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Great Bruschi Postgame

FOXBORO - These are excerpts from Tedy Bruschi's postgame press conference which was -- as one would expect -- very thoughtful, inspiring and honest.

(ON HIS PLAY)
"Being the first game back, that it felt like the first game back, and I still think I can get better. And conditioning wise, sure, sure, I mean it's my first game of the year, what do you expect? And just playing a little bit better, I think, I can almost get better doing that.

(ON HIS CONNECTION WITH HIS WIFE HEIDI DURING THE GAME)
"Just the connection of, 'Baby, we've come a long way and we've come a long way together.' And we've had conversations constantly about how we're going to do this or what is the next step. And you know, she has been by my side ever since we got married. You know, she is a wonderful wife and she is strong willed. And I think her being an ex‑athlete, she is an ex‑athlete also, she played volleyball and softball at Arizona also, she is really mentally strong and she can help me out at times of weakness, because I have had them and she has been there for me so I can lean on her. And just to see her in the stands, I know where she sits, and she is hard to miss with that blonde hair, but it is easy to find her. And I can see her smiling from way down where I am because I believe we were feeling the same emotions tonight and I believe we will continue to feel the same emotions for the rest of our lives."

(ON HIS IMPACT EMOTIONALLY)
"There was a time in my recuperation and healing where I just had to tell myself it is just time to get up and live your life the way you want to live. What are you going to do? And I wanted to pick myself up off the ground. And I am a football player by trade, it is what I do, so I did everything I could to make myself a football player again.

(ON WHAT OTHERS MAY DRAW FROM HIS RETURN)
"We have all gone through things in our lives. You know, it is all different. I had a stroke. I am sure people have lost loved ones or something happened, some other type of injury or something like that, and there comes a point where you just can't feel sorry for yourself anymore. You know, the minute I had my stroke and my doctor told me, I just wanted to know where we go from here, where we go from here and how do I get back. And I don't know how it has affected other people out there or anyone else, but mental toughness is something I pride myself on. And if you have support from friends and family and teammates, it is possible to overcome any obstacle. It is something that...I love my family and I love my sons, and it is something to where I don't like the saying 'Don't do as I do, do as I say.' I've heard that before. I want to tell my kids when they are older that when they are faced with an opportunity to take a chance in life or overcome obstacles or picking themselves up off the ground, my three sons, and it is either you get busy living or you just get busy dying. You know, and I like to say that I could give them experience from what I lived myself. I just want to tell them, you know, go for it, go for it, you know, you can do anything you want in life. I want to be able to have experiences myself where I am able to teach them those lessons because I have lived them myself."

Posted by   at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Postgame Nuggets from the Bills

FOXBORO - With the late ending to Sunday night's game, we were hard-pressed to get much postgame reaction into this morning's paper.

Here are some quotes gathered from the postgame.

BILLS COACH MIKE MULARKEY

"I'm very disappointed (in the loss). You’ve got to learn how to finish games off. We played well enough for that long, but against teams of this caliber that have been in big games, you can’t give them a breath and we did, and they took advantage of it. It’s not surprising.

(Did you feel like you weren’t finishing them off all game long?)
"No, I felt like we were doing a pretty good job. We came in at half time and we knew it was going to be a fight back and forth. It played out exactly like I thought it was. I never had that feeling once, not until the end of the game when I thought we had a let down."

(On Colvin’s sack and fumble recovery)
"We had a breakdown and they took advantage of it. I’m not going to point fingers at anybody. If you want to point fingers, point them at me."

(Are you disappointed with the breakdowns at key situations?)
"I’m actually proud of these guys. I’m frustrated for them, not at them. I think we took a step forward tonight. We overcame a lot of adversity coming into this game where everyone and their brother counted us out and until the last five minutes, I was pretty proud of how we reacted to all that adversity."

BILLS QUARTERBACK KELLY HOLCOMB

(On fourth down and 7 at end of game)
"I was trying to get the ball to Roscoe (Parrish). I thought I was going to have him pre-snap, but then the corner sloughed off and the safety came over and they were doubling him. If I threw the ball, it was going to be intercepted. My thinking was to get Eric (Moulds) the ball and let him try and make a play."

(Do you chalk up the way the game finished to the fact they are two-time defending world champs?)
"We helped them with the fumble. The fumble was the game. If we could have just taken a little bit of time off the clock; the way we were going up and down the field, I think we could have got some more time off the clock. When you fumble the ball and leave them that short of field, they are the world champions and they are going to make plays. That was a big play."

(On offensive holding on 3rd and 5 in fourth quarter)
"Yeah, I don’t understand that. At the crucial part of the game, it was a critical first down. Eric made a good play getting open and we’ll have to look at it on film. Obviously it was blatant, but that’s a tough situation to call that. I think you’ve got to let them play."

