AFC East: Joey Galloway
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In sweatpants and a winter skullcap, New England Patriots receiver Torry Holt watched Tuesday morning's practice against the New Orleans Saints.
He missed Monday's practice, too, for undisclosed reasons.
Holt also might be looking in from afar when it comes to New England's final roster.
HoltOn the all-time leaderboard, Holt's 920 receptions rank 11th, and his 13,382 yards rank 10th. But the most significant number to him over the next month will be how many receivers the Patriots choose to keep.
Holt seems to rank sixth -- at best.
"However many we feel is best for the club," Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio replied when I asked how many receiver slots were available. "We've kept five. We've kept seven. It all depends."
Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Julian Edelman are back. Brandon Tate was a third-round draft choice last year. Injuries wiped out most of Tate's rookie season, but he has elicited praise from Tom Brady over the offseason. Taylor Price was a third-round pick in April.
Those are five receivers right there. When you consider keeping a sixth or seventh, he better add something beyond his listed position. Sam Aiken, for example, made 11 tackles and forced a fumble on special teams last year.
"You look at your club and you figure out the offensive or defensive component and then a special teams component," Caserio said. "The receivers are competing with the secondary players or the linebackers for a particular spot. We talk about 'the more you can do,' and that's important."
Holt doesn't play special teams, but the seven-time Pro Bowler can add leadership and be a mentor for the young receivers. Whether that's enough to make the cut is the issue.
The Patriots tried to make it work with faded veteran Joey Galloway last year, but cut him a few weeks into the season because it was a disaster. Holt's coming off career-lows with 51 receptions and 722 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"He's got a lot of experience," said Caserio, a former receivers coach for the Patriots. "He hasn't been out there for a few days, but he's smart. He's a very instinctive receiver. He has good hands. He's a good route runner. When he's been out there, when he's had his opportunities, he's made some plays.
"I think his value comes into play off the field as well. He does a nice job working with our younger receivers. Torry's been a really productive player in this league. He's done things on the field that are good and behind the scenes, some of the things that you don't see, I think he's been invaluable from that perspective."
He missed Monday's practice, too, for undisclosed reasons.
Holt also might be looking in from afar when it comes to New England's final roster.
Holt seems to rank sixth -- at best.
"However many we feel is best for the club," Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio replied when I asked how many receiver slots were available. "We've kept five. We've kept seven. It all depends."
Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Julian Edelman are back. Brandon Tate was a third-round draft choice last year. Injuries wiped out most of Tate's rookie season, but he has elicited praise from Tom Brady over the offseason. Taylor Price was a third-round pick in April.
Those are five receivers right there. When you consider keeping a sixth or seventh, he better add something beyond his listed position. Sam Aiken, for example, made 11 tackles and forced a fumble on special teams last year.
"You look at your club and you figure out the offensive or defensive component and then a special teams component," Caserio said. "The receivers are competing with the secondary players or the linebackers for a particular spot. We talk about 'the more you can do,' and that's important."
Holt doesn't play special teams, but the seven-time Pro Bowler can add leadership and be a mentor for the young receivers. Whether that's enough to make the cut is the issue.
The Patriots tried to make it work with faded veteran Joey Galloway last year, but cut him a few weeks into the season because it was a disaster. Holt's coming off career-lows with 51 receptions and 722 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"He's got a lot of experience," said Caserio, a former receivers coach for the Patriots. "He hasn't been out there for a few days, but he's smart. He's a very instinctive receiver. He has good hands. He's a good route runner. When he's been out there, when he's had his opportunities, he's made some plays.
"I think his value comes into play off the field as well. He does a nice job working with our younger receivers. Torry's been a really productive player in this league. He's done things on the field that are good and behind the scenes, some of the things that you don't see, I think he's been invaluable from that perspective."
SportsNation put together one of those cool, click-and-drag ranker doohickeys.
This time, it wants you to rate the NFL's best passing attacks.
Only 15 teams are available to choose from, but the AFC East gets plenty of love with three candidates.
Here's a copy of the ballot I submitted with the overall poll ranking as of this posting and an explanation for each AFC East club:
1. Indianapolis Colts (1)
2. New Orleans Saints (2)
3. Houston Texans (3)
4. New England Patriots (4): Without the encouraging recent news of Wes Welker's recovery, I would have dropped them a couple pegs. Tom Brady's go-to guy likely won't be 100 percent by the opener, but he sounds far enough along to make an impact. Much like Joey Galloway last year, Torry Holt provides no guarantees opposite Randy Moss, but Brandon Tate or rookie Taylor Price could emerge, too.
