Football Thoughts

New England Patriots (18-1)
A record setting season is just seconds away from perfection, until destiny gets in the way.

2007 Summary:
This past season is one to forget for Patriot players and fans. How could I say that? We are talking about a team that went 16-0 in the regular season. Just say it. 16-0. It has only been done once in the NFL for a team to go a whole regular season and not lose a game. Well, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick ruined that party. In the off-season, it was very apparent New England wanted to stack up to make one huge run to the Super Bowl, and it was very apparent it paid off. Such addtions were line backer Adalius Thomas, wide receivers Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth, and the "troublesome" Randy Moss. They snagged him for a 4th round draft pick on Draft day, and people thought it would ruin the "team chemistry". Nuh uh. They would soon find out it was a bargain.

The whole entire season, the Patriots would beat up on teams. They would even go as far as going for it on useless 4th downs when ahead by 20+ points. People began to hate them, and would pray for the team they played that week to take them down. Well, they had to wait until February. Eli Manning and the New York Giants would score a touchdown with 30 seconds remaining in the game to take the lead, and they would not look back. The immortal Patriots finally lost a game, and it came at the worst time.

What now? How do you improve from an 18-1 season? Unlike last year, New England has lost more this off-season than gained. Gone are cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, safety Eugene Wilson, receiver Donte' Stallworth, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, and so on. Sure, they'll probably be back in the playoffs due to them playing in a very week division, but nothing will come close to matching the magical season they had in 2007.

1.) Corner Back:
With Asante Samuel and Randall Gay off the team, New England will need someone threw the draft to make up for the loss. Look for them to draft Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Leodis McKelvin with the #7 overall pick in the draft.

2.) Inside Linebacker:
Junior Seau and Teddy Bruschi can't play football forever. It is time for a replacement. Bill Belichick doesn't like to draft linebackers early, so expect a third or fourth round pick on one. I have them taking Phillip Wheeler in my Mock.

3.) Right Guard:
The Patriots line played great all season long, but broke down in the last game. Right guard Stephen Neal will be 32 in October, and coming off a serious knee injury in the Super Bowl. It would be wise to give him a replacement. 

2008 Offseason Moves

Notable additions: DE/OLB Victor Hobson, CB Fernando Bryant, SS Tank Williams, CB Jason Webster, WR Sam Aiken

Notable resignings: WR Randy Moss, ILB Tedy Bruschi, WR Jabar Gaffney

Notable releases: OLB Rosevelt Colvin, WR Donte' Stallworth, TE Kyle Brady

Notable Departures: CB Asante Samuel, CB Randall Gay, FS Eugene Wislon 

Grades:

Quarterbacks: A+
- Tom Brady is the top quarterback in the NFL. A ham sandwich could be his backup and they'd still get an A+.

Runningbacks: B
- Laurence Maroney had an off year, but the Patriots really didn't need him. He showed up in the playoffs, having a touchdown in all three games and having 100+ yards in two of them. Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris are also a very underrated backups. The fullback, Heath Evans is also underrated.

Wide Receivers: A+
- Randy Moss set a record this year with a remarkable 23 touchdowns. Wes Welker also set a new Patriot record with 112 receptions. Donte' Stallworh was a disappointment, but he can easily be replaced by Jabar Gaffney or a rookie.

Offensive Line: B
- Matt Light and Logan Mankins make for a excellent left side, but the right side isn't as good. Nick Kaczur and Stephen Neal are aging and will need to be replaced. Dan Koppen is a solid center as well. The line came up small in the Super Bowl, and will need to show they're better than they were in that February game next year.

Tight End: C
- Ben Watson was a big target for Tom Brady this last season, but like the entire offense was very unsuccessful in the Super Bowl. The Patriots may draft someone for competition. Kyle Brady was also recently released.

Defensive line: B-
- The Patriots have three players perfect for the 3-4 scheme. Ty Warren and Richard Seymour are both excellent ends, and they benefit with Pro Bowler Vince Vince Wilfork plugging the middle. However, Seymour failed to register a single sack in the playoffs, which can open some eyes in the Patriots organization.

Linebackers: B-
- Bill Belichick loves his veteran line backers. Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel are very solid starters on the end, but the middle could be a concern. Tedy Bruschi is the type of player every team wants, but he isn't getting any younger. Junior Seau retiring also doesn't help. They'll need someone to plug in through the draft. Rosevelt Colvin is also someone they will miss this season when he was released.

Defensive Backs: C
- When Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, and Eugene Wilson left this off-season, this grade really took a hit. Rodney Harrison's health and age are also a concern. The Patriots must draft a defensive back with their #7 pick.

Special Teams: B+
-Kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Chris Hanson are two solid starters. It also helps they have iron man Wes Welker working for them, and the speedster Ellis Hobbs in the return game.

Coaching: A+
- Cheating or not, the Patriots have always been ready for a matchup with Bill Belichick running things. Even with no cameras, they won 18 straight games. Josh McDaniels, the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, did an outstanding job this season running the best offense of all time.

2008 Opponents: