Showing posts with label Matt Light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matt Light. Show all posts
Sunday, September 15, 2013
He's so emotional
Apparently Tom Brady never loses his temper during a game. Never gets upset with himself or teammates. Never raises his voice. It seems that he's always been Mr. Kumbaya during his Hall of Fame career. Drop another pass, Ocho? No problem. Let's get some pizza after the game. Make a bad call and kill a touchdown drive, Bill O'Brien? It's cool. It's nobody's fault. Let's just try harder. Miss a block and let #12 get planted, Matt Light? It's all right. I should have gotten rid of the ball faster.
Tom Brady yelling and acting like the next drive is the most important drive of the season is what makes him Tom Brady. It's what pushes his teammates. Most Pats' fans love the moment just before the team took the field of their Super Bowl against the Rams. Brady grabs Drew Bledsoe by the neck and starts screaming in his face like a lunatic. Bledsoe looks at him with an odd smile before Willie McGinnest steps in and tries to calm Brady down. No moment illustrates the difference between Brady and Bledsoe. Two great quarterbacks. One mad man.
Most of the talk after the Pats' win over the Jets has focused on Brady yelling at his receivers most of the game. The Pats scored one touchdown all night. It was a frustrating, wet night. But it doesn't take a game when the offense scores 13 points to get Brady fired up.
The video above? The Pats scored 34 points in this game.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Light it up
The Patriots dynasty has been a DVD memory for years now. Sure, the Pats are still annoying football fans all over the country by winning divisions and getting to Super Bowls, marrying super models, and building mansions, but this team is not really connected to the three Lombardi teams. It's been eight years since the last title. How could it be connected?
The players that created the Patriot Way (another annoying media-invented phrase) have almost all moved on to other teams or TV studios. There are just a few left. One less now. Matt Light, after 11 years protecting Tom Brady's neck, had his half-time ceremony at Monday night's game. Kevin Faulk had his earlier this year. That leaves just Brady.
I've written odes to past players on this blog. Bruschi. Troy. Willie. Rodney. Dillon. They all played the flashy positions. Catching touchdowns. Breaking big runs. Making big sacks and picks. Light was an offensive lineman. They are only noticed when they are called for holding or when the QB is face-planted into the turf. They don't usually get the odes. But Light deserves one.
Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli took Light in the second round of the 2001 draft. Light came out of Purdue and the Big Ten with an impressive resume. He was first team All Big Ten as a senior and helped the Boilermakers win the conference crown. At the time Belichick was looking for guys to help keep veteran quarterback -- and immovable object -- Drew Bledsoe from aging a bit too fast. Light seemed like a good pick.
Except to football scribe Ron Borges. Yes, him again. Borges wrote this in the Globe the day after the Pats drafted Richard Seymour in the first round and Light in the second ... "On a day when they could had impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second best tackle in the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour who had 1 1/2 sacks last year in the pass-happy SEC, and is too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end. This genius move was followed by trading out of a spot where they could have gotten the last decent receiver in the draft (Robert Ferguson) and settled for tackle Matt Light, who will not help the team any time soon."
He actually wrote that. And he still goes on TV and acts like he knows what he is talking about. Ah, the modern-day sportswriter.
Matt Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, started 12 games in his rookie year, playing a key role in an offense that averaged more than 110 yards per game on the ground and protected a young quarterback on his way to leading the team to its first Super Bowl title ... ever. Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, helped that Pats ground game rush for a huge 133 yards against the Rams in that Super Bowl. For that, Light was named to the Football News all-rookie team.
And he was just getting started. Light became Brady's security blanket for years to come. A hairy one, but a rock-solid one. Light won two more rings and was part of the offensive line in '07 that kept giving Brady enough time to connect with Randy Moss time and time and time again. There has never been a better offense in the history of the game. That starts with the line. Two of Light's best years were the last two when everyone (including Borges I'm sure) thought he was all done. He wasn't. It seemed that every week one of the story lines going into a big game was "could Light stop this guy or that guy from killing Brady?" If you look at Brady's stats it's easy to see that much more often than not Matt Light did indeed stop the other guy. And he seemed to enjoy every minute of it, even when he was going face-to-face with a defender after the play.
