Up In the Air (Celtics)

During the preseason, there were many questions surrounding the Celtics and their identity. Like would they have a top-ranked defense this season after drafting Marcus Smart? Or how good would Rondo be coming off of a torn ACL? Would the offense be able to put up enough points? Though it’s just game one out of 82, the Celtics may have answered some of those questions tonight.

5 takeaways from the season opener:

1)     Defense looked good. The Celtics did a nice job protecting the rim and rebounding. Oh yeah, and Marcus Smart was pretty good in his regular season debut, too I guess. Kidding. Smart looked comfortable and proved that he can definitely play in the NBA.

2)     What broken hand? Even injured Rondo is still pretty good. Rondo had 7 assists in just 10 minutes to start the second quarter. He finished the night with 13 points, 12 assists, and 7 rebounds. He just made it look too easy.

3)     Offense was clicking all night. Olynyk led the team with 19 points, Jeff Green put up 17, and the C’s had 8 players score in double digits. For the first time in 5 seasons, the Celtics scored 100 points before the 4^th quarter.

4)     This is only Brad Stevens’ second year as a head coach in the NBA; obviously, everyone is continuing to adjust and the Celtics are still going through a rebuilding period. One game into the regular season though, and Celtics fans have something to feel good about: they already look like a much improved team from last season.

5)     Injuries, injuries everywhere. From Rondo’s broken hand, to Green’s minor tweaks, to Sullinger’s questionable durability, staying healthy will play a big role in just how far the Celtics go this season.

Pump the brakes on the Championship talk, just yet.

Keep in mind that the Celtics beat the lackluster Nets at TD Garden. They have a tough November coming up, starting Saturday against the Rockets in Houston. If the Celtics play all season like they did Wednesday night, and can win on the road, this could be an interesting season.

It’s still too early to tell just exactly how good the Celtics will be this season. While they probably won’t make it to the Finals this year (much less win), if tonight was any indication, they might be better than most people expected them to be. As of now, the fate of their season is still up in air. 

Trades: Possibilities, Realities, and Dreams

With the NFL trade deadline approaching, there's been a lot of talk about which team could and should trade for this player and that player. Some of these "rumors" are possibilities, and others are simply fantasies. How many times have we heard that the Patriots are in talks with the Cardinals about trading for Larry Fitz? More times than I can count. 

Many people forget that there's more to a trade than calling up a team, making a deal-we'll give you this pick or two for *certain player*, and boom, said player is on a plane to his new city. If only it were that simple. When negotiating a trade, you have to remember that the player's contract also comes with him. And that's what keeps a lot of these dream trades from happening. 

So far this season, I've heard Vincent Jackson to the Pats, Andre Johnson to the Pats, Brady to the Texans for Andre Johnson and a couple picks, LeGarrette Blount back to the Pats, and even Marshawn Lynch to the Pats. Some of these make you think that someone had a sugar high from too many Skittles while thinking these up. 

It's no secret that the Patriots aren't big spenders and rarely splurge in the middle of the season. But right now, the Patriots are in "win-now" mode. The pressure is on. It's Super Bowl or bust. 

3 Possible Trades:

• Dane Fletcher- since he already knows the system and the Bucs don't absolutely need him, this is a trade that makes sense and could actually happen. After losing Mayo for the season, the Pats are thin at the LB position. Acquiring Fletcher shouldn't be too expensive and would have an almost immediate impact. 
• Vincent Jackson- the 31 year old veteran would be a nice deep threat addition to Brady's arsenal. Many people wonder: "if he's that good, why would Tampa Bay trade him?" The answer is: Tampa Bay's season is pretty much shot. They're already planning a rebuild. So why keep a 31 year old when you have his replacement in rookie Mike Evans? Someone like Vincent Jackson could be extremely helpful in the playoffs when the Patriots seem to miss a deep threat, more than ever. 
• LeGarrette Blount- after his breakout season in New England last season, especially towards the end of the regular season and in the playoffs, I, like many fans, was disappointed to see Blount sign with the Steelers in the offseason. He was exciting to watch, bulldozing through tackles, and torching opponents' defensive lines. The Patriots probably had no idea that Stevan Ridley would wind up on IR not even halfway through the season, and that they would be left looking for a replacement. But unfortunately, that's the scenario at hand. Blount does have a role in the Steelers offense, but when you have LeVeon Bell, obviously he's your main back. Blount is used more on kick returns and 3rd down situations. Would the Steelers send Blount back to NE for a 5th round pick? 

