Here are some lingering thoughts from the past week or so.
The Patriots appear to be interested in linebacker Ed Hartwell. I think he'd a be a great pickup for the team if he's healthy. Hartwell can play inside and stop the run. He was great in Baltimore before joining Atlanta as a free agent two years ago. He's been plagued by injuries since joining the Falcons but he's only 28 years old. Even if he's able to compete as a part-time linebacker for the Patriots he could be a nice value signing.
I liked the Minnesota Vikings as a kid and I've been a big Randy Moss fan since his rookie year. I got a nice surprise on Christmas from my parents during Moss' rookie season when my dad was able to find a Moss replica jersey for me. I have never, however, condoned his actions off the field, or often, on the field. He can be a total jackass. I think that he is helpless without proper guidance and leadership on a football team. I think that the Patriots have the stability to reign Moss in, but I don't want him on the Patriots' roster. Moss is on the decline and his attitude sucks. Yes, he might behave in New England, but I don't think he'll put in the effort.
Donte Stallworth isn't high on my list of free agent wide receivers. He's lazy and has never reached his potential. His draft stock shot through the roof based on his 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine. He's rested on his laurels since then. The Saints tried to dump him for at least year before actually doing so. I don't think that Stallworth will bring much to the Patriots as a wide receiver, especially for the amount of money he wants.
I do like Kelley Washington at wide receiver, though. He's a big guy (6' 3") who probably won't require a lot of cash to sign. To the best of my recollection he's had some injury problems, but I don't believe that he's had any attitude or discipline issues.
The Red Sox starting rotation looks like it could be very special this year. I am well aware that Spring Training games are both meaningless and a terrible predictor of regular season performance. However, the starting pitching has been dominant so far this spring. Curt Schilling has been working on a changeup this year. Josh Beckett has been using his curveball effectively. Daisuke Matsuzaka has baffled hitters with his off-speed pitches. Jonathan Papelbon has looked as fiery as a starter as he was as the closer last year. Tim Wakefield has been mixing in a curveball this year. Jon Lester is an amazing story simply being able to compete with the team this spring after being treated for cancer last year.
Schilling has officially joined the blogging the community. His new blog, "38 Pitches", has been an interesting read this week.
Speaking of new bloggers, Rob Bradford also has a new blog this year, "Bradford on Baseball".
I will be adding both links to the sidebar of "Digital Sox" along with a few other new links.
The Sox bullpen has looked simply awful this spring. No one has looked good enough to provide any relief to the fanbase. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Hansen is fat and out-of-shape causing his back to flare up. Donnelly got crushed the other the day. Pinerio doesn't seem comfortable with his arm slot. Hansack and Delcarmen have failed to impress. Timlin can't even get onto the field. I really hope that the bullpen pulls together, and fast, because the starting pitching is going to go to waste when the real games start if the 'pen struggles this mightily.
On a personal note, we got a new laptop last week. It's a Toshiba Satellite A135-S4467 running Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit). It's a great laptop that I found on sale for a very good price. It has a dual-core 1.6 GHz Centrino processor with 1GB of PC4200 RAM. It comes with a 160 GB SATA hard drive and a dual-layer DVD burner. The screen is a 15.4-inch 1280x800 widescreen display.
I'm quite happy with the laptop and overall I'm rather impressed with Windows Vista. I wouldn't run out and upgrade any computer running Windows XP SP2, but Vista offers some nice upgrades to the overall arrangement of Windows. Many set-up operations, like setting-up a home network, have been streamlined. The overall appearance has been tweaked not only for looks, but also for simplicity and ease-of-use. I also really, really like the new layout of the menu system in Office 2007. Users no longer have to hunt down obscure toolbars or sub-menus to find advanced options.
I'll write-up a detailed Vista and Office 2007 review in the coming days.
Showing posts with label Patriots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patriots. Show all posts
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Early Presents
The Patriots have been busy this month delivering early presents to us, the fans. The team has signed free agents Adalius Thomas, Sammy Morris, and Kyle Brady. Wes Welker is reportedly on his way to Gillette Stadium for a visit with team officials. With the free agency period less than a week old, the Patriots have addressed pressing needs at linebacker, running back, wide receiver, and found a replacement at tight end for the soon to be departed Daniel Graham.
Color me surprised. I have speculated about the opportunity for the Patriots to sign Thomas for at least of couple of months, yet I never truly expected the team to do so. I was not entirely convinced that the Baltimore Ravens would allow Thomas to test the free agent market without at least tendering him an offer, which would require compensation from the team that signed him. I also expected that the Patriots would take a slower approach to signing free agents. They have historically waited to sign versatile role players rather than making a large splash by signing the top available talent.
