Striving For Perfection: A New England Franchise

[footballfanatic84]

(First off, let me start off by saying hello to you all. Secondly, i'm a member of another forum and was linked to this one so I decided to join and move my franchise over here as well, so there are going to be multiple updates in a row, hope people decide to follow this and all comments/opinions are welcome and wanted! Thanks.)

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New England Patriots Franchise - "Striving For Perfection"
I will officially take over this team after the first season, as I will sim the entire thing and start at the draft and free agency. With that said, before I begin the simulation I will make a couple moves, such as resigning or trading players and picking up a couple free agents. I will try to make this as realistic as possible as far as trades and everything goes, and hope everyone who reads this enjoys it.

SETTINGS:
Difficulty: All-Madden
Quarter Length: 12 Minutes
Clock Options: Accelerated Clock
Pre Season Options: Always Simmed

PENALTIES:
(10 is the maximum, 5 is the original)
False Start: 9
Holding: 7
Face Mask: 7
Defensive Pass Interference: 10
Offensive Pass Interference: 10
Kick/Punt Catch Interference: 10
Clipping: 5
Intentional Grounding: 10
Roughing The Passer: 10
Roughing The Kicker/Punter: 10

SLIDERS:
(CPU changes are in BLUE, PLAYER changes are in PURPLE)
Running Back Ability: +1; Overall 6 , +1; Overall 6
Defensive Awareness: -1; Overall 4 , +1; Overall 6

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'07 - '08 ROSTER
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady - 98 OVR
Matt Cassel - 75 OVR

Halfbacks
Lawrence Maroney - 85 OVR
Kevin Faulk - 79 OVR
Sammy Morris - 78 OVR

Fullback(s)
Heath Evans - 92 OVR

Wide Receivers
Randy Moss - 93 OVR
Donte Stallworth - 84 OVR
Wes Welker - 83 OVR
Reche Caldwell - 80 OVR
Jabar Gaffney - 74 OVR
Kelly Washington - 73 OVR
Chad Jackson - 73 OVR

Tight Ends
Benjamin Watson - 87 OVR
Kyle Brady - 80 OVR
David Thomas - 73 OVR

Left Guard
Logan Mankins - 92 OVR
Billy Yates - 68 OVR

Left Tackle
Matt Light - 91 OVR
Wesley Britt - 68 OVR

Center
Dan Koppen - 87 OVR
Gene Mruczkowski - 65 OVR

Right Tackle
Nick Kaczur - 81 OVR
Ryan O'Callaghan - 75 OVR

Right Guard
Stephen Neal - 87 OVR
Russ Hochstein - 79 OVR

Defensive Right End
Richard Seymour - 97 OVR
Jarvis Green - 79 OVR

Defensive Left End
Ty Warren - 89 OVR
Kareem Brown - 69 OVR

Defensive Tackle
Vince Wilfork - 92 OVR
Mike Wright - 71 OVR
Le Kevin Smith - 68 OVR

Left Outside Linebacker
Rosevelt Colvin - 88 OVR
Pierre Woods - 69 OVR

Middle Linebacker
Adalius Thomas - 90 OVR
Tedy Bruschi - 87 OVR
Junior Seau - 83 OVR
Larry Izzo - 68 OVR

Right Outside Linebacker
Mike Vrabel - 90 OVR
Eric Alexander - 69 OVR

Cornerback
Asante Samuel - 96 OVR
Tory James - 85 OVR
Ellis Hobbs III - 84 OVR
Chad Scott - 81 OVR
Randall *** - 79 OVR
Willie Andrews - 71 OVR

Free Safety
Eugene Wilson - 88 OVR
Brandon Merriweather - 82 OVR

Strong Safety
Rodney Harrison - 92 OVR
James Sanders - 75 OVR

Kicker
Stephen Gostkowski - 80 OVR

Punter
Josh Miller - 83 OVR

[footballfanatic84]

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NEW ENGLAND INKS NEW DEALS FOR POPULAR DEFENDERS; ROSTER CHANGES
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New England fans everywhere let out a collective sigh of relief as two of the popular, and very productive, players have signed new deals to stay with the team and forgoe free agency next year. Tedy Bruschi has finalized a deal that will keep him in a Patriot uniform for three more years, New England hopes that he will be as productive as he has been and realizes the great locker room presense he is. With a few Super Bowls already under his belt Bruschi took what many consider less money to stay with a contender and a team that he loves, as many NFL experts predicted he could make more elsewhere on the open market. When asked how this new deal makes him feel, Bruschi had the following to say

"It's great. I love everything about this team, from top to bottom. The fans are terrific, the players are like brothers to me, the coaches are amazing and great at what they do, and the executives that run the team behind the scenes are fantastic as well. I couldn't ask for anything else, it's good to get the business side of things out of the way so now I can focus on doing my job to the best of my abilities, and bringing another Championship back to the fans here in New England."

Joining him in signing a new deal was Defensive End Ty Warren. Warren had just one year left on his deal and would have been a free agent like Bruschi, and also would have been highly saught after, with many teams likely overpaying for his services. With this signing the Patriots now keep in tact the big three up front, who are all young and in there prime. Head Coach Bill Belichick had the following to say about his defensive player

"Ty is a great player, and a great person. We are happy to have him here for the long term, and look forward to seeing him progress even further. He's one of the best at his position, he's a great player for this team."

Terms of the deals were as follows, Tedy Bruschi signed a 3 year 12.3 Million dollar extension, with a signing bonus of 3.3 Million. Ty Warren inked a 5 year 20.5 Million dollar extension, with a signing bonus of just over 7 Million.

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In other news, the roster got a bit of a shake up as two players were signed and one was let go. Veteran Safety, Sammy Knight, signed a 2 year deal with the Patriots for a total of almost 3 million dollars, with 1 million as a signing bonus. Knight is a solid player who will most likely battle it out in training camp with Eugene Wilson and first round pick Brandon Merriweather for the starting Free Safety spot. Rumors have been swirling that Eugene Wilson is being shopped around the league and the Patriots are willing to dish him for some value, this signing of Knight just adds more fuel to that. Also signed was former Carolina Panther Quarterback, Chris Weinke. Wienke adds some depth to the position and will likely be the third string QB behind both Tom Brady and Matt Cassel. The last move made was the release of Free Safety Rashad Baker, Baker was let go to add room on the roster and because of the lack of need at that position with the Sammy Knight signing. With regards to his release the Patriots released the following statement

"We would like to wish Rashad Baker the best in his future endevours, he was a good player and a good person on this team and we are sure he will soon be playing football for someone else."

[footballfanatic84]

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PATRIOTS TRADE THREE AWAY, THINKING OF THE FUTURE
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The Patriots have already started changing things up, after last weeks signings and extensions the Patriots have finalized a trade with the Atlanta Falcons that will send three potential starters away for two draft picks and a Veteran Cornerback. Free Safety Eugene Wilson, Wide Receiver Reche Caldwell, and Cornerback Tory James were all dealt to Atlanta for Cornerback Allen Rossum and there 2nd round and 4th round picks in next years draft. With the loss of Tory James, the Pats will look to Ellis Hobbs to take the #2 spot opposite of Asante Samuel, and Chad Scott will battle it out with Randall *** for the nickelback spot. Caldwell, who was a leading receiver for the team just a year ago, was expected to be let go in some way anyway, so getting some value for him in the form of draft picks was a good move for the team. With Wes Welker and Jabar Gaffney as the slot and fourth receiver the team is in good position, and they are also said to be interested in Free Agent and former Patriot Troy Brown. The surprise, or somewhat as there were rumors, was Eugene Wilson. Though his productivity had started to decline he was generally thought of as a solid Safety in the league, and known for his big hits. Brandon Merriweather and Sammy Knight will now have to battle and earn the starting Free Safety spot, with either outcome being alright with the head coach..

"It's a good thing. Competition in this league is never a bad thing, it brings out the best in your players and thats exactly what you want. Eugene(Wilson) was good here, he did his job well while playing for us. Atlanta is getting a good player who can make an immediate impact for them, he's someone that will be missed. As for who starts now, like I said, this will be a competiton. Brandon (Merriweather) will come into camp and try to show us what he can do against a guy who is seasoned and smart, Sammy Knight is definitly going to give him a run for his money."

Adding another second round pick, and a fourth round pick, to the draft picks they already have will put this team in great position come next offseason as they can look to trade up or simply use these picks to get younger in positions where age may be a factor. Also adding a Veteran presense in the Cornerback depth chart is something that could prove to be good for the younger players such as Hobbs, ***, and Willie Andrews. Chad Scott, another Vet on the team, had this to say about the trade regarding aquiring Allen Rossum

"I'm excited about it, Rossum is a solid player, he has been for some time in this league. Not only that, but like I was telling some of the other people around here, looks like I won't be the only aged guy around here(laughs). It's good to know that i'm not the only Cornerback on this team who's hair is going to be turning grey soon(more laughs)."

