Randy Moss, New England Patriots / Image: Zuma Press

Today, coach Belichick sent four players home because they were late arriving to practice. One of those players was receiver Randy Moss. Of course, many people look at Randy’s behavior as an early sign of defiance because he has had a tendency to become disgruntled and drift off into a world of neglect when things aren’t going his way. And lately things have not been going his way (just five catches in those last two losses). Still, I wonder what kind of punishment a day off is? Coach Belichick wouldn’t elaborate on the details of the discipline because that’s the team’s policy, but I hope a stiff fine was included because that’s really the only way to punish a player at this level.

The Patriots are a team in trouble. And until they get everyone on the same page (as they’ve done when they’ve been successful), they are a long way from a lock to make the playoffs this season.

Source: Patriots.com

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Bill Belichick Sends Randy Moss Home

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints / Image: Zuma Press

The Saints amassed just under 500 yards of total offense in scoring 38 points—even without slasher back Reggie Bush. Drew Brees was as close to perfect as a quarterback can be in this league. And the defense forced two Tom Brady interceptions and held the Pats to just 17 points—without starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter. That’s impressive.

Of their five remaining games, only the Dallas Cowboys appear to pose a serious threat to an undefeated New Orleans Saints season. And that particular game is in the Superdome. So I’m going to go ahead and give the Saints a perfect 16-0 record with home field advantage heading into the playoffs. As far as the road to Super Bowl XLIV is concerned, I’ve got to say—advantage Saints.

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Will the New Orleans Saints Go Undefeated?

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts / Photo: Newscom

The Pats couldn’t challenge the controversial decision because they wasted two timeouts on their final drive and had nothing left to possibly overturn that ruling. As I saw it, Kevin had the first down when he caught the ball. But because he briefly bobbled it, he was not awarded forward progress that would’ve essentially ended the game in New England’s favor.

I don’t really blame Pats head coach Bill Belichick for going for it. After all, his success rate on 4th down is over 70%. But when you’re on your own 28-yard line with the game on the line, this is a very puzzling decision. It’s having supreme confidence in your team’s ability to convert, but it’s certainly going against the percentages. And it cost the Patriots the game.

As far as the Colts are concerned, this is an amazing comeback. After Peyton Manning threw his second interception of the game with just over seven minutes to play, I felt the game was over. But with their resolve and New England’s questionable decision-making, the door was opened for their victory. And the Colts merely walked through that door.

Source: NFL.com

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Colts Stun Patriots to Remain Unbeaten

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The New England Patriots placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on backup quarterback Matt Cassel today. The Pats will keep Matt if they have any doubts that QB Tom Brady won’t be ready for the start of the 2009 season. But if Tom is ready (as he’s expected to be), it’s likely New England will trade Matt rather than pay him the $14.65 million brought by the tag (of course, the Pats aren’t stupid — they could also offer him a long-term deal). In a statement released by the Patriots today, head coach Bill Belichick said:

“Matt has been a pleasure to coach his entire career and last season in particular, when his years of hard work and commitment resulted in a most impressive performance. We look forward to working with Matt again in 2009.”

After a phenomenal 2008 season, Matt is nearly as hot a commodity as his mentor. He was certainly an adequate replacement, completing 63% of his passes for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns. Those are good enough numbers to start for any team in 2009. And he just might get that chance.

Source: Patriots.com, Photo: Newscom

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Matt Cassel Gets Franchise Tag

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

New England Patriots Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas will have surgery on his broken forearm tomorrow, thus most likely ending his 2008 season. Adalius broke his arm during Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Buffalo Bills. Fellow linebacker Mike Vrabel assessed the situation:

“I think it will be difficult. He’s a guy that certainly, like a lot of guys here, plays a lot of different positions and plays them pretty well, so it will be tough. He was a leader. He was a veteran guy that played well, and we’ll just have to find guys to step up.”

Enter Pierre Woods, who could make his first career start Thursday against the N.Y. Jets. I want to say the Patriots are in trouble, but if any head coach can maneuver his way out of an injury fix, it’s New England’s Bill Belichick. He’s managed a 6-3 record so far this season despite having lost the most important player on his team (and arguably the entire league), quarterback Tom Brady. Plus, two other key starters — running back Laurence Maroney and safety Rodney Harrison — also suffered season-ending injuries. It’s a “next-man-up” attitude in New England and because they seem to bring the right people into the organization, I won’t be surprised if they don’t miss a beat. The Patriots are just good like that.

