Pats Pulpit - Preseason Week 1: Patriots vs. RedskinsPats Pulpit: A New England Patriots Communityhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51321/pp-fav.png2014-08-08T22:19:06-04:00http://www.patspulpit.com/rss/stream/57425762014-08-08T22:19:06-04:002014-08-08T22:19:06-04:00The Beautiful Magic of Brian Tyms
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The play of the game never counted. But my goodness it deserves to be celebrated.</p> <p>Every season the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> bring in a wide receiver to play with our emotions. He flashes acrobatics and hands and route running ability that leads fans everywhere to believe that this player is the steal of the year. They'll be the next <span>Rod Smith</span> or <span>Wes Welker</span> or two-hamstringed <span>Miles Austin</span>.</p>
<p>But they never pan out. They get cut at some point to a collective shaking of heads around Patriots nation and then we move on. We forget about them and everything they inspired during the preseason.</p>
<p>In 2009 it was Terrence Nunn. In 2010 it was <span>Buddy Farnham</span>. In 2011 it was Buddy Farnham again. In 2012, we get a pass since <span>Jeff Demps</span> was all we could think about and, in all fairness, <i>he was so freaking fast</i>. 2013 was the year of <span>Quentin Sims</span>.</p>
<p>Collectively, the preseason stars provided the Patriots and the NFL with 0 receptions, 0 yards, and one silver medal in a 4x400 relay.</p>
<p>It's now 2014 and the latest challenger has already started to create a legend. Go to his wikipedia page and you'll see his receptions, yards, and touchdowns updated to read <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Tyms" target="_blank">"infinity"</a>. I'll call it "Infinityms"</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4877776/BrianTymsWiki.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Briantymswiki_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4877776/BrianTymsWiki_medium.png"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">What we have is undrafted second year wide receiver <span>Brian Tyms</span> who is currently suspended for the first four games of the NFL season and will likely be cut and brought back aboard as deemed necessary. The suspension is because Tyms took Adderall for his ADHD, which he is correctly diagnosed as having. Adderall is on the league's illegal substance list and Tyms' approval for his medication request didn't take place until after he failed the drug test.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">But that's not the point. We're here to watch his crazy silly stupid touchdown that never was and enjoy it in all its insanity (Tymsanity?):</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4877688/TymTD.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Tymtd_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/4877688/TymTD_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>That's a touchdown that would have been confirmed during the regular season. Too be fair, some schmoe was standing in front of the camera with the best angle so I doubt it would have been overturned if challenged, but we can still dream.</p>
<p>And we can always watch Tyms jump into the stands after his actual touchdown reception:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4877696/TymTDJump.gif"><img src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/4877696/TymTDJump_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="Tymtdjump_medium"></a></p>
<p>Tymsanity. It's here until it's not (and if we know Bill Belichick, it'll be sooner than we expect). Get hyped.</p>
https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/8/5984843/the-beautiful-magic-of-brian-tymsRich Hill2014-08-08T11:00:04-04:002014-08-08T11:00:04-04:00Patriots vs.Redskins: Fan Notes from the Preseason
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<figcaption>Patrick Smith</figcaption>
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<p>A few random thoughts from the New England Patriots' 23-6 loss to the Washington Redskins.</p> <p>They say that there are no certainties in the NFL, and for the most part, that's 100% true: you never know when a career will take off or be cut short, the winner of any particular game is never a sure thing, and one season is usually drastically different from the next. And as fans, we accept that. It's a very big part of what makes football so great. However, amid all the chaos and unpredictability and excitement of NFL football, one absolute and infallible truth that exists across all facets of the game stands out like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgi2lY62Hto">Tom Brady dancing at Carnival</a>. And that, my friends, is preseason fan logic. We all know how it goes:</p>
<p><b>When my team does well, it's a great sign and reason for plenty of optimism for the upcoming season.</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>When my team does poorly, there's absolutely nothing to worry about, as it's only the preseason and most of what you see in these games is completely meaningless.</b></p>
<p>It's as certain as the changing of the seasons.</p>