Before the trade was finalized the Patriots restructured Allen Rossums deal, his new deal is for a total of 3 years for 4.1 Million dollars and a signing bonus of 800K

(The Pre Season and Regular Season will now be completely simmed, results of which will be posted below, then the fun will begin.)

[footballfanatic84]

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NEW ENGLAND REACHES PLAYOFFS, BUT ROAD ENDS THERE; LOOKING TO OFFSEASON
What looked to be a promising season, finishing 11-5 overall, turned into a playoff birth against the Baltimore Ravens. New England won that game and moved on to face Pittsburgh, with excitement in the air they gave everything they had but came up just short as the Steelers moved on leaving Patriots players and fans looking toward the offseason. This years Super Bowl stage belonged to the Atlanta Falcons and the San Diego Chargers, who both finished the regular season with 12-4 records and advanced through there respective conferences. Atlanta would end up losing, however, as the Chargers won there first Super Bowl in franchise history. Other announcements made to start this offseason were the retirements of several Patriots players, and a few big name players as well.

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PATRIOTS RETIRING
- Junior Seau, MLB. Seau has been in the league a total of 18 years, he turned 39 years old and after unsuccessfully reaching a Super Bowl last year he has announced that he will be retiring from the NFL. His loss isn't a huge blow to the team as they still have starters Adalius Thomas and Tedy Bruschi, although they will most likely look to free agency or the draft for a backup to fill the role Seau played while a member of the Patriots.

- Chad Scott, CB. Scott played Nickelback last year, and with his departure the Patriots will need someone to step up and fill that role. He has been in the league for a total of 11 years and is 34 years old. The Patriots will need to search for some players at the Cornerback position as they could also lose free agent-to-be Asante Sameul and would then be very thin at this position.

- Kyle Brady, TE. The former first round pick signed on with New England last year and played a solid season for them, he has been in the league for 13 years and turned 36 years old. His retirement leaves the Patriots 1 Tight End short, as they currently have Benjamin Watson and David Thomas on the roster. Look for the Patriots to pick up somebody during the offseason to be a roleplayer who can fill in for Watson every now and then.

- Chris Weinke, QB. Weinke is a 7 year veteran of the league, he is 36 years old, and after one season with the Patriots he will be punching his retirement card and leaving the NFL. With Matt Cassel possibly entering free agency, the Patriots will need to find another veteran presense to backup Brady, and may need to find someone to replace Cassel as well.

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MAJOR NFL RETIREMENTS
- Brett Favre, QB. Perhaps one of the best, or most fun QB's to watch in league history, Brett has decided to retire at the age of 37. After 17 years in the NFL, 16 with the Packers, he is leaving many Green Bay fans in tears with this news. Former first round pick of a few years ago Aaron Rodgers now has a lot to prove as he is thought to be the guy that will take over.

- Marvin Harrison, WR. The standout Wide Receiver has surprised many by retiring at the age of 36 years old. Harrison put up monster numbers in his 12 years in the NFL, and no doubt Petyon Manning will miss this bigtime wideout.

- Willie Mginest, OLB. The former New England Patriot has announced that he is leaving the game, after 14 seasons in the league. He is 35 years old and has worked out a situation with Cleveland where they will release him, he will then sign a 1 year deal with the Patriots and retire so he can leave where he started. He will not play, the deal is just so he can then retire as a Patriot, and both coaches on both teams are okay with that. When asked about this news, Bill Belichick had the following to say..

"Willie did a lot of things for this team, he was a great player for us, and he was a great player over in Cleveland. His diversity as a player, to be able to play on the line and stand up to play linebacker, was something that was special about him as a player. He has talked to us about wanting to to retire as a New England Patriot, and we are going to be giving him a 1 year deal so he can come back and retire as a Patriot. Obviously he's not going to be playing, this is just so he can hang up his jersey and go out the way he wants, and thats as a New England Patriot. We wish Willie the best in whatever comes next for him in his life."

[footballfanatic84]

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KEY PLAYERS WITH EXPIRING CONTRACTS; TEAM NEEDS
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The big two, thats what people are calling it, they are referring to New Englands top two players who are going to either need to be resigned or are going to be playing for someone else next season. Randy Moss and Asante Samuel are argueably the top two players on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball for the team, but they are also both going to be in high demand by 31 other teams around the league and this could drive the asking price to keep them way too high for the Patriots to match. Most people feel it comes down to signing one and letting the other go, but which position is more important? Moss set records for his position, hauling in 23 Touchdown passes from Tom Brady last year, and recording a 1000 plus yeard season. If they were to let him go they could have to deal with a disgrunteled Quarterback in Tom Brady as this will be the second big time Receiver they have elected to not resign, with the other receiver being Seattle Seahawks Deion Branch. On the other side, you have Asante Samuel, who many believe to be the top Cornerback in the entire league, a solid coverage player who rarely gives up any big plays and always seems to come through with key interceptions at the most critical moments. With the loss of Chad Scott to retirement, and Ellis Hobbs still learning the position, the Patriots would be very thin at Corner if they were to let Samuel go to another team. The other free agent from the same position, Cornerback, is Randall ***. *** is a young player who had his biggest moment when he was matched up against Terrell Owens in Super Bowl XXXIX, and although he did give up over a hundred yards to the big time receiver, he kept him out of the end zone and did a pretty good job of keeping him in check. *** by no means would be the starter, or even the second string option, but he makes a great nickelback player who is young and will get even better with time. Signing *** may not be a top priority, but it's something that the Patriots are definitly looking to do to keep the Cornerback position from becoming even more thin and even more of a concern. Lastly, the backup to one of the best Quarterbacks in the league, Matt Cassel is also going to have an expiring contract. Some might not consider this that big of a deal, but Cassel is a young player who has learned from Brady over his years with New England, he is a solid backup and the Patriots are said to be very interested in keeping him around long term. Cassel is a restricted free agent, and rumors are that the Patriots will give him a 1 year tender of upwards to 2 million dollars, of which any team that matches would then need to give up draft picks to try and steal him away. If this were to happen, the Patriots are said to be ready to match any offer that is reasonable, and we all know this is the NFL so any team at any time could over pay for his services. Looking forward to free agency and the draft, the positions of need for the Patriots ranking from highest need to lowest are:

#1. Cornerback(s) - If Samuel is going to be playing for someone else next year, and Randall g-a-y doesn't resign, the Patriots will be left with a total of 3 corners. Ellis Hobbs III, Willie Andrews, and Allen Rossum. Hobbs and Andrews are both young, and even though Rossum is a veteran he isn't much more than a 3rd string or 4th string corner, so going into next year the Patriots will be very thin and very vulnerable to any offense they face if they do not address this area of need. The thought by many is that they would sign a free agent veteran who could step in as the starter, someone who is both smart and a playmaker. Some have speculated that a possible Ty Law reunion could take place, but if the Chiefs elect to not release him the Patriots would need to trade in order to get his services, which may not be something they want to do. More than one player is needed here, so if they sign a free agent or two they will most likely look to the draft as well for some more depth and insurance at this position. With two second round picks, and two fourth round picks, they could find a steal later in the draft who could possibly make an immediate impact for them.

#2. Wide Receiver(s) - This may not seem like the second biggest need for this team at first glance, but when you consider that both Randy Moss and Jabar Gaffney could end up leaving, this is an area that the Patritos should be concerned about. If a scenario plays out where they resign Asante Samuel, and let Randy Moss go, they will need to find another receiver to play opposite of Donte Stallworth. Wes Welker is a slot receiver, he has great hands and is good at getting open, but playing him as the second guy would be something that the Patriots wouldn't feel comfortable with. The Patriots generally don't take Wide Receivers in the draft, and after the selection of Chad Jackson on years past they probably won't elect to go this route, atleast not to find a starter. They will most likely look to free agency for someone who can come in and make an impact, someone with good hands, and when you get to work with Tom Brady any receiver can have a record year.

#3. Linebacker(s) - With Seau retiring, the Patriots will look to get younger and faster at this position as they have one of the oldest Linebacker groups in the league. The starters are all returning, however, so don't look for the Patriots to sign any big name free agents, rather look for them to count on the draft class to fill some needs at the linebacker position. Another thing to consider is Rosevelt Colvins inflated contract, the Patriots are said to be in talks with him to work out a new deal to free up some salary cap space, but if Colvin doesn't want to take a paycut the Patriots may very well release him. If this scenario plays out, then the need for Linebackers will be even higher, and a name that is currently out there is possible free agent Clark Haggans. The Pittsburgh Steeler could enter free agency if he isnt able to work out a new deal with his team, and is familiar with the 3-4 defense that the Patriots play.

