I would sign Dre’ Bly.

He is an 11-year veteran, has not missed a game over his last 4 seasons, and still has the skill to make a difference on an NFL team.

Granted, Dre’ was cut by the Detroit Lions, so if he couldn’t make their roster then which team could he make. However, I think he would be a very interesting pick up for New England. A low-risk, high-reward signing, if you will.

Last year, Bly had three interceptions and 28 tackles. The year before, he had two picks and 54 tackles. He was recently cut by the Lions, but he could make an impact on the Patriots. Not exactly lights out numbers, but I would not be signing him to be the shutdown corner he once was.

I would bring him on board to be a consistent player who can mentor the younger corners on my team.

Remember the Patriots cornerbacks are extremely young:

• Jonathan Wilhite: 3rd year (Also should not play anywhere other than Nickel. Opposing QBs had a 115+ rating when throwing in his direction last year, and was constantly beat deep. He is physical enough to play on short routes against most wide receivers)
• Darius Butler: 2nd year
• Terrence Wheatley: 3rd year
• Devin McCourty: Rookie
• Leigh Bodden: 6th year…IR

A guy like Bly would not only help the Patriots on the field, but he would also help the younger players develop and give them tips against certain wide receivers or offenses, to quicken the learning curve.

Further, keep in mind that the entire Patriot defense is young. The only starter who has ten seasons of NFL experience is Gerard Warren, the newly acquired defensive lineman, who is entering his tenth season.

Last year, the entire unit struggled with leadership, and having veteran guys like Dre’ Bly to look up to may help the defense gel faster and more effectively.

Leigh Bodden previously had a similar role, both on and off the field, but now that he’s out for the season a veteran like Bly would really help the team.

I do think Damione Lewis may be picked up by the Patriots either later in the year or as the season is starting if the Pats start to get thin at defensive line, so he would be another veteran, but he isn’t currently with the team.

Dre’ Bly was an elite corner in his prime. He would help the younger corners on the field in terms of technique, and off the field in terms of conduct. Lastly, he would be an important veteran on a young defense, and a young overall team.

Liked this article? You may enjoy: The Ultimate Guide to the 2010-2011 New England Patriots

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After the draft, New England’s tight end core looks intensely dangerous. Aaron Hernandez is a big play threat with speed and a quickness that is rare in tight ends. He ran a 4.58 second 40-yard dash and clocked an impressive 6.83 second 3-cone drill.

For your reference, Demaryius Thomas, a highly ranked wide receiver drafted in the first round, had a 3-cone drill time measured at 7.11 seconds.

Rob Gronkowski, the other tight end the Patriots drafted, is coming off back surgery. He will be a great change of pace paired with Hernandez. Gronkowski is not lacking in the speed department, nor is he flat-footed, but he is not as fast as Hernandez (4.65 40-yard dash) or as quick (7.18 3-cone).

However, he weighs about 20 more pounds than Aaron and his quick burst off the line of scrimmage will create mismatches when he gets himself open in the secondary, as he is larger than all defensive backs.

Aaron Hernandez gives the Patriots strength where the team struggled last season: The Red Zone.

New England scored a touchdown only 52.3% of the time when in the Red Zone, good for the 13^th best percentage in the NFL. Despite ranking third overall in trips inside the 20 (65), the Pats only managed 34 touchdowns.

Part of the problem was the running game. Laurence Maroney seemed to catch a case of the drops whenever he was in a goal line situation, and the team does not have a player who can consistently pound the ball into the end zone.

However, Hernandez is a significant threat in the Red Zone, and look for Brady to seek out the young tight end from the start of the season.

Hernandez’s quickness enables him to get open amidst linebackers who are seldom as quick as he, and he possesses the catching and leaping ability to snatch balls through the tight “windows” inevitable in the end zone.

Alge Crumpler is the best blocking tight end New England has, and is already a respected locker room presence. Last season, New England struggled with a lack of leadership, evident in second-half collapses.

Further, Crumpler was a pro-bowl caliber player in his prime, so with his mentoring Hernandez and Gronkowski should improve rapidly over the course of the season.

Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski both pose mismatches for opposing defenses. Hernandez is quicker than most linebackers and is a talented pass catcher, while Gronkowski has the speed to reach the second level where his size can dominant smaller defensive backs.

