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The average fan seems to believe that The New England Patriots dynasty has flat-lined. The popular media has buried Tom Brady, interred Bill Belichick, and cremated the idea that there is anyone of much value in the Patriot’s organization beyond these two passing icons.
But before we plant flowers on the grave of the Flying Elvis, perhaps we would be best served looking at a few of the particulars that have created this notion, and whether or not there is merit in these assumptions.
Perception #1: The last thing that the world remembers about the New England Patriots is Ray Rice skipping (rather effeminately) through their end zone in January after his second rushing touchdown to put the Baltimore Ravens up 21 points in the first quarter of their AFC wild card match-up. The Ravens went on to win the game by 18 points.
Conclusion: The Patriots defense is a shell of its former self and couldn’t stop a Pee-Wee squad. Two words: Leadership Void.
Reality Check #1: The Patriots defense ranked 6th in scoring defense and 3rd in yards allowed in 2009. However, the Patriots defense did surrender late leads to Denver, Indianapolis, Miami, and Houston to go 2-6 on the road. They also got demolished in the aforementioned Ravens game when playoff intensity escalated and they came out flat. This would suggest a lack of leadership in the locker room, a catch-phrase in New England in the off-season, likely caused by malcontent Adalius Thomas and his presumed toady, Shawn Springs, who was seen laughing at Thomas in his infamous “Snow Gate” press conference.
The void in leadership could also be attributed to the departure of stalwarts, Teddy Bruschi Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour who were sent out to other pastures.
The Patriots have made efforts to both purge toxic locker room players and add players with exceptional integrity in the off season, drafting five players who were captains of their college teams. Gone are bad boys such as Thomas and Springs.
Based on the overall statistics from last year, one would have to conclude that there is a tremendous amount of talent on the roster, which will blossom under the care of excellent coaching and a handful of veteran role players.
Perception #2: Tom Brady is past his prime and does not really care about football anymore.
Brady was photographed by paparazzi throughout the off-season getting foot massages from Gisele Bundchen, laying low in tropic locales, and, gasp, playing with his children. He did not report to the team’s optional off-season training program to spend more time on the West Coast with his children. As far as performance on the field, Brady choked during critical times during the season, including his three-pick performance against the Ravens.
Conclusion: Brady has essentially given up on football and will never be the same player as before Bernard Pollard demolished his leg in the 2008 opener.
Reality Check #2: Brady had the second best statistical season of his career in 2009, throwing for 4,398 yards and 28 touchdowns, completing 65.7 percent of his throws and earning a rating of 96.2. He put up these numbers while laboring most of the season with three cracked ribs, a broken finger on his throwing hand, and a shoulder injury.
Oh, and by the way, this was a year after he tore his ACL and MCL and spent the entire year in recovering from the surgery and in rehabilitation. As to the notion that Brady is no longer interested in football, one need look no further than several incidents in this year’s training camp in which Brady screamed at his offensive line for blowing a red zone play, at one point even calling them “fat cows.” (The latter epithet was likely a product of fatherhood, drawn from son Jack’s early readers such as “The Cow Jumped Over the Moon.” In this case, “The Cow Got Pushed Off the Line of Scrimmage and Into my Lap.”)
Brady’s fiery celebration after a first quarter touchdown by Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis against the New Orleans Saints tells you all you need to know about Brady’s competitive impulses, even at the ripe old age of 33. He is still determined to win, only this time, it will be using language that is a bit more suitable for a younger audience.
Now that he is healthy, a year removed from his knee surgery, the rest of the NFL should beware.
Perception #3: Bill Belichick is tired of coaching in the NFL and is past his prime as a head coach.
His mind is more on golf and fishing than on red zone efficiency and the 3-4 defense. At age 58, he is too old to want to withstand the rigors of being an NFL coach, particularly the long hours and little amount of time allowed to spend with family. Vince Lombardi stepped down from the Green Bay Packer’s head coaching position at age 55. Bill Walsh was 67 in his last year for the San Francisco 49ers. Bill Cower was 50 when he called it quits. Jimmy Johnson was 56 when he last coached in the NFL. Only a few exceptional head coaches, such as Bill Parcells and Don Shula, have made it into their 60s.
Conclusion: It is simply too difficult for an old man to fire up his troops to march into battle in the NFL.
