by Ian TassoFresh off a combined 79-7 whooping of the NFL’s two ugliest children, New England heads into this coming bye week with a huge list of tasks ahead of them. In the impeding future, the Patriots must find a way to deal with Miami and its dreaded Wildcat formation. In the long run, the blue-and-silver have scheduled run-ins with Drew Brees and the Saints, Peyton Manning and the Colts, and a rematch with Rex Ryan and the Jets.
But while Head Coach Bill Belichik paces back and forth in his office/cave/lair and devises numerous plans to not only handle but dismantle each and every one of those imposing tasks, we can take some time to break-down what has been an interesting first half for the New England Patriot squad. Grades are officially in, and class is in session.
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Coaching: It all starts at the top, and we all know New England is led by one of the best in the business. But this year, Bill Belichik and his minions had a tougher task than usual on their hands. We knew the offense would be right on schedule, but the summer of 2009 was not as kind as most to the Patriot defense - the losses of Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour highlighting what was a rough few months for New England. Still, as Patriot fans have grown to expect, Belichick has turned in yet another coaching masterpiece and at the moment trots a squad on the field that ranks 6th in total yards allowed per game and third in points allowed. No mystery to why this ragtag team of no-names is having this type of success on the field. It all comes back to the hooded genius.
Overall Midterm Grade: A. No Harrison. No Bruschi. No Vrabel. No Problem. When you give some people a rope, they want to be a cowboy. Some people are even happy with just a rope by itself. Belichick continues to prove that if you give him a rope, not only will he be a cowboy, he’ll be the best damn cowboy since Wyett Earp. All he needs is eleven competent men that can stand on two legs for a given amount of time and he’ll assemble a team that competes every Sunday - and wins on most. See: Gary Guyton, Shawn Springs, Mike Wright and Chris Baker.
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Quarterbacks: Brady is as Brady does, and after a few shaky (at worst) outings it appears the Golden Child has figured it all out again. We knew he would, we just weren’t sure when – but after two straight games of 300+ yards and a combined nine touchdowns, it appears all is well for Mr. Bundchen.
Individual Grades: Brady, A-; Hoyer, INC.
Overall Midterm Grade: A-. Impossible really to give Brady a lower grade than this, even though his first five weeks or so were slightly concerning. Concerning meaning he didn’t throw for over 500 yards in any of those contests and only threw for two or more touchdowns in just two of them. Oh, what a world we Boston sports fans live in…
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Running Backs: And here we reach our first speed-bump…sort of. The quartet of Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney and the Law Firm have been average if not mediocre at best. Taylor is now out indefinitely, as is Morris, Maroney still fears contact like Mary-Kate Olsen fears a ham sandwich and BenJarvis is yet to see enough carries to fully map out whether he’s the next Terrell Davis or the next…well, Laurence Maroney. Still, they serve their purpose, even if that purpose is just to give Brady’s arm the occasional break and chew up some clock.
Individual Grades: Taylor, B+; Faulk, B; Green-Ellis, B-; Maroney, B-; Morris, C+
Overall Midterm Grade: B-. They do their job, and thus it’s tough to give them anything lower. If the Patriots centered around a running game, they’d all get failing grades…but alas, that’s far from the truth, so a B will have to do.
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Wide Receivers: Moss has been somewhat contained, that much is obvious. Even so, number 81 ranks ninth in the NFL in receiving and tied for fourth in touchdowns. It’s not 2007, and for Boston sports fans, that’s somewhat disappointing. But as a cohesive unit, they continue to produce and reap the benefits of Brady’s spirals. Wes Welker is having a career season, currently second in the NFL with 46 receptions, Julian Edelman performed admirably in his stead and Sam Aiken is finally beginning to contribute. The door is now open for Brandon Tate, we’ll see if he walks though, but there’s no doubt the kid has a high ceiling.
Individual Grades: Welker, A; Moss, A-; Aiken, B-; Edleman, C; Galloway, F; Tate, INC
Overall Midterm Grade: B+. They still have arguably the best one/two of any team in the league, and as long as Wes Welker and Randy Moss are healthy, the Patriot receiving corps will remain one of the best in the NFL. The Joey Galloway experiment failed miserably, but Welker continues to play at a highly elevated level and Sam Aiken is looking very nice as a third option.
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Tight Ends: Finally. That would be the one word that comes to mind when you think of the Patriot’s tight end play in 2009, specifically that of Benjamin Watson. When Watson was drafted back in 2004 New England had visions of a pass-catching tight-end with receiver speed, and five seasons later it’s finally coming to fruition. Watson currently is tied for the team lead in touchdowns (4), Chris Baker has also filled in nicely as a spot backup and blocking end.
Individual Grades: Watson, B+; Baker, B-.
Overall Midterm Grade: B+. No more, no less. Doing their job and doing it well. Look for Watson to stay more involved with the passing game especially after the departure of Joey Galloway as New England searches for its true third/fourth receiving options. God knows Tom Brady will use them when he finds them.
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Offensive Line: Matt light did a tremendous job on All-Pro John Abraham in the Atlanta game. Then he left injured, and New England was exposed against the Broncos. Tough games against Dwight Freeney and the Colts, Jason Taylor and the Dolphins and the blitz-heavy Jets lie on the horizon. The Patriots line will be tested as much as ever in the coming weeks, and given Tom Brady’s lack of mobility (especially this year), it will be imperative that they play well. The emergence of Sebastian Vollmer helps stomach the blow of Light, but without big number 72, the Patriot’s line is severely hampered.
Individual Grades: Light, A-; Vollmer, B; ; Neal, B; Koppen, B-, Mankins; C+; Kaczur, C+
Overall Midterm Grade: B. Worrisome to think about Freeney and Taylor matching up against the rookie Vollmer two straight weeks. It was nice facing Tampa Bay and Tennessee without Light, but it will be more difficult against competent defensive squads with fierce defensive ends. Still, Brady remains intact and the New England O-line has been respectable thus far. But the absence of Light causes for grave concern.
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Overall Offensive Midterm Grade: B+. Tough really to be worried about much when it comes to the New England offense. All concerns about running backs and tight ends and offensive linemen are quickly drowned out by the fact that Tom Brady is still at the helm of the Patriot attack. And as long as Wes Welker and Randy Moss are at his side - watched over by the dutiful Belichick - everything will be okay in New England. It's no 2007...but we'll take it.
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