PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

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jcincleats:

Moving forward consists of what it’s always been here – to build a winning football team, be a strong pillar in the community, be a team that our fans will be proud of. That’s what we’re here for.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/jcincleats-moving-forward-consists-of-what-its/

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I’ve kept relatively quiet on Aaron Hernandez since his arrest, but with today’s guilty verdict I felt like it was appropriate to make one last post. The above GIFset is from 2011, when Gronk and Hernandez were the toast of the football world as the Pats’ two tight end offense destroyed the rest of the NFL.

It’s hard to believe now that the two were linked so closely in those early few years, now things couldn’t be much different. 

Justice won today and really, everyone else lost. Odin Lloyd’s family, Hernandez, the Patriots, the NFL, the fans… it’s just sad all the way around. The Lloyd family gets closure and we can all close the book on Aaron Hernandez, but there are no winners.

The lasting image in my mind is that of Hernandez celebrating after scoring a touchdown in Super Bowl 46. Someday he’ll be an old man in jail telling some other young inmate about that moment, that he had a huge contract and the world on a string and he threw it all away.

I can understand the Patriots taking a chance on someone like Hernandez. When he was coming out it appeared his only issue was marijuana which is common and probably not that far off from being legalized. 

Perhaps they could’ve done more to investigate some of the covered-up violent episodes that slowly came out after his arrest, but still, this is the NFL, where violent alpha males try to kill each other once a week. Those kind of people aren’t always model citizens.

But being drafted by a team so close to his home is probably the worst thing that could’ve happened to Hernandez. He would’ve been best served far, far away from Connecticut.

Still, the murder of Odin Lloyd didn’t have much to do with Hernandez’s past in Connecticut. It was Hernandez’s short temper and paranoia that likely would’ve gotten him into trouble no matter where he landed.

Having a couple hometown friends who would do anything asked of them so close by just enabled Hernandez to think he could get away with anything, even a sloppy murder just a short distance from his home.

Hernandez’s three seasons will always be a grim footnote in Patriots history, but also a sad one of lives lost and talent wasted.

Hernandez’s past and demons are well-chronicled, but he had a chance to put that all behind him, to have a successful career on a team that wanted him around long-term. But like so many young athletes who are given so much so soon, Hernandez never truly grew up and only become more entitled with success.

Now he’ll have the rest of his life behind bars to consider just how close he was to having it all, instead of being a murderer who once caught a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/ive-kept-relatively-quiet-on-aaron-hernandez/

Patriots NFL Betting Odds for 2015 by mybookie.ag

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It should probably be no surprise that the Patriots are one of the teams with best NFL betting odds for 2015. After all, they’ve been to four-straight AFC championship games, and two of the last four Super Bowls.

Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s unprecedented run of success should continue in 2015, but there are a number of questions that will determine if they can get to Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco.

Here are three big ones…

1. Can they solidify the interior of their offensive line?

The Pats offensive line was a weakness for much of the early part of 2014, before settling down once Bryan Stork got healthy at center and Ryan Wendell solidified the right guard spot. However, starting left guard Dan Connolly remains a free agent, and Wendell was thought to be a stop gap on the other side. Re-signing Connolly or bringing in free agent Stephen Wisniewski remain an option, but if both are lost could the Pats be relying on rookies or unproven players to protect Tom Brady? That could be scary.

2. How badly will the defense regress without Revis, Browner and Wilfork?

There’s little question, the Patriots defense is less talented on paper in 2015 than they were in 2014. Their key chess piece up front in Wilfork is gone, while the departure of Revis and Browner could leave the Pats more reliant on zone defense than man. Even when the Pats’ defense was horrible in 2010 they still put up the best record in the NFL. That won’t make them Super Bowl favorites this year, but a young and highly-drafted front seven must take big steps forward to offset significant losses.

3. Who will step up in the backfield?

Both “starting” running backs departed this offseason, with Stevan Ridley headed to the Jets and Shane Vereen going to the Giants. The Pats signed promising receiving back Travaris Cadet to help fill the hole left by Vereen, while second-year player James White should compete for significant snaps as well. 

But the early down running back role is the one with the biggest questions. LeGarrette Blount is back, but seems to excel when he can be the late-game hammer rather than the early game establisher. Second-year player Tyler Gaffney missed his rookie season with an injury and could turn some heads, while Jonas Gray didn’t seem many carries last year after running all over the Colts then oversleeping and missing a meeting the following week. Brandon Bolden is more of a special teamer, but has enough experience to contribute in the backfield.

Could the Pats add a new dynamic runner in the draft higher than anyone thinks they will? They’re always full of surprises, but there is enough depth at this point to potentially let competition determine who will be the key cogs at running back.