PATRIOTS PREVIEW: PART 1 - QUARTERBACKS

Every weekday from now until the NFL season kicks-off, Boston Blood Sox will preview one group of Patriot players. Today we start off with the most important position in the game, with the most valuable player in the game.



For the first time in his career, Tom Brady will be making a start after missing games due to injury. He hasn't played a full a game since Super Bowl XLII. So that's February 3, 2008 to September 14, 2007. Nearly a 20 month gap.

It would be crazy to expect Brady to put up the kind of record-breaking numbers he put up in 2007. He will have a similarly stacked receiving corps to throw to, but the offensive line is weaker, and the running game might be better.

In '07, the Pats were accused of running up the score when they'd throw the ball late in games instead of running it. What the morons of the world failed to comprehend was that the Patriots had no dependable run game to get first downs and dependably salt games away. I think the Patriots depth at RB in 2009 will help Tom Brady by giving him more 2nd & 6, 3rd & 2 type downs.

From the preseason games, there's a bit of reluctance on Brady's part to fully step into throws. But that could be rust as much as it could be hesitation. He didn't show much fear during or after some big hits he received in the Bengals game.

I think Brady will throw 30 to 35 TD passes, be around 63% accurate with his passes (that's his career percentage), and keep INTs to a minimum. I don't foresee much difficulty with him barring another injury.

The Patriots don't have the same kind of QB depth as they had last year with Cassel as the back-up. But remember those idiots clamoring for the Pats to keep Cassel just in case Brady's knee wasn't healthy? How would the Pats' salary cap look like if these clowns ran the team?

Andrew Walter has a bit more experience than O'Connell, but a guy who can't cut it in Oakland even as a backup worries the hell out of me.

So basically, if Brady goes down again, it will be a worse feeling than it was last year. O'Connell has shown some sparks, but the Patriots without Brady are like a ship lost in a storm with no compass.

Source:
NFL.com

DICE-K'S DICEY REHAB OUTING

It was a tale of two innings in Manchester, NH. Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed 5 runs off 4 hits and 3 walks for AA Portland yesterday. He bounced 8 sliders in the dirt, and threw 49 pitches. He was only slated to throw 55 pitches, but convinced the Portland coaches to give him an allowance of 10 pitches in the 2nd inning. He threw 9, and retired the side in order.

So is this good news, bad news, or what? Overall, the line score of 2 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB looks dreadful. Although the 58 total pitches for 2 innings sounds about right for Daisuke.

After the game, Daisuke stated (via a translator):

"In the first inning, I think I got into the game at about 60-to-70 percent of maximum output for me. That’s how I was approaching it. There were a few things that I wanted to work on, and that’s why I wanted to get into the game gradually. Mind you, I didn’t think I’d get hit up quite that badly, but I think in the second inning I just applied a few of those things I worked on in the first."

If he's telling the truth, then I guess this rehab outing is somewhat positive. Then again, the Sox need him to throw more then 1 good inning a game. Then again, when was the last time Daisuke only needed 9 pitches to get through an inning?

Daisuke makes his next rehab start Thursday for AAA Pawtucket.

Source:
Boston Herald

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Jim Cole

AFTER 13 SEASONS, TEDY BRUSCHI RETIRES

Last night, it was announced that Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi would be retiring. It was a surprise, but not a shock. Bruschi's certainly lost more than a step these past few seasons. And with the Patriots seemingly committed to using more 4-3 defenses this season, it was Bruschi who would be the odd man out.

Bruschi was a member of 5 Patriots teams that made the Super Bowl, and all 3 that won it. He was part of the Homeland Defense that controlled the NFL in 2003 and 2004. He was a true playmaker.



In 189 regular season games for the Pats, Bruschi compiled 1,065 tackles, 668 total tackles, 30.5 sacks, forced 18 fumbles, intercepted 12 passes, and returned 4 of those for touchdowns.

He was never a big numbers type of player, but he came up with big plays at big times. He set an NFL record by returning 4 straight interceptions for TDs. He forced big fumbles, made big tackles, and changed games with just one big play.

The last few seasons, he's been a ghost on the field. Not only was he not making big plays, he was struggling with regular ones. He was a starter almost by default. To his credit, he never let up. If it was possible to try harder than he did when he first came into the League, he was doing so these last few years.

He's not going to the Football Hall of Fame. But you can bet the farm that he'll be inducted into The Hall at Patriot Place as soon as possible.

BYRD OUTPITCHES HALLADAY

After a 10 month hiatus, Paul Byrd's return to the Sox rotation was more than impressive. He scattered 3 hits and 3 walks over 6 shutout innings, and helped propel the Red Sox past Roy Halladay and the Toronto Blue Jays. The victory gave the Sox their first series sweep since they took 3 from Baltimore in Camden Yards at the start of August.

Alex Gonzalez is having the hot-streak of his life. He's 10 for his last 23 (.435). He's hit 3 HR and knocked in 11 RBI in only 15 games with the Sox. He was 2 for 3 this afternoon with a double and a triple.

It's just one start, and it was against a weak offense that wasn't prepared to face him, but if Byrd can come up with some Brad-Penny-in-April kind of starts, then things aren't so dodgy at the bottom end of the rotation.

It was apparently Old Timers Day at Fenway. Not only did 38 year old Paul Byrd look solid, 38 year old Billy Wagner was lights out in his Sox debut. He threw 16 pitches, 11 strikes, allowed 1 hit, and struck out the side in the 8th.



The Sox have Monday off before starting a HUGE 3 game series down in Tampa Bay. The Rays lost today, so the Sox are 5 games ahead of them in the loss column. Taking 2 of 3 down there would be a killer blow to the Rays.

Texas also lost, so the Sox have a 3.5 game lead over the Rangers.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

WAKEFIELD HURT AGAIN

Tim Wakefield was brilliant in his return to the rotation. But now he's leaving said rotation, at least for one start. He's stated that he felt back and hip stiffness/pain in the 3rd inning of his start against the White Sox on Wednesday. That stiffness and pain haven't gone away.

The Sox pushed Jon Lester back to Tuesday to take Wakefield's turn. Paul Byrd took Lester's spot this afternoon against the Blue Jays.

So right now Beckett hasn't pitched like an Ace in a few weeks. Lester can't reach 7 innings. Buchholz is hit or miss. Wakefield is down again. Tazawa looked dreadful last time out. And our hopes are riding on Paul Byrd.

Kind of scary.

Source:
Associated Press

BRADY WON'T PLAY THURSDAY, PATRIOTS HUSH HUSH ABOUT HIS SHOULDER

Trying to get information out of the Patriots is like trying to pull the ship out of a ship in a bottle. Even if you do get anything out, it will be broken up bits, and essentially worthless.



The Patriots are conceding that Brady has a sore right shoulder. They seem to be implying that he won't play in Thursday night's preseason finale against the Giants. Bill Belichick stated:

"I’m saying that we made the decision to play other quarterbacks in the second half of the Washington game because we wanted to see them play, and that will be the same situation [in] the Giants game. Tom had a desire to play, but we made a football decision to play other players because I think we need to see other players at that position and make an evaluation there."

Brady has 15 days to recover from whatever the hell is wrong with his shoulder. I doubt there is any tear, or even strain. I'm not too worried about it.

Source:
Boston.com

WINNING IN THE RAIN

Josh Beckett still doesn't look like an Ace. It's now 3 straight outings without a Quality Start, as Beckett only went 5 innings. 5's were wild for Beckett, as he allowed 5 runs off 5 hits, and 5 walks in his 5 innings.

But the good news is that the bullpen kept things manageable, and the offense put up the necessary 6 runs. Ellsbury was back in the lineup, and was 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a very long RBI ground-rule double hit 418 feet to right-center. Jason Bay hit a game tying HR in the 5th, his 29th of the season. Kotchman hit an RBI groundout in the 8th, which was the game-winning run.

Bit of a potential mess for the Sox Saturday night as 11-5 Ricky Romero faces Clay Buchholz. Although the Sox have hurt Romero a lot this season.

The Yankees won, Tampa Bay lost, and Texas lost. The Rays also traded Scott Kazmir for prospects. God knows why. The Sox now have a 2.5 game Wild Card lead.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

BRADY GETS A BOO BOO AND THE WORLD GOES BANANAS

The big story coming out of Friday night's Patriots/Redskins game will be Tom Brady's shoulder. It's also, perhaps, the most overblown, over-inflated story since Time and CNN went berserk over shark attacks in the summer of 2001.

In case you spent Friday night in a cave, Brady was hit by Albert Haynesworth, and landed awkwardly on his right shoulder. He was seen on the sidelines windmilling his right arm. Apparently, he took the field in the 3rd quarter, then left, and returned to the locker room for the remainder of the game.

The Patriots, not surprisingly, were pretty tight-lipped about any injury. Officially, it's being described as a "sore shoulder." Bill Belichick, after the game, remarked: "He's got some bumps and bruises just like everybody else who played in the game."

And until he practices again, there is no way to tell what the problem actually is, or if there is a problem at all.

I'm not a doctor, but it looked like an awkward fall, with a few extra pounds (Haynewsowrth) loaded onto a shoulder in a strange position. But it didn't look like any injury occurred.

Imagine sleeping on your shoulder wrong. Now imagine sleeping on your shoulder wrong with Albert Haynesworth on top. Now imagine that you only slept for 2 seconds. Inconvenient, painful, but not permanent.

The good news is that Brady+Moss=2007. These two were electric to watch. And one can only imagine how exciting the show would have been had Welker played. Brady and Moss combined for a pair of TDs in the 1st half.



Fred Taylor and Laurence Maroney didn't impress me. Maroney was his usual inconsistent self, mixing in 6 yard runs with half yard stumbles. He also had trouble hanging onto the football. And Taylor couldn't get any traction.

Joey Galloway looked decent. The Pats could use him in a Jabar Gaffney type role, and he appeared to still have the requisite speed to do so.

The defensive front was OUTSTANDING. They put consistent and multi-directional pressure on Jason Campbell on almost every down in the 1st half. Unfortunately, the secondary behind them looked like The Four Stooges. coverages were easily blown, DBs were confused, and horrible mistakes were made. It's going to be a long season back there. But at least it will be exciting.



Speaking of Campbell, how much did the CBS announcers wash his balls? Everything he did seemed to be amazing and wondrous. Paris Lenon fucks up (CUT!) and buys a token fake, jumping in the air like a fool, and suddenly Jason Campbell is a Pro Bowler.

The final preseason game is Thursday night in Foxborough, against the Giants. If Brady does happen to play, it probably won't be for very long.

And Chad Ochocinco says Brady's fine:

"Just got a call back from Tom Brady, says he's fine and there's nothing to worry about...It pays to have everyones phone number, seriously he said he's cool..."



Sources:
ESPN.com
USA Today
Boston.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Rob Carr
AP Photo/Nick Wass