Recap of Bucs vs. Pats 8/18/11

Last night’s performance was just as good if not better than the first preseason game against the Jaguars, although Tampa Bay seemed to be just as bad last night as the Jaguars last night.  I had projected the Patriots to come out with a 24-17 win over the young Buccaneers team that just a week before, held the Chiefs, last year’s top rushing team in the NFL, to zero points.  Again, the Patriots out did themselves as they walloped the Buccaneers by a total of 31-14.  Here are some things that I’

1.  The pass rush



Andre Carter will provide speed off the edge



How could you not notice the amount of pressure that the Patriot’s starting defense had on Josh Freeman last night.  Defensive captain Jerod Mayo was all over the field, showing once again why he led the NFL in tackles just a season ago.  Even more pleasant to see was the amount of success the defensive line had, including newly acquired Andre Carter from Washington.  Carter (wearing number 93, Richard Seymour’s old number) had a stellar performance, causing havoc nearly every play. 

What was really interesting was to see the use of the 4-3 again by Belichick.  It is a “4-3 hybrid” as some analysts are calling it, where the defense is mixing different strategies to create penetration in the backfield.  The give away that this is a true 4-3, though, is the way in which the defensive line executed each snap. 

In a 3-4 defense, defensive linemen are responsible for actually taking up blockers so that linebackers can come through the open gaps and fill the holes.  They try and stand up their blockers and read the play.  This is far different than the 4-3 where the defensive line is doing everything in their power to get into the backfield, using multiple techniques to try and blow their blockers away and make the tackle.  As for what we saw last night, it worked very well but we have to remember that the Buccaneers were doing a lot of swapping with their offensive line and at any given point, the Patriots may have been going up against a third string lineman.

2.  Brady to Ochocinco

Ocho's first reception from Brady: Touchdown

I projected that we’d see Brady and Ochocinco connect a few times in the game last night and I was right.  However the entire sequence of plays with the two of them did not look as fluid as plays in which Brady threw to Welker or Hernandez.  Ochocinco finished the game with two catches for fourteen yards and a touchdown but was targeted four times, including once where Tampa Bay linebacker Mason Foster nearly took Ochocinco’s head off.  The plays just seemed forced.  There is no need to worry though, it’s still early and I expect that by the end of the preseason, with how much work Ochocinco has been putting in to learning this new offense, the two studs will be reading each other’s minds.

3.  The running game

Green-Ellis and Woodhead were very much present in the game last night, combining for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.  It is very promising to see the run game working early.  It allows for some diversity in the offense and takes some of the pressure off of Brady and the passing game.  One drive in particular was especially impressive in those terms.  On a nine play, sixty yard drive starting at their own forty yard line, the Patriots took the ball in the second quarter and ran the ball eight times, marching down the field and scoring a touchdown while taking nearly five minutes off of the game clock.  When you are able to control the clock in football, you can control the game.  More impressive though is when you can control the clock, score a touchdown, and only throw one pass on the whole drive because of a penalty.  Even more impressive: When you only have to throw one pass and Tom Brady is your quarterback.  The offense was awesome last night, but it was good to see that it was the offense as a whole and not just Tom and the passing game. 

Hopefully we see a lot of good news coming out of practice this week.  Ochocinco clearly needs more work but with the extra reps and possibly playing deeper into the next preseason game, we will see some progress.  The next game will be very different though, as the Patriots will be up against one of the scariest defensive lines in the league with the Lions.  We need even better protection than what we got last night to stop last year’s Rookie of the Year, Ndamukong Suh.  With Belichick hinting at some roster changes coming soon, this should be a fun and interesting week of practice. 

Greg’s Overall Performance Grade for Pats vs. Bucs 8/18/11: A

What to Expect: New England @ Tampa Bay Preseason

Tomorrow’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers provides a little more of a challenge than the Jaguars did, which is exactly what you’re looking for in the preseason.  The revamped Tampa team is coming off of a 10-6 season in which then rookie quarterback Josh Freeman provided some hope to the ailing Tampa fans.  Josh Freeman returns this season looking very strong and with several weapons on hand, the Buccaneers look to be fierce competitors in the NFC South this season.  Here is what we can expect from the Patriots tomorrow night:

More of the 3-4 Alignment

Reports have been coming out from Foxboro that Belichick has been doing a lot of work with the 3-4 since the introduction of their new 4-3 defense last week against the Jags.  I don’t think this is a sign of disappointment with the results from the 4-3 considering the results (four sacks and only twelve points allowed).  This is more of a case of Belichick being Belichick and wanting to keep his option open.  I expect that about half of the snaps will be played out of the 3-4 or something that mirrors it.  The ultimate goal will be to create a defense which meshes the two styles, creating real havoc for offensive coordinators around the league.