#4. Halfback(s) - With Lawrence Maroney the Patriots already have there work horse, a young and very talented player. However, they were ranked 25th in rushing last year and could look to add someone to replace Sammy Morris as Maroney's backup as Morris had a dissapointing year. This could come in the form of a veteran free agent, or another young player in the draft. To possibly help with the running game, the Patriots are also looking for a fullback who can create some running lanes and catch passes out of the backfield. The low ranking in the running game is partly because of the play calling, as the Patriots did elect to pass it early and very often in most games, but the addition of a new RB and FB would be very welcome things and could take the offense even higher next season.

Other moves that the Patriots will be making, and areas that will be addressed, will be getting a veteran backup QB, some younger offensive lineman to add depth, a TE to back up Watson, and possibly a DT who can spell Vince Wilfork from time to time.

[footballfanatic84]

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HUGE TRADE LANDS PATRIOTS FORMER FIRST ROUND PICK BRYANT JOHNSON
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New England has kicked off the offseason with a huge trade with the Arizona Cardinals that will see them pickup former first round Wide Receiver Bryant Johnson for Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. The teams will also swap 4th round draft picks with the Patriots exchanging the 31st pick in that round for the Cardinals 24th pick in the round, also the Patriots give up one of the two 2nd round picks they have and receive back a 3rd rounder. In a move that surprised many people around the league, New England is now without a starting OLB opposite of Mike Vrabel, but they now have a great receiving threat to add to an already bolstered Wide Receiver core. Johnson was overshadowed by Fitzgerald and Boldin while he was in Arizona and was never really given the chance to shine, here in New England he will have to contend with the likes of Moss, Stallworth, and Welker. But, rumors are that the Patriots are looking to dump Stallworth via a trade or cutting him as his year was less productive then they had wanted. Bryant is a tall receiver who is fast and has good hands, much like moss he can burn the defender deep but also has great route running skills and with single coverage could see many balls thrown his way. After countless number of receivers have come into New England and had record years with Tom Brady, look for a receiver of Bryant's calibor to do much of the same, this could be an even better offense than the league saw last year.. and thats saying a lot. New England now has a total of 8 draft picks in this years draft, they have one in each round and two in the third, so they have set themselves up pretty well with free agency to also work with.

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7 PLAYERS RELEASED; RESTRUCTURED DEALS MADE
It's that time of the year, when teams start cutting players to make room for free agents and draftees. The Patriots let go of a grand total of 7 players, with the major name being Pro Bowl Cornerback Asante Samuel. Samuel exiting leaves a big hole for New England now, but his asking price was too high and it is thought they made this move because they chose to resign Randy Moss instead of Samuel. No doubt Asante will be in high demand, and will get paid a big sum, but don't count the Patriots completely out yet. They could still seemingly make an offer and sign him back, however this is looking more and more unlikely, but whatever the case may be he was a great player while here in New England and a great locker room leader as well. Another player was Sammy Morris, Morris joined the Patriots last year and was slated to be Maroney's backup but had a dissapointing year and was let go because of it. New England could elect to keep this position young, or look for a veteran to come in much like they did with Morris last year. The complete list of the players cut so far are as follows:

Asante Samuel, Cornerback.
Sammy Morris, Halfback.
Kelly Washington, Wide Receiver.
Heath Evans, Fullback.
Wesley Britt, Left Tackle.
Pierre Woods, Linebacker.
Willie Andrews, Cornerback.

In other news the Patriots made two moves to free up more salary cap room by resructuring the contracts of Safety Rodney Harrison and Halfback Kevin Faulk. Both players were due to have a big impact on the cap this year, so they showed just how much of a team player they both are by working with the team to fix this and give the team more options for the offseason with more money to spend. Rodney Harrison, who had 1 year remaining on his deal, reworked his contract to a total of 3 years for 8.1 Million dollars and a 2 Million dollar signing bonus. Kevin Faulk had 2 years remaining, and reworked his contrat for 3 years worth 8.6 Million dollars and a 1.5 Million dollar signing bonus.

[footballfanatic84]

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#81 STAYING IN NEW ENGLAND, 4 OTHERS JOIN HIM; 3 MORE PLAYERS RELEASED
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After electing not to resign Cornerback Asante Samuel, New England fans were pretty bummed, but there frowns were soon wiped away and replaced with smiles and excitement as news that Pro Bowl Wide Receiver of a year ago Randy Moss will be staying put with the Patriots. Moss signed a 4 year 23.5 Million dollar contract, with a total of just under 10 Million as a signing bonus. His agent had been talking with other teams, and offers were made to the star Wideout that exceeded what New England was willing to pay, however Moss showed how much of a team player he is and perhaps how much he likes working with Brady and being on a winning team by taking less money to remain a Patriot. When asked about his decision to take less money and stay with his team, Moss had the following to say:

"Well, money isn't something that is most important in my career right now. I went down that road when I chose to sign with Oakland, and we all know how that turned out. The thing is, my situation and the team here, it's just a perfect fit for me. The veteran guys here, the coaches, from top to bottom this is a model franchise and anyone that comes here.. you can just feel the passion to win and they just make you feel welcome. I love it here, I really do, and i'm excited for the future of this team."

When asked about the man throwing him the ball, Tom Brady, Moss replied:

"He's the best. It's that simple, he is the best at what he does and theres no one else that comes close to matching what that guy can do out there each and every sunday. I mean, you hear things, from reporters and people with the media. Who's better? You know, who deserves the MVP or whatever, asking wether my numbers are better because of Tom or his are better because of me. I don't really understand that though, Tom was one of the top guys in this league before I got here, I know he is capable of doing anything and I don't credit myself with being the reason he had such a big year. The bottom line is that i'm happy to be working with that guy, I really am. I look forward to many more years of us doing what we do on that field, making plays and chalking up some W's. Ya'll be ready for some fun, because me and Tom are going to be doing some special things next year."

Joining him were four other players that chose to resign with the Patriots and forgoe Free Agency. Randall G-a-y signed a 4 year deal worth 8.8 Million dollars with a bonus of 1.3 Million. G-a-y add's depth and experience to a depleted secondary, as he has worked under New Englands defensive scheme his entire NFL career so far. He will most likely be playing as a nickelback much like he did last year, although with the #1 and #2 spots still open he could battle it out with Ellis Hobbs and whomever else the Patriots bring in during training camp for either starting position. Another signing was Randy Moss's teammate on the offensive side of the ball, fellow Receiver Jabar Gaffney, who signed a 3 year deal worth 7 Million dollars with a bonus of 1.5 Million. The Receiver position is perhaps the most talented, as far as depth, as the team has at any position. With Moss, Stallworth, newly added Bryant, Welker, former second rounder Chad Jackson, and now Gaffney, the competition during camp will be extremely high and you can bet one of these players will lose not just a starting spot but also a place on the team as 6 receivers may be too many for the team to keep. After signing a one year tender, Matt Cassel signed a 4 year deal worth just under 11 Million dollars with a signing bonus of 1.5 Million. Cassel is thought of as a solid backup, and is also very young, although he won't see any playing time at all he is a great insurance policy if the unthinkable happens and Tom Brady goes down with an injury. On the defensive side, James Sanders signed a 1 year tender worth 1.8 Million Dollars. Sanders is a good prospect at Strong Safety, and is thought to be Rodney Harrisons replacement when the Pro Bowler decides to retire. New England is still concerned about a few aspects of his game, however, and have chosen not to resign him long term. They will instead assess where Sanders is at after the year is through, and move on from there, although Harrison has been high on the young Safety and has voiced his opinion that he should be the starter after he leaves, so it still remains to be seen what will happen next year. As far as more releases, the team announced 3, two offensive lineman and a defensive tackle. The players released this week were the following:

Gene Mruczkowski, Center.
Billy Yates, Right Guard.
Mike Wright, Defensive Tackle.

With free agency approaching, as well as the draft, the Patriots will look to make more moves to increase the overall talent of the team. Check back later for more news, rumors, and info.

