Patriots News

Dolphins LB Jason Taylor heating up just in time
Comment
November 7
Miami Herald
 
"Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady share a friendship, injury-filled disappointing 2008 seasons and, until the Dolphins traded Taylor to Washington in 2008, status as their teams' signature players. They could've shared a locker room this season. Instead, they just share the AFC East (again) and a renaissance. And Brady wishes it weren't so. ``I was a little disappointed when he signed back [with the Dolphins],'' Brady said only half-jokingly. ``I thought that once he left for Washington I'd never have to play him again.'' Nobody's sacked Brady more -- ``That's because I have played him a lot of times,'' Taylor said -- and it's a given that if the Dolphins ..."
Dolphins' Channing Crowder, Jason Ferguson 'doubtful' for Sunday
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November 7
Miami Herald
 
"Two key cogs in the Dolphins defense, middle linebacker Channing Crowder and nose guard Jason Ferguson, are listed on the final injury report as ``doubtful'' for Sunday's game against New England, which has the AFC's No. 1 offense. Crowder, whom Sparano calls the unquestioned quarterback of the defense and one of its surest tacklers, missed last week's game against the Jets with a shoulder injury. The Jets rolled up 127 yards rushing against the Dolphins' then-No. 4-ranked run defense, which is actually less than the average rush yards allowed in the games Crowder has missed over the past three seasons. Though Crowder practiced this week, he was limited each day. Charlie Anderson, an ..."
Dolphins LB Jason Taylor heating up just in time
Comment
November 7
Miami Herald
 
"Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady share a friendship, injury-filled disappointing 2008 seasons and, until the Dolphins traded Taylor to Washington in 2008, status as their teams' signature players. They could've shared a locker room this season. Instead, they just share the AFC East (again) and a renaissance. And Brady wishes it weren't so. ``I was a little disappointed when he signed back [with the Dolphins],'' Brady said only half-jokingly. ``I thought that once he left for Washington I'd never have to play him again.'' Nobody's sacked Brady more -- ``That's because I have played him a lot of times,'' Taylor said -- and it's a given that if the Dolphins ..."
Wilson 'not worried' about threat from Dolphin rookie Clemons
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November 7
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Something - or someone - has gotten lost in all this talk about the rapid midseason rise of rookie safety Chris Clemons. That would be incumbent free safety Gibril Wilson. True, Clemons started ahead of Wilson last Sunday in the Meadowlands. Then again, Nate Jones opened at strong safety ahead of Yeremiah Bell, and nobody is talking about Bell being demoted or being in danger of losing his job. "It's just different packages," Wilson says. "That's one package that we had when me and YB are out. That's something that was just sprinkled in. The D-line does it. It's just a certain package. It was just (based on) what the Jets were doing and that's just it." Wilson and Bell came back in as a ..."
Brady officially rules out influence
Comment
November 7
Boston Globe
 
"The Ravens expressed the feeling after losing to the Patriots a month ago. Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter seconded it. And now, Tom Brady's refuting it. On a Thursday appearance on the NFL Network, Porter told host Rich Eisen he believes Brady "gets his own rules.'' That's not the way the Patriots quarterback sees it."
Players don't bite on Joey Porter
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"Some of the Patriots haven't heard Joey Porter's incendiary comments. Others just shrug it off like they did when the Jets flapped their gums during Week 2. Porter, the Dolphins linebacker, may be boosting the reputation of the AFC East as a trash-talking division, but veteran Patriots linebacker Junior Seau had a response to that. "Leave us out of that," Seau said. "We're not going to join that crew." Porter went on the NFL Network's "Around the League" and essentially said quarterback Tom Brady works from his own set of rules."
Laurence Maroney unsatisfied
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"During the bye week, Laurence Maroney took extra time to examine his performance during the past two games. Though the wins over the Titans and Buccaneers were two of his most productive, the Patriots running back said he looked at them the harshest. "I've really been a hard critic on myself, just seeing how I can be better," said Maroney, who gained 166 yards on 29 carries with two scores in those two games. "How I can be patient, how I can hit the hole better, how can I read it smoother? I critique myself." Maroney is averaging 4.3 yards per carry, with 265 yards on 61 rushes, as Fred Taylor [stats] and Sammy Morris are out with injuries. While he joked that he's just a running back so ..."
Completion to Randy Moss
Comment
November 7
Boston Herald
 