<p>We all find ourselves staunchly in the latter category this morning, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">New England Patriots</a> didn't do a whole lot of things well last night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a>. After a great week of practice that saw the 1st unit get a lot of reps, the Pats went out there and, for the most part, stunk up the joint. We can add all the caveats we want about most of the starters not playing and the complete lack of gameplanning and shifting players around to experiment with different formations and all of that, and those caveats are 100% true; however, that doesn't change the fact that the Patriots didn't look too good out there, and since that's the product we got, that's what we'll be discussing over the next few days.</p>
<p>What follows are more meaningless observations rather than my usual Fan Notes. But I just didn't think that "Meaningless Observations from the Preseason" was as catchy a title, so I'm going to stick with what works.</p>
<ul>
<li>Let's just get it out of the way now and talk about Ryan Mallett. He had a chance to come out and show both the Patriots and the rest of the NFL that he was a starting caliber player, and instead he looked hesitant, indecisive, and finicky back there, finishing his day 5 for 12 with 55 yards and a sack. He felt pressure when there wasn't any, he wasn't stepping into his throws, and on the whole he wasn't overly accurate. If this game was an episode of <i>Full House</i>, Mallett was undoubtedly Kimmy Gibbler.</li>
<li>I will say this, though: Mallett wasn't as awful as everyone is saying he is. He spent most of last night getting absolutely destroyed on Twitter and most Boston-based radio shows, and to a degree, they were justified in their vitriol. However, he had a few passes where he absolutely zipped it in there, right on the money, into fairly tight windows (third down completions to <span>Kenbrell Thompkins</span> and <span>Josh Boyce</span> come to mind). Plus, at least a fair share of the blame has to go to the offensive line, which played like five guys who spent their entire offseason at Five Guys. Out of sync, letting rushers through, negating plays with holding calls, and failing to let an already tentative QB settle in.</li>
<li>I know it's completely unfair to blame new O-line coach Dave DeGugliemo for this one; the starting five weren't even in and there was zero cohesive structure. But with All-World coach Dante Scarnecchia retiring, I was hoping that our new coach would show that he has more in common with Dante than an elaborate last name.</li>
<li>Ultimately, you know it's bad when the most memorable play you get from your backup quarterback is a three yard scramble that ends in an awkward, knee-slamming slide that looked more like someone had tied Mallett's shoelaces together more than anything else.</li>
<li>While it's also a testament to the O-Line, I wasn't overly impressed with the running game either. I was hoping to see a little more out of <span>James White</span>, who looked good at times but spent a little too much time stutter stepping once he broke through the line into the next level. He's already better than <span>Laurence Maroney</span>, as he did all he dancing in the backfield, but I'm hoping that White learns to make his cut and then take off.</li>
<li> <span>Jonas Gray</span> is a likely a longshot to make the roster, as he doesn't seem to have a second gear. Attacked the hole well, but couldn't do much with himself afterwards. Kind of like me and a box of Munchkins.</li>
<li>Curious to see more of Roy Finch. He needs to learn to hold onto the ball better, and he tends to try and take it outside too much, but he might be a nice player to stash on the practice squad.</li>
<li>Glad to hear that the <span>Chris Jones</span> injury was an ankle. Usually when a player injures an ankle and he walks of without too much of a limp, he'll be OK. We may not see Jones for a while, but I bet he'll be back for Week 1.</li>
<li>I really, really hope that the refs are just trying to send a message with the amount of flags they have been throwing so far this preseason. All across the league last night, flags were flying like training bras at a Justin Beiber concert. If these past games are any indicator of how it's going to be once games start to matter, it's going to be a long season.</li>
<li>It also might not bode well for <span>Brandon Browner</span>, who looked every bit as physical and intimidating as advertised. However, he was flagged for an illegal contact penalty early on, and if the rules continue to shift to further favor the offense, Browner might be in trouble.</li>
<li>While I'm in the secondary already, I should mention rookie Malcolm Butler. Butler was one of the few bright spots in yesterday's game - instinctive, fast, decisive, and right around the ball. Even though he gave up a few completions, he didn't allow many YACs and seemed to do most things right. I don't know if there's any room for him on the roster with the depth New England already has, but he's doing everything he can to prove he's worthy of a spot.</li>
<li>OK, we can talk about <span>Jimmy Garoppolo</span> now. Jimmy G was hands down the star of the game for New England and has been generating about as much excitement as a rookie quarterback who played in a preseason game against a bunch of third stringers can possibly generate. We all heard about his recent camp struggles and how lost he looked out there, so for him to come out and play the way he did was encouraging for sure. He was decisive, he got rid of the ball quickly, he was accurate, and he showed tremendous touch on the deep passes.</li>