That was Matt Light as a player. Always playing as hard as he could and enjoying the moment. Light's trademark shaggy beard and ever shaggier hair were outdone only by his sense of humor. In interviews and on the sidelines you could see he was the guy who kept things light (no pun intended) in the locker room and on the field. You need guys like that. You could see Brady sure appreciated having a guy like that for 11 years.
As a fan, so did I.
I've written odes to past players on this blog. Bruschi. Troy. Willie. Rodney. Dillon. They all played the flashy positions. Catching touchdowns. Breaking big runs. Making big sacks and picks. Light was an offensive lineman. They are only noticed when they are called for holding or when the QB is face-planted into the turf. They don't usually get the odes. But Light deserves one.
Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli took Light in the second round of the 2001 draft. Light came out of Purdue and the Big Ten with an impressive resume. He was first team All Big Ten as a senior and helped the Boilermakers win the conference crown. At the time Belichick was looking for guys to help keep veteran quarterback -- and immovable object -- Drew Bledsoe from aging a bit too fast. Light seemed like a good pick.
Except to football scribe Ron Borges. Yes, him again. Borges wrote this in the Globe the day after the Pats drafted Richard Seymour in the first round and Light in the second ... "On a day when they could had impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second best tackle in the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour who had 1 1/2 sacks last year in the pass-happy SEC, and is too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end. This genius move was followed by trading out of a spot where they could have gotten the last decent receiver in the draft (Robert Ferguson) and settled for tackle Matt Light, who will not help the team any time soon."
He actually wrote that. And he still goes on TV and acts like he knows what he is talking about. Ah, the modern-day sportswriter.
Matt Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, started 12 games in his rookie year, playing a key role in an offense that averaged more than 110 yards per game on the ground and protected a young quarterback on his way to leading the team to its first Super Bowl title ... ever. Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, helped that Pats ground game rush for a huge 133 yards against the Rams in that Super Bowl. For that, Light was named to the Football News all-rookie team.
And he was just getting started. Light became Brady's security blanket for years to come. A hairy one, but a rock-solid one. Light won two more rings and was part of the offensive line in '07 that kept giving Brady enough time to connect with Randy Moss time and time and time again. There has never been a better offense in the history of the game. That starts with the line. Two of Light's best years were the last two when everyone (including Borges I'm sure) thought he was all done. He wasn't. It seemed that every week one of the story lines going into a big game was "could Light stop this guy or that guy from killing Brady?" If you look at Brady's stats it's easy to see that much more often than not Matt Light did indeed stop the other guy. And he seemed to enjoy every minute of it, even when he was going face-to-face with a defender after the play.
That was Matt Light as a player. Always playing as hard as he could and enjoying the moment. Light's trademark shaggy beard and ever shaggier hair were outdone only by his sense of humor. In interviews and on the sidelines you could see he was the guy who kept things light (no pun intended) in the locker room and on the field. You need guys like that. You could see Brady sure appreciated having a guy like that for 11 years.
As a fan, so did I.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Game films
There are a lot of great football movie moments. There's the touch football scene from "The Wedding Crashers." There's the cons vs. the guards of the original "The Longest Yard." There's the doctors vs. the doctors in "M*A*S*H." All great game films.
But some of my favorite football scenes are not from the movies at all. They're from television. The NFL Network fills the down time in its schedule with lots of episodes of the "Top 10" series from NFL Films. "Top 10 Greatest Comebacks." "Top 10 Quarterbacks." "Top 10 Draft Flops." "Top 10 Brett Favre Moments." I saw one the other night that was "Top 10 Things We Loved About the 2000s."
The 2000s. There sure was a lot to like about that decade for Pats' fans. And the "Top 10" list is full of Pats references. #6 is the Brady-Manning rivalry. #7 is the number of new mega-stadiums (Kraft World was built at the start of the 2000s.) #3 is colorful wide receivers (two words: Randy Moss). #1 is close Super Bowls. Well, the Pats won three of them by a field goal each time. #4 on the list would be #1 on my list. The Patriots dynasty.