"Randy Moss believes he always has been more than a deep threat. It's just that in previous stops in Minnesota and Oakland, he only was asked to focus on what he did best: running down the field faster than anyone else. In his third season with the Patriots, that's not the reality anymore. Moss does it all. He goes long. He catches passes over the middle. He runs hitches along the sideline. He's even added the role of possession receiver. In his 12th season, thanks to quarterback coach and de facto offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien's decision to expand Moss' repertoire, he's a complete receiver. "I think it's just more of how the coordinator uses me," Moss said in an extended interview ..."
Snow still cringes over the snap that got away
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November 6
Indianapolis Star
 
"Justin Snow is one of the NFL's best at performing a difficult task from an awkward position. He's the Indianapolis Colts long snapper, and has delivered 593 footballs through his legs for punts since 2000. He'd love a mulligan on one. "You know what's going to jump out at me," Snow said, smiling. Jan. 18, 2004. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. AFC Championship Game versus the New England Patriots. Fourth-and-10, 4:13 remaining in the second quarter and the Colts trailing 13-0 en route to a 24-14 loss. "I remember we hadn't punted in two playoff games," Snow said, "and all of a sudden, in the biggest game of my career, I shot it over Hunter's head." Hunter Smith is 6-2 and athletic. ..."
Sunday's game all about Miami Dolphins matching wits with Patriots
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November 6
Miami Herald
 
"Nobody likes to say it, but Sunday's game might be decided by who can fool whom, at least when the Dolphins have the ball. Last year in Foxborough, Mass., the Dolphins unveiled their updated single wing, the Wildcat, while New England had Matt Cassel starting only his second game after Tom Brady's injury. Both coaching staffs clearly were nervous -- the Patriots limited Cassel's repertoire, and Dolphins coach Tony Sparano admitted Thursday he thought the Wildcat might be a one-shot appearance and just hoped running back Ronnie Brown handled the snap properly. Sunday, New England comes in with an offense that has put up 94 points over the past two games and won't change. They spread three ..."
Miami Dolphins' Joey Porter readies for hated opponent
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November 6
Miami Herald
 
"Like a dude who has done this a few dozen times, Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter didn't feel like being baited. He knew what was up. The media corps in New England wanted him to talk trash during a conference call this week, but Porter wasn't feeling it. ``I'm not falling for none of those little tricks,'' Porter said. ``I get mad when I want to get mad. So if that's what this conversation is going to be about, about fishing, then you guys ought to come out here to Miami. We've got some good lakes to fish here.'' On the other end of the phone line, longtime Boston Herald scribe Karen Guregian decided to engage Porter with a light-hearted jab back. ``You said `guys,' but there are ladies ..."
Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder practices, hopes to play
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November 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Miami Dolphins inside linebacker Channing Crowder practiced with limitations for the second straight day in nearly two weeks, and is optimistic he'll play in Sunday's 1 p.m. game against the New England Patriots. Crowder, one of the Dolphins' every down starting inside linebackers, missed last Sunday's win over the Jets because of a shoulder injury he suffered on Oct. 25th against the Saints. While Crowder, whose 22 tackles is fifth on the team, is practicing, and said he feels good physically, the team's being cautious with the former University of Florida standout. Reggie Torbor filled in for Crowder against the Jets, starting his second game as a Dolphin in two seasons, and contributed ..."
Dolphins look to continue strong play against Tom Brady
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November 6
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Against the rest of the NFL, he is Tom Brady. Dashing figure of impending doom, King of New England, winner of three Super Bowl rings and nearly a fourth, orchestrator of the Patriots' quick-strike offense, author of countless fourth-quarter comebacks, and, lest we forget, husband of a Brazilian supermodel. In 14 career outings against the Dolphins, however, this same acclaimed quarterback has more often resembled Peter Brady. You know, of sitcom rerun infamy. Bumbling figure of self-inflicted doom, loser of football games that should have been won, thrower of interceptions that could have been avoided, teller of jokes that inevitably fall flat. All right, that last part can't be verified, ..."
Return to prominence
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November 6
Boston Globe
 
