Football

Dec 2, 2012; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talks with defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75). Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports Welcome to the fifth installment of a multi-part review and grading of the previous drafts of the New England Patriots under coach and executive Bill Belichick.  As the Patriots are beginning their “voluntary” organized team activities along with their other NFL counterparts, this period of preparing for the 2013 season until the kickoff of the official training camp in July is often the only down time in the NFL calendar. Now is an ideal time to look back and re-grade the previous drafts of the New England Patriots while under the leadership of Bill Belichick. As a note, these draft grades take into account the player’s impact while in New England weighed against the other players who were available in the draft at that time, as well as the the strength of the draft as a whole that season.  Below is the revisit and re-grading of the Bill Belichick draft that played a key role in adding two consecutive Super Bowl championships in New England: the 2004 NFL Draft. The Patriots ended the 2003 season on a high note, as the team shook off a mind-numbing 31-0 loss to the recently released from New England Lawyer Milloy-led Buffalo Bills in week one to roar through the schedule and finish with 12 consecutive victories and a 14-2 regular season  record one year after missing the playoffs. The season included a memorable victory over Denver on a Monday night game at Mile Hile featuring an intentional safety by the Patriots. The Patriots were pinned down at the one yard line and went three-and-out and intentionally to the safety to pin Denver back. The strategy paid-off as young quarterback Danny Kanell went three-and-out and gave the ball back to the Patriots with 2:15 on the clock.  Tom Brady led the Patriots down the field and completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to young wide receiver David Givens with only 36 seconds remaining in the game. There was also an epic defensive battle against the resurgent Dallas Cowboys under Bill Parcells on a cold Sunday night in November at Gillette Stadium.  The Cowboy’s defense showed up, limiting the Patriots to 12 points and quarterback Tom Brady to a rare, sub-50% completion rate that night.; however, he did–as was customary in that offense–complete passes to 8 different receivers.  New England’s defense showed up strong and shut out the Cowboy’s offense (one of the defense’s 3 shutouts that season and 2 additional games without allowing a touchdown), as cornerback Ty Law picked off two Quincy Carter passes and fellow cornerback Tyrone Poole added another pick. Dallas’s leading rusher, Troy Hambrick, was held to 41 yards on 16 attempts on the ground.  The Patriots only scored once, a 2 yard plunge by running back Antowain Smith set-up by a 57 yard completion to David Givens on the previous play. The Patriots headed into the 2004 draft with an additional 1st round pick and 2nd round pick courtesy of their previous trades into this draft year during the 2003 draft.  New England had packaged their second 1st round pick (#19) in 2003 to Baltimore for their 2nd round pick in 2003 and Baltimore’s 1st round pick in 2004. The Patriots also had traded one of their 3rd round picks (#78) to Miami for their 2004 2nd round pick.  That 2nd round pick was traded to Cincinnati for their disgruntled running back Corey Dillon, who allowed New England to replace aging and ineffective running back Antowain Smith with an all-pro talent on the cheap. Cincinnati drafted safety Madieu Williams with the 2nd round pick. Williams was a solid pick-up, but definitely it was a trade that New England would make every time, considering the next running back drafted after that spot was Mewelde Moore (Chris Perry, Kevin Jones, Greg Jones, Julius Jones, and Tatum Bell were drafted ahead of the pick that was traded for Dillon, along wi

Last week, I wrote this story comparing Carolina Panthers players to WWE Superstars. Well, apparently I'm not the only one who sees a connection between the NFL and WWE, because earlier today Alex Marvez wrote an article for Fox Sports saying the WWE is interested in recruiting NFL players to join the sports entertainment arena. Here's a snippet from Marvez's story: WWE is interested in trying to recreate that same show-business magic with NFL players passionate about the rough-and-tumble world of "sports entertainment." Jim Ross, a WWE announcer who now assists with the company's talent-development program, is meeting Wednesday with NFL Players Association officials in Washington, D.C. Ross hopes to develop a working relationship that could lead to the NFLPA funneling players whose football aspirations have ended toward a WWE tryout. As a WWE fan* I think this is cool. I would enjoy watching former NFL players try to compete against WWE Superstars. Picture it - Cam Newton vs. The Rock in a steel cage match for the right to be called "The Entertainer and Icon". You can't deny this would be a big hit; you just can't. Let's open this up a little: which current or former Panthers players would you like to see compete in the WWE? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments, and let's have some fun! *I refuse to call myself "part of the WWE Universe".

