The Patriots defense gave up over 400 yards of offense to the Bills, but made critical plays when it mattered. Devin McCourty had 2 interceptions, and Jerod Mayo and Tavon Wilson each had 1. Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones, and Dont'a Hightower each had a sack on the day. Wilson and Vince Wilfork each recovered a fumble.
The Patriots will head back to Gillette as they take on the Denver Broncos at 4:25 on CBS next Sunday.
New England Patriots
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Ravens avenge AFC Championship game
The Ravens avenged last years AFC Championship game on a last second field goal by rookie Justin Tucker. In a similar fashion to the ending of the last meeting between the Patriots and Ravens it was not Billy Cundiff missing a 32 yard field goal, but Tucker, who made a 27 yard field goal to win as time expired.
The Patriots got off to a fast 13-0 start behind a 2 yard touchdown run by Brandon Boldin and 2 Stephen Gostowski field goals. Joe Flacco and the Ravens responded with touchdown passes to Torrey Smith and Dennis Pitta. Tom Brady and the Patriots lead a 2 minute drive and finished the first half off with a 2 yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman.
Ravens deep threat Torrey Smith had an incredible night after losing his 19 year old brother hours before the game in a motorcycle accident. Smith was unsure if he would suit up, but facing little sleep and a heavy heart, went out and played his heart out. Smith finished with 6 receptions for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Ray Rice drove in the opening drive of the second half with a 7 yard TD run. Danny Woodhead and the Pats responded right away with a 3 yard TD run of his own.Stephen Gostowski kicked a 20 yard field goal to put the Pats up 30-21 with 14:10 left in the game. Torrey Smith caught a 5 yard pass from Flacco to make it a one possession game with 4 minutes left.
The Ravens stopped Brady and the Pats to get the ball back at their own 21 yard line with just under 2 minutes left. Flacco lead a no huddle 2 minute drive to get the Ravens within field goal range. Devin McCourty was called for pass interference at the 7 yard line, which ultimately set up the game winning field goal for Justin Tucker and won the game 31-30.
The loss bring the Pats overall record to 1-2 on the season. The Patriots will try to get back to .500 next week at they take on the first place in the AFC East Bills at 1 PM on CBS.
The Patriots got off to a fast 13-0 start behind a 2 yard touchdown run by Brandon Boldin and 2 Stephen Gostowski field goals. Joe Flacco and the Ravens responded with touchdown passes to Torrey Smith and Dennis Pitta. Tom Brady and the Patriots lead a 2 minute drive and finished the first half off with a 2 yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman.
Ravens deep threat Torrey Smith had an incredible night after losing his 19 year old brother hours before the game in a motorcycle accident. Smith was unsure if he would suit up, but facing little sleep and a heavy heart, went out and played his heart out. Smith finished with 6 receptions for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Ray Rice drove in the opening drive of the second half with a 7 yard TD run. Danny Woodhead and the Pats responded right away with a 3 yard TD run of his own.Stephen Gostowski kicked a 20 yard field goal to put the Pats up 30-21 with 14:10 left in the game. Torrey Smith caught a 5 yard pass from Flacco to make it a one possession game with 4 minutes left.
The Ravens stopped Brady and the Pats to get the ball back at their own 21 yard line with just under 2 minutes left. Flacco lead a no huddle 2 minute drive to get the Ravens within field goal range. Devin McCourty was called for pass interference at the 7 yard line, which ultimately set up the game winning field goal for Justin Tucker and won the game 31-30.
The loss bring the Pats overall record to 1-2 on the season. The Patriots will try to get back to .500 next week at they take on the first place in the AFC East Bills at 1 PM on CBS.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Pats falter to Cardinals
The Patriots fell short of a 2-0 start this season with a 18-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Stephen Gostowski missed a 42 yard field goal with 6 seconds left that sealed the victory for the Cards.
Aaron Hernandez left the game in the 1st quarter due to an ankle injury and the offense struggled to finish drives without him. Tom Brady was 28/46 for 316 yards and one interception on a tipped ball and diving interception by Patrick Peterson. Wes Welker lead the receiving crew with 5 receptions for 95 yards. Brandon Lloyd had 8 receptions for 60 yards.
The Patriots and Cardinals exchanged field goals the first half until the 3rd quarter when Kevin Kolb found Andre Roberts in the end zone for a 2 yard TD reception to put the Cardinals up 13-9. Kolb had a 5 yard QB sneak at the start of the 4th quarter to further the lead to 20-9. Stephen Gostowski responded with a 53 yard field goal with 6:45 left in the game to make it a one possession game. Brady lead the Pats best drive of the day with a 5 yard TD pass to Rob Gronkowski with 2:06 left in the game. The ensuing 2 point conversion was broken up by Kerry Rhodes on a pass intended for Gronkowksi.