<li>And speaking of the deep ball - we may have seen the greatest play of the entire NFL year last night and absolutely nobody is going to remember it by this time next week. Garoppolo hit <span>Brian Tyms</span> - another standout from last night, albeit a longshot to make the roster - right in the hands on a beautiful, arcing spiral from 40 yards out, where he initially caught it but the play was broken up by Chase Minnifield. However, as Tyms bobbled the ball, it bounced into the air, floated for a moment, and then Tyms was able to dive for it from the ground as he wrestled with Minnfield after the play. Further review showed that the ball didn't touch the ground at all and it should have been a score. Belichick didn't bother challenging, because honestly, who cares, but had that been a regular season play it would have been on highlight reels for months. </li>
<li>Plus, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dailynewsen.com/images/haberler/meet_jimmy_garoppolo_tom_bradyx27s_competition_m14.jpg">he ain't too hard on the eyes, either.</a> Not sure where he ranks on the MCPS, the Marima Cutie Patootie Scale, but I'll leave that to the experts. </li>
<li>Backup QBs can't root for each other, right? I know they all say the right things when the cameras are on, but there's absolutely no way that Mallett was happy with Jimmy G's play. If this keeps up, Mallett could drop down to #3 and Garoppolo will assume the 2 spot behind our clear cut number 1.</li>
<li>That, while I'm on the subject, would also be how I'd rank our QBs in terms of attractiveness.</li>
<li>It's obviously way too early to make any real judgments, and I'm going to hold off before crowning Garoppolo the official backup or take anything more from his performance as a great first step, but I will say this: in all the years of watching Mallett, at no point have I ever said "wow." I said that three times last night, and two of them were because of Garoppolo's play. The third was when I remembered that I always keep an emergency beer in the vegetable crisper.</li>
<li>Although I should remind everyone of the 2008 preseason, where Matt Cassel couldn't string two completions together to save his life and third stringer Matt Gutierrez looked crisp and in control. And we all know what happened there.</li>
<li>Didn't like what I saw out of <span>James Anderson</span>. I thought he'd do well as a coverage linebacker, but he looks slow and a few steps behind the ball.</li>
<li>There has been a lot of talk about unwritten rules this offseason, much of that talk centering around Belichick. Well I'd like to propose another unwritten rule: players who are not directly involved in falling on a loose ball are obligated to automatically point in their team's direction. A big pile of guys, and a bunch of people standing around pointing in opposite ways. Mark it up.</li>
<li> <span>Stephen Houston</span> was lauded as potentially the guy to replace <span>LeGarrette Blount</span> as the power/short yardage back. Looks like he has been learning a little to extensively under <span>Stevan Ridley</span> instead.</li>
<li>The lone TD pass of the night was yet another beautiful throw by Garoppolo. Hit Tyms in stride, nice touch, and a good read. Looking forward to seeing what Jimmy will do next game.</li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, not a great night, but not an awful one. I personally would much rather have the team play like crap in these games than play well, because that gives Belichick plenty of fodder to ride his guys hard in practice. I don't envy anyone in that New England locker room today.</p>
<p>Well, except for Tommy B. I have a funny feeling that his absolute worst day beats the hell out of the best dream I have ever had.</p>
https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/8/5982205/patriots-vs-redskins-fan-notes-from-the-preseasonAlec Shane2014-08-07T22:44:49-04:002014-08-07T22:44:49-04:00Final Score: Redskins 23 Patriots 6
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<figcaption>Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Thoughts and analysis from the Patriots' 23-6 preseason loss to the Washington Redskins.</p> <p>Earlier this week, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> head coach Bill Belichick said that the Patriots had a long way to go. Based on the results of the team's preseason opener, he was absolutely right.</p>
<p>Granted, the Patriots only played a few of their starters, and deployed a very vanilla game plan. That being said, there were a few reasons for concern, and a few strong performances to highlight. Here are a few of my quick thoughts (I'm starting with the bad stuff):</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>Very rough preseason debut for <span>Ryan Mallett</span>. He was under the national spotlight this week, and the game was expected to be a showcase. He had a few nice throws, but struggled when under pressure, and failed to show touch and accuracy in the short passing game.</span></li>
<li><span>Not a strong showing from the Patriots' running backs. A 30,000 ft overview: <span>Stephen Houston</span> fumbled on his first attempt, <span>Jonas Gray</span> looked tentative, <span>Roy Finch</span> fumbled both a kickoff and punt return.</span></li>