I am thrilled by the potential for Thomas to spend time at inside linebacker, outside linebacker, safety, nickel cornerback, or even defensive end. He's certainly a big boy, weighing a solid 270 pounds. He's got plenty of speed, though. He should be a great addition to the team.
In signing Morris and Brady the Patriots have essentially replaced the just released Corey Dillon and unrestricted free agent Daniel Graham, respectively. That's not to say that Morris and Brady are the same caliber of player as either Dillon or Graham. Morris provides depth at running back and should allow the team more flexibility in upcoming draft. The team will not have to identify a running back to immediately step into a prominent role. Brady is great blocker and will probably be used similarly to the way Graham was.
Welker is another versatile player who will be an upgrade to the team. He's approaching his peak years having spent only three years in the league. Veteran receivers almost always have a greater impact on teams than rookie wide receivers. Ron Borges suggested in the Globe that the Patriots pursue Seattle's Darrell Jackson. Jackson would be a great pickup for a team very weak at wide receiver.
After a frustrating couple of off-seasons, the Pats appear to be giving the fans what they want. I, for one, am thrilled with the new gifts.
Color me surprised. I have speculated about the opportunity for the Patriots to sign Thomas for at least of couple of months, yet I never truly expected the team to do so. I was not entirely convinced that the Baltimore Ravens would allow Thomas to test the free agent market without at least tendering him an offer, which would require compensation from the team that signed him. I also expected that the Patriots would take a slower approach to signing free agents. They have historically waited to sign versatile role players rather than making a large splash by signing the top available talent.
I am thrilled by the potential for Thomas to spend time at inside linebacker, outside linebacker, safety, nickel cornerback, or even defensive end. He's certainly a big boy, weighing a solid 270 pounds. He's got plenty of speed, though. He should be a great addition to the team.
In signing Morris and Brady the Patriots have essentially replaced the just released Corey Dillon and unrestricted free agent Daniel Graham, respectively. That's not to say that Morris and Brady are the same caliber of player as either Dillon or Graham. Morris provides depth at running back and should allow the team more flexibility in upcoming draft. The team will not have to identify a running back to immediately step into a prominent role. Brady is great blocker and will probably be used similarly to the way Graham was.
Welker is another versatile player who will be an upgrade to the team. He's approaching his peak years having spent only three years in the league. Veteran receivers almost always have a greater impact on teams than rookie wide receivers. Ron Borges suggested in the Globe that the Patriots pursue Seattle's Darrell Jackson. Jackson would be a great pickup for a team very weak at wide receiver.
After a frustrating couple of off-seasons, the Pats appear to be giving the fans what they want. I, for one, am thrilled with the new gifts.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Pats Prediction - AFC Championship Game
Last week: Once again, wow. The Pats managed to gut out a difficult win against a very good team in the San Diego Chargers. Gostkowski was great, going 3-for-3 on field goals. Troy Brown saved the season when he stripped Marlon McCree after McCree had intercepted a fourth-down pass from Brady.
Ladainian Tomlinson of course played the sour grapes card after the game, complaining about Ellis Hobbs celebration at mid-field. I, for one, was thrilled that someone from the Pats imitated the ridiculous Merriman dance. I told my wife before the game that I was hoping the Pats would win and do just that. I'm glad the general consensus in the national media was that LT should shut his trap. LT's sad attempt to blame Belichick for the celebration of his players was a stretch. Maybe the Pats should send LT some popcorn (and sour grapes) to enjoy while he watches the AFC Championship Game tomorrow.
Reg. Season Record: 9-7 straight up, 4-10-2 against the spread.
Playoff Record: 2-0 straight up, 1-1 against the spread.
AFC Championship Game Favorite: Indianapolis (-3)
I feel extremely relaxed about tomorrow's game. In fact, I called my father not fifteen seconds after the game ended last week and left him the following voicemail: "We're going to the Super Bowl!"
The Colts cannot, and will not, hang with the Patriots. I don't care how well the Colts defense has played for two whole weeks. Both the Chiefs and Ravens had simply awful gameplans and terrible play calling against Indy. The last time I checked Bill Belichick could outcoach Herm Edwards, Brian Billick, and the ghost of Vince Lombardi combined. Tony Dungy is only slightly better than Marty Schottenheimer in the playoffs. He can't make the necessary in-game adjustments to beat a team smarter than his.