The dynasty may be over, but the fun is still going. Enjoy the clip. Enjoy the bye.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Break it down -- offensive line
The offensive line took a hit this offseason when Matt Light decided to retire after 11 years with the Patriots. He did a great job doing the most important job on the field ... protecting the quarterback's blind side. And when that quarterback is Tom Brady, well you can't have a more important job.
The line has been a strength of the Pats for years. A lot of the credit for that goes to coach Dante Scarnecchia. He's been on the coaching staff since what seems like the first day the franchise was created. He's done just about every job except for head coach. As long as he is in charge of the line you get the feeling that things will be just fine.
STARTERS
As we say in the caption business... from left to right: Nate Solder (tackle), Logan Mankins (guard), Dan Koppen (center), Brian Waters (guard), and Sebastian Vollmer (tackle). The key guy here is Waters. As of the moment he has not re-signed but I think he will skip the first few weeks of training camp and then join the team when the games begin. A 13-year All Pro veteran can do that. He was a rock last year and looked like a guy who wanted to keep playing for a contender. If he doesn't come back then jack-of-all-trades Dan Connolly will step in. Youngsters Solder and Vollmer (two of the best Belichick picks of the last few years) will anchor the ends of the line. Koppen, a former Pro Bowler, broke his leg in Week 1 last year and never came back. He and Brady have a great rapport and I'm sure #12 is glad to have him back in the middle. Then there is Mankins. The Paul Bunyan of the offensive line. He has not quite played at the level that was expected of him after signing his big contract, but turns out he had a torn ACL so that probably had something to do with it. The Pats need him to get mean and nasty again and set the tone.
BACK-UPS
Connolly is that offensive lineman that every team needs. A veteran who can slide from center to guard and back again and never miss a beat. Second-year player Marcus Cannon has a lot of potential and looked good in a limited role last year after recovering from cancer treatments. Robert Gallery, a former high draft pick of the Raiders, comes to New England with a chance of rejuvenating his career. Ryan Wendell, Donald Thomas, and Nick McDonald all made contributions last year and provide solid depth ... something that is key to any offensive line.
IN THE MIX
Young guys who are taking Offensive Line 101 from professor Scarnecchia include second-year guys Matt Kopa and Kyle Hix and rookies Markus Zusevics and Jeremiah Warren. We'll see if any of them are A students.
The offensive line won't be nearly as entertaining without Matt Light. But it should be just as good. That's what counts.
The line has been a strength of the Pats for years. A lot of the credit for that goes to coach Dante Scarnecchia. He's been on the coaching staff since what seems like the first day the franchise was created. He's done just about every job except for head coach. As long as he is in charge of the line you get the feeling that things will be just fine.
STARTERS
As we say in the caption business... from left to right: Nate Solder (tackle), Logan Mankins (guard), Dan Koppen (center), Brian Waters (guard), and Sebastian Vollmer (tackle). The key guy here is Waters. As of the moment he has not re-signed but I think he will skip the first few weeks of training camp and then join the team when the games begin. A 13-year All Pro veteran can do that. He was a rock last year and looked like a guy who wanted to keep playing for a contender. If he doesn't come back then jack-of-all-trades Dan Connolly will step in. Youngsters Solder and Vollmer (two of the best Belichick picks of the last few years) will anchor the ends of the line. Koppen, a former Pro Bowler, broke his leg in Week 1 last year and never came back. He and Brady have a great rapport and I'm sure #12 is glad to have him back in the middle. Then there is Mankins. The Paul Bunyan of the offensive line. He has not quite played at the level that was expected of him after signing his big contract, but turns out he had a torn ACL so that probably had something to do with it. The Pats need him to get mean and nasty again and set the tone.
BACK-UPS
Connolly is that offensive lineman that every team needs. A veteran who can slide from center to guard and back again and never miss a beat. Second-year player Marcus Cannon has a lot of potential and looked good in a limited role last year after recovering from cancer treatments. Robert Gallery, a former high draft pick of the Raiders, comes to New England with a chance of rejuvenating his career. Ryan Wendell, Donald Thomas, and Nick McDonald all made contributions last year and provide solid depth ... something that is key to any offensive line.
