Teams New England Patriots - The Pats

Beetlebum

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With 90 players on the New England Patriots' roster, and about 75 taking part in Friday's organized team activity, there were many places to look on the two practice fields behind Gillette Stadium.

Tom Brady is always a draw. Running back Stevan Ridley's bright green cleats created a flash of color every time he had the ball in his grasp and surged through the line of scrimmage. Big defensive lineman Vince Wilfork is hard to miss, as is visor-wearing coach Bill Belichick twirling his whistle as he barks out instructions.

But on this day, something else trumped all.

Is that an island out on the practice field? Yes indeed.

Revis Island has officially relocated to New England, and for those who still can't believe it, the confirmation was there to see on the practice fields. Mostly aligned on the defensive left side, cornerback Darrelle Revis went through his third organized team activity since joining the team in March and said afterward that he still feels like the new kid on the block.

"This is a new adventure for me, and I'm just happy to be a part of the Patriots organization," Revis told a mob of reporters afterward, while taking a ribbing from teammates who were leaving the fields and saw media members frantically scurrying around Revis to put themselves in better position.

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...evis-quick-study-new-england-patriots-persona
 

Beetlebum

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Cleaning out the notebook from Pats' OTA


1. Left guard Logan Mankins, one of the team’s captains, has been pleased with the team’s attendance at voluntary organized team activities. “It’s your job,” he said. “If you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to be. But if you don’t have a good excuse, you should be here.”

2. Mankins missed last Friday’s organized team activity because of a family commitment, while receiver Brandon LaFell was excused to attend a ceremony for one of his high school coaches.

3. Receiver Danny Amendola on facing cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner: “They both have similar qualities but they’re also a little different, too. Browner has long arms, so you have to use your quickness. Revis is just so smart and so quick, and obviously has a knack for playing good football. It’s been great for our receiving corps and we’re all getting better out there.”

4. LaFell said the level of work in New England is increased from what he experienced in Carolina, and he admitted that learning a new playbook has been a challenge. LaFell said there are no similarities between the terminology of the Panthers’ system and the Patriots’ system – Carolina’s was numbers-based, while New England’s is more with code words.

5. Running back Stevan Ridley said he spent time this offseason in Los Angeles, joining several teammates including Julian Edelman, Amendola, Rob Gronkowski and Ryan Mallett. “It was a little bit of everybody, it was almost like an open house,” Ridley said, adding that former teammate Brandon Spikes was there as well.

6. The Patriots continue to manage the health situation along the offensive line, as starting left tackle Nate Solder has been working with the rehab group and starting right tackleSebastian Vollmer has not yet graduated to participating in 11-on-11 drills. Also, fourth-round draft pick Cameron Fleming is not yet cleared to practice because his class at Stanford hasn’t graduated. So it’s been Marcus Cannon at left tackle and Jordan Devey at right tackle in 11-on-11s.

7. Mankins on the offensive line: "I like it so far. It’s still a work in progress. We still have a lot of mistakes happening now but that’s expected this time of year. We don’t want to do that but it still happens. We’re working to get by that and make sure everyone is ready to go for training camp, then it’s who stays healthy and who plays the best.”

8. Assistant coach Brendan Daly once again worked with the defensive linemen, with Patrick Graham assuming Pepper Johnson’s old role with the linebackers.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...63772/cleaning-out-the-notebook-from-pats-ota
 
Well fellow Pats.

Just in case you were getting a little chuffed that Revis is now a Pat and if you were wondering how long it would take for Bellichick to make an influence on the great CB.....read this.

Revis commenting on who is the best CB in the game when questioned on his comments on Sherman.

" All that stuff, it really don't matter" Revis said " It really doesn't. Anybody can say anything; It is what it is. I respect all those guys, I really do. I respect them all. "

When ever a player starts talking like his coach and sounds like his coach.....that's a pretty good indication that he has already bought into the structure and the program.

I am excited in anticipation to see just what "The Island" brings to our team because he has the capacity to lift our secondary to an elite level and we all know if he can help do that it just makes the job of the front seven of the "D" so much easier.
 
Let's be honest Beetlebum its a bit of both.

Just imaging the look on Rex Ryan's face if Revis intercepts a pass in the red zone on fourth down , 10 seconds on the game clock and the Pats leading 24 20.
Priceless . :)
 

Beetlebum

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Former New England wide receiver Wes Welker added context to a story that exploded last week about the Patriots possibly being in possession of the New York Jets' playbook, saying that playful banter between friends might have sparked the media firestorm.

Welker said that he used to joke with Jets assistant coach Mike Smith often. Welker and Smith were best friends from their time together at Texas Tech, and quarterback Tom Brady got in on the act at Welker's wedding in 2012.

"We used to always make stuff up with each other. Tom got to know Mike as well," Welker said Friday morning on Boston radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub.

