Tag: New England Patriots (Page 49 of 72)

      17 Intriguing Matchups on the 2009 NFL Schedule

      April 15, 2009 /

      The NFL released the 2009 NFL Schedule today, so I’ll do what the 4,000 other websites do and list some of the more juicier matchups of the year. (Although in the sake of being at least a little creative, I’ll list one interesting matchup for each of the 17 weeks on the schedule.)

      Before we get to the matchups though, let me state for the record that it’s a complete farce that the Cowboys get six nationally televised games next year despite not making the playoffs last season. I guess “America’s Team” opening a brand new stadium is worth major national exposure…six times a year.

      Week 1: Bears at Packers, 8:20PM ET
      Jay Cutler’s first game in a Bears uniform will be at Lambeau against the rival Packers on Sunday Night Football. How much will John Madden overplay the, “The Bears finally have a quarterback” angle after every pass Cutler completes?

      Week 2: Giants at Cowboys, 8:20PM ET
      One of the ‘Boys six nationally televised games, Dallas will open up their new stadium against division rival New York on Sunday Night Football. How much will John Madden overplay the, “Tony Romo and Wade Phillips must win now because Jerry Jones built this brand new stadium and he wants a contender” angle?

      Week 3: Falcons at Patriots, 1:00PM ET
      The over/under on the number of times Matt Ryan is compared to Tom Brady in this game has officially been set at 800,994,990.

      Week 4: Chargers at Steelers, 8:20PM ET
      AFC Divisional Round rematch in Pittsburgh – let’s see if the Chargers can hold onto the ball for more than 17 seconds in the third quarter unlike the last time these two teams met.

      Week 5: Patriots at Broncos, 4:15PM ET
      If Bill Belichick shakes Josh McDaniels’ hand at midfield after this game, I’m calling shenanigans on the behalf of Eric Mangini.

      Week 6: Bears at Falcons, 8:20PM ET
      Here’s hoping the Bears’ secondary figured out that they have to cover the out pattern when that’s the only route Matt Ryan can look for when there’s 11 seconds on the clock and he needs to get his team into field goal range.

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      Humor, NFL

      2009 NFL Mock Draft Version 2.0

      April 6, 2009 /

      In my first attempt to project the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, I predicted the Lions to take Georgia’s Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick, Alabama’s offensive tackle Andre Smith to fall out of the top 15 and I also drummed up a potential swap between the Browns and 49ers so that San Fran could land USC signal caller Mark Sanchez.

      But to paraphrase that overactor Nicholas Cage in “The Rock”: Gee, kind of a lot has happened since then. Most notably the Bears sending two first round picks to the Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler and the Giants’ release of receiver Plaxico Burress.

      Here’s my second attempt at projecting the first round of this month’s draft. As always, feel free to criticize in the comments section, but remember that I’m a human – I have feelings, too, damn it. So be gentle.

      (Click here to see Mock Draft Version 1.0)

      1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
      Mock 1.0 Projection: Stafford
      Nothing in the past couple of weeks has changed my mind about Stafford eventually winding up in Detroit. GM Martin Mayhew reportedly wants to trade this selection because of the financial burden that is bestowed upon having the top overall pick, but other teams don’t want it for the same reason. In the end, Jason Smith (Baylor) and Eugene Monroe (Virginia) are both very good options here, but the Lions were reportedly very impressed with Stafford’s private workout and you know what? They simply need a quarterback.

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      NFL, NFL Draft

      2009 NFL Mock Draft Version 1.0

      March 19, 2009 /

      It would probably be good for me to do an intro to this piece, but I’m going to skip all the foreplay and just get right to the action. And let’s be honest – you probably wouldn’t have read the intro anyway.

      Below is my first mock draft of the year. You can disagree all you want, but just make sure you go into detail in the comments section so I know you care. I hate those bastards that trash my work and don’t have the common courtesy to tell me how much of a moron I am in print…

      Let’s mock!

      1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
      Jason Smith (Baylor), Eugene Monroe (Virginia) and Aaron Curry (Wake Forest) are all possibilities for new GM Martin Mayhew with this pick. But the offensive tackle and linebacker positions are deep in this year’s draft – the quarterback position is not. Mayhew can get his franchise quarterback in Stafford, select an offensive tackle at No. 20 and then fill the middle linebacker need in the second or third round. There, I just fixed the 0-16 Detroit Lions in less than 100 words.

