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Patriots Draft Fits

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Credit: SportingNews

With the 2022 NFL draft just days away lets take a look at a list of potential Patriots fits. Anything marked with an asterisk (*) is not only a fit, but should be on the big board.

WR

*Jahan Dotson – Penn State (Day 2)

*John Metchie – Alabama (Day 2)

Calvin Austin – Memphis (Day 3)

*George Pickens – Georgia (3rd-4th)

Alec Pierce – Cincy (3rd-4th)

*Kyle Phillips – UCLA (Day 3)

*Khalil Shakir – Boise State(Day 3)

Romeo Doubs – Nevada (Day 3)

*Jaquarri Roberson – Wake Forest (Day 3)

*Bo Melton – Rutgers (Day 3)

*Slade Bolden – Alabama (Day 3/UDFA)

OT

*Trevor Penning – Northern Iowa (1-2)

Daniel Faalele – Minnesota (Day 2)

Darian Kinnard – Kentucky (Day 2)

*Zach Tom – Wake Forest (Day 3)

Kellen Diesch – Arizona State (Day 3)

Dare Rosenthal – LSU (Day 3)

Tyler Vrabel – BC (Day 3)

*Vederian Lowe – Illinois (Day 3/UDFA)

CB

*Andrew Booth – Clemson (1)

*Kaiir Elam – Florida (1-2)

*Roger McCreary – Auburn (1-2)

*Coby Bryant – Cincy (Day 2)

Tariq Woolen – UTSA (Day 2)

*Cam Taylor Britt – Nebraska (Day 3)

*Zyon McCollum – Sam Houston (Day 3)

*Marcus Jones – Houston (Day 3)

*Josh Jobe – Alabama (Day 3)

Jack Jones – Arizona State (Day 3)

Jalyn Armour Davis – Alabama (Day 3)

Kyler McMichael – UNC (6-7)

LB

Nakobe Dean – Georgia (1)

*Christian Harris – Alabama (Day 2)

Brandon Smith – Penn State (Day 2)

*Brian Asamoah – Oklahoma (Day 2)

*Chad Muma – Wyoming (Day 2)

Leo Chenal – Wisconsin (Day2/3)

*Quay Walker – Georgia (Day 2)

*Troy Anderson – Montana State (Day 2/3)

*Channing Tindall – Georgia (Day 2)

Damone Clark – LSU (Day 3)

Mike Jones – LSU (Day 3)

*Micah McFadden – Indiana (Day 3)

OG

*Zion Johnson – BC (1)

*Andrew Stueber – Michigan (Day 2)

Ed Ingram – LSU (Day 2)

*Cole Strange – Chattanooga (Day 2/3)

*Dylan Parham – Memphis (Day 2/3)

**Jamaree Salyer – Georgia (Day 2/3)

*Ben Petrula – BC (7/UDFA)

*Alec Lindstrom – BC (Day3)

IDL

Jordan Davis – Georgia (1)

Devonte Wyatt – Georgia (1)

Perrion Winfrey – Oklahoma (Day2)

*Travis Jones – UConn (Day 2)

*Phidarian Mathis – Alabama (Day 2)

S

*Daxton Hill – Michigan (1/2)

Jaquan Brisker – Penn State (Day 2)

Lewis Cine – Georgia (Day 2)

DE

Jermaine Johnson – FSU (2)

Boye Mafe – Minnesota (2)

*Nik Bonitto – Oklahoma (Day 2)

Kingsley Enagbare – South Carolina (Day 2)

*Drake Jackson – USC (Day 2)

Josh Pascal – Kentucky (Day 2)

QB

Bailey Zappe – Western Kentucky (Day 3)

Jack Coan – Notre Dame (UDFA)

RB

Ty Chandler – UNC (Day 3)

*Hassan Haskins – Michigan (Day 3)

*Kyren Williams – Notre Dame (Day 3)

*James Cook – Georgia (Day 3)

Sincere McCormick – UTSA (Day 3)

*Brian Robinson – Alabama (Day 3)

Tyler Badie – Missouri (Day 3)

Jerrion Ealy – Ole Miss (7/UDFA)

Tight End

Trae Barry – BC (UDFA)

Chigoziem Okonkwo – Maryland (6-7)

Other/Late Flyer/UDFA

Matt Araiza – SDSU Punter (6-7)