<li><span>The Patriots offensive line lost a lot of one on one battles. Left tackle <span>Nate Solder</span>, in particular, struggled in limited snaps. He had a hold and allowed a sack.</span></li>
<li><span>The defensive end depth for the Patriots is an area of concern. Veteran Will Smith didn't do much to impress, and neither did rookie <span>Zach Moore</span> or second year pro <span>Michael Buchanan</span>. Both Moore and Buchanan struggled with gap containment.</span></li>
<li><span>The Patriots didn't start any of their regular linebackers, and their reserves struggled. <span>Darius Fleming</span> made a few nice plays in open space, but players such as <span>Steve Beauharnais</span> and <span>James Anderson</span> looked overpowered at times.</span></li>
<li><span>Safety Travis Hawkins is a longshot to make the roster, but he didn't help himself with multiple bad angles. <span>Duron Harmon</span> is a virtual lock for the roster, but he also struggled in this area.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Malcolm Butler</span> simply looked like he belonged at cornerback. He showed good fluidity, awareness, and ball skills. Even when he allowed completions, his coverage was excellent. The rookie free agent out of West Alabama had been building momentum with a strong training camp, and capitalized on the extended playing time he saw tonight.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Jimmy Garoppolo</span> was simply fantastic in his debut, despite some shaky performances in training camp. He was the clear bright spot for the Patriots in tonight's game. He made quick reads, showcased enough arm strength to make the sideline throws, and his touch was terrific at all levels of the field. He also showed mobility in and out of the pocket, as well as tremendous poise for a player who was not only playing in - but attending - his first NFL game. If it sounds like I'm gushing, I am. He's a fantastic fit for this Patriots' offense.</span></li>
<li><span>Garoppolo's favorite target tonight was second year receiver <span>Brian Tyms</span>. Tyms has excellent size at 6'3" and 210 lbs, and was a consistent downfield threat. He caught the Patriots' lone touchdown of the night from Garoppolo, and also had an acrobatic touchdown incorrectly called incomplete in the 3rd quarter on a play in which a pass interference was called against the defender covering him.</span></li>
</ul>
<p>What were your initial thoughts from the game?</p>
https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/7/5981375/patriots-vs-redskins-preseason-final-score-new-england-drops-openerGreg Knopping2014-08-07T21:25:33-04:002014-08-07T21:25:33-04:00Alec Shane to Appear on HAIL! Radio After the Game
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<figcaption>Patrick Smith</figcaption>
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<p>Tune in to HAIL Radio after the Patriots vs. Redskins preseason game to hear what Alec Shane has to say regarding how it went.</p> <p>My mother always told me that I had a face for radio. I wasn't quite sure what she meant at the time, and I honestly didn't really get it in earnest until my first middle school dance, but ultimately it's hard to take too much offense at the truth.</p>
<p>And now, I finally get to make mommy proud.</p>
<p>After the game, be sure to tune in to HAIL! Radio, a subfacet of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Redskins</a> site <a target="_blank" href="http://hailblog.com/">www.hailblog.com</a>, to hear yours truly give a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> perspective on the matchup. We'll be talking who stood out, who didn't, overall impressions, and anything else that might come to mind regarding the game. It may only be the first of what are four completely meaningless games in August, but that doesn't mean we can all read way too much into everything and overanalyze every single decision that was made out there tonight.</p>
<p>So if you have some free time after the game and want to hear my highly astute and completely accurate thoughts on how the Patriots looked, you can head over to HAIL! after the final whistle blows and have a listen. I'll be back after the game with the link to the broadcast.</p>
<p><b>BROADCAST LINK: </b><a target="_blank" href="http://hailblog.com/live/">http://hailblog.com/live</a>. I'll be on at around 11 PM EST.</p>
https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/7/5981145/alec-shane-to-appear-on-hail-radio-after-the-gameAlec Shane2014-08-07T21:04:25-04:002014-08-07T21:04:25-04:00Patriots vs. Redskins: Preseason Game Thread #2
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>First half thoughts and second half game thread for the Patriots vs. Redskins preseason opener.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">New England Patriots</a> trail the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a> 13-0 at halftime of their preseason opener. A few quick thoughts:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>Poor overall play from <span>Ryan Mallett</span> thus far. He's thrown a few lasers for first downs, but as has often been the case with him, has shown poor touch on many of the underneath throws and those in the 1-9 yard range. A quick start to the second half will be key for him.</span></li>
<li><span>The offensive line has struggled. Even left tackle <span>Nate Solder</span> got off to a slow start, allowing a sack and having a holding call go against him.</span></li>
<li><span>Defensively, not a strong showing from the front seven. Just about everyone has gotten pushed around.</span></li>
<li><span>Not a great first half from the safeties, especially <span>Duron Harmon</span>. He took a bad angle on a Redskins touchdown in the red zone.</span></li>
<li><span>The one standout player on defense: <span>Malcolm Butler</span>. The rookie looks like he belongs.</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Continue the discussion of the Patriots vs. Redskins preseason game here!</p>
https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/7/5981165/patriots-vs-redskins-preseason-game-thread-2Greg Knopping2014-08-07T13:00:06-04:002014-08-07T13:00:06-04:00Patriots 53 Man Roster Projection: Version 2.0
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Greg Knopping of Pats Pulpit makes his Patriots' 53 man roster projection before the Patriots kick off their preseason with a game against the Redskins.</p> <p>With the <a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Patriots</a> kicking off their preseason slate tonight against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Redskins</a>, we take a look at how their 53 man roster may look on opening day:</p>
<h4>Quarterback (3): <span>Tom Brady</span>, Ryan Mallett, Jimmy Garoppolo</h4>
<p>Heading into camp, I felt that Jimmy Garoppolo had a legitimate chance to knock off Ryan Mallett as the number two. It's been clear thus far in camp that Mallett is significantly better at this point. Barring a trade, that means the Patriots will keep three.</p>
<h4>Running Back (4): Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, James White, <span>James Develin</span>
</h4>
<p><span>Brandon Bolden</span> hasn't really flashed much this training camp, although that's not much of a surprise. White's emergence has made Bolden expendable. Plus, the Patriots can always keep a player like Stephen Houston on the practice squad and can call him up in case of an injury emergency. There's also no reason to cut Ridley, as he's still on his rookie contract and won't cost much to keep.</p>
<h4>Wide Receiver (7): Julian Edelman, <span>Danny Amendola</span>, Kenbrell Thompkins, Brandon LaFell, <span>Aaron Dobson</span>, <span>Josh Boyce</span>, Matt Slater</h4>
<p>Josh Boyce could be on the bubble, but I believe he stills offers too much upside to let go this early in his career (especially considering the cap savings the Patriots could gain by releasing Amendola next offseason). Dobson is the wildcard here. He could end up on the PUP list, although most still expect him to be ready to go by the end of the preseason.</p>
<h4>Tight End (3): Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui, D.J. Williams</h4>
<p>With the Patriots trending back towards the 3-WR offense, it will be interesting to see if they plan on keeping three tight ends. Right now, assuming they do, D.J. Williams is the frontrunner for that spot. However, Asa Watson and <span>Justin Jones</span> are the two upside players worth monitoring this preseason.</p>
<h4>Offensive Line (9): Nate Solder, <span>Logan Mankins</span>, <span>Dan Connolly</span>, <span>Marcus Cannon</span>, Sebastian Vollmer, Josh Kline, Bryan Stork, Jon Halapio, Cameron Fleming</h4>
<p>Ryan Wendell is the surprise veteran cut here, as it looks like the Patriots still prefer Dan Connolly to him, especially at the center position. The Patriots appear to be pretty deep along the interior line and at right tackle - but this is a bit of a necessity due to the young talent they are trying to develop. However, considering Cannon's ability to move out to right tackle, and both Sebastian Vollmer and Logan Mankins' ability to move to left tackle, having the prototype "swing" reserve tackle isn't a necessity for this roster.</p>
<h4>Defensive End (5): <span>Chandler Jones</span>, Rob Ninkovich, <span>Michael Buchanan</span>, Will Smith, Zach Moore<br>Defensive Tackle (4): Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Sealver Siliga, <span>Dominique Easley</span>
</h4>
<p>Chris Jones is a tough cut here, but he'll likely stick if Sealver Siliga's had injury turns out to be serious and Domique Easley isn't cleared for action soon. Tommy Kelly has regained some momentum in the last week, and he's still a candidate to start. At defensive end, the Patriots will be thin if they only keep three bodies, and Zach Moore has flashed enough potential to stick.</p>
<h4>Linebacker (6): Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower, <span>Jamie Collins</span>, <span>James Anderson</span>, <span>Steve Beauharnais</span>, <span>Chris White</span>
</h4>
<p>The starters are all set at this position, and James Anderson has been as advertised in pass coverage in training camp. Steve Beauharnais has also made some strides since his "red shirt" rookie year, and <span>Chris White</span> sticks for special teams.</p>
<h4>Cornerback (5): <span>Darrelle Revis</span>, <span>Brandon Browner</span> (suspended), <span>Alfonzo Dennard</span>, Logan Ryan, <span>Kyle Arrington</span>, <span>Malcolm Butler</span>
</h4>