"The story changed for the Dolphins' Ted Ginn Jr. in one quarter. When the Jets game started last week, he was the benched wide receiver. By the end of Miami's 30-25 victory, Ginn was that guy who ran two kickoffs back for touchdowns in the same quarter. Now he is the guy the Patriots' special teams are preparing for this week. Coach Bill Belichick said most of the special teams work is the same week to week, but the team does allow for the chance to focus on more specific details when necessary. Belichick said Ginn's speed helped him on his first return of 100 yards, while on the second, a lack of tackling helped him make it 101 yards."
Warren's week off made him stronger
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November 6
Boston Globe
 
"The bye week was more than a few days off for Patriots defensive end Ty Warren. The week before in London, he hobbled off the field at Wembley Stadium in the final seconds of the third quarter, gently favoring his ankle. Although he was carted off to the locker room, he didn't fear a major injury as he thought it was more of a nuisance. "I don't know how bad it looked,'' Warren said of the injury, but "it's manageable.''"
NFL led Mark Bavaro to new career
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November 6
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borges
"As things turned out, the NFL was a good training ground for Mark Bavaro's second career. If you want to be a novelist, you need to learn about rejection. The Danvers native was a two-time Pro Bowl tight end with the New York Giants between 1985-90, starring on their Super Bowl XXI and XXV teams before a degenerative knee condition led them to tell him he was finished at the same time they were urging him to keep playing. This was a lesson in NFL contradictions Bavaro carried with him long after being released seven months after making five catches, including two critical ones on third down, in Super Bowl XXV. Following a bone graft and a year of rehabilitation he returned to play for Bill ..."
Rookie Myron Pryor preps to pick up 'D' line
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November 6
Boston Herald
 
"Myron Pryor isn't talkative by nature. Just ask those who knew him as a star for the University of Kentucky's defense. "Just a quiet dude," said Rick Petri, the Wildcats defensive line coach. Petri admits it was the only worry he had for his former pupil. He believed Pryor had "all the tools" to be successful in the NFL, if only his reticence wouldn't hold him back. Yet the Patriots rookie has fought the urge to remain silent. When he has a question - he's had plenty - Pryor won't allow himself to keep it inside. "I always ask - the older guys, coaches - even if I know what I'm doing on a play," Pryor said. "I want to make sure we're not supposed to play it differently or something. I ..."
Jerod Mayo old hat at 'cat
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November 6
Boston Herald
 
"When the Dolphins unveiled the Wildcat offense last season, the Patriots were flummoxed. Coach Bill Belichick had to call a timeout and calm his team down. Yet linebacker Jerod Mayo had seen it before. The former Tennessee star defended the original in college when Arkansas running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones brought it to Knoxville. Mayo didn't hesitate when asked which scheme is the bigger challenge. "What we're gearing up for Sunday, by far," said Mayo, whose team held the Razorbacks to 158 yards rushing in a 34-13 win on Nov. 10, 2007. He's not sure how much his previous preparation helps. "Arkansas ran it a lot," Mayo said. "They were the first ones to really do that. But ..."
Flu a real threat
Comment
November 6
Boston Herald
 
"The news yesterday that Bruins center David Krejci was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus caught the attention of those at 1 Patriot Place. Like most teams, the Patriots are wary of how decimating it can be when a player contracts a virus that could spread. Coach Bill Belichick was asked if his team is being proactive in attempting to ward off H1N1, aka swine flu. "We always are," he said. For the Patriots, it's more than offering their players extra hand sanitizer. Belichick said the team regularly takes precautions for viruses, particularly during this time of the year. Many of the players have received vaccines. "There's nothing more important than the health of your team and we all know ..."
In a down economy, NFL viewership is up
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November 6
Washington Post
 
"When this NFL season began with some franchises struggling to sell tickets, there were concerns about the impact that the uncertain U.S. economy would have on the nation's most prosperous sport. While those concerns have turned out to be justified in a few NFL cities and unfounded in others, there has been an unforeseen development: The NFL's television ratings are soaring this season, and some analysts say it appears to be the result of consumers cutting back on other, more costly leisure activities in favor of watching pro football on TV. "I think there's only one answer and that is the NFL and television are actually getting the so-called 'benefit' of the recession," said Neal Pilson, ..."
Nate Jones makes most of role off bench
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November 5
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"Kevin McHale, Vinnie Johnson and Tony Kukoc rarely started in their accomplished NBA careers, but that doesn't mean they were any less vital to their teams' success. Their approach is one that Dolphins cornerback Nate Jones has learned to embrace. Jones no longer craves a starting role. While he's competitive and said he'd love to raise his profile in the NFL, Jones is certain his role as the Dolphins' nickel back is just as significant as any on the field. "When you play nickel you're the ultimate sixth man who comes off the bench, and you've got to immediately start producing," Jones said. "You've got to be able to play like a starter because they're usually putting you up against a ..."
Patriots are getting a healthy dose of Brady
Comment
November 5
Boston Globe
 
"Maybe you're skeptical that the 1,033 yards and 94 points the Patriots have posted over their last two games are a simple byproduct of playing teams that are a combined 1-13. Maybe you're not sure that Tom Brady is all the way back. Maybe you shouldn't worry about it. "I would say that the Patriots I've seen the last couple weeks is the real Patriots offense,'' Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said. "What I mean by that is, I'm sure, like anybody else, time makes you a little bit better and makes you a little bit sharper. Those guys are pretty sharp right now.''"
Despite routs, doubts linger over Tom Brady
Comment
November 5
Boston Herald
 
"The bye week allowed for a step back. In the long-range view, it showed a Patriots offense in two distinct forms. Over the first five games, Tom Brady led an inconsistent attack that limped to a 3-2 record. Seeing the former league MVP, who was still recovering from major knee surgery, miss an open receiver was not rare. Then Brady went retro, taking observers back to that MVP year of 2007 with 1,033 yards of offense and 94 points in the next two games against woeful opponents. Will the real Patriots offense please stand up? Will the Dolphins see the unit that often features Brady's brethren hugging in the end zone or the one whose lowlights are miscommunications and miscues? Coach Bill ..."
Dolphins' Joey Porter still loves to hate Patriots
Comment
November 5
Boston Herald
 
"Joey Porter always brings it, whether he's on the field or on a conference call, as he was yesterday with the New England media. At first, the Miami Dolphins linebacker tried to behave, but ultimately, he couldn't resist zinging the Patriots. Whether it was tweaking them about Camera-gate or talking about the AFC East going through the Dolphins, Porter hit the mark. "Everybody knows, let's be honest, they don't like me, and that's fair. I don't like them, and that's fair," Porter said. "So it's not like it's a divorce happening. We were never really married anyway." Porter's distaste for Pats coach Bill Belichick & Co. dates back to his days with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition, he's ..."
Vince Wilfork welcomes Miami fight
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November 5
Boston Herald
 
"They fool no one, which is something Vince Wilfork likes, but what he likes even more about the Miami Dolphins is that they come to do what he comes to stop. Whatever else you may say about them, the Dolphins come to the stadium to run the football and Vince Wilfork comes there to prevent that from happening. There is nothing fancy about either end of that equation. For both, it means a day of pain and for one it likely means a day of frustration that will spell defeat when it's over. It is not often in this day of "hands off the quarterback" refereeing and "hands off the receivers" defending and "hand off the ball only when you have to" attacking that you will find a team that approaches ..."
Balance sheet is better
Comment
November 4
Boston Globe
 
