New England Patriots Links 8/01/11 - Haynesworth a Hit; Light Turned Back On
by Marima on Aug 1, 2011 9:36 AM EDT
in New England Patriots Links
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Mark Farinella reports Leigh Bodden has recharged his batteries after a year off from football.
"I'm definitely rejuvenated, glad to be back out here, ready to go," the Patriots' veteran cornerback said Sunday at Gillette Stadium. "I'm 100 percent. All I can do is just try and keep going and put a good Leigh Bodden out there and just try to stay healthy."
"Everything came back good," he said. "It's just getting back out there and being a little rusty. But I actually wasn't as rusty as I thought I'd be. I've just got to keep working and keep getting better. "I'm far from where I want to be," he added, "so hopefully by the first preseason game I'll be where I want to be."
DJ Bean reports Rob Gronkowski misses Alge Crumpler and hopes for a big sophomore season.
"Expectations raise every year you [play] in the league. I’m not going into my second year and lowering my expectations," Gronkowski said. "Obviously not. So obviously my expectations are higher, and hopefully the coaches’ are too for me. I plan on going out there and whenever I’m in, whenever they put me in, just making sure I do the job so then [I can] go beyond those expectations."
"Alge Crumpler’s a great guy, and is definitely going to be missed," Gronkowski said. "[Players] already miss his presence. He’s a great leader and I’m definitely going to miss him. I hope the best for him, too, in the future. He wasn’t just a great player, but he was a great guy on and off the field."
Karen Guregian note Deion Branch likes the potential of the receiving unit with the addition of Chad Ochocinco, and he's getting a lot of help from everyone.
"There’s no quick process when you spend eight, nine, 10 years in one offense," Branch said. "He’s a veteran player, so that’s one advantage that he has. It’s just all about how much can he gather and consume in a day. That’ll be something that he has to do and I think with the help of myself, Wes (Welker), Tom, all of us are going to help him try to get the stuff in as soon as possible."
"I think we should be good," he said. "Chad is great. He’s a proven player, a veteran, very entertaining. We expect he has to come in and help us out."
TEAM TALK
- Patriots Training Camp schedule update: There will be no practice on Monday.
- Andy Hart tells us what happened at Sunday's practice.
- Patriots Today - Sunday extra points (2.20 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Haynesworth on the field. (2.07 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Hear from Branch, Gronkowski (2.14 min. video)
- Patritos Today - Bodden, Ochocinco unite (1.16 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss gives us his initial reaction to the Matt Light re-signing.
- Christopher Price takes a closer look at what Matt Light's new deal means for the Patriots.
- Karen Guregain says that although a deal is not imminent, Nate Solder will sign eventually but there's no way he'd be ready to start.
- Mike Reiss declares Albert Haynesworth shows enormous potential lining up beside Vince Wilfork.
- Monique Walker reports Albert Haynesworth made his presence felt at camp yesterday, especially by the O-Linemen he pushed around.
- Mike Reiss highlights the Patriots second full-pad practice of training camp.
- Ian Rapoport notes Brandon Spikes was rattling helmets in an impressive full-pads afternoon session Sunday.
- Greg A. Bedard gives us a rundown of Sunday's full-pads practice. Defense ruled the day as offense struggled.
- Mike Rodak offers his observations from yesterday's afternoon practice. The defense dominates.
- Danny Picard tells us the positive and negative aspects to the Patriots' padded practice.
- Paul Kenyon notes the Patriots are focused on bringing their own players back right now, and gives us a recap of Sunday's practice.
- Paul Kenyon calls Dan Koppen a beacon of stability for the Patriots at the center position.
- Danny Picard notes Jermaine Cunningham is a very important piece to the Patriots defense.
- Mark Farinella tells us to expect a new, quieter version of Chad Ochocinco this season.