3 Trades I Would Love To See:

• Joseph Fauria- this one is very unlikely considering he's a pretty big part of Detroit's offense. He also hasn't played since week 3, after suffering an ankle injury. Remember Christian Fauria? Played for the Pats from 2002-2005? Loved him and love his nephew almost as much. Both are tight ends and very skilled players. Joseph Fauria would help out the Pats downfield and give Brady another option at TE. 
• Shady for a 2nd round pick- Belichick never gives up anything higher than a 4th rounder for mid-season trade. So this is pure dreaming. But, since Stevan Ridley is out for the season and in the last year of his rookie contract, this could make sense. LeSean McCoy is one of my favorite non-Patriots. He's a strong runner and can catch passes out of the backfield as well. A lot like Vereen but better as a 1st/2nd down back and not as injury prone. 
• Andre Johnson- Some people thought Andre Johnson in a Patriots uniform was very possible during the offseason. Reports started surfacing that he wasn't happy in Houston and there were questions about if he would attend training camp or holdout. At 33, he doesn't want to be a part of a rebuilding period again, but that's exactly what this season looks like for the Texans. With no real standout at the quarterback position, you have to wonder how Johnson feels about this season. The Patriots could make a run at Andre Johnson and give him a chance at winning a championship.

It's important to keep in mind that the Patriots are coming up on the toughest stretch of their schedule. Sunday's game against the Bears will have a big impact on whether or not the Patriots will be aggressive and make any moves before the trade deadline, Monday at 4pm. 

Larry Fitz to the Pats?

Every year as the trade deadline approaches, things get a bit weird in NFL fantasy world. It's not just the fans, either. Have you seen some of these trades that some analysts and experts come up with?! Marshawn Lynch to New England, Johnny Manziel to the Jets, Brady to the Texans for Andre Johnson and a second rounder. I mean come on. But, they're allowed to have their fun, too. 

One thing the Patriots have needed since well, Randy Moss left, is a legitimate deep threat. I truly believe that that is one of the only things standing between them and ring number 4. For the past couple seasons, there's been a lot of talk about Larry Fitzgerald to the Patriots. While Fitzy would be a sweeeet addition to the offense, it's just probably never going to happen.

Larry Fitzgerald is your dream teammate. Nothing but good things on and off the field, very involved in his community and charity work, and crazy dedicated to his beloved city of Arizona. He's 31, been to the Super Bowl once (and lost...to New England), and is eager to make it back to the big stage, on his quest for a ring. As of now, the Patriots look like they have a better chance at a Super Bowl win than the Cardinals. Arizona is missing a few key pieces needed for a Super Bowl caliber team. Well, this sounds like a perfect reason to bring him to New England, right? 

Keep Dreaming

This season, Larry Fitzgerald's base salary is $1 million, with more guaranteed in bonuses; the cap hit is right around $8.6 million. (That's not too bad. The Patriots have just under $14 million in cap space left, so that's manageable.) Next season however, that will jump to over $23 million. The 2016 & 2017 seasons are both option years, which if picked up, will cost the Cardinals $17.5 million against the cap. 

