New England Patriots Links 10/29/09 - Meriweather Humbled by NFL Honor; Brandon Tate Wants to Tear Up The Field

by Marima on Oct 29, 2009 9:37 AM EDT in News Comment 32 comments

Brandon Meriweather ntercepts his second pass of the day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium.

Albert Breer reports Brandon Meriweather seemed more impressed with Rodney Harrison's words of praise, than for the NFL award.

What he was a bit more willing to talk about was Rodney Harrison, the man who mentored Meriweather in his first two years in the league. Harrison was asked who the Patriots' defensive leader is on NBC's Football Night in America, and quickly responded, ""Brandon Meriweather. He's a playmaker. Not only is he a defensive leader but right now he's the MVP of that team. ... I think he and Brian Dawkins are probably playing the best of any safety in the AFC right now."

So how did that feel? "It means a lot," Meriweather said. "But you always gotta take things with a grain of salt. I can’t look at it too hard, because when you start to look at things too hard, then you start to play like it, you fall off, your head gets big. I’m trying to stay humble, and just continue doing what I been doing."

Adam Kilgore catches up with rookie WR Brandon Tate, who made his NFL debut on Sunday.

In Tate, the Patriots may have a draft steal. At North Carolina, he set an NCAA record for combined kickoff and punt-return yards with 3,523. He played alongside Giants first-round pick Hakeem Nicks and gained 23.5 yards per catch his senior season.

"When he got injured last year, he might have been, conceivably, the most exciting, electrifying player in college football,’’ said North Carolina coach Butch Davis.

"Had Brandon not gotten hurt, Brandon would have been a first-rounder, in my opinion,’’ said UNC wide receivers coach Charlie Williams. "He was tearing it up - tearing it up - early in the season.’’

TEAM TALK

Erik Scalavino notes there was only a light workout for New England yesterday as they stare down a bye week.
The New England Patriots head into the bye week with a 5-2 record. Since 2001, New England has done a remarkable job of finishing the season strong, compiling a 70-17 (.821) record after Nov. 1, including playoff games.
Patriots Today: Back to practice, look ahead to Bye. (8.35 min. video)
Locker Room Uncut: Bodden, Tate and more. (3.34 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

Jeff Howe looks at the 10 biggest story lines that surrounded the team through its first seven games.
Shalise Manza Young says with the Patriots back to being beasts of the AFC East, it's a good time to take a look around the division and take stock of where the Pats’ foes are.
Ian Rapoport focuses on Tully Banta-Cain, the versatile LB/DE who has been earning his way to full time play.
Ian Rapoport notes we may see more of T Mark LeVoir who, after coming off PUP, has his sights set on a fast track to productivity.
Mike Reiss talks with former Patriots defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell to get some insight on why it would help Dean Pees to call plays from the press box.
Mike Reiss points out the Patriots lead the league in YAC, and looks at how they have improved in other key statistical categories through week 7.
Mike Reiss notes the Patriots have been flagged for 44 accepted penalties through seven games, and lists the weekly breakdown of their infractions.
Mike Reiss reports the Patriots are one of the NFL's more pressure-oriented defenses, according to data tracked by ESPN's Stats & Analysis group.
Barry Scanlon asks, "Hey, Oakland, does Moss still look old?"
Mark Farinella offers an interview with WBZ-TV sports reporter Alice Cook. Part I, and Part II.
Boston Herald Patriots Notebook: Meriweather deflects praise for earning the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week honors. Rodney Harrison predicted he'll be the Patriots MVP this season; Brandon Tate wants to make the most of every opportunity he gets to play; Terrence Nunn wasn't too disappointed at not being activated Sunday.
ProJo Patriots Journal: Meriweather staying humble; Rookie Brandon Tate was all smiles after his first NFL game and the first time he’s played in over a year; It was a light practice yesterday at Gillette with the veterans off, nursing their bumps and bruises.
Frank Mortimer reports the Sun Chronicle front page story of the Foxborough selectmen being locked in a battle with the Kraft Group over the number of police details needed to safely run a major stadium event. [Typical small town politics - nothing to do with police details, everything to do with power struggles and pride.]

