2010 NFL Season

[BlueSky]

Moss is a difference maker...when he wants to play. He no longer wanted to play for the Patriots so now he'll be a difference maker again in Minnesota, at least until his skills erode or he decides that's not where he wants to be any more, whichever comes first. So in essence the trade is a win-win because the Patriots need to move on without him as a distraction and the Vikes have a motivated Randy to go with Harvin, Rice, and AD (and yes, AD means Adrian Peterson).

[Lights Out]

Were you even aware of the school's existence back then (or before 2006 for that matter)?

I didn't follow them in the 1-AA years (because I only watch 1-A), but I've been hooked since Boise beat Louisville in their first bowl game.

[Audiodrama]

Patriots and Seahawks reportedly discussing a deal that would bring Deion Branch back to Foxboro...I think this one would be done simply to appease Brady. Not sure how productive Branch can still be.

[Brendan]

Patriots and Seahawks reportedly discussing a deal that would bring Deion Branch back to Foxboro...I think this one would be done simply to appease Brady. Not sure how productive Branch can still be.

He's been average at best since he became a Hawk. Waste of a 1st round pick the Pats can have him back.

[AnythingChicago]

Todd Collins to start Sunday for Bears...I seriously doubt a team lead by Collins can beat a team that just almost beat the defending world champion Saints...I say Bears 9, Panthers 24.

[MDC]

Todd Collins to start Sunday for Bears...I seriously doubt a team lead by Collins can beat a team that just almost beat the defending world champion Saints...I say Bears 9, Panthers 24.

Probably true, but a team lead by Caleb Hanie would have a better chance. At least he can throw the ball more than 15 yards

[Lights Out]

Patriots and Seahawks reportedly discussing a deal that would bring Deion Branch back to Foxboro...

If the Patriots organization thinks this deal is going to adequately replace Moss and fix the offense, they're delusional. Defenses simply are not going to double-cover Branch the way they did Moss so that Welker can get more catches, because Branch is old and crusty and not a future Hall-of-Famer. Moss' constant double-coverage made the Patriots' passing offense run well, plain and simple.

[WSU151]

Patriots and Seahawks reportedly discussing a deal that would bring Deion Branch back to Foxboro...

If the Patriots organization thinks this deal is going to adequately replace Moss and fix the offense, they're delusional. Defenses simply are not going to double-cover Branch the way they did Moss so that Welker can get more catches, because Branch is old and crusty and not a future Hall-of-Famer. Moss' constant double-coverage made the Patriots' passing offense run well, plain and simple.

I agree - but I think they're looking at Branch as a move for position depth more than a replacement of Moss. Not too many guys in the league can suitably replace a content Randy Moss. With 12 more games remaining (plus playoffs hopefully/maybe), it's just 12 more games for a WR to tear up any part of their legs.

[Lights Out]

Problem is, they need to be making far better moves than just "position depth" or else this team will be in the dregs for several years. The defense sucks, the offense now just got a lot worse, they can't draft well anymore, and they refuse to pay up for good players. Forget the "Patriot Way," they're inching ever closer to the "Raider Way."

[rams80]

Todd Collins to start Sunday for Bears...I seriously doubt a team lead by Collins can beat a team that just almost beat the defending world champion Saints...I say Bears 9, Panthers 24.

I guess there was no coaxing Jamie Martin out of retirement.

[The_Admiral]

So I guess they're not going with Juice Williams after all, then.

[gingerbreadmann]

Problem is, they need to be making far better moves than just "position depth" or else this team will be in the dregs for several years. The defense sucks, the offense now just got a lot worse, they can't draft well anymore, and they refuse to pay up for good players. Forget the "Patriot Way," they're inching ever closer to the "Raider Way."

Ehh... I wouldn't go that far. First of all, there is no substantial evidence behind the Branch rumor; it's just speculation. If we did trade for him, it would probably be because Brady loves him more than life itself, but not even he would expect Branch to be Randy Moss. I would argue that even without Moss, the Pats have found success with much worse receiving corps, they aren't actually running the ball half badly, the defense is young and marginally improving week to week, and the last two drafts have been unquestionable successes (Hernandez, Gronk, Chung, McCourty, Tate, Edelman, Spikes, Cunningham, Butler, Vollmer, etc.) and monumentally better than the 06-08 drafts save basically for just Meriweather and Mayo.

