November 29, 2007
Hey all --
We've just been kicked out of the Pats' locker room, where it was a funny day -- a lot to observe, but not a lot of players talking.
Injured tight end David Thomas chatted briefly with a couple of reporters, and said the upside of being hurt means he gets to spend time with his newborn son. Thomas still has a walking boot on his right foot. Running back Sammy Morris also made an appearance, walking through the room in his street clothes.
Brandon Meriweather talked about his friend and former teammate, Sean Taylor, who Meriweather said "helped me with everything" at Miami. "He helped me take my game from a 'C' to a 'B,' with the playbook he sat me down and helped me learn it."
Meriweather said he last spoke to Taylor, who died early Tuesday morning, just before New England played the Redskins.
Troy Brown also talked to the media, and is glad to be back on the roster: "I'm always excited to be around this game. All I can do is take it one day at a time, one play at a time," he said.
We're headed out to practice shortly, and will post an update then.
shalise
Posted by Shalise Manza Young 
at 12:05 PM | Permalink
November 25, 2007
FOXBORO -- Asante Samuel became the 20th -- that's right, 20th -- New England player to score a touchdown this season when he returned an interception 40 yards for a score in the opening minutes against the Eagles.
He joins Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Benjamin Watson, Sammy Morris, Donte Stallworth, Kyle Brady, Tom Brady, Kyle Eckel, Ellis Hobbs, Mike Vrabel, Willie Andrews, Matt Cassel, Rosevelt Colvin, Heath Evans, Kevin Faulk, Jabar Gaffney, Randall Gay, Laurence Maroney, and Adalius Thomas in getting into the end zone for the Patriots.
The NFL record for most players scoring in a season is 21, shared by the 2000 Denver Broncos and the 1987 Los Angeles Rams.
-- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 10:06 PM | Permalink
November 2, 2007
The Patriots have placed running back Sammy Morris on season-ending injured reserve with a chest injury.
Morris, signed as a free agent in the offseason, was enjoying great success with the Patriots before suffering his injury, reported to be a bone bruise, against Dallas in week six.
He finishes the season with 85 carries for 384 yards (4.5 ypc) and three touchdowns. Morris had back-to-back 100 yard rushing games against the Bengals and Browns.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 4:17 PM | Permalink
FOXBORO -- The Patriots placed running back Sammy Morris on season-ending injured reserve yesterday.
Morris injured his chest on Oct. 14 against Dallas. Morris leads the Patriots in rushing with 384 yards and three touchdowns.
Second-year back Laurence Maroney (74 carries, 358 yards, 4.8 yards per rush) will now carry the bulk of the load for the Patriots, with Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans, and Kyle Eckel chipping in.
The Patriots average 135.8 rushing yards per game, the eighth-best average in the NFL.
"They've been productive, whoever is in there,” Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said of the Patriots running backs. “Heath and Kevin have done a nice job when either Laurence or Sammy hasn't been available to us. Kyle has done a nice job when he's gotten in the game, too. I think the running back position as a whole has done a decent job in protection and also catching the ball out of the backfield, which is an important part of the game…
"I think as a whole they're doing a nice job both running the ball and then in the other areas of the game, which are very important to us, which includes pass protection and then catching the ball from the backfield.”
-- Robert Lee
Posted by Rob Lee at 4:10 PM | Permalink
The Patriots moved their practice inside at the last minute today, and are practicing inside the controlled atmosphere of the Dana-Farber Fieldhouse.
The news of the day is that Eugene Wilson and Mel Mitchell returned to practice, while Benjamin Watson, who practiced the first two days this week, was not spotted.
In addition to Watson, Sammy Morris and Eric Alexander were missing.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 12:29 PM | Permalink
November 1, 2007
New England has released its second participation report of the week:
Did Not Participate
S Mel Mitchell - groin
RB Sammy Morris - chest
S Eugene Wilson - ankle
LB Eric Alexander - knee
Limited Participation
TE Kyle Brady - team decision
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
LB Mike Vrabel - shoulder
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 3:56 PM | Permalink
As indicated by Bill Belichick this morning, the Patriots are practicing inside the Dana-Farber Fieldhouse today, where conditions are pristine and he can pump up the noise to simulate the RCA Dome atmosphere.
Cornerback Asante Samuel returned to the practice field after missing yesterday tending to a personal matter.
That meant four players were not on the field: Sammy Morris, Eric Alexander, Mel Mitchell and Eugene Wilson.