"The return of Tom Brady this season made it tempting to envision a re-creation of the Patriots' 2007 offense, a barrage of passes whipping around the field, records toppling, points skyrocketing like the score on a pinball machine. Even the Patriots themselves could not resist. They threw the ball nearly three-quarters of the time for the first two games, but given the results from two years ago, something odd happened. It didn't work. They scored 17 points per game, barely won their opener, and lost their second game."
Miami pass rush two good
Comment
November 4
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots have faced an elite pass-rusher nearly every week this season, and it will be no different Sunday against the Dolphins. Former defensive player of the year Jason Taylor and loquacious linebacker Joey Porter have eight sacks and three forced fumbles between them. "Both have been playing a long time and are very talented guys," Pats right tackle Nick Kaczur said yesterday. "Got to be sound all-around. Taylor is a relentless guy who uses all his tools, and he has a lot of them." Taylor had a standout play Sunday against the Jets, when he made a strip and returned a fumble 48 yards for a score. Porter is a motor-mouth on the field, who still makes plays. "Once a talker, always a ..."
Ted Ginn's heroics remain in everyone's thoughts
Comment
November 4
Boston Herald
 columnist Karen Guregian
"Most of the Patriots special team players watched Ted Ginn Jr. on Sunday afternoon when the Dolphins beat the New York Jets at the Meadowlands. First, the 100-yard return for a touchdown, then the 101-yarder. What have the Pats concluded? "I thought what I always thought, what everybody always thought. He's fast. I mean, he's fast," linebacker Eric Alexander said yesterday. "That's pretty much the bottom line. Nobody can catch him when he gets some room." Special teamer Matthew Slater agreed. "He's an explosive guy. He's got a good change of direction," Slater said. "I think he has tools that you look for and making him a dangerous returner. His play stands for itself. You guys saw what ..."
Mike Wright gains bigger role with Jarvis Green out
Comment
November 4
Boston Herald
 
"With the Patriots about to steer through the toughest part of their schedule, tackling a monster stretch of games featuring two division opponents and two unbeaten teams, the loss of starting defensive end Jarvis Green delivers a significant blow. The question is, how significant? For starters, it depends how long Green will be out following the knee surgery he underwent last week. By our account, he falls into the 2-4 week timetable, which gives him an outside shot of returning next week against Indianapolis. The way he looked walking around the locker room yesterday, coupled with the fact he was out in public making a charity appearance Monday night, the estimate would appear on target. ..."
Patriots prep for Wildcat strike
Comment
November 4
Boston Herald
 
"Ricky Williams has seen the world. The pseudo-philosopher who spends his time away from football on a spiritual quest is an expert in fields such as massage therapy and holistic healing. The Miami Dolphins running back hasn't mastered evolutionary biology yet, but he's on his way. After watching his team's once-revolutionary Wildcat formation struggle over the past two games, Williams has reached a conclusion. "If you don't change, you become extinct," Williams told the Herald following Miami's 30-25 road win Sunday against the New York Jets. "We'll see if we can save the Wildcat." In a loss to the New Orleans Saints a week earlier, the retro, single-wing, direct-snap-based formation that ..."
Pats' Green has knee surgery
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 
"Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green, a starter since the Richard Seymour trade, is out for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins -- and beyond -- after undergoing knee surgery, the Herald has confirmed. It is not entirely clear how long Green is out, but if it is arthroscopic surgery, he could be back before long. Still, the eight-year veteran is a key cog in the defense, and he would have been important in stopping the Dolphins' Wildcat formation on Sunday. Green has started all seven of the Pats' games this season, recording 18 tackles."
Unafraid of the Wildcat
Comment
November 3
Boston Globe
 
