Mike Dussault

Pats Posits: What Does It Mean!!??

April 4, 2017 by Mike Dussault

Sorry for the delayed action around here the past few days. Not that there’s really been all that much to talk about, but I was back in Boston getting everything ready for the move-back in June. The great news is that it looks like I’ll be living right around the corner from Gillette Stadium and well, you get what that means. I am looking forward to being able to take the site to another level. We’ll see how that all plays out this summer.

Otherwise, while I was in Boston the Patriots news was dominated by the report that Adrian Peterson was visiting the Pats. That, of course, was going to set off plenty of talking points, and it was even worse than you might expect because there’s nothing else to talk about.

Peterson left without a deal and you get the sense there might not be one coming. With Peterson’s past it’s easy to see why many people don’t want him on the Patriots, especially given Robert Kraft’s comments last week about the team not being interested in those with domestic violence in their past.

But I think the thing everyone forgets is that visits can be for a number of things. Most of the draft prospects the Patriots visit with they don’t even draft. So just because someone visits you can’t jump to the conclusion the Patriots are definitely considering signing them. Maybe they were considering Peterson, but I also know that Belichick spends time at just about every college Pro Day he can get to because the guy just loves football and football players.

Gosselin: How Bill Belichick gives the Patriots an edge over every other NFL team at draft time | SportsDay

March 30, 2017 by Mike Dussault

If you’re grading drafts, there are lots of As and Bs to hand out after the first three rounds. But it’s what teams do in Rounds 4-7 that can make a good draft great.And no one knows the draft board — the entire draft board — like Patriots coach Bill Belichick. There are no throwaway picks when the Patriots are on the clock. New England has become the NFL’s dominant team because the Patriots own the back end of the draft.

Source: Dallas Cowboys: How Bill Belichick gives the Patriots an edge over every other NFL team at draft time | SportsDay

Gosselin is one of the most respected football writers out there, so obviously, as you can see above, he gets it. As much as the draft and all the amateur draftniks out there annoy me, there’s a special place in my heart for those who still try to tell me “Belichick can’t draft” or “Belichick the GM doesn’t help Belichick the coach”.

This assumes that somewhere out there there’s someone who CAN draft. Someone who hits on every pick. Someone who would never draft Ras-I Dowling 33rd overall. Okay, maybe that one has a point.

But the draft is really just an elaborate lottery. Even the guys making the picks don’t know for sure how any selection will truly work out. You see their body of work in college, their timed measurables, you’ve talked to them, maybe even brought them into the facility and shown them around, but when training camp rolls around no one knows for sure how the player will respond.

How will he handle not being the most talented player on the field anymore? How will he handle having a fat bank account? How will he handle not getting the playing time he wants? How will he pick up the playbook? Will his career just be injury after injury?

NOBODY KNOWS. It’s impossible to know. So for every seven-round mock draft out there by some random dude in the proverbial Mom’s basement, there’s guys like Mel Kiper who might be just as wrong.

Has Belichick Had a Change of Heart on Cornerbacks?

March 29, 2017 by Mike Dussault

Fun little tidbit from Ian Rapoport this morning, indicating that the Patriots made a call to the Seahawks to inquire about Richard Sherman‘s availability prior to them signing Stephon Gilmore.

Before the #Patriots signed Gilmore, they were among the teams that inquired. Others did, as well https://t.co/nUTwzIxa8W

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 29, 2017

This leads me to wonder if Belichick has changed the way he values cornerbacks. A couple years ago I wrote this extensive piece breaking down how the Pats have never been willing to give long-term deals to cornerbacks. Sure, they’d pay a chunk of change for a season like they did with Asante Samuel on the franchise tag ($7.79 million) or a year of Darrelle Revis ($12 million), but prior to 2012 the Patriots didn’t really seem to care all that much about the position.

Then came the in-season trade for Aqib Talib, the Patriots first foray into acquiring a physical man cornerback. They retained Talib for 2013 for $4.86 million after being unable to work out a long term deal. That felt like the same old Patriots, who always preferred to focus on the front seven long before investing in a cornerback.

How Do Patriots Get Three-Out-Of-Four, Twice?

March 29, 2017 by Mike Dussault

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6XfJbE6GVI

The Patriots have won two of the last three Super Bowls and all is right with the world. But slowly, my focus has shifted to the 2017 season and just what is at stake.

New England cemented their dynasty in 2004 by winning three-out-of-four Super Bowls and now are staring down the opportunity to do it again, 13 years later. I found myself looking back at the 2004 America’s Game episode above and remembering how the crown jewel of the NFL stayed focused and hungry enough to repeat as champions.

