Six Patriots (and counting) Have Now Opted Out of the 2020 Season, What Are We Doing Here NFL?

From the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic that started in mid-March (which feels like it was roughly 150 years ago), the NFL of all the big-time professional sports leagues in America seemed the most difficult to safely return. While college football hasn't officially been cancelled yet for this fall, it's probably only a matter of time with so many players testing positive for Coronavirus since going back to their respective schools this summer. MLB started its laughably unorganized 60-game regular season last Thursday and already, there is an outbreak with the Miami Marlins (shocker!) suspending activities indefinitely after almost half of their team came down with this dreaded ailment. The NHL (with hub cities in Toronto and Edmonton) and the NBA (all at Disney World) have put together the most comprehensive plans for returning to action, they realized that the best option was to create bubble cities. With the sheer size of NFL rosters not to mention coaching and support staffs, that has never really been discussed for the world's most profitable sports league.

With teams around the NFL gathering at various times this week for the start of the most bizarre training camps in history (no preseason games whatsoever), you are starting to see players choose to opt out for 2020 with that deadline quickly approaching on Saturday. Perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise that the New England Patriots (who have so many respected and smart veterans that have won multiple Super Bowls) are at the forefront of this topic because they've had a whopping six players so far punt on this ill-fated campaign. Illustrating how much things can drastically change in a single day during a pandemic, it all started last night as their new fullback Dan Vitale along with a backup offensive lineman Najee Toran (who?) were the first ones to opt out. No big deal, Bill Belichick loves fullbacks more than any other NFL head coach from the last 20+ years but you can literally find that dinosaur position anywhere (boxing gyms, MMA misfits, local rugby leagues, etc.). As for Toran, I had never heard of him before yesterday so again, no huge loss there.

Today was the sobering reality check for Pats fans as a team captain and one of their best overall players-linebacker Dont'a Hightower-as well as three other extremely valuable guys (in their roles)-running back/special teams ace Brandon Bolden, right tackle Marcus Cannon and safety Patrick Chung-all understandably opted out of 2020. I'm not usually into doom or gloom, but honestly what's the point of having the NFL this season if it poses so many long-term health risks to everyone involved? At least the league will rightfully pay guys who make the decision not to play based on a myriad of reasons (family, friends, personal health, etc), remember this is the same shameful group of owners that has no use for guaranteed contracts despite a majority of players having very short professional careers which are then compounded by life-long injuries and issues.

Don't get me wrong, I love football at every level. I never played it formally but there are countless lessons and positive elements to be gained from such a brutal activity. A fall and winter without high school football, NCAA football or the NFL would be bizarre beyond belief. Finally, fantasy football is by far the best of all fantasy sports. For instance, I'm in a Yahoo league with many buddies from high school that is the main thing that helps us keep in touch from year to year. Still, if the pandemic has taught has anything (let's be real, hopefully it's shined a light on many aspects of your own life), it's that sports aren't everything. Trust me, I am obsessed with sports. I have been a sportswriter for almost fourteen years (damn, I'm old) since I graduated from Providence College. There are more sides to me than just sports but I am as into them as anyone I know. That's not a humblebrag either. Regardless, putting people's health on the line for a football game or season is beyond reckless and absurd. The NFL is such a physically demanding sport plus you cannot socially distance yourself from your opponent or wear a mask while you play, so it is impossible to prevent positive Covid-19 tests from happening in large numbers with teams becoming the Marlins of football in no time. Woof.

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In the Best Super Bowl That We Will Likely Ever See, the Patriots Beat the Falcons 34-28 in OT

Special nights like the one that we all just experienced this evening make me extremely thankful for two things: 1) that I'm a sports fan and 2) that I happened to have been born in New England not too long before this era of unbelievable professional sports dominance (10 titles in 15 years!) began, the likes of which we'll probably never see again in any city let alone ours. The Patriots (17-2) beat the Falcons (13-6) 34-28 in overtime at Houston's NRG Stadium in Super Bowl 51. We live in a world where everything is dripping in hyperbole-the best or the worst-but is there any logical argument that concludes that wasn't the greatest Super Bowl ever?

After a scoreless first quarter (the Pats somehow haven't scored a single point in their 7 Super Bowls under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady), Atlanta took a 21-3 lead into halftime which expanded into a seemingly insurmountable 28-3 advantage early in the third quarter. Game over, right? Considering that the previous largest Super Bowl comeback was a modest 10 points, who but the most irrational Patriots honk (redundant, I know) could possibly believe that they could make it competitive again? Well there is a reason that Belichick (5-2 as a head coach) and Brady (a Super Bowl record 466 yards with 2 TDs) both further cemented their place as the best head coach and quarterback respectively with their fifth Super Bowl title (a record) for New England.

