This is your "game in review" post, finally.  Sorry, there were a few things going on. ;-).  The best place to start is the "tale of the tape", the statistics.  There's a boat load of stats at nfl.com, so I won't simply cut & paste.  Instead, I'll highlight what I think was important and comment on what I saw.  As usual, comment away on the format or send me an email if you'd like to see something different.  I am but a vessel, a conduit passing on pearly bits.  That last part sounded weird...

Fairly equal, huh?  Until you examine how Redzone Efficiency is calculated: 1/2 for Chiefs and 2/3 for Patriots.  TD / ATTEMPTS.  Simple.  No matter how pedestrian, average or equal the numbers are, if the left number is bigger than the right number (numerator vs. the denominator for a little math lesson), you win.  A word of caution: a team could have a Redzone Efficiency of 100% and still lose.  How, you ask?  What if you were 1/1 and the other team was 2/10?  Your Redzone Efficiency is 100% while your opposing team's is 20%, but they win - 2 TDs to 1.  Note: FGs are not counted in Redzone Efficiency.

Some notables:

• Rodney Harrison was a beast: 7 tackles, 7 assists
• Rookie Jerod Mayo went 6 tackles
• Vince Wilfork was 5 tackles and 1 assist; stopping RBs at the line
• Tedy Bruschi went 2 tackles and 10 assists
• Cassel to Moss for 51 yards
• Cassel to Moss for 10 yards, TD
• Cassel was 13-18 for 152 yards
• Cassel played 3 1/2 quarters of turnover free ball

Take advantage of a situation, don't turn the ball over, convert - sounds like a mantra for the 2008 season, doesn't it?  Bottom line: Chiefs just couldn't get the engine revved up.  Even that last drive, putting them at the 5 yard line, ended in frustration for KC.  Huard was short on one pass and Gonzalez and Bowe couldn't find the handle on 2 more from Huard.  What concerns me is this wasn't stellar defensive play, but bad luck for KC.

In my mind, we squeaked by on this one.  The defenses held each other, but the difference between Brady and Cassel is that Brady would've put a gazillion points on the scoreboard making the closeness of the defensive game a moot point.  It can't be that way anymore.  The Patriots have to find a balance between offense and defense, preferable both being stellar.  Everyone needs to improve, but I'm leaning on the defense; Cassel's just not going to put up the kind of numbers to negate defensive errors.

Despite Brady's season ending injury, it was a satisfying win for me.  Granted, Tom is out, but we now have a backup who's put a 1 in the W column and his confidence is bolstered in the process.  Keep it up, Matt.  Keep it up.

Once the season starts, it's a whole new ballgame; we know that," coach Bill Belichick said. "What counts is how you play in the regular season. That's what matters. It doesn't mean that the individual performances and group performances and how you execute plays isn't important. It is important, and that leads to your execution at a later point in time, but I'd say that's what you gain from preseason."

That quote from Bill Belichick just about sums it up.  Without saying too much, he's essentially saying preseason is for evaluation of players in various situations, especially players you may think are on the bubble and you want to get 1 more look at them.  And there is little doubt in my mind the coaching staff told the players to try, but not too hard; stay healthy, don't get hurt and get some reps in.

On the flip side, the fact that we haven't seen Brady in one game and the Patriots are 0-4 does give me pause.  I have faith in the players and the coaching staff.  I have faith they know what they're doing and are out to march our boys into Feb, '09.  But...give me some evidence.  Give me something to latch on to.

Like a smackdown against KC.  I know the talent level of this team.  I know what they're capable of.  But, let's be real: it's a very different team from last year.  A rotating door of FAs and injuries make it hard, as a fan, to be 100% right now.

Quarterbacks - With Brady a no-show, all eyes were on the backups.  Cassel again failed to impress, but his numbers were not horrible: 4/6 for 37 yards.  Gutierrez managed 5/9 for 69 and O'Connell 3/4 for 22.  O'Connell had the only TD pass of the game with a nicely placed floater to Chad Jackson.  Did I also mention O'Connell had the only rushing TD of the game, too?  Kid's making a case for himself.  As far as who stays and who goes, I have no idea.  Cassel is playing against starters while Gutierrez and O'Connell are playing against backups and backups to backups; it's hard to gauge.