Peyton Manning has looked like crap in the playoffs. He's thrown 1 TD against 5 INTs. He should have 7 INTs, save for Ray Lewis deflecting two sure picks. Peyton is going to smell like crap when he dumps in his pants tomorrow. He's simply not a good leader. He likes the adoration of being a QB, but he feels entitled. He's been groomed to be a QB for so long that he probably doesn't remember wanting to be an astronaut or a fireman as a child. After tomorrow's game seals his legacy as a great regular season QB who couldn't hack it in the playoffs, he'll wish that he had become an astronaut.
Tom Brady's mechanics were inconsistent last Sunday. Is there any doubt that he will be anything less than rock-solid perfect with his mechanics tomorrow? The Colts pass rush pales in comparison to San Diego's. I bet that Brady could try some left-handed throws for fun tomorrow if he wanted to.
Belichick will combine a spread offense with a strong rushing game to gash the Colts. Manning will choke on the field like a man choking on a sausage when he tries to play catch-up. The Colts might want to consider moving out of Indy in the middle of the night after the game.
Prediction: Patriots 30, Colts 20
Ladainian Tomlinson of course played the sour grapes card after the game, complaining about Ellis Hobbs celebration at mid-field. I, for one, was thrilled that someone from the Pats imitated the ridiculous Merriman dance. I told my wife before the game that I was hoping the Pats would win and do just that. I'm glad the general consensus in the national media was that LT should shut his trap. LT's sad attempt to blame Belichick for the celebration of his players was a stretch. Maybe the Pats should send LT some popcorn (and sour grapes) to enjoy while he watches the AFC Championship Game tomorrow.
Reg. Season Record: 9-7 straight up, 4-10-2 against the spread.
Playoff Record: 2-0 straight up, 1-1 against the spread.
AFC Championship Game Favorite: Indianapolis (-3)
I feel extremely relaxed about tomorrow's game. In fact, I called my father not fifteen seconds after the game ended last week and left him the following voicemail: "We're going to the Super Bowl!"
The Colts cannot, and will not, hang with the Patriots. I don't care how well the Colts defense has played for two whole weeks. Both the Chiefs and Ravens had simply awful gameplans and terrible play calling against Indy. The last time I checked Bill Belichick could outcoach Herm Edwards, Brian Billick, and the ghost of Vince Lombardi combined. Tony Dungy is only slightly better than Marty Schottenheimer in the playoffs. He can't make the necessary in-game adjustments to beat a team smarter than his.
Peyton Manning has looked like crap in the playoffs. He's thrown 1 TD against 5 INTs. He should have 7 INTs, save for Ray Lewis deflecting two sure picks. Peyton is going to smell like crap when he dumps in his pants tomorrow. He's simply not a good leader. He likes the adoration of being a QB, but he feels entitled. He's been groomed to be a QB for so long that he probably doesn't remember wanting to be an astronaut or a fireman as a child. After tomorrow's game seals his legacy as a great regular season QB who couldn't hack it in the playoffs, he'll wish that he had become an astronaut.
Tom Brady's mechanics were inconsistent last Sunday. Is there any doubt that he will be anything less than rock-solid perfect with his mechanics tomorrow? The Colts pass rush pales in comparison to San Diego's. I bet that Brady could try some left-handed throws for fun tomorrow if he wanted to.
Belichick will combine a spread offense with a strong rushing game to gash the Colts. Manning will choke on the field like a man choking on a sausage when he tries to play catch-up. The Colts might want to consider moving out of Indy in the middle of the night after the game.
Prediction: Patriots 30, Colts 20
Monday, January 15, 2007
What a Game!
Wow, what a game yesterday. I was more excited to watch the Patriots - Chargers game yesterday than any playoff game since Super Bowl XXXVI against the Rams. The 2003 and 2004 Patriots teams were simply better than everyone else and winning Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX just felt like the natural conclusion to those seasons.
The 2006 Patriots don't feel like a team of destiny. The Patriots clearly have the pedigree and tradition of winning that helps a team to win close games late in the season and in the playoffs. They simply weren't overwhelming or dominating at any point this year. The defense quietly set a new franchise record for fewest points allowed in a season but never seemed to take over games or force many turnovers or sacks. Brady has a bunch of no name receivers and has had some uncharacteristically bad games this year. All in all, it's been a weird season. I hope it ends with a victory.