5. San Diego Chargers (6)
6. Green Bay Packers (5)
7. Cincinnati Bengals (9)
8. Minnesota Vikings (8)
9. Dallas Cowboys (7)
10. New York Jets (13): Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Jerricho Cotchery are a formidable trio. The secret weapon is tight end Dustin Keller, who proved how dangerous he could be with a touchdown reception in all three playoff games. LaDainian Tomlinson provides a receiving threat Mark Sanchez didn't have out of the backfield last year.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (11)
12. Miami Dolphins (14): Brandon Marshall is better than any one receiver the Jets have, but the entire crew isn't as impressive. Brian Hartline showed promise last year, and the Dolphins have two valuable possession receivers in Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo. But their tight ends must be more productive.
13. Baltimore Ravens (10)
14. Washington Redskins (15)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (12)
This time, it wants you to rate the NFL's best passing attacks.
Only 15 teams are available to choose from, but the AFC East gets plenty of love with three candidates.
Here's a copy of the ballot I submitted with the overall poll ranking as of this posting and an explanation for each AFC East club:
1. Indianapolis Colts (1)
2. New Orleans Saints (2)
3. Houston Texans (3)
4. New England Patriots (4): Without the encouraging recent news of Wes Welker's recovery, I would have dropped them a couple pegs. Tom Brady's go-to guy likely won't be 100 percent by the opener, but he sounds far enough along to make an impact. Much like Joey Galloway last year, Torry Holt provides no guarantees opposite Randy Moss, but Brandon Tate or rookie Taylor Price could emerge, too.
5. San Diego Chargers (6)
6. Green Bay Packers (5)
7. Cincinnati Bengals (9)
8. Minnesota Vikings (8)
9. Dallas Cowboys (7)
10. New York Jets (13): Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Jerricho Cotchery are a formidable trio. The secret weapon is tight end Dustin Keller, who proved how dangerous he could be with a touchdown reception in all three playoff games. LaDainian Tomlinson provides a receiving threat Mark Sanchez didn't have out of the backfield last year.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (11)
12. Miami Dolphins (14): Brandon Marshall is better than any one receiver the Jets have, but the entire crew isn't as impressive. Brian Hartline showed promise last year, and the Dolphins have two valuable possession receivers in Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo. But their tight ends must be more productive.
13. Baltimore Ravens (10)
14. Washington Redskins (15)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (12)
Patriots take wire cutters to Shawn Springs
May, 18, 2010
5/18/10
4:22
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
Shawn Springs was the New England Patriots' starting left cornerback for nine games last year, including the playoffs.
Springs
Now he's out of work.
The Patriots released Springs on Tuesday and signed sixth-round draft choice Ted Larsen, an offensive lineman from North Carolina State.
The Patriots previously re-signed last year's starter on the right side, Leigh Bodden. If Bill Belichick doesn't switch him over, then left cornerback becomes New England's biggest battle of the summer.
As ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss wrote Monday, the Patriots have a crowded depth chart at cornerback. Several are recent draft choices. In 2008, Terrence Wheatley was a second-round pick and Jonathan Wilhite was a fourth-rounder. Darius Butler was a 2009 second-round pick. Devin McCourty was selected 27th overall last month.
Wilhite and Butler both started games at left cornerback last year.
Springs, who signed a three-year contract a year ago, and joins a sizable list of failures from last offseason (receivers Greg Lewis and Joey Galloway, tight ends Chris Baker and Alex Smith).
ESPN's Adam Schefter suggested the Patriots might re-sign Springs, which would make sense. If Springs was good enough to start at left cornerback down the homestretch and into the postseason, then he should be good enough to remain on the roster for less money in 2010.
Springs missed four games but finished with 39 tackles, an interception and four passes defensed.
Springs
Now he's out of work.
The Patriots released Springs on Tuesday and signed sixth-round draft choice Ted Larsen, an offensive lineman from North Carolina State.
The Patriots previously re-signed last year's starter on the right side, Leigh Bodden. If Bill Belichick doesn't switch him over, then left cornerback becomes New England's biggest battle of the summer.
As ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss wrote Monday, the Patriots have a crowded depth chart at cornerback. Several are recent draft choices. In 2008, Terrence Wheatley was a second-round pick and Jonathan Wilhite was a fourth-rounder. Darius Butler was a 2009 second-round pick. Devin McCourty was selected 27th overall last month.
Wilhite and Butler both started games at left cornerback last year.
Springs, who signed a three-year contract a year ago, and joins a sizable list of failures from last offseason (receivers Greg Lewis and Joey Galloway, tight ends Chris Baker and Alex Smith).
ESPN's Adam Schefter suggested the Patriots might re-sign Springs, which would make sense. If Springs was good enough to start at left cornerback down the homestretch and into the postseason, then he should be good enough to remain on the roster for less money in 2010.