Keep an eye on Brandon Meriweather (31) and Darius Butler (28)

Rumors have been swirling through camp this season that cornerback Darius Butler is on his last leg.  The potentially terrific player has done next to nothing in his three years with the Patriots and fans and media alike are beginning to feel that Butler is a bust.  If he doesn’t step it up with some good play in tomorrow night’s game, I don’t see Butler lasting another week in the Patriots locker room.



Meriweather needs more plays like this to keep his spot



What may be surprising, however, is that Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather may be in the same kind of trouble.  Meriweather was a first round draft pick in 2007 and many feel that with four years experience, he should be making more of a splash in the league.  While his numbers are consistent, Meriweather needs to start proving that he his a leader on this defense or Belichick will be inclined to start someone like James Sanders over him when regular season comes.  His reps with the first team in practice have been diminishing quickly and the Patriots went as far as to bring in safeties from other teams for workouts, such as New Orleans veteran Darren Sharper.  Maybe this is a ploy to get Meriweather to work harder but either way, it should be interesting to see the change in his performance.  Expect him to play the whole first half like he did last game.

Tom and Ocho’s Debut

Expect a lot of this in tomorrow

Yes, I can almost promise that tomorrow’s game will be the debut of the new Patriots offense, in which Tom, Ocho, Welker, and Branch all will take part.  I am not placing any bets on how long they will be on the field though.  The aging starting crew is very important to New England’s plans this season but at the same time, Belichick might really want to work them hard.  I wouldn’t be surprised in any scenario where the starting lineup (or the majority of it) plays anywhere from one series or the entire first half.  Likewise, I expect less but equal time from Hoyer and Mallett and possibly a second look at breakout receiver Taylor Price if he is healthy (he has been nursing an injury all week at practice so don’t expect it).  While most of the scouting will be done primarily on the defensive side of the ball I feel that the coaches want a good, long look at what this starting Patriots offense will be able to do. 

No go on Haynesworth

He’s still been hurt but there are no reports coming out of camp that he is in jeopardy of being cut outside of the silly rumors around the league by NFL analysts.  We have to remember that Randy Moss sat out the majority of preseason as well in 2007.  He then went on to break the touchdown reception record.  This is Belichick being careful with what he knows is a stud player.  He will be more valuable in the regular season than now, especially since we know what he is capable of.

Expect the defense to be challenged

This isn’t the Jaguars again.  Don’t expect another stellar performance by the Patriots defense and but don’t expect them to roll over either.  Opportunity is knocking for a lot of players on that roster and it’s the ones that can get to the quarterback and make plays that will make the final cut.  That being said, this Tampa Bay offense is far better than Jacksonville’s and with that in mind, I expect a better challenge for this revamped Patriots defense.

Greg’s Prediction for tomorrow’s game:

Patriots win: 24 – 17

Look who's in town!

Buzz is in the air about the two players that the Pats were planning on bringing in to practice today.  Safety Darren Sharper and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh both had been scheduled to have a work out with Patriots coaches today but with downpours all day in the Boston area, word has not gotten out yet whether or not those workouts happened.

Ocho and Houshmandzadeh back in Cinci

It is an interesting move by the Patriots, especially considering how aggressive they’ve been already this season.  Houshmandzadeh is a great underneath receiver like Welker or Edelman and had a lot of time with Chad Ochocinco in Cincinnati.  Unfortunately, after leaving the Bengals, Houshmandzadeh basically fell off the planet, putting up poor numbers with both the Seahawks and the Ravens.  If they were to bring him in, I feel it would be as a comfort factor for Ochocinco more than anything but considering the massive amounts of receivers on their roster and the high level of play produced by second year receiver Taylor Price last game, I don’t feel that the Patriots have to room on their roster to house Houshmandzadeh.

Sharper will bring a veteran presence

Darren Sharper is another story entirely.  While he’s getting older and may have lost some of the attributes that made him such a serious threat on defense, Sharper is, if nothing else, an extremely valuable locker room presence.  If Sharper does well in his workout, expect him to play an Algae Crumpler type roll from last year in which he has his share of plays but is there more to mentor the younger safeties (Chung, Merriweather, Sanders).  This would be a great addition to the roster since this is by far their thinnest position on defense.  Most recently, Sharper played safety for the New Orleans Saints, winning a Super Bowl with them two years ago in an incredible performance against quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts.

On a side note, roomer has been floating around the NFL that newly acquired Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth will be released by the Patriots before the start of the regular season.  If I could slap the person that came up with this rumor I would.  The Patriots value their draft picks like gold and to think that the Patriots would simply cut two all-star players that they traded for with a total of three draft picks is insane.  If this happens, especially to Ochocinco, I’d be incredibly surprised.  Haynesworth’s contract is so low risk that there is a possibility but Belichick has had nothing but praise for the defensive lineman so far.  So stop worrying.