Running Backs - Mediocre is all I can say.  Maroney never got started with 4 for 5 yards.  Green-Ellis and Jordan managed 6 for 28 and 6 for 27 respectively which is a little over 4 yards per carry - not bad.  More important to me is Jordan's hands; he managed 23 yards on a reception.  Faulk and Jordan will make a nice pair of third down and redzone weapons.

Receivers - The ball was spread around too much to key in on any one guy's performance.  Chad Jackson had a decent 2 for 32 and CJ Jones went 2 for 14, but Jones managed to rip it up on kickoff returns; he may have secured a spot there.  Washington missed a nice toss right at his shoulders.  I'm getting concerned that Welker may be out for a bit and Washington is the stand in.

Defense - I won't go into every position because I'm truly tired of knitpicking every move, but this was somewhat brutal to watch.  Gary Guyton was a bright spot with 10 solo tackles, but the biggest bright spot was John Lynch.  He went 5 tackles and 3 assists, but he was all over the field, reading everything and jumping in when needed.  His stop at the goal line was very cool and heads up.  Cornerbacks were playing WAY to soft.  Ex: Fernando Bryant basically "hugged" a guy into the endzone.  Push him out of bounds!!  Sheesh.  Bruschi and Mayo appeared to be phoning in their performances.  I want to see these new young dudes step it up a bit.

Special Teams - Defensively, we did well, mostly due to Hanson absolutely spanking the crap out of the ball with ridiculous hang times.  By the time the Giants' returners had the ball, they were swimming in a sea of Patriots.  Offensively, CJ Jones made a case for himself as a returner.  He had some nice runbacks and made good decisions (letting the ball go for a touchback).

I have left out both offensive and defensive lines for now; more to come in another story.

While we may be harping on the individual performance of these players and an 0-4 showing is not, at all, what we're used to, I do believe there's a wildcard here and that wildcard is the coaching staff.  We have no idea what they're telling the players to do or how to play these games.  I'm cautiously optimistic they're instructing the boys in uniform to cruise a little bit, to stay healthy for the long haul that is the regular season.  Let's hope that's what they're saying.  Bring on KC.

The New England Patriots' last preseason game against...drumroll please...their arch nemesis, the New York Giants.  The team that snatched victory from the hands of our boys from Foxboro...please.  It's a time for Belichick and the coaching staff to make some determinations about the roster, to test a few more theories and to get some final reps in before it matters.

As much as we've harped on the poor showing of our guys on the field, I've come to believe only the coaching staff truly knows why they played that way.  Ellis Hobbs playing soft for the past 2 games?  He may have been told to do so in order to prevent injury (he is recently off of the PUP, ya know).  Matt Cassel getting hammered?  Some folks have already pointed out he's played against first stringers vs. the 2nd and 3rd stringers Gutierrez and O'Connell have come up against.  And, as I've stated before, there's the mad scientist, Bill Belichick, cooking up who knows what and hiding large portions of the playbook.

Quarterbacks - We shouldn't read too much into this, but Tom Brady is in the projected starting lineup.  However many (or few) reps he takes doesn't matter; it'll be good to see him in a game situation, albeit preseason.  What happens to numbers 2, 3, and 4 is anyone's guess and I'm more confused than ever.  I will say if Belichick needs an open roster spot, he may look at one of these 3.

Running Backs - I am 90% that this gang of 5 (Maroney, Morris, Faulk, Jordan, Evans) is protected.  I firmly believe Belichick thinks teams are scheming against the aerial assault of the '07 season, so he's switching gears and emphasizing the run.  I haven't seen Jordan's hands, but we have Faulk for that; I believe Jordan's our redzone back.

Wide Receivers - Randy is Randy; he'll always have a starting spot.  Monday, the other WR spot in the projected starting lineup was empty, but now contains Jabar Gaffney.  This is interesting for a couple of reasons: 1) Wes is not there and may be recovering from his rib injury (I will bring him chicken soup and tea with honey and magazines...STOP THAT!) and 2) Jabar is the guy, not Chad.  Chad's play has improved through the preseason, but only the coaches know if he can move forward.  Even though CJ Jones made some plays in the last outing, he has not impressed me in the preseason; I think he's at risk.