ERIC MOULDS, BILLS WIDE RECEIVER

(On pass interference call)
I don’t think I did, but the official saw something I didn’t see. Even the New England guy was saying we got away with one that time. It was a crucial time in the game and at that point, I thought we would have been able to just play.

(On fourth and eight play at end of game)
The play was designed to make them suck up on me, but they didn’t. I felt that I could have broke a tackle and made a play. They did a great job of running to the ball. It was a play we would have liked to have back. It’s a situation where we can say what we should have done, but we didn’t.

Posted by   at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Halberstam on his Belichick Book

FOXBORO - John Molori, a sports media writer who contributes to the Journal, has a terrific interview with author David Halberstam. Halberstam's soon-to-be-released book, "The Making of a Coach" investigates how Bill Belichick came into being.

Here's some excerpts from the must-read interview:

John Molori: What drew you to Bill Belichick as a book topic?
David Halberstam: I had watched Bill for more than 20 years. Those New York Giant defenses made a habit of taking away what other teams loved to do. Bill didn’t look very coach-like. There was something different. He is very hard on himself and is the hardest working man I’ve ever seen with great discipline, strength and vision. Most coaches delegate. He doesn’t. I just found him very smart and interesting.

JM: Why did such a private man like Belichick agree to participate in the book?
DH: A mutual friend brought us together about 18 months ago. Bill tells his players not to have ego, so he had reservations about the book. I asked if he would agree to do it as an “as told to” book with the emphasis on his education from his father and other coaches he has known. In June of 2004, he agreed to do the book. Still, he was not looking forward to the concept of promoting the book during the season, so we pulled way back. We basically wrote the book between May and July of this year.

JM: You mentioned ego. Tell me about that in the context of Belichick.
DH: If Bill could get Randy Moss or Terrell Owens for $1.5 million a year, he would not do it. If one player takes up too much oxygen, it is not good. He looks for players who accept the concept of team. Bill, himself, has a tremendous ego, but it manifests itself in the concept of team. He learned from his father and other mentors that the team depends on him to lead them. He takes this responsibility very seriously.

JM: How does a person work harmoniously with such a driven and demanding man?
DH: (Pats VP of Personnel) Scott Pioli is an extension of Belichick, the same with Tom Brady. They didn’t know what they were getting with Brady. The reports were good, but Drew Henson was the star of Brady’s Michigan teams. After being drafted in the sixth round, he was behind Bledsoe, Damon Huard and Michael Bishop on the depth chart. Brady spent his off hours sneaking into a tiny office studying film and comparing it with the playbook. This is what Belichick had been doing since he was 9 years old. At that age, he was already a master at breaking down game film.

JM: It is clear that Belichick’s father Steve, the great assistant coach and scout at Navy, shaped Bill as a coach, but was there tenderness in the relationship?
DH: Steve was a very demanding father. Within the family, Steve was the hanging judge and Bill’s mom Jeanette was the defense attorney. Steve’s love was forged by a tough childhood. Home was a haven. For Bill, there were greater parental demands and less slack cut. He grew up more privileged than Steve did. Theirs was a tender relationship. The way the home was run is the way Bill learned to lead.

JM: Tell me about Belichick’s longtime friend and colleague Ernie Adams.
DH: The two met as students at Andover Academy. Adams was also a football junkie who had read Steve Belichick's book on scouting. Adams became Belichick’s Belichick, sharing Bill’s love of devouring film. He was quite content not to be a star and uncommonly smart, a great football nerd. In truth, Bill was not too concerned about losing Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis. He told me that everything would be fine as long as he didn’t lose Adams. No one really knows what Adams does with the Patriots. Once, the players jokingly showed a shot of him on film with a caption asking what Adams actually does. He remembers every NFL play back fifty years and Bill can bounce things off him with complete trust.

JM: What did you learn about the mind of coach Belichick?
DH: In essence, Bill steps forward when things go badly, not when they go well. Have you ever seen him blame a player or assistant for any loss? He always shoulders the weight. Bill is always looking for the edge. The first coach he worked for in the NFL was Ted Marchibroda with the 1975 Colts. He remembered that Marchibroda, although a great offensive strategist and the man who invented the no huddle offense, did not like the pressure of making the play call. He would give Colts QB Bert Jones four choices and let him pick the play. When Bill was defensive coordinator for the Giants in Super Bowl XXV, Marchibroda was the Bills offensive coordinator. Bill remembered this fact and used it against the Bills. There is so much in football that you can’t control, tipped balls, ref’s calls, injuries. Bill is so good at doing all the things you can control.