The Patriots reeled off 31 straight points to tie it at 28 with 57 seconds left in regulation (on James White's 1-yard TD run and 2-point conversion catch by Danny Amendola) then ended it in the extra session (the 1st time ever that a Super Bowl has gone to OT) on White's 2-yard TD run. New England won the coin toss in overtime, because of course, and Brady (named Super Bowl MVP for a record 4th time) marched them down the field (8 plays, 75 yards, 3:58) for the game-winning score. The Falcons never saw the ball since a touchdown was in essence a walk-off score, no big deal right?

In epic sporting events like this (not that it has truthfully has many peers), it's always tough to deduce which was a bigger factor: the winning team overcoming almost impossible odds or the losing team choking in unfathomable fashion. When you look at the final stats, the only thing you can objectively say is that the Patriots wore down the Falcons. That makes zero sense when you consider that Atlanta was up 28-3 and had a win probability over 99% (seriously), but New England ran more than twice as many plays as them (93-46). The Pats had 20 more first downs (37-17) and more than 200 more total yards (546-344). Atlanta had way more penalties (9-4) for nearly three times as many yards (65-23) and finally, New England had the ball for over 17 more minutes than them (40:31-23:27).

Everyone knows that the Falcons have an amazing offense but conversely, their defense was the question mark and despite a flawless first half, they fell apart (as probably every defense would) when they were stuck on the field for so long. It also helped that the Patriots forced Atlanta's first turnover of the postseason (a Matt Ryan fumble that was recovered by Dont'a Hightower) at a key moment-midway through the 4th quarter with the Pats trailing 28-12. Literally nothing went right for New England for the first 2.5 quarters and even their first touchdown (a 5-yard TD pass from Brady to White) was tempered by Stephen Gostkowski missing the point-after.

There are a million plays and moments to remember from this instant classic but looking back on it this soon, you have to marvel at how the Patriots appeared to never get rattled. Atlanta looked like world-beaters in the second quarter as Devonta Freeman (11 carries, 75 yards) ran for a 5-yard touchdown then Ryan (17-for-23, 284 yards, 2 TD) hit Austin Hooper for a 19-yard touchdown. When Brady threw an 82-yard pick-6 to Robert Alford with 2:21 left in the first half and the Falcons suddenly led 21-0, you couldn't help but sit in stunned silence (maybe punctuated by a few choice swear words). Gostkowski's 41-yard field goal with two seconds left in the second quarter was devoid of meaning other than for your Super Bowl squares.

We'll never know how much of a factor the extra long Super Bowl halftime played (it's 30 minutes and by the way, Lady Gaga was fantastic) but you have to think that the Falcons were just a bit too overconfident (keep in mind this is a team that's never won a Super Bowl and only played in 1 other, in 1999) while the Patriots likely used the time to calm down and regroup. New England's defense forced Atlanta to go three-and-out to start the third quarter but then they did the same thing and that was magnified by the Falcons going 85 yards in eight plays on the ensuing drive which ended with Tevin Coleman catching a six-yard touchdown pass. Who could have guessed that would be their final points of the entire game?

How fitting that this impossible comeback by the Pats was fueled by unsung players like White (Super Bowl record 14 catches, 110 yards; 6 catches, 29 yards; record-tying 3 TDs), Danny Amendola (8 catches, 78 yards), rookie Malcolm Mitchell (6 catches, 70 yards), Martellus Bennett (5 catches, 62 yards) who has reportedly played through bone chips in his ankle for weeks and Trey Flowers (4 tackles, 2 assists and 2.5 sacks). Julio Jones (4 catches, 87 yards) even made one of the most insane catches you'll ever see (shades of Giants wide receivers David Tyree and Mario Manningham in their 2 Super Bowl wins vs. Patriots) but it was quickly overshadowed by Julian Edelman's (5 catches, 87 yards) juggling catch that had to be seen to be believed.

Rob Gronkowski, arguably the greatest tight end of all-time, was lost to another season-ending injury (back) in Week 13 and all the Patriots did was readjust their offensive gameplan (kudos to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels) and they never lost again. Think about that (Tony Mazz voice). Similar to the fourth quarter vs. Seattle two years ago in Super Bowl 49 when Brady was simply brilliant (with a major assist to Malcolm Butler), he went to work in winning time yet again. Gostkowski kicked a 33-yard field goal to cut it to a two-score lead for Atlanta then Amendola caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Brady and White ran in the two-point conversion (the old Kevin Faulk direct snap run up the middle!) with 5:56 left.