The Patriots have continued their pursuit of former Rutgers players, as they have claimed offensive lineman Kevin Haslam off waivers from the Chargers. Haslam, who last played for the Scarlet Knights in 2010, was waived by San Diego on Tuesday. Haslam brings NFL experience to New England, as he has appeared in 10 career games over his two year career. He got his most valuable experience with the Chargers last season, where he started three games at left tackle. Many believe that Haslam was a likely candidate to take over at the position full time in 2013. With Haslam coming aboard, the Patriots now have seven players from Rutgers on their roster. It's evident, if it wasn't already, that Belichick really likes what he sees from players who were primarily coached by Greg Schiano at Rutgers. Certainly don't rule out another Rutgers signing before training camp begins. As a corresponding move, the team has released offensive lineman R.J. Mattes. Mattes was signed by the team last week as an undrafted rookie free agent out of North Carolina State. As a student at State, can't say I'm happy to see Mattes go, but it doesn't seem to sting as much since it's a Rutgers player taking his spot. Those guys are what Bill Belichick really needs more of.

Cowboys first and then everything else!dallas cowboys | dez bryant | tony romo | demarcus ware | jerry jones

Mike Keith and Amie Wells take you inside the 2013 Bash of the Titans, benefiting the Boys and Girls Club, at LP Field.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers leading wide receiver Michael Crabtree has had surgery to repair a torn right Achilles tendon.Crabtree was operated on Wednesday, one day after suffering the injury during an organized team activity."Michael Crabtree underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon that he tore yesterday," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Surgery was successful and we do not anticipate it will be season-ending for Michael."Harbaugh would not speculate when Crabtree might return to play.

Chip Kelly has been the talk of the NFL's offseason thanks to his revolutionary changes with the Philadelphia Eagles. Will his offense translate to the next level? ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski is skeptical.

Rokevious Watkins was limited to just one game in his rookie season because of an ankle injury and he won’t be playing all 16 games in his second season either. The NFL announced that Watkins has been suspended for the first game of the 2013 season. The suspension is for a violation of the substance-abuse…

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to all of the TST and FG members who came over and not only wished Crabtree quick healing, but smacked down the few trolls that gleefully danced over the fact that someone got injured. I know as rivals we should hate each other and trash talk (especially during the week before a game between us), but it is great to see that seeing someone injured is not a reason to smack talk. Thank you for that. Here is to no more injuries for any of our teams and that we can play each other at full strength! (I am posting this at both TST and FG because I appreciate both fanbases.) I just wanted to give a quick shout out to all of the TST and FG members who came over and not only wished Crabtree quick healing, but smacked down the few trolls that gleefully danced over the fact that someone got injured. I know as rivals we should hate each other and trash talk (especially during the week before a game between us), but it is great to see that seeing someone injured is not a reason to smack talk. Thank you for that. Here is to no more injuries for any of our teams and that we can play each other at full strength! (I am posting this at both TST and FG because I appreciate both fanbases.)

May 14, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) drops back to pass during organized team activities at the Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports As I was thinking about my next article I could not help but continue to compare Carson Palmer to Kurt Warner.  Most Cardinals fans obviously hope and dream Palmer could somehow replicate what Warner did during the Super Bowl run in 2008. Fans hope that he will be the next franchise quarterback, even if it is just for a short period in time, just like Warner was.  I think the Cardinals will take what they can get.  As a Cardinals fan, there have not been very many glorious years, so it is extremely easy to gravitate to that glorious period of time. Palmer and Warner are similar in a lot of ways, as both gained experience and made it to the playoffs before playing with the Cardinals. But let’s ignore the stats for this article. Let’s ignore the fact that Palmer and Warner both posted passer ratings in the high 80s the season before they joined the Cardinals. Let’s ignore the similarities in their stats. Here, we have a different kind of similarity. As I sat deep in thought, the number three continued to come up. No, I’m not practicing my three-point shot in basketball or thinking about the baseball season (three strikes and you’re out) with a bit of a chuckle. Seriously, what I continued to think about was the number three.  The number three continued to come up seemingly every time I thought about the Palmer/Warner comparison, but I could not put a finger on why or what it was.   And then suddenly it occurred to me as I look at pictures of both Palmer and Warner. First, both Palmer and Warner joined the Cardinals at the ripe old age of 33. In addition, the two both joined their third NFL franchise when they signed with the Cardinals. Third, the two both have a three on their respective jerseys (Palmer is # 3 and Warner was # 13).  To make matters even more curious, there are three different reasons why Palmer and Warner are similar to each other.  Once again, they are both 33, two, this is their third NFL franchise and third they both have a three on their jersey.  What does all this mean?  I am really not sure if it means anything but what an incredible and unusual fact, if you ask me. However, after this fact-finding fun that I came up with, I really do not know what all this entirely means.  In fact it probably does not mean anything in the grand scheme of things.  But it does give us Cardinal fans something fun to think about as well as something else to hope for, while we anxiously wait for the season to start. Fans are superstitious, and it’s always fun to come up with similarities like this. While it may not matter, it’s a fun way of showing how Palmer can lead the Cardinals to the success Warner did. With the talent he has around him, it’s definitely possible. Perhaps the Palmer era will actually be glorious as it was during the Warner era.   After all, who knows, maybe the Cardinals can win three playoff games as they did in 2008.  Maybe the lucky number is the number three.  Maybe the number three under center or at the helm will bring the team to another Super Bowl.