Offensive Line - Matt Light returned to practice on the 25th, but is not seen in the projected starting lineup for thursday night.  It still adds a needed boost just to know Matty's back.  I won't go into each player in detail, but overall, possibly reading too much into it, Belichick is a little more confident in the O line as he's put Brady back there.  Again, Brady taking reps could change in a heartbeat, but that's my take.

Linebackers - Bruschi (obviously) and Mayo at ILB.  Not Victor Hobson, the veteran from NYJ, but Jerod.  Victor has struggled to transition from OLB to ILB and has, in my mind, been beat out by Mayo.  Victor is on the bubble.  At OLB we find Mike Vrabel and Pierre Woods.  This may mean Woods got the job over Crable, but it's still tough to tell.  I hope Crable isn't on the chopping block; I like him.

Cornerbacks -  We find Ellis Hobbs and Fernando Bryant and I think #3 will be Terrence Wheatley.  At one time, we were carrying no less than 10 cornerbacks and we're now down to 8 with the most recent roster cut being Jason Webster.  I believe this to be the most vulnerable group of all (we only carried 4 in 2007).

Safeties - For months I've been saying Rodney Harrison and Brandon Meriweather own these roles, but just realized they both play the SAME position - strong safety.  We may see both of them on the field at the same time, but not always.  Your free safety will, most likely, be John Lynch.  John will also assume the nickel role on passing situations and either James Sanders or Antwain Spann will jump in at free safety.  The Patriots have been placing a lot of emphasis on nickel packages so I'm interested to see how it plays out.

Special Teams - in the depth charts, CJ Jones, Wes Welker and Chad Jackson are listed as punt returners, while Chad Jackson and Matthew Slater take kickoff returns.  This could be a saving grace for guys like Jackson and Slater who may be on the bubble in other positions, but can contribute here.

Whew, if you made it through that, gold star.  My fingers are tired of typing and my brain hurts.  The older I get, the less I can cram in there and something, inevitably, has to leak out first.  Fire away with your predictions on who stays or just cut this story to shreds.  It's all good.

Every time I hear that monicker for a swashbuckler I think of the old joke my father used to tell me:

Father: Where are your buccaneers?
Me: I don't know.
Father: On the side of your buccanhead.

Bahdum, ssssss.  Thank you very much - I'm here all weekend.

Ugly is my word for this game.  Ugly, messy, stinky.  There were very few bright spots in what was an abysmal showing.  However, as I've mentioned before, relax.  This is preseason and it's not about winning, although winning would be nice.  It's a science experiement.  It's about putting players in situations and examining the outcome.  It's about getting as many players on the field as possible.  And it's about getting a look at players so coaches can decide who to send home.  A few rambling thoughts:

• A most excellent observation by standingpat during the game thread, the defense was "bend don't break" and very generic, as if BB was purposely "hiding" his good stuff.  This was evidenced by CB Ellis Hobbs playing very soft for the first part of the game.  Bucs QB Brian Griese made the same observation.
• Adam?  We heart you and thanks for the rings, but DANG!!  G-man spanks a 53 yarder.  2 games in a row he's money.
• Welker looked like he'd shaken off the rust from a post season groin injury which put him on the PUP.
• Cassel stretched out Moss midfield and I thought he was going to get crushed.  Brady never does that as it spells disaster for tall skinny guys like Randy or little skinny guys like Wes.  2 de-merits, Matt.
• Speaking of Cassel, he's in the fight of his career and he's losing.  No excuses at this point, because the vets were on the field.  Matt can't blame "The Chad" or CJ Jones for his woes when Moss and Welker were on the field for a crapload of snaps.  He managed only 3 points in 6 drives.  Not good.
• S Brandon Meriweather appeared to be in considerable pain when he left the game in the first quarter.  If it's serious, batter up - John Lynch.
• Kevin O'Connell, after looking pretty good in his first NFL outing against the Ravens, throws an interception on his first play against Tampa Bay.  Later, he admits he forced that one and the ball should've ended up in the stands.
• ILBs weren't plugging the gaps during Tampa Bay running plays.  Even veteran Bruschi was having a tough night.