NATIONAL NEWS

Tim Graham (ESPN) In an attempt to measure how well AFC East receivers are handling the ball, Matt Lyon of ESPN Stats & Information crew crunched the numbers.
Kerry J. Byrne, CHFF (SI) Six signs parity is dead in NFL. What the NFL has done, actually, is create a system that ends up rewarding well managed teams and punishing poorly managed teams.
Aaron Schatz (Football Outsiders 2005) Guts and Stomps: Championship teams are generally defined by their ability to easily win games over inferior teams. [Props to Cassieper for alerting me to this one.]
Jimmy Traina (SI) Q&A with Jon Bon Jovi. Sooooo... Hoodie was a closet drummer?
Alan Schwarz (NY Times) Commissioner Roger Goodell faced heated criticism before a House committee, with lawmakers, former players and even a former team executive accusing the league of neglect.
George Vecsey (NY Times) Hearings reveal the true price of football.
Yahoo! Sports NFL defends itself over head injuries. (2 min. video)
Frederic J. Frommer and Howard Fendrich (AP) Goodell defends NFL's handling of head injuries.

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Closet drummer?

I knew there was something I liked about Hoodie.

My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Oct 29, 2009 11:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Discipline, consistency, improvisation, panache

And no microphone (I’m going to pretend Phil Collins never existed).

Sounds about right.

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Oct 30, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Johnny Carson

Was a drummer with a microphone, but he had the good sense to put the sticks down when he picked up the microphone.

My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Oct 30, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Phil Collins isn't drumming any more

I saw an article the other day – needed spinal surgery early this year and still can’t even pick up drumsticks. Quite sad; even if you wanted to cut out his voice box, the guy could drum.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 30, 2009 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is what we've all been saying about Tate all along

If he’s healthy, he was a huge steal in the third round and will wreak terror on opposing defenses the way Joey Galloway was supposed to. Except he’ll be better because he’s faster and will be on the same page as the QB.

by RSNexile on Oct 29, 2009 1:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He's no where near as fast as Galloway.

That doesn’t mean he won’t be a better receiver, though.

My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Oct 29, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Galloway ran a faster combine time

But that was how many years ago? And Tate was coming off a knee injury.

I’d bet Galloway has lost at least a tenth of a second off his 40 time over the course of his career, and Tate is probably a hundredth or two faster now than he was at the combine.

by RSNexile on Oct 29, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've posted this before

Neither Tate nor Nunn are burners By comparison:
Moss ran a 4.29.
T.O. ran 4.36.
Wheatley is 4.37. (fastest CB his year)
Galloway and Wilihite were 4.38 at the combine.
Guyton is 4.40. (very fast for an LB)
Butler is 4.41.
Ochocinco is 4.45.
Meriweather is 4.47 (McGowan is around here, too).
Chung is 4.49.
Brandon Tate is 4.52
Larry Fitzgerald is 4.53.
Mayo is 4.54.
Plaxico Burress is 4.55.
Brandon Marshall is 4.57.
Terrence Nunn is 4.59.
Wes Welker is 4.60 (straight OR turning), BTW so was Jerry Rice.
Vince Wilfork is 5.13. (Just so someone is slower than Wes)

As the numbers show, Jerry Rice was a 4.6 (same as Welker) and he was one of the best receivers ever. Just says Galloway would win the foot race.

My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Oct 29, 2009 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

good numbers

But it’s also worth noting those are combine numbers. While Galloway might have been a 4.38 in the days of his youth, I’m not so sure he would be faster than Tate if you timed them both right now.

Not that it really matters…it wasn’t Galloway’s speed (or lack thereof) that got him released from the team…

by JohnPaul on Oct 29, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No...

…it says that if you took Tate back in time to run at the same combine as Galloway, that Galloway would win the foot race.

by RSNexile on Oct 29, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Largent was slow too

at least that was his reputation.

All this just goes to show that precise route running and sure hands are more important than max speed.

by mmmmm on Oct 29, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Welker doesn't have straight line speed.

But he has great hands, quick turns, good routes, and a nose for extra yards.

Eventually we’ll need a replacement for Moss, as much as I hate to admit it. There has never been anyone quite like him.

Tate has more like Fitzgerald speed, but he is 2" shorter, 22lbs lighter, and 10" short on vertical. Can Tate be an eventual #1 receiver? Maybe, but not nearly the threat Moss is. Not a guy that you have to game plan for. Can Tate be a good #3 or #4 guy. Definitely, and for this year that is enough. But the next #1 guy is still on the shopping list.

My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Oct 29, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When did Tate pick up his injury?

Did he run at the combine post-injury? If so, I can’t see how it wouldn’t affect his 40 time.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He got hurt during the season, last October I think

But it takes a full year to recover completely from an ACL, and I think he tore his MCL too. There’s absolutely no way he was full speed at the combine. He may have been close, but you don’t come back to full speed from a torn ACL in six months. He might be back to full speed now, but that’s not guaranteed either.

by RSNexile on Oct 29, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I found the answer in that boston.com article

It didn’t sound like he was anywhere near full capacity, but showed quite a bit of grit. Sounds very Jerod Mayo-ish. Another reason to like the kid.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He wasn't near 100% and ran a 4.52

“Tate "attacked’’ his rehab, Williams said. Still far away from full strength, he attended the NFL combine to prove how far he had come. His once-falling draft stock, which may also have been affected by a positive test for marijuana, settled somewhere between the second and fourth rounds.”