Reality Check #3: What else would Belichick do? I don’t think that ESPN is anxious to get their hands on him. His press conferences could kill the dead (appropriately, his one cameo on television is at a funeral in the show “Rescue Me”). His typical response: “It is what it is,” has become a jingo in Foxboro, apropos of less than nothing. He was divorced in 2006 and his three children are grown up. Is he really that anxious to get home and watch reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond?”
But aside from the emptiness that awaits him following his retirement, he bleeds footballs, literally, his blood is composed of liquefied pig skin. He nibbles on shoulder pads in the bowels of Patriots place and sips on the blood of the downed opposition, and has been slowly devolving into a Gollum-like creature over the past decade, thinly veiled in public with cut-off sweat pants and a gray hoodie. Think he’ll become a GM some day? Have you ever seen him put on a suit? He looks ridiculous. He would fit in at the front office like a dead cat would at a speed-dating meet-and-greet. No.
Belichick will coach until his head explodes and Xs and Os ooze out onto the field.
Perception #4: The offense is old at key positions and lacks depth of quality players.
Let’s begin with the offense. Tom Brady is 33 and has been in the league since Seal was popular. Their running back stable boasts three players (Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Fred Taylor) who will soon apply for AARP cards. Receivers Randy Moss and Tory Holt have already bought adjoining rocking chairs and have started to begin every sentence with, “When I was a young man….” The offensive line is also old.
As for depth there, Logan Mankins is a holdout and will not be in camp anytime soon. His proposed backup, Nick Kazcur, is on the shelf with a back injury and is out “indefinitely.” The third man down the line, backup Dan Connolly, is untested, and behind him are a series of young unheralded players with bizarre names, such as Rich Ohrnberger, who are unproven.
Conclusion: Move over grandma…
Reality Check #4: The Patriots have drafted a series of young players to bolster their roster offensively, tackle Sebastian Vollmer, tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, and receivers Julian Edelman, Taylor Price, and Brandon Tate. All of these players are in their first or second year, and all appear to be the real deal, particularly Edelman who roasted the world champions in their first pre-season game for 133 total yards, most of them against the Saints first units.
Tom Brady lit up the league last year with three injuries and two good receivers last year. In 2006, he took the Patriots to the brink of the Superbowl with Reche Caldwell as his number one target. How do you think he might do with an offense loaded with young talent? Oh, by the way, Wes Welker is healthy. Some say he may wear down over the course of the season or not be able to cut as sharply as he has. Everyone has bet against this guy his entire career. Given how those assumptions have turned out, I’m not going to make the same mistake now.
Perception #5: The defense lacks quality depth, particularly at outside linebacker and defensive line, where the Patriots are thin and long in the tooth (what the hell does this expression mean?).
Last year, they had 31 sacks, good for 25th in the league in that important defensive statistic. Looking at the film, their QB hurries, hits, and pressures were all quite low as well. Many opposing QBs appeared to have enough time to build a house in the pocket before picking apart a suspect secondary. The run defense was atrocious, particularly during the Ravens playoff loss, surrendering 234 yards on the ground.
Conclusion: Jamarcus Russell could tear this group up, with a cup of purple drank in his left hand.
Reality Check #5: The Patriots did have a suspect run defense, ranking 13th in rush yards allowed per game. However, much of that can be attributed injuries to their two primary run-stopping studs on defense. Jerod Mayo hurt his knee in the first game of the season, missed three games, came back and was never the same. Vince Wilfork was hurt with three games to play, and came back only against Baltimore; rust was an issue. True, the team did miss Richard Seymour in run defense, as they tried to plug in Mike Wright and Jarvis Green, who was also banged up, to no avail. But they have addressed this gap in starter quality and quality of depth bringing in Gerard Warren, Damian Lewis, and drafting Brandon Deadrick, who is the real deal.
Middle linebacker will no longer boast role players such as Gary Guyton in starting roles. Second round pick Brandon Spikes had eight tackles against the Saints, mostly against the first unit, and plays like a veteran. He will start next to Mayo barring injury. The depth behind them is also much improved, with last year’s third round draft choice, Tyrone McKenzie and the previously mentioned Gary Guyton.
Outside Linebacker has widely been regarded as a position of weakness, but with the return of Derrick Burgess, the group suddenly offers solid depth, if not high-end talent. Burgess will likely start with Tully Banta-Cain. Many point to the fact that five of TBC’s sacks came against Buffalo, but recall that QB hurries, hits, and pressures are just as valuable, and he had a ton versus virtually almost every opponent (except for the Saints).
