Team needs changes to succeed
The Patriots’ dynasty is over, put to rest Sunday by a Baltimore Ravens’ team that used the traditional building blocks of NFL success — rushing offense and team defense — to end New England’s playoff run before it started.
So what’s next for Belichick and Co. — an organization without a consistent running game or defense?
The Patriots must decide if they will re-sign nose tackle Vince Wilfork, whose six-year rookie contract is now history. Wilfork was a shining light in an otherwise porous run defense Sunday, making 13 tackles despite being double- teamed.
And when he was sidelined by injuries late in the regular season, it exposed the team’s run defense even more.
The problem is, he’ll cost considerable money the Patriots may not be willing to pay. They may want to franchise Wilfork for a year — paying him the average of the league’s five highest-paid nose tackles — and that’s likely to prompt Wilfork to hold out in search of a long-term deal.
The Patriots also are badly in need of a pass rush, either from its defensive ends or outside linebackers. Free-agent flop Adalius Thomas is gone, and while Tully Banta-Cain had a 10-sack season, his presence alone isn’t enough to take the pressure off a secondary with some youthful potential.
And will Tom Brady have an adequate receiving corps to work with next fall? While Randy Moss will be back, tight end Ben Watson likely won’t be. And who knows when Wes Welker will be recovered from the knee injury he suffered in the regular-season finale. The Patriots are likely to need one or two receivers.
As for its running game, former first-round draft pick Laurence Maroney has been nothing if not inconsistent, while the line, while effective as pass blockers, has not been as strong in driving the running game. It, too, may be an area in flux, with Matt Light’s future in limbo, All-Pro Logan Mankins a restricted free agent, and Stephen Neal suggesting he might retire.
Player personnel in nearly all areas is a concern, the result of the Patriots favoring value over talent in its recent draft and free agent dealings. And Belichick can’t try to do everything by himself, he needs to hire an offensive coordinator.
Expect significant change in New England’s roster this off-season, or expect more of the same on the field next fall.
— Ernie Clark
Pats’ loss should make Kraft evaluate team
You are a New England Patriots fan and you are still trying to decipher the Pats’ stunning 33-14 playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens Sunday.
Stop deciphering!
This was the best thing to happen to the franchise.
It will force owner Bob Kraft to take a long, hard look at how the Patriots do things.
Stockpiling draft picks and trading away veteran defensive players without replacing them with younger, better players is a recipe for underachievement.
It’s time to break down the “model franchise” and rebuild it.
When you get humiliated at home by a team that completes just four passes but rushes for 234 yards, it says you were simply manhandled at the line of scrimmage. The Pats knew the Ravens were going to run and they were unable to stop them, similar to the way they were unable to stop teams in the fourth quarter of games in which they squandered leads.
When you can’t muster a pass rush and can’t stop the run, it often leads to an early playoff departure. That’s if you are lucky enough to make the playoffs.
The tackling was simply atrocious.
Tom Brady is not the same quarterback we watched lead the Pats to three Super Bowls. The injuries certainly have taken a toll. His lack of mobility was evident. He is morphing into Drew Bledsoe, who was nicknamed Frankenstein by fans for his lack of agility.
Hopefully, a healthy and rested Brady will be more agile and more consistent next year.
But backup Brian Hoyer is intriguing.
He is much more mobile than Brady and could be used in certain situations next year such as third and short. And I wouldn’t mind seeing star rookie receiver and former Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman take some snaps in the Wildcat offense or get the ball on pitchouts and reverses.
He could both run and throw out of those sets.
Hopefully, Wes Welker will return healthy and catch another 100-plus balls next year.
The offense must diversify.
But the primary draft need has to be impact defenders.
— Larry Mahoney
Sox sign one Adrian, but still seek another
Lost amidst the collapse of the Patriots ‘dynasty’ was the big news in Red Sox Nation last week…
The Sox finally acquired Adrian!
Say what? Not that Adrian?
Instead of oft-speculated trade target and San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, the Sox added another two-time gold glove corner infielder with some pop in his bat.
Boston signed 30-year-old, righthanded hitter Adrian Beltre to replace Mike Lowell at third base.
The Adrian Gonzalez watch is so focused in Sox Nation this offseason that even the contract terms agreed to by Beltre were linked to Gonzalez. Conventional wisdom has it that Beltre was signed to a one-year deal with an option specifically so Boston would have the room and salary flexibility for Gonzalez when it takes another run at him either before the trade deadline later this summer, next offseason, or when he’s a free agent.
Gonzalez has got to be the player to have the most influence on Boston while not wearing a Red Sox jersey since Manny Ramirez.
Sox fans have become nervous while watching their team lose lineup pop while adding pitching punch and defensive dexterity this offseason. Who’s going to bring runners home?
Beltre can do the job. Until last season, when injuries limited him to 111 games, eight home runs, and 44 RBIs, he had hit at least 19 homers for seven straight seasons and eight out of the last nine. Even with just eight homers last year and 13 in 2001, Beltre has still averaged 22 homers a year for the past 10 seasons.
Of course, that’s nothing compared to Gonzalez, a 27-year-old, lefthanded slugger just coming into his prime averaging 33 homers and 100 RBIs a year the last four seasons.
The doubts about Beltre center around his age and production coming off an injury-plagued season. Another concern is his breakout 2004 season in which he had 48 homers and 121 RBIs while batting .334 — all career season highs… The steroid whispers have gotten louder and louder.
Regardless, Beltre’s signing makes practical and financial sense while allowing the Sox to be on the ball and stay front and center on the Gonzalez watch.
— Andrew Neff