[footballfanatic84]

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NEW ENGLAND MAKES BIG SPLASH IN FREE AGENCY; 1 RELEASED, 2 RESIGNED
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Much like they did a year ago, the Patriots showed aggression and spent money during free agency to bring in some high quality players to bolster an already good roster. The two biggest moves were bringing in veterans Clark Haggans and Brian Kelly. Haggans was on the Patriots radar from the start of the offseason, and with the trade of Rosevelt Colvin they became much more dedicated in there pursuit of the Outside Linebacker. After a battle with several other teams for his services, the Patriots eventually won and negotiated a 4 year deal worth 20 Million dollars with a signing bonus of 8 Million dollars with the former Steeler. He will step in as the starter right away, and be a great addition to the Linbacker core of fellow starters Bruschi, Thomas, and Vrabel. Brian Kelly, a former Tampa Bay Bucc, was another much needed addition to a depleted Cornerback position and he brings experience, veteranship, and hard hitting to the group. At the age of 32 he doensn't have many more years to contribute in the league, but he is still a solid player who will fill in for Asante Samuel's loss very nicely, the deal he signed was for 3 years and it was worth just under 11 Million dollars with a signing bonus of 3 Million. Another move New England made was to find Sammy Morris's replacement as Maroney's backup, and they beleive they have done that with the signing of former Oakland Raider Justin Fargas. Fargas is what Belichick refers to as a "grind it out, tough guy" who has had a relatively good career. He brings good dynamics to the backfield and will most likely see 10 or more carries a game, he can also catch passes out of the backfield and pass block when needed. His deal was for 3 years worth 4.5 Million dollars,with a bonus of 1 Million. Blocking for both Maroney and Fargas will be new addition Fullback, Kyle Johnson. Johnson is a solid fullback who can catch and block very well, he's 29 years old and should help open up some much needed running lanes. Johnson signed a 3 year deal worth 6.7 Million dollars with a signing bonus of 1.5 Million. Staying on the offensive side of the ball, the Patriots signed a veteran TE to backup Watson in the form of Jermaine Wiggins. Wiggins is a former Patriot, and also played against them with the Panthers a few years ago. He adds veteran leadership to th TE position, and should see some playing time as a pass/run blocker as well as a receiving threat opposite of the already dangerous Watson. The former Viking inked a 3 year deal with the Patriots worth 6 Million and a bonus of 1 Million dollars. The last move made by the Patriots was signing a third string Quarterback to replace the retired Chris Weinke of a year ago, they did that by negotiating a 2 Year deal with A.J. Feeley. His deal was for just under 2 Million dollars, with a signing bonus of 300 K. His addition is solid and adds more depth to the Quarterback position, and his experience is something that can help Matt Cassel further his career as well by installing knowledge and know-how to the young second stringer. Overall the Patriots filled some holes, and got some good players, and with the draft coming up next for them they are set up to be a top team again next year.

Free Agent Recap:
Clark Haggans - Left Oustide Linebacker. OVR: 92 ROLE: Starter
Brian Kelly - Cornerback. OVR: 86 ROLE: Starter
Justin Fargas - Halfback. OVR: 79 ROLE: Backup
Jermaine Wiggins - Tight End. OVR: 83 ROLE: Backup
Kyle Johnson - Fullback. OVR: 88 ROLE: Starter
A.J. Feeley - Quarterback. OVR: 74 ROLE: Backup

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In other news the Patroits have released veteran Cornerback Allen Rossum. Rossum was aquired via a trade with Atlanta last year and didn't see much playing time, he is the third Cornerback released so far joining Asante Samuel and Willie Andrews. The Patriots also came to terms on new deals for MLB Larry Izzo and ROLB Eric Alexander. Izzo signed a 2 year deal for 2.7 Million dollars with a signing bonus of 500 K. He is known for his great special teams play, and won't be much more than that. Eric Alexander signed a 3 yea deal worth just under 3 Million dollars with a bonus of 800 K., he's a young guy who is still learning the position and will be backing up Mike Vrabel and playing on special teams.

UP NEXT: 2008 Draft Coverage.
(I know it's a long read, but thats all the updates I have for now, check back very soon for more and if you have any comments or opinions on anything that i've done so far please share them.)

[footballfanatic84]

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New England Patriots Draft Coverage & Analysis
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NEW ENGLAND DEALS WITH GIANTS, ADD DEPTH TO SECONDARY AND O-LINE
New England kicked off draft weekend with a trade that will send second string Wide Receiving option, Donte Stallworth, to the New York Giants for R.W. Mcquarters and Guy Whimper. Also included with the trade, New England will send there 2nd round and 4th round picks in exchange for New Yorks 2nd round pick which is at number 9. After aquiring Bryant Johnson from the Cardinals the Patriots were very deep at Wide Receiver, and it was thought that one of the players would be cut anyway, so with this trade they got some good value for Stallworth. Mcquarters will add even more depth to the cornerback position, as well as experience and kick return ability. The 31 year old veteran will most likely be a dimeback, but could contend during camp for the nickelback spot against Randall *** or whomever is slated to be in that position. Joining him as a new Patriot is Left Tackle, Guy Whimper. Whimper, who is 25 years old, will be the backup to Matt Light and with time could be his eventual replacement. His impact won't be felt as far as playing any games, but he adds major depth to the Offensive Line and insurance in case Light has to sit out with an injury. The draft pick that New England received moves them from drafting 26th in the second round, to drafting 9th in the second round, a move up that could land them a player that wouldn't have been on the board if they had stayed put.

NEW FACES IN NEW ENGLAND, RESULTS OF FIRST DAY IN THE 2008 DRAFT
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Round 1 - Pick 26: James Brown, Middle Linebacker out of Texas Tech.
Player Information: 6'3, 226 Pounds. 23 Years Old.
OVERALL - 83. TACKLE - 84. SPEED - 84. AWARENESS - 73. AGILITY - 81.
Pick Analysis: Brown is a solid pickup at the end of the first round, and adds some much needed youth and speed to the Linebacker position. While at Texas Tech he was a leader for the defense, and is a smart player, many felt he was a late first round pick and New England is glad to take him off the board. Is a great tackler, has strength to push through offensive lines if need be, and is also alright in pass coverage. He still needs to work on his ability to understand plays as they unfold, as his reaction time could be better, and with Bruschi to learn from he is sure to progress with the Patriots.
Grade: A


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Round 2 - Pick 9: Tito Marlon, Cornerback out of Oregon.
Player Information: 6'0, 195 Pounds. 23 Years Old.
OVERALL - 80. SPEED - 98. AWARENESS - 53. JUMP - 94. CATCH - 69.
Pick Analysis: Marlon is a fast coverage guy, who is a potential playmaker in the making. He is good enough to start in the league, and may give Ellis Hobbs or Brian Kelly a battle during camp to try and earn his spot out on the field. At worst he will step in as the nickelback and make an immediate impact for the team, his coverage skills are thought to be as good as the draft has to offer, although he does take too many chances for the big play when he should hang back and not commit.
Grade: A+



Overall the Patriots definitly upgraded the defensive side of the ball and injected the youth and speed it so desperatly needed. On the second day of the draft the Patriots will be picking twice in the third round, and once in the rest, so look for them to try and get some late round gems.

[footballfanatic84]

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New England Patriots Draft Coverage & Analysis


NEW FACES IN NEW ENGLAND, RESULTS OF SECOND DAY IN THE 2008 DRAFT

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Round 3 - Pick 24: Chris Conley, Center out of Fresno State.
Player Information: 6'4, 305 Pounds. 22 Years Old.
OVERALL - 77. PASS BLOCK - 81. RUN BLOCK - 85. STRENGTH - 72. AWARENESS - 76.
Pick Analysis: After releasing Gene Mruczkowski, the Patriots were left without anyone to backup starter Dan Koppen. Bringing in Conley will add depth and youth, as Koppen is 30 years old, and he will be there in case anything happens to the starter. Conley was thought to be a 3rd-4th rounder, so selecting him here isn't a bad move, however on the board there was still a player who was supposed to be taken early in the second. The player was a defensive tackle, and although the Patriots already have Wilfork they could have selected another young talented guy to play in the 4-3 when they run it, and to fill in for Wilfork from time to time. That is the only reason this pick gets the grade that it does, Conley is still a solid pick and has a bright future, he needs to work on his pass blocking and strength before he can be an impact player at the O-Line position.
Grade: B-


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Round 3 - Pick 26: Adron Clayton, Outside Linebacker out of USC.
Player Information: 6'1, 233 Pounds. 22 Years Old.
OVERALL - 77. TACKLE - 71. SPEED - 83. AWARENESS - 67. AGILITY - 86.
Pick Analysis: Some thought the Patriots would select a Wide Receiver here, but with the addition of Bryant Johnson and the resigning of Gaffney and Moss they instead decided to select another Linebacker. This time it's a Left Outside Linebacker, a player who will backup newly joined Clark Haggans, and could be the future for the team. His tackling could improve, as well as his awareness and ability to read and react to plays, but he has good speed and agility and could fit in well with the 3-4 system in New England.
Grade: B+


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Round 4 - Pick 24: Richard Jenkins, Halfback out of Oklahoma.
Player Information: 5'11, 230 Pounds. 22 Years Old.
OVERALL - 76. SPEED - 83. CARRY - 90. AGILITY - 93. BREAK TACKLE - 63.
Pick Analysis: Jenkins has good speed, and is great in the open field at juking and outmenouvering his opponents. He is known for his lack of fumbles, always keeps it secure and rarely lets it hit the ground. He is a great pickup in the late 4th round and will provide insurance at the halfback position, with Maroney, Fargas, Faulk, and now Jenkins as backfield options the Patriots running game that was ranked so low last year could be due for a big season. Needs to work on his ability to break tackles and catch the ball.
Grade: A