General observations: There were some glaring individual mistakes on the field.  But, this is where I gotta say Belichick is smarter than me.  He's playing very basic, vanilla offenses and defenses.  There's nothing exotic nor is there anything special about what he's putting on the field.  It's all about evaluation in a "live" situation, against someone wearing a different helmet.

Buccanhead...I kill myself.

Yes, New England Patriots fans, preseason game number two is upon us.  For your viewing pleasure, tune in to The NFL Network or WCVB / Channel 4 @ 8:00 PM.  I'll have the game thread opened up around 6'ish as well.

After preseason game number one against the Ravens, I have a few things I'll be looking for, so here's a breakdown:

Quarterbacks - Matt Cassel did not have a good game.  Communication with wide receivers was off, despite a lot of reps in training camp.  Hopefully Belichick and the coaching staff worked on that aspect of Cassel's game and he comes out with a little more polish than we witnessed.  Matt Gutierrez wasn't much better, but he's backup to the backup; I'm less concerned about him.  Kevin O'Connell was a welcomed surprise and I hope to see more of the same.  Tom Brady did not make the trip to Tampa Bay due to a sore foot.  Which foot it is has not been revealed.  Happy place...happy place...ohhhhmmmm.  Seriously, relax.  Preseason is not the time to push an injury, especially with your star quarterback.

Wide Receivers - After Welker got off the PUP a few weeks back, he commented how it'll take some time to get back in the swing of things, that he was working to get his timing back with the QB's, specifically Brady.  Apparently, it didn't take long.  Mike Reiss has reported that the triumvirate is looking as sharp as ever.  Look for more playing time from Moss, Welker and Gaffney.  C.J. Jones is fighting for his job.  He did not have a good showing and will need to step up.  "The Chad" is another that needs to amp it up a bit.  I really hope he succeeds; we could really use the skills he projects to have.

Running Backs - LaMont Jordan was killer against the Ravens.  At this point, I really feel like he could own the redzone/goal line RB job.  I think Maroney and Morris will see more playing time as well as Faulk.  I'd like to see a few successful options to Kevin before a feel better.

Offensive Line - JHR is the guru, but overall the O-line struggled against the Ravens and has been hampered by injuries.  Barry Stokes has been IR'd and the boys are getting older.  A younger OL is a necessity, IMO but we needed to fix linebacker first.  Let's just hope we don't need Kevin O'Connell scrambling skills all around.

Linebackers - An area focused on so heavily, the linebacker corps appear to be shaping up nicely.  OLB draftee Shawn Crable is really looking good while ILB Jerod Mayo is turning into a stud and Pierre Woods was an animal against the Ravens.  OLBs Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas will see more reps as will ILB Tedy Bruschi.  I think if this lineup proves successful, fan favorite ILB Junior Seau will retire.  I'd like to see ILB Victor Hobson do well.  He's been struggling after moving from OLB for the Jets.  Rookie ILB Gary Guyton continues to impress.

Cornerbacks - Hobbs and Bryant continue to be the starters in my mind and rookie Terrence Wheatley has really gotten himself noticed in a field of 10.  Why so many?  Belichick's looking for something, some secret sauce that'll spell disaster for opposing teams.  With that many cornerbacks on the roster, this says to me he thinks this will be a key position for 2008.

Safeties - The Denver Broncos released veteran John Lynch and Belichick promptly snatched him up.  Lynch is known for being a super hard hitter and has signed a one year deal with the Patriots.  This appears to be a direct response to the loss of Tank Williams, the hybrid safety/linebacker guy who was such a good fit for the nickelback position.  I'll be watching John.

Defensive Lineman - Jarvis Green is back and Richard Seymour is feeling pretty good.  An interesting note: Belichick had the guys practice switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3.  A 4-3 is a good overall defense, but is very effective against the run so look for it during an obvious running situation.

As we progress through Training Camp, I will attempt to summarize the interesting points from the various news sources out there.  For more detailed information, I will always include links to the full stories at the bottom of these entries.