Springs missed four games but finished with 39 tackles, an interception and four passes defensed.
The Washington Redskins signed 38-year-old receiver Joey Galloway, while former Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens still can't find a job. ESPN's Adam Schefter takes a look at what's going on with T.O.
Moss-Holt form statistical rarity for Pats
April, 29, 2010
4/29/10
11:07
AM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
Based on the patience Bill Belichick showed with Joey Galloway last summer, we can assume Torry Holt won't ruin his chances of dressing for the New England Patriots on opening day.
When that happens, the Patriots will field the most prolific receiving duo in NFL history that didn't include Jerry Rice.
Holt and Patriots receiver Randy Moss will be only the second pair of teammates to enter a season with at least 900 receptions, the Elias Sports Bureau found. The only others to do it were Rice and Tim Brown for the Oakland Raiders in 2002 and 2003.
To further illustrate how rare it is for a team to have two receivers with such gaudy numbers, no other duo has opened a season with at least 800 catches apiece.
Moss ranks 10th on the NFL's all-time receptions list with 926. Holt is one place and six catches behind him, giving them a total of 1,846.
"You’re talking about playing with some of the most prolific offensive football players that the National Football League has," Holt said upon joining the Patriots. "To have the opportunity to fit in with those guys, to learn the offense, I think the sky’s the limit."
But they would have to stick together several more seasons to break the record. Rice and Brown started 2003 with 2,474 receptions.
As reader LFR2010 pointed out in the comments section, Moss and Holt will be a combined 67 years old when the season starts.
While that might sound ancient to some, Rice and Brown totaled 76 years at the start of 2002. That year, Rice went to the Pro Bowl with 92 catches for 1,211 yards, while Brown had 81 receptions for 930 yards. The Raiders won the AFC West and went to the Super Bowl.
When that happens, the Patriots will field the most prolific receiving duo in NFL history that didn't include Jerry Rice.
Holt and Patriots receiver Randy Moss will be only the second pair of teammates to enter a season with at least 900 receptions, the Elias Sports Bureau found. The only others to do it were Rice and Tim Brown for the Oakland Raiders in 2002 and 2003.
To further illustrate how rare it is for a team to have two receivers with such gaudy numbers, no other duo has opened a season with at least 800 catches apiece.
Moss ranks 10th on the NFL's all-time receptions list with 926. Holt is one place and six catches behind him, giving them a total of 1,846.
"You’re talking about playing with some of the most prolific offensive football players that the National Football League has," Holt said upon joining the Patriots. "To have the opportunity to fit in with those guys, to learn the offense, I think the sky’s the limit."
But they would have to stick together several more seasons to break the record. Rice and Brown started 2003 with 2,474 receptions.
As reader LFR2010 pointed out in the comments section, Moss and Holt will be a combined 67 years old when the season starts.
While that might sound ancient to some, Rice and Brown totaled 76 years at the start of 2002. That year, Rice went to the Pro Bowl with 92 catches for 1,211 yards, while Brown had 81 receptions for 930 yards. The Raiders won the AFC West and went to the Super Bowl.
The New England Patriots have two receivers who rank within the top 11 in career receptions after signing free agent Torry Holt to a one-year contract Tuesday.
HoltThe Patriots added depth to a position they failed to bolster last year by trading for Greg Lewis and signing Joey Galloway. Neither worked out. The Patriots cut Lewis at the end of training camp and cut Galloway after six games.
Adding help at receiver is even more critical for New England this summer with Wes Welker rehabbing from reconstructive knee surgery. The Patriots previously signed old friend David Patten. Sophomores Julian Edelman and Brandon Tate also will need to step into greater roles.
Holt, who will turn 34 years old in June, has more left in the tank than Galloway did. Holt caught 51 passes for 722 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He didn't have a touchdown for the first time in his 11 seasons.
Holt has 920 receptions, six behind new teammate Randy Moss on the all-time list.
Adding help at receiver is even more critical for New England this summer with Wes Welker rehabbing from reconstructive knee surgery. The Patriots previously signed old friend David Patten. Sophomores Julian Edelman and Brandon Tate also will need to step into greater roles.
Holt, who will turn 34 years old in June, has more left in the tank than Galloway did. Holt caught 51 passes for 722 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He didn't have a touchdown for the first time in his 11 seasons.
Holt has 920 receptions, six behind new teammate Randy Moss on the all-time list.
One of the AFC East's most bizarre developments -- or lack thereof -- heading into the 2009 season was Joey Galloway with the New England Patriots.