Grade: B+ (since a lot of weight rides on rookie talent)

For Full Positional, Coach and Player Analysis, check out the FREE Ultimate Guide to the 2010-2011 New England Patriots

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This 22 page Ebook contains in-depth player, coach and statistical analysis.

You will understand the entire roster, its strengths, weaknesses, and the necessities for the success of the team.

Each position is graded and every key player on the roster is analyzed based on his talents.

Before you get upset with the Patriots for drafting players who you have never heard of before, understand that every year there are players who Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. (great analysts) rave about before the season, but end up being busts.

Basically, just because a guy is not talked about as a prime NFL prospect does not mean that he won’t eventually become one.

Here’s a breakdown of the first four rounds of the Pats’ 2010 draft.

Devin McCourty, CB

First of all, do not be turned off by the Patriots drafting Devin McCourty. Initially, I was disappointed with the pick as well, but looking into it, McCourty may be a solid player for the Pats.

Firstly, he is a demon special teams player, as he had seven blocked kicks at Rutgers. Also, he is a kid with lots of speed, running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash.

He is a good press corner, and just as importantly, a sound tackler, something the Pats have been missing on the outside for quite some time.

He does not have great ball skills, and he won’t lead the league in interceptions, but he is more of a two-year prospect who will immediately contribute on special teams.

I thought Sergio Kindle would be a good pick here, or even at a later pick for New England (he was available well into the second round). He is an injury threat with a banged up knee, and the last thing the Pats need is an injury-prone player on defense.

Grade: B- He will be a good player for New England, but he could have been picked up closer to the second round, or even in the second round.

Rob Gronkowski, TE

This TE could have been a first-round selection, had it not been for a back injury that set him back during his senior season. However, he is one of the best TEs, if not the best, at getting open in the middle of the field.

He’s a good blocker, has soft hands, and is much more consistent than Ben Watson.

He’s also borderline 6’7″, 265 lbs, and he runs a 4.64-40, so he’ll be a matchup threat against some smaller defenses (like Indy).

Grade: A- Patriots drafted for a need here, and Gronkowski is great at getting open, providing Brady with an extra option in the middle of the field. Hopefully he’ll stay healthy.

Jermaine Cunningham, OLB

Cunningham is the perfect player for the Patriots, especially late into the second round, because as a Gator he was a consistent pass rusher. Not overpowering or extremely fast, he finds ways to get into the backfield with consistency using quickness and technique.

This is just the type of player Bill Belichick likes, a coachable kid who plays with technique and consistency.

Grade: B+ It would have been nice to see the Pats address this position earlier, but they get a good special teams player as well as a consistent OLB.

Brandon Spikes, ILB

Spikes should be competing for the job alongside Jerod Mayo as the Patriots’ starting middle linebacker. Spikes was a good player in Florida. He is a great tackler and possesses a rare ability to anticipate plays, and he does not give up on plays, regularly chasing down players from behind.

He is strong in the three-point stance, so he will be a threat to get after the quarterback. While Spikes has a great initial burst of energy, whether off the line or into coverage, he is unable to sustain his speed, as he was clocked with a 5.01-40 at the combine. This is slower than the punter the Pats drafted, Zoltan Mesko, who ran a 4.99.

Grade: B I like Spikes despite his lack of speed because he is explosive, energetic, passionate, and smart.

Taylor Price, WR

Price is fast, quick, and has great acceleration, as he bursts off the line and quickly gets to his top speed.

He is a versatile player, as he can pass the ball too, opening up offensive possibilities for New England.

Price is not exceptionally talented as a pass catcher, occasionally dropping catchable balls, but chances are that he’ll be used more as an outside threat than a possession receiver.

Grade: C+ Price is a good pick and will develop to be a good wide out, but the Patriots could have picked a much more explosive player from Notre Dame, named Golden Tate in the second round.

Aaron Hernandez, TE

Hernandez is a great pick for New England. He is a gifted tight end who is quick, a great receiver, and a potential deep threat. He was expected to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but the Pats nabbed him in the 4th.

Also, he’s good after the catch, possessing explosive ability while breaking tackles.

Grade: A Hernandez not only fits a need at TE for the Pats, but he creates competition at the position and is great value late in the fourth round.