Without consulting what I wrote in this exact space two years ago, I'm sure it went something along the lines of "enjoy this while it lasts, because it won't be forever." As we all know, Brady missed the first four games of the 2016 regular season due to Deflategate yet ultimately it didn't matter one bit and if anything, it just might have galvanized the team an extra amount. In a depressing reality where Donald Trump is President of the United States (pardon me while I puke myself to sleep), I can't pretend that it's a perfect world by any means. The older you get, the more you realize that some things in life truly suck like relatives and friends passing away (especially when it's premature) and unfortunately there is nothing that you can do about it.

That's what makes victories like this so special: what else can bring together so many different groups of people better than sports? I'll pretend to wait for an answer that truthfully doesn't exist in the universe. There are countless other enjoyable facets of our lives but these are some of the moments that young or old, rich or poor, we will never forget for as long as we live. You can't put a price on that and it's one of the million reasons (what up Gaga?) that we watch all these games and invest so much time in a particular team in hopes that every once in a while we are treated to an event remotely resembling like this.

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Week 7 Injury Report: Patriots vs. Jets

Thursday Night Football is a disgrace; the games are terrible with one team usually blowing out the other that doesn't bother to show up. Having NFL teams play twice in five days is insane. Into this fray steps the Patriots (4-2) who host the Jets (1-5) tomorrow night (8:25, CBS) at Gillette Stadium. Did I mention that just like last year when they played on a Thursday night (possibly the worst football game in history), it is supposed to be pouring all night?

I'm not going to mention Jerod Mayo or Stevan Ridley (oops, I did) because they are clearly out for the rest of the season (although they haven't gone on IR, yet)after suffering injuries last Sunday in New Orleans. Other than them, offensive lineman Cameron Fleming and safety Nate Ebner remain sidelined with their finger issues (maybe they were all cut off?).

Seven Patriots are questionable: Brandon Browner (ankle), Jamie Collins (thigh), Dan Connolly (concussion), Dominique Easley (shoulder/knee), Dont'a Hightower (knee), Matthew Slater (shoulder) and Bryan Stork (concussion). Browner is looking to make his Patriots debut and he hinted the last few days that he'll play. Connolly and Stork are vital since New England had just started to sort out their horrible offensive line.

It is much more cut and dry with the Jets who have only one guy that is doubtful-safety Josh Bush (quadriceps). They don't list anyone as questionable while linebacker Trevor Reilly (knee) and former Patriots great-wide receiver Greg Salas (wrist/ankle) are out.

If I get a chance, or more likely if I remember, I'll be sure to update this tomorrow night before the opening kickoff.

UPDATE 10/16: Mayo and Ridley went on IR today while RB Jonas Gray and OL Chris Barker were activated from the practice squad. The Pats inactives are Ebner, Fleming, Stork, Connolly, RB James White, WR Aaron Dobson and CB Malcolm Butler. The Jets inactives are Reilly, Salas, DL T.J. Barnes, OG Dakota Dozier, OL Wesley Johnson, WR Chris Owusu and DB Josh Thomas.

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Just When You Think The Patriots Can't Suffer Another Devastating Injury, They Do

I can't remember the Patriots ever getting bombarded with so many serious injuries-to key players no less-this early in the regular season. That troubling trend continued tonight as reports surfaced on Twitter that linebacker and defensive captain Jerod Mayo had surgery on a torn pectoral muscle so he's not expected to play for the rest of the season. Ah! It happened last in Sunday's improbable win against the Saints and comes only a few days before they face the Jets (3-3) on Sunday (1, CBS) in New Jersey.

This is absurd, it's fruitless to whine about injuries since every team in the NFL gets them but are you kidding me right now? After only six games, the Patriots have lost Shane Vereen, Danny Amendola (multiple times), Matthew Slater, Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly and now Mayo. Oh and Rob Gronkowski has been the most talked about player in the NFL (or so it seems around here) the last few weeks but he has yet to step foot in an actual game. Ugh.

New England (5-1) has been able to survive this raft of injuries so far but at some point, this will all eventually catch up with them. Nobody has the type of depth to withstand losing all these vital players for significant periods of time. Replacing Mayo (55 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass deflected) with Dont'a Hightower is OK if not ideal. When you start talking about untested rookie Jamie Collins or special teams hero Dane Fletcher stepping in for the two-time Pro Bowl and 2010 All-Pro, well then you have a problem.