Connor Heyward – Michigan State FB/TE (7)

Britain Covey – Utah WR (7-UDFA)

Bubba Bolden – Miami Safety (Day 3)

CJ Verdell – Oregon RB (7/UDFA)

Steven Gilmore – Marshall CB stephon’s brother (Late Day 3)

Josh Sills – Okla State IOL (Day 3)

Josh Ross – Michigan LB (Day 3)

Trestan Ebner – Baylor RB (UDFA)

EJ Perry – Brown QB (UDFA)

Coby Tippett – URI CB (UDFA)

Jared Bernhardt – Ferris St QB (UDFA)

James Houston – Jackson St Edge (7-UDFA)

Josh Onujiogu – Framingham St. Edge (UDFA)

PatsProp Preview – We’re on to New York

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Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

A very frustrating loss to Miami has stuck with me all week, but I’m feeling good about the team’s bounce-back chances in New Jersey this weekend against the New York Jets.

One’s To Watch

Here are the Patriots I’ll be keeping my eye on this weekend and why.

Mac Jones

Look out for Jones to build on his good start again this Sunday. The Jets has a very young/unknown secondary which could have a long day if Mac can find some rhythm in the pocket.

Jones will need to have better protection this Sunday, but I also don’t expect the Jets to blitz as much as the Dolphins did, so hopefully, that will come hand in hand. I watched a breakdown of Mac’s film this week from J.T. O’Sullivan, he made some really good points about Mac leaving a lot of yards on the field against Miami. Basically, there were more lucrative options on some plays that could have led to massive gains or even a score, but, with that being siad, he did just fine.

Mac attack is back on Sunday.

Trent Brown

The running attack stuttered after a bright start last Sunday against Miami, and it’s no coincidence it did so following Trent Brown leaving the game with a calf injury. Brown is officially questionable for Sunday’s trip to New Jersey with that same injury, but if he’s able to get out there, it would be a massive boost to the run game, which in turn would help Mac when passing.

If Brown is inactive, look for Yodny Cajuste or Yasir Durant to step in at RT.

Damien Harris

Let’s keep things positive, the game-ending fumble is all in the rearview mirror now, and I’m expecting a big resurgence from Damien Harris this weekend. The Patriots showed flashes of what they could do on the ground, but after Trent Brown left the game, any consistent production was thwarted.

I think we’ll see J.J. Taylor get the nod over Rhamondre Stevenson, who may still be in the doghouse for his own fumble last week.

In their opening game, the Jets gave up over a hundred yards to the Panthers, with that in mind I think Harris could have a huge game this weekend, keep an eye on him.

James White

Jimmy White had a solid game last week, and I think he’s worth keeping an eye on specifically this week. Mac showed his tendency to check down a bunch through preseason and Week 1, and White is a perfect candidate for that safety blanket type partnership with Jones.

Not to mention, I’d love to see more of this on Sunday…

Josh Uche

A big chance for Uche this week in the pass-rush attack, especially with the news that Kyle Van Noy will be out on Sunday. Uche had some good plays last week, most notably, his first sack of the season after crushing that Dolphins offensive tackle, I think both he and Matt Judon will be important in bringing pressure to Zach Wilson this weekend.

J.C. Jackson

J.C. has been talking a bunch of smack in the last week which has really put the pressure on for him to back it up. The secondary wasn’t great against Miami, they didn’t give up ridiculous numbers, but, at the same time, they didn’t prevent Miami from moving the chains when they had to. We need a solid game by Jackson, as the Pats starting corner, it would make me feel a lot better.

[Read more…] about PatsProp Preview – We’re on to New York

Are the Patriots hitching a ride to quarterback crazy town this 2021 draft season?

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(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)


And with the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL draft the New England Patriots select….

Ahh the words Patriots fans are longing to hear, with much more concern, wonder, trepidation, and perhaps even downright fear than maybe they have for a long time.

Another thing that has definitely not happened in a long time (possibly ever) is the top four picks in a draft being quarterbacks, online Michigan betting sites such as GambleOnlineMichigan.com feature the best options for bookmakers that give odds on who they might be. You have to go back to 1999 to where quarterbacks were the first three picks in the draft with Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith. Now if you’re simply talking the first round, then yeah just in the last decade, 2018 and 2020 were both years of four quarterback picks with Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and Lamar Jackson taken in the first 32 of 2018 and Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love wrapping up 2020. But the actual top four picks? Are we heading to crazy town this season?