Vince Wilfork recovered a Ryan Williams fumble forced by Brandon Spikes, giving the Pats the ball with a little over a minute left at the Arizona 30 yard line. The Pats drove to the Cardinals 24 yard line to set up a game winning 42 yard field goal. Gostowski had made 4 field goals on the day, but missed the critical kick wide to the left that secured the Cardinals Victory.
The Patriots will play next week at Baltimore on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 on NBC.
Aaron Hernandez left the game in the 1st quarter due to an ankle injury and the offense struggled to finish drives without him. Tom Brady was 28/46 for 316 yards and one interception on a tipped ball and diving interception by Patrick Peterson. Wes Welker lead the receiving crew with 5 receptions for 95 yards. Brandon Lloyd had 8 receptions for 60 yards.
The Patriots and Cardinals exchanged field goals the first half until the 3rd quarter when Kevin Kolb found Andre Roberts in the end zone for a 2 yard TD reception to put the Cardinals up 13-9. Kolb had a 5 yard QB sneak at the start of the 4th quarter to further the lead to 20-9. Stephen Gostowski responded with a 53 yard field goal with 6:45 left in the game to make it a one possession game. Brady lead the Pats best drive of the day with a 5 yard TD pass to Rob Gronkowski with 2:06 left in the game. The ensuing 2 point conversion was broken up by Kerry Rhodes on a pass intended for Gronkowksi.
Vince Wilfork recovered a Ryan Williams fumble forced by Brandon Spikes, giving the Pats the ball with a little over a minute left at the Arizona 30 yard line. The Pats drove to the Cardinals 24 yard line to set up a game winning 42 yard field goal. Gostowski had made 4 field goals on the day, but missed the critical kick wide to the left that secured the Cardinals Victory.
The Patriots will play next week at Baltimore on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 on NBC.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
First Impressions
The Patriots started their 2012 campaign with a statement 34-13 win over the Titans. Tom Brady threw 2 touchdowns and was 23/31 for 236 yards. Rob Gronkowski looked like his healthy self with 6 receptions for 60 yards and 1 touchdown. Aaron Hernandez had 6 receptions for 59 yards and 1 touchdown. Steven Ridley looked impressive with 21 carries for 125 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Patriots rookie class made key plays in their NFL debuts. Tavon Wilson intercepted a Jake Locker deep ball in the end zone in the second quarter. Also in the second quarter, Chandler Jones forced a sack and fumble at the 1 yard line and Dont'a Hightower picked up the loose ball and went in for the score.
The defense was dominate all day and the Titans could not get anything going. The Titans had a total of 20 rushing yards on 16 carries. Chris Johnson had a career low of 4 yards on 11 carries. Jerod Mayo led the Pats with 13 tackles, 9 of them solo.
New England will make their debut at Gillette next week as they face the Cardinals at 1PM on FOX.
The Patriots rookie class made key plays in their NFL debuts. Tavon Wilson intercepted a Jake Locker deep ball in the end zone in the second quarter. Also in the second quarter, Chandler Jones forced a sack and fumble at the 1 yard line and Dont'a Hightower picked up the loose ball and went in for the score.
The defense was dominate all day and the Titans could not get anything going. The Titans had a total of 20 rushing yards on 16 carries. Chris Johnson had a career low of 4 yards on 11 carries. Jerod Mayo led the Pats with 13 tackles, 9 of them solo.
New England will make their debut at Gillette next week as they face the Cardinals at 1PM on FOX.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
2012 Training Camp - 9 Days Down
So the Pats have completed 9 days of practice - where do we stand? Well, some things are looking up, but not everything - injuries, fights, new players in a complex system.
Brady and Lloyd are both familiar with the way Josh McDaniel's runs the offense, but they aren't at 100% with each other. Yet. "It just takes time" Lloyd says of the relationship between QB and WR.
After a slow, rocky start for defensive rookies Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower, the two have started to find their niche on that side of the ball. Both player have the potential to make a difference this year in a big way. Jones has shown marked improvement against the run and stuffed LT Solder on Day 5 after getting shut down earlier in camp. Hightower is working brilliantly, taking many reps on the first team defense, but also with the second and third teams.
RB Brandon Bolden is trying his darnedest to move ahead of Woodhead on the depth chart and may be gunning for Vereen's assumed second spot. Bolden appears to fit in nicely with the Patriots' offense with his smooth, elusive running style. I think we're looking to be just fine with the running game this season even with The Lawfirm now in Cincinnati.
The secondary is looking better for the most part by Day 5. Moore is showing that he isn't afraid to make bodily contact to break up a pass and had an interception against WR Jabar Gaffney thrown by Mallett. Arrington continues to be a bright light at CB, even giving slot receiver Wes Welker a run for his money. McCourty looked good on Tuesday breaking up several passes. Last year, McCourty allowed many a receiver to beat him off the line by a long shot, but now he is doing better at shortening that gap.