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Round 5 - Pick 24: Dantonio Spires, Defensive Tackle out of Boston College.
Player Information: 6'4, 316 Pounds. 22 Years Old.
OVERALL - 73. TACKLE - 76. SPEED - 53. STRENGHT - 88. AGILITY - 61.
Pick Analysis: New England hopes they found the backup and spot player for Vince Wilfork with this pick, a young guy who has the size and strength needed to play in the 3-4. He's a work in progress though, and will have to improve his ability to pass rush and tackle, but should be a guy that can be counted on to spot-start and do his job when called upon. Overall it's a good selection, this is about where the experts had this player going.
Grade: B+


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Round 6 - Pick 24: Gary Jones, Right Guard out of Michigan.
Player Information: 6'3, 321 Pounds. 21 Years Old.
OVERALL - 71. PASS BLOCK - 88. RUN BLOCK - 76. STRENGTH - 92. AWARENESS - 52.
Pick Analysis: With options running thin here in the last two rounds, the Patriots selected someone who will need work but could have a bright future and will give them more depth on the Offensive Line. Jones is a big guy who anchors he guard position and has the power to knock defenders on there back, he is reguarded as a run blocker and needs to work on his pass blocking in order to become a starting player in the league. Some experts thought he would be taken in the 5th round because of his great strength and power, but New England is glad he was still available.
Grade: B


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Round 7 - Pick 24: Quentin Shannon, Cornerback out of Miami.
Player Information: 6'3, 321 Pounds. 21 Years Old.
OVERALL - 69. SPEED - 86. AWARENESS - 54. JUMP - 80. CATCH - 61.
Pick Analysis: With a couple fullbacks still available who would be considered late round steals, the Patriots opted instead to go with a corner who has a lot of improvement he needs to do before he will be anything more than a special teams guy. His speed is good, but not great, and his coverage skills are sub-par at best. This is a selection to add depth, nothing more, and although it was one of the bad picks by this team it's still someone who could grow in the system.
Grade: C


DRAFT PICKS CONTRACT INFORMATION:
James Brown, MLB.
5 Years - 28 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 8.3 Million Dollars

Tito Marlon, CB.
3 Years - 11.6 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 3.5 Million Dollars

Chris Conley, C.
3 Years - 4.2 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 1.4 Million Dollars

Adron Clayton, LOLB.
3 Years - 3.9 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 1.2 Million Dollars

Richard Jenkins, HB.
3 Years - 3.7 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 1 Million Dollars

Dantonio Spires, DT.
3 Years - 4.4 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 800K

Gary Jones, RG.
3 Years - 1.5 Million Dollars - Signing Bonus: 400K

Quentin Shannon, CB.
Shannon wasn't offered a deal and will enter free agency.

[footballfanatic84]

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NEW ENGLAND SIGNS 2 TO THE ROSTER BEFORE CAMP BEGINS
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The Patriots have announced the signing of two more players to finalize the roster for the '08 -' 09 season. Justin Mccareins joins a wide receiver position filled with talented players, and will likely battle it out with Chad Jackson for the 5th spot on the depth chart. He signed a 3 year deal worth just under 5 Million Dollars with a signing bonus of 1 Million, the former Jet will be there in case one of the others wideouts suffers an injury and is an experienced player that could easily step in right away if needed. On the defensive side of the ball the Patriots added even more depth to the Cornerback position by signing free agent Ahmad Carroll. The former Packers first round pick had a dissapointing time while in Green Bay, and although he still needs a lot of work, he's got some good players to learn from and a good system to play under in New England. His deal was for 3 years, worth 3.3 Million dollars and a bonus of 900 K.


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'08 - '09 ROSTER
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady - 98 OVR
Matt Cassel - 75 OVR
A.J. Feeley - 74 OVR

Halfbacks
Lawrence Maroney - 88 OVR
Justin Fargas - 79 OVR
Kevin Faulk - 76 OVR
*Richard Jenkins - 76 OVR

Fullback(s)
Kyle Johnson - 88 OVR

Wide Receivers
Randy Moss - 95 OVR
Bryant Johnson - 84 OVR
Wes Welker - 82 OVR
Jabar Gaffney - 79 OVR
Chad Jackson - 77 OVR
Justin Mccareins - 72 OVR

Tight Ends
Benjamin Watson - 89 OVR
Jermaine Wiggins - 83 OVR
David Thomas - 75 OVR

Left Guard
Logan Mankins - 91 OVR
Russ Hochstein - 80 OVR

Left Tackle
Matt Light - 89 OVR
Guy Whimper - 72 OVR

Center
Dan Koppen - 89 OVR
*Chris Conley - 77 OVR

Right Tackle
Nick Kaczur - 85 OVR
Ryan O'Callaghan - 74 OVR

Right Guard
Stephen Neal - 88 OVR
*Gary Jones - 71 OVR

Defensive Right End
Richard Seymour - 98 OVR
Jarvis Green - 84 OVR

Defensive Left End
Ty Warren - 89 OVR
Kareem Brown - 70 OVR

Defensive Tackle
Vince Wilfork - 93 OVR
*Dantonio Spires - 74 OVR
Le Kevin Smith - 69 OVR

Left Outside Linebacker
Clark Haggans - 92 OVR
*Adron Clayton - 77 OVR

Middle Linebacker
Adalius Thomas - 95 OVR
Tedy Bruschi - 88 OVR
*James Brown - 83 OVR
Larry Izzo - 73 OVR

Right Outside Linebacker
Mike Vrabel - 88 OVR
Eric Alexander - 74 OVR

Cornerback
Brian Kelly - 86 OVR
Ellis Hobbs III - 85 OVR
*Tito Marlon - 80 OVR
Randall *** - 79 OVR
R.W. McQuarters - 76 OVR
Ahmad Carroll - 72 OVR

Free Safety
Brandon Merriweather - 83 OVR
Sammy Knight - 80 OVR

Strong Safety
Rodney Harrison - 92 OVR
James Sanders - 75 OVR

Kicker
Stephen Gostkowski - 84 OVR

Punter
Josh Miller - 88 OVR

* = Rookie
BOLD = Starter

[footballfanatic84]

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PRESEASON SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Today is a great day to be an NFL fan, because all around the league the Preseason schedules are being released and that means one thing... sundays are almost football days once again. The Patriots announced there opponents and they are the Colts, the Buccanneers, the Vikings, and the Chiefs. The first game will see the starters playing a couple series, possibly even three, but thats about it as this game will be to take a look at drafted players and backups with potential. The second game will have the starting group play the first half, and then sit for the second half, to get them more playing time but still allowing the team to look at the younger players as well. The third game is the one where you can see where your team is at, because the starters will play into the 3rd Quarter, but after that don't look for Belichick to start anyone but backups in the fourth game. All in all, preseason doesn't mean much, but it lets us all get a look at the drafted players and younger guys who wouldn't see action on the field normally. The times and dates for the opponents are listed below:

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@ Indianapolis - Friday, August 8th. 7PM.

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Tampa Bay - Saturday, August 16th. 8PM.

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Minnesota - Friday, August 22nd. 7PM.

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@ Kansas City - Friday, August 29th. 8PM.

[footballfanatic84]

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POSITION BY POSITION GRADES; BATTLES BEING FAUGHT

Quarterbacks: A+
When your starting Quarterback is Tom Brady you automatically earn a high grade, but with solid backups in Matt Cassell and AJ Feeley they have depth and insurance in case anyone were to be injured. Does New England feel comfortable having Cassell be the starter all year if Brady went down? Maybe not completely, but he has shown flashes of a good player and is pretty consistant, couple that with a rejuvinated run game and an all-star receiver in Randy Moss and Cassell won't have to rely on just himself to win games which is a good thing. Overall, this is the strongest area of the team by far.

Halfbacks: B-
Lawrence Maroney is a great back, and has the skills to be a top rusher in the league year in and year out, however he does have some injury concerns and if he were to go down then offseason pickup Justin Fargas would be the next in line to start. Fargas is a solid player, however it is a bit worrysome to imagine him getting 25+ carries each game as he hasn't really done that before, and could break down. Kevin Faulk is the pass catcher, and rushes a few times a game, but couldn't carry the workload needed to be the starter, and the only other back they have is the rookie which they wouldn't want to put in as starter in his first year. If everyone stays healthy, this would be an "A" grade, but the danger of the injury bug brings the grade down.

Wide Receivers: A
Randy Moss tempts us to grade this with a "+" next to the "A", but the uncertainty of new addition Bryant Johnson as the number two guy is what stops us from doing that. Overall the depth for this positin is incredible, and the potential is great, but the questions about a few players are still a little bit of a concern. As mentioned, Bryant will need to come in and gel with the offense, he certainly has the talent but it remains to be seen if he will fit into the scheme. Welker will be the slot receiver, like last year, and is one of the best if not THE best at that spot. Behind them is Jabar Gaffney, Chad Jackson, and Justin Mccareins. All three have good qualities, and all three have question marks. Gaffney is a breakout player who fits into the offense well and is a good pass catcher, but it remains to be seen if he could be the slot option or starter if injuries move him up the depth chart. Jackson is an unproven player, can he step in during 5 wideout sets and make an impact? And Mccareins adds insurance, as he is a good pass catcher and route runner.
POSITION BATTLE - 4th String Wide Receiver. Jabar Gaffney, Chad Jackson

Tight Ends: B
Watson is a physical guy who is a good pass catcher and great blocker, but his productivity hasn't reflected that and he needs to step it up and start showing his talent. With Moss and Welker catching a ton of balls it's understandable that his numbers won't be extremely high, but he has had some drops and some blown routes in his years here which need to be fixed before he can be one of the top TE's in the league, which we believe he can be. Jermaine Wiggins is a veteran guy who is a good blocker and good catching TE, he could be big on third downs in the double TE set. Behind them is David Thomas, got some playing time 2 years ago but was absent last year as he wasn't needed, has the talent to be a red zone threat.