More ghosts of histories past shows the Patriots first round picks being rather tackle (defensive and offensive) orientated. Not exclusively of course, and you could argue a lot of that was due to the success of Tom Brady at quarterback. A young new talented quarterback was not required early in the draft for quite a while, and the last time the Patriots addressed any quarter back selection in the first two rounds was pick 62 in 2014 with Jimmy Garoppolo.

But how different is 2021, right!?

Cam Newton and Jarett Stidham are still in the fold, but the production for both in 2020 left a lot to be desired. The question is what could they produce in this coming season; many fans are still very skeptical that it will not be much at all, and so fans look to the quarterback draft prospects with crossed fingers (and some of them, toes too!).

The situation is: the top four picking teams, Jacksonville, New York (Jets) San Francisco and Atlanta could all take a quarterback and pretty much could do with taking a quarterback. The next few picks, Cincinnati, Miami, Detroit and Carolina are arguable teams that wouldn’t be in the market for a rookie ball thrower. Selection number nine goes to Denver, the next team on the list potentially requiring a quarterback.

We are already seeing the jump of a previously second round rumoured player Mac Jones being in the choice of those top four (to clarify, some people predict him being taken third by San Francisco); could we see second or third round quarterbacks coming off the board within the first thirty two? Did I say next stop crazy town already?

With ten draft picks this year and a closing window of roster spots it isn’t in the realms of impossibility that the Patriots trade up. This year’s draft class is heavy with talent at certain non quarterback areas and although free agency spend was high there are still a few holes the Patriots could do with filling with some of the fruitful young talent. 

So here we are, single digit days away with so many unheard ofs in this up and coming draft. Fans agonize as we await that loaded sentence and just know there is a seriously good chance the pick will be… a tackle!

Patriots Draft Primer – Special Teams Ace

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The NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night so today we will look at a few future replacements for Matthew Slater. Trying to keep up with all of the movement ahead of Draft weekend is hard, the top online sportsbooks are updating the odds on where some future skill position players might get taken.

Where we stand:

The Patriots have the best Special Teams Unit from top to bottom in the entire NFL. When you have a generational talent in Punter Jake Bailey you need to surround him with weapons on the outside. Currently the Patriots are stacked with Matthew Slater, Justin Bethel, and Cody Davis.

Bethel just signed a new contract keeping him in Foxboro through 2023, Davis is signed through 2022, and Slater has one year left on his current deal. Matthew is a key part of the Patriots dynasty both on and off the field. The true locker room and spiritual leader of the squad. Those intangibles are nearly impossible to replace but something tells me that Slater will hang them up and retire after this season. He seems focused on his family, faith, and life after football too much to not walk away with his health on his on terms. A lock for the Patriots Hall of Fame no doubt. With that being said, Slater has earned the right to keep signing one-year deals with the Patriots until he says otherwise.

Justin Bethel is one of the more underrated players in the NFL. The duo of Slater and Bethel is a nightmare for opposing special teams coaches. Add in Jake Bailey and this trio very well could be the best punting unit ever assembled. Davis showed some promise last year prior to his rib injury and I expect to see him elevate his game next season.

What we need:

With Slater (turning 36), Bethel (turning 31), and Davis (turning 32) all on the second half of their careers the Patriots will look to restock on Special Teams Aces. No coach in the NFL values the art of special teams more than the Dark Lord Belichick. This will be a late round draft pick or UDFA who comes in and probably sits on the Practice Squad for a year before he really contributes. Good chance this person could also find themselves with the “Foxboro Flu” and end up on season ending IR prior to cutdown day. Either way expect this person to most likely have a redshirt year in 2021. 

The Patriots could also look to play Joejuan Williams more in the gunner role as he saw increased snaps on special teams in 2020 due to injuries.

Draft Options:

There are 3 main prospects and one bonus prospect. I lean towards Avery Williams as being the Patriots’ guy due to his impressive career at Boise State, position versatility, and high ceiling. Spend an early 6th rounder to get him.

Avery Williams (CB) – 7th Round – Boise State

Coverage and return ability. 9 career special teams touchdowns. Good mechanics. Leader both on and off the field. Workhorse and tough. Safety, Corner, Running back flex, and special teams capability. Undersized and draws excessive penalties.