If there is mutual interest between the Pats and the Cardinals/Fitz, he'll have to restructure his contract. Many Patriots fans have day-dreamed about hearing "Brady to Fitzgerald, touchdown!" since at least around this team last season. I would love to see this trade happen just as much as anybody else. But I would also like to see the Patriots resign McCourty, Revis, Gostowski, and Connolly. 2015 will serve to be an interesting off season, since New England will have quite a few key players becoming free agents. Revis is technically signed through 2015, but it is unlikely that the Patriots will keep his current contract, which is a cap hit of $7 million this season, but jumps to a whopping $25 million next season. As of now, there have been no contract discussions between and Revis and the Patriots. Those are likely to happen after the season, allowing both sides to focus solely on their main goal, right now: winning the Super Bowl. 

Since Larry Fitzgerald is no longer playing for money, maybe he'd consider restructuring his contract to play for a contender. He's got the money, he's got the records, but he's hungry for a ring. Brady to Moss was a lethal combo, now just imagine what Brady to Fitzgerald could be. Wicked awesome. Fitz's role in Arizona's offensive game plan has decreased, this season. But the Cardinals currently sit at first place in their division. Would they trade their veteran pro-bowler? 

The trade deadline is Monday, October 28th. The Patriots have been known to wait until the last minute to make trades, so who knows what could happen. Sunday's game against Chicago could have a big influence, though. 

Go Pats! 

History lesson: Bears/Patriots

Alright, alright, alright. After not posting for almost 2 weeks, I'm finally back. 

Recap
Since I last posted:

• The Pats beat the Bengals on a dominating Sunday night performance and finally looked like the Patriots we all know. Ps. how great did Revis look shutting down AJ Green? Loved it. 
• The Patriots beat a stout Bills D-Line in Buffalo
• The win at Buffalo was a costly one, losing Jerod Mayo and Stevan Ridley for the season and Connolly for at least 1 game 
• The Patriots squeaked by the Jets on Thursday night, winning 27-25 thanks to Chris Jones blocking what would've been the game winning FG 
• Last night, it was announced that Chandler Jones is expected to miss a month after suffering a hip injury on Thursday night's matchup against the Jets. Major bummer. 
• The Pats traded for Titans LB Akeem Ayers. It'll be interesting to see what he brings to the team and how he's used.

Annnnnd I think that pretty much covers it. 

Sunday, the Bears come to Foxboro, looking to bounce back from an embarrassing loss against the Dolphins. I'll save my game predictions for later in the week, but here's 4 flashbacks/things to know about the Bears-Patriots 'rivalry':

1.  The Patriots' first Super Bowl appearance was against "Da Bears". It was a good ole blowout, too. The Pats lost 46-10, and wouldn't return to the Super Bowl until 1997. The Patriots weren't the best team in the AFC that season, they just happened to get lucky...really lucky. 

2.  Obviously Brady juking Brian Urlacher. One of the best things, well, ever. (If you don't remember, seriously go watch it right now. I watch it at least once a week. It's good for a Patriots fan's soul.) November 26, 2006, Gillette Stadium was filled with screaming fans and racing hearts. With just a little over 11 minutes left in the game, the score was tied at 10-10, and the Patriots were facing a critical 3rd-and-9. Brady and Urlacher were alone in the middle of the field, and pretty much everyone suspected that Brady would slide and the play would be over. UNTIL Brady juked inside, cut outside, and kept the drive alive. I think Brady's reaction was arguably the best part of the whole game.  

Brady was 26 at the time, but it would be wicked cool to see something similar happen on Sunday. We'll take wins any way we can get them, though. 

3.  Since Tom Brady became the starter in New England, the Bears have had 12 different starting quarterbacks. 12... 

4.  The Patriots lead the series 8-4. The Bears haven't beaten the Patriots since 2000, which was Belichick's first season in New England, and both teams finished the season 5-11. 

This should be an interesting game. The Bears are coming off a loss and the Patriots are dealing with the injury bug again. Can the Patriots overcome the injuries and put on a dominating performance, again? Or will the Bears use their loss and locker room drama to fuel their motivation? 