Source: Boston.com, Photo: Newscom

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Adalius Thomas Surgery Ends Season

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady left this afternoon’s 17-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs early in the first quarter with a left knee injury. Tom was injured when he stepped up in the pocket to make a throw and collided with Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard, who was down on the field in front of him. Tom’s left knee buckled as he followed through on his throw, and he went down holding the area immediately below his kneecap. He was helped off the field and walked carefully with the help of trainers. He was later led down a staircase into the bowels of Gillette Stadium by team personnel. Pats receiver Randy Moss said he thought the play was dirty, but Bernard vehemently denied it:

“The play was not intentional. People can call me a dirty player, you can call me whatever you want to call me, it’s not a dirty play. When you have 230 pounds on your back, and you’re trying to go forward, things will happen. I saw the ball was still in his hands and I tried to get to him. I tried to get up and get to him. But I couldn’t get up, so I just tried to grab him. It was not an intentional play.”

After watching it a couple times, I’d have to agree with him. Head coach Bill Belichick had little to add about Tom’s status during his postgame presser, saying only that he had no update and that tests were being done. NBCSports.com has word from unnamed N.Y. Jets players and coaches who said that Tom has a torn ACL. The “unnamed” part always concerns me. The Jets play the Pats next week. My calls to the Patriots media relations office either went to voice mail or nobody answered at all. Big surprise.

Backup QB Matt Cassel filled in admirably against the Chiefs, going 13-of-18 passing for 152 yards and a touchdown (to Randy Moss). But the Pats certainly aren’t the same team without Tom Brady, who also missed the entire preseason with a foot injury. Fox Sports’ Terry Bradshaw said Tom will have an MRI tomorrow but I can’t believe they would wait that long. Until then, the entire football world awaits updated news on the extent of this injury.

Sources: NFL.com, NBCSports.com, Boston.com, ESPN NFL Nation

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Tom Brady Injured in Patriots Win

Image details: Roger Goodell Selected To Become New NFL Commissioner served by picapp.com

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

An agreement has been completed between the National Football League and Matt Walsh that will allow Matt, a former videotape operator with the New England Patriots, to share with the NFL information about activities occurring during his employment with the club from 1997-2003. Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with Matt in the commissioner’s office on Tuesday, May 13, the earliest date that Matt, who lives in Hawaii, will be available on the east coast.

This agreement also requires Matt to return any tapes and other items in his possession that belong to the Patriots. In return, the NFL and the Patriots have promised not to sue him. They also will indemnify him for any expenses, including legal fees that he incurs in connection with the interview.

As you know, Commissioner Goodell determined last September that the Patriots had violated league rules by videotaping opposing coaches’ defensive signals during Patriots games throughout Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach. Coach Belichick admitted to his use of the taping practice on a regular basis as a result of what he said was his misinterpretation of the rules. It’s kind of like a wardrobe malfunction. Of course, Commissioner Goodell imposed substantial discipline on Coach Belichick and the club as a result of that practice. The interview with Matt Walsh will seek to determine whether he has any new information about that videotaping practice or other possible violations of league rules.

Following the meeting with Matt on May 13, there will be a news media briefing later that day in New York that will be attended by Commissioner Goodell. A specific time and location will be provided at a later date. This has been a mysterious story since word of it first broke and it will be very interesting to see the results of this meeting.

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Matt Walsh to Meet With NFL Commissioner

By now I’m sure you’ve heard that former St. Louis Rams player Willie Gary (yeah, I’ve never heard of him either) is suing the New England Patriots for allegedly videotaping one of the Rams’ practices before Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002. I didn’t write about it because I didn’t see any validity in his argument and I had never even heard of Willie Gary. Had Kurt Warner or Marshall Faulk filed a suit, it would have been a different story. Of course, they’re not that desperate. Anyway, the $100 million suit, which was filed in a U.S. District Court in New Orleans, names the Patriots, team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick as the bad guys.

Here’s the breakdown. Willie Gary wants each member of the Rams Super Bowl roster to receive $150,000. According to Willie’s suit, each Ram should get $25,000, which is the difference between the bonuses paid to the losing team and the winning team, as well as $125,000 as compensation for not receiving a Super Bowl XXXVI ring, an amount Willie arrived at because he says that’s what a Super Bowl ring would fetch on eBay. The lawsuit also seeks a refund on behalf of everyone who bought a ticket to Super Bowl XXXVI. All this without any evidence that the videotaping actually happened. Humorous, isn’t it?

Well, Coach Belichick broke his silence on the matter last night in an interview with the Boston Globe, denying he told anyone to tape the St. Louis Rams’ walkthrough before the Super Bowl. He also apologized for all the attention generated by “Spygate.” A guy named Matt Walsh, a former Patriots employee, reportedly taped St. Louis’ walkthrough practice the day before the Patriots beat the Rams 20-17 in the Super Bowl. But Coach Belichick said he “couldn’t pick Matt Walsh out of a lineup” and added:

“In my entire coaching career, I’ve never seen another team’s practice film prior to playing that team. I have never authorized, or heard of, or even seen in any way, shape, or form any other team’s walkthrough. We don’t even film our own.”