If nothing else, this unfortunately will prove to us one way or another if Mayo was overrated or not. Many people maintain that he piles up inflated statistics but never really makes game-changing plays. I'm not firmly in that camp but I will say that if you're looking for a big play linebacker, Mayo isn't necessarily your first or second option in the NFL. Still, I think we can all agree that he's a very effective player and a guy that has fit in with the Pats seamlessly from day one.

PS how miserable must it be to cover the Pats? Anytime there is a big story like this, it is broken by a national outlet (in this case Yahoo). You spend all that time covering the team but you can't build any good sources so in turn you get scooped every time for the most important stuff that people want to know. Yikes. I'll stick to just blogging about the Patriots thank you very much, no wonder why a majority of their beat writers are so beaten down.

UPDATE 10/16: The Pats publically acknowledged Mayo's injury today, putting him on season-ending IR and re-signing defensive tackle Andre Neblett.

UPDATE 10/17: Devin McCourty regained his captaincy with Mayo gone and the Patriots signed cornerback Travis Howard to their practice squad.

UPDATE 10/18: Rob Ninkovich was also named a captain, in place of Vince Wilfork.

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Patriots Roll Over Dolphins 28-0 To Clinch The No. 2 Seed In The 2012 AFC Playoffs

After Indianapolis beat Houston 28-16 earlier this afternoon, New England was handed a special opportunity: beat Miami and they'd clinch a Top-2 seed in the 2012 AFC playoffs. That extra certainty of motivation proved to be significant as the Patriots (12-4, 6-2 home) blanked the hapless Dolphins (7-9, 2-6 away) 28-0 at chilly Gillette Stadium.

With the victory, New England knows they host a divisional round game on Sunday, January 13 at 4:30 p.m. against either the Texans (who host the Bengals) or the winner of Colts/Ravens. I think I speak for all Patriots fans when I say that I like their chances against any of those three squads.

Basically the only thing that didn't go right for the Pats today was that Rob Ninkovich hurt his hip and had to leave the game in the second quarter. We're not sure how serious it is but the good news is that he has an extra week to heal and rest. Tom Brady (22 for 36, 284 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs) had a solid game while Wes Welker (8 catches, 94 yards, TD) and Danny Woodhead (5 catches, 79 yards) were in a nice rhythm with TB12.

Stevan Ridley ran for 74 yards and two touchdowns while Rob Gronkowski returned after missing five games to catch a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The ironic part is that Gronk still leads all NFL tight ends with 11 TDs despite all that time off. He was obviously favoring his arm though so I'm thrilled that he doesn't have to play another game for a while.

New England's defense posted its first shutout since 2009 thanks to its best pass rush of the season which produced seven sacks led by undrafted rookie free agent Justin Francis (3 sacks). Steve Gregory intercepted rookie Ryan Tannehill (20 for 35, 235 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT) and Dont'a Hightower recovered a Tannehill fumble.

Miami's only effective weapon was wide receiver Brian Hartline (5 catches, 69 yards). Tannehill's interception was terrible and Reggie Bush fumbled on the goal-line (although it was charged to Tannehill). Clearly, the Dolphins had no interest in putting up a fight in their season finale.

After Gregory's interception, Welker cashed in with a nine-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Ridley had a one-yard touchdown run (on 4th and Goal) followed by a two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The only intrigue left in the contest was over whether Ryan Mallett would make an appearance (he didn't) or if Miami would score (also a negative).

Now let's all sit back next weekend, watch the Wild Card games and get plenty of rest. The Patriots have never won a Super Bowl without a first-round bye so this was the first step to what we hope is a very special season.

UPDATE 1/1: The Patriots signed rookie defensive tackle Tracy Robertson to the practice squad.

UPDATE 1/4: Today, New England signed quarterback Mike Kafka and defensive end Marcus Benard to reserve/future contracts for next season.

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Patriots Survive Crapfest 23-16, Mostly Because They Were Playing The Hapless Jaguars

The less time spent talking about this afternoon's brutal 23-16 Patriots win against the Jaguars at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, the better. If you didn't see any or even some of this one, I'm jealous of you. I feel like I need a cold shower to wash away the filth from viewing this.

Patrick Chung's (2 interceptions) interception in the end zone sealed a win that was way closer than it should have been for the Patriots. It is not hyperbole to say that if they were playing pretty much any other team in the NFL than Jacksonville, they would have lost. Oh well, I guess it was the predictable letdown/trap game after primetime matchups with the Texans and Niners in consecutive weeks.