Behind these two is Marquis Murrell, who had a pressure and a sack on Drew Brees in the first preseason game. Fourth on the depth chart is second round draft pick Jermaine Cunningham from Florida, who has much in the way of potential.
The secondary picked up first round draft choice Devin McCourty to start as a nickel corner to support the likes of Leigh Bodden and Darius Butler, a second year player from UConn who has impressed in training camp. The trio, combined with playmakers Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung at safety, suddenly gives the Patriots a formidable secondary to compliment its pass rush.
They won’t be a top five defense, but they’ll probably be in the top ten.
Conclusion: Despite winning the AFC East last year with a record of 10-6, the Patriots were pantsed last year in the playoffs by the Ravens, unveiling a season of locker room turmoil and injuries at positions offering little depth. This year, with the walls of the locker room stripped of the images of past glory, the team appears poised for a monster season, restocked with young talent and depth at nearly every position.
While very few remain from the last Superbowl victory, shovel dirt on this group with a trembling trowel. With first ballot Hall of Famers Brady and Belichick in the coffin and glut of young upstarts lining the crypt, the Patriots may soon be eating your brains.
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This seems to be a very popular topic this week. On Friday, Chad Hall showed everyone his versatility. He did everything from take handoffs out of the backfield, catch passes as a wide receiver, and field returns on special teams.
The Eagles have to love the versatility this guy has, but the question is whether or not it will translate into a roster spot.
Although he’s showing a lot of promise, I think Hall is fighting an uphill battle. He’s shown he can play at both running back and wide receiver, but those are two positions that already have heated battles for roster spots. On special teams, he’s shown us that he can return both kickoffs and punts. However, these duties can be handled by a number of different position players, namely Ellis Hobbs and DeSean Jackson.
Offensively, he seems to resemble the Wes Welker mold. Hall is a small guy with a lot of speed that can be good on some quick-hitting plays. I do believe that Hall can make contributions to this team, but I’m not sold that he’ll get a roster spot yet.
Reports are saying that Riley Cooper has just about secured the fourth wide receiver position, and Hank Baskett and Kelley Washington are battling for the fifth spot. Both Baskett and Washington are tall receivers who have proven they can perform on special teams as well. Is there anyway Hall can fit into this battle?
I don’t see the Eagles carrying Hall on the roster as a running back. They’ve already got a great battle for the third position with true rushers, not hybrids like Hall.
If Hall continues to perform like he did in the Jacksonville game, he’s going to make it very hard for the Eagles to not give him a roster spot. Hall will be a guy to watch as the rest of the preseason continues.
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Week one of the NFL preseason is in the books, and it was full of debuts, injuries, and surprise performances.
The preseason in dynasty leagues isn’t all about the stars of the NFL. In fact, it’s just as much about evaluating the various position battles and lesser known players in the league.
This column takes a look at the entire dynasty landscape from stars to sleepers.
Let’s take a walk through no fewer than 35 fantasy football-related notes from week one as we begin to prepare ourselves for week two.
1. Victor Cruz of the Giants went crazy against the Jets on Monday Night Football with six catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns. Don’t go crazy about him since his damage was done late in the game, but he’s now a blip on the dynasty radar.
2. BenJarvus Green-Ellis started for New England, not Laurence Maroney. It will be interesting to see what happens in week two.
3. A hot sleeper last year, former Wolverine Adrian Arrington made his return with 87 yards on four catches for the Saints.
4. Jimmy Clausen made his debut for the Panthers with 80 yards, one interception, and one dropped touchdown pass by Brandon LaFell.
5. Tyrell Sutton of the Panthers continues to impress every time he plays. He had 54 yards on seven touches against Baltimore.
6. Darrius Heyward-Bey’s new work ethic didn’t translate to the field, as he was shut out for Oakland.
7. Donovan McNabb made his debut for Washington and was solid with 58 yards and a touchdown.
8. Two Redskin backs had nice games against the Bills. Keiland Williams had 51 yards and two touchdowns, while former Bronco Ryan Torain added another 62 yards rushing and 22 yards receiving.
9. Marshawn Lynch (ankle) and Fred Jackson (hand) were both injured against Washington. Their loss opens the door for C.J. Spiller to get an extended look this preseason. Look for him to take advantage.
