On the Patriots side, here is what I noticed:

1.Linebackers

Last week, Brandon Spikes was the linebacker the Patriots sent in to penetrate on run plays, letting Jerod Mayo patrol the middle of the field. This week, Mayo was called upon more than a couple of times to hit the point of attack.

The Patriots are finding a good balance between sending Spikes and Mayo, changing schemes enough to put question into the minds of offenses.

2. Brady

Tom Brady was, in fact, off over the past two games. This week reminded us that Tom Brady can be the best quarterback in the NFL. He struggled in the past couple of games, whether due to injury or just mis-communication, but receivers hung onto passes and Brady was hitting guys in stride.

3. Running Game

The Patriots running game is built off of their passing game. Most of the time, a good passing game is the result of a good running game. However, the Pats showed that once Brady got clicking, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Co. became more effective.

The Patriots compiled the most rushing yards against the Steelers this year, rushing for 104 yards.

4. Opportunistic Defense

The Patriots defense is built to be opportunistic. They are not a great defense in the sense that they won’t hold teams to 10 points week-in and week-out. However, they create turnovers, are very strong in the red zone (especially with Pat Chung), and can rush the quarterback.

The Patriots had struggled in rushing the passer, but it seems they can beat slower offensive lines with Banta-Cain, Cunningham and Warren, and they have the potential to cause trouble with faster lines because of Wilfork.

5. Return Game

Brandon Tate is a good return man, but he’s still learning. He has all the skills, but now he needs to simplify. Twice I saw him try to “outquick” a defender on a kickoff return when he could have picked up an extra 3-5 yards had he just put his head down and run forward.

6. Rookie Development

The Patriots rookies are developing what we like to call intangibles. See Rob Gronkowski: Miserable performance last week against Cleveland, but stepped up yesterday with 3 TD catches and some big first down pickups. Devin McCourty is developing into a great number 1 corner for this team, Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham are regular contributors, and Shawn Crable (hurt last year), was involved in a couple Roethlisberger sacks.

I know it’s hard to look past this season, but when the Pats defense gets Ty Warren and Leigh Bodden back next year, the unit will look much more threatening.

7. Stats Lie

In baseball the numbers don’t lie, but in the NFL, numbers are full of garbage. The Pats are statistically the 18th ranked offense in terms of total yards, and 29th ranked in total defense. Yet, they’re 7-2 and atop the AFC.

8. Roundup: Overall Picture

The Patriots are a top 4 team in the NFL. With the Giants losing, the Falcons are the best team in the NFC (unless the Eagles win tonight, in which case it’s a toss-up). In the AFC, the Pats are better than Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but I do think the Jets have the most talent.

It remains to be seen whether the Pats can hold that spot, with two important games coming up against Indianapolis and New York.

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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.

1. Get the ground game going. If Laurence Maroney can have early down success, even if it is just 3-4 yard carries, then the Colts’ front 7 will be forced to take an early beating. If Indy’s front seven gets exhausted in the second half, Brady should have all day to find targets, and screen passes to Kevin Faulk will be extremely effective, as Colt defenders will have a hard time pursuing the play.
2. Defensively, control the line of scrimmage. Obviously, the O-line should do the same, but for New England to dethrone the Colts, Peyton Manning will have to be put under pressure. New England has a strong run defense, and Indy has virtually no ground game, so Manning will be forced to pass. Unfortunately, that’s how the Colts have reached 8-0. If the Pats’ can get pressure on Peyton, the newly improved secondary should be able to have reasonable success.
3. Brandon Meriweather. Jerod Mayo. They have been playing extremely well over the past few weeks, and their success needs to continue. Meriweather will be calling plays for the DB’s, and he needs to make sure that he plays smart, like his mentor Rodney Harrison. The Patriots’ cornerbacks are much better than they have been in recent years, and should give the Colts’ wide outs a run for their money. Dallas Clark has been a key target for Peyton Manning, but tonight he will be playing the likes of Jerod Mayo and Adalius Thomas, both physical players who should be able to keep up with the quick tight end. If Mayo has success, Clark should be neutralized.

Overall, this game is a hard game to look at. The Colts are obviously 8-0, but they’ve not been matched up against great teams. So far they’ve beaten the likes of the .500 Jagurs as well as the abysmal Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams. They’ve only played 2 winning teams, the Cardinals and the Texans, who have a combined record of 10-7. The Colts are certainly a great team, and this will be a good barometer for their future, but if New England can succeed in doing the above mentioned items, the Colts will be 8-1.