<p>The Patriots keep an extra cornerback to begin the season in Malcolm Butler, due to the 4 game suspension of Brandon Browner to start the season. Other than the possible inclusion of a player like Butler (or <span>Justin Green</span>), this unit appears set.</p>
<h4>Safety (5): Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, <span>Patrick Chung</span>, Tavon Wilson, <span>Nate Ebner</span>
</h4>
<p>Pat Chung and Tavon Wilson could be competing for one roster spot, although I have both of them sticking in this projection due to their special teams prowess.</p>
<h4>Specialists (3): <span>Stephen Gostkowski</span> (K), <span>Ryan Allen</span> (P), <span>Danny Aiken</span> (LS)</h4>
<p>Thoughts: <span>Tyler Ott</span> could be pushing Danny Aiken for his job, but it's tough to tell. For now, I'll give the spot to the incumbent Aiken.</p>
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<p align="left">What are your thoughts on this roster projection? What changes would you make?</p>
https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/7/5978865/patriots-53-man-roster-projection-version-2-0Greg Knopping2014-08-07T12:00:06-04:002014-08-07T12:00:06-04:00Patriots vs. Redskins: Discussion with Hogs Haven
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Having a conversation with our friends over at Hogs Haven regarding tonight's preseason game.</p> <p>Unlike some teams which seem to cross paths with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> on a fairly regular basis, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a> aren't a team that New England sees too often. And since the Pats and Skins rarely meet during the regular season - once every four years, to be exact - I thought I would reach out to our friends over at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hogshaven.com/">Hogs Haven</a>, the Redskins blog on the SBNation network, in order to learn a little more about the team, find out how training camp has been going for them so far, and gauge what their expectations are for the 2014 season. I got in touch with the man known only on the internet as HogHunter, and while he is forever shrouded in mystery and international intrigue, he knows a lot about football and provided some fantastic insight into Redskins camp. I threw a few questions his way, and he gave some great answers.</p>
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<p><b>First thing's first - RGIII was clearly still recovering from his knee injury last season, as he struggled a bit with his mobility and accuracy in 2013. How has he looked so far? What are your expectations for him this year?</b></p>
<p>Last year was a rough time for Griffin and the entire Redskins team. It's hard for any QB to come into the regular season and be sharp after having only limited amount of practice time and no preseason games. There will always be questions about whether he pushed to come back too soon, whether he was ready to play Week 1, or if he should have been held out until after the Week 5 bye. But it ends up sounding like excuses to the general public. The Shanahans brought him in and crafted a scheme to take advantage of some of Griffin's abilities. They changed some of his throwing mechanics, cut the field in half for him, and worked a lot of short range, high percentage throws into the gameplan. Kyle Shanahan and QB coach Matt LaFleur did Griffin no favors when it came to working on his footwork and throwing mechanics though, and this became very evident last year when his mobility was still affected by the injury/knee brace.</p>
<p>This offseason, Griffin called his previous QB coach Terry Shea to work on his footwork, mechanics, and every other aspect of QB play that will improve his game this season.</p>
<p>"I called Terry because he was the guy that was there with me when I first came out, to get drafted and work on my craft," Griffin said. "So he was a guy that I knew had my best interest at heart. And he knew what I looked like beforehand, before the injury <a href="http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/07/21/rgiii-needed-terry-shea-to-help-him-undo-mechanical-things-i-was-asked-to-change/" target="_blank">and before some of the mechanical things that I was asked to change.</a>"</p>
<p>"Shea focused hard on Griffin's fundamentals, including<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/8748/washington-redskins-notes-robert-griffin-iii-to-work-with-terry-shea" target="_blank"> narrowing</a><a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/8748/washington-redskins-notes-robert-griffin-iii-to-work-with-terry-shea" target="_blank"> his base, getting his feet to turn with his body in the pocket and raising where Griffin held the ball</a> -- at times last year he held it too low, leading to a wind-up throw."</p>
<p>Griffin has been given the weapons he needs this year, but the line in front of him is still a question mark. The other question mark is Griffin knowing when to live to fight another day. He avoided major injury in his return last season but he took a lot of hits inside the pocket and on the run. Gruden has said he won't try to completely take away his legs, but he wants him here for the long-term. That means getting the yards when they are there, and throwing it away or sliding when they're not.</p>