Before we all jump on the Dolphin’s or Jet bandwagon, lets remember that while they drafted college stars, college success doesn’t always translate to NFL stardom. Obviously, the same holds true for New England in terms of drafting college players, so we’ll have to wait and see how these kids pan out.

Overall Grade: B+. While the Patriots may have drafted some players they could have found in later rounds, they still put together a package of players which are talented and fit needs, both offensively and defensively.

What do you think? Did BB bomb this year’s draft, or will his young rookies find success in the NFL?

Well, looking at the 2003 NFL Draft (six-seven years to determine a player’s worth in the NFL seems reasonable), the drafting strategy of New England seems exceptionally brilliant.

First Round:

In the first round, 32 players were taken. Of those 32, 23 belong to an NFL franchise or were released into free agency this off season. Players who have been free agents for the past two years are considered “finished,” and therefore are considered out of the league (despite being free agents).

Of the 23 players still in the league, 12 of them are Pro Bowlers.

Second Round:

In the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, 32 more players were taken with their hopes of playing in the NFL finally fulfilled.

Unfortunately for some, only 20 of them are currently living the dream; that is 20 of the 32 drafted players are in the NFL right now.

There were five Pro Bowlers drafted that round, out of the 20 total players.

Salaries:

The Average amount of guaranteed money assigned to a first round pick totaled at $6.482 million dollars in 2003, and in 2007 it was $10.86 million; the average guaranteed contract is increasing.

At 67% over four years, lets say (for the sake of argument) an increase of 16.8% per year in average guaranteed money to a 1st round pick, although many experts agree that the average contract is rising exponentially.

Nonetheless, a growth of 16.8% yearly means that in 2008, the average amount of guaranteed money can be expected to lay at $12.68 million/year.

In 2008, the average salary of a second round draft pick was $1,932,000 in guaranteed cash, $1.932 million.

This sum is 1/6 of the average 1st round salary.

Let’s go back to the number of NFL caliber players in each round.

In the 1st round, 72% of the players have had reasonable success, while in the 2nd round, 63% have remained in the league.

However, for your chance to increase 9% drafting a legitimate player, is it worth paying 600% as much? Not quite…

One could argue, well, if I’m drafting a pro bowl player, then yes, I’d pay that much more.

In terms of Pro Bowlers, 37% (34% excluding Larry Johnson, whose career has presumably blown up) of the players drafted in the 1st round are Pro Bowlers, and 16% of the 2nd round players hold the same status.

Essentially, there’s about a 20% higher chance of you drafting a Pro Bowler in the 1st round than in the second, that’s one in five players.

Again, I’ll ask the question: Is a 20% chance worth a 600% increase? If you are a team who is in dire  need of players who can make an immediate difference, then yes, pay up.

Overall:

But, if you’re the Patriots, and already have a core of star-caliber players, then this money saved can be used retaining the team’s free agents, along with making their stadium better or paying a big name free agent (okay, well, hypothetically).

Obviously, a team needs to draft first rounders to keep adding youth to their star players, and the Pats do need to draft a “now-impact” type pass-rusher in the draft this season, and will most likely do so in the first round.

However, if New England can hit on two of their three 2nd round draft picks, something that is not out of question as last year the only legitimate bust from the 2nd round was Ron Brace (and the jury is still out on him), then they should be poised for future succes.

About those other second rounders: Pat Chung was a solid special teams player, Darius Butler displayed some flashes of brilliance, and Sebastian Vollmer shut down the likes of Dwight Freeney.

So, if the Pats can hit on the majority of their second rounders, then they’ll have built a good supporting cast of young players from the past two years of drafting, along with the starting star players and the potentially solid 1st round pick.

Thus, I propose that the question concerning stocking up on second rounders is very conditional.

If a team needs “now” impact players, then keeping their first rounders should serve them well, but if looking for more salary cap space and a strong group of supporting cast players which a team can count on to provide valuable talent, then picking up second round picks is a blessing.

What do you think? Are the Pats doing the right thing for the team (both now and in the long run) trying to stockpile second rounders? Should they try at all costs to grab first rounders?

If you enjoyed these ideas, you might want to see what the Pats can do to Contend for the SB Next Season.