Racey McMath (WR) – 7th Round/UDFA – LSU

Athletic build, good speed, plays through contact, only two career drops, blocks well. Stuck behind an impressive list of LSU WRs so Racey used special teams to get on the field. Made 6 tackles and 1 forced fumble playing gunner. Speed, size, and power combination made him a special teams threat. Good work ethic. Has slot potential but does not project primarily as an NFL WR. Below average production when on the field as a WR. Star potential as an NFL Gunner.

Robert Rochell (CB) – 4th Round Grade – Central Arkansas

While Rochell will not be a special teams only player his entire career it could help him see action early on. This could be a great depth piece while we have Gilmore and Jackson this year then assuming one of them walks during free agency next season the Patriots have Rochell to slide in.

Great mix of speed and size. Nice footwork, instinct, and reaction time. Smart player that plays to his advantages. Great utilization of long arms. Jumps in on run support. Needs to add build to his body. Struggles with hip timing. Bites on initial route. Lack of top competition. NFL athleticism.

*Bonus Prospect* – Miller Forristall (TE) – UDFA Grade – Alabama

Miller was his high school’s quarterback until a guy named Trevor Lawrence came along and then Forristall flipped to TE. Miller struggled to put up great numbers while at Bama but played all four years that he was healthy mainly as a blocker. For his career he totaled 44 recs for 505 yards and 5 TDs. He is an above average blocker with a high compete level. I could see the trust between Saban and Belichick getting Forristall a camp invite where he sticks on the practice squad during 2021. His projected role would be a blocking TE, special teams contributor, and hybrid flex.

Patriots Will Let Scarnecchia Develop the Offensive Line, Not Buy Him a New One

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One thing is for certain, when a season doesn’t end with a Super Bowl victory the specifics of the playoff loss are dissected and whatever went wrong in that one particular game becomes the offseason’s object of focus. This year it’s obviously the offensive line, but don’t expect the Patriots to suddenly blow everything up because Von Miller and his Broncos pals blew up our pass protection.

Brian Waters might be the only significant free agent offensive linemen Bill Belichick has ever added. Even then Waters wasn’t signed until September, just days before the start of the season. Otherwise, the Patriots offensive line has always been a combination of draft picks and street free agents who were developed over time. Some of their best success stories were guys like Stephen Neal, Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell who were molded from scratch.

Now, with the return of Dante Scarnecchia, it’s even less likely for the Pats to depart from their methodology for building an offensive line. Scarnecchia’s fondness for Marcus Cannon also makes it less likely the Pats cut ties with him. Cannon is everyone’s favorite scapegoat, but even he worked through injuries this year and really, how many right tackles out there could’ve handled Von Miller during this playoff run?

Over the 16 seasons of the Bill Belichick Patriots there have been plenty of angst about the offensive line at times, but that’s just football. Nothing breaks down an offense faster than when the line is out of sync. More often than not the Pats always have pulled it together. The rotation of the last couple season has made it harder and perhaps with the departure of Dave DeGuglielmo, we’ll no longer see that kind of player management.

But if you forget how the season ended, you can see that the Pats now have a very promising group of young interior linemen, an area they were completely deficient in just a couple seasons ago. Shaq Mason and Tre’ Jackson showed excellent development over their rookie seasons and both could be full time starters in 2016. Meanwhile the Pats have two promising young centers in Bryan Stork and David Andrews. They’ll likely go head-to-head for the starting spot in training camp in an interesting roster battle.

Outside at tackle is where the Pats could bring in some help, but I can’t see them springing for an expensive free agent like Mitchell Schwartz, it’s just never been their style, especially when they’re already paying Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer and Marcus Cannon over $21 million combined.

Sebastian Vollmer is getting close to the end, but back at right tackle, where his fading mobility is easier to mask, he should have another very good season in him. With Scarnecchia back and a return to full health, Cannon should be just fine in his third tackle role. Let’s not forget Cannon was extremely solid filling in full time at right tackle for Vollmer. He has it in him and he has experience. You can’t just cut those kind of guys, plug in a more expensive free agent and count on better results.

Tackle should be a draft priority and one I’d consider with the highest picks the Pats have. The key missing ingredient to the Solder-Vollmer-Cannon-Fleming group is athleticism. Solder certainly has it, but the others don’t, and let’s face it, the differences between the left and right side have been diminishing for years. An athletic swing tackle who can play either side with good feet and mobility to get into space would only help what the Patriots do best. Drafting a tackle now, as Vollmer and Cannon enter the final years of their deals is also very much in line with how the Patriots build their team with an eye to the future.