Offensive Line: B+
Besides WR, this is the deepest position on the team. With good starters and talented experienced backups, the Patriots have options in case of injury. The players are also very versatile and can be moved if need-be, which is a huge plus, and with the two drafted players coming in adding youth and some healthy competition in camp, this area of the team could once again be one of the best in the league. There are some questions, however, as the run blocking needs to get a lot better to move that 25th ranked rush attack a year ago up higher. As long as they can do that, and keep Brady off the ground, the offense will be a monster and hard for defenses to stop.
POSITION BATTLE - Center. Dan Koppen, Chris Conley

Defensive Line: A+
Perhaps one of the best trio in the league, all young and very talented, the Patriots are set in this area. And to make things better we hear rumors that Richard Seymour is having to battle off Jarvis Green for the Right End position, why is this a good thing? Competition makes everyone better, and Seymour has had a subpar season the last 2 years, so lighting a fire under him will be a very good thing. We fully expect Seymour to win and be the starter come opening day, but hey.. it's still something to watch and be excited about. Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork are both great at anchoring the line and stopping the run game, they also give QB's nightmares as they do a good job at knocking whomever they face to the ground early and often. While the backups may not be big names, they are experienced in Belichicks system and New England is confident that if they were asked to step up they would handle it well.
POSITION BATTLE - Defensive Tackle. Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green

Linebackers: A-
The only concern here is age, but if healthy this is a good core of players who are great at both stopping the run as well as covering in the passing game. Haggans arrived from Pittsburgh in free agency, and he is a fast playmaker who is strong and has the ability to cover TE's and WR's. Thomas and Bruschi will anchor the middle of the defense, but Bruschi is slowing down with age and could lose his starting spot to the first round pick James Brown. Tedy is great at reading the defenses and being the leader on the field, his presense alone makes everyone more aware and have the desire to play at 100% each and every down. Mike Vrabel is one of the best at getting to the QB, he also is good at covering receivers, and as we all know he also has a knack for catching a TD when he is called upon by his offense in the red zone. The players at this position will be the reason that the team ranks tops in the league in defense, like they were able to do last year.
POSITION BATTLE - Middle Linebacker. Tedy Bruschi, James Brown

Cornerbacks: C
The reason for the low grade is because the players at this position are not yet proven, atleast not here in New England. Brian Kelly could be a great corner and have a fantastic year, but the fact that he is up there in years and hasn't been in this system is a little scary. Add in that Ellis Hobbs is still your number two guy right now, then it becomes even more of an issue as he has yet to really break out in the league, he takes lots of chances and blows some coverages at times. The low grade could easily be wrong, and these players could shut down the teams they play, but the uncertanties are enough to make us nervous. Look for plenty of competition in camp as every player seemingly has a chance to earn a starting spot or nickelback spot.
POSITION BATTLE - #1 Cornerback. Brian Kelly, Ellis Hobbs, Tito Marlon, Randall ***
POSITION BATTLE - #2 Cornerback. Brian Kelly, Ellis Hobbs, Tito Marlon, Randall ***
POSITION BATTLE - #3 Cornerback. Tito Marlon, Randall ***

Safeties: B-
Rodney Harrison anchors this group, with fellow starter Brandon Merriweather who has the job for now but will have to contend with the veteran starter of a year ago Sammy Knight. Although Merriweather is unproven so far, this is still a strong area for the team, as Rodney Harrison is one of the best safeties in the entire league. Injuries have been a problem for him in the past, but James Sanders is a good replacement should he have to step in. The reason we give this a B- is because if the Patriots had to put Merriweather and Sanders out there, thats a youthful group to be having as your safeties and there is a lot of inexperience between the both of them.
POSITION BATTLE - Free Saftey. Brandon Merriweather, Sammy Knight

[biggestcubsfan]

I like It its really interesting keep goin

[boomosby50]

you know the 3rd round of the draft is on Day 1, nice pics and all

[footballfanatic84]

you know the 3rd round of the draft is on Day 1, nice pics and all
Yeah I was too busy to finish the rest and I wanted to post those so I decided to split it the way I did, sorry bout that. I know that rushing through the updates is bad and all, so I won't do that again, I was just pressed for time.

Also, thanks for the comments, I am glad to know that people are following my franchise and any input/opinions are welcome and wanted.

[footballfanatic84]

Preseason Week 1.
Friday, August 8th. 7PM.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/teams/NE/NE_visitorHelmetHeader.gif http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/teams/IND/IND_homeHelmetHeader.gif
(1-0) (0-1)
FINAL SCORE: 23 - 20

In what was supposed to be just a meaningless game, the fan turnout was enormous, and this can be credited to the "rivalry" that the two teams playing have going on right now. And the game didn't dissapoint, as it came down to a last second field goal to take the victory. The Patriots offense was first to take the field, as they trotted out after a decent kick return by R.W. McQuarters, lots of boo's were heard as Tom Brady entered the huddle in the noisy dome. The fans impact was felt right away, too, as the first play was a Lawrence Maroney rush that netted 12 yards but was brought back by a holding penalty called on Center Dan Koppen. The very next play, however, made up for that and more as the Patriots got a Defensive Pass Interference call that landed them 36 big yards and near the Colts end of the field. New England opted to dink and dunk the way down the field, completely forgetting about the running game, and it payed off when Brady hit new addition wideout Bryant Johnson for a 5 yard Touchdown to put them up by 7.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/bradypassbryant-1.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/tdbryant.jpg
Brady tosses a 5 yard pass to Bryant Johnson for a TD

The Colts responded with a field goal, to bring themselves within seven, but almost squandered that with a fumble that they were able to recover. They chose to run a no huddle, but the Patriots shut it down and held tight, allowing the offense to get back out on the field still with the lead. Maroney was the catalyst this time around, as he rushed for 3 first downs and helped lead the team down the field to score again as Brady tossed a Touchdown pass to Tight End Benjamin Watson to put them up 14-3 with 5:39 left in the 2nd Quarter.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/bradypasswatson.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/tdwatson.jpg
Benjamin Watson celebrates his 15 yard catch from Brady for a TD

The Patriots would then opt to take out starters Tom Brady and Lawrence Maroney, as well as Benjamin Watson, but left the Wide Receiving group in there for backup Matt Cassell to see what he could do. After trading punts, New England had the ball with just under 3 minutes left in the half, and they decided to try and move down for another score. They ran a 4 wide receiver set, and were going for a sideline pass to conserve time, however Cassell was preassured by Robert Mathis and flung the ball toward Jabar Gaffney who was being shadowed by Colts Safety Antoine Bathea. Bathea made a nice interception of a ball that was about to hit the ground, and set his offense up with the ball in New England territory with a good runback.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/cassellpreasured.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/batheainterception.jpg
Pressure from Mathis causes Cassell to hurry throw; Bathea makes fingertip Interception

Manning would take full advantage of the young Quarterbacks mistake by leading his team down inside the Patriots redzone. The Colts rush attack was stuffed on first and goal, and on second and goal they tried to sneak a pass in to Reggie Wayne in the back of the end zone but Brian Kelly made a nice play to knock it away. On third and goal from just about the 10 yard line the Colts gave the ball to workhorse halfback Joseph Addai, and it looked like the Patriots had stopped him as Rodney Harrison came up to tackle him, but Addai slipped out of his grasp and rushed in for a Touchdown carrying some players with him bringing them within 4 as the score was now 14-10.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/addaiharrison.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/addaitd.jpg
Addai breaks Safety Rodney Harrison's tackle, runs 10 yards to a TD