Obviously, I’m presenting these articles well before the season starts, even before the draft, meaning that draft day selections or blockbuster trades could greatly alter the look of any of the aforementioned teams. That being said, here is the analysis for next season’s New England Patriots.

Offense:

Offensively, the Patriots are set at quarterback, and have a very solid offensive line. Sebastian Vollmer proved he was a dominant tackle, shutting down every end he faced (including Dwight Freeney). This gives the Patriots more depth at offensive line, something they have actually lacked in years past.

In terms of running back, the Patriots could use help, but the situation is not terrible. Laurence Maroney is a below-average every down back in the NFL, and will crack off a big run now and then. Last season, he was healthy, and he posted decent numbers, averaging just below four yards per carry.

The Pats do not need to kill themselves to find a starting, pro-bowl running back, but adding a backup who can complement Maroney would be helpful.

In terms of wide receiver, the team has some questions. When Wes Welker returns, he would be the obvious number two behind Randy Moss. Behind Wes would be Julian Edelman, who was very good filling in for Welker, and showed a lot of passion in the playoff games.

After Edelman, Brandon Tate should have a role. He was hurt for most of last season, but many scouts say he could develop into a nice number two receiver if healthy.

Hey! Four good receivers, sounds good, right?

Unfortunately, Welker is probably not going to dress up for the first few games of the season, meaning the Patriots have questions at the #3 slot and beyond. I think they’ll address this need in the draft, probably with a second round and fourth round pick.

The team just added Alge Crumpler, a veteran tight end who can catch and block, and I think he’ll fit nicely into the Patriots’ scheme (smart, versatile player).

Defense:

So many questions surrounded the Patriot secondary last season. However, the fastest way to fix a shaky secondary is by adding a pass rush.

The secondary was not nearly as bad as it seemed, as give any quarterback in the NFL 5-6 seconds to throw the ball and he can shred a defense. The Patriots’ primary concern as a team is the lack of a pass rusher.

I expect them to draft an OLB/DE in the first round, and probably another front seven player in the second.

Keeping Wilfork was key, as was Banta-Cain.

The secondary was young last season, and showed promise (Brandon Meriweather was a Pro-Bowler, James Sanders seemed to finally gain consistency) and Leigh Bodden should anchor an average unit of corners.

Darius Butler, I think, can develop into a solid corner, and next year we’ll know for sure.

Overall:

The Patriots are one-two good draft picks away from keeping their top spot in the AFC East, but as of now the Jets seem to be a better team.

Image Credits: blog.masslive.com

They traded for Braylon Edwards at the NFL trade deadline, giving Mark Sanchez a viable receiving option and the offense an overall deep threat

Defense:

This off season, the Jets have been improving an already top defense, by adding previous shutdown corner Antonio Cromartie.

Cromartie has had off-the-field problems (six different children with seven women), but on the field he is still one of the fastest players around.

He clearly has the talent set to be a top corner, and with Rex Ryan’s defensive coaching he should be able to regain his confidence and play at the level he did in 2007, when he had 10 picks.

Unfortunately, the Jets lost a major player on their defense in Kerry Rhodes. Rhodes was a cog of that unit because of his experience and consistent tackling ability, as well as his knack for the ball and making the big play.

His absence will be felt as the Jets may initially lose out on communication, but with two shutdown corners (Cromartie and Revis) and the fact that Jim Leonhard is generally in charge of defensive play call, the results of Rhodes’s absence will not compound itself. (Result being players not as sharp with their designated assignments).

Offense:

Despite the Jets’s defensive progress, they lost a large part of their offense. Last year, Mark Sanchez was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league in terms of passer rating, as he threw a meager 12 touchdowns while getting picked off 20 times.

While Sanchez will be better in his second season as a pro, I look for the Jet offense to regress. They lost Thomas Jones, their star running back from last season, who gained 1402 yards last year. Without Jones, more of a burden will land on Sanchez, and I don’t know if he can be the consistent passer he was early in the season for a full 16 game season.

While the Jets do have viable backups in Shonn Greene and Leon Washington, Jones was a proven every down back, and Washington suffered a severely broken leg last year. Wash may be slowed up a bit, meaning that Greene, still young and unproven, will have to shoulder the load.

Overall:

At first glance, the Jets may seem to have improved by a lot, especially with the addition of Cromartie. However, don’t look too far into this acquisition, as they lost Thomas Jones and Kerry Rhodes, two main parts of their team last year.

