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Quick Hit Thoughts on the Patriots 2014 schedule

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For all the snarky comments that were made in the leadup to the schedule release, I do enjoy seeing what this year’s campaign looks like. Here are my random thoughts..

  • Great bye week in Week 10. Believe that’s as late as it can possibly be and that’s always how you want it.
  • After the opener in Miami, the Pats are out of division for the next four games until they travel to the Bills. That’s a good stretch out of the division to work the early-season kinks out.
  • And the back-to-back Week 2 and 3 games against the Vikings and Raiders should help the Pats avoid their usual stinker loss in the early part of the season. Assuming they take care of business in Miami.
  • Good stretch around the bye of tough games – Bears/Broncos/BYE/Colts/Lions/Packers/Chargers is no cake walk.
  • Pats get their short week between @ Bills then Thursday night hosting the Jets. Good to face a team they know on the short week to help with preparation.
  • They then have a 10 break before hosting the Bears and Broncos, then they get their bye. I like how that sets up.
  • But coming out of the bye it’s a tough stretch – @Colts, vs Lions, @ Packers, @ Chargers, then closing the season out with three-straight divisional games.
  • Kind of odd playing at the Jets in Week 16. Been a while since we’ve gone down there so late.
  • Overall, the schedule feels easier in the start and then gets progressively tougher. The mid-October to mid-December stretch is tough, but with the three-straight division games to close the season out, the Pats should hold their own fate in their hands as far as the division goes.
  • Five total national games and the Broncos game is not one. That’s surprising. 
  • This is definitely a challenging schedule and if the Pats and it almost assures the Pats won’t have the division sewn up early like they often have in recent years.

Frenz and I will discuss all this and more draft stuff tomorrow morning at 11am EST on an all new podcast.

Patriots 2014 Schedule | Boston Herald

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Patriots 2014 Schedule | Boston Herald

Here it is! Thoughts coming shortly…

Week 1: at Dolphins – Sept. 7, 1 p.m.
Week 2: at Vikings – Sept. 14, 1 p.m.
Week 3: vs. Raiders – Sept. 21, 1 p.m.
Week 4: at Chiefs – Sept. 29, 8:30 p.m.
Week 5: vs. Bengals – Oct. 5, 8:30 p.m.
Week 6: at Bills – Oct. 12, 1 p.m.
Week 7: vs. Jets – Oct. 16, 8:25 p.m.
Week 8: vs. Bears – Oct. 26, 1 p.m.
Week 9: vs. Broncos – Nov. 2, 4:25 p.m.
Week 10: Bye week
Week 11: at Colts – Nov. 16, 8:30 p.m.
Week 12: vs. Lions – Nov. 23, 1 p.m.
Week 13: at Packers – Nov. 30, 4:25 p.m.
Week 14: at Chargers – Dec. 7, 8:30 p.m.
Week 15: vs. Dolphins – Dec. 14, 1 p.m.
Week 16: at Jets – Dec. 21, 1 p.m.
Week 17: vs. Bills – Dec. 28, 1 p.m.

Why do you think belichick values the cone drills so much

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I just think of all the stupid testing metrics used on incoming players, the three-cone is the closest possible one to translating to a real football situation.

How many times in a game does a player lie on his back and lift 225 pounds repeatedly? Or jump straight into the air as high or far as he can? Or all out sprint for 40 yards?

Now how many times does he have to quickly navigate a small area maximizing his agility? That’s something just about every football player has to do on every play.

The importance of this skillset is magnified even more for receivers and defensive backs, where whether or not the receiver gets open is often determined within just a couple seconds of the snap.

Even linebackers and defensive linemen need that short area quickness and agility to beat blocks, cover or blitz/pass rush.