Recap of Jags vs. Pats 8/11/11

I predicted a 28 – 14 win for the Patriots last night.  I was close…as far as them winning goes.  The Patriots blew the door open on the Jaguars in a 47 – 12 rout that displayed a lot of hope in the upcoming season.  A lot of the things I mentioned yesterday I was wrong about and that is okay with me; okay because they worked.

First off, Brady did not play at all yesterday and perhaps it was better off.  With Hoyer and Mallett playing an entire half each it really allowed the coaches and fans to truly see their potential.  As far as it goes, both of them had strong outings but Hoyer seemed a bit cautious in my eyes.  He didn’t look like he has in past performances, seemingly not willing to throw the ball with any kind of confidence and overthrowing receiver on several occasions.  This is not to say he did badly, but Mallett definitely did better.  While Mallett also had some inaccurate throws, his mechanics were solid and he showed a lot of confidence in his arm.  On a side note, Mallett has a canon for an arm.

Next big thing that I messed up was guessing that we’d see a mixture of defenses from the Patriots last night.  On the contrary the Patriots mainly used the 4-3 scheme that has been spoken of so much in the media lately.  Often times the Patriots would rush five or even six players at the quarterback and it showed in both positive and negative ways. 

First, the pressure created was undeniable while several new faces (each part of the 21 defensive linemen currently on the Patriots’ roster) really came through with some solid plays.  The defense recorded 4 sacks (Richard (2), Cohen, and Cunningham) and hurried the quarterback several times, forcing a great pass rush considering the absence of Ellis, Wilfork, and Haynesworth.  The negative though is the question on how sending these extra rushers impacted the defensive backs as several times they looked weak, playing off of the receivers and allowing easy catches.  Cornerback Darius Butler has a lot to prove after a bad year last year and with last night’s poor performance, he is more on the bubble than ever. 

Another positive factor on the defensive side was linebacker Dane Fletcher, who played quite a bit last season while filling in for injuries.  Fletcher had a lot of energy on the field making some great tackles at or before the line of scrimmage.  With him in charge, the defense looked strong last night.

Offensively the Patriots had a solid night as well.  Most evident was the work done by rookie running back Steven Ridley.  At the end of the night, Ridley had accounted for sixteen carries for sixty-four yards, seven receptions for forty-seven yards, and three all-purpose touchdowns.  It is clear with last night’s performance that Ridley will be on the team this season but I don’t believe his role will be as prominent as some people presume based on the opinions I’ve heard so far.  While his effort was relentless, Ridley on amassed twenty-four yards on his first twelve carries for a well below average two yards-per carry average.  I expect that while Ridley will be a versatile weapon and a good back-up for Green-Ellis and Woodhead, his production as of last night does not make him an every down back like some seem to believe.

Next I want to talk about the work done by first round draft pick Nate Solder in the left tackle spot last night.  Number seventy-seven looked good and I made sure to watch him specifically for at least fifty percent of the plays last night.  While he seemed to be outmatched in speed on some occasions, the Patriots tested his abilities by running behind him often.  He had great foot-work on pass blocking and when in trouble, simply overpowered his assignments in the run game, one time clearing a hole for a touchdown run by Ridley.  He has a lot of work to do but Solder looks like he has a lot of potential going into week two of the preseason.

The last thing I want to mention about last night’s performance was the interesting battle at wide receiver.  Ochocinco didn’t play at all, probably because he’s a veteran and because Tom Brady didn’t play either.  The game started with Edelman and Taylor Price at the wide-out positions with Hernandez and rookie Lee Smith getting work in at tight end.  Smith was average and Hernandez was a bit below average, losing one fumble and nearly losing another.  The real story here though was the play by second-year man Taylor Price.  With five receptions, 105 yards and a really great touchdown in the back of the end zone, Price looked like he came to play.  This brings up questions for the rest of the receiving core, namely Edelman who he seemed to be in battle with last night.  Edelman with only one catch for four yards and was thrown to only twice.  Either the Patriots really wanted to test other receivers last night or Edelman was just not getting open.  Either way, if the Patriots can add yet another prominent weapon in Price, expect Tom Brady to have a field day this year.

Overall the game was very good but what has to be remembered is that the Jaguars were a very bad team last night, especially without quarterback, David Garrard (they started rookie Blaine Gabbert), star running back, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Pro Bowl tight end, Mercedes Lewis.  Then again, the Patriots didn’t have any of their stars in either so when it comes down to it, it was an all around good performance by the Patriots.