Go Pats. 

10 Things Every Patriots Fan Has Said At Least Once

Patriots fans are known for being loud, cocky, and most importantly, loyal. If you're not a Patriots fan, there's a 99% chance that you hate us. And that's fine, because we don't really care. 

If you know or have ever been around a Patriots fan, you've probably heard these at least once:

1) Dude, if the Pats lose to *insert upcoming opponent* my week will be ruined. 

2) Buttfumble!!! Hahahahaha. Man, that nevah gets old. 

3) Welkah's a tradah. 

4) Brady should have 4 rings. Friggin' Eli and Tyree's miracle catch. It was pure luck. 

5) Can we get Brady some weapons for once? I mean come onnnn. 

6) Tom Brady wins at life. 

7) Belichick's a genius. He's a jerk, but I love the guy! 

8) The Pats are the greatest dynasty of this decade...maybe evah. 

9) Every year, we draft at least 3 Rutger's players, guaranteed. Belichick can't get enough. It is what it is.

10) Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback evah. There's no argument. Dude's better than Montana. 


If you haven't said these things at least once, are you really even a Patriots fan?! I mean, come onnnn.

Part 2 coming soon!

Go Pats! 

Patriots on the Wright track

Last night, the Patriots played like the team we all thought they were back in July. The offense finally clicked, the defense played with a renewed confidence, and all seems right in Patriots Nation. Yesterday's win was a much needed statement win for the Patriots. And I loved every minute of it. 

Tom Brady & Co. came out dominating from the first snap. With everyone questioning his elite quarterback status this season, especially after Monday nights embarrassment, Brady was playing to prove everyone wrong. Which he did. From the minute he ran onto the field for warm-ups, you could already tell something was different from the past 4 weeks. The look in his eyes let everyone know he was hungry for a win. He had a near-perfect QB rating and finally looked like the Tom Brady we all know. 
Brady also became the 6th quarterback ever to pass for over 50,000 yards, Sunday night. No big deal or anything. 

Everyone was involved
The offensive line was much improved, and as you can tell it made all the difference. It's amazing how good Brady is when he has time to throw. Edelman, Gronk, LaFell, Amendola, Dobson, Vereen, Develin, and Wright all hauled in passes Sunday night. Brady had more weapons to play around with and was noticeably more comfortable in the pocket. The Patriots finished the night with 30 first downs and zero three and outs. ZERO. That's a huge stat. Major difference from the past four games. 

I wanna talk a little bit more about one of my favorite players from last night, Tim Wright. I, like the rest of the Patriots fans around the world, have been waiting for his breakout game. I was beginning to wonder if we would ever give him any significant playing time. And last night, they did just that. Wright caught five passes for 85 yards and his first touchdown as a Patriot. Number 81 was killing it last night. Okay, okay, too soon. 
This is only week 5. Imagine how much better Wright will be as the season progresses. He and Gronk are going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses. I can't wait. 

Success running the ball...finally
The Pats run game was pretty solid last night. Ridley rushed for over 113 yards and a touchdown. Vereen racked up 90 yards of his own and was a monster on 3rd downs. This type of running game is the perfect complement to Brady and the passing game. 
McDaniels seems to have finally found a good balance between passing and running the ball. Let's hope he keeps it up. For once, I actually liked the play calling. More of last night, please!