New England (11-4, 6-2 away) spotted the Jaguars a 10-0 lead in the first quarter but after Jacksonville (2-13, 1-7 home) went up 13-3 early in the second quarter, it all went to shit for the team that is currently tied with the Chiefs (2-13) for the worst record in the NFL.

With all the guys that they sat with "injuries" or moved around, it appeared that the Patriots didn't have much interest in winning this game when it kicked off. However, maybe once they realized that Houston was losing (they fell 23-6 to Minnesota), they remembered that they were still able to get the No. 1 or 2 seed in the AFC. Hey, we all lose our minds at some point or another during the holidays.

Former Dolphins great Chad Henne (29 of 51, 348 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs) picked the Patriots apart in the first quarter but he soon regressed to the awful quarterback that he's always been. Conversely, Tom Brady (24 of 41, 267 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) threw two early interceptions but then he settled down and began to find plenty of holes in Jacksonville's awful defense.

Stevan Ridley (18 carries, 84 yards) ran well after his bobble led to Brady's first interception. Wes Welker (10 catches, 88 yards on 12 targets) was Brady's main target as always while Brandon Lloyd (6 catches, 62 yards on 12 targets) came back to Earth after his huge game vs. San Francisco and Aaron Hernandez (1 catch, 13 yards on 5 targets) was M.I.A. all game. It goes without saying that the Pats really miss Rob Gronkowski and he can't return soon enough, maybe next week?

University of Maine product Montell Owens (77 yards receiving; 42 yards rushing) made the most of his rare start while Jordan Shipley (5 catch, 82 yards on 10 targets) and Justin Blackmon (7 catch, 79 yards on 12 targets) took advantage of a depleted secondary for New England with no Alfonzo Dennard and a banged up Aqib Talib.

Blackmon caught a 3-yard touchdown to give Jacksonville a 7-0 lead and Josh Scobee's 41-yard field goal made it 10-0 in the first quarter. Stephen Gostkowski's 25-yard field goal got New England on the board late in the first quarter.

Scobee added a 35-yard field goal before the Patriots finally woke up. Gostkowski drilled a 49-yard field goal and Brady hit Danny Woodhead with a 14-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left in the first half to improbably tie it at 13.

Gostkowski's 38-yard field goal in the third quarter was the only score of the frame as both defenses settled in and each offense sputtered. Welker's 3-yard touchdown catch put New England up by 10 (23-13) and that was just enough for them to hold on. Scobee had a 42-yard field goal but Henne couldn't complete the comeback at the end. Story of his life.

Marquice Cole (6 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, pass defensed) had his first interception as a Patriot while Dont'a Hightower (6 tackles, 4 solo, sack, tackle for loss, pass defensed, quarterback hit) had one of his best games of the season. Kyle Arrington (7 solo tackles, tackle for loss) also played well in extended action for him.

The 2012 regular season ends next Sunday with the Patriots hosting the Dolphins (7-8) at Gillette Stadium (4:25 p.m., CBS). New England is currently the No. 3 seed in the AFC but they can move up if either Houston or Denver lose. That's what we have to root for, the Pats could even jump to No. 1 if both lose but that probably won't happen with Denver hosting Kansas City (Texans are at Colts).

The game means plenty so I would expect that almost all the healthy Patriots will play. The difference between a bye and having to play during Wild Card weekend is enormous so they should go all out to ensure that they win. Miami isn't going anywhere and they are not great by any means but they'll make it competitive mostly because their defense is above average.

UPDATE 12/24: The Patriots made a bunch of roster moves involving guys you probably have never heard of. They released fullback James Develin and wide receiver Kamar Aiken from the 53-man roster. They also released wide receiver/punt returner Tony Logan and offensive lineman Jeremiah Warren from the practice squad.

New England also received a one-week exemption for Jermaine Cunningham after his four-game suspension ended yesterday. They have a week to activate him to the roster, which they are expected to do. As it stands now, the Patriots have two open roster spots.

UPDATE 12/25: Aiken and Develin both cleared waivers today, meaning they are now free agents. The Patriots have three open slots on their practice squad and both retain practice squad eligibility so look for at least one of them to stick around Foxborough.

UPDATE 12/26: Today, the Patriots signed three guys to the practice squad: Aiken, Develin and cornerback Cyhl Quarles. You're obviously familiar with Aiken and Develin while Quarles spent two plus weeks on New England's practice squad earlier this season.