While the Jets may change/add players in the draft, as of now I don’t think they’re better than last season. I think they’re as good, maybe slightly more improved with experience, but not significantly better.”

Source Credits: mkrob.com

I’m going to talk about the Dolphins here, the Jets in the next article, and thirdly, the Patriots. I’m going to jump over the Bills, as after an extremely quiet off season have done nothing to show me that they are ready to consistently win games. In part IV, the prediction for division winner will be revealed.

Clearly, after winning the division last year, the Patriots’ main competitors are the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.

These are all done pre-draft, so outlooks may certainly change depending on draft manipulation/drafting by the aforementioned teams.

The ‘Phins were middle of the pack last year in terms of rushing defense, at number 18 in the NFL in total rush defense, allowing 1,835 yards.

For the Dolphins’ organization, fixing their sub par rush defense was of great importance. They went out and signed linebacker Karlos Dansby, who last year totaled 101 tackles and an interception, along with a sack. Dansby is a very threatening player, as he is a force against rushers with sure tackling abilities, and has had success in bringing down the quarterback prior to last season (’06, eight sacks and ’08 four sacks).

One of Miami’s biggest in-season issues has been addressed by the team, and as we move towards the NFL draft, the Dolphins can focus on improving pass defense or even bring in new offensive players to rally around young quarterback Chad Henne.

Overall:

I think the Dolphins have made an extremely positive step, as they have added veteran leadership defensively, can focus more on developing as a team offensively, which therefore makes a more dynamic and threatening team.

What have we? A team which has addressed their most pressing issue, turning it from a weakness to at least a neutral point on defense. Can the Patriots keep up with the Dolphins acquisitions? What about New York? Find out next, in Part II.

Image Credits:

NFL.com

First, let’s put this game into perspective. The Pats are the best team this decade, and are the first dynasty of this new  millennium. They played a bad game, and this one loss does not characterize the Patriots’ dynasties.

I’m not going to spend time discussing the game, because in all honesty, there really isn’t much to discuss.

Tom Brady played a terrible game, the wide receivers played a bad game, the defense was laid out to dry, constantly trying to stop the Ravens from their own 30 yard line, and the special teams were sporadically good (some good returns but awful coverage).

That pretty much sums it up.

Brady couldn’t make a pass, and you have to wonder how much of his performance was injury related, as he was throwing ducks throughout the game, unable to zip the ball with a tight spiral consistently. If he did have a broken index finger, that would certainly play a role in his throws.

Randy Moss didn’t have a great game, but he did have a few catches for first downs, and he too was apparently banged up (knees and back).

I am not going to sit here and make excuses for New England. They came out flat and trying to look for a single play which sums up the game would be difficult, because there were so many (key word here) BAD plays by the Pats.

So, after a truly pathetic game, what are some keys which the Patriots need to fix going into next season to go back and contend for the Super Bowl.

In my opinion, these are the key areas the Pats need to focus on:

• Finding a pass rusher/OLB
• Brady coming back healthy
• Receivers playing well potentially without Welker
• The right side of the Patriot line (consistent ground game)
• Defensive cohesiveness/experience
• Coordinators

I know it seems like a lot to handle, but some of these things are expected to happen (Brady’s health early on and the receivers playing well). I think Edelman will continue to develop, and the right side of the line can be bolstered if Sebastian Vollmer plays at the level which we’ve seen him play at (against Dwight Freeney). The defensive cohesiveness just takes time and working together.

One of the most pressing issue that New England faces is finding a player who can rush a quarterback with consistency. Tully Banta-Cain is not a great player, but he is the Patriot’s best pass rusher. He should be a role player on this team, playing in obvious passing situations.

Next year, with their first round mid-twenty pick, they need to draft a pass rusher. Obviously, if they find a guy who they think fits their system, they may look in the second round for that type player.

Preferably, they will draft a linebacker early, because other than Jerod Mayo and maybe Gary Guyton, the Patriot ‘backers are lacking. Adalius Thomas probably won’t be back next year, and Tully Banta-Cain is a good 5th or 6th linebacker.

I do think Derrick Burgess can make an impact if he stays, but he is more of a pass rushing specialist, as he is not the same stud he was earlier in his career.