JM: What was the worst moment of the Parcells/Belichick relationship?
DH: When they both moved to the Jets, that’s when it tore apart. Parcells had a wicked tongue and he used it against Belichick and his star players. When Bill worked under Parcells with the Giants, he did not like the way Parcells had different rules for the indiscretions of Lawrence Taylor. In the book, I write about a terrible moment when they were with the Jets. Belichick called a blitz and Parcells opposed the call. They went with the blitz and it worked. Parcells was furious and over the open microphones in the middle of the game, he shouted at Belichick, “Yeah, you’re a genius, everyone knows it, a goddam genius, but that’s why you failed as a head coach - That’s why you’ll never be a head coach…some genius.” Everyone who heard it was shocked at the cruelty of Parcells’ comments.

JM: Did you get a sense from Belichick regarding his views on this year’s tough early schedule?
DH: All I’ll say is that it is clear that the NFL does not want a perennial champion. With all due respect to Mr. Tagliabue, the system is completely dishonest. The worst 10 or 12 teams make the worst management decisions are made to look better at the expense of good teams. Paul Tagliabue wants to make the weak look strong. Bill knows this. He also knows that this Patriots team is in transition and that they are vulnerable to injury, but his learned ability to shuttle other players in is his strength.

JM: What does Bill’s future hold and have you become friends since collaborating on this book?
DH: I think, eventually, he might move to solely a general manager’s role with a team, but he’s a football man and money does not drive him. He is not restless. He’s a coach. We are friends in a cautious way. In the unlikely event that he had a day off, he’d feel he could talk to me about non-football stuff. We both have houses on Nantucket and when I first met him, he told me that he had read my work. I invited him striper fishing in late September, but he is up to his ass in alligators right now. There is no con or manipulation with Bill. What you see is what you get. I came away from the book very much valuing him. I would be very glad to have him coach my son or daughter. That is the acid test.

Posted by   at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Seymour Leads Inactives

FOXBORO - Defensive lineman Richard Seymour was down again last night. The knee injury he suffered while playing fullback against the Chargers has now caused the Pro Bowler to miss three straight games and it seems worth asking now if the risk incurred using Seymour on a goal-line play in the season's fourth game was worth it.

Also inactive were wide receiver Troy Brown, safety James Sanders, linebacker Chad Brown, corner Randall Gay, running back Kevin Faulk and offensive tackle Matt Light.

Posted by   at 8:12 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Brown Out

FOXBORO - Chad Brown will watch tonight. The veteran linebacker who's played inside with Monty Beisel since the start of the season is inactive for tonight's game. Brown didn't appear on the injury report this week so the return of Tedy Bruschi clearly had a direct impact on the 13-year veteran. Brown chose to join the Patriots on May 10 choosing New England over Denver, Pittsburgh and New Orleans.

Brown's forte has always been as an edge linebacker and a pass rusher. The retirement of Ted Johnson forced Brown to be bumped inside and he has not taken well to the position. At 245 pounds with a game predicated on speed and quickness, the 35-year-old has been miscast and -- as a result -- run over with depressing frequency.

How now Brown? We'll see. Perhaps he wasn't quite ready to slip to the outside and backup Rosevelt Colvin, Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel. But the fact that Brown wasn't kept in the lineup in the interest of depth -- especially with Bruschi coming back from a long layoff -- is somewhat eye-opening.

Posted by   at 7:59 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi leads the way

FOXBORO - At 7:56, Tedy Bruschi was at the head of the mob as the Patriots came out for stretching. The returning inside linebacker bolted up the sideline from the lighthouse end of the field, took a hard left at the 40 and sprinted to his spot.

As Bruschi stretched forward, touching his feet, an ESPN cameraman had a camera well within his personal space. Patriots security asked the cameraman to move back.

Posted by   at 7:41 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Wednesday Kwik Blog

FOXBORO - The Patriots were inside the Dana Farber Field Center for practice this afternoon.

Running back Corey Dillon -- chipper in the locker room -- was not out at practice during the first 20 minutes of media access. Richard Seymour, Tyrone Poole and Matt Chatham were all at practice.

Bethel Johnson and Randall Gay weren't out there at the start of practice either.

Tedy Bruschi appears to be headed toward playing Sunday. He was dressed out fully yesterday during practice and was working with the kickoff return team as one of the deep blockers.

We'll get you the injury report at 4 p.m.

T

Posted by   at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

A Quiet Monday

Happy Monday...

The Patriots are back in town today, practicing after having the weekend off. ... No access for the media though so we are left to our own devices out here which means I'm going to....clean the garage.

Next up for New England are the Bills who had a tough day yesterday out in Oakland, losing 38-17 to the previously 1-4 Raiders.

Sal Maiorana in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle smoked the Bills' defense in this morning's paper saying:

Overrated is no longer a term that should be used to describe the Bills defense because it lost its rating long ago.

Sunday, against a team that came in ranked 31st in rushing, the Bills yielded 162 yards including 122 to (Lamont) Jordan, just the second 100-yard rushing game of his career.