- Shalise Manza Young Patriots Notebook: Matt Light agreed to a two-year contract last night; Brandon Spikes is committed to getting better as a player; Nick Caserio said the Pats are in talks with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and he might be here sometime this week; Marcus Cannon has been on the field as an observer since signing his contract, but "things look promising" in his recovery.
- Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Haynesworth drew attention during drills in the afternoon session when he blew up some O-Linemen; Danny Woodhead has been taking the bulk of carries since Green-Ellis can't participate until Aug. 4; Patriots flew in DT Tommie Harris for a workout; No practice today; Lee Bodden is rejuvenated and ready.
- Greg A. Bedard offers a graphical look at the Patriots' 88-man roster of the moment.
- Jeff Howe projects his first Patriots roster.
- ESPNBoston posts some photos from Sunday's first Patriots practice session at Gillette, which featured Albert Haynesworth's debut as a Patriot.
- Christopher Price profiles five remaining free agent possibilities for the Patriots.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League disapproves four rookie contracts. Patriots' Ryan Mallett and Stevan Ridley are two of them.
- Mike Klis (Denver Post) Bill Belichick's way has room for wayward talent.
- Doug Farrar (Yahoo! Sports) Is Chad Ochocinco ready to buy into the 'Patriot Way?'
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) How to grade rookies in NFL training camps.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB: Cornerbacks making out well in this wild free agency period.
- Don Banks (SI) In unprecedented offseason, teams are sticking with who they know.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) As a practical matter, Manning's new contract is fully guaranteed. This should end the media confusing him with Mother Teresa.
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4-3 seems like a stretch given our LB corps.
I don’t see much in the way of coverage outside of Guyton; on the flip side, he’s not much against the run. Spikes in the middle? Anyone here think he’s really an Urlacher/Posluszny type? Confused, confused I am.
"Every time I call it a game, you call it a business. Every time I call it a business, you call it a game."
by JohnHannahRules on Aug 1, 2011 10:15 AM EDT reply actions
We almost never go 4-3 as it is - at least I've never seen it.
We go 4-2-5 and 4-1-6, and we may have a hybrid safety/LB out there, but never three backers.
I don’t see how that will change much.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Some people can learn from the mistakes of others, while some people need to pee on the electric fence themselves.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Aug 1, 2011 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Yep
I predict a lot of 4-2-5 this year.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
Lots of depth out back.
With Bodden coming back (this is getting lost a bit — it’s huge) and Ras I coming in, there’s finally a good feeling surrounding the secondary. Factor in McGowan, Butler, The Freelancer and McCourty…things look good and a 4-2-5 makes a lot of sense. Except against “pound-it-first” teams like NY.
"Every time I call it a game, you call it a business. Every time I call it a business, you call it a game."
by JohnHannahRules on Aug 1, 2011 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions
even there, though
Mayo and Spikes excel at run defense and Bodden and McCourty are superior CBs at run support from the secondary. And of course Chung seemingly likes to hit running backs more than he likes to hit WRs. Its not ideal, but the fact that we have three guys in the secondary in this formation who can actually tackle means you can put this out there and not get pwned by a run play.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
We can play the run in the 4-2-5.
Just sub out one of the DEs for a Brace or Love (one of the bigger guys, anyway). And it’s not like we’re playing with CBs who won’t tackle a running back.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Aug 2, 2011 2:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Or even
play a 4-2-5 with 4 BIG lineman. Sub out both OLB/DEs for 3-4 DEs.
Maybe a Mike Wright Albert Haynesworth Wilfork Ron Brace
type line in a 4-2-5. You’ve got 5 Dbacks to stop the pass, and 4 big DL to rush the passer, and stop the run. Plus you’d also have Mayo and 1 other LB out there to help stop the run, or blitz up the middle, or cover backs or TEs.
by UtopianAverage on Aug 2, 2011 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Against the Jets and run heavy teams, sure.