How a receiver with 15 years of NFL experience couldn't get comfortable in an offense with Tom Brady throwing him the ball was vexing. Miscommunication was obvious to anyone who watched them try to connect in OTAs, training camp and preseason games. Chemistry never formed.
The Patriots cut Galloway after three games. He caught seven passes for 67 yards and no touchdowns.
Galloway stopped by the "Scott Van Pelt Show" on ESPN Radio
to talk about the conference championship games, but discussed his problems with the Patriots.
"It just wasn't a good fit," Galloway said. "I had a different idea of what I was going there to do. I thought that I was going there to be the third receiver. I thought I was going there to help them stretch the field to go vertical, and once I got there, that just wasn't the case. The third receiver in New England doesn't play a large role in much of the offense, and that's in practice, that's on game day.
"There was a lot of talk that me and Brady were having issues and we couldn't get on the same page. Me and Tom Brady are great friends. I still talk to him. Great guy.
"But there is no page for the third receiver. We would go a week through practice. There would be one maybe two balls thrown to the third guy. It just wasn't a good fit for what I thought I was going there to do."
Now, I never played at a level higher than the Portage County League, so maybe my grasp of Galloway's involvement is unenlightened.
But I watched two voluntary workouts that were open to the media and a few days of training camp at Gillette Stadium. I saw Brady throw to Galloway several times in each session. They frequently crossed each other up. Galloway dropped passes.
Brady targeted Galloway 15 times in a Week 2 loss to the New York Jets and 22 times in their three games together. I would say 15 balls thrown your way makes you a significant part of the offense. Galloway caught five of those 15 passes.
How a receiver with 15 years of NFL experience couldn't get comfortable in an offense with Tom Brady throwing him the ball was vexing. Miscommunication was obvious to anyone who watched them try to connect in OTAs, training camp and preseason games. Chemistry never formed.
The Patriots cut Galloway after three games. He caught seven passes for 67 yards and no touchdowns.
Galloway stopped by the "Scott Van Pelt Show" on ESPN Radio
to talk about the conference championship games, but discussed his problems with the Patriots.
"It just wasn't a good fit," Galloway said. "I had a different idea of what I was going there to do. I thought that I was going there to be the third receiver. I thought I was going there to help them stretch the field to go vertical, and once I got there, that just wasn't the case. The third receiver in New England doesn't play a large role in much of the offense, and that's in practice, that's on game day.
"There was a lot of talk that me and Brady were having issues and we couldn't get on the same page. Me and Tom Brady are great friends. I still talk to him. Great guy.
"But there is no page for the third receiver. We would go a week through practice. There would be one maybe two balls thrown to the third guy. It just wasn't a good fit for what I thought I was going there to do."
Now, I never played at a level higher than the Portage County League, so maybe my grasp of Galloway's involvement is unenlightened.
But I watched two voluntary workouts that were open to the media and a few days of training camp at Gillette Stadium. I saw Brady throw to Galloway several times in each session. They frequently crossed each other up. Galloway dropped passes.
Brady targeted Galloway 15 times in a Week 2 loss to the New York Jets and 22 times in their three games together. I would say 15 balls thrown your way makes you a significant part of the offense. Galloway caught five of those 15 passes.
ESPN's John Clayton takes his weekly spin around the AFC East and touches on a variety of subjects, from the New England Patriots second-half woes to what the New York Jets will do at running back in 2010. Check the myriad tags below for an idea of the ground Clayton covers.
» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11:
Forget the percentages, the fourth-down call Bill Belichick made makes no sense to me. If you type my name into the search field on Pro-Football-Reference.com, you'll notice I've neither coached nor played in the NFL. So who cares what I think about a coaching decision? Apparently, dozens of readers, who have been calling me a New England Patriots homer because I didn't demand Belichick be summarily executed for not punting on fourth down from his own 28-yard line against the Indianapolis Colts.
I've repeatedly said I disagreed with the decision, but since there seems to be confusion over my stance, here are some other options I would have considered about as long: an 89-yard field goal attempt, the fumblerooski, intentionally miss the front end of a one-and-one and hope for the putback, Laurence Maroney throwing a halfback pass to Nick Kaczur, a quintuple reverse, and an onside punt.
Unless the Buffalo Bills want to make a point by refusing to play him, we haven't seen the last of Trent Edwards. I find it difficult to believe Ryan Fitzpatrick, with his 49.4 completion percentage and 49.8 passer rating, will take over the starting job and run away with it. Maybe he'll experience a quarterbacking epiphany. And maybe the next time I sit down at a piano I will play Chopin.