Against a team that ranked 21st in first downs, the Bills gave up a season-high 26 as well as season-highs in points (38) and total yards (416).

Against a team that was dead last in the NFL in third-down conversions, the Bills allowed Oakland to convert 7 of 11.

Twelve of the first downs Oakland earned came on plays where it had to gain at least 10 yards.

"Some of the big runs, the big passes, in crucial situations, it's unacceptable," said Vincent. "Third-and-14, that's a no-brainer. You have to get off the football field. Third-and-12, third-and-17. Those are pin your ears back, get after the quarterback and get off the field and bring the punt unit on."

Maiorana's counterpart, Mark Gauaghan of the Buffalo News, tore into the Buffalo offense. Check out the comments by Bills quarterback Kelly Holcomb who hangs his offensive line out to dry pretty badly in this excerpt.

"They had every guy in the secondary hurt, but I just couldn't get enough time to exploit that," Holcomb said (in Gaughan's article).

Continuing, Gauaghan wrote:

Holcomb never even attempted a deep pass. However, Mularkey said some long balls were called in the huddle.

"It was absolutely called, a number of them," he said.

"We had some calls, but what do you do when you're having protection problems and you can't hold up when you go to seven-step drops?" Holcomb said. "I'm trying to get it out of my hand as quick as I can just to make some positive yards."

"It's a combination of things," offensive coordinator Tom Clements said. "Sometimes we get the wrong coverage, sometimes we don't have the time to throw it."

Raiders safety Stuart Schweigert said Oakland wasn't too worried about the deep ball.

"He doesn't have the strongest arm," Schweigert said of Holcomb, "so we knew they weren't going to throw the ball downfield."

*********

From 1993 to 2001, it was easy to spot a Patriots fan on many Monday mornings. They were the ones with matching bald spots on both sides of their head, hard-earned from having watched Drew Bledsoe do something unconscionable at crunch time.

Yesterday, Bledsoe (who's having about his fifth "career renaissance" since coming into the league) made one of those throws Sunday that introduced the great state of Texas to the wonder of No. 11.

By now you've seen the pick in Seattle and the resulting game-winning field goal that sent Dallas to a loss it shouldn't have. But maybe you haven't seen the quote in Sports Illustrated last week from Buffalo president Tom Donahoe who said of Bledsoe's gaudy early-season in Dallas, "We'll see what happens when teams get him the second time around."

Posted by   at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Q and A with Tedy Bruschi

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LINEBACKER TEDY BRUSCHI
Pool Report with Glen Farley of the Brockton Enterprise

After Practice on Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Q: Tedy, what is your immediate reaction to coming off the field following your first practice in over eight months?
TB: I had a good amount of nerves. If you haven't done something in a long time, you always have some nerves the first time back. I had some good reads and had some bad reads. All of that comes with [this] being the first day [back]. I think I made some progress out there today. We did some conditioning after practice. I feel good with my conditioning level. It's where it needs to be, I think. Game shape is another thing, but we'll cross that road when we come to it. I thought it was a good day.

Q: Was there much contact out there? If so, was there any temptation to hold back on your part or on your teammates' part?
TB: We didn't have contact today, but I sense none of that. None from me and none from my teammates. They responded to me in the huddle and in getting our communication down once again. Hopefully I can bring my communication [skills] to the defensive plays and help them out a little bit with that. I sense no tentativeness whatsoever.

Q: What was the most encouraging thing out there? On the other hand, was there anything discouraging?
TB: Nothing discouraging. I think the encouraging thing was that I'm still seeing things right. I'm still getting my reads and on pretty much every snap I was in there and had the right read that I should have had for that offensive play. There were maybe some false steps here and there, but I think that comes with the first day.

Q: Did it feel like the first day of training camp for you?
TB: No. I think that training camp is such a good atmosphere with the fans and the heat and a lot of other things that come with it. It didn't feel like that. Those guys are already in midseason form, and I'm just trying to join them.

Q: Obviously, it's not training camp and we're kind of on a compressed schedule here, with six games having been played. Do you see yourself in any way being ready to play on Sunday [Oct. 30] against the Bills?
TB: I'm going to try. I'm going to try. Today was the first step in my attempt. I felt good out there, like I was saying, but I'm not going to make any guarantees or promises [other than] that I'm going to give it my best shot.

Q: Do you have any pain or discomfort at all?
TB: No.

Q: This is uncharted territory, obviously. What continues to make you believe that you can be the guy that comes back from such a devastating thing as what you went through?
TB: First of all, I just have confidence in my doctors and what they've told me. Everyone has been positive about what I can do and has been clear about it. It's up to me whether I want to play football or not. They say I can, so I think that having them say that to me gives me confidence that I can do it.