The players were in shorts and shells/shorts.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 1:04 PM | Permalink
October 31, 2007
New England has published its first participation/injury report of the week:
Did Not Participate
LB Eric Alexander - knee
S Mel Mitchell - groin
RB Sammy Morris - chest
CB Asante Samuel - team decision
S Eugene Wilson - ankle
Limited Participation
TE Kyle Brady - team decision
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
WR Randy Moss - team decision
LB Adalius Thomas - ankle
LB Mike Vrabel - shoulder
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
Indianapolis has not yet submitted its report.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 4:06 PM | Permalink
Hey all --
We are just in from the week's first practice, held in full pads. Team owner Robert Kraft was taking in the session, yet another sign of how big Sunday's game is.
As for who was there and who wasn't, Benjamin Watson made his return after missing two weeks with an ankle injury. However, Sammy Morris (chest), Eugene Wilson (ankle), Mel Mitchell (groin), and Eric Alexander (knee) remain on the list of absentees.
Joining them on that list is corner Asante Samuel, who was not spotted during media access.
And Troy Brown was not out there either, which is meaningful because this is the last week that the Patriots have the option of opening the window for Brown. As he is on the PUP list, teams can choose at any time between weeks six and nine to start practicing and open a 21-day window for them, by the end of which time they must either activate them to the 53-man roster or put them on season-ending injured reserve.
After Sunday's win over Washington, Bill Belichick said it had been his team's best week of practice to that point, and it showed in the high number of practice player of the week jerseys -- we counted 10, with rookies Brandon Meriweather and Kareem Brown, Larry Izzo, Ray Ventrone, Pierre Woods, Antwain Spann, Le Kevin Smith, Rashad Baker and Tim Mixon all sporting the black jerseys. Interesting that none of the award winners were from the offensive side of the ball.
We'll be back with more shortly.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 1:25 PM | Permalink
October 24, 2007
The Patriots have released their first participation report of the week:
Did not participate
LB Eric Alexander - knee
S Mel Mitchell - groin
RB Sammy Morris - chest
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
S Eugene Wilson - ankle
Limited participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
*Note that Laurence Maroney (groin), Kelley Washington (hamstring), Donte Stallworth (knee), Adalius Thomas (ankle) and Randall Gay (thigh) have all been removed from last week's list.
For the Redskins:
Out
G Randy Thomas - triceps
Did not participate
RB Rock Cartwright - quad
OL Stephon Heyer - hamstring
Limited participation
S Pierson Prioleau - coaches' decision
CB Carlos Rogers - knee
CB Fred Smoot - hamstring
Full participation
OL Casey Rabach - groin
LB Marcus Washington - hamstring
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 3:59 PM | Permalink
Hey all -
We've just been kicked out of the Dana-Farber Fieldhouse, where the Patriots are holding their first practice of the week in full pads.
The news of the day is the return of Richard Seymour, and also that safety Eugene Wilson was among those not on the field.
Wilson, who did not play many snaps against Miami but was not on the injury list, was one of five players not spotted. The other four: Benjamin Watson, Sammy Morris, Eric Alexander and Mel Mitchell.
Interestingly, there were no players in jerseys, leading to the assumption that no one was named practice player of the week.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 1:10 PM | Permalink
October 21, 2007
MIAMI -- Since J.D. Drew, the $14 million man who went from April 22 to Sept. 11 without hitting a home run at Fenway Park, came through with a grand slam in the first inning of Game Six last night, does that mean the winless Dolphins, 16-point underdogs, can upset the undefeated Patriots this afternoon?
Which, I wonder, would be the more surprising development to New England sports fans?
Lest we forget, Tom Brady has lost four of six career starts here, including last year, when the Dolphins whitewashed the Pats, 21-0, holding New England to a mere 189 yards total offense.
Sammy Morris ran for 123 yards and a touchdown that day -- one of the reasons the Patriots signed him as a free agent. Unfortunately, Morris, who had back-to-back, 100-yard games against the Bengals and Browns, will be out for several weeks after suffering a chest injury early in last Sunday's game at Dallas.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 11:15 AM | Permalink
October 20, 2007
The Patriots have announced that five players have been downgraded to OUT for tomorrow's game with Miami:
LB Eric Alexander - knee
S Mel Mitchell - groin
RB Sammy Morris - chest
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
DE Mike Wright - knee
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 7:42 PM | Permalink
October 19, 2007
Practice today, held under a very grey sky, looked mighty similar to the previous two days, at least from an attendance standpoint.
Eric Alexander, Benjamin Watson, Sammy Morris and Mel Mitchell were not on the field during media access, the same quartet that's been missing all week.
The players are in shells and shorts; Bill Belichick, when asked about yesterday's walkthrough practice, said it was for mental emphasis of things and indicated today's practice might be longer to make up for it.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 12:30 PM | Permalink
October 17, 2007
The first report of the week has been released:
NEW ENGLAND
Did Not Participate
LB Eric Alexander - knee
RB Sammy Morris - chest
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
Limited Participation
CB Randall Gay - thigh
RB Laurence Maroney - groin
S Mel Mitchell - groin
G Stephen Neal - shoulder
WR Donte Stallworth - knee
LB Adalius Thomas - ankle
WR Kelley Washington - hamstring
Full Participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
* Alexander, Morris and Watson are additions from last week's list; Matt Light (flu), Dan Koppen (ankle), Asante Samuel (foot) and Wesley Britt (personal) were all removed from the list.
MIAMI
Did Not Participate
QB Trent Green - concussion
DT Vonnie Holliday - ankle
LB Zach Thomas - toe
S Travares Tillman - knee
Limited Participation
TE David Martin - ankle
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 6:24 PM | Permalink
Hey all -
As previously posted, Eddie Jackson and Chad Jackson were on the field with their teammates for practice today, meaning the Patriots have opened the 21-day window for both.
Within the next three weeks, the two players can practice and the team must decide by the end whether to activate the players (and make a corresponding move) or place them on season-ending IR.
Also at practice, held in shorts and shells, Benjamin Watson, Sammy Morris, Mel Mitchell and Eric Alexander were missing, and tackle Wesley Britt made his return after a week tending to personal issues.
Marcellus Rivers, Pierre Woods and C.J. Jones were all in black jerseys for being named practice players of the week.
It is the second consecutive black jersey and third of the season for Jones, a practice squad receiver.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 1:15 PM | Permalink
October 14, 2007
IRVING, Texas -- Many times, teams struggle to pass the ball if they're not running well. That's not the case this afternoon for the Patriots.
Although Sammy Morris has rushed for only 12 yards on 9 carries, Tom Brady has completed 16 of 27 passes for 213 yards and 3 TDs -- two to Wes Welker and one to Randy Moss.
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 5:37 PM | Permalink
October 8, 2007
Hey all --
It was a sparsely-attended locker room this afternoon, as most of the players headed home after team meetings.
But Troy Brown, who hasn't been spotted in several weeks, did walk through the room.
Ellis Hobbs was rocking Red Sox regalia -- a road jersey and a red Sox cap, though the jersey bore the number 18 and the name "Damon."
"Don't read too much into it," Hobbs said. "I went to a game my rookie year (and that was the jersey he bought). I'm all about the fashion, that's all."
Hobbs also had Sammy Morris' Texas Tech jersey hanging in front of his locker, and will have to wear it around the facility on Wednesday since Morris' Red Raiders beat Hobbs' Iowa State Cyclones last weekend.
There were also Tennessee windbreakers hanging on Richard Seymour's locker and on the back of Benjamin Watson's chair -- left there by Donte Stallworth, whose Volunteers upset Georgia.
Chad Scott was also in the room for a few minutes, and said he's feeling pretty good as he rehabs the knee injury suffered on the first day of training camp.
As tomorrow is an off day for the players, we're going to take a mental health day as well, so unless news breaks, we'll talk to you again Wednesday morning.
shalise
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 3:55 PM | Permalink
October 7, 2007
FIVE STRAIGHT WINS BY 17+ POINTS
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 2007 Patriots are the fourth team in NFL history to win each of its first five games by a margin of 17 points or more. The Patriots have won by 24, 24, 31, 21 and 17 points in their five games this season. The other teams to achieve the feat are the 1999 St. Louis Rams, the 1968 Dallas Cowboys and the 1921 Buffalo All-Americans.
TEAM-RECORD FIFTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH A 100-YARD RECEIVER
With Benjamin Watson’s 107-yard receiving day against the Browns, the Patriots had a 100-yard receiver for the fifth consecutive game, setting a new team record. The previous team record was four straight games with a 100-yard receiver — from Nov. 23 to Dec. 21, 1975, when Russ Francis, Randy Vataha, Don Calhoun and Andy Johnson each broke the 100-yard mark one time in a four-game span. In addition to Watson’s 100-yard game against the Browns, Randy Moss exceeded the 100-yard mark in each of the first four games of the 2007 season.
FIFTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH 34+ POINTS; 182 TOTAL POINTS
The Patriots have scored 34 or more points in each of the season’s first five games, marking the first time in team history that they have scored at least 30 points in as many as five consecutive games. The Patriots have totaled 182 points through five games, marking the second highest five-game point total in team history, trailing only the 187 points scored by the Boston Patriots in the first five games of the 1962 season. The Patriots have outscored their opponents 182-65 so far in 2007, with their +117 point differential marking the best total for any five-game span in team history.
MORRIS IS THIRD STRAIGHT 100-YARD RUSHER FOR THE PATRIOTS
With Sammy Morris’ 102-yard effort, the Patriots had a 100-yard rusher for the third consecutive game, marking the first time since 1995 that the Patriots have achieved that feat. Curtis Martin broke the 100-yard mark in four straight games from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16, 1995. Against Cleveland, Morris gained 102 yards on 21 carries (4.9 avg.), marking his second consecutive 100-yard game and the third 100-yard game of his eight-year career. Morris had 117 yards on 21 carries on Oct. 1 at Cincinnati. Morris also exceeded the 100-yard mark on Dec. 10, 2006 while playing for Miami in a game against the Patriots. Morris’ 100-yard game against Cleveland marked the Patriots’ third consecutive game with a 100-yard rusher – Laurence Maroney totaled 103 yards on 19 carries on Sept. 23 against Buffalo.
BRADY TIES NFL RECORD WITH THREE OR MORE TOUCHDOWNS IN FIRST FIVE GAMES
By throwing three touchdown passes today, Tom Brady tied an NFL record by throwing for three or more touchdowns in each of the season’s first five games. The only other player in league history to achieve the feat was San Francisco’s Steve Young in 1998. Brady has totaled 16 touchdown passes through five games in 2007. Brady has now thrown for three or more touchdowns 24 times in his regular season career and his five three-touchdown games in 2007 tie his career-high, also achieved in 2002. Last season, Brady threw for three or more touchdowns in a game on two occasions.
SCORING STREAK
Prior to being shut out in the third quarter against Cleveland, the Patriots scored points in each of their first 18 quarters of play this season and scored in 37 consecutive quarters dating back to last season (including regular season and playoff games). The Patriots’ streak of scoring points in 18 consecutive quarters to begin the season is the longest to begin an NFL season since the 2000 St. Louis Rams scored in their first 24 quarters of the year. Since being shut out 21-0 against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 10, 2006, the Patriots scored in 41 of 42 quarters, with that streak ending in the third quarter against the Browns.
WATSON SETS CAREER MARKS FOR TOUCHDOWNS, RECEIVING YARDS
Benjamin Watson totaled a career-high 107 receiving yards, marking his the first 100-yard game of his career. He also caught two touchdown passes today, recording the second multiple-touchdown game of his career and bringing his 2007 total to a career-high five touchdown receptions. His previous season-best was four touchdowns, achieved in the 2005 season. Watson has scored touchdowns in four of the Patriots’ five games this season and has reached the end zone seven times in his last nine regular-season games dating back to November 2006. His two touchdowns against the Browns raised Watson’s career touchdown total to 12, marking the highest total in a Patriots uniform by a member of the team’s active roster (Kevin Faulk, 10). In addition to today, he also scored a pair of touchdowns at Miami on Nov. 13, 2005. Watson caught six passes for a career-high 107 yards, marking the first 100-yard receiving game of his career. His previous career high was 95 yards, achieved on seven receptions on Oct. 30, 2006 at Minnesota.
TWO INTERCEPTIONS FOR SEAU
Junior Seau intercepted two passes in the first half – picking off a Derek Anderson pass in the end zone in the first quarter that was deflected by Asante Samuel and snaring an Anderson pass in the second quarter that had been tipped by Mike Vrabel. The interceptions were the 16th and 17th of Seau’s 18-year career and marked his first interceptions since Sept. 15, 2002, when he picked off a pass by Houston’s David Carr while playing for the San Diego Chargers. The interceptions marked Seau’s third career multiple-interception game and his first in 11 seasons. He also picked off a pair of passes on Sept. 19, 1993 against the Houston Oilers and on Sept. 29, 1996 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
INTERCEPTION IN THREE STRAIGHT GAMES FOR SAMUEL
Asante Samuel intercepted a Derek Anderson pass in the first quarter, picking off a ball that was deflected by Adalius Thomas. The interception was Samuel’s team-leading third of the season and was his third in as many weeks. Samuel has now recorded 12 interceptions in his last 14 regular-season and playoff games, dating back to a three-pick performance against Chicago on Nov. 26, 2006. Samuel’s interception against Cleveland set up a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Donte’ Stallworth on the next play, giving the Patriots a 10-0 lead. It was the 19th interception of his regular-season career. He also has recorded four career playoff interceptions, giving him a total of 23 interceptions since entering the NFL with the Patriots in 2003.
FUMBLE RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN BY RANDALL GAY
Randall Gay stripped Cleveland’s Kellen Winslow, recovered the fumble and ran 15 yards to the end zone for his second career fumble return for a touchdown. The play came on the first forced fumble of Gay’s career and was his third career fumble recovery. The only other touchdown of Gay’s career also came against Cleveland, when he scooped up a William Green fumble caused by Richard Seymour and raced 41 yards to the end zone on Dec. 5, 2004 in Cleveland.
TWO SACKS FOR BRUSCHI
Tedy Bruschi tied his career high with two sacks against Cleveland, raising his career sack total to 30.5 sacks. He is the 13th player in Patriots history to record 30 or more sacks in a New England uniform. His two sacks tie his single-game career-high with 2.0 sacks, tying his totals on Dec. 17, 2005 against Tampa Bay and Oct. 6, 1996 at Baltimore. He also had 2.0 sacks in Super Bowl XXXI against Green Bay on Jan. 26, 1997. Against Cleveland, Bruschi sacked Derek Anderson for a 10-yard loss in the final minute of the first half and dropped him for a 6-yard loss in the third quarter. Entering today’s game, the Patriots are 23-2 when Bruschi totals at least one sack.
QUICK HITS
-- Today’s game was the 142nd consecutive home sellout for the Patriots, a streak that includes every preseason, regular-season and playoff game since the 1994 regular-season opener.
-- Ellis Hobbs batted down a Derek Anderson pass intended for Joe Jurevicius in end zone in the first quarter.
-- Vince Wilfork sacked Anderson for a 10-yard loss in the fourth quarter, recording his first sack of the season and raising his career total to 4.5 sacks.
STALLWORTH SCORES
Donte’ Stallworth hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 10-0 lead. The touchdown catch was Stallworth’s first in a Patriots uniform and was the 29th scoring grab of his regular-season career with New Orleans (2002-05), Philadelphia (2006) and New England (2007). Stallworth became the sixth different player to catch a touchdown from Brady in 2007.
STARTING STRONG
The Patriots scored first, taking a 3-0 lead on a 20-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski in the first quarter. New England has scored first in each of its five games this season and has achieved the feat in eight straight regular season and playoff games dating back to Jan. 7, 2007.
GOSTKOWSKI’S SUCCESS STREAK
Stephen Gostkowski nailed two first-half field goals – a 20-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and a 25-yarder to give the Patriots a 13-0 second-quarter advantage. He has hit seven of his eight field goal attempts this season (87.5 percent) and has nailed 28 of his last 31 attempts (90.3 percent) dating back to Nov. 5, 2006, including a perfect 8-for-8 performance in last season’s playoffs.
Posted by Art Martone at 7:11 PM | Permalink
October 3, 2007
FOXBORO -- For his impressive 21 carry, 117 yard, one touchdown performance in New England's 34-13 victory over Cincinnati, Patriots running back Sammy Morris has been nominated for the FedEx Ground Player of the Week.
The Colts Joseph Addai (136 yards, one touchdown) and Oakland's Justin Fargas (179 yards) have also been nominated.
Fans can vote for their favorite player at www.nfl.com.
Posted by Rob Lee at 7:10 PM | Permalink
September 23, 2007
On being 3-0
I think we are doing a lot of things well and we are minimizing our mistakes and capitalizing on the other team’s mistakes as a unit. I think we are playing great team ball and we are improving each week.
On if the Patriots’ offense could play at a higher level
It remains to be seen. I think we have had three different styles of game. The first game we came out with a traditional offense and drove the ball down the field. In the second game we had more of a 2-minute mode offense and this one we had a little more diversity and it was refreshing to see us bounce back from that.
On falling behind early in the game
We didn’t feel like there was a reason to be flustered and abandon our game plan. We just had to minimize the mistakes we were making and just flat out play better.
On Tom Brady’s play so far this season
Tom’s a great leader and makes a lot of plays out there and he directs the offense perfectly.
Posted by Art Martone at 7:07 PM | Permalink
