PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Mike Dussault

The Fellowship of the Miserable: How Boston Sportswriters Got So AwfulBoston Articles

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The Fellowship of the Miserable: How Boston Sportswriters Got So AwfulBoston Articles

Good read, wish there was some love for Boston sports blogs too!

Still, there are some local writers who understand that a fresh approach is what’s needed. Greg A. Bedard, the Globe football columnist, for example, spends hours every season studying film from Patriots games. The stories he writes after games don’t necessarily rely on getting lots of access to players in the locker room, but his analysis is more enlightening than yet another strikingly unrevealing quote from Tom Brady or Bill Belichick. By taking the time to break down the film, he’s able to give fans an inside look at why the game happened the way it did.

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https://www.patspropaganda.com/13807/

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Brady wasn’t as efficient or prolific as he was in 2011, but you wouldn’t know it with his 4,827 passing yards and 38 total touchdowns to just eight turnovers. It was more impressive considering he really never had top tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski healthy at the same time.

Sporting News’ All-Pro team: Calvin Johnson top vote-getter – NFL – Sporting News

https://www.patspropaganda.com/brady-wasnt-as-efficient-or-prolific-as-he-was-in/

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Over the course of the 2012 regular season, the Patriots had two or more tight ends on the field for almost an even 50 percent of their snaps. That is lower than expected and ties directly to injuries sustained by Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. If those two tight ends were healthy over the duration of the season, the percentage probably would be closer to 75 percent, if not higher. The trickle-down effect of that is that the Patriots ran an almost even 50 percent of their 2012 regular-season snaps with three or more receivers on the field.

Positional groupings & WR quality/depth – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

https://www.patspropaganda.com/over-the-course-of-the-2012-regular-season-the/

Examining the Welker-Edelman dilemma – AFC East Blog – ESPN

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Examining the Welker-Edelman dilemma – AFC East Blog – ESPN

Biggest mystery of the offseason is how this works out, I think Edelman is a no-brainer regardless of Welker.

Welker, 31, played on a one-year franchise tag of $9.5 million in 2012. The Patriots are unlikely to do that again with the franchise tag jumping to $11.4 million for Welker in 2013. It appears to be long-term extension or bust for the Patriots and Welker this offseason. Meanwhile, New England has been high on the unproven Edelman, 26. He ended last season on injured reserve with a foot injury and will be much cheaper to re-sign than Welker. The Patriots rotated Edelman and Welker early in the season to see how Edelman fits in the offense. That was the first sign that New England was thinking about life without Welker after this season. Edelman had 21 receptions and is a beast on special teams.

Lot of Ed Reed-to-the-Patriots rumors swirling lately. If Reed eventually end up in Foxboro, I could see the Patriots letting Talib walk ang going with a CB group of Dennard, Dowling, a high draft pick and Arrington / M. Cole. The thinking here would be that D-Mac, Reed and Gregory in the back end would strenghten enough the secondary and make up for the loss of Talib. Your thoughts Mike?

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There’d certainly be riots in the streets of some Patriots fans if that happened, but I don’t think it’s out of the question. I’m not sure Reed gets out of Baltimore, we’ll see how the Super Bowl impacts that, but if he does I am positive the Patriots at least make the call to him.

Belichick is always willing to take a shot on a specially talented player no matter his age or off-the-field situation. I believe that he really relishes the chance to coach a special player he respects, and he respects no one more than Ed Reed.

Brian Cox, Rodney Harrison, Doug Flutie, John Lynch, Chad Johnson, and Albert Hayensworth all represent players who were special earlier in their career that Belichick brought aboard later. Some worked out, most didn’t. But he’s always willing to give them a shot.

So I have no doubt the Patriots would be interested in Reed, but does he get away from Baltimore and could the Patriots figure out the financial element of it? That remains to be seen.

But if they did get him I think it would improve the pass defense regardless of who is at cornerback. It starts up front, and they need to add some pass rushers, as they’ve already started doing. If they can lock down the back end as well I don’t really care too much who our corners are.

But I’d agree in that scenario they’d need to add a high round cornerback in the draft and at least a couple more in Free Agency.