Q: This is a big step forward. Is there a sense of relief now that this is behind you and the first practice is over?
TB: It's a relief that I got the first day under my belt. It is. I won't lie to you. I'll be honest with you. I've still got a long way to go. I've got a long way to go in which I've still got other steps to take in terms of games and physical contact, but I think I'll be ready for that.

Q: You mentioned taking other steps. What is the next step?
TB: I'd say the next step is tomorrow's practice. Whatever we do, it's still another day to me. I'm living life one day at a time right now. I'm very fortunate that I'm still able to play the game that I love. I'm going to go home and sleep and then wake up tomorrow and do it again.

Posted by Art  at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pats done for day

The Patriots concluded a short practice (75 minutes) at the outdoor fields in Foxboro. Tedy Bruschi participated and was involved in some very light running and hitting drills. The players were dressed in shorts, shoulder pads and helmets.

He is expected to practice again Thursday. The team will then take the weekend off and may not return to practice until next Wednesday. It is possible that Bruschi will work out in Foxboro during the weekend break, but the Patriots will not disclose if that happens.

-- KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Art  at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Tedy Returns II

More Bruschi . . .

-- Although it was only soft pads and light running, Tedy Bruschi did line up with several starters in a short 7-on-7 drill. He was paired with Mike Vrabel at inside linebacker. He also participated in a kickoff-return drill.

-- Bill Belichick offered little on Bruschi at his press conference. Asked whether he's surprised Bruschi is back this early, the coach said, ''It's been a gradual thing. There hasn't been any one, sudden incident or event. I think gradually he's gotten stronger, feeling better, done more . . . Like I said, it's been a process that's gone for a significant amount of time. There wasn't any one day where something dramatically turned. It's been a gradual thing. Surprised probably wouldn't be the word I'd use.''

-- Bruschi will speak with a pool reporter after practice.

-- In other Patriots news, the team placed safety Guss Scott on the injured-reserve list because of a knee injury, meaning he'll be out for the rest of the season. Scott had replaced All-Pro Rodney Harrison, who was lost for the season with a knee injury in a Week Three win over Pittsburgh. The team also re-signed receiver Andre Davis and cornerback Hank Poteat. Both were at practice Wednesday.

-- KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Art  at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

No Waiver for Bruschi

Tedy Bruschi says he did not have to sign any waiver in order to get back on the practice field.

Bruschi returned to Patriots practice today and said he wasn't hindered by any legal roadblocks. Asked if he'd been asked to sign any type of waiver that kept the Patriots clear of liability if he was injured, he said, ''I have not.''

It is not clear what the team would do if and when the coaching staff clears him for action. The team has referred Bruschi to several different medical professionals, however, over the past few months. Once cleared my team medical officials, any injured player is usually free to return to practice and games with no restrictions. It is not known that Bruschi's case would be any different, even though his injury was a stroke.

''In terms of that, that's once I get to actual playing,'' Bruschi said on Monday. ''Right now they have to decide if I can play. Man, once they see me out at practice, let them decide if I can play or not.''

-- KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Art  at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Tedy Returns

Tedy Bruschi did return to Patriots practice Wednesday, as expected.

After meeting with reporters in the locker room, Bruschi and his teammates hit the outdoor practice fields for a noon practice. The fields are the same ones the team uses during training camp, a period that Bruschi missed while recovering from the effects of a stroke he suffered last February.

Coach Bill Belichick won't be able to get much of a read on Bruschi from today's workout. The Pats are dressed in shorts, shoulder pads and helmets and won't run hard or hit each other. A similarly light practice is scheduled for Thursday.

''We won't practice real heavily,'' Belichick said before the workout. ''Hopefully we'll take the time (in the team's bye week) to get over our bumps and bruises.''

After extensive stretching with his teammates, Bruschi was involved in a 7-on-7 drill at the start of practice. He did line up with several regulars, including Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork.

Belichick met with another very large media contingent whose focus was clearly trained on the recovering linebacker. He became flustered at times during the half-hour of questioning, but when asked if Bruschi could play when the Pats resume the season Oct. 30 against Buffalo, the coach said, ''Listen, it's day-to-day. I don't have a crystal ball. I won't do a minute-to-minute evaluation. That's not the way to go.''

-- KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Art  at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

PATRIOTS OK BRUSCHI RETURN

The following statements were released today regarding linebacker Tedy Bruschi.

Statement from the New England Patriots

"The New England Patriots have been advised that Tedy Bruschi has received unanimous medical clearance from outside specialists in the field of stroke neurology. He has also passed multiple physical examinations by team doctors and has been cleared to resume practicing as early as this week. The Patriots organization is satisfied that Tedy Bruschi has received the best medical attention possible and has been assured that he is medically cleared to resume his playing career. Tedy Bruschi has worked very hard throughout his rehabilitation to return to full health and has been assured by all who have examined him that he has. With the necessary unanimous medical clearances to return, Tedy Bruschi and his family will make the final decision as to whether he returns to the field and begins practicing once again with the team. The Kraft family and the entire Patriots organization want only what is best for Tedy Bruschi and his family and will continue to support his decision."