So, the Patriots should try to find an outside linebacker, because at this point Mayo is great and Gary Guyton is a solid player. Guyton developed with Mayo’s absence, and he has the physical qualities (speed and strength) to have reasonable success.

Secondly, they need to find a way to develop consistency on the ground. I still have faith in Laurence Maroney to average 3.9-4.1 yards per carry and I am willing to give him one more year to be the player we thought we were getting when he was drafted.

Welker is most likely going to be out in the beginning of the season with his knee injury (depending on recovery time his return could even be late in the year). With Welker out, the Pats cannot use those 4-12 yard passes as a running game. I think this might come from a new player on the right side of the O-line.

Nick Kaczur is an okay player, and Stephen Neal, although a great player, is well out of his prime and at this point thinking about retirement. The Pats should be able to find their RG or RT with success, as they have had success drafting linemen in the past.

Next season, Sebastian Vollmer might see more snaps instead of Kaczur, depending on their performances in training camps and pre-season.

Thirdly, Brady needs to come back, fully healthy and ready to play. This season, he came back still finding a rhythm, and he was banged up week to week. He hurt his shoulder in the pre-season, hurt his ribs early on, re-injured them, and broke his finger later on in the year. Essentially, he was never fully healthy and came into the year trying to recover from a serious injury.

I know he had his second best statistical season, but it just seemed like he was not the same quarterback he was in ’07 (or even previous years) in terms of consistency and command.

Tom will have a good off-season, spending time with his family, and he should be able to fully recover, emotionally and physically for the year.

The receiving corps will have to improve upon the season.

Randy Moss is an amazing receiver, but has trouble during certain stretches. He did have 13 TD’s and over 1000 yards over the regular season. The potential loss of Welker early next year will hurt, but Julian Edelman seems like a solid replacement.

Yards after the catch were questioned in Edelman’s ability, and one play that might be forgotten is on a 4th and long play against the Ravens, nullified by a penalty. Nevertheless, Edelman made the catch on the next play for a first down, converting the 4th & 17 play to prolong the game.

However, I want to go back to that initial play. Brady threw a screen pass to Edelman, and from there the game looked over. A Baltimore defender was poised to make a tackle.

At that point, Edelman juked, ran forward and met more defenders, he broke one tackle, spun out of another hut and dove with defenders all around him for 11 yards and the first down. Essentially, it was a ridiculous effort, and if there comes a time next year when Welker and Edelman can finally play together, fully healthy, with a Randy Moss, watch out.

Sam Aiken is a decent 4th option, and hopefully he’ll be okay after hurting his head in today’s game. He has okay speed and while he has trouble reeling in the long ball he makes the easy catches most of the time. Also, I would like to see what Brandon Tate can do after being hurt this season.

Isiah Stanback seems like a decent player. He made the catches during his limited opportunities, but I question his desire to win. After the Baltimore loss, he went over and shook the hands of the opposition. He had a gigantic grin on his face, and while it’s a good thing to have sportsmanship, he could show some disappointment that his season was over.

I think a move will be made to sure up this receiving corp, especially without Welker for some time.

Fourthly, I think the Patriot secondary needs to build on this season. They came out during some plays and made huge interceptions or tackles, but they were inconsistent and clearly a young unit. Leigh Bodden was one of the only consistent factors. Brandon Meriweather seems finally poised to develop into a really good safety (pro bowl this year), and continual improvement over the season. James Sanders finally played very well this year after losing his starting job, wrapping up ball carriers and covering well.

However, despite some players who had success, the secondary was clearly taken advantage of at times because of their youth. Obviously, the only fix for this is to gain experience, and with one season together as a group, they should come out next year playing much more consistently. I like Darius Butler’s coverage abilities and drive, Bodden showed he’s solid, and Meriweather can be great at times. Hopefully Brandon can build up consistency, and James Sanders can build upon this season.

Jonathan Wilhite is an good option at the 3rd corner, but I’m sure New England can find a better option. I think Terrence Wheatley might have an impact if he can stay healthy, but he is an unknown. Shawn Springs is old, and maybe during some packages he plays assuming he stays.

But, with one year under their belt, I think this unit comes out with more success next season as a group but for that to happen, Vince Wilfork, the plug down low, needs to be re-resigned.