He put a faster time than Larry Fitzgerald on half a knee? Damn.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crazy fast

The number, that really struck me both times you published this list, is Gary Guyton. That is quite a time for a linebacker.

by hythlodaeus on Oct 30, 2009 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

With experience, he may be great.

My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Oct 30, 2009 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

when was the last time a Patriots drafted a WR

who just plain ‘looked’ like a keeper?

Tate looked good out there on the field. He ran his routes and showed good acceleration and didn’t look lost.

It seems to me that most of our recent WR draft picks have ended up looking lost and confused and ended up being a waste so Tate is kinda refreshing.

by mmmmm on Oct 29, 2009 4:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Branch or Givens, I suppose

Although I don’t think WRs need to be drafted, per se. Given that WRs traditionally don’t do well for their first couple of seasons, and there are usually a lot of prima donna WRs on trade blocks or in free agency every other offseason, relying on trades and free agency for this particular position is tolerable. Unlike, say, O-line (draft a first-round stud Tackle, Hoodie, do eeeet. I want to see a Jake Long-type in a Pats uniform. Matt Light who?).

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not gonna happen

Kaczur just got extended for three years, and Vollmer is Light’s eventual replacement, maybe sooner than later. There’s no point burning a first rounder on another tackle, Mankins isn’t going anywhere, and I doubt Neal is leaving anytime soon. That just leaves center, but you can get top centers in later rounds. And in the meanwhile, Hoodie picked so many O-linemen last year that he’s not likely to use another high round pick on the O-line for a couple years.

Next years top picks are probably going to be either linebackers (especially of the pass rushing variety), corners (assuming Bodden and Springs aren’t here for long), or running backs (to replace at least two of Maroney, Morris, and Taylor in the next couple years). Though if Jermaine Gresham is available in the mid- to late second round, I’d really like to see the Pats draft him.

by RSNexile on Oct 29, 2009 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mankins' contract is up after this year...

I sure hope he doesn’t go anywhere, the guy’s a beast.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Oct 29, 2009 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't think it would happen

but I can dream. Especially when you bear in mind how well the last few first-round tackles have done, and how well Vollmer has contributed thus far. That, and Hoodie has had more success at picking first and second round trench guys (Wilfork, Seymour, Green, Vollmer, Mankins) than skill players (Jackson, Wilhite, Maroney).

I do see a linebacker as likely, although I’m not sold on the pass-rushing type, mainly due to the issues with Adalius Thomas and the fact Hoodie seems to like picking up part-time players like Wright and Banta-Cain and using them as situational rushers, rather than stud first-round draft rushers like Merriman. It’s much the same reason that I don’t think Hoodie really pursued Peppers – too expensive, too much investment in one body, no redundancy built in, etc.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We still need a more consistent pass rush

As long as the Pats have a 3-4 base, that comes from the linebackers, not the line. That’s why we need a pass rushing linebacker.

Alternatively, if the Pats were to go to a 4-3 base — which I wouldn’t recommend given the talent, instincts, and speed of Guyton and Mayo and relative thinness of the D-line — they’d need to get a pass rushing end. Or if (God forbid) Wilfork isn’t resigned, Ron Brace isn’t the answer and they’ll need to get the best DT they can.

by RSNexile on Oct 29, 2009 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

I was just thinking that if there were one or two guys like Elvis Dumervil in the draft, floating around in the third, fourth, even fifth rounds, they might appeal more to Hoodie as a Banta-Cain type player. Banta-Cain’s decidedly cheap salary-wise compared to Adalius Thomas, yet is putting up superior numbers. Banta-Cain’s also putting up better numbers than Shaun Merriman, which is the other reason investing in a stud OLB might not appeal – one injury is a pretty big cap risk.

Hoodie might be put off the idea of a stud pass-rushing OLB after the AD experience.

Then again, if he can guarantee a Demarcus Ware, I’d be very, very willing to listen. Haha.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But that's the problem, isn't it?

When guys like Elvis Dumervil drop to the third or fourth round, it’s because no one projects them to be guys like Tully Banta-Cain. Banta-Cain was a bargain in the seventh round precisely because he plays like you’d expect from a mid-rounder — he’s a solid role player who just happens to be having a career year this year and still won’t get to 10 sacks. And it really doesn’t say much that he’s having a better year than Merriman — who isn’t?