The offense will clearly have to undergo a massive overhaul but while it can not be nearly as explosive or prolific, I think can still be almost as effective, and the defense is very talented -- it's a question of whether the defense can catch up to the offense before the offense declines too far. I am still not happy about trading Randy Moss, but I don't think the Pats should be left for dead. Recent times have been pretty encouraging and they can find success in different ways.

[Lights Out]

and the last two drafts have been unquestionable successes (Hernandez, Gronk, Chung, McCourty, Tate, Edelman, Spikes, Cunningham, Butler, Vollmer, etc.) and monumentally better than the 06-08 drafts save basically for just Meriweather and Mayo.

Actually, I'd call the last two drafts very questionable successes. McCourty was a big reach - especially when Kyle Wilson was still available, they passed on Dez Bryant (if they had drafted him, then trading Moss would have made more sense), Tate has a long history of ACL, MCL, and knee injuries, Butler is inconsistent (see: Jets game this year), etc. Granted, we can't truly judge a draft until four years have passed, but right now, I'm not going to hype up the Pats' picks when they could have easily done better.

[ninersdd]

Todd Collins to start Sunday for Bears...I seriously doubt a team lead by Collins can beat a team that just almost beat the defending world champion Saints...I say Bears 9, Panthers 24.

It could be more like 6-3, Steve Smith probably won't play.

[gingerbreadmann]

and the last two drafts have been unquestionable successes (Hernandez, Gronk, Chung, McCourty, Tate, Edelman, Spikes, Cunningham, Butler, Vollmer, etc.) and monumentally better than the 06-08 drafts save basically for just Meriweather and Mayo.

Actually, I'd call the last two drafts very questionable successes. McCourty was a big reach - especially when Kyle Wilson was still available, they passed on Dez Bryant (if they had drafted him, then trading Moss would have made more sense), Tate has a long history of ACL, MCL, and knee injuries, Butler is inconsistent (see: Jets game this year), etc. Granted, we can't truly judge a draft until four years have passed, but right now, I'm not going to hype up the Pats' picks when they could have easily done better.

Isn't that kind of contradictory?

I mean, yeah. We don't know yet. But all the guys I mentioned have actually made measurable contributions to the team so far. McCourty received almost nothing but praise in preseason and while he hasn't been a world-beater, has played respectably well in actual games except for PI problems. Butler had a good season last year, and you are correct about this year. However, what have Bryant and Wilson shown so far that makes either of them "easily better" than McCourty? You were right, it is well too early to judge, but just like Bryant and Wilson, McCourty at least hasn't shown signs of being a bust, and that's about all we can tell right now.

(I won't lie that I wanted Bryant when NE was on the clock, but even though it would have probably made trading Moss more reasonable, the defense did and still does need that first-round player much more than the offense).

[AnythingChicago]

Todd Collins to start Sunday for Bears...I seriously doubt a team lead by Collins can beat a team that just almost beat the defending world champion Saints...I say Bears 9, Panthers 24.

Probably true, but a team lead by Caleb Hanie would have a better chance. At least he can throw the ball more than 15 yards

Yeah, definitely. Hanie had the biggest play of the night last Sunday, a 30 yard pass to Knox when the game no longer mattered. I kind of wish we wouldn't have let LeFevour go to Cincinnati now...

[WSU151]

and the last two drafts have been unquestionable successes (Hernandez, Gronk, Chung, McCourty, Tate, Edelman, Spikes, Cunningham, Butler, Vollmer, etc.) and monumentally better than the 06-08 drafts save basically for just Meriweather and Mayo.

