The Patriots moving forward

Its been 9 days since the Patriots lost their second Superbowl in the last 4 years. It hurt yes, but not nearly as much as the 18-1 season. The patriots were as I would like to say maybe a year too early to get there. They had been on a decline since almost making history in February of 2008. We all know what happened to Brady the season after the 18-1. The 2009 Patriots were a team that made the playoffs but in the end were blown out at home against the ravens. The 2010 team may have been 14-2 but that was do to a stunning performance by TB12 and a defense that made plays. This past year was remarkable that they made it to the Superbowl. They had some lucky bounces along the way. Another solid year by Tom and a breakout season from Gronk really helped. Ultimately the patriots down fall in the final game was not the defense as many expected but an offense that couldn't get the motor running.

The future is bright at least for the remaining window that Tom Brady is a top notch QB. He will be 35 in August and you figure he has 2-3 solid seasons left. With that said this is what the Patriots need to do.

Let me preface this by saying, Obviously i am not a professional writer. I am not Nick Caserio, Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia or by any means BB I am a fan of the team. A fan that remembers the squish the fish and bury the Bears moto. A fan that even though young at the time remembers crying on my dads shoulder when we lost super bowl xx. A fan that remembers the drug scandals, The Rod Rust 1-15 season. the Dick McPherson 6-10 Miracle season. I remember sitting on my couch looking at the draft saying please pick Bledsoe over and over and that same year at the ripe age of 15 sitting in the Foxborough stadium parking lot watching grown men burning Budweiser boxes screaming don't take our team when it looked as though James Orthwein was going to move our beloved Patriots to St Louis to become the Stallions. I watched as Bledsoes arm carried us on a 7 game wins streak in 94 and how a Jaguars victory over the Broncos in 96 helped get us to a Superbowl. I remember the day BB was hired and i was excited and scared. I don't need to recap whats happened over the last 10 years as everyone knows. But moving forward this is 1 fans view of what can wont or should happen.

The Offense. There are so many ways this team could go. With Brady at the helm we will always score points. But too many times last year we got predictable and we all saw what happened to the O when Gronk wasn't healthy. Fortunately for the Pats they have some cap space 26 million and 4 high draft picks.

The sentiment has been we need a deep threat and everyone seems to be hopping on the Randy Moss coming back band wagon. Don't get me wrong I love Randy. But this is the 35 year old out of football for a season Randy Moss not the need to prove something 07 Moss. The patriots could use a big play receiver and getting Moss could be the answer but more likely its not. Brandon Lloyd has been a target i have looked at. He could provide a nice spark but he is getting older too. Yet he does know the offense a huge plus. We have seen many free agent receivers come in that just don't get the system and fizzle out. Donald Hayes in 02 Galloway in 09 and Holt 2 years ago. And don't forget Chad Ochocincos first forgetable season. Signing Welker is the first must. He is a key in the cog. The future is uncertain for Branch he would be a nice 3 or 4 receiver next season. I think Ocho is back on a restructured deal. A full off season could help. Other options on the free agent market are Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, Robert Meachum, Colston and Mike Wallace. Garcon is interesting and he is only 26. Stay away from wayne too old. Meachum and Colston are products of the dome. That brings me to Mike Wallace. A free agent who was taken the pick after Brandon Tate, boy that would be something to take back. Pittsburgh has cap issues and probably wont franchise Wallace. They will probably offer the highest tender a first round pick. I ask you would you give away the 31st pick in the draft for him.. I would. But if that is not the way the pats will go then its Moss or Lloyd and draft and develop a good WR. Not a project like Tate or Price or Bethal Johnson but a legitimate receiver. They havent drafted a quality reciever since 02 the year they got Branch and Givens.