Take what you will from that statement. My feeling is, when you’re convicted of one crime (as in “Spygate”), scavengers with too much time on their hands and too little money in their pockets will see the potential to profit off the momentum. In this matter, I don’t see the case going anywhere. But I do believe others will follow in an attempt to add to the Pats’ guilt. It will happen. You can count on that. Whether or not any of it will be valid is yet to be seen.

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Bill Belichick Breaks Silence on Allegations, Denies Taping Super Bowl XXXVI Practice

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter today to talk about “Spygate” and the questions that still surround the New England Patriots’ illegal videotaping scandal that was uncovered at the beginning of the 2007 season. They met for an hour and 40 minutes in Washington and I can tell you Sen. Specter isn’t happy with the answers he got from Commissioner Goodell, especially concerning the reasons why the tapes were destroyed.

This is really where the concerns are for Sen. Specter. Commissioner Goodell says he destroyed the tapes because he wanted to keep them out of competitors’ hands and because New England head coach Bill Belichick had already admitted to the crime. He felt destroying the tapes was the right thing to do. Case closed. Sen. Specter isn’t buying it. He feels the evidence should have been preserved.

I’ve rethought my initial impressions of this case somewhat and I guess it seems a little odd to me that the tapes were destroyed. Commissioner Goodell’s concerns that the tapes would get into competitor’s hands is a bit unusual. If they were under lock and key, how could anyone other than authorized personnel get at them? It just seems like something that would be kept in an NFL safe somewhere. On the other hand, if the Commissioner felt like the case was closed, he would be inclined to just trash the evidence and end it already. I’m sure he wanted the whole thing to be over. And with the admission of guilt from Coach Belichick a done deal and the hefty punishment already handed out, he felt it pretty much was. Honestly, I can understand both sides of the argument.

This disagreement, however, will almost undoubtedly lead to a congressional hearing on the matter with Sen. Specter’s threats of Congress canceling the league’s antitrust exemption possibly hanging in the balance. As much as I feel this hearing is inevitable, I hope it doesn’t turn into the circus that is baseball’s multi-year steroid scandal.

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Commissioner Roger Goodell Talks ‘Spygate’ With Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter

It wasn’t supposed to end this way. The New England Patriots had run off an incredible 18 straight wins against no defeats to find themselves in Super Bowl XLII with a chance to make history and become world champions in the process. Yet in one fell swoop, they lost their undefeated and championship season with a 17-14 loss to the N.Y. Giants.

I sat in stunned silence after this was over. It wasn’t as though I had any emotional investment in the game. I honestly didn’t care who won. On one hand, I wanted to see the upstart Giants overcome the odds (they were nearly two touchdown underdogs) and beat “Goliath.” But on the other hand, I wanted to see history being made by one of the best teams I have ever witnessed. It left me somewhere in the middle just hoping for a good game. And I certainly got just that. (For the record, I picked New England 28-24.)

My satisfaction with the outcome, though, dates back to the first week of the 2007 NFL season. Unbeknown to many within the New England Patriots organization, head coach Bill Belichick broke NFL rules with an illegal videotaping incident (aka “Spygate”) that was certain to mar a perfect or championship season. If, in fact, a perfect or championship season happened. I knew that even if this Patriots team did go 19-0 — winning the Super Bowl in the process — that questions of legitimacy would forever be brought up. I’m on record as saying the rules that were broken had no impact on the outcome of that Kickoff weekend blowout over the Jets. And I still believe that.

The Pats earned their 18-0 record heading into yesterday’s Super Bowl. And I cannot begin to imagine how difficult of a task that was for this team. But in their final game loss, it’s almost as if justice had been served.

Now, in saying that, I want to be very careful that people understand I am not trying to take anything away from the incredible achievement for New England this season. That wouldn’t be fair to those players and coaches who put in so much time and effort. In fact, I doubt 18-0 will ever be achieved again. But when you knowingly break NFL rules — even if it’s the old “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch” adage — you must pay the price as a team. Of course, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell handed down a severe punishment months ago, but it was as if the ultimate punishment was handed down yesterday by the N.Y. Giants. New England won’t have to answer questions about the legitimacy of their undefeated championship season because they didn’t have one.

As an NFL scribe, the New England Patriots gave me a lot to write about this season. Week after week, they were something special to watch. I got to work with them up-close-and-personal in their November 18 game against the Buffalo Bills and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. They were an offensive machine. Because of this Super Bowl loss, I know they didn’t achieve their ultimate goal, but they have plenty to be proud of. After the game, players like Tom Brady, Junior Seau and Richard Seymour couldn’t have had more class and respect for the difficult situation and their opponent (too bad I can’t say the same for some of the Giants players). So, my congratulations to the New England Patriots on what was an incredible 18-1 season.

Inset Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

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New England Patriots Suffer ‘Giant’ Loss, Super Bowl Setback Ruins Perfect Season