ESPN

There were more than a few groans when Brandon Meriweather earned his second consecutive spot on the AFC Pro Bowl roster last season. While his 2009 campaign surely warranted All-Star consideration, a reduced role and on-field struggles in 2010 likely did not.

In fact, Meriweather's decline last season might have ultimately sealed his fate Saturday when he was released by the New England Patriots as part of the team's final roster cutdown.

On the surface, Meriweather's numbers weren't awful. He finished with 48 tackles, three interceptions, and six passes defended. But dig deeper and the drop-off in production is far more pronounced. The folks at Pro Football Focus track individual player data and their numbers on Meriweather are far more condemning. For instance, during Meriweather's 2009 season, opposing quarterbacks boasted a QB rating of 64.7 on passes throw in his direction; In 2010, that number skyrocketed to 100.7. Here's a comparison of the past three years for Meriweather with PFF numbers (including playoff games) that highlight the Pro Bowl-caliber 2009 season and last year's dip:

2008: 42 targets, 26 receptions, 330 yards, 145 YAC, 5 TD, 4 INT, 86.4 QB rating
2009: 30 targets, 18 receptions, 296 yards, 132 YAC, 1 TD, 5 INT, 64.7 QB rating
2010: 30 targets, 20 receptions, 355 yards, 116 YAC, 3 TD, 3 INT, 100.7 QB rating

As a means of comparison, Baltimore's Ed Reed and Green Bay's Nick Collins were the two Pro Bowl starting free safeties last year. A glimpse at their 2010 PFF numbers:

Reed: 30 targets, 14 receptions, 220 yards, 50 YAC, 4 TD, 8 INT, 71.5 QB rating
Collins: 41 targets, 17 receptions, 347 yards, 134 YAC, 2 TD, 5 INT, 48.6 QB rating

Maybe most condemning is PFF's overall rating, which assigns plus/minus grades based on a player's ratings in four categories (run defense, pass rush, pass coverage, and penalty). If 0 suggests a league-average player -- one that neither hurts nor helps his team -- Meriweather graded out at -10.1 during the regular season, tied for 79th among the 85 safeties that played at least 25 percent of their teams snaps last season. By comparison, Reed was +9.9, while Collins was +5.5, both among the top 13 safeties in the league. (For those wondering where fellow Patriots safety castoff James Sanders landed, he was ranked 67th at -5.3, though it was his run support that hurt his rating the most, while pass defense killed Meriweather).

With the safety position, numbers can't quantify everything (even the subjective ones offered here by PFF). Meriweather simply didn't pass the eyeball test at times, either. A safety needs to be in the right position at the right times and Meriweather seemed to struggle mightily in that aspect, just a step behind the action at times, and often taking poor angles. On more than one occasion Meriweather wiped out his own man trying to make a stop on an opponent.

The Patriots overhauled their defense this season with a focus on beefing up the defensive line. That should lead to extra pressure on the quarterback, but it only matters if the team has confidence in the secondary to produce solid coverage. It appears the team lost that confidence in Meriweather last year and simply decided it was time to move on.

It didn't take Brandon Meriweather long to find work. The Chicago Bears have agreed to sign the former Patriots safety, who was an unrestricted free agent after being released Saturday.

The Chicago Bears announced they have reached a one-year agreement with former New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather.

The Patriots cut Meriweather, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, on Saturday. New England drafted Meriweather in the first round from Miami in 2007. He has 224 tackles and 12 interceptions in 64 career games, including 40 starts.

Barring a Super Bowl encounter, the Patriots are not scheduled to meet the Bears during the 2011 season.

WEST WARWICK, R.I. -- Some bonds never fade.

Ellis Hobbs and Brandon Meriweather played in the same Patriots secondary for two seasons (2007-2008), and they again found themselves in the same huddle Tuesday at Hobbs’ life skills/football camp at West Warwick High School.

This presented an opportunity for reporters to catch up with Meriweather, the fifth-year safety who in March had been in the headlines for reasons most players want to avoid. Meriweather discussed that topic and more before departing to the airport for a flight home to Orlando.

Meriweather, who was listed at 200 pounds last season, is now around 205-207 after altering his offseason routine. He’s not focusing as closely on football drills -- save for footwork and a few other areas he felt he were lacking -- and instead has targeted more strength work that he feels has made him stronger, faster and more agile (more on this from Kevin McNamara from the Providence Journal).