<p>I expect Griffin to have a season somewhere between 2012's amazing rookie campaign and last year's struggle-filled 13 games. Griffin is going into a new offense with Jay Gruden and Sean McVay(formerly the Redskins' TE coach), and has to get in sync with his new weapons. There are a lot of question marks about his ability to play in the pocket, read defenses, etc. Gruden will give RG3 every weapon and opportunity to prove he can be a top QB in the league.</p>
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<p><b>What is your receiver situation after Desean Jackson and Pierre Garçon? Can we expect some more late career magic from <span>Santana Moss</span>, or is he done at this point?</b></p>
<p>It looks like you'll be getting an extended look at the receiver situation behind Jackson and Garçon tonight with both of them likely out with minor injuries. The Redskins made ex-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> WR Andre Roberts a priority signing early in free agency, and he is someone that I advocated to bring in. His signing got pushed to the backburner when the Jaccpocalypse(BGN's words not mine) hit Philly and we were able to sign a division rival's top receiver. Roberts now shifts to the #3 WR and will see a lot of work in the slot, but also shift outside on some plays. Griffin and Roberts have great chemistry so far, and I think he will surprise some people this year.</p>
<p>The name that you've probably been hearing a lot this week from camp is 5<sup>th</sup> round draft pick <span>Ryan Grant</span>. Gruden and Griffin have both praised his route running, his hands, and his professionalism on the field. We will see how that translates to the regular season if he is able to get on the field much this year. <span>Aldrick Robinson</span> is a speedster who's had trouble with consistently catching the ball and expanding his route versatility.</p>
<p>Santana Moss is probably on the roster bubble, and I honestly can't tell you if he'll be on the roster this season, but I have a gut feeling that he will be back this year. <span>Leonard Hankerson</span> is on the PUP list, and is still recovering from his ACL tear in November. Moss' role on the team will be as the 5<sup>th</sup> or 6<sup>th</sup> WR and unless Hankerson comes back, or one of the undrafted FAs can supplant him, he should make it. As far as how productive he will be, his best days are obviously behind him. Over the last 3 years he's average 535 yards and 4 TDs per season, so he can still be effective in a limited role.</p>
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<p><b>You have some veteran safeties in former Steeler FS <span>Ryan Clark</span>, former Patriot SS <span>Brandon Meriweather</span>, and former 49er FS Trenton Robinson. You've also drafted a couple of safeties in SS <span>Bacarri Rambo</span> (2013 6th round), FS <span>Phillip Thomas</span> (2013 4th round), and picked up SS <span>Akeem Davis</span> (UDFA) and SS Ross Madison (UDFA). How do you see the safety situation playing out this year, and are you tired of Meriweather yet? </b></p>
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<p>The safety situation has been an area of concern since <span>Sean Taylor</span> was murdered. The position just hasn't been filled with a reliable, starter quality player at either of the safety spots for a long time. It doesn't help that the team has been dumpster diving for solutions over the years, bringing in players like <span>Madieu Williams</span>, O.J. Atogwe, and your old friend Brandon Meriweather.</p>
<p>I'm not a fan of Meriwether and was hoping the team wouldn't re-sign him, but they brought him back on a 1 year deal. His original contract voided in February leaving $1.2 million in dead cap, so he is still an expensive option this year. His time in Washington has been a rollercoaster. He got a DUI a little over a month after his signing, missed all but two quarters of play during his first year, managed to injure himself and another player during warmups before a game, and then spent last year knocking himself and others out leading to suspensions and fines. If his play was spectacular a lot of this could be brushed aside, but it's just not.</p>
<p>Right now Ryan Clark and Meriwether are the scheduled starters with Bacarri Rambo and <span>Phillip Thomas</span> backing them up respectively. Akeem Davis looks like the 5th man if they keep 5 safeties, and they may need to with the age and injury questions. Clark has been a great influence on the field and with the 2nd year players, but the test is on the field during games.</p>
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<p><br> <b>Who has been the camp standout for you? Have any of your 2014 draft picks been a pleasant surprise at this early stage in their career? </b></p>
<p><span>Ryan Grant</span> is the first name that pops up because he has been getting praise on an almost daily basis from the beat writers, fans, coaches, and his own QBs. Even back in OTAs, Coach Gruden said that he played like a 10 year vet. That is fine for a nice training camp sound bite, when everyone looks good in shorts, but Grant has been very consistent in his play throughout the offseason.</p>
