New England Patriots Links 10/07/09 - Pees Pleased With Secondary Efforts

Dean Pees talks about how good it was for the Defense to get that interception Sunday.

We've been pleased with some of the production we've had back there. We've had more pass beak-ups here in the first four games than we had all last season. We've been around the ball quite a bit and we haven't given up many big plays. We've been happy with those things. You're right. You like to get those turnovers. You like to get some interceptions and show some productivity for your efforts. And that interception [by Leigh Bodden] was a great catch, just a great catch. [He was] very aware of the sideline. I think it got everybody in the secondary and the whole team excited.

Bill Belichick talks about the Patriots very competitive secondary, and how they're all contributing.

We've got good depth there, good quality. Those guys compete hard and we're going to keep using them. Maybe that will settle into one particular group, or maybe it won't, I don't know. But we'll just keep letting them play. As long as everybody's playing well and contributing, we'll keep doing that. I think that group's been pretty consistent all the way through. They've given us some plays. I'm not saying it's been perfect back there, but they've given us some plays. They've worked hard, and they communicate well together, and it's been good for the depth of our team.

Jerome Bettis (SI) offers his thoughts on the Ravens complaints about the Roughing the passer calls, and Brady's reaction.

I'll say this about Terrell Suggs' questionable hit on Tom Brady: If Tom hadn't gotten his right leg out of the way, there would have been a much bigger, much nastier collision. If I were a ref, there was just enough contact, even with Tom saving his own butt, for me to make that call. It was a 50-50 play: If they hadn't flagged it, I would have understood it. They did, and I understood that.

I also understand what Ray Lewis is concerned about. The league-wide approach to handling quarterbacks is all wrong; it sends a terrible message to the rest of the NFL: the quarterback is 10 times more important than everyone else. Does Brady get any special treatment? Obviously I believe that, too. Peyton Manning as well. And that's bad for the game. But you know what? You can't blame Brady for playing within the rules and the way a game is called.

TEAM TALK

• Tuesday Conference Calls:  Bill Belichick (10.03min.), Nick Caserio (10.14min.), Dean Pees (8.03min.) Plus Transcripts.
  
• Boston Patriots vs. Denver Broncos: The Boston Patriots travel to Denver to face the Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High this week. Break out the throw-back jerseys again.
• Ask PFW: Hope is riding high with wins.
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian compares the success of Josh McDaniels to the disaster of Eric Mangini.  Tough-love vs. dictatorship.
• Jim Donaldson writes about a season that began with internal bickering and widespread pessimism about the Broncos’ prospects has become a lovefest.
• Chris Gasper and Michael Whitmer report 40 year old LB Junior Seau was at Gillette for a workout yesterday.
• Mike Reiss looks at where the Patriots rank in key statistical categories through 4 weeks of the season, with the biggest change from last week coming on third-down defense.
• Kerry J. Byrne bluntly asserts the 2009 Patriots have done little well on paper but win games. They’re 3-1 when almost everything says they shouldn’t be.  He lists seven reasons the "Just Win, Baby" Patriots should NOT be 3-1.
• Mike Reiss offers some nuggets from Bill Belichick's, Nick Caserio's and Dean Pees' weekly conference calls with the media.
• Christopher Price reports that while the Patriots pass rushers have been slow to pick up sacks this year — they have eight sacks through four games, 10th in the AFC — they still have done plenty to pressure the quarterback.
• Jeff Howe points out how rookie CB Darius Butler entered the game nearly cold turkey and shut out Clayton from that point on to help the Patriots close out a tight win.
• MIchael Whitmer notes the Patriots offense is working to establish an identity, already a quarter of a way through the season.
• Mike Reiss spoke with RB Kevin Faulk at a charity event yesterday, where Faulk expressed being impressed - but not surprised - by what McDaniels has done so far in Denver.
• Jeff Howe looks back at the history between Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels.
• Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag. Lots of terrific insight here as usual.
• Christopher Price also answers his weekly reader mailbag.  Another quality writer here in Boston, even if he did buy into the hype and pick the Ravens. 
• Mark Farinella talks about Sunday being one of the AFL legacy games, with some little-known facts about the subtle Nike infiltration of the Broncos' uniforms.
  

NATIONAL NEWS

• Mike Reiss (ESPNBoston) Ten things to know about the Broncos.  Josh McDaniels is calling the plays for Denver.
• Mike Reiss reports that Ravens LB Ray Lewis and S Ed Reed will not be fined for disparaging comments made regarding the officiating in Sunday's game, league executive Ray Anderson decided Tuesday.
• Tom E. Curran (NBC Sports) What to watch in Week 5? Try Hoodie vs. Hoodie.
• Gregg Easterbrook (ESPN) Amidst the thousands of words written, his thoughts on Patriots-Ravens, Belichick's going for it again on 4th down, and other NFL news are sprinkled in throughout the column.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets acquire Cleveland cast-off Braylon Edwards in trade.
• Jarrett Bell (USA Today) Brady Rule creates trouble for officials and defenses.
• Matt Snyder (NFL Fanhouse) Zebra Report: Trouble with the Roughing rule itself, not with Brady wanting to gain an advantage.
• Peter King (SI) Handing out awards through NFL season's first quarter.  Patriots excluded, I guess.
• Chris Chase (Shutdown Corner) A Raiders cornerback thinks he was flagged because of his religion.  No, he was flagged because of some idiotic doofus league rule about 'excessive celebrations.'

VIEW FROM DENVER

• Lindsay H. Jones (Denver Post) McDaniels vs. Belichick matchup begins before Broncos host Patriots.
• Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) Taylor bringing Patriots-best 202 rushing yards to Denver.
• Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) 4-0 shows McDaniels taught by Belichick.
• Patrick Smyth (DenverBroncos.com) Broncos vs. Patriots: Team info and points of interest.