Statement from Dr. David Greer, a renowned specialist in Stroke Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital

"I have had the opportunity to care for Tedy Bruschi since the day of his stroke eight months ago and have closely monitored his rehabilitation and remarkably rapid rate of recovery. Physically, Tedy is completely back to normal, and is exceptionally healthy. I have no doubt that he will be able to perform physically at a very high level. Tedy's safety, on and off the field, has always been our number one priority. At this time, I have advised him that, in my opinion, there are no medical reasons for him to delay his return to football. Tedy has asked me not to discuss these matters with the media further, and I will obviously honor that request."

Posted by   at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pregame Blog

DENVER - Wow, just an unbelievable day weather-wise out here in Denver.

It's about 73 degrees, light breeze, no clouds. Invesco Field is filling up slowly. The pregame scene outside the downtown stadium was a little feeble when I got here about 2 and a half hours before the game.

Apparently, the self-inflicted bodily abuse we New Englanders inflict upon ourselves before kickoff is a regional thing.

One real key to this game is going to be the Patriots defensive line and linebackers standing up to Denver's rushing attack.

With Richard Seymour out, Monty Beisel playing with an injured finger in the middle of the Pats defense and rookie James Sanders making his first start, Denver's explosive ground game has a situation that shapes up nicely on the surface.

Posted by   at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Denver's Inactives

DENVER - Down for the Broncos today are:

Receiver David Terrell
Receiver Todd Devoe
Safety Marques Anderson
Corner Roc Alexander
Center Chris Myers
Defensive tackle Monsanto Pope
Tight end Nate Jackson
Defensive end Marco Coleman

This means corner Champ Bailey is a go.

Posted by   at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Game Day Inactives

FOXBORO - The Pats inactives for today are:

Safety Guss Scott
Running back Kevin Faulk
Corner Tyrone Poole
Tackle Matt Light
Wide receiver Troy Brown
Defensive end Marquise Hill
Defensive lineman Richard Seymour

This means that corner Randall Gay will be active for the first time since the Carolina game.

Also, rookie James Sanders figures to get the start at safety next to Eugene Wilson.

Posted by   at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi To Return

It's been confirmed that Tedy Bruschi will begin practicing with the Patriots next week. See an earlier blog entry from this evening for further details on the linebacker's decision.

Tom

Posted by   at 8:21 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Probables Turn to Questionables

FOXBORO -- As was expected, the fleet of players the Patriots listed as probable for Sunday's game in Denver shrunk today.

Fourteen of the 15 players originally listed as probable were downgraded to questionable. Only Tom Brady, who's been probable with a right shoulder injury all year, remained probable for the game in Denver.

Tully Banta-Cain, Troy Brown, Matt Chatham, Corey Dillon, Randall Gay, Jarvis Green, Marquise Hill, Larry Izzo, Willie McGinest, Tyrone Poole, James Sanders, Guss Scott and Richard Seymour all are now questionable. Monty Beisel, added to the list with a finger injury Thursday, remains questionable.

Kevin Faulk and Matt Light are out.

Last week, the Atlanta Falcons listed quarterback Michael Vick as probable all week then downgraded him to questionable after a Saturday walk-through. The late change irritated New England.

Posted by   at 7:28 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi Situation Remains Murky

FOXBORO - Two weeks ago, after the Boston Herald turned Tedy Bruschi's "no comment" on a possible return into an admission he was going to play, I e-mailed the Patriots linebacker.

The e-mail said, in short, I'd be available to talk when he was ready.

The next day in the Patriots locker room, I asked him if he'd gotten the e-mail.

"Yes," he nodded. "We'll talk."

Since then, speculation Bruschi will be activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list has fesetered as the day he's eleigible to be activated (October 17) nears.

Still, there's been no word from Bruschi other than "no comment." And he has yet to take me up on the offer to talk.

Today, WBZ-TV in Boston reported Bruschi has been on the practice field for the past 10 days. He's not practicing, but he's there working out apparently after the media access period ends.

At first glance, this seems a substantial report. Yet on closer examination, why is his presence on the practice field remarkable given that he goes to meetings and works out in the weight room with his teammates and has been doing so since the summer?

This is as substantial as Bruschi's "no comment" two weeks back.

Knowing and suspecting are two different things. Bruschi has been very clear about who's going to control the outflow of information on his story. He is.

In fact, the day after NECN reported Bruschi was a "90 percent" certainty to return to the field, Bruschi issued a statement saying he was not playing this year.