The Pats succeeded against the Falcons last week thanks to the a strong running game opening up the passing attack, as Fred Taylor ran all over the Falcons’ D compiling over 100 yards of rushing.

However, New England knew that they would not be able to pound the ball against the Ravens defense as Baltimore’s’ defense, anchored by Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata, lead the league in rushing defense. The Pats managed just 85 yards rushing on 30 tries, resulting in a meager 2.8 yards per run.

The Patriots worked quickly and used different passing packages to open up receivers. At one point, Randy Moss was double teamed going down the sideline allowing Ben Watson a free release up the seam, enabling a 30 yard pass completion from Brady.

With all the hype surrounding the Ravens’ D, the Patriots unit seemed to fly under the radar, but it was because of them that New England won the game. They managed their first interception of the season, but also stopped the high-flyin’ Baltimore offense when it counted most, halting the Ravens as they tried to score the game-winning TD.

Tom Brady and the Patriot offense kept the Ravens’ off the field holding the ball for almost 36 minutes, winning the time of possession battle. Brady had his first touchdown pass to a wide receiver on the season, and unsurprisingly, Randy Moss was its recipient.

Wes Welker also made his presence felt in his return from a knee injury, catching six passes for 48 yards.

Over the first three weeks of the season, New England had struggled to put the ball in the endzone while working in the Red Zone. They erased all concerns, going 3 of 5 against the stingy Ravens’ defense, a unit which allowed their first rushing touchdown of their season.

The offense did put up 27 points, but, unlike previous seasons, the New England defense deserves a lot of credit for the win. They did give up a large chunk of yards to Baltimore (363 total) but they looked great on deep passing attempts made by Joe Flacco, something that has been severely lacking over the past seasons. Darius Butler made a spectacular coverage play to stop a 50 yard touchdown pass, as did Brandon Meriweather, who sprinted across the field to dive in front of Derrick Mason, breaking up a clear touchdown pass.

Brandon Meriweather had a spectacular game, almost intercepting two passes, breaking up a few attempts, and managing nine total tackles.

Meriweather and the rest of the Patriots defense have been strong against the long pass this season, something that has been a major weakness to the team since 2004. Even with Asante Samuel and Rodney Harrison, the Pats were weak against long passing attempts.

It seems the times have changed, as a youthful, speedy New England secondary clamped its teeth on the Ravens’ passing attack, holding Flacco to just 264 yards.

This is an extremely bright looking secondary displayed by New England, and it is really starting to remind me of the days when we had Ty Law and Otis Smith patrolling the depths of the football field.

Of course, it’s too early to keep that comparison a legitimate thought, but if the secondary continues to perform the way it has been, then it will become a strength of the Patriots.

Also, Gary Guyton is doing a great job as middle linebacker for the Pats’. There was a time when he was going to be the reason the Patriots would not win games, as he could not fill the role vacated by Jerod Mayo. However, he has done a great job using his speed and strength to succeed. When Jerod Mayo gets back, the two will be a force to be reckoned with, as both are fast, physical and tackling machines.

Overall, a great win from New England, as Brady seems to be getting back into a rhythm, while the Patriot defense is beginning to gel.

It had to be a well played game to beat the previously unbeaten Ravens, and it was, as the Patriots won 27-21.

The team made a statement against a strong team, showing that they are no longer led by an injured player trying to figure things out on offense, nor are they easily passable defensively.

Randy Moss could not buy a centimeter of space thanks to suffocating coverage displayed by Darrelle Revis.

The New England defense was solid in the first half, but could not contain the Jets’ when Mark Sanchez started to throw. Sanchez continuously picked apart New England’s secondary, and the Pats’ could not even contain the screen pass.

On special teams, Leon Washington ran all over the Pats’ coverage units, and the Patriots had some terrible kickoff returns.

So, why shouldn’t we be worried?

Offensively Wes Welker, Brady’s normal target if blitz pressures is coming full speed like it was today, was sidelined with a knee injury. This left Julian Edelman with Welker’s normal duty on his shoulders.

Julian performed extremely well, as he had 8 receptions for 98 yards, but it was apparent on some missed throws that Brady’s timing was off without his normal go-to guy in Welker. Wes is not expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time, so Brady will be able to hit Welker to avoid blitz packages if he is attacked again.

This is why Brady and New England’s offense looked foolish trying to play against the blitz. Normally, Brady relies on the extremely accurately synced timing he has with Welker on short routes to get rid of the ball, and he just did not have that today.

Also, Joey Galloway will become more accustomed to New England’s offense. This means that the deep threat he had today when Brady under threw him will become more of a consistent threat that teams will have to watch out for, taking a lot of deep pressure off of Moss, as safeties will have to also focus on Galloway.

Not only this, but when Welker returns, teams will have to be aware of his presence and Julian Edelman’s.

After today’s games, beating the Pats seems simple. Keep the pressure on and never let up.

Well, most teams do not have the covering capabilities that the Jets have with Revis, and Welker will normally be there as a quick dump-off target.

Another major factor that has been rarely utilized by New England: Their running game.

They have four great RB’s in Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk, but because of failure to get ahead early, Brady has been forced to make 50 passes a game. Well, if established early (and trust me, Belichick will), the play action pass will be a huge threat, and a simple draw play will bust blitzes so badly that their frequencies will steadily decline.

Tom was recognizing the blitzes, pointing out guys he thought were going to make a rush at him, so calling a draw play would not be a major difficulty.

Defensively, New England was without their stalwart and one of the best linebackers in the league, as Jerod Mayo has a strained MCL.

Jerod was the glue to the Patriots’ defense, and has been washed away for up to 8 weeks. Nevertheless, the Patriots’ defense will continue to grow and gel as a unit just by playing and practicing together.

The MLB filling in for Mayo, Gary Guyton, will improve. Guyton was the fastest linebacker in his year’s draft, with a 4.5 forty-yard dash time, so he does have the physical abilities to track down screens and make big coverage plays.

Give Gary some time with Bill Belichick and guys like Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren and Adalius Thomas, and the reads and football IQ will begin to develop even further.

In terms of screen passes, that will automatically be improved once Guyton starts to make the necessary reads from his MLB position, and his speed will enable him to seek out and wrap up the ball carriers, or clear up blockers for others to make the tackle.

The secondary was not a concern after today’s game, as there was just one or two major plays against them. Jonathan Wilhite played extremely well as a cover corner, Brandon Meriweather didn’t miss any tackles, and Patrick Chung (the Patriots’ 2nd round draft choice) will begin to make contributions.

Just remember, the defense did not even play badly today, as they only gave up 16 points to a capable Jets offense. Also keep in mind that this defense has been playing together for just two games, and the camaradiere and comfort level will increase, as will the ability and performance.

On special teams, the Patriots’ were missing a major return man in Wes Welker. Their special teams coverage units obviously needs work, and I’d say that after today’s game, is my biggest concern, and it is not large at all.

Patrick Chung was partially drafted because of his special teams ability, and he has seen limited action thus far. His role will soon be increased.

Also, the Pats were facing one of the best return men in all of the NFL in Leon Washington. Defensively, the Pats have the talent to make big plays and it is now about practicing together and playing as a team.

Offensively, do not even try and say the Pats can’t get it done.

When fully healthy, there is nothing a team can do to shut it down. The Giants Super Bowl performance was hugely helped by no running game from New England, which, as I said earlier, the Pats now have, and will be utilized by Bill.

Essentially, the point I’m trying to make here is that it is week 2 of the NFL season. WEEK two. If I remember correctly, the Patriots’ were shut out 31-0 against the lowly Bills early in the season (no offense or defense), but still went on to win a Super Bowl. The defense is extremely young and inexperienced, so again, playing together and practicing will strengthen the team.

The Patriots were clearly outplayed by the Jets in today’s game, and clearly have a lot of things to work on. The Pats have had some injuries so far which has adversely affected the team, but just by practicing together, they will improve and become a monstrous team to oppose.

I see all these fans panicking, ready to throw the season out the window.

Honestly? Come on, have faith in the Patriots, they will not disappoint.