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Week 6 Patriots-Seahawks Injury Report

Only a day and a half left before the New England Patriots (3-2) take on the Seattle Seahawks (3-2) at CenturyLink Field Sunday afternoon (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS). Today, the injury report shed some light on who we should expect to see or not see in action.

The Patriots have two guys already out: safety Steve Gregory (hip) for the second straight week and linebacker Tracy White (foot) who left last week's game against the Broncos with an injury. The Seahawks will be missing defensive tackle Jaye Howard (foot) and guard John Moffitt (knee).

As always, New England is taking advantage of the questionable label by putting a whopping 14 guys with that designation. Running back Brandon Bolden (knee), defensive end Brandon Deaderick (ankle), wide receivers Julian Edelman (hand) and Wes Welker (ankle), defensive tackle Justin Francis (ankle), tight ends Rob Gronkowski (hip), Aaron Hernandez (ankle) and Michael Hoomanawanui (concussion), linebacker Dont'a Hightower (hamstring), guard Logan Mankins (calf), center Nick McDonald (shoulder), cornerback Sterling Moore (knee), running back Shane Vereen (foot) and offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back) are all 50/50 wink wink, nudge nudge.

Deaderick and Francis haven't played at all while Hightower missed last week. I'd say Dont'a along with Hernandez (out since Week 2) are the two names to watch out for since they are very important players that we know have legitimately been hurt.

For Seattle, defensive tackle Clinton McDonald (groin) is doubtful but he's the only other Seahawk that is expected to miss the game.

Stay tuned tomorrow and on Sunday as we find out who else will be on the sidelines.

UPDATE 10/14: Hightower and Edelman have been ruled out. The Boston Globe reports that Hernandez is expected to play but in a limited role so don't hold your breath for a big performance. Also, I wouldn't start him in fantasy football but that's just me.

The three other Patriots out today are defensive end Jake Bequette, center Matt Tennant and Hoomanawanui.

The Seahawks out are wide receiver Charly Martin, strong safety Winston Guy, cornerback Danny Gorrer, cornerback Jeremy Lane and McDonald.

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Chandler Jones Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month (September)

So how do you like the Patriots' 2012 draft class? The early returns on their choices, particularly the first-round picks defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont'a Hightower along with second-round pick safety Tavon Wilson look excellent. Today, Jones-the former Syracuse standout-was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September.

New England was an uneven 2-2 in September but if their record mirrored Jones' impact and output, they would be one of the NFL's few unbeaten squads left. He has been on the field on virtually every defensive play no matter what the formation or scenario they face. He has put up 17 tackles (9 solo, 8 assists) along with three sacks and two forced fumbles (one which Hightower returned for a TD against the Titans).

The loss to the Ravens was the one game where Jones looked like a rookie (2 assists). In the other three contests, he produced identical lines of five tackles (3 solo, 2 assists), a sack and run stuff. The other forced fumble was in Week 2 against Arizona.

I hate getting ahead of myself but you have to admit that the sky appears to be the limit for Jones. As he grows and develops more pass rushing moves, there is little doubt that he could become one of the premiere defensive players in the AFC. This award validates that and shows how much unlimited potential he possesses. For Patriots fans, when's the last time we had someone like that on the team?

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All Roads Lead Back To Gillette Stadium, For A Chosen Few

It isn't official yet but it sounds like at any point this week, the Patriots will bring back linebacker Bobby Carpenter who was with them all preseason. The linebacker was cut on September 1 and has been a free agent ever since then.

That move would point to the fact that rookie Dont'a Hightower's hamstring injury must be somewhat serious. New England must think his status for Sunday against the Broncos is in question. He left Sunday's game in Buffalo during the first quarter and never returned; Tracy White took his spot and if you remember the AFC Championship game against the Colts in 2008, White can't be expected to do anything but play special teams.

New England has an open roster spot since earlier today they released defensive tackle Terrell McClain who did his best Kellen Winslow Jr. impression against the Bills (no stats whatsoever in his only game for the Pats).

UPDATE 10/3: The Pats re-signed tight end Alex Silvestro to the practice squad and released offensive lineman Thomas Austin. Also, they announced Carpenter's return.

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Patriots Roll 34-13 Over Titans For NFL-Best 9th Straight Opening Win

There is nothing better than an NFL Sunday, especially when its Week 1. The weather is still nice out but one of the best feelings in the world is watching games all day on the incomparable NFL Redzone, your team's game and then Sunday Night Football. Lather, rinse and repeat.

The Patriots kept their impressive streak going as they won 34-13 this afternoon against the Titans at LP Field. That was New England's ninth-straight opening win, currently the best mark in the league.