<p><span>Jordan Reed</span> is another player coming back from an injury shortened rookie year, and has the most potential to breakout this year. Reed has drawn comparisons to <span>Aaron Hernandez</span> on the field and has been a star in camp. He is consistently open and catches almost everything that is thrown at him. Concussions ended his rookie year, but if he stays healthy he will be taking advantage of the attention the other receivers get from defenses.</p>
<p>Some other names that have stood out so far are ILB <span>Keenan Robinson</span>, and RB <span>Chris Thompson</span>. Both of them were injured last season, and are looking to make an impression early. Keenan Robinson has had his last two years cut short due to Papier-mâché<i> </i>Pec Disorder(PPD), but is penciled in as the starting Mike linebacker who will be taking over the role <span>London Fletcher</span> left open when he retired. He brings the athleticism and ability to cover TEs that has been lacking at the ILB position.</p>
<p>Chris Thompson is another player who's been fighting injuries the last few years, but he's having a great camp. Gruden is looking for a pass-catching back to play in his system this year and beyond. Roy Helu Jr, has the backup position locked up, but he's a free agent next year. <span>Lache Seastrunk</span> was drafted this year in the 6<sup>th</sup>, and <span>Silas Redd</span> was brought in as an undrafted free agent, but both of them are behind Thompson right now.</p>
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<p><b>On the flip side, has anyone been struggling? Care to make a prediction as to a surprise cut?</b></p>
<p><br> Well the new coaching staff has already shown that it doesn't have any loyalty to the previous coach's draft picks. They cut 2013 5<sup>th</sup> round pick(the Haynesworth pick from NE) OLB Brandon Jenkins during the first week of camp after being in the doghouse of new OLB coach Brian Baker all summer. Another 2013 draft pick who has been struggling and could be on the roster bubble is Safety Bacarri Rambo(6<sup>th</sup> round pick). The problems that plagued him last year are showing up again this year. Rambo needs to improve the angles he takes on his tackling, and well, his tackling in general. Rambo was named the starter before training camp even started last year due to lack of other options(no word on whether his cool name and potential jersey sales played a part). The Patriots will see a lot of Rambo tonight with Ryan Clark out with a hamstring injury.</p>
<p>As for a surprise cut, I can give you three names that I'm hoping are surprise cuts. RG <span>Chris Chester</span>, RT Tyler Polumbus, and DE <span>Stephen Bowen</span> are all names that I wouldn't mind seeing on the final cut list. All three of them are vets from the Shanahan era and carry decent cap hits/savings. Stephen Bowen had microfracture surgery on his knee after being injured last season, and most people expected him to be cut and possibly re-signed when healthy. Polumbus is on the last year of his deal and the Redskins drafted <span>Morgan Moses</span> in the 3<sup>rd</sup> round as his future replacement. Chris Chester had a down year, and his possible future replacement was also drafted in the 3<sup>rd</sup>round this year in <span>Spencer Long</span>. I doubt these will happen, but there's always hope that the younger, cheaper replacements are ready sooner than later.</p>
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<p><br> <b>What are you hoping to see in tonight's game? With the starters traditionally getting so little time in Week 1, is there something a little deeper that you'll be looking for?</b></p>
<p>No injuries is obviously the first thought that comes to mind when you talk about a meaningless preseason game in the first week of August. The Redskins already have a few players dinged up from the first two weeks of training camp, and while the depth has improved from last year, you don't want to test it this early. Last season, 4<sup>th</sup> round pick Phillip Thomas was lost for the season during the first preseason game. He's out with a hamstring injury(running theme this week) tonight so he should be safe.</p>
<p>I also want to see some of the players that are fighting for the last few spots. Safety Akeem Davis is trying to find a place on the team with his special teams play and he's got the size/speed combo you want to develop. Special teams play in general has been a big focus for the team after last year's disastrous performance. We have a new ST Coordinator(former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">Jets</a> coach Ben Kotwica), new punter(s), and new competition at kicker with 7<sup>th</sup> round draft pick Zach Hocker. The hope this year is that improved special teams play, an even slightly improved defense, and a rejuvenated <span>Robert Griffin III</span> will put the Redskins into contention in the NFC East.</p>
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<p>Many thanks to Hog Haven for the insight. They also had some questions for me regarding the Patriots and how I think that this year will go, which you can check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hogshaven.com/2014/8/7/5976455/six-questions-with-pats-pulpit-redskins-brady-belichick-griffin-preseason-NFL">here</a>.</p>
<p>Here's to a exciting, injury free game.</p>
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https://www.patspulpit.com/2014/8/7/5978393/patriots-vs-redskins-a-discussion-with-hog-havenAlec Shane