With just 1:26 left in the half thte Patriots were able to drive down the field, no thanks to Wide Receiver Jabar Gaffney however, as all the starters had now been replaced on offense. Gaffney dropped 3 catches on the drive, one of them being a long gain into Colts territory that was knocked out of his hands by a huge hit from Bob Sanders. Despite Gaffneys drops the Patriots drove down the field to put Gostkowski within 53 yard field goal, the young kicker came out and made the kick to put his team up by 7, with the score now being 17-10. After a decent kick return by Indy, Petyon Manning handed the ball to his fullback to run down the rest of the clock and send both teams into the locker room for halftime. As both teams came out on the field, the starters were now all sitting on the bench drinking gatorade and ready to watch the young guys try and show what they have. Indy lost Quarterback Aaron Brooks with a knee injury for the game, however, and without a third stringer they were forced to send Peyton Manning back in. Surprisingly the second/third string Patriots defense was able to hold him to a couple 3 and outs, and kept him scoreless as the Patriots were able to put up another field goal late in the third quarter to bring the score to 20-10. Starting the fourth quarter, down by ten, the Colts were able to drive to the New England 34 yard line and get themselves a Vinatieri field goal to cut the lead to seven. After struggling to mount any offense, with Cassell overthrowing receivers and guys dropping balls that would have given the team first downs, the Colts were able to drive to the New England 5 yard line with 4:34 left in the game. They were stuffed 3 times, and were faced with a fourth and goal, which head coach Tony Dungy then made the decision to go for it and try and tie the game instead of an easy field goal that wouls still leave them down by 4 points. Manning handed the ball to Priest Holmes and he ran off to the right side, he broke 2 tackles and was within reach of the end zone, but coming in to stop him was newly drafted Patriot Linebacker James Brown. With the turnover on downs the Patriots had the ball at there own 5 and AJ Feeley was now replacing Cassell as the starter at Quarterback, with Richard Jenkins taking over for the tandum of Fargus and Faulk. The only positive was a long pass to Wes Welker, giving them room to punt from there own 25 yard line. Peyton Manning trotted back out, with a little over 2 minutes left and a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime, the Colts moved the ball slowly and had to try some long passes. One of them was incomplete, but left a yellow hankee on the ground, as a referee called pass interference on Randall *** which laneded the Colts 33 big yards and into New England territory. They drove into the end zone and quickly tied the game with a 9 yard strike from Peyton to rookie wideout Darren Holmes. With the game tied at 20, and only 1:24 left to play, the fans were on there feet ready and willing to watch the game go into overtime. AJ Feeley and Justin Mccareins made sure that didn't happen though as they hooked up for a 30 yard pass that put the Patriots into field goal range, they then ran the ball with Jenkins forcing the Colts to use all there timeouts and since they were able to get a first down they milked the clock down to 3 seconds before taking a timeout of there own. Gostkowski made his way out onto the field, to a chorus of boo's, and showed his talent under pressure by nailing a 48 yarder for the preseason win.

[footballfanatic84]

Game Notes:
- The defense played extremely well, from starter to backup, as they were able to shut down Peyton and that powerful offense. Brian Kelly was able to keep Reggie Wayne quiet, except when Wayne returned in the second half where he was able to put up numbers against rookie Tito Marlon.

- The first string offense was impressive, they scored Touchdowns on both possessions they had, and Bryant Johnson was clicking with Brady early on. Maroney also had a productive game, and the running lanes seemed to be much improved from years past.

- Chad Jackson had a good day, as he was able to hold onto the ball when receiving hard hits and run his routes well enough to get open for his Quarterback. He took a step ahead of Jabar Gaffney, perhaps, as Gaffney had no catches and a handful of drops.

Game Stats:
PASSING
Tom Brady - 8/9 for 83 yards. 2 TD's, 0 INT's. 144.7 Rating
Matt Cassell - 7/20 for 85 yards. 0 TD's, 1 INT. 28.1 Rating
AJ Feeley - 2/3 for 38 yards. 0 TD's, O INT's. 109.7 Rating
Petyon Manning - 10/22 for 174 yards. 1 TD, 0 INT's. 88.0 Rating
Aaron Brooks - 1/2 for 12 yards. 0 TD's, 0 INT's. 68.8 Rating


RUSHING
Lawrence Maroney - 9 carries for 38 yards, 4.2 average. 0 TD's
Justin Fargas - 5 carries for 26 yards, 5.1 average. 0 TD's
Richard Jenkins - 7 carries for 19 yards, 2.7 average. 0 TD's
Kevin Faulk - 4 carries for 5 yards, 1.2 average. 0 TD's
Joseph Addai - 12 carries for 61 yards, 5.0 average. 1 TD
Priest Holmes - 12 carries for 30 yards, 2.5 average. 0 TD's

RECEIVING
Bryant Johnson - 5 catches for 54 yards, 10.7 average. 1 TD
Randy Moss - 3 catches for 51 yards, 17.0 average. 0 TD's
Chad Jackson - 3 catches for 26 yards, 8.6 average. 0 TD's
Ben Watson - 2 catches for 21 yards, 10.5 average. 1 TD
Kevin Faulk - 2 catches for 7 yards, 3.5 average. 0 TD's
Justin Mccareins - 1 catch for 30 yards, 30.0 average. 0 TD's
Wes Welker - 1 catch for 17 yards, 17.0 average. 0 TD's
Reggie Wayne - 4 catches for 127 yards, 31.7 average. 0 TD's
Darren Holmes - 3 catches for 25 yards, 8.3 average. 1 TD
Edgar Swan - 2 catches for 18 yards, 9.0 average. 0 TD's
Dallas Clark - 1 catches for 21 yards, 9.0 average. 0 TD's
Riddick Taylor - 1 catches for 7 yards, 7.0 average. 0 TD's

DEFENSIVE
Randall *** - 5 tackles
Tito Marlon - 4 tackles
Clark Haggans - 3 tackles, 2 for loss
Vince Wilfork - 3 tackles
Ty Warren - 3 tackles
Larry Izzo - 3 tackles
Patrick Clayborn - 4 tackles, 1 for loss
Steve Foley - 4 tackles, 2 for loss
Tony Parrish - 4 tackles
Antoine Bathea - 4 tackles, 1 interception
Marlin Jackson - 4 tackles
Gary Brackett - 4 tackles

KICKING
Stephen Gostkowski - 3/3, 100%. Long of 53 yards, game winning 48 yarder.
Adam Vinatieri - 2/2, 100%. Long of 41 yards.

PUNTING
Josh Miller - 3 punts, 139 yards. 46.3 average, 0 inside the 20.
Hunter Smith - 4 punts, 192 yards. 48.0 average, 1 inside the 20.

KICK RETURN
RW McQuarters - 3 for 66 yards, 22.0 average.
Chad Jackson - 2 for 46 yards, 23.0 average.
TJ Rushing - 3 for 64 yards, 21.3 average.
Edgar Swan - 1 for 24 yards, 24.0 average.

PUNT RETURN
Wes Welker - 2 for 25 yards, 12.5 average.
RW McQuarters - 1 for 9 yards, 9.0 average.
Edgar Swan - 1 for 5 yards, 5.0 average.

[AI Crossover 3]

Wow, one of the best franchises I have ever seen, keep it up!

[footballfanatic84]

Wow, one of the best franchises I have ever seen, keep it up!
Hey man, thanks a lot, I appreciate that. And don't worry i'll keep this thing going for a while, hope the read is enjoyable all the time

[footballfanatic84]

Preseason Week 2.
Saturday, August 16th. 8PM.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/teams/TB/TB_visitorHelmetHeader.gif ; http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/teams/NE/NE_homeHelmetHeader.gif
(1-1) (2-0)
FINAL SCORE: 27 - 17

Both teams came into the game coming off a victory in the previous week, and Tampa Bay was the first to get the ball as they won the midfield coin toss. Gostkowski kicked the ball down the field as fans cheered, and the Buccs offense would start there first drive at there own 30 yard line. They elected to run the ball on three consecutive plays, all handoffs to Cadillac Williams who was stuffed on 3rd and 3 by a Rodney Harrison tackle for a 2 yard loss, forcing them to punt the ball away. Brady and Moss led the offense onto the field to a standing ovation from the packed stadium, the drive started with 2 straight runs that netted 7 total yards and had them at 3rd and 3. Brady hiked the ball and hit Gaffney on an out route for the first down, after the drops last week it was nice to see him hold onto the ball and help his team keep driving. After a few more runs it was 3rd and 7, and Tom Brady looked to star receiver Randy Moss for a medium length pass that would have been more than enough for a first down, however Moss had the ball hit him in his shoulder pads and bounce awkwardly away from him giving former Patriot a year ago Asante Samuel an interception.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/mosstip.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/samuelint.jpg
Moss tips the ball to Cornerback Asante Samuel, who catches for it an Interception

The cornerback celebrated with his teammates, as the cornerback had gotten a bit of revenge against his old team for letting him go. The Patriots defense would also step up though, and shut down Tampa Bay once again, as Clark Haggans recorded a sack of Tony Romo on second down to make it third and long. More pressure on Romo caused him to under throw a pass and the Buccs were again forced to punt and couldn't capatilize on the interception. Lawrence Maroney showed flashes of greatness as he picked up a couple first downs with long runs, breaking tackles and punishing defenders with stiff arms, which would lead the defense to put 8 men in the box and give Brady the opening for a deep pass. Bryant was running an out route toward the sideline and caught Brady's toss, he then proceeded to race up field past the pursuing defenders and score a 40 yard Touchdown that put the Patriots up 7-0 with 1:18 left in the first quarter.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/bryantlongpass.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/40yardtd.jpg
Bryant shows his playmaking ability, catching a pass and running for a 40 yard TD