The Bills' offense has been a disaster under Fitzpatrick or Edwards. Seven games is too much time to endure watching one quarterback continually look less than mediocre. Unless Fitzpatrick morphs into a different player than we've seen, Edwards will get another shot.
New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis will have a tougher time shutting down Randy Moss compared to Week 2. There has been much talk this week about whether Revis received help in holding Moss to four catches for 24 yards. Revis said he was one-on-one. Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine admitted Wednesday that Revis had downfield assistance.
Either way, it's going to be more difficult to limit Moss for a few reasons. Tom Brady is much more comfortable now than he was then. Wes Welker didn't play in Week 2. Third receiver Joey Galloway, who short-circuited many plays because of his inability to get on the same page as Brady, has been cut. And, maybe most importantly, Brady and Moss would love to shut Revis up. If Revis wins this battle convincingly, he'll cement an All-Pro honor.
Don't expect Ricky Williams to carry the Miami Dolphins into the playoffs. As vital as Williams will be down the homestretch, the most critical contributor will be quarterback Chad Henne. The second-year pro, pressed into service sooner than the Dolphins preferred when Chad Pennington's shoulder came apart, quietly has evolved into an effective game manager.
Henne's 77.7 passer rating is 25th in the league, but he has thrown only one interception in the past four games, helping the Dolphins win three of them. His touchdown output is low, but the Dolphins have leaned upon two of the NFL's better goal-to-go backs. Henne will need to do increasingly more over the final six games to make sure Williams doesn't get worn out in Ronnie Brown's absence.
The Bills will need to put 12 defenders in the box to stop Maurice Jones-Drew from repairing his fantasy relationships. Jones-Drew snuffed the Jets last Sunday by brilliantly kneeling on the goal line to run down the clock for a game-winning field goal rather than score a touchdown. Jones-Drew apologized to his fantasy owners afterward.
Those owners shouldn't bench him for Sunday. Jones-Drew is going against the NFL's worst run defense. What's more, the Bills announced Friday run-stopping (theoretically) defensive tackle Marcus Stroud won't play because of a knee injury. And that's not all. Buffalo's other starting defensive tackle, Kyle Williams, is on the injury report with a knee injury. Williams has missed the past three games.
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11:
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Frank Franklin IIIn the first meeting of the season, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis held Patriots receiver Randy Moss to four catches for 24 yards.
AP Photo/Frank Franklin IIIn the first meeting of the season, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis held Patriots receiver Randy Moss to four catches for 24 yards. I've repeatedly said I disagreed with the decision, but since there seems to be confusion over my stance, here are some other options I would have considered about as long: an 89-yard field goal attempt, the fumblerooski, intentionally miss the front end of a one-and-one and hope for the putback, Laurence Maroney throwing a halfback pass to Nick Kaczur, a quintuple reverse, and an onside punt.
Unless the Buffalo Bills want to make a point by refusing to play him, we haven't seen the last of Trent Edwards. I find it difficult to believe Ryan Fitzpatrick, with his 49.4 completion percentage and 49.8 passer rating, will take over the starting job and run away with it. Maybe he'll experience a quarterbacking epiphany. And maybe the next time I sit down at a piano I will play Chopin.
The Bills' offense has been a disaster under Fitzpatrick or Edwards. Seven games is too much time to endure watching one quarterback continually look less than mediocre. Unless Fitzpatrick morphs into a different player than we've seen, Edwards will get another shot.
New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis will have a tougher time shutting down Randy Moss compared to Week 2. There has been much talk this week about whether Revis received help in holding Moss to four catches for 24 yards. Revis said he was one-on-one. Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine admitted Wednesday that Revis had downfield assistance.
Either way, it's going to be more difficult to limit Moss for a few reasons. Tom Brady is much more comfortable now than he was then. Wes Welker didn't play in Week 2. Third receiver Joey Galloway, who short-circuited many plays because of his inability to get on the same page as Brady, has been cut. And, maybe most importantly, Brady and Moss would love to shut Revis up. If Revis wins this battle convincingly, he'll cement an All-Pro honor.
Don't expect Ricky Williams to carry the Miami Dolphins into the playoffs. As vital as Williams will be down the homestretch, the most critical contributor will be quarterback Chad Henne. The second-year pro, pressed into service sooner than the Dolphins preferred when Chad Pennington's shoulder came apart, quietly has evolved into an effective game manager.
Henne's 77.7 passer rating is 25th in the league, but he has thrown only one interception in the past four games, helping the Dolphins win three of them. His touchdown output is low, but the Dolphins have leaned upon two of the NFL's better goal-to-go backs. Henne will need to do increasingly more over the final six games to make sure Williams doesn't get worn out in Ronnie Brown's absence.