Despite the season-ender, the Pats are in relatively good shape along the offensive line. The key is Solder’s return and reinforcing the tackle spot with an eye to the future. But as far as the 2016 season goes, don’t expect any monumental shifts, especially via free agency.

It’s Time for a Patriots Power Running Resurgence via BetonSports.com

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The Patriots season might be over, but things are already in motion for next year’s campaign, and with limited roster turnover, the Pats’ Super Bowl Odds should be near the top of the pack for 2016. 

The question right now, as they plan for the offseason, is how do they stay fresh and avoid complacency?

After reading this interesting piece from WEEI.com, it’s worth pondering if it’s time for the Patriots’ offense to begin their next evolution. Look, Tom Brady is Tom Brady, and there’s no use suddenly trying to go to the run-and-shoot or the wishbone because he does what he does and he does it amazingly well, but as Brady will hit 39 this season, how can the Patriots protect and extend the playing career of their best all-time quarterback?

The Patriots offense has gone through many evolutions over Brady’s career. Early on he wore the “game manager” label, but slowly became more and more efficient and knowledgeable within the offense, earning the remark that his “favorite receiver was the open one”.

Deion Branch and David Givens were his early weapons and when they exited it opened the door for the free agency and trade haul of 2007 with Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth. That offense would go on to set records and fall just short of a perfect season.

Then came the return of Branch in 2010, and combined with Welker, and young tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, it became the “death by a thousand cuts” offense which pushed offensive pace to a new level.

This iteration is largely what we still see today, as it maximizes Brady’s strengths – reading the defense, accurately throwing the ball short. When it’s clicking it’s unstoppable, but as we saw against the Broncos, and in other season-ending defeats to teams who can generate pass rush pressure with only four defenders, it can break down at times.

When that happens the offense can look flat and suicidal for Brady and his receivers.

image

Now you might’ve noticed there’s one small thing I’ve left out of this discussion of the Patriots offense, and that is the running game. And I’m not talking about the passing down back role held by the likes of Kevin Faulk, Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen and then the combination of Dion Lewis and James White this season. That’s a huge role in the offense and a vital one, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. 

We, like the Patriots, have forgotten about the power running game.

Ironically, the great grandfather of the Patriots’ offensive system (The Erhardt-Perkins Offense) was originally predicated on smash mouth ball control and didn’t ask running backs to get involved in the passing game. Obviously that has been flipped on its head now. 

The kind of powerful running backs the Patriots could lean on have slowly disappeared from New England over the last 15 seasons. The first two Super Bowls were heavily reliant on Antowan Smith, the third was a ton of Corey Dillon. Even Laurence Maroney had his moments like 2007′s AFC Championship, but since Maroney’s quick rise and quicker fall, the power back role has almost been an after thought. 

Unless you want to talk about the Sammy Morris years. Which I don’t. 

LeGarrette Blount is the closest thing we’ve had to one of those old fashioned war horses and while he’s had some big games, mostly against the Colts, he often struggles to generate early momentum against tough fronts. Stevan Ridley showed some spark at times, but lacked the faith of the coaching staff to truly fill the power back role and be a consistent closer. 

At the end of this season the Patriots were left to pull Stevan Jackson off the retirement scrap heap, and while he gave them a touchdown in the AFC Championship, he was well past his prime of being an impact player.

All this leads us back to now being the time the Patriots must re-commit to the power running game. They essentially have carte blanche this offseason at the position with Blount a free agent and just unknown Tyler Gaffney sitting with Brandon Bolden on the depth chart. 

With limited pressing needs they should return to their roots with multiple impact additions, both in the draft and free agency.

The simple fact is that the Patriots at the end of the 2015 season could not run the ball even against light boxes with sub-package secondaries behind them. They were one-dimensional and forced to send Brady back to pass over and over. The result? The defense could attack him and Brady paid the price for it too many times.

The Patriots were lucky he escaped the season finale in Miami without a broken leg, much less so the AFC Championship where he was hit more than any other quarterback in a decade.

The cupboard cannot be left barren heading into training camp. The Patriots must add at least two explosive new running backs who can compete and insure each other against injury. Preferably ones with size and young, fresh legs.