On the insuing kickoff, Asante Samuel was hit hard and left the field with a leg injury that kept him out the entire day, word later is that he will be out 2 weeks. The Buccs offense quickly came out and silenced the crowd as Romo was able to pick up first downs through the air, with one of his passes being a completion to Maurice Stovall for 39 yards. Romo made plays with his feet as well, running for 12 yards on 2nd down, but the very next play he was takin down for a sack by rookie Cornerback Tito Marlon. After a short run it was 3rd down and 10, the fans got louder as Romo took the ball and looked over the defense trying to find a receiver, just before the pass rush got to him he was able to rifle a pass to Amani Toomer for the first down. The defense was able to get to him again, as Haggans registered another sack on the day, but it wasn't enough as Romo was able to toss a 13 yard pass for a Touchdown on 3rd and goal, to Amani Toomer, tying the game at 7.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/romotdpass.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/toomertdcatch.jpg
Romo throws a 13 yard pass for a TD to veteran Amani Toomer

New England would then shoot themselves in the foot, as Maroney fumbled the ball after a 12 yard gain, it was recovered by Tampa Bay and the offense was set up in New England territory at the 26 yard line. With 4:23 left in the 2nd quarter Romo was faced with 3rd down and 4, not wanting to settle for a field goal he took the snap and tried to find an open receiver, but they were all well covered causing him to tuck the ball and run, Ty Warren was able to hit him right away causing the Buccs to settle for a 37 yard field goal that put them up 10-7. With time running down the Patriots were committed to passing, and gave up the run, as Brady was able to hit Welker for a first down. Brady would look long to Bryant Johnson once again, and it appeared that a defensive pass interference penalty was going to be called as the defender impeaded Bryant's progress, but to loud boo's the referee's kept the yellow hankee's in there pockets, and on the very next play Brady was sacked for a big loss setting them up with 3rd and 20 on there end of the field. Some thought they would simply run a draw, but Brady and Bellichick had other plans as Moss was able to get behind the defense and haul in a 24 yard pass for the first down. The two hooked up two more times on the drive, one for 29 more big yards setting them up at the Tampa Bay 3 yard line, and on the very next play Brady hit Moss for the go ahead Touchdown pass with 57 seconds left in the half.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/bradypassmoss.jpg http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/footballfanatic84/mosstdcatch.jpg
Tom Brady and Randy Moss hook up for a 3 yard TD pass, putting the Pats ahead

The Patriots were now up 14-10, and with time running down the Buccs were in hurry up mode, Romo had his receiver Brandon Stokely open for a monster gain but Stokely, who was all alone, completely whiffed the catch and dropped the ball. After the missed opportunity Haggans made his presense known yet again with his third sack of the game, causing them to go shotgun and throw deep, a pass that Brian Kelly would jump in front of and intercept to put his offense in good position to score yet again with only 37 ticks left on the clock. Brady would not come into the game, as Cassell trotted out with the first team offense, Bellichick wanted to see what the young kid could do and he came through as he was able to move them toward the end zone and to a score. Earlier he had Maroney wide open on a deep route that would have been a Touchdown, but Maroney dropped the ball, so next time he chose to go to Chad Jackson for a 7 yard Touchdown that put the Patriots up 21-10 as time wound down and the teams went into the locker room for halftime. Both teams came back out with the backups, and both played relatively well. The only score of the third quarter came on a 38 yard field goal from Gostkowski that put the Patriots up 24-10 going into the fourth quarter. Fargas had a huge play, when he was able to rip off a 30 yard run down to the Tampa Bay 8 yard line. The Offense stalled, however, and was only to put up 3 points with a 22 yard field goal, making the score now 27-10. With 3:15 left in the game the Buccs stalled on third down from a Jarvis Green sack, and although New England didn't score on the next drive they were able to pin the Buccs offense inside the 10 yard line as the ball was downed by special teams standout Larry Izzo at the 7 yard line with just 46 seconds left. The defense had it's only big mistake on the first play the Buccs ran, however, as Bruce Gradkowski was able to hit Maurice Stovall for a 92 yard Touchdown that cut the lead to 10 points, with the score now being 27-17. With little time left, and no realistic shot to win, the Buccs attempted an onside kick anyway which was recovered by Patriot receiver Justin Mccareins giving AJ Feeley the opportunity to kneel the ball three times and give New England it's second win of the preseason. Although the score was high, both defenses plaid pretty well, and New England got a good look at the backups who seemed to shine pretty nicely with the opportunity given to them.

[footballfanatic84]

Game Notes:
- The first team offense struggled a bit against a good Tampa Bay defense, but were able to put up 3 good scoring drives and mount a decent rushing attack. They did, however, give the ball up twice forcing the defense into tough situations.

- Chad Jackson continues to impress, with 4 catches and a Touchdown in this game, and he is definitly creating some buzz and could overtake Jabar Gaffney if Gaffney doesn't step up and start making some plays for the offense.

- Defensively they were solid, against both the run and pass, and caused a couple fumbles from hard hits on the Buccs players. The D-Line played very well, closing run lanes and giving opportunities for the linebackers to get to the Quarterback. Richard Seymour is having a lackluster preseason, and this is something to keep an eye on as Jarvis Green registered a sack and could overtake Richard for the starting RE position.

Game Stats:
PASSING
Tom Brady - 10/16 for 152 yards. 2 TD's, 1 INT.
Matt Cassell - 8/14 for 65 yards. 1 TD, 0 INT's.
Tony Romo - 4/8 for 66 yards. 1 TD, 1 INT.
Bruce Gradkowski - 3/5 for 94 yards. 1 TD, 0 INT's.


RUSHING
Justin Fargas - 7 carries for 63 yards, 9.0 average. 0 TD's
Lawrence Maroney - 8 carries for 36 yards, 4.5 average. 0 TD's
Richard Jenkins - 6 carries for 32 yards, 5.3 average. 0 TD's
Kevin Faulk - 4 carries for 13 yards, 3.2 average. 0 TD's
Carnell Williams - 10 carries for 22 yards, 2.2 average. 0 TD's
Tony Romo - 2 carries for 12 yards, 6.0 average. 0 TD's
BJ Askew - 1 carry for 6 yards, 6.0 average. 0 TD's
Sidney Foster - 1 carry for 3 yards, 3.0 average. 0 TD's

RECEIVING
Randy Moss - 5 catches for 78 yards, 15.6 average. 1 TD
Bryant Johnson - 2 catches for 52 yards, 26.0 average. 1 TD
Chad Jackson - 4 catches for 30 yards, 7.5 average. 1 TD
Wes Welker - 3 catches for 28 yards, 9.3 average. 0 TD's
Benjamin Watson - 1 catches for 11 yards, 11.0 average. 0 TD's
Justin Mccareins - 1 catch for 7 yards, 7.0 average. 0 TD's
Jabar Gaffney - 1 catch for 6 yards, 6.0 average. 0 TD's
Kevin Faulk - 1 catch for 5 yards, 5.0 average. 0 TD's
Maruice Stovall - 3 catches for 129 yards, 43.0 average. 1 TD
Amani Toomer - 2 catches for 21 yards, 10.5 average. 1 TD
Alex Smith - 1 catches for 6 yards, 6.0 average. 0 TD's
Michael Clayton - 1 catches for 4 yards, 4.0 average. 0 TD's

DEFENSIVE
Clark Haggans - 3 tackles, 3 sacks
James Brown - 3 tackles
Tito Marlon - 2 tackles, 1 sack
Sammy Knight - 2 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Brian Kelly - 2 tackles, 1 interception
Jarvis Green - 1 tackle, 1 sack
Alan Zemaitis - 6 tackles
Greg Spires - 4 tackles, 1 sack
Jordan Babineaux - 4 tackles
Sabby Piscitelli - 4 tackles
Gaines Adams - 3 tackles, 1 sack
Asante Samuel - 2 tackles, 1 interception

KICKING
Stephen Gostkowski - 2/2, 100%. Long of 38 yards.
Matt Bryant - 1/1, 100%. Long of 37 yards.

PUNTING
Josh Miller - 2 punts, 79 yards. 39.5 average, 1 inside the 20.
Josh Bidwell - 3 punts, 108 yards. 37.0 average, 1 inside the 20.

KICK RETURN
RW McQuarters - 2 for 35 yards, 17.5 average.
Wes Welker - 1 for 19 yards, 19.0 average.
Jordin Babineaux - 4 for 106 yards, 26.5 average.
Asante Samuel - 2 for 40 yards, 20.0 average.

PUNT RETURN
Wes Welker - 1 for 3 yards, 3.0 average.
RW McQuarters - 1 for 3 yards, 3.0 average.
Jordin Babineaux - 1 for 4 yards, 4.0 average.