And, all season I was talking about it, the defense never seemed cohesive, and they never seemed to play as a unit. At the end of the year they started to play as a team occasionally, but again, I think that this was a very young defense and the only way for them to gain this “cohesiveness” is to play together, which they now have done for a year.

In all, I think the defense comes out much better next season, with the possible addition of a few players through the draft or free agency.

One thing that really does worry me, and is my next point, are the coordinators. I wrote an article about offensive play calling (http://newenglandsportsonline.com/blog/for-the-patriots-a-lack-of-change-is-the-problem/) but I continue to stand by my opinion that Bill O’Brien needs to be revoked of his play calling.

The offense was predictable, and throughout the season the Patriot offense has had to burn a timeout because of the inability to get the play in time. O’Brien is not necessarily a bad coach, but he is not a good play caller. Every down seemed to be predicted, especially against this Ravens team.

The offense was unimaginative and uncreative, and I think these crazy plays and play calls which set up the next plays have been lost, and as a result the excitement players have on offense fades.

Someone who knows what he’s doing (like Weis or McDaniels) needs to take the helm of play calling and the offensive coordinator position.

Belichick had too much to handle this year, dealing with the coordinators, the offensive play calling at teams, defensive play calling, coaching, picking players, etc. If coaches/coordinators are found, I can see this team being much more successful than they were this year.

Defensively, Dean Pees is good at grooming young players, and considering the youth he had on defense this season, their inconsistencies should be excused. Next season, however, I expect more from Pees and his unit.

If it cannot produce, then a change might have to be made. Still, this is a topic for next season.

In my opinion, the number one, most important thing the Patriots need to do? Come back next year, hungry, ready to play. Not just going through the motions. I mean determined and passionate about every single play they make.

We’ll see how this off-season plays out, and if the Pats can improve their roster/coaching staffs.

I still think the Pats are a playoff team, but at this point, not nearly a Super Bowl contender. They’re still a solid team, but at this point not one of the elite.

To return to that status, they will have to have a very successful off-season.

Another player under scrutiny was Randy Moss. People thought he was not giving his all to the organization, and there was severe skepticism towards the receiver after being sent home for being late a few weeks prior to the game. Last week he played well, with a TD catch, but this week he torched the Jags’ secondary, as he caught 3 touchdowns, the 4th time he has achieved this feat as a Patriot.

Seemingly as always, Wes Welker racked up 10+ catches, as he caught 13 balls. Despite missing two games, Welker leads the NFL in receptions with 122 catches. Astonishingly, this is 21 more catches than the Brandon Marshall, second place in recepetions with just 101 catches.

Based on his average, had Welker not missed those two games he would have over 138 catches.

Sammy Morris also played very well, as he had multiple long runs in the first half which set up touchdowns, including one short, goal line score from himself. Laurence Maroney, after fumbling a goal line handoff, saw limited action. If he wants to continue to have the opportunity to play (something he was becoming accustomed to), he’ll have to hold the ball.

Despite the stellar offensive performance, it was the defense that stepped up. The Patriot defensive squad held a potent Jacksonville offense built around small and powerful Maurice Jones-Drew to just 7 points. Jones-Drew was held to just 63 yards on 18 carries, a not so solid 3.5 average.

In addition, the defense forced two turnovers, both interceptions, demonstrating respectable pass coverage. Shawn Springs and Brandon Meriweather both picked off Jacksonville QB David Garrard.

The horrific pass rush from New England? Not so horrific anymore, as the defense mustered two sacks from Gary Guyton and Tully Banta-Cain.

I would like to mention James Sanders, who after losing his starting spot to Brandon McGowan continued to work hard, improve his game, and has now regained his role. McGown, still a solid player, continues to contribute, as he assisted in 2 tackles. Also, Jerod Mayo seems to be breaking out of his sophomore slump, as he had 11 solo tackles.

The unit is seemingly coming together, generating respectable rush against opposing QB’s and making the most of opportunities in the secondary.

The defense has put together multiple high-quality performances now, against the Bills, Panthers and now Jags. The offense, finally generating some power after relying on the defense in the mentioned games, is also continuing to gel.

Essentially, this team is hitting its stride, and now after clinching the AFC East it will roll into the playoffs with some important momentum.