Nick Kaczur is practicing.  As you may recall, he appeared on the PUP at the beginning of TC.  OL was a thin position this summer with injuries, so it's encouraging to see some of the guys coming back.  You may recall, Nick was involved in the illegal use of Oxycontin and subsequently complied with a sting of the dealer.  Kaczur has plea bargained down to a speeding charge and must comply with any drug treatment programs the Patriots decide are necessary.  Think what you will - star athletes getting star treatment.  He's back.  We need him.

5 out of 6 TC practices have been full pads.  There's no easing into preparation for the gang; Belichick is making them earn every break they get and is pushing them from the start.  It's a fine line, though.  Coaches worry about wearing out their players or the injuries associated with full pad practices vs. getting them ready for the long hall of an NFL season.  That's why Belichick's the coach; I think he's got it down by now.

WR Robert Ortiz was released to make room for FA RB LaMont Jordan.  In my story Training Camp Shootout: Wide Reciever, I predicted this would happen given his limited roles with previous teams and mostly NFL Europa experience.  I'm a bit confused by the move to pickup LaMont given we already have 5 running backs (Morris, Faulk, Maroney, Evans, Green-Ellis) and 4 are vets.  It could indicate Belichick intends to strengthen the running game significantly and feels the need to have more RBs to rotate in and out.  At 5-10 230 lbs, LaMont is a bull, so he could also see action as a blocking back or in third down situations, similar to a Kevin Faulk role.

Here's an interesting tidbit from Reiss's blog regarding filling gaps by the defense:

This practice was especially physical for the front seven of the defense, specifically in how gaps are filled in the running game. Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour comprised the 3-man line, with Adalius Thomas and Pierre Woods at outside linebacker and Tedy Bruschi and Tank Williams at inside linebacker.

Hmm... I thought Tank was a safety.  I guess you never know with BB.  At 6-2 223 lbs, he's big, but not what I'd call a classic ILB size-wise.  Maybe it's an attempt to teach Tank all facets of the Patriots' defense.  Maybe Tank is a multi-faceted player and will be used all over the field.  I'm keeping an eye on this guy.  I was happy when they brought him on board and I'm liking the move more and more.

And, one final thought related to running backs: our OL was dominated in the SB, where it mattered most.  5 sacks and 9 hits on Brady had a significant impact on the outcome of that game.  The Giants correctly assumed we'd try an aerial assault and loaded up on pass rushers.  This year, however, I believe Belichick plans to run the ball down opponent's throats.  As soon as he sees defensive run stoppers replaced with pass rushers, the RB freight train will begin.  Yet another weapon in the arsenal - try to defend the run?  Loft it to Moss, Welker, or Gaffney.  Try to defend the pass - Morris, Faulk, Maroney, Jordan, Evans.  Make defenses worry about too many things and they're spread to thin.

CB Terrence Wheatley inked a deal today to make him the second to last draftee to sign.  Here's the team's press release on Wheatley's:

Wheatley, 23, played in 40 games with 28 starts for the University of Colorado over four seasons (2003-04, 2006-07). The 5-foot-9-inch, 183-pound cornerback recorded 156 tackles (124 solo), 1.5 sacks, 14 interceptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns, 31 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Wheatley also gained 1,350 yards on kickoff returns in his collegiate career. His 14 interceptions tied the second highest total in Colorado history, while his total of two interception returns for touchdowns was one shy of the school record. As a senior in 2007, Wheatley was a first-team All-Big 12 selection by the Associated Press and the league's coaches, starting 10 games and totaling five interceptions and 12 passes defensed. He became the first Colorado player in 25 years to record three interceptions in a game when he achieved the feat against Texas Tech.

The Patriots also signed FA offensive lineman Lavdrim Bauta, putting the Patriots at their maximum 80 man roster.  More from his press release:

Bauta, 24, was a three-year letterman for Duke before transferring to Villanova for his final collegiate season in 2006. As a senior with Villanova in 2006, Bauta started 10 games at right tackle. In 2005, Bauta started all 11 games at tackle for Duke while also being named to the ACC All-Academic Team.

The only unsigned draftee left is Jerod Mayo.  Jerod?  Please don't make me nervous.  I'm sure you're going to sign.  All this posturing by your agent is just making fans nervous.  Ok, so you were a first rounder and all.  Go for it because we want to see you at training camp.  We want to see you mind melding with Tedy.  Don't do this to us.  SIGN...SIGN...SIGN!  Do you really need another  Porsche?