It sure won’t be easy. The target on the Patriots’ backs will be even bigger in 2017 than it was in 2004, as if we ever thought that would be possible. Any bit of the mystique that they lost in Super Bowl defeats or other season-enders is very much gone. That’s what overcoming a 25-point hole on the biggest of stages can do. If the Pats lacked the magic in 2007 and 2011, they certainly got it back in 2014 and 2016, and now they could put their franchise into another stratosphere by winning Super Bowl 52. And there are 31 teams that will be dying for a shot at them.

Here are my thoughts on what the 2004 did right and how the 2017 Patriots can learn from their successful season.

ProJo/Daniels: Former coaches rave about Patriots’ pick-ups

March 28, 2017 by Mike Dussault

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWv39lWRpog&t=37s

“They’re getting a blue collar, I would say undervalued player around the league,” Harbaugh said. “Don’t sleep on Lawrence Guy. Don’t under estimate this player. He’s a really good football player — run and pass. Love him to death. Every time I see him he gives me this big giant Lawrence Guy hug. He’s a great guy. He’ll be a leader in the locker room. I thought it was a great signing by the Patriots.”

Source: Former coaches rave about Patriots’ pick-ups

Some good quotes from former coaches in this piece from Mark Daniels, and of course it’s always nice to listen to Chuck Pagano and John Harbaugh praise players that will now be Patriots. You know it just kills them on the inside.

I think this has been a pretty surprising offseason so far. The only real slam dunk was Dont’a Hightower and even that was interesting for a bit. But in the end it worked out because Hightower got to see what things are like elsewhere around the AFC. You know the saying, if you love something set it free and if it comes back to you he’ll be smashing offensive opponents for the next four years or so.

Rex Burkhead, Lawrence Guy and Dwayne Allen are classic Patriots moves. Solid football players that weren’t atop anyone’s fit list but players the Patriots pounced on because, simply put, they’re football players. At the end of the day, that’s what made the Patriots dynasty. Not grabbing overpriced superstars in free agency or lucking out with their constantly-low-end draft picks. Just guys who play hard and love football. Of course, having a mastermind like BB to put them in position to succeed helps most of all, but you get the picture.

Could The Red Pat Patriot Alternates Return?

March 24, 2017 by Mike Dussault

Exciting news today that the Eagles have submitted a proposal that would allow teams to have a second helmet for alternate jerseys, which would mean the Patriots could return to wearing their old red throwbacks for the first time since 2012.

2017 Resolution Proposal 1. By Philadelphia, Amends the NFL’s On-Field Policy to allow clubs to have an alternate helmet in a color to match their third uniform.

This has been one of the more stupid rules on the books. You rarely see the NFL do something that would prevent themselves from making more money off of alternate jersey sales, but that’s just what this rule did. I think it was one of those shuffling the deck furniture moves back in 2013 when the NFL was trying to make it seem like they cared about concussions. That left only teams who had similar helmet colors/schemes using the alternate jerseys.

My creative solution before this proposal, and one I would still love to see, would be a return to the 90’s throwbacks. The Patriots could then still use the exact same helmet.

I’m a sucker for jerseys. I know it’s popular to hate on the color rush uniforms and many of them are terrible. But I loved the Patriots’ last season, and the more alternate jerseys they can wear the better. Let’s hope this one passes, though it probably won’t for some stupid reason on the NFL and its owners can come up with.

LaCanfora: NFL personnel man convinced Darrelle Revis is going back to New England

March 23, 2017 by Mike Dussault

“We did our work on him. He can still play. He can cover. He doesn’t have that long speed anymore; he’s not going to cover a No. 1 receiver deep. But he can cover in tight spaces and he has great instincts. The film is not as bad as some would have you believe. He’s a perfect fit in that quarters scheme Belichick runs, and they have the kind of safeties who can help him out, too. We’re convinced he’s going back to New England. It just makes too much sense.”

Source: NFL personnel man: We’re convinced Darrelle Revis is going back to New England – CBSSports.com

Interesting. I still don’t really see it but let’s play along and figure out how Revis might fit in if he were to come back.

First, who knows what’s going to happen with Malcolm Butler. The Patriots hold all the cards and the only way they trade him to the Saints is if they get a boatload of draft capital. As I speculated last week, Belichick might just be letting the Saints to the dirty negotiating work, and if they come to a acceptable offer for Butler who’s to say the Pats won’t just take their cap space and take the chance to match the deal and lock up Butler long term like we all hoped they would do all along?

But for our purposes here let’s just assume Butler gets traded to the Saints. That leaves the Pats with five corners — Stephon Gilmore is the best guy, Eric Rowe came on late last year but was still brought in as the third corner and played outside while starter Logan Ryan shifted inside to the slot.