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Right now, the New England Patriots seem like a team in turmoil with so much swirling around them. Are they on the decline? Let’s take a closer look.
Be careful not shortchanging them – they are probably still the team to beat in the AFC East.
This Aaron Hernandez story is like nothing we’ve ever seen in the NFL – an active NFL player who might be the first serial killer in the league’s history (or any league’s history). It’s shocking and tragic.
There is a chance that Hernandez is guilty of three murders, and another attempted murder.
And now the talented tight end is a former Patriot. The team did the smart thing from a PR standpoint – cut him immediately, and offer fans free jersey exchanges at their Pro Shop. Imagine being a fan walking around with the jersey of a man going on trial for three changes of first degree murder?
It’s hard to talk about the football impact of losing a murder suspect, but there is no getting around what a huge loss this is to the Pats on the field, especially with the unknown future of Rob Gronkowski (coming off multiple arm surgeries and his second back operation). Hernandez is a heck of a football player, and there is a good chance “Gronk” won’t be available for the Jets-Pats game in Week Two.
But you know what, with Tom Brady at quarterback, I just don’t think this offense takes much of a step back, if any, with the issues at tight end.
Belichick and Brady have always been very flexible with their offensive playbook, never married to one way of doing things. They constantly evolve.
Having offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels back in the lab with them is a big help as well.
Expect the Patriots to run the ball more than in the past. They have a lot of talent at tailback, with Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Leon Washington and LaGarrett Blount (acquired in an off-season trade from Tampa Bay).
Also, expect them to throw to the backs a lot, to help fill the tight end void – Vereen and Washington are terrific receivers out of the backfield, with soft hands, and good runners after the catch.
At wide receiver, Brady is still ticked about the team letting Wes Welker walk in free agency. We all know darn well that Pats wouldn’t have let Welker leave if they knew about the issues with Gronk (the second back surgery) and Hernandez. They would have paid him what he wanted.
But the Patriots have done a nice job of re-tooling their wide receiver position, with Danny Amendola (the Rams’ best receiver the last couple of years), and very similar to Welker (even went the same school – Texas Tech), Donald Jones (Buffalo Bills), Aaron Dobson (Marshall – second round), 6-4 Michael Jenkins (former first round pick of Atlanta) and the underrated Lavelle Hawkins (Tennessee Titans).
This is a a solid group, and none of these players have ever played with a QB of Brady’s caliber, so expect that to bring out the best in all of them.
As one long-time coach once told me, “Quarterbacks make receivers, receivers don’t make quarterbacks.”
And at tight end, remember last June when the Patriots ticked off the Giants by claiming tight end Jake Ballard who the Giants were trying to move to IR?
Well, that move now looks like a stroke of genius. Ballard, who missed last year with a knee injury, is now 100 percent. The 6-6 Ballard might not have great speed, but he runs good routes and has terrific hands. Brady is going to like him a lot, just like Eli did in 2011.
And one other thing – let’s see how they use Tim Tebow – a little fullback, a little tight end, a little H-Back – we shall see.
We will have more on the Patriots tomorrow, but in my opinion, this offense is still going to be a bear to deal with.
June 30, 2013
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