Against good, smart QBs, nope. Too easy to get stuck in it and get gashed via the air.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
I'm not seeing a true 4-3 (ie - using 4 LBs)
I’m seeing a lot of sub packages with a Safety down in the box as a 4th LB behind a 4-man D-line. Cue lots of exotic curl-route coverages from OLB-lining-up-at-DE.
If anything, it could well look like the times the used Arrington as a pass-rusher, but with a true 3-4 OLB instead of Arrington. A lot of asymmetrical looks with the D-linemen on one side, the OLB on the other.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 1, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I could see...
Wilfork lining up on the Nose, Haynesworth as a 3-tech on one side, and Cunningham as 5-tech/ OLB on the far side of Haynesworth. Spikes covers the gap between Cunningham and Wilfork.
………RT…………………RG………………C………………….LG………………….LT
…..Cunningham…………………………Wilfork…………..Haynesworth………………………Nink/Murrell
…………………………..Spikes
……………………………………………………………………………………Mayo
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
Woo!
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 12, 2011 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Belichick wasn't just giving the players a day off from camp today
I didn’t realize that the new CBA mandated it. Betcha no one on the coaching/executive side is resting today.
Keep the faith!
Hmmm first round? Quite a stretch
And I’m not sure we can absorb his contract.
But he’d be a great player to add.
Probably sees the giants in a huge decline and wants out.
by Gr8tness on Aug 1, 2011 11:59 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Especially not for a 1st AND a ~$40M contract
combined, that would be a massive, massive over-pay.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
i think he decided that he was going to either play for a contender with major role (which he thought was unlikely possibility) or retire. i think ocho would do the same. this is why ocho thinks he is in heaven.
Indeed. Have you read Ocho's tweets today (interacting with Edelman et al)? He is so happy.
Love it.
"There's no place like it, and it's ours." - Stephen King on Fenway Park
by 808BostonSportsFan on Aug 1, 2011 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Link, please.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 1, 2011 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
...
http://twitter.com/#!/ochocinco
"There's no place like it, and it's ours." - Stephen King on Fenway Park
by 808BostonSportsFan on Aug 2, 2011 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Not sure if it's been reported elsewhere here, but Boston Herald reports
that our Pats are taking a look at former Bears DT Tommie Harris. I think this gives me more proof that they’ll play a one gap 3-4! I really liked Harris, but I didn’t follow his ’10 season and he struggled. Thoughts?
by charlie52 on Aug 1, 2011 1:08 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Where have you heardn 1-gap 3-4, out of curiosity?
All accounts from camp that I’ve read so far have been that the defense has played entirely in a 4-3.
Deep in enemy territory
That's if they shift.
I don’t think they do.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Aug 1, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I also don’t think they should, ISN. A good 4-3 need top edge rushers, and that happens to be the team’s main weakness. A 3-4 can generate more pressure from biltzing schemes and stunts with less quality from the edge, a 4-3 just can’t do it consistently. I’d hate to see Belichick going with a 4-3 for 2011 :/
by charlie52 on Aug 1, 2011 2:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
you never know in the 4-3.
With Albert and WIlfork in the middle, and cunningham emerging as a pass rusher(he rushed manning into that INT) and Moore showing promise late in the season last year, I think we can pull off a good amount of pass rush with that 4 man front.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
Could be playing a 2-gap 4-3
In which case you’re putting more stress on the LBs to pass-rush because they’re lining up directly over the T and controlling both the gaps between Guard and Tight End.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
I actually think they'll just be switching it up more regularly this year
Keep individual assignments simple but keep the overall scheme complexity by using more packages and looks. Simple for the players, but more involved for the coaches. It’s probably a flow-on of having a restricted preseason.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
Because...
we’ve generated so much pressure with those 3-4 schemes in the past? You can’t double both Haynesworth and Wilfork in a 4-3, so one of them will get penetration. You have the edge rushers 1 on 1 unless there is TE help, and with those big DTs causing problems in the middle you can have Spikes crash in almost untouched.