"[Mike] used to say 'So and so will cover you in the game. No, actually we're going to double-team you.' So I'd make stuff up, 'Oh, this is our game plan going into it.' Every once in a while you [say] something true just to throw them off. And [you'd] say 'Is that true? Would they do that?'

"It was just playing mind games a little bit."

Those mind games apparently made it back to the Jets' facility with former defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, now in his first year as Cleveland Browns head coach. Pettine's remarks to TheMMQB.com as part of a larger story on his coaching philosophy, in which he suggested the Patriots may have a copy of the Jets' playbook based off a story he was told from Welker's wedding, set off a media frenzy last week.

Pettine later explained his remarks to Pro Football Talk, while Jets coach Rex Ryan backed Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. The value of a team having an opponent's playbook has since been debated in media circles.

As for Welker, whose radio appearance Friday was part of a business-related venture, he said he was unaware if the Patriots ever had a copy of the Jets' playbook.

Asked if it would matter, he said, "Every little bit helps. I don't know. It might a little bit."

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...ok-new-england-patriots?ex_cid=espnapi_public
 

Beetlebum

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It's a nice theory, Gronk.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who underwent surgery for a torn right ACL on Jan. 9, is optimistic enough about his progress to the point that playing in the regular-season opener is on his radar.

"I'm planning on playing the whole season this year," Gronkowski said Friday night during his Football 101 Women's Clinic at a local high school.

The Patriots open the season Sept. 7 at the Miami Dolphins.

"I'm always antsy to get back on the field, no matter when it is," he said. "I just want to play football. I love playing the game."

Gronkowski played all 16 games in each of his first two NFL seasons. But he was limited to seven games last season, first playing in Week 7 once his previously broken forearm was medically cleared before tearing his ACL on a hit by safety T.J. Ward in a Dec. 8 game against the Cleveland Browns. In 2012, Gronkowski played 11 games.

While Gronkowski is hopeful to be ready for the 2014 season opener, he is less certain about his status for the start of training camp on July 24. He would seemingly be most likely to start camp on the active/physically unable to perform list.

"I don't know yet until I report, so I'll sit down with the coaches and training staff and we'll see," he said. "I'm just working with the trainers right now, improving every single day and whenever it starts up, whatever the trainers have, whatever the coaches have for me, whatever we feel comfortable with [we'll be] doing as much as possible every day that I can do."

Gronkowski added that he's spent most of his offseason working out at the Patriots' facility. In a lighter moment during a question-and-answer session with those at his camp, Gronkowski said he'd select Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel second in his fantasy football draft. The two have struck up a friendship.

"He's a good guy," Gronkowski said with a chuckle, "but I'm just really worried about myself right now and worrying about camp coming up."

Gronkowski did make note of the four-year, $40 million contract extension signed by New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham earlier this week.

"Congrats to Jimmy Graham, for sure. It's great for tight ends to be getting recognized now these days and getting paid what they deserve," he said.

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...ew-england-patriots-hopes-ready-season-opener
 

Scorpio

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has been cleared to play by doctors and will not be placed on the active/physically unable to perform list to open training camp, coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday.

This puts Gronkowski in position to be ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 7 at Miami. He said last week that he plans to play the full 16-game schedule.

Gronkowski, who was limited to seven games last season, underwent surgery on his right ACL on Jan. 9.

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...onkowski-new-england-patriots-cleared-doctors


girl_praying-e1298656508295.jpg


Dear Lord. Please let Gronk stay healthy this season.
 

Scorpio

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Will they start Garropolo at Washington in 2 weeks? I am keen to see what this kids got

It'll be interesting to see what they do. I think it'll be Mallett to start and then Jimmy to come on at some point. Brady will probably get a few snaps towards the end.

It's the second pre-season in a row that I'm very intrigued to watch from a QB perspective. Last season we had 4 hilarious weeks of Tebowmania.
 

bomberbaird

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If this NGL thing in Aus is serious they should chuck tebow some cash to start at QB for one of the teams..bums on seats
 

Beetlebum

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Will they start Garropolo at Washington in 2 weeks? I am keen to see what this kids got

Mallett will probably get the first crack, Garropolo may get a quarter or a few late plays in the game but I think BB sees Mallett as Brady's number 2 in 2014 and gives Garropolo the chance to learn without the pressure of being the man in if Brady goes down.
 
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Good to hear Gronk is planning on playing the full season!

I was expecting him to say "Yeah, looking at playing 6-7 games, proving unstoppable then getting hurt and missing the rest of the season."

:p
brzltrs.gif


Even joking about Gronk going down makes me react in such a manner.
 

bomberbaird

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Garropolo hasnt started well...keeps getting picked off...even had to run laps after a fumbled snap.

Justin Jones Im really interested in, bloke is a giant TE prospect at 6'8
 
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