Patriots...Island?
Holding the Bengals' offense to 17 points is a pretty nice feat. Revis did a fantastic job shutting down AJ Green last night. I mean, if we're talking in terms of islands, Andy Dalton and the rest of the offense was on mainland, while Green had a mini vacation on Revis Island, all night long. They finally let Revis do what Revis does best...play press-man coverage. And it couldn't have worked much better. Green had 4 catches for just over 60 yards and fumbled once, thanks to Revis.   
Wilfork and the defensive line played with visible intensity, rising to the occasion to stop the Bengals run game when it counted most. While they were far from perfect, DLine played well considering Chandler Jones was limited all night. Chris Jones played an impressive game, handing Andy Dalton his first sack of the season. 
Secondary played well most of the game, despite losing McCourty, and temporarily Revis, in the second half. 
One player I want to point out is Kyle Arrington. He had a shockingly good game. He recorded one forced fumble, and recovered a fumble, which he returned for a touchdown. Props to Arrington. 
*more in depth post coming later in the week*

Things to work on
Last night's win was definitely a step in the right direction, but there's still a lot to work on:

• Red zone offense- need to improve accuracy here; let's stop settling for 3 when we could have 7
• Defensive line
• Penalties- the Patriots racked up 12 penalties for over 100 yards last night. While a couple of those are questionable, it's still too many and unacceptable. 

3 positives to take away

• Offensive line- the Patriots may have (finally) found their starting OLine combination: Solder-Connolly-Stork-Wendell-Vollmer. 'Twas a beauty to watch.
• Offensive chemistry- Brady to: LaFell/Gronk/Amendola/Jules/Wright/Dobson!! Take your pick.  Things seem to be on the up with Brady & Co.
• Refreshed defense- defense played with a different attitude Sunday night. More attitude, more confidence, and more aggressively. Plus, Browner was activated today. Patriots fans can't wait to get a look at what Browner's addition does for our secondary. 

Last nights performance was New England football at its best. Go Pats! 

Do the Patriots have options?

Following the release of Kenbrell Thompkins earlier today, a lot of Patriots fans went into panic mode on Twitter, venting their outrage and confusion. I get it, I do. We're struggling on offense (to put it lightly), and we waived one of the few receivers Brady has vocally expressed his trust in. It just doesn't add up. And it especially doesn't make sense that we would cut him the day before our big prime time, Sunday night match-up against an undefeated team. 

This leaves 5 WRs on the Patriots roster. Edelman, Amendola, Dobson, LaFell, and Slater (Brian Tyms should be active next week...fingers crossed). Not a lot of big names, right? 

Hopefully:

• LaFell continues to improve. He showed some good things Monday night. 
• Amendola stays healthy and is incorporated into the offense more. 
• Dobson is active, starting tomorrow. If he's ready to go, then start him. He's mainly our only 'deep threat'. 
• Tyms makes it onto the 53 man roster. He was exciting to watch during the preseason. If he and Brady can establish some chemistry, I love the idea of Tyms becoming a go-to guy. 
• Edelman continues to be Edelman. Stay healthy, Jules!

Now, if these things don't all happen or play out like we want them to, what are the Patriots options? Do they even have any options? Yes, and here's what I think:

• Sign Devon Wylie. Lovvved Devon Wylie when he was at Fresno State, followed him all throughout the draft, and supported him in Kansas City, Arizona, and San Francisco. The guy can play. He's short and fast... Sound familiar? He could possibly be Wes Welker 2.0 for Brady. Ehem, attention Coach Belichick: check him out!
• Nate Burleson is still a free agent. He's another one of my favorite non-Patriots. He would bring veteran experience to a fairly young receiving corp. I think he and Brady could be a nice duo. 
• Switching from WR to TE, Tony Gonzalez said he isn't opposed to coming out of retirement to play for a Super Bowl contending team. While New England certainly hasn't looked like a Super Bowl caliber team so far, Tony G of all people knows that finding the missing pieces changes everything. Giving Brady another target and some depth and security at the TE/Receiver position could tremendously alter this Patriots offense. He's 38 but doesn't seem to have lost a step. He's in the best shape of his life, and he deserves a ring. I'd be on the phone with him, asap! 

I hate to keep giving Brady new weapons for him to have to build chemistry and trust with, but this is what it's come down to, now. Building those two things takes time, which is crucial right now. But, if we'd start incorporating the guys we already have into the game plan now, and still take a look at possibly signing one (or all 3) of those players, we could increase our chances of winning. 