Greg’s overall grade for the game: A-

Jaguars @ Patriots Pregame Thoughts

It has been a long time coming but football has returned, starting tonight with five preseason games.  While the Ravens and Eagles matchup looks entertaining, we’re from New England!  All eyes in the region should be focused solely on tonight’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Foxboro today.  Here are some of the things you should be looking for.

Nate Solder

Nate Solder and Robert Craft

The first round draft pick should be getting a lot, if not all of the work protecting the quarterback’s blind-side tonight.  Veteran left tackle Matt Light is still on the active/physically unable to play (PUP) list so Solder, wearing number seventy-seven, should play a dominant number of the snaps.  If all goes well this season, we could see the 6’8, 319 pound rookie starting the season over Light.

Hoyer vs. Mallett

Rookie Mallett carrying the veteran's pads

Brian Hoyer has been a great back-up to Brady since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2009.  Since the preseason is usually the only time back-up quarterbacks see any snaps (knock on wood), expect to see a lot of Hoyer and a good amount of Mallett as well.  The rookie Mallett is considered to be the quarterback of the future by many here in New England (sorry, Tom Brady won’t be around forever) and tonight will be the first chance to really see how strong of an arm he has.  Hoyer is equally talented but with a few years under his belt, Hoyer might be looking to be the next Matt Cassel and perform so well off the bench that he may spark interest in a team that could use a good quarterback (cough Washington). 

Pass Rush

The biggest problem with the Patriots last season was their lack of a pass rush, this is well documented.  So what did Bill Belichick do to fix the problem?  Simple, just sign a massive amount of defensive linemen and see who the best is.  Going into tonight’s matchup, the Patriots will have twenty-one defensive linemen on their roster.  That is a little more than 20% of the players on the team.  Expect a lot of moving parts and schemes in an attempt to see what works and more importantly, who works, to generate a pass rush.

While the season is underway we must keep in mind that this is the preseason and doesn’t count for much.  In order to keep guaranteed starters healthy, we may see that a lot of them don’t play too long tonight.  I already mentioned that Matt Light will probably not suit up.  Here are some other things that you shouldn’t expect to see.

Brady/Ochocinco



Ochocinco and Brady will get that chemistry, don't worry



If I thought there was enough room for a middle category of things that you’ll see a medium amount of, this is one thing I’d put there.  While I don’t expect to see Brady or Ochocinco on the field very long, I do expect them on the field, probably for no more than a quarter.  Brady has been open about his frustration so far because of the lack of rhythm in the offense so far which he blames on the lack of time they’ve had to work together due to the lockout.  This game may be that opportunity to get in the extra work and really get a connection going.

Albert Haynesworth

Haynesworth loves New England

Honestly, I’ll be surprised if the big guy shows up.  Not because there is anything wrong or that he doesn’t want to be there, but because he hasn’t practiced for four days straight due to an injury (undisclosed as always with Belichick).  This cannot in anyway be attributed to his attitude, so calm down.  Owner Robert Craft recently stated that Haynesworth was, “not there for the money.”  This was proven when he restructured his contract and went from making around $6 million this season to $1 million.  I expect Haynesworth back and playing in the next preseason game.

A Specific Defensive Scheme

Belichick is a defensive genius and if he really was going to change from a 3-4 to a 4-3 philosophy, do you really think he’d display it for the whole NFL to see tonight?  Belichick will be mixing up the defensive schemes and sending all kinds of rushes.  But then again, what else is new?  All of this talk about changing schemes is useless because Belichick has only one scheme, the “Belichick” philosophy.  By this I mean, there is never a set defense on the field for the Patriots as Belichick creates a new defense every week to incorporate what is important to stopping their next opponent.  Don’t read too far into this talk and don’t expect to see anything out of the ordinary tonight as far as defensive “standards” go.

While the big names will be out for most of the game, it is always interesting to see what the Patriots have in the background.  This will prove to be an exciting and informative game on where the Patriots are heading and how fast they are getting there.  If you’re really ambitious, you can try looking for me in the crowd, I’ll be there in Section 304.  Expect a full report from me tomorrow at some point.

Why is Welker wearing #11?

He isn’t, that is just his incredible look-alike, Julian Edelman.  Edelman was drafted in the final round of the 2009 NFL draft and was an immediate hit in the New England area.  This isn’t because Edelman has done anything super extraordinary in his two years as a Patriot, but rather because he was so much like Brady’s top receiver, Wes Welker.  Like Welker, his vertical speed is nothing to brag about.  In exchange, however, Edelman is one of the fastest in the NFL when it comes to agility and making quick moves before and after the catch.  What makes Edelman so interesting, though, is not his Welker impression, but that he was not always a receiver. 