The Bills will need to put 12 defenders in the box to stop Maurice Jones-Drew from repairing his fantasy relationships. Jones-Drew snuffed the Jets last Sunday by brilliantly kneeling on the goal line to run down the clock for a game-winning field goal rather than score a touchdown. Jones-Drew apologized to his fantasy owners afterward.
Those owners shouldn't bench him for Sunday. Jones-Drew is going against the NFL's worst run defense. What's more, the Bills announced Friday run-stopping (theoretically) defensive tackle Marcus Stroud won't play because of a knee injury. And that's not all. Buffalo's other starting defensive tackle, Kyle Williams, is on the injury report with a knee injury. Williams has missed the past three games.
Power Rankings: Preseason: 2. This week: 6.
2009 Schedule/Results
Where they stand: The Patriots are atop the AFC East at 6-2 and have separated themselves from the division's other three teams. They have eight difficult games ahead, including dome trips this month to meet the undefeated Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. The Patriots have won three straight and notched an important victory Sunday over the Miami Dolphins, who were previously unbeaten in the division. With the rest of the AFC East so muddled, if the Patriots finish their remaining schedule a game above .500, then they should lock up the division title. In fact, 4-4 the rest of the way might get it done.
Disappointments: Thankfully for Patriots fans, most frustrations from the first half of the season have been addressed in some way. The Patriots still haven't discovered a reliable No. 3 receiver, but they did part ways with Joey Galloway, whose inability to develop any semblance of chemistry with Tom Brady was exasperating. Brady seems to be getting increasingly comfortable with his reconstructed left knee. Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas, benched for a game, has responded with some strong play recently. The biggest issue lately has been red zone offense. The Patriots have been moving the ball with relative ease, but settling for too many field goals.
Surprises: People knew safety Brandon Meriweather was going to be good, but he has emerged as a force at a time when the Patriots' transitioning defense needed its youth to blossom. Free agent safety Brandon McGowan, considered a role player and special-teamer when the Patriots signed him, has been an eye-opener when it comes to run support and shutting down tight ends. On offense, two rookies have emerged. Julian Edelman, a quarterback at Kent State, was drafted in the seventh round but quickly endeared himself as a receiver. Tackle Sebastian Vollmer, a second-round pick out of Houston, has filled in remarkably well for injured left tackle Matt Light and kept reigning AFC sacks leader Joey Porter from recording a tackle Sunday.
Outlook: As long as Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are running the show, New England will be a Super Bowl contender. The Patriots are running the ball more than they did in 2007, but they remain a passing team. Brady makes it look so easy with Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Belichick masterfully reshaped the defense after losing four mainstays. Inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi and safety Rodney Harrison retired to the microphone farm. Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and defensive end Richard Seymour were traded. But the defense stayed formidable. We'll learn if they can withstand the firepower of elite offenses when they face Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.
2009 Schedule/Results
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| Elsa/Getty Images | |
| Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather has stepped up for a young defense. |
Disappointments: Thankfully for Patriots fans, most frustrations from the first half of the season have been addressed in some way. The Patriots still haven't discovered a reliable No. 3 receiver, but they did part ways with Joey Galloway, whose inability to develop any semblance of chemistry with Tom Brady was exasperating. Brady seems to be getting increasingly comfortable with his reconstructed left knee. Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas, benched for a game, has responded with some strong play recently. The biggest issue lately has been red zone offense. The Patriots have been moving the ball with relative ease, but settling for too many field goals.
Surprises: People knew safety Brandon Meriweather was going to be good, but he has emerged as a force at a time when the Patriots' transitioning defense needed its youth to blossom. Free agent safety Brandon McGowan, considered a role player and special-teamer when the Patriots signed him, has been an eye-opener when it comes to run support and shutting down tight ends. On offense, two rookies have emerged. Julian Edelman, a quarterback at Kent State, was drafted in the seventh round but quickly endeared himself as a receiver. Tackle Sebastian Vollmer, a second-round pick out of Houston, has filled in remarkably well for injured left tackle Matt Light and kept reigning AFC sacks leader Joey Porter from recording a tackle Sunday.
Outlook: As long as Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are running the show, New England will be a Super Bowl contender. The Patriots are running the ball more than they did in 2007, but they remain a passing team. Brady makes it look so easy with Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Belichick masterfully reshaped the defense after losing four mainstays. Inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi and safety Rodney Harrison retired to the microphone farm. Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel and defensive end Richard Seymour were traded. But the defense stayed formidable. We'll learn if they can withstand the firepower of elite offenses when they face Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.
Who makes the playoffs from the AFC East?