Keep in mind that no matter who we sign, no one will fix all of the teams problems. We can't ask and expect one player to make all the difference. But we could give TB more talent to play around with by signing some extra help. 

If all else fails, we can always bring back Ochocinco and sign TO. Absolutely not. Totally kidding. Hahaha. 

(but really, ^^ Devon Wylie) 

As always, Go Pats. 

Unfamiliar Territory

Following an embarrassing loss on the road in Kansas City, Patriots fans are left with questions, concerns, and doubts. With a record of 2-2 and tied for first place in the AFC East, the Patriots find themselves in unfamiliar territory in the Belichick era. We lack a true, certain identity. So far this season, not one positive thing jumps out at you. The Patriots aren’t the offensive powerhouse they were just two seasons ago. Over the offseason, defense was said to be much improved, and many people believed that they would be among the best in the league this season. We have yet to see a consistent performance by our defense.

After being shutout in the first half, Brady finally connected with Brandon LaFell for a 44 yard touchdown, late in the third quarter. Brady lost a fumble and threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. After throwing the pick six, Brady was benched and Jimmy Garoppolo went in. Yes, you read that right, Brady was benched. During his first NFL regular season debut, Garoppolo drove the offense down the field and connected with Rob Gronkowski for a touchdown, stirring many debates on Twitter. Surely the Patriots wouldn't even consider benching Brady and starting Garoppolo, right? Or would they?

Ask anyone who watched the game, and they'll pretty much tell you that Brady did not look like himself Monday night. They shuffled the offensive line around the entire game, to little avail. Brady was still rushed to make throws and seemed to be off target much of the night. One question a lot of fans are asking, is what happened to the hurry up, no huddle offense the Patriots once used so effectively to torment opposing defenses and quickly wear them out. This season, we have yet to see much of that, which is due in part to the lack of chemistry between Brady and his receivers. The only way to improve chemistry and build trust, is to put them on the field together in real game-time situations. 

End of an Era?

I do not think it is the end of Brady in New England...yet. I think, if anything, this game showed us that he's human, too. Many people are concerned that Brady is in decline. While there is some truth to that, there's a lot to take into consideration. Brady is 37, playing in his 14^th NFL season. Of course he's not going to put up the same numbers as he did in his late 20's, early 30's. The lack of quality players around him is also a major factor. Brady hasn't been given the offensive weapons he needs or deserves. He hasn't had a legitimate deep threat since Randy Moss left in 2007.

Far too often, the Patriots have settled when it comes to talent. They'll take the best talent they can get...within a certain price range. This holds especially true when talking about weapons for Brady. 




The past 2 years, we have drafted for the future, not the present. Belichick says he wants to do what's best for the team, but he has never specified if he's talking about this team, or a team still in the future. Brady needs help now and he hasn't gotten it. Which sparks another question: is it time for Belichick to be fired as GM? He is a great head coach, a football genius; but as a general manager, he leaves a lot to be desired. Right now it would be best for Belichick to focus solely on his job as head coach. He can continue to be involved in player/personnel decisions and negotiating contracts. He can still voice his opinions but he doesn't have to carry the full responsibility of a general manager. 

This loss would be easier to take if it was one problem that they could pinpoint and improve, but the Patriots were tragically awful all around. Defense couldn't make stops when they most needed to and they forgot how to tackle for the majority of the game. Offense couldn't get anything going and were scoreless until late in the third quarter. Offensive line continues to be an issue. Brady himself was part of the problem. He threw off target, looked uncomfortable, and admitted he forced the ball to his receivers.

Should there be a quarterback controversy in New England?

At this point, no. Regardless of his stats and performance, Brady deserves to be the starting quarterback. He has given too much of himself to this team to lose the job to a rookie quarterback. It is too early in the season to make that call, especially since he has not been given the tools he needs to do the job.

As always, Go Pats