Attending high school in Woodside, California, Julian Edelman was the best in his division and probably his conference…in passing that is.  That’s right, number eleven used to be a quarterback for his high school, putting up incredible numbers in his career totaling 2,239 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air.  This production continued in college, where Edelman was the starting quarterback for three years at Kent State University.  In his senior year, Edelman amassed 1, 830 yards and 13 touchdowns in the passing game.  More impressive is that in the same year that he was the team’s leading passer; Edelman was the leading rusher as well, totaling 1, 370 yards and another 13 touchdowns on the ground.  Why is it then, that the Patriots drafted a quarterback in 2009 when they already had Tom Brady and would eventually go on to sign back-up Brian Hoyer as a free agent the same year? 

To compliment Welker, apparently.  During the 2009 season fans could often see heavy crossing patterns in which Welker and Edelman nearly intertwined in order to create havoc, lose coverage, and use their speed to create space between themselves and the defenders.  This was utterly successful until Welker went down with an ACL injury in the last game of the season against Houston.  While Welker was lost for the remainder of the season, Edelman took his place and proved to be very capable of being Brady’s slot receiver, taking many of the underneath passes and continuing to be undistinguishable from Welker.  While the Patriots did lose to the Ravens in the playoffs that season, Edelman was one of the few bright spots during that game.

Here, in 2011 however, the roster has changed and grown and the competition for the starting spots at wide receiver is intense.  We can probably place a high bet that Deion Branch, Wes Welker, and newly acquired receiver Chad Ochocinco are locks for the top three spots on the wide receiver roster.  That leaves Edelman and vertical threats Brandon Tate and Taylor Price to compete for the final two spots.  Many people are wondering what the Patriots offense will look like with so many weapons.  Well I have an idea.

Below is a diagram of the typical Patriots offense from the 2010 season.  The Patriots run what is called a “Vertical Philosophy” in that they throw passes to open up chances for the run and run to try and open up more lanes for the passing game.  Everything compliments one another.  For these diagrams I am using numbers to represent each player since it is the depth chart that I want to show here.  To verify, here are the players that each number represents:

84 – Deion Branch

87 – Rob Gronkowski

85 – Aaron Hernandez

83 – Wes Welker

12 – Tom Brady (obviously)

42 – BenJarvus Green-Ellis

84             O    O    C    O    O    87               83

                    12                          85

                                            42                                                      

This is a diagram of a football formation commonly known as “Singleback Double Tight Right”.  This set pertains to one “singleback” (42) and two tight ends (87 and 85).  So what can we expect the base offense to look like this year with so many new weapons?  There are a few options.

Option 1:  Singleback Split

In this set, one of the tight ends will be replaced with a third wide receiver.  I feel that this will be Wes Welker taking over in that spot while Ochocinco moves into the “83” spot above.  Since Welker is best in short passing patterns, this would be the best spot for him.  As a side note, Chad Ochocinco has purchased the number 85 from Aaron Hernandez and therefore, all diagrams that show 85 will show Ochocinco, not Hernandez.

                             84                    O    O    C    O    O    87               85

                                        83                      12 

                                                                  42           

                              
        

This is my guess as to what the prominent offense will look like while Gronkowski (87) and Hernandez (now 81) switching based on the situation.  As far as Edelman goes, though, he will be fighting for that fourth receiver spot when it comes time for opening day.  The package he really has to worry about looks more like this:

Option 2:  Shotgun Base Spread

84                  O    O    C    O    O                 85

   83                                          11

                      

          12    42

The “Shotgun Spread” is a pass-first offensive formation with four-wide receiver and one running back, usually kept for blocking or quick release passes while the four receivers go deep.  Edelman (11) will be fighting for that spot opposite of Welker as a second short pass option for Brady.

While I expect both Tate and Price to make the roster, I feel strongly that Edelman will be the one to claim the fourth receiver spot.  With this in mind, I do not expect Edelman to have any kind of a statistically significant year.  With a lot of strength at the tight end position and with six running backs on the current roster, Edelman will probably only be in when passing is absolutely necessary.  Other than that, expect Edelman to be returning many of the punts.  He has proved to be a dangerous weapon as a punt returner over the past two years.

Greg’s 2011 Prediction for Julian Edelman:

25 Receptions

210 Yards

0 Receiving Touchdowns

2 Punt Returns for Touchdowns

Projected Overall Grade: C+



   

Every Man's Dreams

It’s Friday, New England, and a happy one at that!  With an invigorating free agent period coming to a close soon, there is excitement in the air around Gillette Stadium as their first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars is less than a week away!  Today, though, I want to take a step back from all of that.  I want to take you away to a realm that is majestic, controlling, and heart-warming.  It has a special place in the hearts of millions of sports fans and the season is now underway to really start to get excited about a sport that requires wit, speed, and more than anything, a true understanding of what the ultimate goal is.  Vince Lombardi once said, “Football is 10% physical and 90% mental,” or something along those lines.  Fantasy football is no different.

