2010 NFL Preview: New England Patriots
The New England Patriots won the AFC East championship a year ago, and they looked as if they were going back to their dominant ways. However, the same fire that they had in the early 2000s just does not seem to be there. But as long as Tom Brady is healthy, the Patriots are still a contender regardless.
The question is now with New England is are they focused on getting back to the dominant form they had a decade ago? Will Wes Welker have the same impact upon returning from his horrific knee injury? Does Bill Belichick have any more tricks in his hoodie? Technorati goes inside the New England Patriots.
Recap:
- 2009 Record: (10-6, 1st AFC East, reached playoffs (Wild Card))
- Key Additions: WR Torry Holt (Jacksonville Jaguars), TE Alge Crumpler (Tennessee Titans), C Eric Ghiaciuc (UFL), DE/DT Damione Lewis (Carolina Panthers), DT Gerard Warren (Oakland Raiders), DE/OLB Marques Murrell (New York Jets).
- Key Departures: TE Benjamin Watson (Cleveland Browns), TE Chris Baker (Seattle Seahawks), DE/DT Jarvis Green (Denver Broncos), DE/OLB Adalius Thomas (free agency), CB Shawn Springs (free agency).
Overview:
Offense: Tom Brady initially started the 2009 campaign a little bit cautiously as he still had memories of his 2008 knee injury that sat him out that season, but as the season went on, he started to pick up his confidence and as an end result, he threw for 4,398 yards with 28 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. There have been reports that Brady has not been playing like his dominant self in recent years and that his work ethic has tapered off over the years. Ever since Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, when he won his third Super Bowl, Brady has been 5-4 in the postseason as a starter. With contract and future in question, Brady has done a good job putting the team ahead of his needs and staying professional. While Brian Hoyer and Zac Robinson are not really big names, should Brady have any issues again, there was an unknown quarterback that did very well for the Patriots in 2008 named Matt Cassel. Despite the reports and rumors, this is still Tom Brady's team.
The running game is still an issue for the Patriots. They made no significant upgrades to improve this side of the ball. Laurence Maroney is the starter, but he began fumbling the ball too much and was benched by Bill Belichick in the latter stages of the season. Fred Taylor is aging, and Sammy Morris is a third down back. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a back that has his moments, but is inconsistent. With this group, there is nothing to really fear, and it puts more pressure on Brady and the passing game.
Continued on the next page
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