      2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
      If Smith goes No. 1 to the Lions, then I fully expect the Rams to take Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe. With the jettison of long-time veteran Orlando Pace this offseason, St. Louis needs to address their need at left tackle and they’ll do so with either Smith or Monroe depending on who’s available. If it’s Smith, then they land one of the most athletic offensive lineman in the draft.

      3. Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
      The Chiefs could really use a right tackle to pair with last year’s first round pick, Branden Albert, but Curry would be too good to pass up here. GM Scott Pioli put a premium on versatile defenders while he was in New England, and that’s exactly what Curry is. The Wake Forest product could play either outside or inside in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme and is easily the best defensive prospect in this year’s draft.

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      NFL, NFL Draft

      Gisele: Tom Brady is ‘very naïve, almost like a child’

      March 12, 2009 /

      Gisele BundchenJust when you think you know your super model girlfriend, she turns around plunges you in the back by saying you’re as naïve as a child.

      In the cover story of Harper Bazaar’s April issue, Bundchen says Tom Brady, her new husband, is “very naive, almost like a child.”

      “One thing that I thought was so amazing when I first met him is that he is innocent,” she adds. “He sees the world with colored glasses. He’s very strong and focused in his job, but he’s so sensitive.”

      Okay, so Gisele actually meant the comment as a compliment, but it’s still kind of funny to hear her call Brady naïve. If I were Brady, I’d pull Gisele aside and say, “Hey honey can you do me a favor? The next time you want to share a little insight about me to a magazine, could you not describe me as a weak-ass sissy pants? If you could just tell them how tough I am and what a huge…arm…I have? That’d be great…thanks.”

      NFL, Women

      Favorite team not making many moves? Don’t sweat.

      March 10, 2009 /

      With the first wave of free agency complete in the NFL, this is roughly the point in time where fans start having mental breakdowns regarding why their favorite team hasn’t made many moves.

      It’s because they’re smart, Junior.

      The draft is just over a month away and it appears that more and more teams have realized that you don’t build a core in free agency – you build it in April.

      Two offseasons ago, the 49ers signed Nate Clements, Michael Lewis and Tully Banta-Cain in free agency and all the experts bought into the idea that San Fran had dramatically upgraded its defense in one offseason. But then the games started and it was same old, same old for the Niners as they finished 5-11 and third in the NFC West. As it turns out, the players that San Fran had drafted high in previous years (Rashaun Woods, Alex Smith, Vernon Davis, etc.) didn’t produce.

      Last year, the Raiders made the biggest splash in free agency, signing Javon Walker and Gibril Wilson, while trading for young cornerback DeAngelo Hall, leading many to believe that they were heading in the right direction. After going 5-11 and finishing third in the AFC West, only Walker remains on the roster as both Hall and Wilson were released either during (Hall) or after (Wilson) the season. Not unlike the Niners, previous drafts had been the true demise of the Raiders.

      It was the Redskins turn to make the biggest splash in free agency this year (actually, this was the second time in three years that they made the biggest splash, because they did so in 2006 as well), signing Albert Haynesworth to a massive $100 million contract, agreeing to terms with guard Derrick Dockery and re-signing the aforementioned Hall. To make room for the three new comers, however, the team had to release starters Shawn Springs and Jason Taylor. How do you think the Skins will fare next season?

      If the Patriots, Colts and Steelers have taught the rest of the NFL anything over the years, it’s that having successful drafts are the key to building successful rosters – not adding a bunch of high-priced signings in free agency. Outside of the occasional big signing, none of those three teams make big splashes in free agency and they continue to be competitive year in and year out. That’s because the core of those three teams came from successful drafts and the ability to find prospects that fit their schemes and philosophies.

      This isn’t to say that free agency isn’t important, because it is. The Giants have made three excellent moves so far in free agency, adding Chris Canty, Michael Boley and Rocky Bernard. But they didn’t overpay for any of those players and none of the three were signed to be part of the main core. The three are just three pieces of the bigger puzzle – role players if you will. (Albeit starting-quality role players, but role players nonetheless.)

      The bottom line is that even though the bulk of free agency is already over, it doesn’t mean that your team won’t compete next year if it didn’t land Haynesworth, center Jason Brown or wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. It just means that your team is gearing up for a successful draft, one in which will hopefully make it competitive over the long haul.

      Granted, if your team fails to put together a good draft, then it’ll be time to worry.

      NFL

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