10. Michael Vick found his speed again. I find myself not caring.
11. If your annual preseason numbers got you in the Hall of Fame, Luke McCown would be in Canton, Ohio. He had 244 yards and three touchdowns for Jacksonville.
12. Troy Williamson averaged 50.5 yards on two catches. How does that never translate to the regular season?
13. Dexter McCluster was solid for the Chiefs with 25 yards rushing and 23 yards receiving. He passes the eye test.
14. Mike Williams of Tampa Bay recorded his first NFL catch with a beautiful 30-yard reception. He’s flying up draft boards at this point.
15. Sammie Stroughter is an underrated player. The former Oregon State Beaver had 33 yards and a touchdown for Tampa Bay against the Dolphins’ first team defense.
16. Super sleeper Kareem Huggins ran for 55 yards on just eight carries. He may push Derrick Ward off the Bucs’ roster.
17. Jahvid Best started and carried the ball the first three plays for Detroit. It’s obvious they expect him to handle the load early.
18. Dennis Dixon isn’t going to give Byron Leftwich the Steelers’ early season quarterback job without a fight. He opened with 128 yards passing and one touchdown against Detroit.
19. Aaron Rodgers should just go home for the next three weeks. He threw for 159 yards and a score with just one incompletion. He’s ready for the season opener.
20. Another super sleeper, Quinn Porter, had 38 yards on nine carries for Green Bay. With the health of James Starks in question, Porter merits watching in dynasty leagues.
21. Arian Foster swiped the starting running back job for Houston in one night after Ben Tate’s injury and Steve Slaton’s less than impressive performance.
22. Stephen Williams had 29 receiving yards for Arizona. He should be squarely on dynasty radars as well.
23. Matt Leinart still looks like Matt Leinart.
24. Steven Jackson better never get hurt because Chris Ogbonnaya and Keith Toston have a ways to go.
25. Sam Bradford made his St. Louis debut, and the stage wasn’t too big for him. His stats weren’t impressive (6-of-13 for 57 yards), but he showed some poise.
26. Ryan Mathews is ready for prime time. He had 50 yards on just nine carries against Chicago. His work ethic has been great as well. In fact, he’s been repeatedly spotted staying long after practice in order to catch passes.
27. Johnny Knox is the receiver to have in Chicago right now. He posted 47 yards on two catches. Mike Martz is said to be falling for his ability quickly.
28. Stafon Johnson’s NFL story may be over after he suffered an unfortunate ankle injury against the Seahawks. Regardless of your feelings about USC, you have to feel for the kid.
29. Former first round bust Mike Williams turned a short catch into a 51-yard touchdown for Seattle. Could he really be turning the corner?
30. If Peyton Manning ever gets hurt, the Colts are done. Curtis Painter looks nothing like an NFL quarterback and was even booed by his home crowd.
31. Anthony Dixon looked great in his 49ers debut with 100 yards on 21 carries. It’s been a roller coaster of a week on the depth chart for Dixon. Glen Coffee retired to move him up, and then Brian Westbrook was signed, moving him back down.
32. Tim Tebow made his long anticipated debut for Denver. Two things are apparent with Tebow. First, he can improvise and make plays. Second, his elongated delivery is back.
33. Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley look like great rookies for Cincinnati. They combined for eight catches and 87 yards against Denver.
34. Bernard Scott can play. He posted 113 yards on just 10 touches against Denver as well.
35. Ahmad Bradshaw clearly looks like the best running back for the Giants. It’s really not even close.
Is it Thursday yet?
For the complete set of strategic 2010 dynasty rankings, click below:
Strategic Quarterback Rankings
Strategic Running Back Rankings
Strategic Wide Receiver Rankings
Strategic Tight End Rankings
Strategic IDP Rankings
Article written by Ken Kelly
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I welcome you all back to the sophomore campaign of my “Seen and Herd” series.
For those of you who are unaware of what this series entails, or are new to B/R, I put together a Peter King MMQB-esque review piece after each and every Bills game throughout the season, giving insight, opinion, and my wanna-be expert analysis.
Alright, let’s go…
The Good
The “start” to Buffalo’s season can be summed up rather easily – they got spanked.
All was not terrible, however.
In their first defensive series of the year, the new defensive front, which wasn’t exactly the 3-4 set we’ll be seeing, held their own. They stayed home on a reverse play and only allowed one first down.