The results would be fantastic. And they have the personnel to immediately help – Gronkowski, Edelman and LaFell are all excellent blockers, and guard Shaq Mason is one of the most athletic young pulling guards in the game. They have the pieces and could make teams who want to play them with their nickel or dime defense pay mightily.

Best of all it takes the pressure off of Brady and the constant punishment which he won’t be able to endure and walk away scratch-free from much longer.

The Pats always stay ahead of the curve. This time, staying ahead of the curve means going back to their original roots.

Patriots vs. Broncos AFCCG Film Review

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I feel like I finally saw the game for the first time just now, getting a chance to look at the All-22 film. For those of you who were lucky enough to miss it, I came down with a killer stomach bug Saturday afternoon that destroyed me through the night. That made watching the game on Sunday less than optimal.

There was no pregamming. No pump up music or good food or drinks. I could barely muster the strength to coordinate my Patriots outfit for Hoodie’s sake! Nope, spent the game sipping Gatorade and nibbling on saltines, praying that the nightmare unfolding before me was just some kind of fever dream.

Alas it was not. But there was plenty on here to make me sick if I already hadn’t caught whatever Jamie Collins had the middle of this season.

There’s been plenty of great film review already out there, but I had to take a look for myself and most of what has been discussed was confirmed. But here’s what I saw with my own eyes.

First, let’s say I can’t wait to go back to Denver next year even though we have no idea who their QB will be. Every time we go there we kill ourselves with un-Patriot-like football. Football is a game of inches and that was very true in this one. 

The Pats just hung in there and kept fighting when it seemed like the game was hanging by a string multiple times. Despite all the negative attention being heaped on everyone this week, this game was winnable in spite of it all.

Yes, Wade Phillips deserves a ton of credit but it was nothing the Pats haven’t see and shredded before. The problem was that they weren’t expecting it, weren’t ready to counter it and once Brady couldn’t get locked in the game was a struggle.

Nothing sums this up better than seeing Julian Edelman wide open on a couple plays yet Brady is forcing it deep to Bolden. Seriously I pray I never have to watch a Brandon Bolden-centric ground game ever again. It’s like Matthew Slater at wide receiver. You’re awesome at special teams. Stick to what you’re awesome at.

Hard to ask for the defense to do too much better than they did. Yes the first drive was gross but also aided by a questionable PI call. Collins blew two coverages that resulted in touchdowns but outside of those two plays there were barely any legitimate big plays made on the defense. Anderson’s 30-yard run in the fourth quarter was the only real breakdown.

All things considered the defense did everything they had to do to let the offense win the game. Take that defensive performance in any other season-ender and the Pats probably win. Could we have used another takeaway? Sure. But they forced punt after punt and only gave up three points after the half. What else can you ask?

Collins and Hightower led the way, but Brown and Branch were standouts as well. The secondary all stayed right with their guy in man coverage and limited YAC. Matt Patricia must be driving himself crazy because the defense was good enough to win despite facing two turnovers and multiple short fields.

Nuggets:

Malcolm Butler’s stop on third-and-1 where he takes off like he’s shot out of a cannon to tackle Anderson for no gain in the third quarter was such a clutch play. Butler deserves every bit of praise he gets now as a #1 corner. 

Amendola seemed like he was hurt after every play. Very curious to see what the offseason holds for him.

The troubling thing about the offensive line and likely why Gugs got the axe, was how out of sync they looked. There was no rhythm, especially in the run game. And even when they brought in Fleming to go max protect, Miller blows right by him for the worst sack of the day. Just unacceptable because they looked clueless.

Sebastian Vollmer will be having nightmares about Demarcus Ware, who owned our veteran tackle almost every down. Even at the end, Ware just kept coming and Vollmer just didn’t have the foot speed to compete.

Just too painful to ever watch the failed two-pointer again. Gronk was so so wide open. 

Can’t believe how Brady hung in there and just kept fighting after taking the beating of his life. And to think they were just a play or two away from winning this thing is such a testament to Brady and the team’s mental toughness. They went down like champs should go down, swinging to the last.

After a full two days of reflection and taking a calm look at the film the fire has already started for the 2016 season for me. And yes, we get to go back to Denver. With pretty much this entire team coming back the Pats will clearly be the AFC favorites come September, but we all know it’s a win in Mile High that will be the big thing we all want.