Now that OTAs (Organized Team Activities) are over, there's not much going on other than the occasional free agent acquisition packing his bags.  Sad, but new rules regarding how many players can be carried into training camp limit NFL teams to an 80 man roster.

Post some links?  Naahhh.  Write another story about Wes?  That moves from man crush to...well, let's not go there.  Ok, let's make another red snapper  and think about it.

On November 16, 1959 Boston businessman Billy Sullivan created the eigth and final AFL franchise, the Boston Patriots.  Playing in one AFL championship game in 1963, they wouldn't make the playoffs for another 13 years.  In 1970, the AFL and NFL merged and the Patriots were placed in the AFC East, where they remain today.  In 1971, they moved to a new stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts and changed their name to the New England Patriots.

A Superbowl XX visit in 1986 turned into a 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears.  They wouldn't make the playoffs for 8 more years.  A number of ownership changes ensued when the team was sold to Victor Kiam  in 1988, James Orthwein  in 1992, and finally Robert Kraft  in 1994.

In 1993, Head Coach Bill Parcells  was hired and the red and white uniform was retired, favoring today's blue and silver.  Parcells would bring them to Superbowl XXXI which they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 35-21.  Pete Carroll would follow as coach and take the Patriots to two playoffs, but the true foundation of the Patriots's dynasty was built in 2000 when Bill Belichick arrived in New England as Head Coach of the New England Patriots.

That year, Drew Bledsoe suffered a serious injury inflicted by NY Jets linebacker Mo Lewis.  This gave then backup quarterback Tom Brady a shot at the starting job which he embraced, leading the Patriots to a Superbowl XXXVI win against the greatest show on turf, the St. Louis Rams.  Let's not forget Drew taking over for an injured Brady in the AFC Championship against the Steelers.  The Patriots beat the Steelers 24-17, paving the way to the Superbowl - thanks Drew!

My favorite moment in Patriots history is not sitting in Mosi's Endzone during a freezing New England winter.  Nor an impossible catch by Moss.  My favorite Patriots moment is watching Tedi Bruschi enjoy the spoils of years of hardwork and dedication by wrestling with his sons on the field before Superbowl XXXIX on Feb 6, 2005.

What's your favorite moment?

 
via cache.boston.com 

As many of you know, Mike Reiss is a sports reporter for the Boston Globe and scribes about the goings on with our favorite team, the New England Patriots. Mike's fact-based writing style provides us Patriots nuts with great reference material; you will often see him quoted here, more so than any other reporter.

I knew Mike Reiss was prolific, but I realized just how crazy he was during the Goodell/Specter press conferences.  Reiss's Pieces , Mike's Patriots blog, was being updated constantly with the goings on.  I think it really connected us fans with what was happening at the time.

I've done enough jabbering.  Let's get to the Q&A.

A Colts blogger of ours did an excellent analysis suggesting it will take time for the Patriots's new acquisitions to add value to the defense.  Have Belichick and the front office done enough to fill the gaps between the old guard (Bruschi, Vrabel, Seau) and the new guard (Crable, Mayo) while our rookies come up-to-speed?

Reiss: Time will obviously tell, but I'm going to say a definitive "yes" right now. One area that stood out to me at recent organized team activities was the versatility among many of the defenders, and how the Patriots have a lot of different parts that will allow them to do different things. I could be way off on this, but I think this defense is going to be a lot more dynamic than we've seen in recent years. I sense they're going to try some new things -- a little 3-4, a little 4-3, different sub-package combinations -- and I wonder how much the influence of new secondary coach Dom Capers is playing into that. It might be stuff that we don't see for a few weeks and then all of a sudden it pops up. In terms of the new defenders, I think Fernando Bryant looks like he's a starter at one cornerback spot. I also envision Jerod Mayo and Victor Hobson teaming up with Tedy Bruschi to provide a 1-2-3 combo at inside linebacker. I wouldn't be surprised if Brandon Meriweather is in the starting lineup at safety and much improved, with Tank Williams a major factor in sub packages, bridging the gap between safety and linebacker. On paper, the Patriots might be a bit weaker on the back end of the defense (it hurts to lose Asante Samuel), but I think they'll be stronger in the front seven. Overall, this rates as one of my top storylines going forward -- how will this defense be re-shaped? I might be reading the tea leaves wrong, but it's one reason I particularly enjoy following a Bill Belichick-coached team. Good luck figuring out what's coming next.

