“Suck on that, New York.”
G-D Damn that felt good.
Brady, playing the role of: The Shit Eating Grin.
The most compelling pre-season in the last decade concluded for us last night with a terrific second stringer victory over the Giants. This was without a doubt the best and most engaging pre season I can remember, there were four games that I watched: Brady’s return, Vick’s Return, Cutler vs. Denver and last night’s game against the Giants. It was easy to watch last night cuz you could flip back and forth between the Sox and the Pats… and the Pats game was interesting because they gave up 21 points in the first Q, which is OK to do in preseason, and then we got to see some terrific second string resolve and poise by a bunch of players trying to scrap their way onto the 53 man roster.
There are three topics that stand out to me as the last remaining points of evaluation before the actual season kicks off in Foxboro a couple Mondays from now… Second String QB situation, Running Back situation, how badly our defense looks right now.
(Before I do that I would like to digress for just a moment to address the Oregon/Boise St. punching incident. Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount was on his way off the field when Boise State’s Byron Hout taps him on the shoulder and shouts something to the affect of, and it’s OK to swear because it’s a quote, “Fuck Ya, Baby!” and then taunted Blount by jumping up and down around him. Keep in mind this was after the game… when you should be done with your shit talking. So what happens next? Blount lands a cross on Hoyt’s chin and sends his shit talking ass to the turf. A guy who deserved to get popped on the chin… got popped on the chin. Blount should get suspended for 2 games and Hoyt should get one game for taunting. If you talk shit after a game, the possibility should exist that you will get what’s coming to you… a haymaker.)
By I digest.
Undrafted Rookie Free Agent and new Patriots backup QB, Brian Hoyer takes some first quarter heat before settling in to manage the Patriots comeback.
Second String QB: Hoyer. He proved last night, by remaining composed, not turning the ball over and only taking a handful on negative plays, that he’s the number 2 guy. He weathered some early game pressure from the Giant’s front 7 (they played their starters for about 8 minutes… i think just to get the lead… sissies) and then was able to settle in and go about 18 for 25 on 240+ yards and a score. Done texted me this morning to note that he was 2007CasselEsque; I quite agree.
Banjo's NFL career ended amidst a host of steroid allegations.
The reason we continue to have young backup QB’s instead of older Vets is because we need empty vessels that Bill can completely mold to our system… ala Matt Cassel. You can’t teach old dogs new tricks… especially when they are quarter backs. I of course realize the irony of this statement because to assume that a dog of any age could be a QB is simply ridiculous. They can’t grip the ball because they have no thumbs, to say nothing of the language barrier.
Running Back: Let me just quell a little debate by stating these facts as a given: Fred Taylor is our #1 back, Lawrence Maroney is our #2 back and The Always Improving Kevin Faulk is our 3rd Down back. This leaves room for one more back on the 53 man
BJGE is a total beast.
roster… and after watching BenJarvis Green-Ellis last night, a name I know you all remember from last season, Sammy Morris may be the odd man out. BJGE got the most action this preseason and averaged an astonishing 5.1 yards per carry. But that is insignificant when compared to this fact: Guys who play like BJGE make Bill Belichick’s team. He runs down hill, he’s built like a fire hydrant (which is a quote I lifted from WEEI this morning), and he does anything and everything he is asked. Not to mention a tri of TDs and 125 yards on the ground last night. For second and third string players, it isn’t just how well you perform, its more about how well you fill the role assigned to you, and that last bit is all about how well you can be coached. I think Green-Ellis has played his way onto this season’s roster.
$50 if you can tell me who this guy is...
Our Crappy Defense: Our defense is crappy. Man I miss that Vrabel guy. Our secondary is too loose, Chung has shown ZERO signs of life from our first selection in this year’s draft and Shawn Springs has been roughed up and generally unavailable. I can only hope that Marriweather continues his improvement (which he has) and that Darius Butler, the rookie starter from UConn, will be as good as we think he can be today. No matter how you slice it… we lack a tough guy.
Bruschi’s departure puts the heat on Jerod Mayo and Mr. Thomas to lead the complex defense and Gary Guyton to step up and fill that roving Bruschi role. I’m Also personally looking to our old hometown favorite, Tully Banta-Cain to step up as an OLB/DE swinger.
So here we go. Next game is for real. Monday night, under the lights at Foxboro.
Season Predictions:
Moss: 1,050 yards receiving and 17 TD receptions.
Welker: 107 receptions
Taylor: 9 rushing TDs
Brady: 51 TD passes
Super Bowl Champs. No Question. Talk all you want, don’t worry about a jinx, book your rooms in Miami.
StartMattCassel.
Get Out of My Ballpark 