In other words, there's two ways to cover this story. Talk to people around Bruschi to determine whether he's coming back (I've done that and received nothing definitive) or wait on the source.

On Thursday I spoke to Bruschi in the locker room about running back Corey Dillon. Knowing him as I do, I felt reiterating my interest in learning his plans would have a negative impact so I thanked him for his time after about a five-minute conversation and let him be. Had he wanted then to tell me what he was doing, he would have. I e-mailed Bruschi again this evening, letting him know I was interested in talking to him if he was willing.

I haven't yet heard back and don't know if I will. But my suspicion is, if Tedy Bruschi is going to play this year, he'll decide when his plans will be known.

Posted by   at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pats Sign Freeman

FOXBORO -- The Patriots announced the signing of Arturo Freeman, the former Dolphins safety who goes 6-feet, 200 pounds. To clear room for him, the Pats put corner Chad Scott on IR ending his season.

Also, the team re-signed linebacker Wesly Mallard and put him on the roster while putting Eric Alexander on the practice squad after releasing him on Tuesday.

The team worked out Denver running back Quentin Griffin and corner Terrell Buckley earlier this week before opting to sign Freeman.

Posted by   at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Belichick's Wednesday Yukfest

FOXBORO - Bill Belichick devoted a large chunk of his Wednesday press conference to the weekend's upcoming opponent as he usually does. He also was in a much more chipper mood today than he has been.

(Should we institute a Beli-Meter that measures the coach's mood? Today was a solid 8.5 and trending up).

Some of the highlights:

On Denver Wide Receiver Rod Smith: "He kills us every time he plays us. I'm sure when he gets to the Hall of Fame he'll give us some credit for it."

In nine games and seven starts against New England, Smith has 44 catches for 662 yards and two scores. Against the rest of the AFC East in his 11-year career, Smith has 44 catches for 630 yards in 10 games with nine starts.

On Whether Denver's Running Backs Have Been Similar over the Years
"Yeah. They all gain a lot of yards."

What's Difficult About Playing At Denver:
"Well, the first thing is, it's the Broncos. It'd be hard to play Denver at the North Pole. I mean, they're good."

On Whether the Thin Air at Mile High Has An Impact
"(The air) will have the same thickness on our side of the field as it will on theirs."

(more coming)

Posted by   at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Back From the Brink. Again.

The Patriots have made a habit of kicking the lid off the coffin.

They've been doing it since September 2001 when they were 0-2 and a skinny sixth-round pick was taking over for Drew Bledsoe.

Sunday's win in Atlanta was the latest instance of New England pulling a Jason when everybody was wondering how they'd survive.

In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't think they'd win at Atlanta. I didn't think they were in serious long-term trouble but I sensed it would take some time for them to right their ship and winning in Atlanta -- regardless of whether Mike Vick played or not --seemed a pipe dream.

And I think I had the same feeling after the loss in Carolina when they were heading to Pittsburgh. Missed it. My bad.

Anyway, here's a quick look at some of the other back from the dead wins of the past few years.

10/14/01, 29-26 OT win over San Diego a week after a 30-10 loss in Miami.

11/4/01, 24-10 win in Atlanta after a 31-20 loss at Mile High when Brady got picked four times in the fourth quarter.

12/29/02 27-24 OT win over Miami on the last day of the regular season after consecutive losses to Tennessee and the Jets put the Pats at 8-7.

9/14/03, 31-10 win at Philadelphia after the 31-0 season-opening debacle at Buffalo.

11/7/04, 40-22 win at St. Louis after losing Ty Law for the season at Pittsburgh in a 34-20 loss the week before.

Posted by   at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Nuggets I

Received this from SI via e-mail roday. Corey Dillon's been in full sulk for two weeks because people intimated he's old.

Wonder how his mood would be if he read this. (For the record, it ain't Dillon that's holding back the running game).

Also for the record, this is one of those ideas that sound good in theory but when the rationale for almost every guy on the list has a qualifying statement, well, you can't put much stock into this "expert analysis."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/10/06/gallery.readytoretire/content.1.html

Posted by   at 6:27 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Belichick on Falcons

FOXBORO - Bill Belichick on Sunday's opponent the Atlanta Falcons from his morning's press conference.

"It's a very fast football team in more ways than one. They're a fast-starting team as they were against Minnesota last week. They got way ahead early and just kind of coasted through the game (winning 30-10). They're fast on defense, fast on offense and special teams."

On corner DeAngelo Hall.

"They like to match him up against the other team's best receiver and he's tough. He's got the total coverage package. That ability to get turnovers puts him in top level (of corners). He can't just cover them, but he'll take (the ball) away. He won't knock it down. It'll be a lot worse than that."