So, who do I think the Patriots should draft? Logically, it comes down to who’s left. If Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry is available at 23, then he’s obviously going to be selected. Clearly, this is an improbable situation thanks to Curry’s obvious talent. I think that at 23, the Patriots need to look defensively, especially because their offense has not had trouble putting up the numbers in the last two seasons. Brady, Moss, Welker and the Pats offensive line are still intact for at least one more year, and I still have faith in Ben Watson and Laurence Maroney. With Fred Taylor, the Pats have a trio of capable backs (Sammy Morris, Taylor and Maroney) along with their 3rd down back Kevin Faulk. Defensively, the Patriots have a strong line for the time being, in Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren, but realistically, only two of them will be with the team within the next 3 years. Their starting linebackers are on the wrong side of thirty, with the exception of Jerod Mayo, and even though Shawn Crable is highly spoken of by the organization, we still don’t know what he is capable of doing. In terms of defensive backs we made some progress with our ever depleted corner back position by signing Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. Personally, in terms of corner backs we’re fine, because Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite both showed promise and Ellis Hobbs is a good, not great, a good corner. Springs and Bodden have both played well, and with proper coaching can put their careers back on the right track. Bill Belichick is the coach, so that shouldn’t be a problem. At safety, we have Brandon Meriweather and James Sanders. Meriweather I think can be a great safety in this league because of his athleticism, but he needs to fix his tackling, which so far has been improving very nicely. Sanders is a consistent safety who will continue to improve.

Clearly, it is the front 7 of the Patriots that needs help, as most of their linebackers are old, and their line might not be together in the near future. That is why I think we should draft Clay Matthews, because he not only has a great gene pool, but also because he has a massive upside. He improved all of last season despite not playing much in his first few years at USC, and he showed good instincts and sound fundamentals when he played, something that Coach Bill absolutely adores. Matthews should be available at 23, and will be a great fit in New England.

The 34th pick is a very intriguing pick, as it gives teams an opportunity to pick up ‘leftovers’ per say, from the first round at a bargain price. I think New England will go with either Larry English or James Laurinaitis if they’re available, again because they are both coachable players who have solid instincts and are fundamentally ready to play football in the NFL. Also, by drafting these defenders at this time, older linebackers in the system can serve as mentors, and hopefully these young ‘backers will benefit just like Jerod Mayo did. If neither are available, look for New England to draft a defensive lineman, somebody like Michael Johnson, Paul Kruger or Robert Ayers. All of these players have shown vast improvements throughout their college careers, which bodes well for their future talent. I think that Kruger would be the first two be selected from these three, because he is a solid pass rusher and run stuffer, unlike Ayers and Johnson who both are more pass defending linemen.

This is a very important draft for New England, because they can set some solid foundations of future team growth defensively, and can keep their 3-4 year window of winning more Super Bowls intact.