IN THE MIX
Young guys who are taking Offensive Line 101 from professor Scarnecchia include second-year guys Matt Kopa and Kyle Hix and rookies Markus Zusevics and Jeremiah Warren. We'll see if any of them are A students.
The offensive line won't be nearly as entertaining without Matt Light. But it should be just as good. That's what counts.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The Light stuff
The Patriots dynasty has been a DVD memory for years now. Sure, the Pats are still annoying football fans all over the country by winning divisions and getting to Super Bowls and building mansions, but this team is not really connected to the three Lombardi teams. It's been eight years since the last title. How could it be connected?
The players that created the Patriot Way (another annoying media-invented phrase) have almost all moved on to other teams or TV studios. There are just a few left. One less now. Matt Light, after 11 years protecting Tom Brady's neck, is retiring. That leaves just Brady and Kevin Faulk from the first Super Bowl championship team. And Faulk may not make it to the opener. Though I hope he does.
I've written odes to past players on this blog. Bruschi. Troy. Willie. Rodney. Dillon. They all played the flashy positions. Catching touchdowns. Breaking big runs. Making big sacks and picks. Light was an offensive lineman. They are only noticed when they are called for holding or when the QB is face-planted into the turf. They don't usually get the odes. But Light deserves one.
Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli took Light in the second round of the 2001 draft. Light came out of Purdue and the Big Ten with an impressive resume. He was first team All Big Ten as a senior and helped the Boilermakers win the conference crown. At the time Belichick was looking for guys to help keep veteran quarterback -- and immovable object -- Drew Bledsoe from aging a bit too fast. Light seemed like a good pick.
Except to football scribe Ron Borges. Yes, him again. Borges wrote this in the Globe the day after the Pats drafted Richard Seymour in the first round and Light in the second ... "On a day when they could had impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second best tackle in the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour who had 1 1/2 sacks last year in the pass-happy SEC, and is too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end. This genius move was followed by trading out of a spot where they could have gotten the last decent receiver in the draft (Robert Ferguson) and settled for tackle Matt Light, who will not help the team any time soon."
He actually wrote that. And he still goes on TV and acts like he knows what he is talking about. Ah, the modern-day sportswriter.
Matt Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, started 12 games in his rookie year, playing a key role in an offense that averaged more than 110 yards per game on the ground and protected a young quarterback on his way to leading the team to its first Super Bowl title ... ever. Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, helped that Pats ground game rush for a huge 133 yards against the Rams in that Super Bowl. For that, Light was named to the Football News all-rookie team.
And he was just getting started. Light became Brady's security blanket for years to come. A hairy one, but a rock-solid one. Light won two more rings and was part of the offensive line in '07 that kept giving Brady enough time to connect with Randy Moss time and time and time again. There has never been a better offense in the history of the game. That starts with the line. Two of Light's best years were the last two when everyone (including Borges I'm sure) thought he was all done. He wasn't. It seemed that every week one of the story lines going into a big game was "could Light stop this guy or that guy from killing Brady?" If you look at Brady's stats it's easy to see that much more often than not Matt Light did indeed stop the other guy. And he seemed to enjoy every minute of it, even when he was going face-to-face with a defender after the play.
That was Matt Light as a player. Always playing as hard as he could and enjoying the moment. Light's trademark shaggy beard and ever shaggier hair were outdone only by his sense of humor. In interviews and on the sidelines you could see he was the guy who kept things light (no pun intended) in the locker room and on the field. You need guys like that. You could see Brady sure appreciated having a guy like that for 11 years.
As a fan, so did I.
I've written odes to past players on this blog. Bruschi. Troy. Willie. Rodney. Dillon. They all played the flashy positions. Catching touchdowns. Breaking big runs. Making big sacks and picks. Light was an offensive lineman. They are only noticed when they are called for holding or when the QB is face-planted into the turf. They don't usually get the odes. But Light deserves one.
Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli took Light in the second round of the 2001 draft. Light came out of Purdue and the Big Ten with an impressive resume. He was first team All Big Ten as a senior and helped the Boilermakers win the conference crown. At the time Belichick was looking for guys to help keep veteran quarterback -- and immovable object -- Drew Bledsoe from aging a bit too fast. Light seemed like a good pick.
Except to football scribe Ron Borges. Yes, him again. Borges wrote this in the Globe the day after the Pats drafted Richard Seymour in the first round and Light in the second ... "On a day when they could had impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second best tackle in the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour who had 1 1/2 sacks last year in the pass-happy SEC, and is too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end. This genius move was followed by trading out of a spot where they could have gotten the last decent receiver in the draft (Robert Ferguson) and settled for tackle Matt Light, who will not help the team any time soon."
He actually wrote that. And he still goes on TV and acts like he knows what he is talking about. Ah, the modern-day sportswriter.
Matt Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, started 12 games in his rookie year, playing a key role in an offense that averaged more than 110 yards per game on the ground and protected a young quarterback on his way to leading the team to its first Super Bowl title ... ever. Light, who would not help the Patriots any time soon, helped that Pats ground game rush for a huge 133 yards against the Rams in that Super Bowl. For that, Light was named to the Football News all-rookie team.
And he was just getting started. Light became Brady's security blanket for years to come. A hairy one, but a rock-solid one. Light won two more rings and was part of the offensive line in '07 that kept giving Brady enough time to connect with Randy Moss time and time and time again. There has never been a better offense in the history of the game. That starts with the line. Two of Light's best years were the last two when everyone (including Borges I'm sure) thought he was all done. He wasn't. It seemed that every week one of the story lines going into a big game was "could Light stop this guy or that guy from killing Brady?" If you look at Brady's stats it's easy to see that much more often than not Matt Light did indeed stop the other guy. And he seemed to enjoy every minute of it, even when he was going face-to-face with a defender after the play.
That was Matt Light as a player. Always playing as hard as he could and enjoying the moment. Light's trademark shaggy beard and ever shaggier hair were outdone only by his sense of humor. In interviews and on the sidelines you could see he was the guy who kept things light (no pun intended) in the locker room and on the field. You need guys like that. You could see Brady sure appreciated having a guy like that for 11 years.
As a fan, so did I.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Taking stock
The Patriots have a dozen picks in this month's NFL draft. How many of them will Bill Belichick actually use? That's the $64,000 question. The thinking is that the team should use all of them to fill the many holes on the roster. A quick look at the position-by-position depth chart shows, to me, that this is still a top five AFC team without too many glaring weaknesses. OK, pass rush is a big one. But other than that ...
QUARTERBACK
Tom Brady: The future hall of famer is now a full season removed from his knee being blown out at the start of '08. He looked very ordinary in the team's playoff disaster against the Ravens, but he's still Brady. I'll take #12 at the QB position for as long as he can stand. I don't care how many mansions he builds. Backups: Fill in name of rookie/journeyman here.
RUNNING BACK
Laurence Maroney/Fred Taylor/Sammy Morris/Kevin Faulk: Missing among those four names is the stud back that can control and flat-out win games for you. That said this is still a very solid group. The Pats, despite lacking that lead back, have been a very good running team the past few years. If the team added a solid fullback and put Maroney or Taylor behind him and pounded the ball... well I'd sure be happy. But that's unlikely. If Taylor and/or Morris can stay healthy the Pats ground game will be fine. Backups: BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Chris Taylor.
WIDE RECEIVER
Randy Moss/Wes Welker/Julian Edelman: Welker's injury is the big question mark here. As is who will play the other wideout spot opposite Moss. Edelman seems more than capable of holding down the slot position till Welker returns. The verdict is out on whether we will see the '07 Moss who was unstoppable or the one of the last two seasons when he was merely unreliable. My fantasy team's name is Moss Racing. I'm not changing it. The team needs to add some depth here and hope for a return to form by Moss. I expect both to happen. Backups: David Patten, Sam Aiken, Matthew Slater, Brandon Tate, Darnell Jenkins.
TIGHT END
Alge Crumpler: The team has a veteran tight end who hopefully won't have bad drops or fumbles. That's good enough at this position. Backups: Like I said, one tight end is plenty. (See: http://tjtailgatetales.blogspot.com/2010/06/tighten-up.html)
OFFENSIVE LINE
Matt Light (LT), Logan Mankins (LG), Dan Koppen (C), Stephen Neal (RG), Nick Kaczur (RT): This starting five is so strong that LT Sebastian Vollmer -- maybe Belichick's best draft pick of the past several years -- is a backup. They protect the quarterback very well. When your quarterback is Tom Brady that is job one. If given the chance to pin their ears back I think they would be a solid run blocking line too. Backups: Vollmer, Dan Connolly, Mark LeVoir, Rich Ohrnberger, Ryan Wendell.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Ty Warren (LE), Vince Wilfork (NT), ???????? (RE): It still seems weird to not write Richard Seymour on that list. Maybe it won't feel as weird after the Pats come away with a top 10 pick from the Raiders next year. Wilfork and Ty Warren make this still one of the best D lines against the run. Wilfork alone does that. With the loss of Jarvis Green the Pats will be looking for someone to play right end. Hopefully someone with a motor who can get after the quarterback. Who fills that spot should be a focus of the draft and will be a key to the team's success on '10. There's also some solid talent in the reserves with Mike Wright and Ron Brace. Backups: Wright, Brace, Myron Pryor.
LINEBACKERS
Jerod Mayo, Tully Banta-Cain, Gary Guyton, Derrick Burgess: Oh how the names have changed. No more Bruschi, McGinnest, Vrabel, Johnson. That was a foursome that won three Super Bowl titles. One of the best ever. You can't replace guys like that quickly. It's a process that the Pats are probably at the midpoint of entering this season. Mayo's injury was a large reason for the Pats 10-6 record last year. A return to the way he was playing down the stretch of his rookie season should be expected. Banta-Cain, Guyton, and Burgess (if and when he re-signs) are all solid players but the linebacking corp needs another young potential star like Mayo. A drafting priority. Backups: Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, Shawn Crable, Rob Ninkovich, Tyrone McKenzie.
CORNERBACK
Leigh Bodden, Darius Butler: The veteran Bodden brought back some consistency to the cornerback spot. Butler showed flashes as a rookie, but just flashes. This is another position where a young impact player who exceeds expectations and plays for a low salary for five years is sorely needed. No more Shawn Springs-type players need apply. Backups: The young duo of Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Whilhite may step to the fore this season. The potential is there.
SAFETY
Brandon Meriweather, Brandon McGowan: Meriweather made it to the Pro Bowl in just his third season with the team. When he is good he's very good. He's just not that good often enough yet. McGowan played better than the journeyman he had looked like his first three years in Chicago. I'd prefer to see backup James Sanders as the starter. Backups: Sanders, Pat Chung.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Stephen Gostkowski: The team has no punter at the moment but there are always veteran legs out there you can rent for a season. Gostkowski is the best young kicker in the game. Almost makes me a little less bitter about letting Vinatieri go to Indy.
Scanning the depth chart two things stand out. First, the players at the offensive skill positions are not a young group. Brady, Faulk, Moss, Taylor, Patten. The team is in need of one or two young skills guys who can be the playmakers for years to come. Dez Bryant or Golden Tate maybe? The second thing? No pass rush. Those two issues will have to be priorities on April 22.
QUARTERBACK
Tom Brady: The future hall of famer is now a full season removed from his knee being blown out at the start of '08. He looked very ordinary in the team's playoff disaster against the Ravens, but he's still Brady. I'll take #12 at the QB position for as long as he can stand. I don't care how many mansions he builds. Backups: Fill in name of rookie/journeyman here.
RUNNING BACK
Laurence Maroney/Fred Taylor/Sammy Morris/Kevin Faulk: Missing among those four names is the stud back that can control and flat-out win games for you. That said this is still a very solid group. The Pats, despite lacking that lead back, have been a very good running team the past few years. If the team added a solid fullback and put Maroney or Taylor behind him and pounded the ball... well I'd sure be happy. But that's unlikely. If Taylor and/or Morris can stay healthy the Pats ground game will be fine. Backups: BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Chris Taylor.
WIDE RECEIVER
Randy Moss/Wes Welker/Julian Edelman: Welker's injury is the big question mark here. As is who will play the other wideout spot opposite Moss. Edelman seems more than capable of holding down the slot position till Welker returns. The verdict is out on whether we will see the '07 Moss who was unstoppable or the one of the last two seasons when he was merely unreliable. My fantasy team's name is Moss Racing. I'm not changing it. The team needs to add some depth here and hope for a return to form by Moss. I expect both to happen. Backups: David Patten, Sam Aiken, Matthew Slater, Brandon Tate, Darnell Jenkins.
TIGHT END
Alge Crumpler: The team has a veteran tight end who hopefully won't have bad drops or fumbles. That's good enough at this position. Backups: Like I said, one tight end is plenty. (See: http://tjtailgatetales.blogspot.com/2010/06/tighten-up.html)
OFFENSIVE LINE
Matt Light (LT), Logan Mankins (LG), Dan Koppen (C), Stephen Neal (RG), Nick Kaczur (RT): This starting five is so strong that LT Sebastian Vollmer -- maybe Belichick's best draft pick of the past several years -- is a backup. They protect the quarterback very well. When your quarterback is Tom Brady that is job one. If given the chance to pin their ears back I think they would be a solid run blocking line too. Backups: Vollmer, Dan Connolly, Mark LeVoir, Rich Ohrnberger, Ryan Wendell.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Ty Warren (LE), Vince Wilfork (NT), ???????? (RE): It still seems weird to not write Richard Seymour on that list. Maybe it won't feel as weird after the Pats come away with a top 10 pick from the Raiders next year. Wilfork and Ty Warren make this still one of the best D lines against the run. Wilfork alone does that. With the loss of Jarvis Green the Pats will be looking for someone to play right end. Hopefully someone with a motor who can get after the quarterback. Who fills that spot should be a focus of the draft and will be a key to the team's success on '10. There's also some solid talent in the reserves with Mike Wright and Ron Brace. Backups: Wright, Brace, Myron Pryor.
LINEBACKERS
Jerod Mayo, Tully Banta-Cain, Gary Guyton, Derrick Burgess: Oh how the names have changed. No more Bruschi, McGinnest, Vrabel, Johnson. That was a foursome that won three Super Bowl titles. One of the best ever. You can't replace guys like that quickly. It's a process that the Pats are probably at the midpoint of entering this season. Mayo's injury was a large reason for the Pats 10-6 record last year. A return to the way he was playing down the stretch of his rookie season should be expected. Banta-Cain, Guyton, and Burgess (if and when he re-signs) are all solid players but the linebacking corp needs another young potential star like Mayo. A drafting priority. Backups: Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, Shawn Crable, Rob Ninkovich, Tyrone McKenzie.
CORNERBACK
Leigh Bodden, Darius Butler: The veteran Bodden brought back some consistency to the cornerback spot. Butler showed flashes as a rookie, but just flashes. This is another position where a young impact player who exceeds expectations and plays for a low salary for five years is sorely needed. No more Shawn Springs-type players need apply. Backups: The young duo of Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Whilhite may step to the fore this season. The potential is there.
SAFETY
Brandon Meriweather, Brandon McGowan: Meriweather made it to the Pro Bowl in just his third season with the team. When he is good he's very good. He's just not that good often enough yet. McGowan played better than the journeyman he had looked like his first three years in Chicago. I'd prefer to see backup James Sanders as the starter. Backups: Sanders, Pat Chung.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Stephen Gostkowski: The team has no punter at the moment but there are always veteran legs out there you can rent for a season. Gostkowski is the best young kicker in the game. Almost makes me a little less bitter about letting Vinatieri go to Indy.
Scanning the depth chart two things stand out. First, the players at the offensive skill positions are not a young group. Brady, Faulk, Moss, Taylor, Patten. The team is in need of one or two young skills guys who can be the playmakers for years to come. Dez Bryant or Golden Tate maybe? The second thing? No pass rush. Those two issues will have to be priorities on April 22.
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