They also looked surprisingly stout against the run – Dwan Edwards, Marcus Stroud, Kyle Williams, and even Chris Ellis manned their gaps and flashed signs of what could become a more dependable run defense.
I was just as pleased with the methodical drive Trent Edwards lead on his first time out. He didn’t wow us with any fantastic threaded needles, but did show a glimpse of the fresh offense Chan Gailey has been installing in Pittsford.
The offensive line, without starters Eric Wood, Demetrius Bell and Cornell Green, opened cutback holes for Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch and C.J. Spiller – I’m right there with you in terms of being shocked.
Chad Simpson and Joique Bell to me, are the same player, and both demonstrated their evasive running style – loved how hard these smaller backs run north-south.
Another undrafted guy, David Nelson, caught five balls for 47 yards and that lob TD from Fitzpatrick in the game’s garbage time, which lasted basically the entire second half.
With his new injury and well-documented sloppy training camp, I don’t see how James Hardy makes the team with the 6’5” Nelson out there running crisp routes and getting open – OK, I could be getting ahead of myself, but Nelson got the jump on Hardy he needed last night.
I payed close attention to the back-up nose tackles, specifically Torell Troup and John McCargo. Both players frequently got good push into the backfield, with Troup the more consistent anchor. I haven’t forgotten McCargo’s 2009 preseason, a time when he looked like the first-round pick he was five years ago, that never translated against starters – take his play with a grain of salt.
The Atrocious
Reggie Corner. I try my hardest to like the guy, root for him, but he’s the one secondary member that is consistently abused.
He was flagged for pass interference, missed a handful of tackles, dropped a would-be pick six, and totally miss-played the touchdown to Fred Davis.
He’s usually in decent position, but makes some type of bone-headed play when it’s time to man up.
Trent Edwards interception looked like the Trentative Checkwards of old. It appears that Edwards is the single-most scared quarterback whenever the pocket begins to crumble. He, honestly, should just practice making Ben Roethlisberger “make-something-out-of-nothing” plays in practice. The commentators, Ray Bentley and Steve Tasker, who were also atrocious by the way, stated that Edwards is good when he’s outside the pocket, but it’s just not true.
Besides the boring, play-action bootleg dump-off to the tight-end that never musters more than five yards, Edwards struggles when he’s moved from the pocket.
Gailey gave him ample opportunity to end on a high note, allowing him to even get reps against the Redskins’ second squad, and he couldn’t perform. I’m still light years away from trusting him whatsoever.
The second and third teams were over-matched all night, with Artur Moats and Co. repeatedly out of position, leaving Washington’s receivers and running backs embarrassingly wide open. They had Rex Grossman looking like he was back tossing the ball around the Swamp as a Gator.
Lastly, what ever happened to Gailey’s emphasis on not committing dumb penalties?
Andra Davis and Aaron Maybin were hit with some mindless flags that kept drives going. For some reason, I was expecting a mental mishap from Maybin.
Things to Remember/Overly Optimistic Viewpoints
Aside from the connection Donovan McNabb made with Chris Cooley that ended with a jaw-jarring hit by Donte Whitner, a lot the Redskins first team passes were completed into very tight windows, with very tight coverage – check McNabb’s touchdown throw.
We saw little, and I mean little variety from the defense and the offense, which is how it should be in the preseason.
The times in which Buffalo lined up in the 3-4 set were few and far between and unless I missed it, which is possible, no blitz packages were sent Washington’s way. The absence of Paul Posluszny and Keith Ellison were the main reasons why we saw more 4-3 alignments.
Although he didn’t make a great first impression with any sacks or tackles for loss, Antonio Coleman fits in as a situational player for sure. He just looks like he’s ready to play from Day One.
I’d be stunned if he doesn’t make the roster.
Aaron Maybin’s spin move, which resulted in his second career preseason sack, was performed on a second/third string tackle. A counter move is a step in the right direction for the polarizing former first round pick, however.
Speaking of pass rush, Buffalo’s offensive line made Washington’s look all-world last night. As alluded to above, that’s hopefully (no more injuries, please) not the unit we’ll see throughout the season – Jamon Meredith belongs on the right side.
The Injury Front
We found out in the post-game press conference that Fred Jackson suffered a hand injury and will miss the remainder of the preseason. It’s tough to tell if it’s a very serious injury, or if Gailey just understands Jackson’s importance and is taking a precautionary measure.