"The Patriots, as the Wildcat formation's unsuspecting first NFL victim, may always be the strategy's most infamous mark. But one year later, with the Dolphins returning to New England Sunday for the first time since they unveiled the Wildcat, the Patriots have also proved they can stifle it. In the team's second meeting last year, the Dolphins ran eight plays out of the Wildcat. The Patriots, in a 48-28 victory, held them to 25 yards. Despite their taming of the Wildcat, the formation will trouble the Patriots this week even before the game. How much practice time should be devoted to stopping it? The Dolphins, even discounting the Wildcat and despite a second-year quarterback, run one of ..."
Pats tackle cancer; rested Brady returns to town
Comment
November 3
Boston Globe
 
"Former Patriot Joe Andruzzi was surrounded by his Pats pals in Foxborough last night for the second annual New England Celebrities Tackle Cancer Gala, which benefited the Joe Andruzzi Foundation. The guest list for the event included Tom Brady, who was back in town after a weekend in South Beach with his wife, Gisele Bundchen, and teammates Stephen Neal, Dan Koppen, Matt Light, and Jarvis Green. The party was held at Christina's on Route 1. Speaking of Brady, he talked about more than just football when he was on WEEI yesterday morning. The Pats QB called his recent Florida vacation a honeymoon, of sorts, saying that they watched the Jets-Dolphins game and relaxed with friends. The famous ..."
There's nothing new about talking Dolphins
Comment
November 3
Boston Globe
 
"After the week-long verbal jabbing between the Jets and Dolphins, Miami coach Tony Sparano made something clear to his team in a victorious locker room Sunday. "We had a lot of questions,'' Sparano said to his players. "I told you during the week, the only way to answer all those things is to bring it into the arena, and square it up.'' That's the great thing about football, and sports in general. At the end, there's a winner, and a loser, and people who were right, and who were wrong, and everything gets tied up in a neat little package."
Patriots have big fish to fry
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 columnist Karen Guregian
"Forget the Jets, focus on the Dolphins. In the big picture, they are the team to worry about. They are the key divisional foe for the Patriots, not the loudmouth sons of Rex Ryan. Sunday's game with Miami has significant playoff implications for the Pats. While the Dolphins might be 3-4 overall, they are 3-0 in the division. That statistic is huge should the 'Fins run the table, or come close with a fairly soft schedule the rest of the way. The Pats, meanwhile, are 1-1 in the division. They don't want to face a situation like last year, where they lost that tiebreaker and didn't get their ticket punched to the postseason. With that alone as a backdrop, there is a lot riding on this game ..."
Prep time real Wild card
Comment
November 3
Boston Herald
 
"Bill Belichick promises to have his team ready Sunday for the Dolphins' Wildcat offense and all of its variations and subtleties. The trick is figuring how much time to devote to that, while also being able to cover other elements of their regular offense. It was last year at Gillette Stadium that the Dolphins gave the NFL its first viewing of the Wildcat, now a staple of their offense with running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams deftly running it. Belichick admitted it was a difficult preparation problem. "That's always a tough decision. (The Wildcat) varies from game to game. It's not always used in the same percentages. The better it's going, the more you're going to see it," ..."
Sunday's Patriots game should be revealing for Dolphins
Comment
November 2
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 columnist Ethan J. Stolnick
"Don't get too stoked. Yet. Not until after next Sunday. "It's going to be one of those telltale games," Ronnie Brown said. That's when the Dolphins take their 3-0 division record and their 104-yard offense to Foxborough, to face a Patriots team that should be good and rested (off a bye) and angry (after what happened the last time the Dolphins visited). Nearly 14 months ago in New England, Brown's Dolphins unveiled the Wildcat on the Patriots' unsuspecting players and embarrassed their infallible coach. New England has lost several veteran defenders since but regained Tom Brady. The Dolphins have rookie cornerbacks, who performed reasonably well Sunday against the Jets but still have ..."
Patriots were big winners
Comment
November 2
Boston Globe
 