Meriweather spent time this offseason traveling between Orlando and New England in preparation for the final season of the five-year contract he signed as a first-round draft choice in 2007. Had the current proposed collective bargaining agreement been in effect when Meriweather entered the league, he’d be scheduled for unrestricted free agency at this time.

Sometimes being in a contract year can spark a player to a higher level, but Meriweather insists that’s not part of his mindset.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” he said. “It’s my last year, and whatever happens after this year happens. I’m going to go into this year playing like I have five more on it.”

Meriweather played more than any Patriots safety last season (80 percent of the snaps), followed by Patrick Chung (72 percent) and James Sanders (70 percent). With Devin McCourty coming off a stellar rookie season at left cornerback, and second-round draft choice Ras-I Dowling joining the corner competition that includes veteran Leigh Bodden, Kyle Arrington, Darius Butler, Jonathan Wilhite and Co., Meriweather sees a crowded situation.

“We have a lot of young talent and I think we’re going to be all right, but it’s going to be interesting to see how coaches put it together,” he said.

As for catching up with Hobbs at Tuesday's camp, Meriweather smiled.

“This right here is what I think is the most important thing I do during the offseason -- come out here and talk to the kids, to see people who are really playing the game because they love it,” he said. “They train because they love it, not because they’re getting paid for it. It’s more of a reward for me than it is for them.”

On the flip side, Meriweather has not followed the ins and outs of the lockout or other media coverage. As for being present at a March shooting that generated headlines, Meriweather didn’t duck the topic.

“I think my lawyer did a great job of explaining it,” Meriweather said, before the interview was stopped by one of the camp’s organizers.

The lawyer for New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather said Monday that he has delivered witness statements that show his client should not be a suspect in a shooting.

"We have confirmed that Brandon was nothing but a peace-keeper," Fort Lauderdale attorney Adam Swickle told the Orlando Sentinel. "All of the witnesses confirmed that at no point did Brandon have a gun, or threaten to shoot, and did not shoot anyone."

The 27-year-old player was at the shooting in the early morning hours of Feb. 28 in Apopka, Fla., Orange County Sheriff's department spokesman Capt. Angelo Nieves said March 10.

Nieves said 24-year-old Quentin Taylor and 23-year-old Nico Stanley were both injured. Taylor was shot in the face and Stanley was grazed by a bullet.

Swickle told the newspaper that his investigator, Robert Crispin, spoke to at least one witness who identified another man as having a gun before the shooting. He did not identify the person to the newspaper but said he has a lengthy criminal record and that information was passed on to police.

"An attorney met with investigators today and provided them with several witness statements," Nieves said, according to the Sentinel. "Some of those individuals have also been interviewed by Orange County deputies."

Nieves told the newspaper that police are not ready to make an arrest or charge anyone with the shooting.

"We are not ready to characterize him [Meriweather] in any other fashion," Nieves said, according to the newspaper. "The investigation is continuing to move forward."

For more, click here.

Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather, appearing on WEEI on Monday morning, talked about the big hits New England's secondary put on the Bills on Sunday and said it's all part of the game plan.

"We like to say we're the most physical secondary in the NFL," said Meriweather.

"We want to punish you ... we want to make you feel it," he said, adding that the punishing hits on receivers going over the middle eventually takes away that pass, and sets up the defense for interceptions on the outside.

"We try to do that every game," he said.

When asked whether he thinks he and other starters should play in next week's somewhat meaningless game against Miami, he laughed said simply: "Everyone wants to play against the Dolphins." Then added: "But it's not our decision."

The NFL on Tuesday fined New England Patriots defensive back Brandon Meriweather $50,000 for two helmet-to-helmet hits on Todd Heap in Sunday’s game, according to a league source. He will not be suspended.

Meriweather was flagged for a second-quarter hit on Heap, who lay on the field being attended to by Ravens medical personnel for several minutes before getting up under his own power. Heap was leaping for a Joe Flacco pass that had sailed over his head when Meriweather thrust himself, helmet-first, into the Ravens' tight end.

Earlier in the game, Meriwather also hit Heap near the goal line.

Read the full story HERE

ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi said Tuesday he thought the only way NFL players will get the message that head-to-head and other dangerous hits will not be tolerated is if an example is made out an offending player.

“Until one is suspended, the players aren’t going to believe it,” Bruschi said on SportsCenter.