Actually, I'd call the last two drafts very questionable successes. McCourty was a big reach - especially when Kyle Wilson was still available, they passed on Dez Bryant (if they had drafted him, then trading Moss would have made more sense), Tate has a long history of ACL, MCL, and knee injuries, Butler is inconsistent (see: Jets game this year), etc. Granted, we can't truly judge a draft until four years have passed, but right now, I'm not going to hype up the Pats' picks when they could have easily done better.

Mel Kiper, is that you?? What has Dez Bryant shown that he's an awesome NFL receiver? Seriously...he's an average rookie. Kyle Wilson is not any better than McCourty through four games, hell he's borderline nickelback/dime package... McCourty wasn't a reach at all if you look at production so far. gingerbreadman hit it on the head - Bryant and Wilson aren't "easily better" picks than McCourty. You're drinking crazy koolaid if you think otherwise.

And what players have the Pats refused to pay that you would have paid for? Moss(Patriots offered a two year, $20mm contract, Moss wanted three years, though he'll be ancient by WR standards in that third year)? Seymour? Mankins(though the Pats offered him $5-7mm, aka Nick Mangold money?) Samuels? Branch? Givens? Vinatieri? I have a hard time finding a player the Patriots didn't pay that was just a world beater after he left New England. They offered Brady a 4 year, 72 million contract, and they spend to the cap every year. The "theory" that the Pats are "cheap" is stupid. They're frugal.

[MDC]

Todd Collins to start Sunday for Bears...I seriously doubt a team lead by Collins can beat a team that just almost beat the defending world champion Saints...I say Bears 9, Panthers 24.

Probably true, but a team lead by Caleb Hanie would have a better chance. At least he can throw the ball more than 15 yards

Yeah, definitely. Hanie had the biggest play of the night last Sunday, a 30 yard pass to Knox when the game no longer mattered. I kind of wish we wouldn't have let LeFevour go to Cincinnati now...

LeFevour was downright awful in the preseason. Hanie has outplayed most peoples expectations in every scenario. Both preseason, and garbage time. I say you give him a chance.

[PurpleRush]

So sure, you have some points, but my guess is that any SB champion would testify that better-than-average breaks are part of the magic that brings home the Lombardi. Just ask the tuckin' Patriots.

Break?

Sigh.

The correct application of the rule was used, based on the way the rule is written.

The same tuck call was made in the preceding regular season for the Jets versus the Falcons

(also after a replay challenge).

And Vinatieri's FG wasn't a break - it is the greatest FG in NFL history.

Not a fan of the Moss trade.

The Pats dynasty ended when the clock read 0:00 at SB 42.

The defense needs to improve greatly.

Right now at best I see a wild card and another 1st round departure.

At worst I see 10-6 and missing a playoff spot by tie-breaker.

[gingerbreadmann]

So sure, you have some points, but my guess is that any SB champion would testify that better-than-average breaks are part of the magic that brings home the Lombardi. Just ask the tuckin' Patriots.

Break?

Sigh.

The correct application of the rule was used, based on the way the rule is written.

The same tuck call was made in the preceding regular season for the Jets versus the Falcons

(also after a replay challenge).

And Vinatieri's FG wasn't a break - it is the greatest FG in NFL history.

I mean, it was kind of cheap that there just happened to be an obscure rule that essentially no one but the refs knew about that fit the situation perfectly, and turned it back in favor of the Patriots even though it should have undoubtedly been Raider ball if that rule didn't exist. Yes, it was completely fair given how the NFL rules were written and was technically the correct call, but let's not pretend that it wasn't total horse . I think any of us, if we were Raider fans, would still be bitter and any of us if we were Patriot fans would maintain that it was the right call. We would be right either way. It was the correct call, but a moronic rule, and I think it can be safely called a break given what everyone was thinking right after the original play happened. That's not a slight, it's just the truth.

I agree with you about the FG though -- at least the most impressive I've ever seen. Then again, he might only make that 2 or 3 times out of 10, so it was also sort of lucky.

Edit: I just looked back to the "America's Game" of that year, and first, Martin Sheen called the ruling a "break", and second, Vinatieri actually said he might make it "ten times out of 100." So you now you know it's true.