The most interesting aspects of the rather routine victory were two-fold: Stevan Ridley's 1st career 100-yard rushing game (21 carries, 125 yards, 1 TD) and a stout defensive effort led by rookies Dont'a Hightower (5 tackles, 4 solo, tackle for loss, fumble recovery for TD), Chandler Jones (5 tackles, 3 solo, sack, caused fumble) and Tavon Wilson (4 tackles, 3 solo, 2 passes deflected, interception).

We expect certain things from the Patriots: Tom Brady's brilliance (23 of 31, 236 passing yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs) as he spreads it around to a variety of receivers like Rob Gronkowski (6 catches, 60 yards, TD), Aaron Hernandez (6 catches, 59 yards, TD) and Brandon Lloyd (5 catches, 69 yards). The only surprise there is that Ridley (2 catches, 27 yards) had more receiving yards than Wes Welker (3 catches, 14 yards), let's hope that's not a sign of things to come.

Since New England made the Super Bowl last season, you'd think that they were a well-oiled machine but as true fans know, they were lucky to make it that far thanks to facing a host of bad teams, awful quarterbacks and riding a wave of luck until they ran into the Giants. Again. The easiest thing to do is freak out over one game but I'm not falling into that trap. Still, if Ridley can run that hard and not fumble while their defense flies around, well look out AFC.

Jake Locker (23 of 32, 229 yards, TD, INT) actually played much better than I expected but he wasn't helped by Chris Johnson (11 carries, career-low 4 yards; 6 catches, 47 yards) who is a shell of his former 2000-yard self. To make matters worse, Locker left with a shoulder injury after he tried to tackle Patrick Chung following what was initially ruled a fumble (later overturned on replay).

Tennessee had one lead (3-0) in the entire game, as Rob Bironas hit a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter. New England answered later in the frame with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Hernandez.

Jones and Hightower combined on what I would deem the play of the game early in the second quarter. Jones strip-sacked Locker and Hightower scooped it up then powered his way six yards into the end zone. Brady and Gronkowski connected on a beautiful 2-yard touchdown pass with two minutes left in the 1st half, 21-3 Patriots.

The Titans forced the Pats to punt on their first two possessions of the second half and made it interesting for a second as Locker hit Nate Washington for a 29-yard score but then Ridley scored from a yard out and New England led 28-10 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter was extended garbage time as Bironas (24-yard) and Stephen Gostkowski (25-yard and 31-yard) traded field goals and New England basically ran out the clock while Tennessee was petrified to take risks. Two other Patriots defensive players stood out: Jerod Mayo had 13 tackles (9 solo, 1 pass deflected) and Devin McCourty had seven tackles (5 solo, 2 pass deflections) as he performed much better than his twin brother Jason on the Titans (2 tackles, 2 solo, tackle for loss).

The only two kickoffs returned by New England were by McCourty (28 yards) and Matthew Slater (19 yards). So it looks like that will remain an area of concern going forward. Julian Edelman returned four punts for 27 yards, including a 14-yard return. It was a great day for the Pats special teams though as punter Zoltan Mesko pinned the Titans inside the 20 with three punts and also boomed a 51-yard punt. Haha I think that's the first time I've ever mentioned him.

Another cupcake comes the Patriots (1-0) way as they host the Cardinals (1-0) next Sunday (1 p.m., Fox) at Gillette Stadium for New England's home opener. Arizona beat Seattle 20-16 this afternoon but I can't take any team seriously that had a tight quarterback battle between John Skelton and Kevin Kolb. Skelton was the starter but he hurt his ankle so Kolb saved the day. Regardless of which one of those bums starts, the Pats should blow them out. Sorry Larry Fitzgerald.

UPDATE 9/12: Tight end/former defensive end Alex Silvestro was released from the practice squad today and the Pats signed safety Cyhl (pronounced Kyle) Quarles to take his place.

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I Say That Dont'a Hightower's AFC Rookie Of The Year Campaign Starts Now

Trust me when I tell you that soon enough, you will likely fall in love with Patriots rookie linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

The stud out of the University of Alabama agreed to a four-year deal today with New England, meaning that their entire draft class (seven players) of 2012 will report to training camp on time. Ironically, the youngsters are due to arrive tomorrow in Foxborough.

Picked 25th overall in the first round, Hightower was obtained after the Pats traded up with Denver to get him. They shipped the Broncos the 31st overall pick and a fourth-round selection (126th overall) as well. That alone should tell you how intent they were on getting him since New England pretty much never trades up for anybody.