You need a couple of Banta-Cains in a 3-4. But you also need at least one Dumervil, and the Pats don’t have one right now. Thomas was supposed to be one but has been a flop for what he’s paid, and Vrabel used to be that kind of guy for us, but he’s obviously gone now and no one has really filled his shoes.

by RSNexile on Oct 30, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It also depends on what Hoodie sees in Crable and McKenzie.

Crable seemed to have the hype of being a genuinely gifted pass-rusher, and McKenzie seemed to be talked up as a decent middle guy – potentially freeing up Guyton for pass rush if necessary.

I just found it particularly interesting that Hoodie traded out of the 26th pick of this year’s draft when Clay Mathews was top name on the board, and sure enough, was picked with it. I’m not sure whether that was a slight of Matthews, or just an aversion to a first round OLB, but Hoodie had said he was a guy they liked… so read into that what you will.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 30, 2009 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crable looks fragile and you can't count on McKenzie

If Crable can’t even make it to the regular season, who cares how talented he is? Even if he does make it to the regular season next year, he won’t have played a meaningful game in nearly three years — if you think Tom Brady looked rusty at the beginning of this year, Crable is going to look positively corroded. And McKenzie will be coming off a serious knee injury and wouldn’t have been available in the third round if anyone projected him to be a top pass rusher. Maybe he’ll surprise us, but he projects as a solid role player. And you don’t want to move Guyton to OLB until such time as McKenzie can show he’s more than just a role player because he and Mayo are an intimidating combination inside.

As for Clay Matthews, he isn’t a consistent pass rusher. Like Banta-Cain, he has three sacks this year, two of those against a Detroit offensive line that is one of the worst in the league, and had only five sacks his entire college career. I’m sure he’ll be a very good OLB eventually and he may eventually be a consistent rusher, but he’s not the answer now and won’t be for at least a few more years.

So we still need someone who can give us the consistent pass rush from OLB that we don’t have.

by RSNexile on Oct 31, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dude stole my argument!

“Kerry J. Byrne, CHFF (SI) Six signs parity is dead in NFL. What the NFL has done, actually, is create a system that ends up rewarding well managed teams and punishing poorly managed teams.” That’s almost word for word what I said in that friendly discussion about running up the score with out Colt’s friends – two or three days ago.

What’s going on? Aha.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 6:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Check the date. I win? Haha.

“Rewarding mediocrity If you don’t play 100% of your ability for 60 minutes, then you’re effectively giving the mediocre teams carte blanche to not try. The salary cap and reverse draft order is there to guarantee some semblance of parity in the league – if some teams blow draft picks or salary cap on poor players or don’t spend in the first place, that’s their prerogative, and they should be punished for it. If that means they get stomped on every game, and lose viewers and supporters and revenue, that’s their own fault for shortchanging their franchise by not investing in their product correctly – good players, coaches and the like.

Face it – it’s a business. It’s big business. And they should be treated accordingly – if the particular franchise won’t invest its revenue properly, they should deal with the resultant consequences. Letting off the accelerator against "weak" teams only gives those teams a reason not to do business properly. Given the revenue-sharing deals between the owners, why should a good owner (say, Kraft) basically lend money to an incompetent organisation whom he knows won’t use it wisely and give a good product? It’s in Kraft’s best interests to force the lesser teams to pick up their act and actually produce a good product and team through wise husbandry of resources.
by Comedic.Sans on Oct 27, 2009 3:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs "

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 29, 2009 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, it's a little bit more pure in some ways than actual business -- a bit like NASCAR, really.

With the salary cap, everyone is given essentially the same cards to play. This makes the disparity in outcome even more revealing with respect to the relative ability of each management team. Almost like a b-school case study exercise.

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Oct 30, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And when there's that safety barrier in the profit sharing arrangement

there’s less incentive to actually go out and aggressively hire good coaches/managers/staff. When NFL teams are being guaranteed a certain amount of income via the collective profit-sharing arrangements, there’s an incentive (at least in some quarters) to cut costs to a minimum, hire mediocre staff and managers, not seem to care about on-field performance (and the resultant fan dollars) and merely try to live off the profit produced by the successful franchises.

The Bucs spend the least on their roster – somewhere near league minimum. They didn’t aggressively pursue say, Bill Parcells; instead they hired a rookie HC of unproven worth. Everything they do seems to have been cost-cutting rather than performance oriented. I wonder if the Glazers would be so happy to run it as their own personal fiefdom and put out such substandard product if they weren’t guaranteed a slice of the fat of other franchises’ labours? When the owner’s profits are directly and fundamentally tied to the performance of the team on the field, that is when you would expect to see owners actually invest in the things that make the elite franchises successful.

by Comedic.Sans on Oct 30, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs