New England Patriots Links 8/13/10 - Edelman The Story In Preseason Win

Bill Belichick on Julian Edelman's improvement from last year and the decision not to dress Wes Welker.

Julian is a good player. He works hard. He pays attention to little things. Julian is one of those players that when you ask him to work on something, he really puts everything into it and tries to do what the coaches ask him to do and improve. He's improved steadily since he's been here. For a guy who had never played receiver until a little over a year ago, he does a lot of things well. And he's still learning and he's still getting better and he still works hard. He made some plays again tonight with the ball in his hands.

I would just say that the players that didn't dress and play tonight, we just didn't feel that they were ready to play. That goes for everybody.

Patriots vs. Saints: Game notes.  Here is a sampling from Patriots.com

*QB Tom Brady started the game and played the entire first quarter, finishing the game 5-of-8 for 67 yards. The Patriots scored a field goal and a touchdown on Brady's two offensive drives, including a 14-play, 93-yard drive that was culminated by a 6-yard touchdown run by RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis. During that touchdown drive, Brady completed three passes of 20 yards or more with a 23-yard pass to Randy Moss, a 20-yard pass to Brandon Tate and a 21-yard pass play to Julian Edelman.

*WR Julian Edelman led the team with six receptions for 90 yards, including five receptions for 78 yards in the first half with a 21-yard pass from Tom Brady in first quarter and a 25 yarder in the second from Brian Hoyer. *First-round draft pick CB Devin McCourty had two 50-yard kickoff returns in the second quarter. He returned the second half kickoff 52 yards and then added a 50 yarder later in the period. Last year as a senior at Rutgers, McCourty returned 14 kicks for 356 yards, including one that he returned 98 yards for a touchdown.

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino examines some key areas of competition on the Patriots roster during the preseason opener versus New Orleans.
• Bill Belichick Postgame Presser (10.24 min. video) Plus Transcript.
• Postgame Quotes: Patriots and Saints.
• Locker Room Uncut - Reactions after Pats defeat Saints. (3.12 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Sam 'Bam' Cunningham inducted into Pats Hall of Fame. (2.45 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Shalise Manza Young recaps the Patriots win over the Saints in the preseason opener of 2010.
• Mike Reiss offers his first impressions following the preseason opener between the Patriots and Saints: Overall effort positive.
• Ian Rapoport reports the Patriots' starters opened well last night, with the young and untested defense flashing a rejuvenated pass-rush early.
• Christopher Price offers Ten Things we learned Thursday night.
• DJ Bean presents his quick hits from a Patriots win, including what went right and what went wrong.
• Mike Reiss finds plenty of positives for the Pats in their preseason opener win over the Saints.
• Monique Walker recaps the drives in the Patriots win over the Saints last night.
• Albert Breer talks about the new look of the offense, noting the real story is what happened around Brady, how the coaches called the game, whom the ball went to and how it got there.
• Troy Brown reasons there must be some form of an agreement in place for Tom Brady to have taken the field Thursday night.
• Mark Farinella felt Julian Edelman lent a charge of excitement to an otherwise run-of-the-mill preseason game, already looking in mid-season form.
• Robert Mays highlights how well Julian Edelman performed in the wake of Wes Welker's absence.
• Steve Buckley notes Julian Edelman is a smarter, better player than he was a season ago.
• Mike Rodak saw Julian Edelman quickly exceed expectations last night with his 40 yard punt return and 6 receptions for 90 yards, all in just over one half of the game.
• Mary Paoletti says you have to love Edelman's shake and bake.
• Karen Guregian says WR Darnell Jenkins made the most of his opportunities last night, running with electrifying speed down the sideline.
• Mark Farinella evaluates the wide receivers and gives them mixed reviews.
• Albert Breer talks with the man in charge of Wes Welker's rehab and takes a look at Welker's road to Sept. 12.
• Mike Rodak breaks down the team's pass rush tendencies throughout the game.
• Danny Picard shows how Bill Belichick stacked up his linebackers against the Saints.
• Ian Rapoport notes LB Marques Murrell's homework on the Saints paid off with a sack on Drew Brees for an 11-yd. loss.
• Monique Walker focuses on LB Marques Murrell, the only Patriot to register a sack last night and who's still fighting for a job.
• Mike Petraglia says Marques Murrell is no Adalius Thomas.
• Danny Picard offers some of his thoughts and observations about how the Patriots' running back situation is looking.
• Mary Paoletti sees the Patriots young special teamers and return game off to an encouraging start.
• Mike Reiss picks three Ups and three Downs from last night's preseason action.
• Matt Pepin shares some postgame quotes from Gillette.
• Jeff Howe takes another crack at the 53 man roster following last night's game.
• Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak both predict how the Patriots' roster will look on Sept. 12th.
• Ian Rapoport reports former Patriot Sam Cunningham was honored with his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame last night.
• Chris Gasper is still hung up on the leadership issue, saying the young guys must step up.
• Karen Guregian was looking for a grand announcement yesterday regarding a new contract for Brady, but he played anyway as if he had one.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Matt Williamson, Scouts Inc. (ESPN) Patriots will be fine without Logan Mankins.
• Thomas George (NFL Fanhouse) Patriots take first small step toward rebuilding their dynasty.
• Adam Caplan (Fox Sports) NFL Thursday night review: Young players shine under bright lights.
• Sean Leahy (USA Today) Giants-Patriots contest to be first NFL game broadcast in 3D.
• Ron Borges (Pro Football Weekly) Brady keeps true feelings to himself. Don't let that stop you from hating, Ron.
  
• Joe Posnanski (SI) Thirty-two great receivers. Randy Moss at number 4, Torry Holt at number 10..
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Ryan lays out Jets' plan on 'Hard Knocks'. "It's shaping up as a great bleeping show."
• Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Are the Jets vulnerable without Revis? A look at how offenses can attack the Jets without their top CB.
• Dennis Dillon (Sporting News) Colts' Polian: 'No deadline' on Peyton Manning contract talks.

VIEW FROM NEW ORLEANS

• Jeff Duncan (Times-Picayune) Saints get a wakeup call in preseason loss to New England Patriots.
• Kevin Spain (Times-Picayune) Payton said there was too much sloppy in the game, but overall Saints had a good week in New England.
• Mike Triplett (Times-Picayune) Saints 'sloppy' in 27-24 preseason loss to Patriots.
• James Varney (Times-Picayune) Punter injured arm making tackle.