"If this season's been a little weird in New England, then what happened yesterday makes all the sense in the world. The Patriots established themselves as the favorite in the AFC East. Without playing. First, you can forget about Buffalo, which took a 10-6 halftime lead at home and promptly blew it in a 31-10 loss to visiting Houston. Second, even after what became an exciting game at the Meadowlands, the Jets and Dolphins left with more questions than they possibly could have arrived with."
Handing out some midseason hardware to Patriots
Comment
November 2
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots spent some time away from the football field this weekend, but now it's back to work as they gear up for their first go-round with the Miami Dolphins [team stats] this Sunday. But before they do, let's take a look back at the first seven games for the 5-2 Patriots and put a few superlatives on the table: Most surprising rookie: Not many would have figured Myron Pryor would beat out fellow rookie Ron Brace for a spot in the defensive line rotation, but that's exactly what he did. The sixth-round pick out of Kentucky has been the preferred choice, making Brace, the second-rounder out of Boston College, a healthy scratch many weeks. "He's shown up in a lot of different ..."
New York Jets give up two kickoff return touchdowns to Ted Ginn Jr. as Miami Dolphins sweep season
Comment
November 2
New York Daily News
 
"To paraphrase Rex Ryan, boo boo boo. You have every right to boo the Jets because they've turned a 3-0 start into a 4-4 mess, suffering another unfathomable loss yesterday to the Dolphins, 30-25, at the Meadowlands. You should boo because they talked like champions - again - but played like tomato cans. You should boo because once again they showed the ability to dominate in one phase, but lost because they were utterly inept in another. "It stinks. That's the truth," Ryan said, clearly humbled after a week of tough talk that included a sarcastic "boo hoo hoo" remark when discussing the Dolphins' injury situation. "We totally outplayed them, but got beat ... Amazing. Sometimes things just ..."
Blend, don't break
Comment
November 1
Boston Globe
 
"If there is one fact that shows just how much the Patriots secondary has changed in a year, it might be this: On the opening week of last season, they started Ellis Hobbs, Lewis Sanders, James Sanders, and Rodney Harrison in their defensive backfield. Three of those players are no longer with the Patriots, and one hardly sees the field anymore. The Patriots reconstructed their secondary in the offseason, a process that is succeeding while still evolving as the season chugs toward the midway point. With surging safety Brandon Meriweather serving as something close to a centerpiece, the Patriots have rotated new veterans and rookies to create a group that is becoming one of the league's top ..."
Junior Seau power
Comment
November 1
Boston Herald
 
"It's no wonder Patriots coach Bill Belichick wanted to again lure Junior Seau out of retirement earlier than even the 20th-year veteran may have been anticipating. With his participation in last week's victory over Tampa Bay in London, the nonstop linebacker marked his 24th consecutive regular-season win of a game in which he appeared for the Patriots, tying Maulty Moore, a defensive tackle for the 1972 and '73 Miami Dolphins, for the longest individual winning streak since the merger in 1970."
Out of the Woods
Comment
November 1
Boston Herald
 
"When Pierre Woods looks back at his trek from the raw streets of Cleveland to the plush carpet of the Patriots locker room, he doesn't just see the precarious path he took. He spots the road he almost walked, too. He'll recall the life he led before he met Ted Ginn Sr., and shake his head. "I used to steal cars, man, try to sell drugs," Woods said. "Stuff that you do when you feel like you don't have no way out." His mother provided for the family by working until past dark, his father passed away because of emphysema. And Woods was on the cusp of the undercurrent that pulled too many running buddies into worse places than the holding cells he inhabited."
Brady feeling good
Comment
October 31
Boston Globe
 
"Put aside the knee injury that destoryed his 2008 season, all of the surgery, all of the rehab. Tom Brady turned 32 this summer, the point of his athletic life when aches and pains tend to linger a little longer and matter a little more. With his performance this month, when he earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Month award, Brady further proved his knee has reached a point that will allow to perform at his typically elite level. The attention has been on his knee, and not his age. That also could have tempered his season. It has not. Brady, speaking on tonight's "Patriots All Access" show, said he feels great physically. Most interestingly, he said his arm has never felt better, and ..."
Linebacker is wise beyond his youth
Comment
October 31
Boston Globe
 