The basis of fantasy football, for those one or two people that don’t know, is that you draft a football team of real professional football players from the NFL and you keep track of them from game to game.  Their success (or lack thereof) determines a point amount in your fantasy football league as you play weekly against another fantasy football opponent.  Some play for fun, some play for cash, but myself, I play for glory.  If you’re reading this and you’re starting to get sick of it and feel I’m ridiculous, you should probably stop reading; I don’t want non-believers reading this anyway.  If you are a believer and you know exactly what I’m talking about, then keep reading to see my draft strategy that might be able to give you that edge in this upcoming fantasy football season. 

With my draft only two days away, I have been planning for it for nearly two weeks straight.  Not in little increments either, I’m talking around eight hours a day of reading stats and updates that I feel will help give me the upper hand on my very competitive league.  Yes, it’s true that I’m over obsessed with the game, but my own dad won the league last year.  How do you think I feel about that?  So here it is, my every situation draft strategy!

1. Draft a running back

AP is dominant in Fantasy Football

The NFL is changing more and more to a passing league.  No more are the days of Walter Payton or Emmitt Smith running up and down the field.  Now we have “committees,” or groups of running backs that take turns running the ball in different situations.  The Patriots (six running backs on their current roster) are a perfect example of this strategy.  Therefore it is imperative that you draft one of the few “pure running backs” that are left in the NFL.  By this I mean Adrian Peterson, Arian Foster, Chris Johnson and Jamal Charles to name a few, players that are the running back for their team.  Since there are so few of these players in the NFL (I’m pretty sure that I named at least half of them there) they must be your first round pick!

2. Know your league

Andre Johnson is the best FF receiver. Period.

My league has fourteen teams in it.  Each team has seventeen positions to be filled (ten starting and seven bench spots).  That means that in the draft there will be a total of 238 pick, making my league a very thin league.  By that I mean there will not be a lot of depth at any position because there will be so many players taken so fast.  In my league, therefore, it is important to control the wide receivers.  Why?  Because it is the largest category of good to decent players.  If you can control the wide receivers in my league, the rest of the league will be begging for a trade with you.  This changes based on league though.  If you’re in a standard size league (usually ten teams) then the running backs are great to control for exactly the reason I mentioned in the above section.  If you can take the majority of the solid running backs, you have an advantage over the rest of the league.  My rule is if the league has ten teams or less, control the funning backs.  If there are more than ten teams, do everything you can to get as many good receivers as possible.

3. Don’t panic about your quarterback

OVERRATED!!! Except you Tom.

In small leagues (ten or less) quarterbacks will last surprisingly long.  Sure, you probably want to draft Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady with your first pick (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Tom drafted as the absolute first pick in the draft) but what’s the point when there are equally good fantasy players?  Remember, fantasy football doesn’t give you points based on how clutch a player is or how good of a leader they are; it’s all about the stats.  I usually pick my quarterback in the 4^th round. This gives me time to get a good running back and a couple of good receivers under my belt without sacrificing my quarterback position.  While quarterbacks may score the most points, they are often canceled out by your opposing quarterback.  Accompany this with the fact that any quarterback can have a breakout fantasy season (Josh Freeman for Tampa Bay in 2010) and you’re left with the realization that the fantasy football world does not revolve around the quarterback.

Rookie or veteran, hopefully these three tips help you be more successful this year.  Good luck and may the best team win!

Quietly Hostile

Quietly Hostile

It’s not often that we see a Chinese football player.  It’s not often that we see a Jamaican football player either.  Perhaps that explains why it is not often that we see a player like Patrick Chung in the NFL. 

Chung, born in Kingston, Jamaica, came to America and in 1999 went to Rancho Cucamonga High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California.  In high school, Chung played safety but was chosen to the All League team twice as a wide receiver.  In 2004, Chung attended the University of Oregon where he earned All-Pacific 10 honorable mention twice (in his freshman and sophomore year), Third Team All-American once (senior year), Second Team All-American once (junior year) and First Team All-Pacific 10 twice (junior and senior year).  He entered the NFL draft that year.

The Patriots never take a chance when it comes to their players: Instead they are deeply invested in making sure they know everything about that player before even thinking of drafting them, especially if they are going to use a valuable second round pick.  Chung, showing speed and strength in his NFL combine (ran a 4.49 sec 40 yard dash and bench pressed 225 pounds a whopping 25 times).  For his size (5’11, 215lbs) Chung was clearly a force.  He didn’t get to prove this however until his sophomore season in the NFL, when Chung became a full time starter at the safety position for the Patriots.  Chung finished his 2010 season with 96 tackles, 9 deflected passes, and 3 interceptions, one of which were a game changing 51 yard interception return for a touchdown during a Monday night game against Miami. 