“I think something has to be done because the rule is good,” Bruschi explained. “When they talk about enforcing the rule, proper enforcement of the rule, you need to plant the seed in players’ heads. Right now, players don’t take this rule seriously. You saw it last Sunday. They’re still launching, they’re still leading with their heads, the rule isn’t enforced properly so they’re taking the chance.”

In his eyes, the player that could be made an example of is Brandon Meriweather, who has been under serious scrutiny for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Todd Heap on Sunday that was described by one NFL executive as “egregious” and “flagrant”. Moving forward, the NFL has said it will suspend players for making similar hits.

“If there’s anyone this week that has the possibility of [being made an example out of by being suspended], it’s probably Brandon,” Bruschi said in an interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI. “I hate to say that, but in [Sunday’s] game also, there was an instance where Heap caught a touchdown pass and Brandon also launched himself at Heap at that point and he missed. That showed intent and what his mentality was that game and then later of course he had the big hit on Heap. ... In my mind both of those instances were hits that could have been prevented and Brandon could have made better decisions.

“Unfortunately for the Patriots and their defense he may be the player they make an example of that plants the seed that I’m talking about into all of these other players.”

In a radio interview Monday, Meriweather said he did not intentionally hit Heap in the head with his helmet, that it was a split-second decision.

Bruschi isn’t buying explanations like that.

“Players are saying ‘Well I couldn’t control myself, that’s my instincts just to get that big hit.’ Don’t believe them,” Bruschi said. “Don’t believe them because they’re skilled enough to have enough athletic ability to say, ‘Listen, this is where I am, I need to make a decision now. I want to be there for my team [and not be suspended]. I’m turning and leading with the shoulder.’”

Bruschi, a former Patriots linebacker, admitted that he faced the reality of the consequences of making such a jarring hit during his playing days. In his interview with WEEI, he described launching himself into Todd Collins and breaking the Bills quarterback’s collarbone.

“That was my instance where I had a decision to make where, do I try to make the big hit or do I just try to tackle a guy?,” Bruschi explained. “At that point in my career I decided to launch myself toward his upper body and his head because at that point, you knew about not hitting quarterbacks helmet to helmet or anything like that but, once again, the seed wasn’t really planted in my head that there were serious ramifications for this.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Assorted locker room quotes from Patriots players after their overtime victory over the Ravens on Sunday:

* Zoltan Mesko on his 65-yard punt in overtime that played a key role in the victory:

“It was just a great feeling to help the team win. I know in the fourth quarter in the first couple games, I was a little -- I wouldn’t call it shaky, but I didn’t deliver it when the teams needed to be backed up. We had some unique situations where we were either up by a lot or the Jets game where we lost. It was definitely rewarding. It was good to see that hard work paid off.”

* Wes Welker, on whether this was the most physical game he’s ever played in:

“It’s definitely up there. [The Ravens] are definitely a very physical team and we knew it was going to be that coming into this game and we were fortunate to come away with the victory.”

* Danny Woodhead, on whether he’s ever been a part of a victory as big as Sunday’s:

“Honestly, wins, I don’t look back really on this win or that win, just because I’m a very present guy in the present time. This is a huge win for us because it was the game that we had this week. Obviously it was a great AFC opponent and it was definitely a win that we needed.”

* Alge Crumpler, on being named a captain and what it means to him:

“It was an honor. Coach [Belichick] announced it to the team on Wednesday that I just conmtinue to do the things that I’ve set forth from the first day I stepped into this organization, that’s help this team win. I’ve been through a lot of situations; I’ve been a captain before. I didn’t expect this, but I embrace the opportunity to keep leading and keep helping this ballclub win games. We’ve lost a lot of guys due to injury, trades, whatever you want to call it. But we believe in this locker room that we can get it done. We have a core group of guys that are optimistic that, regardless of what the situations are, regardless of what happened last year, that we can continue to play together and stay together and win ballgames.”

* Brandon Meriweather, on the keys to shutting down the Ravens offense late in the game:

“The biggest key was everybody doing their job. I think everybody did their job better later in the game than we did early in the game. We were doing our job, I just think we did it better at the end.”

* Meriweather, on what it felt like to get defensive stops late in the game:

“We were having fun. Everybody was having fun and playing well together and we were all communicating. It was just fun for us.”