Now another thing the Patriots could really do to help themselves is actually develop a running game. With the 2 tightends we have a commitment to the run could do wonders. Imagine a real running threat the play action pass would become a weapon again. Remember back to the early part of the century when the pats could really run. I'm not just talking about the Corey Dillon year im talking all 3 super bowl champions could milk the clock. They need to get back to that. The law firm is an unrestricted free agent and might get a look to come back. But the Pats have Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley on the Roster as well as a kevin faulk type back in Woodhead. A power run game would help huge amounts. It would take the heat of of Tom Brady and he could then have the time to hit every pass on the route tree. As well as bringing back the screen game. Running the ball will help keep Brady upright, Give matchup nightmares with the double Tight ends and allow the pats to go deep when the defense brings 8 men in the box.

The offensive line bears watching, we don't know yet if Brian Waters is coming back. Volmer needs to stay healthy and Light has 1 year left on his deal. Center also has Koppen set to become a FA as well as Dan Connelly. Last seasons first round pick Nate Solder looks to be solid and we all know what Mankins can do. Marcus Cannon came off the PUP after his battle with cancer and looked pretty decent. He could be a dominant gaurd. A real road grader for the power run game i am asking for.

Defense Everyone's whooping boy this past season because of the yards they gave up, but they are young and clamped down when it mattered. In the playoffs they held their opponents to just over 15 points per game. Not bad. They have the anchors up the middle with Wilfork, Mayo and Chung. The question is where does McCourty fit. An amazing first season was followed by a huge Sophomore slump. He was constantly beat for big plays or drew costly PI penelties this season and looked a step slow. He looked pretty good at safety maybe that's his position. I think Rasi Dowling if he can stay on the field could really be a playmaker. Kyle Arrington is a nice player but in an ideal world he is your 3rd or 4th cb. And afc championship hero Sterling Moore could be good with an offseason in Foxborough.

What are the patriots? Are they a 3/4 ot 4/3 defense. If they are a 3-4 defense then they have 2 solid middle linebackers in Mayo and Spikes and a Vrabel type in Ninkovich. But where is the Willie Mac/Rosie Colvin pass rusher. They defenetly need a rush OLB. if they stay in the 3-4 then Wilfork is your NT and Kyle Love and Brandon Deaderick are good 34 ends. If they move to 43 then Spikes is your MLB with Ninko and Mayo as your outside and bringing back Carter and Anderson are options. Either way either defense more pass rush and CB are the most needed. It may or may not happen and i didn't think it to be possible but Mario Williams is going to be a free agent in either alignment he could be amazing in the Willie Mac elephant roll. And with the pats having 26 million in cap space it could get done. Another option to help even more is a new thing i found out about the new CBA The pats can actually use the unused portion of last season cap around 10 million if they notify the NFL in writing. So that could give them around 36 million. The Pats have gone on spending sprees before. In 03 with Harrison and Colvin, In 07 with Stallworth Welker, Thomas and to a degree Randy Moss. Any way they go it will be an interesting offseason. I say its time to go all out with Brady and Belichick coming to the end of their careers.

My list of players I would love to see the Pats bring in.

WR Mike Wallace

WR Brandon Lloyd

DE/OLB Mario Williams

CB Stanford Routt

CB Bryan McFadden

Moss Only for the sentimental value. I dont see it happening.

Either or as free agency gets closer and we see who is resigned and who is let go by their repective teams I will update my wish list.

If you like what you have read you can follow me on twitter @bostonfatguy or follow our fans radio program @patriot1stdown.

Super Bowl 46

Here we go again the rematch of super bowl 42.









Many New Englanders wanted to see the Giants in the superbowl for the revenge. I was not one of them. The Giants create a tough matchup for the patriots. 2 weeks ago i was sure it was doom for the patriots. Now i believe the patriots will earn the victory.









Back in the offseason 2 owners stood above all in assuring we got this season in. Kraft of the Pats and Mara of the Giants. It is only fitting that these 2 franchise will be playing each other for the ultimate prize. Both teams got here in separate ways. The patriots finished 13-3 on the season and had home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. They stayed home and demolished the not ready for prime time Broncos and then squeaked out a victory on a botched fg against the Ravens. The Giants won the NFC east on the final weekend of the season at 9-7. They were the 4 seed and demolished Falcons and their QB Matty Ice. A player who melts like ice in the biggest games.. Who didn't see the Giants beating the Packers I know i did. They hung with them in the regular season and then shut them down on division weekend. In the NFC Championship game they got lucky as well with the 9ers Muffing 1 punt and fumbling away another.