1. Tom Brady will be back. Matt Cassel played well. Extremely well, however he was not able to fully utilize the deep threat to Randy Moss. Cassel is a great accurate, dink-and-dunk quarterback, similar to Brady when Tom was younger, however Tom can make the short throw AND the long throw. Cassel was great, but Brady is better.
2. Our Running Backs will be healthy. Okay, last year was crazy. Three out of our four running backs were injured, and all for significant periods of time! No way that happens again. Even if one, or two go down, we have a lot of depth there. Sammy Morris is a great runner for 4-5 yard carries, consistently, as he is fairly quick and packs a punch when he runs into a defender. He also is very good at hitting the holes. Lamont Jordan is a great guy for those tough, 2-3 yard situations, just because of his size and because he’s so hard to bring down. Laurence Maroney is good for 5 yards a carry, if he achieves his potential. He can run over defenders, juke them out, and has a powerful stiff arm move. If BB can utilize these three running backs so that Jordan gets 4 carries a game, Morris gets 10, and Maroney gets 10, meaning they split the load, then they will stay healthy and fresh. Plus, Kevin Faulk can always be thrown into the mix. If any of the backs get tired? No problem, there ar at least two more capable starters. And yes, I believe that Maroney will stay healthy this year, as will Morris, as both are learning to keep their bodies healthy, specifically Maroney, who is learning that it’s better to get tackled than to get injured.
3. Our cornerbacks are good. Ellis Hobbs is a solid corner, and can cover pretty much all the #2 wideouts in the league, and can occasionally shut down a #1 guy. He is a little bit slow on the deep ball, however with Brandon Meriweather’s ball hawking skills and recovery speed, that should be less of a problem. Also, Jonathan Wilhite showed promise at the end of last season. He was able to intercept the ball, and make some big defensive plays. He is a great option to cover the #3 receiver, and occasionally the #2 wideout. Now, not he showed his rapid improvement towards the end of last season, and if he continues to improve, he can become a very, very good corner in this league, because of his instinct. Lastly, Terrence Wheatley was getting better before he injured his wrist.  He is very similar to Wilhite, except that he is a little bit more of a speed corner as opposed to a wrap-up tackler. He is a good tackler, and if improves at the pace he was before he got injured (He shut down Reggie Wayne while playing the Colts before he went down), then he will be a great corner in this league, even a shut-down one. Just because he wasn’t a first rounder, doesn’t mean he can’t be good. Even Jonathan Wilhite. Remember, Asante Samuel was a 3rd rounder.
4. The safeties will be better. James Sanders is improving, and Brandon Meriweather led the team in picks (4) despite only starting 10 games. Sanders is a good, consistent tackler, and Meriweather is a great ball hawk, who is quick and has developed a real knack for the ball. He is working on his tackling, and once he becomes a better wrap-up tackler, his occasional big hit will be glorified. Also, Tank Williams, who was overlooked to to his pre-season injury, is a great safety. He also can play linebacker if need be, and he is a very, very consistent tackler, who posesses enough speed to flow with tight ends and most wide receivers.
5. The line is good. Both lines. The offensive line last year was great after getting used to Cassel’s style, and with Brady back, (or even with Cassel if Brady can’t go) then they will dominate, similar to the ’07-’08 season. Last year, we saw what the Pats defensive line could do with the three men healthy. Warren did go down towards the end of the year, however when they are healthy (which they were for 14 games last year, and will do the same next year) they are dominant. Richard Seymour. Need I say more? Quick, powerful, great at batting down passes and rushing the passer. Vince Wilfork is just a mountain in the middle, and Ty Warren is an underrated run stuffer, who has the ability to get to the QB.
6. Ben Watson will be better. He will be used more offense, as he has become a better blocking tight end, and his route running has improved. He is a great run after the catch tight end, and like Antonio Gates, is very athletic and very fast.
7. Our linebackers will be better. Jerod Mayo will improve, Adalius Thomas won’t be injured, and Mike Vrabel will at least be consistent. Also, Pierre Woods will be a stronger back-up, and a more useful option after his experience last year. Also, Gary Guyton showed promise according to Bill Belichick before getting injured, so he will provide some depth. If Bruschi can come back after his injury, great, he is not great anymore, but he is good, and knows how to play. Also, the Pats will probably address their linebacker issues in the draft, even with Rosevelt Colvin and Junior Seau.
8. The defense will be deeper next year. Similar to last year, the Pats will probably go all out defense during the draft, to address depth issues at linebacker and safety, as well as grab a #3-#4 cornerback. The Pats will either go safety or linebacker in the first round, and whichever way they don’t go, they will probably choose in the second. I think they will choose a linebacker in the first round, especially after how well Jerod Mayo played last year. Then, in the 3rd, they’ll probably go for a corner, and in the 4th and 5th round they’ll look for secondary players in general. Because they have Tank Williams, who can play linebacker, they don’t need to draft 3-4 backers this year, rather only 2-3. That’s why I think they’ll draft a backer in the 6th round, and then leave the 7th round up to possibly a special teams guy who’s primary position is cornerback.

I think this is how the draft will shape up:

Round

1. Linebacker

2. Safety

3. Cornerback

4. Cornerback/Safety (somebody who has the versatility to play either)

5. Safety/Cornerback (same as above, however more of a safety)

6. Linebacker

7. Lineman/Small Linebacker

Overall, the Pats will just be better defensively, and will be able to utilize all of their weapons offensively. Even though the Pats lost Pioli and McDaniels, I believe that that the coaching of Bill O’Brien will be fine in replacing Josh, and Belichick has a very similar and uncanny knack for getting a steal pick, similar to Pioli.  Plus, I don’t expect the Pats to get hit with 20+ injuries again this season. And when healthy, this team has shown (2007-2008) that they really can’t be beat*. So, if the Pats made, and almost won the Super Bowl* with an extremely similar team, which has an improving defense, then shouldn’t they be able to do it again?

• *Note: The Giants won because of an attrocious offensive game, and the David Tyree catch 1) never happens again and 2)Richard Seymour and Ty Warren were being held on that play (look at the replay)