* Devin McCourty on the Patriots’ second-half defensive adjustments:

“We just kept fighting. You always come to the sideline and talk about some things, but it was basically just going back out there and forgetting what just happened and going out there fighting, trying to get back off the field.”

* Kyle Arrington, on whether the Patriots’ defense “grew up” over the course of the game:

“I would say so. We’re young. We had a couple plays that we wish we could get back, me in particular. You just have to always stay positive [and] keep your head up. Good teams are going to make good plays, so you [have] to keep battling.”

* Stephen Gostkowski, on his game-winning field goal:

“It’s nice to get a win. The couple times that I’ve had a chance to be in overtime it seems like I kick off every time and haven’t had an opportunity, and I was just glad to get an opportunity. As a field goal kicker you can’t make your own opportunities. You just got to go with what is given to you on the offense and defense and when you get an opportunity to come through for your team it’s very rewarding to be the last person to touch the ball and come off winners.”

* Gostkowski, on whether he thought he was going to get an opportunity to kick a game-winning 65-yard field goal at the end of regulation:

“You take what you get, that’s not my call. I am not going to be the guy tapping coach [Bill] Belichick on the shoulder saying, ‘send me out there’. I just get ready to go and when my name is called I do it. I’ve made kicks that long before in practice and I’ve never gotten the opportunity to kick one of those in a game, but I would have gone out there and tried my best. The only bad thing that can happen there is that you get the kick blocked. I don’t think the coaches are going to be out there yelling at me the next day so it’s kind of like a freebee. We ended up winning so I could care less they didn’t send me out there. I am just glad I got the opportunity to go out there at the end."

New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss and safety Brandon Meriweather have been named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad, according to a league source.

Moss, who led the Patriots with 13 touchdown receptions, will replace teammate Wes Welker. This will be Moss's seventh Pro Bowl appearance in a 12-year career. Moss finished second on the team with 83 receptions and 1,264 receiving yards.

Meriweather will be making his first Pro Bowl appearance since being selected in the first round of the 2007 draft. He finished tied for the Patriots' lead in interceptions this season with five, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Meriweather's 83 tackles ranked third on the team. He replaces injured rookie safety Jairus Byrd of Buffalo.

A look at the Patriots' leaders in special teams tackles (based on coaches' film review), which can highlight the value of some lesser publicized players:

LB Pierre Woods -- 12
LB Eric Alexander -- 9
S Brandon McGowan -- 9
S Pat Chung -- 8
WR Sam Aiken -- 7
CB Kyle Arrington -- 5
S Bret Lockett -- 5
S Brandon Meriweather -- 5
WR Matthew Slater -- 5
LB Rob Ninkovich -- 4
K Stephen Gostkowski -- 4

Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his three-interception performance against the Jets. This is Bodden's first time earning the honor.

The Patriots have had an impressive run this season in terms of Player of the Week honors.

Week 1: Tom Brady (offense)
Week 6: Tom Brady (offense)
Week 7: Brandon Meriweather (defense)
Week 9: Stephen Gostkowski (special teams)
Week 11: Leigh Bodden (defense)

A look at snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 31-14 win over the Jets (as charted in the press box, small margin for error):

ILB Gary Guyton – 51 of 51 snaps
ILB Jerod Mayo – 51 of 51
S Brandon Meriweather – 51 of 51
CB Jonathan Wilhite – 51 of 51
CB Leigh Bodden – 50 of 51
S Brandon McGowan – 50 of 51
OLB/DE Adalius Thomas – 40 of 51
NT Vince Wilfork – 39 of 51
DE Mike Wright – 37 of 51
DE Ty Warren -- 34 of 52
OLB Tully Banta-Cain – 26 of 51
OLB Pierre Woods – 19 of 51
DE Derrick Burgess – 17 of 51
DT Myron Pryor – 17 of 51
CB Darius Butler – 12 of 51
S James Sanders – 9 of 51
S Pat Chung – 5 of 51
DT Ron Brace – 1 of 51
S Randy Moss – 1 of 51

(Two false start penalties included in snaps)