November, 4, 2009
11/04/09
4:52
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
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| Stew Milne-US PRESSWIRE | |
| New England's Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are facing the AFC's toughest schedule from here on out. |
The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are on their bye weeks. The New England Patriots are emerging from their week off. The Miami Dolphins had theirs last month.
Not every AFC East club has played eight games, but we're entering the second half of the season. It is November. We're in Week 9, high time to start harvesting the schedules to consider which teams have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.
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Preseason schedule strength is oftentimes misleading. The AFC East owned four of the league's seven most difficult schedules based on last year's records. But we all know last year's successes or failures don't always carry over, right Nashville?
Eight weeks of football, however, yield a suitable sample size of how teams are likely to perform the rest of the way.
With that in mind, we might be on the verge of a fascinating homestretch.
The Miami Dolphins actually might catch the New England Patriots.
The Patriots, Las Vegas' pick to win the Super Bowl, would appear to be in command. They lead the AFC East by a game and a half over the New York Jets and are two games ahead of the Dolphins, who, when they opened the season 0-3, were practically condemned.
But the Patriots are about to embark on the AFC's most difficult remaining schedule. Their opponents are 38-28 for a robust .576 winning percentage.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, have the AFC's third-easiest path and the smoothest in the division by far. Their remaining opponents are 30-35 for a .462 win percentage.
Some fans might be comfortable with a second-place finish and a wild-card berth. That would be a reckless assumption. The way the conference is shaking out, the only AFC East team to reach the postseason will be the champion.
The AFC East and forsaken NFC West are the only divisions where the second-place team doesn't have a winning record.
It's possible the AFC North could send three teams to the playoffs, with the Cincinnati Bengals (AFC's easiest remaining schedule), Pittsburgh Steelers (fourth-easiest) and Baltimore Ravens (fifth-hardest) worthy candidates.
The Denver Broncos (eighth-toughest) appear on their way to claiming the AFC West, but the San Diego Chargers (fifth-easiest) are good enough to make a run and earn a wild card. So are the Houston Texans (sixth-toughest).
How many of those candidates can the AFC East's second-place team displace?
Let's take a look at what lies ahead for all four AFC East clubs.
New England Patriots (5-2 overall, 1-1 AFC East)
Where they've been: Despite one of the AFC's softest schedules through Week 8, the Patriots endured some turbulence. They narrowly averted an embarrassing defeat to the Buffalo Bills on opening night and lost to the Jets and the Denver Broncos. They searched for an identity offensively and defensively. Tom Brady didn't regain his form as naturally as many assumed. Third receiver Joey Galloway didn't work out. A defensive overhaul and injury to top linebacker Jerod Mayo forced a transformation that took time to work itself out.
Where they're going: The Patriots wiped their cleats on a pair of doormats before the bye week. They rolled up big scores and were sensational on defense against the Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Whoopee. The Patriots need to perform against legit competition before they can be considered elite again -- at least in my book. Their next five games include the Dolphins twice, a rematch with the Jets and the top two teams in ESPN.com's power rankings, the undefeated Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. If the Patriots can escape that stretch at 8-4 or better, they'll still be in control in December. If not, then the door opens for the Dolphins.
New York Jets (4-4, 1-3)
Where they've been: The Jets have the AFC East's second-best record, but they're not the division's second-best team. They've gone from Super Bowl contenders to ordinary in a hurry. A 3-0 start against mostly quality opposition (Houston Texans, Patriots, Titans) captured everyone's imaginations, but the Jets have won just a single game (against the Oakland Raiders) in their past five tries. The Dolphins stunned them twice, and those losses guarantee the Jets cannot have a winning record in the division.
Where they're going: The Jets have the AFC's fourth-toughest remaining schedule, a .526 win percentage. They'll need to navigate it with a rookie quarterback not used to playing in the winter elements and without star nose tackle Kris Jenkins and Pro Bowl all-purpose back Leon Washington, both done for the year. The Jets have some soft opponents ahead: Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Bills and Buccaneers. But they also have to play the Patriots in Gillette Stadium and finish the year with a treacherous threesome: Atlanta Falcons, Colts and Bengals.
Miami Dolphins (3-4, 3-0)
Where they've been: Unless the Dolphins can take advantage of their weak second-half schedule, they almost certainly will remember 2009 as the season they had two heavyweights on the ropes. They should've defeated the Saints and the Colts, but couldn't close them out. The Dolphins have remained a live team by winning all of their AFC East games thus far. Chad Pennington's season-ending shoulder injury was supposed to doom them, but they're still are good enough to beat any team in the league.