"The "old soul'' owns a playful spirit. On Thursday, Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo stood behind a herd of reporters who were asking questions of teammate Gary Guyton. Mayo stretched his 6-foot-1-inch frame above the huddle and listened in. He whispered to a reporter to ask Guyton about the red-and-blue braid accenting his hairdo. Guyton smiled as the question was asked, but avoided eye contact with Mayo. Mayo then whispered to another reporter, "Ask him why he doesn't grow facial hair like the rest of the defense.'' Guyton responded, "Because that guy has it all,'' pointing at Mayo. "That guy was born with facial hair. Only guy I know that was born with facial hair.''"
Kevin Faulk still a focal point
Comment
October 31
Boston Herald
 
"While it may seem like Kevin Faulk [stats] has had a diminished role in the offense, the veteran running back's numbers actually are close to previous seasons in terms of catching the football. The 33-year-old Faulk, who still stands as one of the premier third-down backs in the league, has caught 19 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown this season. That's fourth best on the team behind wideouts Wes Welker (46 catches), Randy Moss (43 catches) and Julian Edelman (21 catches). Last season, with Matt Cassel as his quarterback, Faulk had 20 receptions for 167 yards and a touchdown over the first seven games. In 2007, with Tom Brady at the helm, he had 15 catches for 154 yards. "I haven't ..."
Meriweather establishing comfort zone
Comment
October 30
Boston Globe
 
"Like any rookie, Pat Chung has rabbit ears these days. But his eyes are trained chiefly in one direction. And here's what he's gathered watching the guy, Brandon Meriweather, he's looking at. "He stays calm - stays calm,'' Chung said, pausing for emphasis. "He's never jumpy, never panicking. He's just really calm.''"
Self-analysis time
Comment
October 30
Boston Herald
 
"Instead of staring at countless film of a new opponent looming on Sunday, the Patriots are staring at countless film of a familiar entity: Themselves. As is the plan for most bye weeks, Bill Belichick and his coaches have turned the microscope on their team to learn what fellow NFL teams see when they're preparing for the Pats. It's their annual self-scouting exercise. "It gives you a chance to look in the mirror," Belichick said. "I don't think right now is the time to be happy or sad. It's a time to analyze where you're at and make it better." Seven games into the season, the Patriots (5-2) have an ample supply of plays to analyze. Belichick and his staff will scour the tapes, look at ..."
Getaway day
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October 30
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots will enjoy three consecutive days off beginning today, a rarity during a season that began with countless two-a-days during training camp. Because of a bye for the weekend, the Pats won't practice again until Monday. Accordingly, many of the players will take off to various locales. "I'm going home to my folks in Chicago, that's about it," linebacker Rob Ninkovich said. "No need to walk around on my feet when I can be relaxing." There may not be a ton of football-specific concentration. "I may watch it if it's on (TV), but not a whole lot," wide receiver Wes Welker said. There was a small reprieve between the fourth preseason game and the regular-season opener. But with seven ..."
Wes Welker picks up knowledge, yards
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October 30
Boston Herald
 
"Wes Welker doesn't mind explaining his secrets. The NFL's leader in catches with 46, despite missing two games with a knee injury, he is also tops with 96.8 receiving yards per game. And, according to CBS statisticians, Welker has 1,684 yards after the catch since joining the Pats in 2007, best in the NFL during that time frame. This season, he leads all receivers with 286 yards after the catch. While the Patriots pass-catcher has accumulated his statistics in a number of ways, perhaps the most obvious is how he's first among his peers in yards after the catch. Yesterday, Welker broke down his productivity in that area, describing the various facets. An essential facet, the 5-foot-9, ..."