ANALYSIS: The base alignment was a 3-4, with the Patriots using a 3-2-6 dime (6 defensive backs) in most passing situations and occasionally a 4-2-5 nickel (5 defensive backs). … Butler and Chung were the fifth and sixth defensive backs in the sub package. … When Chung left the game with a head injury, he was replaced by Sanders. … Mayo and Guyton played every snap at inside linebacker, keeping Junior Seau on the sidelines for the third game in a row. … Including penalties, the 51 snaps were the third fewest the defense has played in a game this season (46, vs. Falcons, 49 vs. Titans). … Banta-Cain made the most of his playing time, finishing with five tackles and two sacks in just 26 snaps. … After seeing action solely on early downs, Thomas is playing again in sub packages as he’s had more of a chance to rush the passer in recent weeks. … Woods played on defense for the first time since Oct. 18 against Tennessee, starting at outside linebacker and working in a rotation. … This was the second time this season that Moss has been called upon as a safety in a Hail Mary situation.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden tied a franchise record with three interceptions in Sunday's 31-14 triumph over the Jets at Gillette Stadium, returning one 53 yards for the game's first score.

The trio of picks tied a mark accomplished nine times in Patriots history, and last achieved by Asante Samuel against Chicago on Nov. 26, 2006.

But teammates weren't letting Bodden, who has five interceptions on the season, get a big head after his big day.

"I didn't know it was Dec. 25," joked linebacker Adalius Thomas. "I mean, three fair catches."

Added linebacker Pierre Woods: "I think it was a conspiracy or something, with three wide-open fair catches, two were on a knee, one was right there to him and he ran it in for a touchdown."

Bodden took the ribbing in stride, even as safety Brandon Meriweather joked with him as Bodden walked to the podium for a postgame press conference. His teammates were complimentary after their initial joking.

"Leigh had a great day," said Meriweather. "I don't want to take anything away from Leigh. He practiced hard. He watched a lot of film this week and it showed. They say you do what you do in practice. So he had a good week of practice and a good game."

Meriweather got in on the fun with an interception of his own in the second half after Bodden already had collected his three. Bodden did note that he was on a corner blitz on the play, which might have helped Meriweather's cause.

"Once the game starts, I say, 'Let me get one,'" said Meriweather. "So I always want to be the first one to get one. If I'm not, then I want to be the second."

Bodden, who appeared at the podium wearing No. 23, the number of Michael Jordan, said he didn't pick that jersey because of the basketball legend, but said he's a big fan.

Asked if No. 23 had been retired yet -- a proposal LeBron James is trying to circulate around the NBA -- Bodden joked, "Not here, not yet. I have to get a few more three-pick games and then maybe."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Capitalizing on erratic rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez (four interceptions), and sparked by receiver Wes Welker’s career-high 15 catches, the New England Patriots defeated the New York Jets 31-14 Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots jumped out to a 24-0 second-quarter lead and had a chance to bury the Jets early in the second half, but they didn’t deliver a decisive knockout punch until late in the fourth quarter.

The victory, coming seven days after a heartbreaking loss in Indianapolis, improves the Patriots’ record to 7-3 and keeps them two games ahead of the Dolphins (5-5) in the AFC East.

Cornerback Leigh Bodden tied a Patriots record with three interceptions, while safety Brandon Meriweather had the team’s other pickoff. Sanchez also lost a fumble late in the fourth quarter. Sanchez was 8 of 20 for 136 yards, with one touchdown and the four interceptions.

Welker was the catalyst for the Patriots' offense, his 15 catches going for 192 yards. Quarterback Tom Brady finished 28 of 41 for 310 yards and one touchdown.

Randy Moss had five catches for 34 yards and one touchdown in his duel with Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, with Revis more than holding his own.

Reaction from both teams to come.

In an encouraging sign for the Patriots on the injury front, left tackle Matt Light, center Dan Koppen, running back Sammy Morris, receiver Julian Edelman and safety Brandon Meriweather were present for the start of the team's Friday practice inside the Dana-Farber Field House.

The only players not spotted at the start of practice were rookie receiver Brandon Tate (knee), veteran running back Fred Taylor (right ankle), and defensive lineman Jarvis Green (knee).

Light has been out since the team's Oct. 11 loss to Denver with a right knee injury and Morris (knee) and Edelman (forearm) have not played since being injured in an Oct. 18 victory over Tennessee. Koppen left last Sunday's win over the Dolphins with a knee injury and Meriweather, who played every snap Sunday, had missed the last two days of practice with a foot injury.

As expected, two sets of speakers were set up along the sideline Friday as the Patriots prepared to work in noisy conditions in anticipation of a raucous environment at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday night. The Patriots traditionally practice indoors when preparing to play in an indoor venue.