The 2006 Patriots don't feel like a team of destiny. The Patriots clearly have the pedigree and tradition of winning that helps a team to win close games late in the season and in the playoffs. They simply weren't overwhelming or dominating at any point this year. The defense quietly set a new franchise record for fewest points allowed in a season but never seemed to take over games or force many turnovers or sacks. Brady has a bunch of no name receivers and has had some uncharacteristically bad games this year. All in all, it's been a weird season. I hope it ends with a victory.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Pats Prediction - Divisional Playoff
Pats Prediction:
Last week: The Pats turned a close game into a blowout thanks to a couple of timely plays by the defense. First, Roosevelt Colvin deflected a lateral that Vince Wilfork smartly picked up and ran back 31 yards. Second, Asante Samuel did an excellent job to leave his receiver and jump the pass route to nab another interception and score a backbreaking touchdown. If the Jets had scored on that possession, they still would have been in the game. Samuel put the Pats up by 21 and took the life out of the Jets.
Regular Season Record: 9-7 straight up, 4-10-2 against the spread.
Playoff Record: 1-0 straight up, 0-1 against the spread.
AFC Divisional Playoff Favorite: San Diego (-4.5)
I think that the San Diego Chargers are overhyped and overrated. That said, I believe the Chargers are still one of the two or three best teams in football this year. The Chargers' defense is the reason the team is overhyped. They had some great games against weak teams (Oakland, Tennesee) yet they gave up 41 points to Cincinnati, 30 to KC, and 25 to Cleveland. They won a lot of games by less than 10 points. The fact that San Diego had such a powerful offense allowed the defense to look better than it was. San Diego controlled the clock on the ground and with a short passing game. The team rarely trailed in games this season. For those two reasons, the defense was able to pad its stats against the run and the pass; opponents didn't run on the Chargers as much as most teams because they fell behind and the Chargers' D could tee off on quarterbacks trying to play catch-up through the air.
I think that the key for the Patriots is to stop Antonio Gates. He is Philip Rivers' safety blanket. I think that the Patriots' run defense is good enough to contain LT today. I would consider 100 yards or so and two or fewer scores a victory for our defense. If the Patriots can score first and make San Diego play from behind, even more pressure will fall on Rivers' shoulders. I think that by shutting down Gates the Patriots will be able to force Rivers to make mistakes. Those mistakes will be the difference in the game.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Chargers 24
Last week: The Pats turned a close game into a blowout thanks to a couple of timely plays by the defense. First, Roosevelt Colvin deflected a lateral that Vince Wilfork smartly picked up and ran back 31 yards. Second, Asante Samuel did an excellent job to leave his receiver and jump the pass route to nab another interception and score a backbreaking touchdown. If the Jets had scored on that possession, they still would have been in the game. Samuel put the Pats up by 21 and took the life out of the Jets.
Regular Season Record: 9-7 straight up, 4-10-2 against the spread.
Playoff Record: 1-0 straight up, 0-1 against the spread.
AFC Divisional Playoff Favorite: San Diego (-4.5)
I think that the San Diego Chargers are overhyped and overrated. That said, I believe the Chargers are still one of the two or three best teams in football this year. The Chargers' defense is the reason the team is overhyped. They had some great games against weak teams (Oakland, Tennesee) yet they gave up 41 points to Cincinnati, 30 to KC, and 25 to Cleveland. They won a lot of games by less than 10 points. The fact that San Diego had such a powerful offense allowed the defense to look better than it was. San Diego controlled the clock on the ground and with a short passing game. The team rarely trailed in games this season. For those two reasons, the defense was able to pad its stats against the run and the pass; opponents didn't run on the Chargers as much as most teams because they fell behind and the Chargers' D could tee off on quarterbacks trying to play catch-up through the air.
I think that the key for the Patriots is to stop Antonio Gates. He is Philip Rivers' safety blanket. I think that the Patriots' run defense is good enough to contain LT today. I would consider 100 yards or so and two or fewer scores a victory for our defense. If the Patriots can score first and make San Diego play from behind, even more pressure will fall on Rivers' shoulders. I think that by shutting down Gates the Patriots will be able to force Rivers to make mistakes. Those mistakes will be the difference in the game.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Chargers 24
Sunday, December 31, 2006
NFL Week 17 - Pats Prediction
Pats Prediction:
My internet connection has been flaky this week. I couldn't get online to post anything last week. I would have predicted the Jaguars to prevail 24-20 over the Patriots and cover the spread. Scout's honor. I'm taking two losses for last week.
Last week: The Pats used a spread offense to dominate the time of possesion against the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew made Tully Banta-Cain and Tedy Bruschi look foolish at times. The Pats had just enough to hold off the Jaguars in the end.
Season record: 8-7 straight up, 4-9-2 against the spread.