Where they're going: With a grueling part of their schedule behind them -- their opponents through Week 8 combined for a .635 win percentage -- the rest of the season opens up some possibilities to climb back into the race. Chad Henne has been shaky the past couple games, posting a 52.6 passer rating. But if he can get his act together, there are plenty of victories to be had, notably against the Buccaneers, Panthers, Bills, Jaguars and Titans from Weeks 10 through 15. The Patriots in Week 13 are the only team in that stretch with a winning record.
Buffalo Bills (3-5, 1-2)
Where they've been: The Bills are way out of it. Even if they had finished off the Patriots on opening night and escaped one of the ugliest games in NFL history with a tie against the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, they still would be a mess. There's far too much chaos -- from the offensive coordinator getting fired 10 days before the opener to the obscene number of injuries at every position except receiver and running back, where they had a Pro Bowler suspended three games. The combined record of the three teams they've defeated is 7-15.
Where they're going: Maybe they can match the standard head coach Dick Jauron set in his first three seasons by going finishing 7-9 each time. That's consistency for you. Maybe the Bills claw back to .500 against the Titans and Jaguars in their first two games after the bye. They also have the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14. But the Bills finish against the Patriots, Falcons and Colts -- maybe the most difficult final three games in the NFL. Happy holidays.
Video: Patriots-Buccaneers predictions
October, 24, 2009
10/24/09
1:15
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
ESPN analysts Herm Edwards and Mark Schlereth are unanimous in their prediction for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London.
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss has done a fine job this week sorting through all of the New England Patriots' personnel updates.
Reiss correctly predicted the Patriots would re-sign linebacker Tully Banta-Cain after they cut him, and has been on top of the trade deadline, the Eric Alexander cut-and-sign, Joey Galloway's release and Sunday's decision to bench outside linebacker Adalius Thomas for Sunday's 59-0 mauling of the Tennessee Titans.
For the first time since coach Bill Belichick deactivated him, Thomas spoke to reporters Wednesday.
Reiss observed "Thomas' answers were short and to the point. He appeared upset."
Thomas stated his desire to move forward and declined to reveal what the reason was for his benching.
"Ask Bill," Thomas said. "He has all the answers."
ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss has done a fine job this week sorting through all of the New England Patriots' personnel updates.
Reiss correctly predicted the Patriots would re-sign linebacker Tully Banta-Cain after they cut him, and has been on top of the trade deadline, the Eric Alexander cut-and-sign, Joey Galloway's release and Sunday's decision to bench outside linebacker Adalius Thomas for Sunday's 59-0 mauling of the Tennessee Titans.
For the first time since coach Bill Belichick deactivated him, Thomas spoke to reporters Wednesday.
Reiss observed "Thomas' answers were short and to the point. He appeared upset."
Thomas stated his desire to move forward and declined to reveal what the reason was for his benching.
"Ask Bill," Thomas said. "He has all the answers."
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham
Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald reports New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman has a broken arm.
The report doesn't provide details on how Edelman broke it, where the fracture is located or what the timetable will be for Edelman's return. But a broken arm is tough to play through.
ESPN.com recently selected Edelman as its surprise rookie for 2009. Edelman, a quarterback at Kent State the Patriots drafted in seventh-round and converted into a receiver, has 21 catches for 188 yards. Both figures rank third on the team.
The Herald report underscores how fed up the Patriots were with Joey Galloway, who was unable to pick up the offense or develop any discernible chemistry with Tom Brady. They released Galloway on Wednesday. He had seven catches through the first three games, but was a healthy scratch the past two games.
Sam Aiken, considered more of a special-teamer, was involved in the offense Sunday. He has four receptions for 30 yards in the blowout victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald reports New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman has a broken arm.
The report doesn't provide details on how Edelman broke it, where the fracture is located or what the timetable will be for Edelman's return. But a broken arm is tough to play through.
ESPN.com recently selected Edelman as its surprise rookie for 2009. Edelman, a quarterback at Kent State the Patriots drafted in seventh-round and converted into a receiver, has 21 catches for 188 yards. Both figures rank third on the team.
The Herald report underscores how fed up the Patriots were with Joey Galloway, who was unable to pick up the offense or develop any discernible chemistry with Tom Brady. They released Galloway on Wednesday. He had seven catches through the first three games, but was a healthy scratch the past two games.
Sam Aiken, considered more of a special-teamer, was involved in the offense Sunday. He has four receptions for 30 yards in the blowout victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Posted by ESPN.com staff
The New England Patriots have released wide receiver Joey Galloway, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Galloway has not been on the Patriots active roster for the last three weeks.
The New England Patriots have released wide receiver Joey Galloway, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Galloway has not been on the Patriots active roster for the last three weeks.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
James Walker
Walker joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the NFL and NBA for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. He's a Temple graduate and Hyattsville, Md. native who lives in Miami.