For the Crimson Tide who were BCS champions, Hightower last year was a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press and a second-team All-SEC selection. He started 12 games for Alabama, leading them with 85 tackles (11 for a loss), four sacks, eight quarterback hits, one interception and one forced fumble.

Everyone knows that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Alabama head coach Nick Saban are very close friends so there is no doubt that they talked about Hightower often the last few seasons and before the draft. If he wasn't that good or a complete knucklehead (doubtful since he was a captain), odds are that Saban would have let Belichick know.

He could be a bust but from what we've seen in college, Hightower has all the physical tools and attributes to be a successful NFL player. He was one of the most outstanding linebackers in the nation, at one of the best programs and in the top conference (SEC). You can't be much more prepared out of college than that. At 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, he's a freak athlete that is big enough to play middle linebacker but fast enough to play outside linebacker. That gives Belichick a bunch of options and a major playmaking ability which is something the Patriots defense can always use.

I expect much more from him initially than New England's other first-round pick: defensive end Chandler Jones of Syracuse. Jones seems like a project whereas Hightower is polished. We shall see I guess but if you watch college football regularly and you root for the Patriots, you have to be understandably excited about Dont'a's potential.

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Patriots Trade Up Twice In 1st Round, Grab 2 Defensive Studs

We all know that NFL mock drafts are one of the most useless exercises in sports but that is especially true when you consider the unpredictability of the New England Patriots.

Felger and Mazz had the right idea today as they literally threw highlighters at a draft board, that seems like as good a method as any to figure out what Bill Belichick and Co. will do in any given year.

With two picks in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, this appeared to be year that the Pats could finally take advantage of their spot rather than endlessly trading down as always. Still, nobody could have expected the haul they picked up. By making two trades up (their first two 1st round trade ups since 2003-Ty Warren), New England selected Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones at No. 21 and Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower at No. 25.

They dealt their first pick (No. 27) and a third-rounder to the Bengels to select Jones; for Hightower, they parted with the other first round pick (No. 31) and a fourth-rounder to the Broncos.

I can't tell you how exciting it was to see this team be aggressive, I think this validates the unspoken truth that Belichick and Tom Brady's championship window is rapidly closing. Rather than think about the future (next season like the Boston Globe's Greg Bedard wrote today), they went for the present. After all, this was a team that was a few plays away from another Super Bowl victory. Plus, most of that team will return next fall.

This addresses their two biggest needs: a guy that can rush the quarterback from the defensive end and another guy that can make plays all over the field while also pressuring the quarterback.

Ironically enough, even though it's way closer, I hardly ever paid attention to Syracuse football since they've been so bad the last few seasons. Therefore, I don't know much about Jones other than what I've read in the predraft hype. He's long and somewhat raw but he has plenty of potential. On the other hand, I watched a million of Hightower's games since Alabama has been the best team over the last three seasons (2 National Championships). He's a beast, similar to Brandon Spikes. That's why I love that move, he's a tough football player that is also a big-time winner.

From ESPNBoston.com
At 6 feet 5, 266 pounds, Jones played in seven games last season for Syracuse as a junior, missing five games with a knee injury suffered in the season opener against Wake Forest. He recorded 4.5 sacks on the season, as well as 38 total tackles (7.5 for a loss) and two forced fumbles.

Jones played in 13 games as a sophomore in 2010, notching 57 tackles (9.5 for a loss), three forced fumbles, and four sacks. As a freshman in 2009, Jones had 52 tackles in 12 games, including 10 tackles for losses, in addition to 1.5 sacks.

A native of Endicott, N.Y., Jones was a first-team All-Big East selection last season.

Last season, Hightower was a defensive captain for the national champion Crimson Tide, a consensus first-team All-American selection by the Associated Press, a second-team All-SEC selection and a finalist for the Lombardi Award, Chuck Bednarik, Butkus Award and Lott Trophy.

He started 12 games at middle linebacker for Alabama in 2011, leading the team with 85 tackles (11 for losses), four sacks, eight quarterback hits, one interception and one forced fumble.

Hightower is a native of Lewisburg, Tenn., and played at Marshall County High School.

Both Chandler and Hightower were juniors last season.

After trading their third-round (93rd overall) and fourth-round (126th overall) picks in the pair of first-round deals, the Patriots have only their two second-round picks (No. 48 and 62 overall) remaining in this draft. I would expect them to execute more trades tomorrow (down) so that they can accumulate more picks. I'm fine with that after the incredible work they put together tonight.

Enjoy these highlights of the two newest Patriots:




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