The only flaw on the season for Chung was the admitted call of the fake punt in the divisional playoff loss to the New York Jets.  Chung was taught to count the men on the line of scrimmage and should they be short, he had the right to change the play to a fake punt in hopes to take advantage of the short handed defense.  It didn’t work, and while it was a devastating mistake, the fact that he took responsibility for it shows his strength in character, making him a true New England Patriot in my book.

Chung has become a fan favorite as the tandem of Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather and Chung has become a feared defensive backfield in the NFL.  The speed and force behind their hits make going deep difficult and running the ball nearly impossible on the Patriots thanks to the aggressive nature of coach Bill Belichick’s defensive style.  Let’s hope that we go from having one to two Pro Bowl safeties in the 2011 season.

Greg 2011 Prediction for Patrick Chung:

104 Tackles

4 Interceptions

7 Deflected Passes

1 Successful Fake Punt against the Jets

Projected Overall Grade: B

Wow, er ist groß (or "Wow he’s big")

In 2009, the New England Patriots drafted an offensive tackle in the second round of the NFL draft.  While this isn’t all that impressive, what is impressive was the size of this pick.  At 6’8, 315 pounds, offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer is enormous, even for the NFL.  During the 2009 season for the Patriots, Vollmer played 8 games, eventually replaced tackle Nick Kaczur during the final two regular season games and the playoff loss to the Ravens, earning him a starting spot at right tackle in 2010.  Last year, Vollmer played all 16 games and was voted to the Associated Press All-Pro team.  It is safe to say that it won’t be long until he reaches his first Pro Bowl as well.  So what is it that makes Sebastian Vollmer so special?  How about that 7 years ago, when he was a freshman at the University of Houston, Vollmer couldn’t speak English. 

Vollmer was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, where he would eventually lead the German American football team, the Düsseldorf Panthers to a 25-0 record and 2 Junior Bowl victories.  Catching the attention of college scouts, Vollmer eventually made his way to America in 2004 to play as a tight end for the University of Houston.  After undergoing back surgery in his sophomore year, however, Vollmer moved to offensive tackle.  It was here that he thrived, being named first team All-Conference USA in his senior year.

After a private work out with Patriots offensive line coach, Dante Scarnecchia, in 2009, the Patriots felt they had found what they were looking for: A young, talented, and massive tackle to protect their prized quarterback in the pocket, especially after Brady had his frightening knee injury a year earlier.  Now, two years later, Vollmer is a household name in New England and is sure to be an all-star player in years to come as his contract doesn’t expire until 2013. 

Long time starting left tackle for the Patriots, Matt Light, resigned with the Patriots this weekend for a two year deal.  While his veteran presence is highly appreciated by the new players in the locker room, it will be his mentoring of new tackle Nate Solder (acquired in the 2011 NFL draft, 1^st round) where Light will be most valuable.  When it comes time that Solder is ready to take over for Light, the Patriots will have a fierce offensive line and Brady will have forever to throw the ball.  Solder, like Vollmer, is massive, measuring out to be 6’8, 319 pounds.  Between the two tackles, it will be like brick walls are protecting Brady in the pocket.  The only thing I’m worried about with our offensive line this year is if Brady, reaching 6’4 (4 inches shorter than both Vollmer and Solder) will be able to see over his new tackles to throw the ball.

Greg’s 2011 Prediction for Sebastian Vollmer:

2 Sack Allowed

16 Defensive Ends Crushed

1 Pro Bowl Invitation

Overall Grade: B+

Bad Boys, Bad Boys...

In the midst of all of the craziness of the NFL free agent period this year, the Patriots seemed to be quiet and content with the team as it was.  Then again, it is in coach Bill Belichick’s nature to not let anyone know what he is really thinking in that massive, football focused head of his.

For a special edition of Cover 1, I’m going to go into the details on the two new star recruits for the Patriots: Defensive lineman, Albert Haynesworth and wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. 

Haynesworth was acquired on today in a trade with the Washington Redskins in which the Patriots only gave up a 5^th round draft pick for Haynesworth.  In comparison, that is like paying $10 for a new, unopened I-Pod straight from Bill Gates’ hand.  The only problem with this deal is that this I-Pod might have stepped on someone’s face in the past. 

While Haynesworth has had his share of problems in Washington, it is not unlike Bill Belichick to pick up players that have some issues.  He did the same with safety, Rodney Harrison, running back, Corey Dillon, and more recently, wide receiver, Randy Moss.  Haynesworth is worth the trouble however and if anyone can handle him, it is Belichick. 

Before signing a ridiculous deal in Washington and then being a bust there, Haynesworth was considered to be the top defensive lineman in the NFL, and in his last year with the Tennessee Titans, Haynesworth recorded 51 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles.  He was a monster and still is today.  He just needs the motivation to play.