The Red Sox won the World Series, The Patriots narrowly missed having a perfect season and the Celtics are inches away from a championship. Have we become spoiled?  Are our expectations now too high?

Reiss: Can I turn this question over to safety Rodney Harrison? Entering his 15th NFL season, Harrison was asked this exact question at the Patriots Charitable Foundation Golf Tournament on Monday. His answer: "No question, fans are spoiled. Having a baseball team, world champions. A football team. Now possibly with our basketball team. Just a great legacy and history of winning championships around here. Hopefully it continues." As for my own opinion, I think Harrison is probably right in some respects. I'd just add that it seems to me that many fans realize this is a great era of sports in town that we'll be reflecting upon fondly when we all look back. Given all the ups and downs of the Patriots since their inception -- not just wins and losses, but ownership instability and off-field incidents -- I don't think any long-time Patriots/football fan who lived through that can ever really be considered spoiled.

Tom Brady won't be around forever.  Do you think the Patriots see something in Kevin O'Connell indicating he's the future of this franchise?

Reiss: I don't know if I would word it that way. Obviously, a team wouldn't draft a player in the third round, specifically a quarterback, if it didn't think it had a chance to be a big part of the future of the franchise. But in this case, I think it's as much as being a No. 2 as it is the possibility of being a future starter. More than 60 quarterbacks started at least one game last year in the NFL. That's an astronomical number, and a reminder of the importance of the backup spot. Can Matt Cassel be that guy? I don't think anyone knows the answer, because it's a question that can only be answered if he's thrust into that role, and he hasn't been. So in that case, I like the idea of improving your odds by adding a highly touted player to the mix. I also like the idea that Cassel's contract expires after this season and the team gives itself built-in insurance. That's just smart long-range planning. I'd also point out that there have been positive signs from Matt Gutierrez, a rookie free agent who signed with the club in 2007. The Patriots have been fortunate that Tom Brady has been an ironman, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't prepare for the possibility of having to call on a backup.

There's been a lot written about Chad Jackson and his return to full time play. Do you think he could be the Donte Stallworth replacement we're looking for?

Reiss: Yes, but I don't have the highest confidence at this point. Maybe it's that I caught out of the corner of my eye Jackson running the wrong route in the weekend mini-camp, when there wasn't a defense on the field. I don't want to base my opinion solely on that -- it would be short-sighted to do so -- but I also know there needs to be a trust and bond that develops between quarterback and receiver and that doesn't seem to be there at this point with Tom Brady and Jackson. That's what training camp is for, and it's probably fair to say that's why Jackson will be one of this camp's most intriguing stories to follow.

It's early and there's been limited access to Patriots voluntary camps (ie: Passing Camp), but which new acquisition do you see as adding value quickly?

Reiss: Not including the obvious choice of first-round pick Jerod Mayo, cornerback Fernando Bryant would be at the top of my list. I also think Victor Hobson is going to help, and people will be looking back and saying 'How could there not have been more interest in the free agent market for him?' The third name I'd add to the list is Tank Williams; much of today's game is played with offenses calling on three- and four-receiver packages, and he adds value as an extra defensive back who has linebacker-like skills.

A big Thank You to Mike Reiss for his time and thoughtful answers.  Very cool, Mike.  Don't forget to check out Mike's articles as well as Reiss's Pieces at boston.com 
 

ESPN has a great article on Jerod Mayo and his possible ascension to Tedy Bruschi's spot once the NE legend retires.

Mike Reiss has 5 mini-camp observations , including FA safety Tank Williams intercepting a Brady to Faulk pass.

Again from Reiss, a lengthy interview with Tom Brady .  In this interview, Tom talks about losing the Super Bowl, his ankle, and off season goings on.

In news around the league , Raiders's rookie holdout Darren McFadden signs a six year $60m deal.  Call me crazy, but this is just nuts.  No offense to Darren, but he hasn't played a second on the field.  It's insulting to the vets, in my opinion.