Here we sit the morning of the super bowl. I take this game differently then 4 years ago. I'm not over it at all but its a different entity. Super Bowl 42 was like a bad divorce you had all the joy right there but then the bitch just took it away. Now you are with a new wife or girlfriend for a new experience. The 2011 Patriots are a reason to believe things always happen for a reason. The pats are favorites but they are not the better team. Vegas is not full of dumbies by making the Pats favorites they can get more money in on the Giants. The Pats will use this to their advantage they might be listed as the favorites but listen to any person with an opinion and most pick the Giants.








On paper i see a mismatch when the Giants Offense goes up against the Pats Defense. Or at least it looks that way. The patriots are playing some of their best defensive football at the most important time. Vince Wilfork is playing better than he has in all his years in New England. The Pats will move in and out of 3 and 4 man fronts all game. They have played more zone this season then i can remember. My thought is the BB has figured something out. No longer can you play as physical on the wr so by going to zone the pats will try to clog the lanes to throw to Nicks, Manningham, Ballard and Cruz. They need a 4 or 5 man pass rush to get after Eli Manning and make him throw into the zone coverage. The patriots can stop the run but their main focus will be 1 player. In 2001 it was Marshall Faulk In 2003 it was stopping the 2 headed Carolina rushing attack and in 2004 it was stop Brian Westbrook. In all 3 wins the Patriots did what needed to happen to win. In 2007 the pats game plan on D was to have manning beat them and stop the run. They played it to perfection only problem was Manning beat them. This year the key will be to stop the big pass play from manning he is the key to this game. Eli is an Elite QB and he is going to get his team in the best position to win. The key is to stop Hakeem Nicks. Cruz will get his catches but Nicks is the man who can get the huge play. The Patriots in order to win need to limit the Giants to 3's and not 7's. It will be bend but don't break at its finest. Belichick and Matt Pratricia will have the right design to limit Eli Manning and the Giants receivers big play ability.

The Patriots Offense has been hard to stop all season. The 2 TE attack has been vital. With Gronk and Hernandez the Pats can come out in so many different looks. Everyone talks about the front 4 wreaking havoc against the pats. They did in the Superbowl 4 years ago but this year will be different. The pats in 07 needed more time. This team is a quick strike offense using both TEs and Welker to short pass their way down the field. That will help keep the Giants NASCAR front from getting constant pressure on Brady. Another way for the pats to help on this is bringing in Nate Solder as a 3rd TE or basically an extra tackle. The pats need to establish a run game with the Law Firm as well. An effective run game can lead to some nice play action passes and with the way the pats can be multidimensional with their packages they can spread the giants out and attack. And if all else fails just go to the hurry up no one else has stopped that this season.


I believe the pats win the coin toss and defer. They hold the Giants and get good field position on a punt. The Pats will make it 7-0 and then after a giants fg it will be 14-3 patriots lead after another TD. Right before half time the Giants will make it 14-10. The pats will take the ball and get a FG to make it 17-10. Manning will tie the game up right before the start of the 4th quarter. Brady will have New england in a frenzy as he throws a TD pass to Gronk with 2 mins to go to put the Pats up. Only we will watch Manning tie it up on a last minute drive.

And......

Sure this is a rematch but these teams are totally different than they were 4 years ago. And this time the Patriots will win and bring the Lombardi back home. Patriots 30-24 in overtime on a Kevin Faulk 2 yard TD run to finish his career.



The Patritos will be Superbowl champions and Owner Robert Kraft will have a little happiness to help with the heart ache of losing his sweetheart. The season has been dedicated to Myra Kraft and the team will not disappoint.

Super Bowl MVP Rob Gronkowski. He and his ankle will be fine and will have 8 for 115 and 2 tds