On watching Falcons film:

"Well, playing the NFC South this year we did some extra work on them and lot of the same players are there (as last season). There's not a lot of new faces."

Posted by   at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

McGinest on Hot Seat

Quick offday entry for you. ESPN sent me the transcript of Willie McGinest's upcoming appearance on SportsCenter's "Budweiser Hot Seat Segment.

Neil Everett of ESPN posed the questions.

NE: How huge is the loss of Rodney Harrison?
WM: Irreplaceable...he's one of a kind...can't replace him.

NE: What do you say to people who say the Patriots have not yet reached dynasty status?
WM: We don't talk about dynasty here...they're probably right, we haven't.

NE: What is Tom Brady's biggest strength?
WM: His poise.

NE: What is Tom Brady's biggest weakness?
WM: His feet...terrible feet.

NE: Will Peyton Manning ever win a game in New England?
WM: When i'm gone.

NE: If the Colts and Patriots switch quarterbacks before a game, who wins?
WM: The Patriots...because of the body of the team...we know how to get to Brady, we got to make him move his feet and get him all discombobulated.

NE: You can pick one receiver to hit crossing over the middle, who gets whacked?
WM: Probably Randy Moss because we know he'll never come across the middle.

Posted by   at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Friday With Beli

FOXBORO - After press conferences, Bill Belichick will take a few minutes to answer questions on the side with reporters who want to go a little more in-depth on things.

Friday, I wanted to get a quick one in but Michael Smith of ESPN and formerly of the Boston Globe got there first.

I waited off to the side, talking to Belichick's assistant Berj Najarian, a talented guy whose presence basically lets Belichick focus on football while Najarian handles the details of being an NFL coach. And there are a lot of them for Belichick.

I asked Berj about the David Halberstam's book on Belichick which should be out soon. Najarian read an advance copy and said it's amazing. Very, very in-depth the way guys like Halberstam and David Maraniss can get.

Anyway, as Smith asked questions about some scheme or another, Belichick grabbed Smith's pen and notebook and started X'ing and O'ing.

"Sell that on e-bay," I chimed in.

"Yeah, will you sign this when you're done, Bill," said Smith.

Belichick didn't even acknowledge the comments, just kept scribbling and arrowing.

"He loves this stuff, doesn't he," I said to Najarian.

"Yeah, this could be a while," said Najarian.

When he wrapped it up with Smith, I asked him something about reading pass defenses that he alluded to in his press conference.

My question was, if nine guys are possible pass defenders on a particular play, as Belichick said often happens in the zone-blitz age of defense, and seven are likely to drop, how can the quarterback read all seven defenders as he's making his drop.

Belichick said that, if the quarterback reads the defenders on one side, generally, he'll know what the other side's coverage is.

From there, Belichick said, the quarterback knows which side of the field to go to. From there, the ball goes to the receiver depending if the coverage read is "high to low" or "low to high."

I asked what that meant. He grabbed Smith's pen and notebook again.

He drew a slot wide receiver on the right (the Y) and a Z receiver (the strongside receiver on the far end of the coverage.

He then drew a short out pattern for the Y and a depper corner pattern for the Z.

The deeper receiver is the "high" receiver, he explained. If the read for the QB is high to low, he's watching the Z to see if he gets open then comes back to the Y (slot on the shorter out pattern) if the Z is covered.

If it's low to high and the Y comes open, the ball should go there. Some quarterbacks will wait to see if the Z comes open. That can lead to trouble because the Y may have been open, the Z may be covered, then when the QB comes back to the Y, he could be covered and the QB is running out of time and options.

Clues given by the presnap and immediate post-snap coverage dictate where the quarterback looks first, whether that's left or right.

"You guys think it's easy," Belichick concluded. "We just put our little red flag in our pocket and go out there and call plays. There's a lot more to it than that."

Posted by   at 9:59 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Words From Harrison

Alert readers who post on the KFFL.com Patriots message board caught a story by good guy Jim Trotter of the San Diego Union Tribune in which Trotter got Harrison on the line. Harrison and Trotter are good freinds.

"I know I can come back from this," Harrison told Trotter after tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL last week. "It's just a matter of how hard and how bad I want to do it. You and I have talked about this before; football is not my life, it's a part of my life. It's what I do, it's not who I am."

Harrison went on to say, "Physically, I'm not doing well. But spiritually I'm doing fine. That's what keeps me going. If you can accept the interceptions and the playoff wins and the lifting of the Lombardi Trophy, you have to be able to accept the other side of it.

"Time heals all wounds," he continued. "I'll be back. I don't know if that means on the football field, but as long as I can run around after Little Man (Harrison's young son), that's what's important."

Nice get by Trotter, a guy who interviewed for the Pats beat job with the Boston Globe last winter but decided to stay in SD.

Posted by   at 9:51 PM | Permalink | Comments 0