Speaking of motivation, what is the only thing more deflating than being a player on the worst franchise in NFL history?  The answer: Being an incredibly talented star wide receiver on the worst franchise in NFL history. 

Chad Ochocinco (formerly Chad Johnson before he changed his name to match his number in Cincinnati) was exactly that and as his desire to play for the Bengals declined, so did his playing abilities.  Here are his numbers through his career with the Bengals (as provided by ESPN.com):

Season             Receptions       Yards               Touchdowns

2001                     28                  329                           1

2002                     69               1,166                          5

 2003                    90               1,355                          10

2004                     95               1,274                           9

2005                     97               1,432                           9

2006                     87               1,369                           7

2007                     93               1,140                           8

2008                     53               540                              4

2009                     72               1, 047                          9

2010                     67               831                              4

While he’s had a steady 10 year career in the NFL, Ochocinco had asked to be traded out of Cincinnati in 2008, the same year that he had the lowest numbers of his career (besides of course his rookie season).  This on top of the fact that the 6 time Pro Bowler is infatuated with Bill Belichick.  In fact, they’re friendship is very well noted after the two met each other at a Pro Bowl game and at times throughout his career, it almost seemed like Ochocinco had more respect for Belichick than he did his own coach (Marvin Lewis).  Now with a chance for a championship title, Haynesworth and Ochocinco will have all of the motivation they need to take it to the next level in 2011. 

For the fundamentals portion of this post, I want to go back to Albert Haynesworth.  The Patriots play a 3-4 defense (meaning 3 defensive linemen and 4 linebackers).  With the current roster before the Haynesworth trade, defensive end Ty Warren and nose tackle Vince Wilfork had their spots on the defensive line pretty much locked up.  Now we add Albert Haynesworth to the mix.

In football, there are five definite offensive linemen that have to block and can do nothing else.  They are shown below as the numbers “1-5”. 

                                                                           

                                                      LB                           LB                  

                       LB                                                                                                  LB

                                    T.W.                         V.W.                               A.H.

                               1                     2                  3                  4                         5

In front of them is the Patriots 3-4 defense, with LB standing for the 4 linebackers and the 3 defensive linemen with their initials to identify them (Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Albert Haynesworth).  It is well known here in New England that it takes at least 2 of these offensive linemen to block Vince Wilfork, so let’s take linemen 2 and 3 out.

                                                            LB                   LB                                          

                                   

                       LB                                                                                                  LB

                                    T.W.                         V.W.                               A.H.

   1                                                    4                         5

With 2 and 3 blocking him, that leaves 3 linemen to handle Ty Warren and Albert Haynesworth.  No problem, right?  Wrong.  Albert Haynesworth is so big and so fast that he also requires two people to block him.  For Haynesworth, that means 4 and 5 are one him.

                                                            LB                   LB                                          

                                   

                     LB                                                                                                  LB

                                    T.W.                         V.W.                               A.H.

                                    1                       

This leaves just 1 person, offensive linemen “1” in the diagram, to block Ty Warren.  Warren himself is good enough to need two blockers on him too, but the offense might be able to slip by with blocking him with 1 lineman.  So problem solved, you just leave 1 on Warren, right? Here’s what it looks like if all of the blockers are taking away our 3 defensive linemen:

                                                            LB                   LB                                          

                                   

                LB                                                                                                          LB

                       

Do you see anything wrong with this picture?  With 5 offensive linemen having to block 3 defensive linemen, that means that there are 4 linebackers that have to be blocked by either tight ends or running backs, both of which are not the greatest at blocking!  Not to mention, now that these players have to stay in and block in case a linebacker blitzes, that means that there is one less person to give the ball to on the field, taking away the options that the offense has to move the ball.  The beauty of this is that if for some reason the Patriots wanted to blitz all 4 linebackers that would mean it would take 5 offensive linemen and 4 receivers/running backs to block everyone that is blitzing.  THERE ARE ONLY 11 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD FOR A FOOTBALL TEAM!  That means that the quarterback and one receiver or running back would be able to try and move the ball…on the 4 remaining defensive backs, all of which are highly qualified on the Patriots (see “Cover 1 goes to Court” a couple posts below). 

In closing, the Patriots are stacked.  Every team in the NFL is scared of playing this team and for us here in New England, it is starting to feel like 2007 all over again, when the Patriots nearly went undefeated.

Greg’s 2011 Projection for Albert Haynesworth:

60 Tackles

7 Sacks

2 Forced Fumbles

31 Frustrated Offensive Coordinators

Projected Overall Grade: A-

Greg’s 2011 Projection for Chad Ochocinco:

85 Receptions

1, 164 yards

6 Touchdowns

1 Very Happy Tom Brady

Projected Overall Grade: A