Nice point, Crizzle. I hadn’t thought about that.
But I’d like to see someone more proven across Cunningham. Maybe a trade for Osi then? They’re asking for a first rounder, but I don’t think anyone will give that for him, so maybe a 2nd or even a 3rd withs some luck could land him, and then a pretty good 4 men front would have been assembled.
by charlie52 on Aug 2, 2011 1:46 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I know they play around with schemes a lot in camp
But the personnel moves this time stand out. it’s not conclusive on it’s own, but it is something to consider.
Deep in enemy territory
I am soooooo looking forward to seeing both Bodden and McCourty
on the field at the same time.
That should be an awesome pair of corners that frustrate the hell out of many a QB this year!
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
Has anybody else noticed the NFL is back
…with a vengeance?
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Some people can learn from the mistakes of others, while some people need to pee on the electric fence themselves.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Aug 1, 2011 3:36 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
if we are going 4-3
then i want the team to trade for Osi Umenyiora. Umenyiora, haynesworth, warren and cunningham could be a heck of a DL
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
im gonna be all up on you like a spider monkey!
by remembering9ergods on Aug 1, 2011 4:28 PM EDT reply actions
..
Jason Taylor looks likes he’s going to head back to Miami again to finish his career. (They also signed Marc Colombo)
with chad's enthusiasm..
i really wouldnt be surprised to see him take an occasional snap on the other side of the ball. sounds like something bill would do
very happy
shithead moss retires the league just got better!!!!
by rogerwhitedorcett on Aug 1, 2011 5:29 PM EDT reply actions
Moss made some mistakes, but he still has my respect
Keep the faith!
by Marima on Aug 1, 2011 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
This
Given the number of people who hurled vitriol at Belichick last year for trading him, saying he’d finally lost it*, I’m surprised at how people are treating him now.
His body broke down, but he was a great player for us, and I’ll never forget the leadership he provided in 2008. He could have quit, but he kept fighting. Hope his post NFL-career is as successful as his NFL one was.
I’m also hoping that there is some way he could retire a Patriot.
*On a sidenote, you should really set aside a special heading(i.e. Labor Lunacy) for the one or two columns a year that trash the Patriots and say they started “reading their own press clippings.” Take Michael Silver’s hit piece on Brady, Borges’ on the Moss trade, Whitlock today, and Tom Jackson back in 2003 for example. It wouldn’t be used much, just for (e)special(ly stupid) occasions.
Double points if the writer also wrote at least one of those “press clippings.”
More seriously, thanks for the great job with these links. Always a nice read in the morning.
Say what you want about America, thirteen bucks still gets you a hell of a lot of mice!
Thanks
One of my all-time favorite websites in 2007 was called, ‘Evil Patriots Blog: A celebration of underhandery and classlessity.’
It was awesome, as the Patriots fan (John Cyr) who ran it posted links from every negative media article from around the country that vilified Bill Belichick and the Patriots after spygate.
It’s been inactive since May of 2008 but it was a terrific spot to go to before I found Pats Pulpit to get some sanity and perspective during that insane run of 2007.
Keep the faith!
the cobra kai pic is teh awesome.
"There's no place like it, and it's ours." - Stephen King on Fenway Park
by 808BostonSportsFan on Aug 1, 2011 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions
awesomeness!
Thanks!
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
I'll always have a soft spot for Randy.
(Yes, so much so that I think I’m a first name basis with him.)
"There's no place like it, and it's ours." - Stephen King on Fenway Park
by 808BostonSportsFan on Aug 1, 2011 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions
was that really necessary?
Oh. A Cowboys fan. Whatever.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
Marima, I love you.
This should end the media confusing him with Mother Teresa.
"There's no place like it, and it's ours." - Stephen King on Fenway Park
by 808BostonSportsFan on Aug 1, 2011 7:18 PM EDT reply actions
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