Ras-I Dowling shows natural talent at corner, but portrayed a new problem in camp - tackling. He seems reluctant to throw his body into a receiver and take them to the ground and is falling for fakes too often.
Aaron Hernandez continues to show why he was a top-5 TE last year. With big Rob Gronkowski on the roster it can be easy to forget about Aaron. Don't be a fool and do this though. He is a versatile player, capable of playing and succeeding at several different positions - TE, running back, and, at times, even punt returner! I remember last year when people were talking about the duo of Hernandez and Grownkowski as the best TE pair in history. I believe it after the 2011 season and I hope for a repeat from the Boston TE Party!
Day 7 of camp had Brady and Hernandez working on handoffs in the backfield and some personal one-on-one time after practice. Interesting, to say the least. Gronk is still getting a lot of looks in the redzone which should excite fantasy players.
Overall, it seemed like Belichick deemed Day 8 as a half-speed day. Starting QB Tom Brady had an off-day. We don't like to see that. Cue the 2011 AFC Championship game tape - Brady has an off-day and the Pats barely scrape past the Ravens to Super Bowl 46, thanks largely in part to a broken up pass by Sterling Moore and the fateful missed FG by Ravens' kicker Billy Cundiff. Sorry again, Billy. I'm sure Brady will break out of this mini-funk and be on-track for the future.
Over the last couple of practices, the team has had a few scuffles on the field - details are still vague. Jerod Mayo took it upon himself to act as an on-field leader, allowing the coaching staff to stand aside and watch. Maybe this was a chance for the team to redeem themselves after those minor altercations. This 26-year old LB shows great promise, on the field and as a team leader. I'm thinking my humble jersey collection needs a new addition.
Donte Stallworth is producing by Day 9 after several dropped passes early on. His speed is showing and he is obviously gunning for Branch's spot. We still have a long time to see who will fill that WR slot.
As of Day 9, the attendance report is a little disconcerting:
Players not on the field - FB Spencer Larsen and Tony Fiametta; TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Daniel Fells, and Jake Ballard; OL Brian Waters and Matt Kopa; DL Jonathan Fanene; and LB Tracy White
Players not in full pads - WR Jeremy Ebert; OL Logan Mankins, Sebastian Vollmer, and Markus Zusevics; DL Myron Pryor; and CB Alfonzo Dennard
Red "no-contact" jerseys - WR Matthew Slater and S James Ihedigbo
The first regular season New England Patriots game is on 9 September 2012. Let the countdown begin!
Don't forget to sign up for a fantasy football league and don't miss the preseason! The HoF game is slated for Sunday the 5th.
Friday, July 27, 2012
New season, same expectations
The 2011 New England Patriots season ended in a disappointing fashion in a 21-17 loss against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. After an embarrassing trashing at home to the New York Jets in the 2010 divisional playoffs many experts predicts the Patriots wouldn't even make the playoffs. The Patriots proved the doubters wrong yet again and dominated the AFC East division (and all of the NFL) and ended the regular season with a stellar 13-3 record. However, Belichick and Brady are seeking for not another trip to the Super Bowl, but the return of the Lombardi Trophy in New England.
With a revamped offense adding wideout Brandon Lloyd and the return of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the Patriots will look to lead the league in almost every offensive category again. The loss of the rock steady producer Benjarvus Green-Ellis will be a hit. Green-Ellis never fumbled in his 4 years with the Patriots. The trio of Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, and Steven Ridley will look to be integral components of the offense Vereen and Ridley will look to battle it out in training camp for the #1 back. Oh, and lets not forget Tom Brady. Brady should be as motivated as ever after two losses to Eli Manning in the Super Bowl. Brady will look to once again light up the stat sheet and carry this team back to the Super Bowl. Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker will be go-to targets for Brady once again. After the "Summer of the Gronk", a healthy Rob Gronkowski will look forward to getting back on the field and performing at the level he's capable of.
The Defense will have everything to prove this season. The 2011 Patriots defense ranked #31 in total defensive statistics. The #32 ranked defense? The Green Bay Packers. Though the NFL is now a pass happy league, you can't win in the postseason without a strong defense. The Packers cruised through the regular season with a 15-1 record, but lost in the divisional round to the Giants in a 37-20 upset. With first round picks Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones expected to make impacts, the defense is looking more like a reliability than a liability. Linebackers Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo should continue their steady play up the middle as long as they can stay healthy. Cornerback Ras-I-Dowling is expected to make an impact after only playing in 2 games last season. Devin McCourty did not have the Pro Bowl season he had in his rookie year, but should at least be able to make quarterbacks think twice before throwing his way.
The window of opportunity to win a championship should be open for a few more years as Bradys career comes to a close. This years squad has the perfect opportunity to win a title this year. The league has conveniently made the Patriots schedule the easiest in the league. With talks of another 16-0 season, the Patriots will look to once again dominating the NFL. When all is said and done, one team will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the Superdome on February 3rd, 2013. This time, the Patriots will be sure to leave the field not in defeat, but as champions.
With a revamped offense adding wideout Brandon Lloyd and the return of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the Patriots will look to lead the league in almost every offensive category again. The loss of the rock steady producer Benjarvus Green-Ellis will be a hit. Green-Ellis never fumbled in his 4 years with the Patriots. The trio of Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, and Steven Ridley will look to be integral components of the offense Vereen and Ridley will look to battle it out in training camp for the #1 back. Oh, and lets not forget Tom Brady. Brady should be as motivated as ever after two losses to Eli Manning in the Super Bowl. Brady will look to once again light up the stat sheet and carry this team back to the Super Bowl. Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker will be go-to targets for Brady once again. After the "Summer of the Gronk", a healthy Rob Gronkowski will look forward to getting back on the field and performing at the level he's capable of.
The Defense will have everything to prove this season. The 2011 Patriots defense ranked #31 in total defensive statistics. The #32 ranked defense? The Green Bay Packers. Though the NFL is now a pass happy league, you can't win in the postseason without a strong defense. The Packers cruised through the regular season with a 15-1 record, but lost in the divisional round to the Giants in a 37-20 upset. With first round picks Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones expected to make impacts, the defense is looking more like a reliability than a liability. Linebackers Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo should continue their steady play up the middle as long as they can stay healthy. Cornerback Ras-I-Dowling is expected to make an impact after only playing in 2 games last season. Devin McCourty did not have the Pro Bowl season he had in his rookie year, but should at least be able to make quarterbacks think twice before throwing his way.
The window of opportunity to win a championship should be open for a few more years as Bradys career comes to a close. This years squad has the perfect opportunity to win a title this year. The league has conveniently made the Patriots schedule the easiest in the league. With talks of another 16-0 season, the Patriots will look to once again dominating the NFL. When all is said and done, one team will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the Superdome on February 3rd, 2013. This time, the Patriots will be sure to leave the field not in defeat, but as champions.
Offseason Catch-up
Hi Pats fans and welcome to Armchair Nation! Lots of stuff going on in New England that you should know about. First things first, the veteran RB Joseph Addai has been dropped from the roster. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I thought Addai was going to be around at least for this season. Alas, no. Reports out of the northeast state that Addai simply quit during a conditioning test. As unfortunate as it is to not have a veteran presence in the backfield, I think we'll be okay this year. Besides, who wants an RB that can't cut it physically? Anyways, we have Ridley and Vereen, and I have high hopes for the pair.
I loved Ridley against the Raiders last year and was hoping to see more from in 2011, but he wasn't ready to be a dominating force then. Now with BJGE gone to the Bengals and a full offseason under his belt, Stevan Ridley has the opportunity to really stand out this season. I have the feeling that we could look to the run quite a few times this year and I hope that Ridley is the go-to man.
Guard Brian Waters was a no-show for Day 1 of Patriots Training Camp yesterday. Coach Belichick was quoted to say that Waters was "excused for personal reasons" similar to June's mandatory minicamp. At this time, we know Brian is considering retirement and that would just be one more blow to our already depleted O-Line. I know that BB will have a solution worthy of his past genius.
And just a quick note on Wes Welker. What a beautiful machine! You know, Tom Brady is one of the greatest QBs of all time and the Gronk had the best season for a TE, but Wes is my favorite Pat. I personally think he deserves a long-term contract despite his age and what some think, a decline in skill and production. Last year he had 122 receptions for 1569 yards and 9 touchdowns. Sure, not as many TDs as say, Megatron, but I have confidence in his ability. Wes produces, plain and simple. Not everybody is a long bomb receiver. You have to have the slot guys like Welker to move the ball downfield and into the redzone. Regardless, he signed his $9.5 million franchise tag and is back to getting into "football shape" as he says on Twitter. Here's to you, Wes! I pray that you have an insane season even with all the competition, and blow BB's mind.
Tom Brady is going to be 35 in just a few days. Don't let that scare you! I have faith that he has 3-5 more good years in him if we can keep a strong enough O-Line. I'm calling it now; Thomas is going to break the passing record again this year and take it from Brees (Sorry, Drew, but gotta go with my QB, no matter how talented you are!). 40 plus TDs with the combination of Welker, Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Lloyd.
Day 2 of training camp has kicked off and I can't wait to hear the news from them today.
Pat's Nation, I believe we're going to have a great year!
Written by Will Spaid
Photographs by John Tlumacki (Boston Globe)
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