Week 17 Favorite: Tennessee (-3.5)
The Pats need help from Miami (facing the Colts) to secure the #3 seed in the AFC. They know they will be playing next week at home. They simply don't know who their opponent will be. They really don't have a lot to play for today other than pride. I think the Patriots present a more difficult challange to the Titans than some of the teams the Titans have suprised in recent weeeks. Tennessee is fighting to make the playoffs. I like the Patriots to win today and keep my straight-up record above .500.
Prediction: Patriots 17, Titans 13
My internet connection has been flaky this week. I couldn't get online to post anything last week. I would have predicted the Jaguars to prevail 24-20 over the Patriots and cover the spread. Scout's honor. I'm taking two losses for last week.
Last week: The Pats used a spread offense to dominate the time of possesion against the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew made Tully Banta-Cain and Tedy Bruschi look foolish at times. The Pats had just enough to hold off the Jaguars in the end.
Season record: 8-7 straight up, 4-9-2 against the spread.
Week 17 Favorite: Tennessee (-3.5)
The Pats need help from Miami (facing the Colts) to secure the #3 seed in the AFC. They know they will be playing next week at home. They simply don't know who their opponent will be. They really don't have a lot to play for today other than pride. I think the Patriots present a more difficult challange to the Titans than some of the teams the Titans have suprised in recent weeeks. Tennessee is fighting to make the playoffs. I like the Patriots to win today and keep my straight-up record above .500.
Prediction: Patriots 17, Titans 13
Sunday, December 17, 2006
NFL Week 15 - Pats Prediction
Pats Prediction:
Last week: The Dolphins whipped the Pats by a score of 21-0. The Pats looked terrible. Brady had no time to throw and took a number of hits. The running game was lost without Maroney. Simply an awful game last week. The Patriots are clearly a flawed team this year.
Season record: 7-6 straight up, 4-7-2 against the spread.
Week 15 Favorite: New England (-12)
The Patriots looked terrible last week. They struggled against the Lions the week before. I don't expect them to dominate today. If the offensive line plays as poorly as they did in Miami, Mario Williams may actually look like a #1 overall draft pick today.
I think the Pats win today but they once again struggle with an inferior opponent.
Prediction: Patriots 20, Texans 13
Last week: The Dolphins whipped the Pats by a score of 21-0. The Pats looked terrible. Brady had no time to throw and took a number of hits. The running game was lost without Maroney. Simply an awful game last week. The Patriots are clearly a flawed team this year.
Season record: 7-6 straight up, 4-7-2 against the spread.
Week 15 Favorite: New England (-12)
The Patriots looked terrible last week. They struggled against the Lions the week before. I don't expect them to dominate today. If the offensive line plays as poorly as they did in Miami, Mario Williams may actually look like a #1 overall draft pick today.
I think the Pats win today but they once again struggle with an inferior opponent.
Prediction: Patriots 20, Texans 13
Saturday, December 09, 2006
NFL Week 14 - Pats Prediction
Pats Prediction:
Last week: The Lions certainly put a scare into the Patriots last week. The Pats looked sloppy while committing a number of stupid penalties. Thankfully Tom Brady is still Tom Brady and he led a fourth quarter touchdown drive that gave the Pats a 28-21 win.
Season record: 7-5 straight up, 4-6-2 against the spread.
Week 14 Favorite: New England (-3.5)
The Dolphins have been playing better football lately. Joey Harrington has settled in at quarterback. The Dolphins' defense always seems to give New England trouble. I think this game could be a trap game for the Patriots. However, their incredible sloppy play last week makes me think they will be extra focused and determined to play clean football this week. For that reason I think the Pats win a game that will play out not too dissimilar from the Bears game two weeks ago. I think the Pats get the early lead and keep the Dolphins at bay.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Dolphins 17
Last week: The Lions certainly put a scare into the Patriots last week. The Pats looked sloppy while committing a number of stupid penalties. Thankfully Tom Brady is still Tom Brady and he led a fourth quarter touchdown drive that gave the Pats a 28-21 win.
Season record: 7-5 straight up, 4-6-2 against the spread.
Week 14 Favorite: New England (-3.5)
The Dolphins have been playing better football lately. Joey Harrington has settled in at quarterback. The Dolphins' defense always seems to give New England trouble. I think this game could be a trap game for the Patriots. However, their incredible sloppy play last week makes me think they will be extra focused and determined to play clean football this week. For that reason I think the Pats win a game that will play out not too dissimilar from the Bears game two weeks ago. I think the Pats get the early lead and keep the Dolphins at bay.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Dolphins 17
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