Marshawn Lynch tweaked is ankle and though it’s not deemed to be serious, don’t expect to see much of him the next three weeks.
Alex Carrington was hit by his own teammate in the second half and stayed on the ground for quite a while. From what I’ve heard, it was only one of those nagging shoulder stingers.
What’s Next
Our Bills take on the Indianapolis Colts (uh-oh) on Thursday, August 19th, in Toronto at 7:30.
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New Orleans Saints @ New England Patriots
NO 0 7 14 3 24
NE 10 7 7 3 27
New Orleans
Scoring
2nd Qtr: Reggie Bush 2-yd Rush (Garrett Hartley kick)
3rd Qtr: Larry Beavers 97-yd Kick Return (Hartley kick)
3rd Qtr: Chris Ivory 2-yd Rush (Hartley kick)
4th Qtr: Hartley 23-yd FG.
Positive Performance
Pierre Thomas, RB
I don’t get why Sean Peyton keeps thinking he needs to give other players carries. Thomas showed once again why he’s the man in New Orleans. Reggie Bush does the cute stuff, but Thomas is and will be the main man this season. Hopefully Peyton doesn’t get cute and starting giving carries to guys like Chris Ivory or Lynell Hamilton.
Garrett Hartley, K
It’s amazing how many place kickers struggle with punting, but Hartley could definitely get the job done if called upon like he was in this game. Also showed good awareness and did a good job slowing Devin McCourty down on a kick return. One less thing for Peyton to worry about.
Negative Performance
Jon Stinchcomb, RT
He routinely was made to look stupid by Marques Murrell. He looked good with run-blocking, and has virtually no chance of losing his starting job, but there’s a reason he plays RT.
Courtney Roby, KR
He didn’t show any creativity or fighting for yards on any of his returns, often falling on first contact. Throw in the fact that the other guy vying for the job, Larry Beavers, took his first opportunity 97 yards to the end zone, and I’d say there’s a decent chance he won’t make the roster.
Summary
The Saints’ first-team offense definitely did not look like the usual first team offense. They went the entire first quarter without scoring against a transitioning Patriots defense. I know it’s only the preseason, but I had a feeling going into the game that the Saints are going to take a step backwards this year, and this first preseason game only strengthened that feeling.
New England
Scoring
1st Qtr: Stephen Gostkowski 35-yd FG
1st Qtr: Benjarvus Green-Ellis 6-yd Rush (Gostkowski kick)
2nd Qtr: Laurence Maroney 5-yd Rush (Gostkowski kick)
3rd Qtr: Maroney 1-yd Rush (Gostkowski kick)
4th Qtr: Gostkowski 28-yd FG
Positive Performance
Julian Edelman, WR
If for some reason Welker isn’t ready for the first game, don’t worry about the Patriots at all. Edelman will more than suffice. Edelman showed many of the same skills, including run-after-catch skills and punt and kick return skills. In fact, if I were Wes Welker, I’d start taking notice. I’m not saying that Welker will lose his starting job. It’s just that Belichek knows when to trade players to get maximum value and maximum usage (see Seymour, Richard), and as good as Edelman looked, if he keeps it up Welker may become expendable.
Devin McCourty, CB
Looked good in coverage, helping to relatively shut down the Saints high-powered passing attack. Even more impressive, however, was his kick return skills. Edelman at PR and McCourty at KR make the Pats special teams pretty scary, potentially.
Brian Hoyer, QB
Showed a lot of the mental skills that Tom Brady brings. Not nearly as talented as a thrower and Brady is still the man, but as far as a backup/QB in waiting goes, they could do a lot worse than Hoyer. He may be better than the Patriots’ last backup QB.
Zoltan Mesko, P
Got some good distance on his punts, but I mainly mentioned him because he probably has the coolest name of any punter in NFL history.
Negative Performance
Zac Robinson, QB
Looked like a rookie, somewhat of a deer-in-the-headlights look. Expected from a QB playing his first time in a pro-style system on a pro team. No big surprises. Did throw a nice screen to Darnell Jenkins.
Darius Butler, CB
Gave up a penalty that led to a Saints TD. May end up being the #2 CB behind McCourty, but will still likely start.
Summary
Brady and Moss looked like their usual selves. Those two looked like they were on a mission to prove they still have it. I wouldn’t expect 50/22 TDs this season, but they’ll definitely outproduce last season. Don’t be afraid to draft either in your fantasy league this season, regardless of the format.
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